JPS5922537B2 - Enclosed ball pachinko machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a sealed ball type pachinko machine having a mechanism for discharging and supplying sealed balls.

Conventionally, the surface of the pachinko ball has been equipped with a socket for pachinko balls, a display mechanism for the number of balls hit, and an operation part for ending the game.When the player's balls are fed into the socket, the display mechanism displays the display visually, and when the game ends, the operation part is activated. A pachinko machine has been proposed that, when operated, discharges as many balls as the number displayed on the display mechanism into a saucer. This pachinko machine greatly simplifies the flow process of balls during a game, and in particular, it is possible to eliminate the need for a high-capacity pachinko ball transport device or circulation mechanism within the game parlor. This pachinko machine 1 has a game board 2 as shown in FIG. do.
The gaming section 6 has a plurality of winning holes 7 in the middle and an outro 8 at the bottom end, and when a hit ball enters the winning hole, it is guided to the back side of the game board 2 and sent out from the collecting gutter 9. The safe ball flows down the down gutter 10. On the other hand, when the batted ball enters the outro 8, it is sent to the back side of the game board 2 and flows down the outball flow gutter 11.
Both of the downflow channels 10 and 11 communicate with a storage section 12 on the back of the game machine, and the tip of the storage section 12 faces the firing position 4 via a firing control mechanism 13. In addition, each downstream gutter 10, 1
1 includes a detection unit 1 that transmits an electric signal by a passing ball.
4, 15, and the detection units 14, 15 and the firing control mechanism 13 are arranged, for example, in a corner of the game store.
Contact. Furthermore, the surface of the pachinko machine 1 is provided with a socket 17 into which the player throws pachinko balls, and the balls thrown into the socket 17 are transmitted through a discharge gutter 18 and are discharged directly below the row of pachinko machines. , a detection unit 19 that detects the number of passing balls and transmits an electric signal is placed in the middle of the discharge gutter 18,
The detection unit 19 is connected to the storage/arithmetic mechanism 16 described above.
Each of the detection units 14 , 15 , and 19 detects the passing ball electrically using a phototransistor or other mechanism, or magnetically using an electromagnet or the like, and supplies an electrical signal to the storage/arithmetic mechanism 16 .

In addition to the above, the memory calculation mechanism 16 includes an electromagnetic counter,
A display mechanism 20 consisting of an index tube or other device; an operation section 21 for ending the game, generally consisting of a push button mechanism, rotary, seesaw switch mechanism, or other switch-type mechanism; and communicates with a prize ball discharge mechanism 22 that allows pachinko balls to pass through. It is most preferable for the display mechanism 20 to face one corner of the surface of the game board 2 so that the displayed numerical value can be visually displayed to the player.
Further, it is preferable that the operation part 21 be attached to one side of the surface of the pachinko machine 1 so that it can be operated most easily by the player. However, the display mechanism 20 and the operating portion 21 may be installed together with the socket 17 on the underframe of the pachinko machine row. The prize ball discharging mechanism 22 is installed in the middle of a prize ball delivery path 24 for each pachinko machine that extends from a supply gutter 23 installed in the length direction of the pachinko machine row, and the lower end of the delivery path 24 is connected to each pachinko machine. An opening is made in the saucer 25 on the surface of 1. The prize ball ejecting mechanism 22 has a detecting part for detecting a passing ball and a control part for electrically, electromagnetically, or mechanically blocking or allowing the passing of the ball, and is controlled by a command from the memory/arithmetic mechanism 16. When the control section is activated and the control section allows a ball to pass, the detection section notifies the mechanism 16 of the number of balls that have passed. Therefore, when a player throws pachinko balls purchased inside the game parlor into the socket 17, the number of pachinko balls is detected by the detection unit 19 and transmitted to the memory calculation mechanism 16, and the number of pachinko balls is detected by the detection unit 19 and transmitted to the memory calculation mechanism 16. The command is displayed on the display mechanism 20. The pachinko balls that have flowed down the discharge path 18 are collected at one end of the row of pachinko machines through the gutter between the rows of pachinko machines. When the number of pachinko balls is stored in the memory calculation mechanism 16 and displayed on the display mechanism 20, the mechanism 16 instructs the firing control mechanism 13 to start the game. Launch control mechanism 1
3 includes a supply section that supplies pachinko balls from the storage section 12 to the firing position 4, and a control section that stops or cancels the operation of the supply section, and when the control section is released according to an instruction from the memory/arithmetic mechanism 16, the supply section is activated. is activated, and the first ball in the storage section 12 is supplied to the firing position 4 every time the ball is fired at the firing position 4. When the ball at the firing position 4 is fired and used for the game, and enters the prize opening 7 and is detected by the detection section 14, a signal from the detection section 14 is stored in the memory calculation mechanism 16 corresponding to the number of prize balls. The numerical values are added and the display mechanism 20 is displayed additively. On the other hand, when the game ball enters the outro 18 and is detected by the detection section 15, the signal from the detection section 15 causes the storage calculation mechanism 16 to perform a subtraction operation, causing the display mechanism 20 to display a subtractive display.

Therefore, the memory calculation mechanism 16 detects each detection unit 14,
The signal from 15 is received and calculated, and the calculation result is displayed on the display mechanism 2.
Display at 0. When playing a game, there are many out balls, and mechanism 16
When the stored numerical value becomes zero, the display mechanism 20 also becomes zero, and the firing control mechanism 13 stops operating in response to a command from the mechanism 16. Therefore, the pachinko game will be stopped. On the other hand, when the memorized numerical value of the mechanism 16 remains, when the operation part 21 is operated to stop the game and exchange it for a prize, or to change the gaming machine, the memory calculation mechanism receives a signal from the operation part 21. 16 commands and drives the prize ball discharge mechanism 22 to discharge the balls in the supply gutter 23 from the delivery path 24 to the receiving tray 25. At this time, the prize ball ejecting mechanism 22 detects the ball passing through the delivery path 24 through its detection portion, and transmits the detected ball to the memory calculation mechanism 16.
The memory calculation mechanism 16 performs subtractive calculations using the signal from the prize ball ejection mechanism 22 and provides a command to the display mechanism 20. When the stored numerical value becomes zero and the displayed numerical value of the display mechanism 20 becomes zero, the control part of the prize ball ejection mechanism 22 is stopped to stop the passage of the balls, and at the same time, the firing control mechanism 13 is stopped to disable the game. . Therefore, the player can carry the balls ejected into the tray 25 and exchange them for prizes, or move to another pachinko game machine, feed the balls into the tray 17, and start playing the game. However, in the conventional pachinko machine described above, the firing position 4
The pachinko balls fired from the opening and entering the winning opening or the exit opening 8 are positioned again at the firing position 4 via the firing control mechanism 13, and are only circulated inside the pachinko machine 1 without being discharged to the outside.

For this reason, there is a risk that the pachinko balls may rust, dust may adhere to them and clog gutters, or the game board may become dirty. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an enclosed ball type pachinko machine that is capable of appropriately discharging pachinko balls sealed inside the machine, and that is also equipped with a mechanism that can automatically feed the discharged pachinko balls after polishing them. This will be described in detail below using examples.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention, and the same components as those of the conventional pachinko machine shown in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals.

In the present invention, an enclosed ball supply gutter 40 is installed above the pachinko machine 1 in parallel with the supply gutter 23, and an enclosed ball branch gutter 42 is installed in the enclosed ball supply gutter 40 to supply enclosed balls to the pachinko machine 1 for each pachinko machine. The installation will be extended for each machine.

Further, an enclosed ball ejecting mechanism 64 faces the firing control mechanism 13 provided at the tip of the storage section 12 of each pachinko machine 1. 4 and 5 are a front view and a plan view showing an embodiment of a machine row in which enclosed ball type pachinko machines according to the present invention are arranged horizontally, and a plurality of enclosed ball type pachinko machines 1...・・・・・・
are arranged in two rows on a pachinko game machine (not shown). A pachinko ball return mechanism 30 is arranged at the end of the row of pachinko machines 1. This reduction mechanism 30 has rotating bodies 34 and 35 on the upper and lower sides, on which a belt 32 having a plurality of receiving frames 31 is hung and rotated by a motor 33, and the movement of the belt 32 due to the rotation of these rotating bodies 34 and 35, The pachinko balls collected from the gutter 36 into the collection pool 37 are received in the receiving frame 31 and sent upward while being polished by the polishing mechanism 1 (not shown). The pachinko balls sent upward are stored in a supply pool 39 provided above by a bay-shaped guide 38 as shown in FIG. Each pool 37,3
A gutter 36 and an enclosed ball supply gutter 40 extend from the pachinko machine 9 in the direction in which the pachinko machines 1 are arranged. The gutter 36 is inclined so that the recovery pool 37 side is lower, and is located above the aircraft row, and the containment supply supply gutter 40 is inclined so that the supply pool 39 side is higher, and is located above the aircraft row. A discharge gutter 18 and an enclosed ball ejecting gutter 41 extending from each pachinko machine 1 are connected to the gutter 36, and each pachinko machine 1 is fed from the enclosed ball supply gutter 40.・・・・・・
A branch gutter 42 for the enclosed ball extends therein. In addition, the supply gutter 2 mentioned above
3 is also located above the row of pachinko machines, and its sloping upper end is connected to the supply pool 39. A replenishment mechanism 43 shown in FIG. 6 is provided on the side of the replenishment pool 39 of the enclosed ball supply gutter 40. This replenishment mechanism 43 includes a replenishment cam 46 that partially protrudes inside a hanging gutter 44 provided in a part of the enclosed ball supply gutter 40 and has a notch 45 on the outer periphery, and is integrated with the replenishment cam 46. Bent portion 49 of seesaw 48 that rotates and is pivotally connected to shaft 47
a control cam 51 having a notch 50 large enough to fit into the control cam 51;
The magnet MGc rotates the seesaw 48. Therefore, the pachinko balls from the supply pool 39 are delivered one by one by the supply cam 46 which is rotatable when the magnet MGc is excited and the bending part 49 of the seesaw 48 is away from the cutout part 50. You will be guided downward.
The guided pachinko balls move in the direction of inclination of the enclosed ball supply gutter 40. On the other hand, when the magnet MGc is demagnetized, the control cam 51 is inhibited, so the replenishment cam 46 becomes unable to rotate, and the flow of pachinko balls is blocked. Enclosed ball supply gutter 4
A supply mechanism 52 shown in FIG. 7 is disposed near the branch trough 42 for enclosed balls branching from 0.

This supply mechanism 52 has one end connected to a shaft 5 near the branch portion 53.
It has a discrimination frame 55 which is rotatably pivoted at 4. This discrimination frame 55 is set longer than the width of the enclosed ball supply gutter 40,
It extends to the supply pool 39 side, and when it rotates downward in the figure and its sharp tip touches the side of the enclosed ball supply gutter 40, the pachinko balls from the supply pool 39 side will pass through this discrimination frame. 55 side, but when it rotates upward in the drawing, the pachinko ball is blocked by this discrimination frame 55 and guided to the enclosed ball branch trough 42 side. The discrimination frame 55 is connected via a shaft 54 to a gear 56 rotatably disposed on the back side of the enclosed ball supply trough 40. 57 is a piston frame extending from the movable piece 60 of the magnet MGl, and
6 is engaged with a gear 59 that rotates left and right due to the piston movement of this piston frame 57.

Note that the movable piece 60 of the magnet MGl moves in the direction in which it protrudes by the force of the spring 58 when the magnet MGl is demagnetized. When magnet MGl is excited, it moves in the opposite direction. Therefore, the discrimination frame 55 can be rotated through the gears 56 and 59 by magnetizing and demagnetizing the magnet MGl, thereby making it possible to discriminate pachinko balls from the supply pool 39 side. A light emitting element 61 and a light receiving element 62 are arranged in the middle of the branch trough 42 for encapsulating bulbs, facing each other across the passage of the branch trough 42 . When the pachinko balls pass through the enclosed ball branch trough 42 whose one end is connected to the socket 63, the light entering the light receiving element 62 is blocked, so the number of passing pachinko balls is determined by the output signal of the light receiving element 62. can be detected. In addition, the above socket 6
3 is connected to the collecting gutter 9 or the storage section 12 on the back side of the pachinko machine, and the pachinko balls passing through the enclosed ball branch gutter 42 are finally supplied to the storage section 12. The supply mechanisms 52 having the above configuration are provided in a number corresponding to each pachinko game machine 1. Next, the above-mentioned firing control mechanism 13 and sealed ball ejecting mechanism 64 will be described using FIGS. 8 to 10. The main component of the launch control mechanism 13 is a swing frame 66, which is pivoted at one end by a shaft 67, has a weight 68 attached to its end, and has a guide trough 69 at the other end beyond the shaft 67. When the guide trough 66 is not operated, the guide trough 66 is moved upward by the force of the weight 68, and the upper end portion 70 is in the first state opening into the lead-out trough 71. This lead-out gutter 71 is continuous with the introduction gutter 72,
The outlet gutter 71 and the inlet gutter 72 are the storage section 12 described above. However, if a pachinko ball received into the socket 63 via the aforementioned enclosed ball branch trough 42 passes through the guide trough 72, travels through the lead-out trough 71, and falls onto the sloped upper end 70 of the guide trough 69, the ball is shaken. The movable frame 66 tilts due to the weight of the ball, and the guide trough 69 slopes downward, causing the ball that has fallen to the upper end 70 to flow down.
A stopper 73 provided above the upper end portion 70 connects the lead-out gutter 71.
A second state occurs in which the lower end of the ball is blocked to prevent the next ball from falling. A fixed base 74 for receiving pachinko balls is located at the lower end of the guide gutter 69 in the second state, and a stopper frame 76 attached to a diamond-shaped rotating frame 75 is adjacent to the fixed base 74. There is. The rotating frame 75 has one end rotatably attached to a shaft 77, and is connected to a spring 78 to maintain balance. In this equilibrium state, the stopper frame 76 is in a state of blocking the pachinko balls on the fixed base 74. A longitudinal projecting piece 80 that engages with the dowel 79 projects from the rotating frame 75 . The dowel 79 is connected to the tip of the bay-shaped body 81, and
It protrudes from the rotating body 82 which rotates as the bay-shaped body 81 rotates. The aforementioned operating lever 3 has a firing rod 84 for firing a ball supplied to the firing position 4 at the lower end of the rail 5.
A pin 87 protrudes from the middle of the firing rod 84, the tip 85 of which is bent and engages with a curved portion 86 of the curved body 81.
Therefore, when the operating lever 3 is rotated, the tip 85 of the pin 87 engages the curved portion 86 and slides, so the rotating body 82 rotates about the shaft 1, and the protruding piece 80 is moved into the dowel. 79, the stopper frame 76 sinks downward, and its upper surface is at the same position as the upper surface of the fixed base 74,
The pachinko balls on the top surface of the fixed base 74 move to the top surface of this stopper frame 76. Here, when the control lever 3 is released, the pachinko ball at the shooting position 4 is ejected by the shooting rod 84 due to the return force of the control lever 3, and the pachinko ball above it rises due to the rise of the stopper frame 76. It falls onto the rail 5 through a window (not shown) and faces the firing position 4. On the other hand, a stopper frame 76 is sunk downward on the soil surface of the fixed base 74 and the upper end of the guide gutter 69, and each time a pachinko ball is positioned on top of this, a new pachinko ball is brought into view by the movement of the swinging frame 66. . Therefore, Pachinko machine 1...
...When discharging the pachinko balls inside, the pachinko balls located on the upper surface of this fixed stand 74, the lower end of the guide gutter 69, and all the pachinko balls in the introduction gutter 72 and the outlet gutter 71 are discharged. It is necessary to discharge the seal to the outside, and this discharge mechanism 64 will be described below. A connecting portion between the introduction gutter 72 and the outlet gutter 71 has a hanging gutter 89 bent in the opposite direction and connected to the enclosed ball discharge gutter 41.

A magnet S is installed in the hole 90 provided in the return part of the hanging gutter 89.
A tongue piece 91 extending from the magnet S1 enters when the magnet S1 is demagnetized. Therefore, the pachinko balls in the introduction gutter 72 are blocked by the tongue piece 91 and guided to the ejection gutter 71 side. Then, when the magnet S1 is energized, the tongue piece 91 retreats from the hole 90 against the force of the spring 92, so that all the balls in the introduction gutter 72 flow down and are guided to the enclosed ball discharge gutter 41 side. Since the ball discharge gutter 41 is connected to the gutter 36, the balls are collected in the collection pool 37 through the gutter 36. On the other hand, a fixed base 74 disposed close to the stopper frame 76 has a downstream gutter 93.
An open end 95 of the bent gutter 94 is open.

In this case, the fixed table 74 is slightly inclined so as to guide the pachinko balls located on its upper surface to the open end 95 of the bent gutter 94. A seesaw 96 is pivoted between the fixed base 74 and the open end 95 of the bent gutter 94.
A tongue piece 97 that can be moved up and down with the movement of 6 faces. seesaw 96
is pivotally connected to a shaft 98, and one end is attached to the movable piece 9 of the magnet S2.
9 is connected. Therefore, by exciting the magnet S2, the seesaw 96 rotates and the tongue piece 97 rises, so the pachinko balls on the fixed base 74 move in the direction of inclination of the fixed base 74 and pass through the bending gutter 94. The ball is guided to the downflow gutter 93 and flows down the enclosed ball discharge gutter 41. The pachinko balls remaining in the lead-out gutter 71 and the pachinko balls located at the lower end of the guide gutter 69 are also guided to the bent gutter 94 via the fixed table 74 and flow down the enclosed ball discharge gutter 41. When the magnet S2 is demagnetized, the tongue piece 97 descends and the pachinko ball bends into the gutter 9.
Since the pachinko ball on the fixed base 74 is prevented from moving to the 4 side, the pachinko balls on the fixed base 74 are guided to the firing position 4 side by operating the operating lever 3. Next, an example of the electric circuit having the above configuration will be described in the 11th example.
This will be explained using figures.

In the figure, a magnet S1 that drives the tongue piece 91 and a magnet S2 that drives the tongue piece 97 are connected in parallel,
It is connected to switch T1. Relay T is switch T
1 is turned on for a certain period of time, and is connected to switch PBl. The switches PBl are interlocked with each other; one is connected to the switch y1 via the relay X1, and the other is connected to the magnet MGc that drives the replenishment cam 46. Magnet MGl2 for switching the discrimination frame 55 provided in each pachinko machine 1...
... is connected in parallel to relay Xl2...
At the same time, switch XL2...
・Connect in series.

Relay Yl2...... is switch Cl2...
·······La
Connect in series to the Switches Y and 2 are connected in parallel to each other to create a magnet MGc.
Connect in series. In addition, relay Xl2...
・and Yl, 2...... are switches Xl2... and Y with corresponding signs, respectively.
. This is a switch that turns on when the target is reached.

The above-mentioned electric circuit is provided inside the pachinko game parlor and electrically connected to each pachinko machine.

In the pachinko machine described above, the sealed balls are discharged and supplied, for example, once a week or once every ten days when the machine is closed, and the operation is as follows.

For example, after closing, pachinko machine 112...
...When it is necessary to replace the pachinko ball inside,
First, it is necessary to eject the encapsulated sphere.

Therefore, by turning on the operation switch PBl,
The relay T is operated, a control signal is given to the enclosed ball discharge mechanism 64 by the time limit switch T1, and the magnets S1 and S2 are operated for a certain period of time (the ON time of the switch T1), and the game machine 112... Eject the ball of... As described above, the discharged balls are collected into the collection pool 37 via the gutter 36.

When the discharge is completed, the magnet SlS2 is demagnetized by turning off the switch T1.

Next, a certain number of pachinko machines 112...
・When replenishing, turn on the operation switch PB2.

As a result, a control signal is given to the replenishment mechanism 43 and the magnet MGc is excited, so that the replenishment cam 46 guides the balls from the replenishment pool 39 to the enclosed ball supply gutter 40. At the same time, relay X1 self-holds with switch X1 turned on, and a control signal is given to supply mechanism 52 of pachinko machine 11, magnet MGl is energized and discrimination frame 55 is switched. As a result, pachinko balls are supplied to the pachinko machine 11 via the enclosed ball gutter 42. This pachinko ball has a light receiving element 62
When the signal from this element 62 reaches a certain value, the switch C1 is turned on, so the relay Y1 is excited and the switch y1 is operated. As a result, the self-holding of relay X1 is cut off, and relay X2 is energized and self-holding. As a result, the magnet MG2 of the pachinko machine 12 is excited, and the enclosed ball gutter 42 is opened. Also, by turning on the switch y1, the magnet MG
c is activated to cause a certain number to flow into the pachinko machine 12.
When it is confirmed that the pachinko balls have entered the pachinko machine 12 by turning on the switch C2, the next relay Y2 is energized. By repeating these actions, the pachinko machine 13
A certain number of pachinko balls are sequentially flowed into . And the last pachinko machine 1. When balls are replenished, switch C is pressed. turns on, relay YO turns on relay
By blocking n, all pachinko machines 112 in the machine row...
A pachinko ball with Thor's constant will be enclosed in...

Here, in this embodiment, the pachinko balls passing through the enclosed ball branch trough 42' have been described as being detected by the light emitting element 61 and the light receiving element 62, but the present invention is not limited to this. It may be configured as shown in the figure. That is,
A hanging gutter 100 is provided in the enclosed ball branch gutter 42, and this hanging gutter 1
A part of the cam 102 having a notch 101 is thrust into the rotating body 1 which rotates together with the cam 102.
03, and a magnet 104 is installed on a part of this rotary body 103, so that the rotary body 103 is rotated by the rotation of the cam 102 caused by the falling of pachinko balls. According to such a configuration, the rotating body 10 is moved by an amount corresponding to the amount of falling pachinko balls.
3 rotates, and the magnet 104 approaches the reed switch 105 and turns it on, so that the amount of flow of the Pananko ball can be detected. Further, although this embodiment has been described as using the detection unit 19 as a means for displaying the number of pachinko balls on the display mechanism 20, the present invention is not limited to this, and the pachinko machine 112... Even if a converter is installed that converts the signal into a signal for the number of pachinko balls when a coin is inserted into ..., and this converter drives the display mechanism 20 to display the number of pachinko balls, or the pachinko machine 11
2...12. A converter is installed that reads out the information on the card when a card that stores the number of pachinko balls is inserted, and the display mechanism 20 is driven by this converter. The number of pitches may also be displayed.

Furthermore, in the circuit shown in FIG. 11, magnets Sl, S2
, the circuit consisting of the relay T1 switches PBl, Tl and the circuits of other elements may be electrically independent.

As explained above, according to the pachinko machine according to the present invention,
Since the pachinko balls sealed inside the pachinko machine can be automatically discharged and the sealed balls can be automatically supplied to the pachinko machine, troublesome manual work of discharging and supplying the sealed balls can be omitted.

In addition, if the pachinko machine is supplied with polished encapsulated balls, the player can always play with new encapsulated balls, and it also prevents the pachinko balls from rusting or getting dusty and clogging the gutter, etc. There is no risk of contamination. Furthermore, since the pachinko balls are only discharged when the player finally finishes the game, the number of prize balls supplied can be significantly reduced.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are a front view and a block diagram of a conventional pachinko machine, FIG. 3 is a front view showing an example of the present invention, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are diagrams showing a row of pachinko machines according to the present invention. ,
FIG. 6 shows a replenishment mechanism, FIG. 7 shows a supply mechanism, FIGS. 8 to 10 show a discharge mechanism, and FIG. 11 shows an example of an electric circuit of a pachinko game machine according to the present invention. 12 are diagrams showing a pachinko ball detection mechanism. 1... Pachinko machine, 12... Storage section,
16... Memory calculation mechanism, 20... Display mechanism, 22... Award ball ejection mechanism, 23...
・Supply gutter, 40...Enclosed ball supply gutter, 42...
... Branch gutter for enclosed balls, 52 ... Supply mechanism, 64
・・・・・・Hounin ball ejection mechanism.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A storage section for storing encapsulated balls to be used for repeated games;
A memory/computation mechanism that stores data corresponding to the number of pachinko balls when it is input and performs additive and subtractive computations based on the balls played, and provides data to the player through the output of the memory/computation mechanism. A display mechanism that visually displays, a sealed ball discharge mechanism that discharges the sealed balls to the outside of the pachinko machine in response to a control signal, and a sealed ball discharge mechanism that supplies the sealed balls into the storage section from a sealed ball supply gutter provided above the pachinko machine in accordance with the control signal. 1. A sealed ball type pachinko machine comprising a feeding mechanism, and the ejecting operation and feeding operation of the sealed balls are controlled by the control signal.