JPH0884840A - Amusement machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] Make sure that the ball can be replenished to the ball tank easily, it can be easily installed on the island side, and that the operator handling the outer frame can work safely. . [Structure] A rectangular outer frame that forms the upper, lower, left, and right sides of the pachinko machine is molded from synthetic resin, and a replenishment ball passage opening that penetrates vertically is formed in the rear part of the upper and lateral members of the outer frame, A ball tank having an open upper surface is provided below the portion, and an inclined portion that slopes downward from the upper opening edge toward the lower opening edge is provided on the peripheral edge of the replenishment ball passage opening. The upper surface of was inclined downward toward the refill ball passage opening.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a gaming machine such as a pachinko gaming machine, a pachi-slot gaming machine, and a sparrow ball gaming machine, the outer frame of which is made of synthetic resin, and in particular, a replenishing ball is supplied to a ball tank provided in the gaming machine. It ensures reliable and smooth supply.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the outer frame of a gaming machine, such as a pachinko gaming machine, which uses a ball as a game medium, has a wooden plate member as a lower horizontal member, an upper horizontal member, a right vertical member, and a left vertical member. Is combined with a vertically long rectangular frame. Therefore, substantially right-angled corners are present at the upper and lower left and right ends of the outer frame formed by combining the plate members. The balls to be discharged as rental balls and prize balls are stored in a ball tank provided inside the outer frame, that is, slightly below the upper lateral member of the outer frame, and there is a shortage of balls stored in this ball tank. In this case, the balls are replenished in the ball tank via a branch gutter branched from a replenishment gutter provided above the gaming machine. The number of balls to be replenished from the replenishment gutter to the ball tank is counted by a replenishment counter provided at a branch portion of the branch gutter, and the number of replenishments is managed by a central management device.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional gaming machine, since the outer frame is assembled by abutting the plate members substantially vertically and horizontally, when the gaming machine is installed on the island side, The top of the frame is almost horizontal. Therefore, when supplying a ball to the ball tank from the supply gutter side, the jumping supply ball often rests on the upper surface of the outer frame and stays on the upper lateral member of the outer frame as it is. For this reason, not only can a certain number of balls be not replenished to the ball tank reliably, but also in the case where the operating status of the gaming machine is managed by counting the number of replenishment balls, the accurate number of replenishment balls can be grasped. Therefore, the operating status of the gaming machine cannot be accurately managed. In addition, because the gaming machine must be installed in the island exactly, there is no large gap between the gaming machine installation receiving part that supports the upper part of the gaming machine and the outer frame. There is almost no room on either side. In the gaming machine, the upper, lower, left, and right corners of the outer frame forming the upper, lower, left, and right are substantially right angles, and the edges of the plate material forming the outer frame are also right angles. Therefore, in the work of manually installing each of these rectangular parallelepiped game machines one by one on the island side, the outer frame easily collides with the member on the island side, and when the operator handles the outer frame, If you hit your face, arms, legs, etc., you could get injured. Furthermore, when replacing or installing game machines, it is necessary to install dozens or hundreds of game machines at night after the store is closed, and adjust these so that they can operate. Is high. The present invention has been proposed in view of the problems of the above-described conventional gaming machine, and the object thereof is to reliably supply the balls to the ball tank and to easily attach them to the island side. ,
Another object of the present invention is to provide a gaming machine having an outer frame that allows a worker who handles the outer frame to safely perform work.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is to achieve the above object. According to the invention of claim 1, the rectangular outer frames forming the upper, lower, left and right sides of the gaming machine are molded of synthetic resin. Then, on the rear side of the upper and horizontal members of the outer frame, a replenishment ball passage opening is formed which penetrates vertically, and below the replenishment ball passage opening, a sphere tank having an open upper surface is arranged, and the replenishment is performed. An inclined portion is provided on the peripheral edge of the sphere passage opening portion so as to incline downward from the upper opening edge toward the lower opening edge.

In addition to the above structure, the invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the upper surface of the upper lateral member of the outer frame is inclined downward toward the replenishing ball passage opening. It is a thing.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the upper lateral member of the outer frame is provided with a mounting portion for an island-side game machine installation receiving portion for installing a plurality of game machines side by side. It is a feature.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, in addition to the above configuration, each outer peripheral edge of the outer frame is chamfered.

According to the invention of claim 5, in addition to the above structure, at least one of the left and right side surfaces of the outer frame is provided with a taper gradually narrowing from the front side of the gaming machine toward the rear side of the gaming machine. It is characterized by being formed.

Further, in addition to the above-mentioned structure, in the sixth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above-mentioned structure, the rear side of the left and right side surfaces of the outer frame extending in the depth direction from the middle of the front-rear width of the outer frame toward the rear side of the gaming machine. Thus, a taper gradually narrowing is formed, and a taper that slopes downward from the middle of the front-rear width of the upper surface of the outer frame toward the rear end is formed.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the gaming machine is attached to an island in which a plurality of gaming machines are arranged side by side, the replenishing ball supply path for supplying the replenishing balls to the ball tank is the upper lateral member of the outer frame. The ball, which is located on the rear side of the replenishing ball passage opening formed on the rear side of the refilling ball, flows out of the replenishing ball supply path and is supplied into the ball tank through the replenishing ball passing opening portion. Even if the replenishment ball is obliquely discharged from the replenishment ball supply path, since the inclined portion is provided at the peripheral edge of the replenishment ball passage opening portion, the replenishment sphere dropped on the peripheral portion of the replenishment ball passage opening portion can move above the inclined portion. It rolls and is supplied into the ball tank. Therefore, it is possible to reliably and smoothly supply the balls to the ball tank.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the upper surface of the upper lateral member of the outer frame is inclined downward toward the supply ball passage opening, even if the balls are supplied from the supply ball supply path into the ball tank. However, even if the balls fall onto the upper lateral member of the outer frame, the spilled balls roll on the upper lateral member toward the supply ball passing opening.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the gaming machine can be easily mounted on the island side by using the mounting portion provided in advance on the upper lateral member of the outer frame.

In the invention according to claim 4, since each outer peripheral edge of the outer frame is chamfered, an operator who handles the gaming machine,
Even if you hit the corner of the outer frame, the impact will be dispersed. Therefore, there is less risk of injury.

According to the invention of claim 5, the taper formed on at least one of the left and right side surfaces of the outer frame gradually narrows the width from the front side of the gaming machine toward the rear side of the gaming machine. When installing the game machine, the game machine can be easily installed on the island side without interference between the island equipment and the outer frame or the adjacent outer frames.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the taper portion formed on the left and right side surfaces and the upper surface of the outer frame from the middle of the front-rear width toward the depth direction gradually extends outward from the front side of the gaming machine toward the rear side of the gaming machine. Since the size is small, the game machine can be easily installed on the island side as described above.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a perspective view of a pachinko gaming machine, which is a typical gaming machine, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an upper portion of the outer frame 2, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the outer frame 2 as seen from above, and FIG. A- in 3
A sectional view, FIG. 5 is a rear view of the upper lateral member of the outer frame 2 in FIG. 3 as viewed from the rear side, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the upper part of the outer frame 2 in another embodiment, and FIG. It is a perspective view of the outer frame 2 upper part in an Example.

The pachinko gaming machine 1 has an outer frame 2 made of synthetic resin integrally molded by using a low foaming molding technique or a normal molding technique. For example, the outer frame 2 formed by the low foaming molding technique becomes a solid synthetic resin outer frame 2, and the outer frame 2 formed by the normal molding technique is a synthetic resin outer frame having a hollow interior reinforced with ribs. It becomes 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, the outer frame 2 of the pachinko gaming machine 1 is a rectangular frame body that constitutes the upper, lower, left and right sides of the gaming machine. A front frame 3 is attached to the front side so that the front frame 3 can be opened and closed. The game board 4 is attached so as to close the window portion of the frame 3 from the back side, the ball supply tray 5 is provided on the front surface of the opening / closing panel, and the ball storage tray 6 and the hitting ball launching operation portion are provided under the front frame 3. 7 etc. are provided.

The outer frame 2 is constituted by a plate-shaped upper horizontal member 8a, a lower horizontal member 8b, a left vertical member 8c, and a right vertical member 8d, which are integrally molded into a vertically long rectangular frame whose front and rear are open. And
In the rear portion of the upper lateral member 8a, there is formed a replenishing ball passage opening 9 which penetrates vertically. Since the replenishment ball passage opening 9 is an opening through which the replenishment ball passes, it is formed so as to be located above the ball tank 10 provided above the mechanism panel mounted on the back side of the front frame. That is, both are arranged below the supply ball passage opening 9 formed in the upper lateral member 8a so that the open upper surface of the ball tank 10 faces. Then, the inclined portion 11 that is inclined downward from the upper opening edge of the upper lateral member 8a toward the lower opening edge is formed at the peripheral edge of the supply ball passage opening portion 9 at the same time.

The upper lateral member 8a of the outer frame 2 is formed in a state where the upper surface thereof is gently inclined downward toward the replenishing ball passage opening 9. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, this descending inclined surface is a surface inclined from the left and right of the upper lateral member 8a toward the replenishment ball passage opening 9 and from the front side of the upper lateral member 8a toward the replenishment ball passage opening 9. The inclined surfaces are formed by combining substantially flat surfaces, but any shape may be used as long as it is a shape that gently inclines downward toward the supply ball passage opening. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, it may be a curved surface shape that is gently concave throughout.

In an island having a plurality of general pachinko game machines 1 which play a game using balls as a game medium and discharge award balls when a hit ball wins, a ball supply gutter is arranged above the island. , The supply ball supply path 13 branched from this ball supply gutter is made to face the lower end outlet of each pachinko gaming machine 1 to the ball tank 10, and when the number of balls stored in the ball tank 10 is insufficient, the above supply is performed. The balls are replenished into the ball tank 10 from the ball supply path 13. When replenishing the balls to the ball tank 10, a large amount (500, for example) of balls are replenished vigorously within a short time by one replenishment. Therefore, due to the force of the ball flowing down from the outlet of the supply ball supply path 13, the ball may hit the peripheral edge of the supply ball passage opening 9. In this case, like the pachinko gaming machine 1 according to the present invention, if the inclined portion 11 is provided at the peripheral edge of the replenishment ball passage opening 9, the sphere dropped to the peripheral edge of the replenishment ball passage opening 9 is inclined. It rolls downward on the portion 11 and is reliably guided to the ball tank 10. Therefore, the number of balls matching the number of balls counted by the replenishment counter provided in the replenishment sphere supply path 13 is surely replenished, and the difference between the count value and the actually supplied number can be almost eliminated.

Further, a ball that has dropped vigorously from the supply ball supply path 13 may hit the ball or the like in the ball tank 10 and bounce off, and may be placed on the upper lateral member 8a of the outer frame 2. In this case, in the pachinko gaming machine 1 according to the present invention, even if a ball is placed on the upper horizontal member 8a of the outer frame 2, the upper surface of the upper horizontal member 8a is gently inclined downward toward the supply ball passing opening 9. Therefore, the ball placed on the upper lateral member 8a rolls toward the refilling ball passing opening 9 due to the inclination of the upper surface of the upper lateral member 8a, and surely passes through the refilling ball passing opening 9 to the ball tank. Guided to 10. Therefore, the number of balls counted by the replenishment counter is surely replenished in the ball tank 10.

Further, in the present invention, the outer frame 2 is formed by using a mold.
Since it can be made by integrally molding with synthetic resin,
Compared with the case where the wooden frame is combined to form the outer frame 2, a replenishment ball passage opening 9 is formed in the upper lateral member 8a of the outer frame 2, and an inclined portion 11 is formed on the periphery of the replenishment ball passage opening 9. It is also possible to easily provide or to make the upper lateral member 8a of the outer frame 2 incline downward toward the refill ball passing opening 9.

Further, the upper horizontal member 8a of the outer frame 2 is provided with a mounting portion 14 for fixing the outer frame 2 to the game machine installation receiving portion on the island side. The mounting portion 14 may be formed according to the configuration of the game machine installation receiving portion of the island, but since it is generally a wooden cross beam member, in the embodiment shown in FIG. It is configured as a nail insertion hole that is opened through. Therefore, when mounting the pachinko gaming machine 1 on the island side, the outer frame 2 is inserted from the front side of the island, and the nail is inserted into the nail insertion hole (mounting portion 14) from the inside of the outer frame 2, Just hit the tip of the nail into the game machine installation receiving part on the island side, as in the past,
It is not necessary to force a thick nail into the wooden outer frame that has no prepared hole to penetrate it.

Further, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the chamfered portion 15 is formed at each end located outside the outer frame 2. In addition, in FIG. 2, each edge of the outer frame 2 is chamfered in a planar shape, but each edge of the outer frame 2 is molded as a curved chamfered portion 15 without chamfering in a planar shape. Good. In short, the right-angled tip portions are eliminated, and the outer edges of the outer frame are all formed by obtuse angles or curved surfaces.

As described above, the chamfered portion 15 is formed on each edge of the outer frame 2.
When forming, the pachinko gaming machine 1 is attached to the island side, and there is no risk of injury even if the operator hits the body, such as the face, arms, and feet, on the corners of the outer frame 2 . Furthermore, the sphere that has spilled onto the upper lateral member 8a of the outer frame 2 is
Without chamfering at the edge, roll the chamfered portion 15 to move the outer frame 2
Since it easily falls from the sphere, the ball does not stay on the upper lateral member 8a of the outer frame 2.

Further, in the present invention, the outer frame 2 is formed by using a mold.
Since it can be integrally molded with synthetic resin, as in the case of constructing the outer frame 2 by combining wooden plate materials, the outer frame 2 is used each time.
It is not necessary to perform the chamfering operation on the outer peripheral edge of the chamfered portion, and the chamfered portion 15 can be easily formed by the integral molding technique of synthetic resin.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the left vertical member 8c located on the left side when viewed from the front side of the outer frame 2 has a lateral dimension of the outer frame 2 from the front side of the pachinko gaming machine 1 to the pachinko gaming machine 1.
The taper 16 is formed in a state of being inclined with respect to the front edge of the outer frame 2 so as to be gradually smaller (narrower) toward the rear surface side. The vertical member inclined with respect to the front edge of the outer frame 2 is not limited to the left vertical member 8c, and may be either the left or right vertical member 8c or 8d.

Further, as described above, the outer surfaces of the left and right vertical members 8c and 8d of the outer frame 2 are not formed by being inclined with respect to the front edge of the outer frame 2, but as shown in FIG. A taper portion 17 that gradually narrows from the front surface side of the gaming machine 1 to the rear surface side of the gaming machine 1 is formed at a rear portion of the left and right side surfaces of the frame 2 which extends in the depth direction from the middle of the front and rear widths of the outer frame 2. You may form the taper part 17 which inclines downward from the middle of the front-back width of an upper surface toward a rear end.

As described above, the taper 1 is provided to the left and right of the outer frame.
When 6 is formed or the taper portion 17 is formed, the island 12 and the outer frame 2 or the adjacent outer frames 2 and 2 do not interfere with each other when the pachinko gaming machine 1 is installed on the island 12. The pachinko game machine 1 can be easily pushed into the island 12 and easily installed.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the outer end of the outer frame 2 where the upper lateral member 8a and the left and right vertical members 8c and 8d intersect is obliquely cut to form an inclined surface 18. Then, the work of pushing it into the island 12 becomes easier. In addition,
Even if the inclined surface 18 is formed on the upper portion of the outer frame 2, this portion is covered by the front frame 3, so that the appearance is not damaged.

[0032]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above, the following effects can be obtained. According to the first aspect of the present invention, the supply ball passage opening is provided in the rear portion of the outer frame, and the peripheral edge of the supply ball passage opening is an inclined portion that slopes downward from the upper opening edge toward the lower opening edge. Since the sphere is provided, the sphere to be replenished in the sphere tank can be reliably dropped into the sphere tank from the replenishment sphere passage opening by the inclined portion even if the sphere is placed on the outer frame. Further, since the sloping portion surely drops the ball into the ball tank, the strength of the outer frame can be increased by setting the opening area of the supply ball passage opening to be slightly smaller.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the upper lateral member of the outer frame is inclined downward toward the replenishment ball passage opening, the balls dropped to the peripheral edge of the replenishment ball passage opening and the outer portion. The ball that has fallen on the upper horizontal member of the frame rolls on the upper horizontal member toward the refill ball passing opening, and at the refill ball passing opening, rolls on the inclined portion and falls into the ball tank. . In this way, the balls supplied from the supply ball supply path are reliably and smoothly guided into the ball tank without staying on the upper lateral member. Therefore, in particular, when managing the operating status of the gaming machine by counting the number of supply balls, it is possible to accurately manage the operating status of the gaming machine by grasping the exact number of supply balls. it can.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the upper horizontal member of the outer frame is provided with the mounting portion for the game machine installation receiving portion on the island side, the work for fixing the game machine to the island side is facilitated, and the work is performed. The efficiency can be increased.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the outer peripheral edges of the outer frame are chamfered, an operator who handles the gaming machine is not injured even if the player hits a corner of the outer frame. Further, the sphere spilled on the peripheral portion of the outer frame is likely to roll on the chamfered portion and be guided to the outside of the outer frame, so that the sphere does not stay on the outer frame.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, at least one of the left and right side surfaces of the outer frame is formed with a taper that gradually narrows from the front side of the gaming machine toward the rear side of the gaming machine. According to the invention, a taper that gradually narrows from the front side of the gaming machine toward the rear side of the gaming machine is formed in the rear part of the outer frame from the middle of the front and rear widths toward the depth direction, and the front and rear width of the upper surface of the outer frame is formed. Since the taper is formed to be inclined downward from the middle to the rear end, it is possible to easily push the game machine into a predetermined position on the island side when installing the game machine on the island. Therefore, the efficiency of the installation work of the game machine can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pachinko gaming machine.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an upper portion of an outer frame.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an outer frame.

4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG.

5 is a rear view of the upper lateral member of the outer frame in FIG. 3 as viewed from the rear surface side.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the outer frame upper portion of the gaming machine in the embodiment in which the side surface of the outer frame is tapered.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an outer frame upper portion of the gaming machine in the embodiment in which the upper frame and the left and right side faces of the outer frame are formed with a tapered portion from the middle of the front-rear width to the rear.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an upper portion of the outer frame of the gaming machine in the embodiment in which the inclined surface is formed on the upper end portion of the outer frame.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an outer frame upper portion of a gaming machine in another example in which an inclined surface is formed on an upper end portion of the outer frame.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Gaming machine 2 Outer frame 3 Front frame 8a Upper lateral member 9 Replenishment ball passage opening 10 Ball tank 11 Inclination part 12 Island 13 Replenishment ball supply path 14 Mounting part 15 Chamfer part 16 Side plate 17 Tapered part

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A rectangular outer frame which constitutes the upper, lower, left and right sides of a gaming machine is molded from synthetic resin, and a replenishing ball passage opening vertically penetrating is formed in a rear portion of an upper lateral member of the outer frame. A ball tank having an open upper surface is arranged below the refill ball passing opening, and an inclined portion that slopes downward from the upper opening edge to the lower opening edge is provided on the peripheral edge of the refill ball passing opening. A gaming machine characterized by. 2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein an upper surface of the upper lateral member of the outer frame is inclined downward toward the replenishment ball passage opening. 3. The upper lateral member of the outer frame is provided with an attachment portion for an island-side game machine installation receiving portion on which a plurality of game machines are installed side by side. The gaming machine according to Item 2. 4. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein each outer peripheral edge of the outer frame is chamfered. 5. A taper is formed on at least one of the left and right side surfaces of the outer frame so that the taper is gradually narrowed from the front side of the gaming machine toward the rear side of the gaming machine.
A gaming machine according to claim 4. 6. A taper that gradually narrows from the front side of the gaming machine toward the rear side of the gaming machine is formed in a rear portion of the left and right side surfaces of the outer frame, which is located in the middle of the front-rear width and extends in the depth direction, and the upper surface of the outer frame is formed. The game machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a taper is formed that is inclined downward from the middle of the front-rear width toward the rear end.