JP2002239077A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine capable of supplying rental balls dispensed with an existent rental ball dispensing device to a pool part by effectively utilizing the relevant rental ball dispensing device. SOLUTION: In the main body of machine, a guide G is formed for receiving play balls dispensed from a ball dispensing part 23 of a rental ball dispensing device 22 and guiding these balls toward the side of a take-in tray 19 by making them flow down. Then, the guide G is provided with a receiving side communicating path 24 formed in an operating part 18 and a discharging side communicating path 25 formed in the take-in tray 19 corresponding to the downstream side of the ball dispensing part 23, and both the relevant communicating paths 24 and 25 are communicated by a flow-down guide 26 formed on a middle frame. Therefore, rental balls dispensed from the ball dispensing part 23 are received by the receiving side communicating path 24, guided later by the flow- down guide 26 while flowing down and dispensed through the discharging side communicating path 25 to the take-in tray 19.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an operation unit in which a main body is installed on a machine base, various operations are performed in accordance with the progress of a game, and the operation unit is located below the operation unit. The present invention relates to a gaming machine in which a storage unit for storing game balls to be taken into a game machine is arranged.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a pachinko machine, which is a kind of a game machine, is installed with a plurality of pachinko machines arranged on a machine base (so-called "island"). Further, the machine base is provided with a rental ball dispensing device between the respective pachinko machines so as to be juxtaposed with the respective pachinko machines.
The lending ball dispensing device has a tubular shape extending from the lending ball dispensing device toward the upper ball plate so that game balls (lending balls) can be dispensed to the upper ball plate of the pachinko machine. A ball payout unit is attached. The mounting position (vertical position) of the ball dispensing unit with respect to the rental ball dispensing device is determined based on the mounting position (vertical position) of the upper ball plate provided in the pachinko machine.

[0003] Therefore, when a coin or bill of a predetermined amount is inserted, the lending ball payout device can pay out a predetermined number of lending balls according to the amount to the upper ball plate. Then, the player plays a pachinko game using the rental ball paid out from the rental ball payout device.

[0004] In a game arcade, a slot machine (a so-called "pachislot") is installed in addition to the pachinko machine. However, since the slot machine and the pachinko machine have different dimensions such as the depth width, the slot machine cannot be installed on the same machine as the pachinko machine. Is needed.

[0005] Therefore, in recent years, in order to reduce the cost of installing a slot machine, the slot machine can be installed on an existing pachinko machine base, and a game machine (pachinko ball) is used as a game medium. (Hereinafter referred to as “slingshot slot”). According to this pachinko-type slot, the player performs various operations (for example, start and stop of symbol change in the symbol display device) with the progress of the game by using the operation unit, thereby playing the same game as the slot machine. (Symbol combination game).

[0006]

By the way, in the pachinko-type slot, in order to maintain the gaming performance (operability) as a slot machine, the operating portion provided with a start lever, a stop button, and the like is displayed as a symbol. It is arranged near the device. On the other hand, a storage unit (corresponding to the upper bowl in an existing pachinko machine) for storing game balls to be taken into the machine at the time of setting the betting rate,
It is arranged below the operation unit.

[0007] Therefore, the pachinko-type slot configured as described above can be installed on the machine base of an existing pachinko machine, but the rental ball dispensing device designed for a pachinko machine can be used to transfer the rental ball. It could not be supplied to the storage. That is, since the operation unit is disposed between the ball payout unit of the lending ball payout device and the storage unit, the ball payout unit cannot be extended toward the storage unit. Therefore, in order to supply a lending ball to the storage unit, the lending ball dispensing device is redesigned to be a lending ball dispensing device dedicated to a pachinko type slot, or a lending ball is supplied to the storage unit by the player himself. I needed to.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the problems existing in such conventional technology, and an object thereof is to effectively use an existing loaned ball dispensing device, and to provide a rental ball dispensing device. It is an object of the present invention to provide a gaming machine capable of supplying a paid-out rental ball to a storage unit.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a method in which a machine body is installed on a machine base,
In a gaming machine in which an operation unit for performing various operations along with the progress of the game and a storage unit for storing a game ball to be taken into the machine in a form positioned below the operation unit are arranged, A guide means is formed for receiving a rental ball dispensed from a ball dispensing portion of a rental ball dispensing device installed in parallel with the machine body on the machine base and guiding the ball to flow toward the storage portion.

[0010] The guide means may be formed such that the rental ball flows down inside the machine and is guided to the storage section side. Further, the guide means communicates a supply unit formed in the operation unit to correspond to a downstream side of the ball payout unit, a discharge unit formed in the storage unit, and the supply unit and the discharge unit. It may be composed of a downflow passage.

Further, the downflow passage may be formed in a middle frame for setting various game components. Further, the downflow passage may be formed so as to communicate with the supply unit and the discharge unit from the rear side of the machine.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a slot machine (hereinafter, referred to as "pachinko-type slot") using a gaming machine according to the present invention as a kind of pachinko ball (hereinafter, referred to as "game ball") as a game medium. An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. In the following description, “up”, “down”, “left”, “right”, “front (front)” and “rear (back)” are viewed from the front of the pachinko slot 10 (from the player side). "Up", "down", "left", "right", "front (front)", and "rear (back)".

FIG. 1 schematically shows the front side of a pachinko slot 10 constituting a main body of the machine, and the pachinko slot 10 is provided with a machine base K () of an existing pachinko machine which is a kind of a game machine. So-called "islands"). The pachinko-type slot 10 includes a vertical rectangular outer frame 11 forming an outer shell of the machine body, and the outer frame 11 is mounted on the machine base K. In addition, on the front side of the opening of the outer frame 11, a vertical rectangle for setting various game components (a front frame 13, a symbol display device 17, an operation unit 18, a ball tray unit 21, and the like, which will be described later) is formed. Are assembled such that they can be opened and closed and detachable.

A front frame 1 is provided on the front side of the middle frame 12.
A window 15 on which a glass plate 14 having various decorative patterns is set is formed substantially at the center of the front frame 13 and a see-through window portion corresponding to the window 15 is provided. 16 are arranged. Also, the front frame 1
Reference numeral 3 denotes a symbol display device 17 for performing a symbol combination game with a predetermined symbol in a plurality of rows (three rows in the present embodiment) housed and arranged in the set portion 12a of the middle frame 12 in a see-through manner.

The first to third symbol displays 17a to 17c constituting the symbol display device 17 are provided on the see-through window 16.
A see-through window 16a for individually seeing through each symbol 17c, and an effective line display section 16b for displaying an effective line corresponding to the bet rate selected by the player are provided. The numerical value display unit 1 displays the number of game balls stored in the machine (the so-called number of credits) and the number of prize balls to be paid out based on the combination of symbols (the number of payouts).
6c is provided. Further, the see-through window section 16 is provided with a stop display section 16d for separately displaying the stop state of the symbol change of each of the symbol indicators 17a to 17c.

Below the see-through window section 16, an operation section 18 for the player to perform various operations in accordance with the progress of the game (symbol combination game) is arranged so as to protrude toward the player. . In addition, the operation unit 18 is used to maintain a gaming property (operability) as a slot machine (for example,
It is arranged in the vicinity (lower part) of the symbol display device 17 for easy operation, little eye movement, little fatigue, etc.

On the front side of the operation unit 18 (the side facing the player), a symbol combination game is started (the symbol change of each symbol display 17a to 17c is started).
Lever 18a is provided. Also,
On the front side of the operation unit 18, the symbol display 17a
There are provided three sets of stop buttons 18b for individually stopping the symbol variations of 17c to 17c. Further, on the front side of the operation unit 18, a credit settlement button 18c for paying out gaming machines stored inside the machine is provided.
A bed button 18d for setting the number of game balls to be taken into the machine in order to select a betting rate is provided on the upper surface side of the operation unit 18. In addition. As a betting rate, for example, one each of 5, 10, and 15 game balls,
It corresponds to three and five effective lines.

At the lower part of the front frame 13, there is a take-in plate 19 serving as a storage section for storing game balls taken into the machine in accordance with the selection of the betting rate, and game balls paid out from the pachinko-type slot 10. A ball tray unit 21 having a storage tray 20 for storing is mounted and set on the middle frame 12. The intake tray 19 corresponds to the upper bowl of the existing pachinko machine, and the storage tray 20 corresponds to the lower bowl of the pachinko machine.

The machine base K is provided with a rental ball dispensing device 22 used in a ball rental system so as to be juxtaposed to one side edge (left edge) of the pachinko slot 10. The rental ball dispensing device 22 is provided with a cylindrical ball dispensing portion 23 (also referred to as a “nozzle”) for dispensing a game ball (rental ball) to the pachinko slot 10 side. . Therefore, the rental ball dispensing device 22 is provided with a predetermined amount (for example, 100 yen, 500 yen, 10 yen).
When a coin or a banknote (00 yen) is inserted, a predetermined number of lending balls (for example, 25 for 100 yen) according to the amount can be paid out through the ball payout section 23.

The ball dispensing device 22 is designed for an existing pachinko machine mounted on the machine K, and the ball dispensing unit 23 lends the ball dispensing device to an upper ball plate provided on the pachinko machine. It functions as a rental ball passage so that the ball can be paid out. The mounting position (vertical position) of the ball dispensing unit 23 with respect to the rental ball dispensing device 22 is determined based on the mounting position (vertical position) of the upper ball tray of the pachinko machine. In addition, the ball payout section 23
Is determined according to the distance between the rental ball dispensing device 22 and the upper ball plate. Further, the ball payout unit 23 is attached to the rental ball payout device 22 in a form that can be freely rotated (swinged) in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction by an external operation of a player (or a clerk of a game store). I have. FIGS. 1 to 5 show a state in which the rotating mechanism of the ball payout unit 23 is omitted.

In the pachinko-type slot 10 of the present embodiment, the ball payout unit 23 is connected to the pachinko-type slot 1 in a state where the rental ball payout device 22 is arranged in parallel.
When it is extended to the 0 side, it is above the operation section 18 (upper side)
The downstream side of the ball dispensing section 23 is arranged at the second position. Therefore, the arrangement relationship between the catching plate 19 and the ball dispensing unit 23 is such that, with the intervention of the operation unit 18, the loaned ball dispensed by the loaned ball dispensing device 22 cannot be directly supplied to the catching plate 19. ing. Therefore, the pachinko slot 10 of the present embodiment is provided with the rental ball payout device 2.
A guide path G is formed as guide means for receiving the lent ball dispensed from the second ball dispensing section 23 and guiding the lent ball down toward the intake plate 19.

Next, a specific configuration of the guide path G will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. The guideway G is
The receiving side communication path 24 as a supply part located on the receiving side of the loaned ball paid out from the ball payout part 23, the discharge side communication path 25 as a discharge part located on the discharge side of the loaned ball, and both the communication paths A downflow guideway 26 is provided as a downflow path connecting the 24 and 25 to each other.

First, the receiving-side communication path 24 will be described. The receiving-side communication path 24 is arranged so as to correspond to the downstream side of the ball payout portion 23 that is disposed to extend to the pachinko-type slot 10 side. It is arranged near the left edge of the operation unit 18. The receiving-side communication path 24 includes a first supply port 24a penetrating through the upper surface of the operation unit 18 and a first discharge port 24b penetrating through the rear surface of the operation unit 18, and the two ports 24a, 24b To the L-shaped connecting path 2
4c. The opening cross-sectional area of the first supply port 24 a that forms the receiving-side communication path 24 is larger than the opening cross-sectional area of the ball discharging section 23 on the downstream side. Further, the bottom surface extending toward the rear surface side of the operation portion 18 constituting the communication path 24c is formed so as to be inclined (rearwardly inclined when viewed from the front side of the pachinko slot 10). I have.

Accordingly, the loaned ball dispensed from the ball dispensing section 23 passes through the first supply port 24a, is received by the receiving side communication path 24, and rolls on the slope of the communication path 24c. It is guided to one discharge port 24b side. That is, the rental ball is received from the upper surface side of the operation unit 18 and then passed out to the rear surface side of the operation unit 18.

Next, the discharge side communication path 25 will be described. The discharge side communication path 25 is substantially flush with the bottom surface of the intake plate 19, It is arranged substantially at the center in the width direction. The discharge side communication path 25 is connected to the operation unit 18 (the intake plate 19).
Is formed as a through hole 25a penetrating the rear surface side. Also,
The through-hole 25a allows the downstream side of the flow-down guide path 26 to communicate with the intake plate 19.

Therefore, the lending ball guided down the flow guide path 26 passes through the through hole 25a and flows out from the rear side of the intake plate 19 toward the intake plate 19. ing. In addition, the receiving side communication path 24 (first
The discharge port 24b, the communication path 24c) and the discharge-side communication path 25 (the through-hole 25a) have a substantially rectangular cross section orthogonal to the guiding direction (the outgoing direction) of the rental ball (game ball). The cross-sectional area is larger on the receiving side communication path 24 side than on the discharge side communication path 25 side.

Next, the flow-down guide path 26 will be described. The flow-down guide path 26 is formed below the set portion 12a of the middle frame 12 so as to penetrate the inside of the middle frame 12. And the downflow guideway 26 is
A second supply port 26a and a second discharge port 26b which penetrate the front side of the middle frame 12 and are formed at different positions in the vertical and horizontal directions.
And The second supply port 26a is located at a position corresponding to the first discharge port 24b of the receiving side communication path 24,
The second discharge port 26b is formed at a position corresponding to the through hole 25a of the discharge side communication path 25.

The second supply port 26a and the second discharge port 26b are formed so that the inside of the middle frame 12 is connected to a horizontal communication path 26c extending in the left-right direction and the horizontal communication path 26c. The inside of the middle frame 12 is communicated with a vertical communication path 26d extending vertically. In addition, the said lateral connection way 2
6c has substantially the same cross-sectional shape (substantially rectangular) as the receiving-side communication channel 24 and is formed with substantially the same cross-sectional area, and the vertical communication channel 26d is the same as the cross-sectional shape of the discharge-side communication channel 25 ( (Substantially rectangular) and have substantially the same cross-sectional area.

The bottom surface of the pachinko slot 10 which extends to the center in the left-right width direction of the pachinko slot 10 is inclined (to the right as viewed from the front side of the pachinko slot 10). State). A bottom surface extending toward the rear side of the intake tray 19 is provided downstream of the vertical communication path 26d (downflow guide path 26), and the bottom surface is slanted (pachinko type slot). 10 when viewed from the front side).
The flow-down guideway 26 is connected to the receiving-side communication path 24.
And it is formed so that it may communicate with the discharge side communication channel 25 from the machine back side.

Accordingly, the lending ball that has passed through the first discharge port 24b of the receiving side communication path 24 is received by the horizontal communication path 26c through the second supply port 26a, and
While rolling on the slope of 6c, it is guided to the vertical connecting path 26d. Then, the rental ball that has reached the vertical communication path 26d is guided downward (moves down) toward the bottom surface of the vertical communication path 26d, and penetrates the discharge side communication path 25 while rolling on the slope of the bottom surface. It passes through the hole 25a.

A prize ball for guiding a game ball (prize ball) paid out by a prize ball payout device (not shown) disposed inside the machine is provided on the guide path G (on the way of the flow-down guide path 26). A passage (not shown) is provided continuously. Therefore, the prize ball is paid out from the prize ball passage to the intake plate 19 through the guide path G. The guide path G is provided with an overflowing ball path (not shown) communicating with the storage tray 20. When the intake tray 19 and the guide path G are full, a game ball ( Lending balls or prize balls) are discharged to the storage dish 20 through the overflowing ball passage.

Next, a mode in which a game (symbol combination game) is played in the pachinko-type slot 10 configured as described above will be described. The player can use the pachinko slot 1
Prior to the game at 0, a rental ball is lent by the rental ball payout device 22 and supplied to the intake plate 19. At this time,
When the ball dispensing unit 23 of the rental ball dispensing device 22 is not arranged corresponding to the first supply port 24a of the receiving side communication path 24, the player operates the rotation mechanism of the ball dispensing unit 23 to perform an external operation. In addition, the downstream side of the ball dispensing section 23 is arranged corresponding to the first supply port 24a. By this operation, the downstream side of the ball payout section 23 is extended toward the upper surface side of the operation section 18 (the state of FIG. 1).

Next, the player operates the rental ball payout device 22.
A predetermined amount of coins or bills are inserted. Then, the ball dispensing device 22 starts dispensing a lending ball according to the amount of money input. Further, the dispensed rental ball is supplied to the first supply port 24 of the receiving side communication path 24 by the ball dispenser 23.
After being guided above the a, the liquid drops toward the first supply port 24a. Then, the lending ball that has fallen into the first supply port 24a is received by the receiving side communication path 24, and is discharged to the rear side (back side of the machine) of the operation unit 18.
That is, the rental ball is guided from the first supply port 24a to the first discharge port 24b while rolling on the communication path 24c.

Then, the rental ball is provided in the first discharge port 2.
After passing through the second supply port 26a of the downflow guide path 26 from 4b, it is guided to the vertical communication path 26d side while rolling on the bottom surface of the horizontal communication path 26c. In addition, the vertical connecting path 2
The rental ball that has reached 6d is guided downward by the vertical communication path 26d toward the discharge-side communication path 25 side. The lending ball that has reached the bottom surface of the vertical communication path 26d is guided to the through hole 25a side of the discharge side communication path 25 while rolling on the bottom surface. At this time, the rented ball is put into the pachinko slot 1 by the downflow guideway 26.
0 (inside the middle frame 12).

Then, the lending ball that has reached the discharge side communication path 25 is connected to the intake plate 19 by the through hole 25a.
And is discharged toward the intake plate 19. As a result, the loaned ball dispensed from the rental ball dispensing device 22 above the operation unit 18 is received by the guide path G and guided downward to the intake plate 19 side, and then the rental ball is discharged. Is stored at

[0036] Then, the player operates the symbol display device 17.
In order to start the symbol change and play a game, a betting rate is set by the bed button 18d. At this time, a predetermined number of game balls corresponding to the betting rate are taken into the pachinko slot 10 from the taking-in plate 19. Then, the player operates the start lever 18a to start the symbol change of each of the symbol indicators 17a to 17c. Subsequently, the player operates the stop button 18b to stop the symbol change of each of the symbol indicators 17a to 17c individually. As a result, when a symbol combination pattern consisting of a predetermined symbol is displayed on the pay line corresponding to the betting rate, a predetermined number of prize balls are obtained from the prize ball dispensing device inside the machine to the intake plate 19 (storage plate 20). Will be paid out.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. (1) The pachinko slot 10 is formed with a guide path G for receiving the lent ball dispensed by the lent ball dispensing device 22 and guiding the lent ball to the intake plate 19. Therefore, the rental ball dispensing device 22 designed for the existing pachinko machine is used in an existing state without any design change, and the rental ball dispensing device 22 is used to pay out the rental ball to the intake plate 19 of the pachinko slot 10. Can be. Therefore, it is possible to contribute to cost reduction such as introduction cost of the pachinko slot 10.

(2) Further, the player only needs to insert coins or bills into the loaned ball dispensing device 22, and it is not necessary to supply a lending ball to the catching plate 19 by himself, thereby maintaining high playability. be able to. Further, even when the existing rental ball dispensing device 22 is used, the operation unit 18 of the pachinko slot 10 can be arranged near the symbol display device 17 in the same manner as the slot machine, thereby improving the gaming performance as the slot machine. Can be maintained. In addition, since the rental ball payout device 22 can be used through the guide path G, the prize ball payout device installed inside the machine can be a device dedicated to paying out prize balls. Therefore, the payout control of the game balls in the pachinko slot 10 can be simplified.

(3) The rental ball flows down inside the machine by the guide path G and is guided to the intake plate 19 side. Therefore, the space inside the machine can be effectively used. Therefore, dead space can be eliminated in the entire configuration of the pachinko slot 10. Further, by forming the guide path G inside the machine, it is not necessary to form the guide path G outside the machine, and the design property on the front side of the machine can be maintained. Further, damage to the guide path G can also be suppressed.

(4) The guide path G is the receiving-side connecting path 2
4, a passage configuration including a discharge-side communication path 25 and a flow-down guide path 26. Therefore, the configuration of the guide path G is simple and can be easily manufactured. Therefore, it is possible to contribute to reduction of the manufacturing cost of the pachinko-type slot 10 and the like.

(5) The flow guide path 26 is provided in the middle frame 1
2 is formed. Therefore, for example, the design is easier than when the guide path G is formed in the operation unit 18, and the structure of the pachinko slot 10 can be simplified. That is, when forming the guide path G in the middle frame 12, it is not necessary to consider the arrangement of various substrates such as the start lever 18a provided in the operation unit 18. Further, by forming the guide path G in the middle frame 12, the space of the operation unit 18 can be effectively used for arranging the various substrates and the like.

(6) Since the middle frame 12 is a non-exchange part that does not need to be replaced when the model is changed, the flow-down guideway 26 can be used again after the model change.
The non-replacement part is a part that does not affect the game at all in playing the game in the pachinko-type slot 10 after the model change, and needs to be replaced unless there is a special reason such as a change in appearance or damage. There is no site. In the present embodiment, the receiving-side communication path 24 and the discharging-side communication path 25
Are also provided on the operation unit 18 and the taking-in plate 19 which are the target of the non-replacement part. Therefore, the guide path G can be used again after the model change.

(7) The flow-down guide path 26 is communicated with the receiving-side communication path 24 and the discharge-side communication path 25 from the back side of the machine. For this reason, the guide path G is a path formed in the front-rear direction of the pachinko-type slot 10, and space can be saved. In particular, the downflow guideway 2
6 is formed in the middle frame 12, it is not necessary to extend the upstream side and the downstream side of the flow-down guide path 26 to the side of the receiving-side communication path 24 and the discharge-side communication path 25. The route can be simplified.

(8) The opening cross-sectional area of the receiving-side communication path 24 (first supply port 24a) is larger than the downstream cross-sectional area of the ball discharging section 23. Therefore, the loaned ball dispensed from the ball dispensing unit 23 is easily received, and the loaned ball can be reliably guided to the intake plate 19 side, and the lending ball overflows from the upper surface side of the operation unit 18. Can be suppressed. The cross-sectional area of the discharge-side communication path 25 is formed smaller than the cross-sectional area of the receiving-side communication path 24. Therefore, a large amount of game balls (rental balls or prize balls) are not paid out to the intake plate 19 side at a time, and it is possible to suppress the game balls from overflowing from the intake plate 19.

(9) The communication path 24 of the reception-side communication path 24
c, the through hole 25a of the discharge side communication path 25, and the bottom surfaces of the communication paths 26c and 26d of the flow-down guide path 26 are formed obliquely. Therefore, the rental ball can be reliably guided toward the intake plate 19 side. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of ball clogging in the middle of the guide path G.

(10) The downflow guideway 26 is formed by connecting a horizontal communication path 26c and a vertical communication path 26d. Therefore, a large volume (volume) of the entire guide path G can be secured. Therefore, even when the intake tray 19 and the storage tray 20 are full, the amount of balls stored in the guide path G can be increased, and the game balls in the trays 19 and 20 are transferred to storage boxes. The frequency of work can be reduced.

The above embodiment may be modified as follows. In the above-described embodiment, the downflow guideway 26 communicates with the receiving-side communication path 24 and the discharge-side communication path 25 from the rear side of the machine, but may communicate with the side.
Alternatively, one of them may be communicated from the back side of the machine, and the other may be communicated from the side.

In the above embodiment, the downflow guideway 26
Are formed on the middle frame 12, but may be formed on the operation unit 18, for example. In the embodiment, the receiving-side communication path 24 is the operation unit 1
8 penetrates the upper side, but may be formed penetrating the side or front side of the operation unit 18.

In the above embodiment, the lending ball flows down inside the machine, but the guide path G may be formed so as to flow down the front side (outside the machine). For example,
A first discharge port 24b of the receiving side communication path 24 is formed to penetrate the lower surface side of the operation unit 18, and the first discharge port 24b is formed.
And a downstream passage may be provided so as to communicate with the intake plate 19 on the downstream side of the downstream passage.

In the above-described embodiment, the downflow guide path 26 is constituted by the horizontal communication path 26c and the vertical communication path 26d, but the first discharge port 24b of the reception-side communication path 24 and the discharge-side communication path 25 pass through. The hole 25a may be a passage that communicates linearly (directly). In adopting such a passage, when the position of the first discharge port 24b and the position of the through hole 25a are different in the left-right direction (in the case of the present embodiment), the passage becomes an oblique passage. It becomes a linear passage extending vertically.

In the above embodiment, the receiving side communication path 2
Although the cross-sectional area of the discharge side communication passage 25 is different from that of the discharge side communication path 4, they may be formed so as to have substantially the same cross-sectional area. Further, the cross-sectional area of each of the passages 24 to 26 does not need to be constant between the lengths of the passages 24 to 26, and may be changed, for example, such that the cross-sectional area decreases toward the downstream side. .

In the above embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the guide path G is formed to be substantially rectangular, but the shape is not particularly limited. For example, the shape may be a square, an ellipse, a circle, a polygon, or the like.

In the above embodiment, the guide path G is applied to the pachinko slot 10, but it can be applied to other gaming machines in the same manner as the above embodiment. For example, the present invention can also be applied to a pachinko machine in which the arrangement of the upper bowl is the same as the configuration of the intake tray 19 of the pachinko slot 10.

Next, technical ideas that can be grasped from the above embodiment and other examples will be additionally described below. (A) In the gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the machine body is installed on a base of a pachinko machine, and the machine body is provided with respect to an upper ball plate of the pachinko machine. The payout of the lent ball is performed by the lent ball payout device in which the mounting position of the sphere payout unit is determined so that the lent ball can be paid out.

(B) In the gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the game is a symbol combination game by a symbol display device disposed inside the game machine, wherein the symbol combination game Is a symbol whose variation is started and stopped based on various operations of the player at the operation unit using a pachinko ball as a game medium.

[0056]

According to the present invention, an existing loaned ball dispensing device can be effectively used, and the loaned ball dispensed by the loaned ball dispensing device can be supplied to the storage unit.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a pachinko-type slot.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a middle frame.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing the appearance of the pachinko slot.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the pachinko-type slot as viewed from above.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

G: guideway (guidance means), K: machine stand, 10: pachinko-type slot (game machine, machine body), 12: middle frame, 18: operation unit, 19: intake plate (storage unit), 22: lending Ball dispensing device,
23: ball dispensing section, 24: receiving side communication path (supply section), 2
5: Discharge side communication path (discharge section), 26: Downflow guide path (downflow path).

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A machine main body is installed on a machine base, and an operation unit for performing various operations in accordance with the progress of the game and a game ball to be taken into the machine in a form located below the operation unit are stored. In the gaming machine in which a storage unit to be disposed is arranged, the machine body receives a rental ball paid out from a ball payout unit of a rental ball payout device installed so as to be juxtaposed with the machine body on the machine base. And a guide means for guiding the flow down toward the storage section. 2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein said guide means is formed such that said rental ball flows down inside the machine and is guided toward said storage dish. 3. A supply unit formed in the operation unit so as to correspond to a downstream side of the ball payout unit,
3. The gaming machine according to claim 1, further comprising: a discharge section formed in the storage section; and a flow-down passage communicating the supply section and the discharge section. 4. 4. The gaming machine according to claim 3, wherein the downflow passage is formed in a middle frame on which various game components are set. 5. The gaming machine according to claim 3, wherein the downflow passage is formed so as to communicate with the supply section and the discharge section from the rear side of the machine.