Medal tray of game machine and medal game machine
The present invention provides a medal tray realizing a proper medal pile state. A medal tray 50 provided for a medal game machine 1, as a portion where medals M are ejected, comprises: a bottom wall 51 on which medals M are accumulated, side and rear walls 53, 54, 55 surrounding three sides of the bottom wall and a front wall 52 disposed so as to face the rear wall 55 and whose height is set to be lower than the rear wall 55, and the rear wall 55 is provided with a protrusion portion 57 for regulating accumulation of medals along the rear wall 55 so as to project toward the front wall 52.
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The present invention relates to a medal tray provided for a medal game machine as a portion where medals are ejected.
BACKGROUND ARTA medal game machine is provided with a medal tray as a portion where medals are ejected. In a medal tray of this type, a front wall is provided with its height lower than that of rear and side walls so that medals accumulated on the bottom wall can be easily taken out.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTIONProblem to be solved by the Invention
Medals ejected to the medal tray tend to stack along the rear wall. To prevent medals from dropping from the short front wall, the medal ejection position in the medal tray is often set near the rear wall. When medals are piled up high near the rear wall, however, even if the medal tray has a sufficient depth, the periphery of the medal ejection port is likely to become clogged with the ejected medals, and the player has to frequently arrange the pile state of the medals.
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a medal tray realizing a proper medal pile state.
Means for Solving the Problem
The present invention solves the above problem by the following means.
The present invention solves the above problem by a medal tray provided for a medal game machine as a portion where medals are ejected the medal tray comprises a bottom wall on which medals are accumulated and side and rear walls surrounding three sides of the bottom wall, wherein the rear wall is provided with a protrusion portion for regulating accumulation of medals along the rear wall, so that the protrusion portion projects forward and is disposed above the bottom wall so as to be separated from the bottom wall.
According to the invention, by providing the rear wall with the protrusion portion, near the rear wall, accumulation of medals between the bottom wall and the protrusion portion is regulated, and medals exceeding the regulation are accumulated forward. Consequently, there is no possibility that medals are unlimitedly piled up along the rear wall, and the apex of a mountain formed by accumulation of medals gets shifted forward. Thus, the medal ejection space is assured on the rear wall side while preventing clogging of medals, and a larger number of medals can be accumulated on the bottom wall without arrangement by the player.
In the medal tray of the invention, a medal ejection port may be provided in the rear wall, and the protrusion portion may be disposed between the medal ejection port and the bottom wall. In this case, since the protrusion portion is interposed between the medal ejection port and the bottom wall, closing of the medal ejection port with medals on the bottom wall is suppressed.
Further, a curved wall may be provided between the bottom wall and the protrusion portion. In the case where such a curved wall is provided, there is no possibility that medals are clogged between the bottom wall and the protrusion portion. The protrusion portion may be tapered in the vertical direction from the base portion joined to the rear wall toward the tip. By employing such a tapered shape, while suppressing decrease in volume of the medal tray due to provision of the protrusion portion, an effect of the protrusion portion can be sufficiently obtained. The protrusion portion may be provided along the overall length in the width direction of the rear wall. By providing the protrusion portion along the overall length in the width direction, the effect of the projection can be maximally obtained. The present invention may be also embodied as a medal game machine having the described medal tray.
Effect of the Invention
As described above, according to the invention, there is no possibility that medals are unlimitedly piled up along the rear wall, and the apex of a mountain formed by accumulation of medals gets shifted forward. Thus, the medal ejection space is assured on the rear wall side while preventing clogging of medals, and a larger number of medals can be accumulated on the bottom wall without arrangement by the player.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1 to 3 show an embodiment of a game machine to which the present invention is applied.
(Configuration of Main Unit)
As specifically shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the main unit 2 has a chassis 5 which can stand by itself on the floor of a shop or the like. The chassis 5 is constructed by using wood or a resin material like a normal game machine. A monitor 6 is mounted on the left side of the front face of the chassis 5 and a lottery machine 7 is mounted on the right side of the monitor 6. As the monitor 6, a large display such as a liquid crystal projector or a plasma display is preferably used. Obviously, a liquid crystal display or a CRT may be also used as the monitor. The lottery machine 7 will be described later.
The chassis 5 of the main unit 2 is provided with various decorations to improve the decorating effect of the game machine 1. For example, decorations 8 are provided on the outside of the monitor 6 and the lottery machine 7. Similarly, to improve the decorating effect of the game machine 1, a sail 10 is provided on a top face 5a of the chassis 5. As shown in
A cover 5b covering the lower part of the sail 10 is fixed to the front edge of the top face 5a of the chassis 5. On the back side of the cover 5b, plural frame supporting plates 15 are provided so as to stand in parallel with the anteroposterior direction of the chassis 5 and upright at intervals in the horizontal direction (the horizontal direction of
As specifically shown in
In the frame supporting plate 15, plural screw holes 19 into which the bolts 18 attached to the bottom end of the frame holder 17 are to be screwed are formed. The screw holes 19 are provided along an arc having a predetermined radius of curvature around a fulcrum as a center which is set on the top end side of the frame holder 17. Although not shown, screw holes corresponding to the bolts 18 attached to the top end side of the frame holder 17 are also provided along an arc having a predetermined radius of curvature around the fulcrum as a center. On the top end side, any one of the screw holes may be used as the fulcrum for changing the tilt angle of the frame holder 17. Therefore, by changing the screw hole 19 to which the bolt 18 is to be screwed, the tilt of the frame holder 17 is changed and thereby, the tilt angle of the sail 10 can be changed. When the vertical frames 13 are pulled out from the frame holder 17, the sail 10 itself can be detached from the chassis 5.
As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, a light box 20 is provided at the bottom end on the front side of the chassis 5. As shown in
When the sub units 3 are disposed around the chassis 5 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the position of each of the sub units 3 is set so as not to overlap the optical path extending from the projector 23 to the screen 12. By surrounding the light box 20 with the sub units 3, there is no possibility that a player or the like enters the optical path extending from the projector 23 to the screen 12.
As shown in
The ball B dropped in the pocket 38 is led to the ball collecting mechanism 37 via a duct 39. The ball collecting mechanism 37 gives the ball B back to the ball loading mechanism 34 and is constructed, for example, so as to carry the ball B received from the duct 39 upward in the vertical direction by a teethed belt 37a which runs in the vertical direction and pass the ball B to a ball holding part 34a of the ball loading mechanism 34 around the turn position at the top end of the belt 37a.
Such a lottery machine 7 is provided to select one of the numbers 1 to 8 provided on the drum 31 and its function is realized as follows. First, when a lottery start instruction is given from the control system of the game machine 1 to the lottery machine 7, in response to the instruction, the drum driving motor 35 is driven to start rotating the drum 31. Subsequently, when a ball loading instruction is given to the ball loading mechanism 34, the ball B is loaded to the ball path 33. When the loaded ball B reaches the pocket 38, the indicator driving mechanism 36 is driven to drive the indicator 32 to the action position P2. Synchronously, the drum driving motor 35 is stopped so that it is seen as if the drum 31 was pressed by the indicator 32 and stopped. After the drum 31 stops, the number indicated by the tip of the indicator 32 is specified by the rotation position of the drum driving motor 35 (for example, it is detected by an encoder), and one of the numbers 1 to 8 is determined as the number chosen by the lottery. The ball B in the pocket 38 is returned by the ball collecting mechanism 37 for the next lottery. The front side of the lottery machine 7 is covered with a transparent cover to prevent the ball B from jumping out or the like. The lottery probability may be changed by varying the time relation between the timing the ball B reaches the pocket 38 and the timing the drum 31 stops within the range the player does not notice. Such an operation can be used for adjusting, for example, a payout ratio. As long as any of the numbers can be selected, the lottery machine 7 is not limited to the above-described configuration. The configuration may be properly changed.
(Configuration of Sub Unit)
The sub unit 3 will now be described with reference to
Referring again to FIGS. 13 to 16, a game space 42 is provided above the chassis 41, and a game board 43 is constructed for each of the stations 40 on the bottom side of the game space 42. The details of the game board 43 will be described later. Between the game boards 43, a medal ejecting device 44 shared by the stations 40 is disposed. To prevent an access to the game board 43 by the player, the game space 42 is covered with a transparent cover 45 (which is showed to be opaque in FIGS. 14 to 16). A control panel 46 is provided on the front side of the chassis 41. The control panel 46 is provided with a pair of right and left medal loading devices 47 for each station 40. The medal loading device 47 is provided to load a medal as a game medium by rolling it in a state where the medal stands in the vertical direction, and the tip of the medal inserting device 47 penetrates the cover 45 and is inserted in the game space 42. To enable the medal loading direction to be adjusted according to the intension of the player, the direction of the medal loading device 47 is made adjustable at least in the horizontal direction. As the medal loading device 47, a heretofore known medal shooter commonly used for a so-called pusher game may be used.
The control panel 46 has a push-button type operation switch 48 which is provided for each station 40. The operation switch 48 is operated by the player to instruct, for example, the timing of loading the ball B by the lottery machine 7. Obviously, the operation switch 48 may be provided for other purposes.
The control panel 46 also has a medal tray 50 for each station 40. The medal tray 50 is provided as a place to which medals obtained by the player are ejected.
The top face side of the medal tray 50 is open and the height of the front wall 52 is set sufficiently lower than the other walls 53 to 55, so that the player can take out medals. As obvious from
In the left wall 53, a slit-shaped medal ejection port 53b which is long in the vertical direction for ejecting the medals M to the medal tray 50 is provided nearer to the rear wall 55 side than the front wall 52. An L-shaped cover 56 extending so as to cover the medal ejection port 53b is provided at the top end of the rear wall 55. Further, the rear wall 55 is provided with a protrusion portion 57 extending almost in the overall length in the width direction (the direction perpendicular to the drawing sheet in
In the medal tray 50 as described above, the medals M ejected from the medal ejection port 53b into the tray 50 are guided by the protrusion portion 57 and dropped onto the bottom wall 51 to be stacked. Since the rear wall 55 is provided with the protrusion portion 57, the medals M are not likely to be stacked while leaning against the rear wall 55 as shown by an imaginary line M′ in
The details of the game board 43 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 19 to 31. The configurations of the game boards 43 are common, so that one of the game boards 43 will be described hereinbelow. As shown in
FIGS. 20 to 24 show the details of a portion extending from the upper table 62 to the lower table 65. A medal guide plate 67 is provided above the lower table 65. The medal guide plate 67 is transparent, and two medal guide plates 67 are provided for each station 40 so as to have a one-to-one corresponding relation with the medal loading devices 47. In
The checker 64 is fixed in a predetermined position on the game board 43, and a number of slit-shaped medal pass holes 64a are provided on the top face side of the checker 64. The medal pass hole 64a extends in the anterposterior direction of the game board 43. The medals M dropped from the medal guiding device 63 to the checker 64 can be divided into medals which have passed the medal pass holes 64a and medals which have not passed the medal pass holes 64a in accordance with the drop positions. The medal M passed through the medal pass hole 64a is taken into the checker 64 and returned to the medal hopper in the chassis 41. On the other hand, the medal M which has not passed the medal pass hole 64a drops onto the lower table 65.
Although not shown, a number of medals are stacked flat on the lower table 65. A pusher 68 is provided on the depth side of the lower table 65. As shown well in
By the reciprocation of the pusher 68 in the longitudinal direction, the medals dropped onto the lower table 65 are pushed and a pileup occurs in the medals on the lower table 65. Depending on the degree of the pileup, a medal drops from the front edge 65a or a side edge 65b of the lower table 65 (refer to
The details of the medal guiding device 63 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 25 to 31. As shown in
As shown in
As shown in FIGS. 25 to 28, a base frame 77 fixed to the chassis 41, a slider 79 supported by the base frame 77 via a pair of guide rails 78 so as to be movable in the horizontal direction, and a motor 80 as a driving source of the slider 79 are provided. The rear end portion of the slider 79 is turned back downward, and a guide plate 81 is attached to the turn-back part. In the guide plate 81, a guide groove 81a extending in the vertical direction is formed. On the other hand, a crank arm 82 is attached to an output shaft 80a of the motor 80 so as to be rotatable integrally with the output shaft 80a. A crank pin 83 is attached to the tip of the crank arm 82. The tip of the crank pin 83 is inserted in the guide groove 81a of the guide plate 81. Further, the guide block 70 is disposed above the base frame 77, and the coupling part 76b of the base 76 is coupled to the slider 79.
Therefore, when the output shaft 80a of the motor 80 is rotated in the predetermined direction, the motion is converted by the crank pin 83 and the guide plate 81 to reciprocating motion in the horizontal direction of the slider 79, and the guide block 70 coupled to the slider 79 via the base 76 reciprocates in the horizontal direction. As shown in
With such a configuration, a medal loaded from the medal loading device 47 and rolled along the metal guide plate 67 drops onto the medal receiving face 73a of the guide block 70. Since the medal receiving face 73a is formed in a semi-cylindrical shape, the medal dropped on the medal receiving face 73a slides along the medal receiving face 73a and is led to the gap 74. Consequently, the direction of the medal dropped in a state where the medal is slightly inclined toward the center side of the game board 43 from the medal guide plate 67 is aligned in the anteroposterior direction of the game board 43 (the extending direction of the gap 74). The medal led to the gap 74 stands and rolls down along the baseboard 72 in a state where its direction is aligned to the same direction as the medal pass hole 64a. Since the projection 73b is provided at the top of the medal receiving face 73a, even if a medal dropped from the guide plate 67 onto the medal receiving face 73a falls down sideways, because the medal comes into contact with the projection 73b, the balance of the medal is lost, and the medal does not become stable in a state where it lies sideways. By collision of the medal with the projection 73b, the force of the medal is weakened, and the medal is dropped into the gap 74 without fail. The medal drops via the gap 74 onto the checker 64, so that it becomes unlikely that the medal drops on the checker 64 in a state where the medal lies sideways. The effect of adjustment of the direction of the medal by the projection 73b has correlation with the length of the projection 73b. For example, when the projection 73b is short, the effect of the projection 73b is relatively low, the frequency that the medal falls sideways onto the checker 64 increases and, as a result, the probability that the medal enters the checker 64 decreases.
By reciprocating the guide block 70 in the horizontal direction by the driving mechanism 71, the position of the gap 74 and the position of the medal pass hole 64a are momentarily switched between junction and disjunction in the anteroposterior direction. When a medal drops onto the checker 64 at a timing the gap 74 and the medal pass hole 64a almost coincide with each other, that is, they are positioned in a straight line in the longitudinal direction, the medal passes through the medal pass hole 64a. A medal dropped onto the checker 64 at a different timing is flipped by the checker 64 and drops onto the lower table 65. As shown in
As described above, the medal game machine of the embodiment has the medal guiding device 63 for aligning the directions of the medals loaded onto the game board 43 with the direction of the medal pass holes 64a in the checker 64 before they pass through the checker 64. Consequently, even a player who does not have enough skill can also enjoy playing with medals passing or not passing through the checker 64 as a game. Alternately, the base board 72 and the medal guide member 73 of the medal guiding device 63 may be tilted in the direction opposite to that of
FIGS. 32 to 34 show the details of the medal ejecting device 44. The medal ejecting device 44 is provided to eject a large amount of medals to the game board 43 at the time of a big hit or the like, and has a medal tray 90, a belt conveyor 91 extended so as to connect the right and left game boards 43 at the back of the medal tray 90, and shooters 92 disposed between the both ends of the belt conveyor 91 and the upper tables 62. The medal tray 90 is provided so as to be rotatable around an axis 90a at the upper rear end as a fulcrum, and is driven by a not-shown actuator between a standby position extended almost horizontally forward from the axis 90a and an action position (the position shown in
Medals can be ejected from the not-shown medal hopper to the medal tray 90. When the medal tray 90 is moved from the standby position to the action position, the medals on the medal tray 90 drop onto the belt conveyor 91. By driving the belt conveyor 91 to the right or left direction, the medals on the belt conveyor 91 are conveyed to one of the shooters 92, and can be ejected onto one of the upper tables 62 via the shooter 92.
Since the belt conveyor 91 is disposed between the medal tray 90 and the shooter 92, the shooter 92 can be made short. While suppressing the height of the medal tray 90, the shooter 92 can be sufficiently tilted. If the belt conveyor 91 is not used, the shooter 92 is extended to the center area in the horizontal direction of the medal tray 90 and means for directing the drop direction of medals from the medal tray 90 to one of the shooters 92 is provided. In this case, when the shooter 92 is inclined sufficiently, the overall height of the shooter 92 increases, accordingly, the position of the medal tray 90 has to be changed upward. However, inconveniences occur such that the overall height of the sub unit 3 increases and the monitor 6 and the lottery machine 7 of the main unit 2 behind the medal ejecting device 44 are hidden from sight. In contrast, in this embodiment, medals are carried in a horizontal state to a place very close to each of the upper tables 62 by using the belt conveyor 91, so that the shooter 92 can be made shorter and the overall height can be suppressed. Consequently, the position of the medal tray 90 can be lowered.
(Configuration of Control System)
Next, the control system of the game machine 1 will be described with reference to
To realize a predetermined game by exchanging information between the main unit 2 and the sub unit 3, the controller 100 of the main unit 2 is connected to the control system of each sub unit 3. Further, to the controller 100 of the main unit 2, a communication controller 103 is also connected. The communication controller 103 is provided to perform information communications via a predetermined communication line with the controller 100 of the main unit 2 of another game machine 1 to construct a single game system by connecting plural game machines 1. The main unit 2 may be connected to each other via the communication controllers 103 and servers, or via the communication controllers 103 without using servers. Other than the above, various input and output devices may be connected to the controller 100 of the main unit 2. Another game machine 1 may be installed in the same shop or another shop.
To the controller 110 of the sub unit 3, as devices to be controlled, an actuator 116 for driving the medal tray 90 of the medal ejecting device 44 and the belt conveyor 91 are connected. Ejection of medals to the medal tray 90 is realized by the medal hopper 115 here but may be realized by another medal hopper. In this case, a medal hopper other than the medal hopper 115 is connected as a device to be controlled corresponding to the medal tray 90 to the controller 110.
In addition, to the controller 110 of the sub unit 3, a communication controller 117 is also connected. The communication controller 117 is provided so that the controller 110 performs information communications with the controller 100 of the main unit 2 of the same game machine 1. Other than the above, various input and output devices may be connected to the controller 110 of the subunit 3. For example, a medal load sensor for detecting loading of a medal from the medal loading device 47, a medal drop sensor for detecting drop of a medal from the lower table 65, and the like are connected to the controller 110 in order to control the medal payout ratio.
(Outline of Game)
The contents of a game played by the game machine 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 37 to 40. The game machine 1 of this embodiment provides the player with a game in relation to a prize winning of a medal to the checker 64 besides a basic game of a so-called pusher game which makes a medal loaded from the medal loading device 47 and dropped to the lower table 65 pushed down from the lower table 65 with the pusher 68.
In the main game part 201, a game is executed. In the game, three symbol bands 201a to 201c arranged in the vertical direction are allowed to run independently of each other like reels of a slot machine and to stop at a proper timing. Players compete for success or failure of obtaining a predetermined winning combination of symbols in the vertical direction or oblique direction. A game of the main game part 201 is executed by a trigger that is the prize winning of a medal to the checker 64. The symbols and the winning combinations displayed in the main game part 201 may be properly determined. As an example, they are determined as shown in
In the route 303 or 304, pieces 306 corresponding to the stations 40 are displayed with station numbers (any of 1 to 6). The game screen 301 of
When the right to play the center game is given in the game in the station 40, any of the numbers 1 to 8 is chosen by using the lottery machine 7 for the station, and the piece 306 moves in the predetermined direction on the route 303 or 304 by the number of boxes just equal to the number chosen by the lottery. In each of the boxes 305, a reward given in the center game is written. When the piece 306 stops in a box, the reward written in the box is given to the player who played the center game.
For example, when the piece 306 stops in a box 305a in which the number such as “30” or “50” is written, the player gets medals of the number equal to the number written in the box. The outer route 303 includes a box 305b in which “SJP chance” is written (hereinbelow, called SJP box). When the piece 306 stops in the SJP box 305b, the right to challenge super jackpot is given. In this case, a lottery for determining whether the player wins the super jackpot or not is executed by using the lottery machine 7. If the player wins the super jackpot, the player gets medals of the number displayed in an SJP display part 307 (hereinbelow, called SJP number) adjacent to the outside of the SJP box 305b. When the piece 306 passes the SJP box 305b, the SJP number is increased by a predetermined number.
On the other hand, the inner route 304 includes a box 305c described as “BB chance” (hereinbelow, called BB box). When the piece 306 stops here, the player gets the right to challenge a big bonus. In this case, the lottery for determining whether the player wins the big bonus or not is executed by using the lottery machine 7. If the player wins the big bonus, the player gets medals of the number displayed in a BB display part 308 (hereinbelow, called BB number) disposed in the center area of the inner route 304. When the piece 306 passes through the BB box 305c, the BB number is increased by a predetermined number.
At the four corners of each of the routes 303 and 304, warp boxes 305d written as “GO” are disposed. When the piece 306 stops in the warp box 305d, the piece 306 moves between the outer route 303 and the inner route 304. As understood by comparing numerical values indicated in the boxes 305a between the routes 303 and 304, the player can get higher points in the inner route 304 than the outer route 303. Although bonus boxes 305e, 305f, . . . are properly provided in the routes 303 and 304 in addition to the above, they will not be described since they are not the gist of the present invention.
When plural game machines 1 are connected to each other to construct a single game system, the inner route 304 is shared by the game machines 1. That is, the information of the configuration of the inner route 304 stored in the ROM 101 in each game machine 1 in the single game system is the same. The game machines 1 share the positions of the pieces 306 disposed on the inner route 304 and the BB numbers. The information is stored as information in the RAM 102 of each game machine 1. The information is properly exchanged among the game machines 1 to maintain consistency.
In the inner route 304, a piece 309 of another game machine 1 is also displayed. When the piece 309 stops in the BB box 305c, the right to challenge the big bonus is given to the station 40 of the game machine 1 corresponding to the piece 309. When the piece 309 passes through the BB box 305c, the BB number is added by a predetermined number in all of the game machines 1 in the same game system. That is, the BB number has the characteristic of so-called progressive bonus which is shared among the plural game machines 1.
By sharing part of the map 302 among the plural game machines 1 and setting the correlation among the game machines 1 also with respect to points of the game in the shared part, the player has to pay attention not only to the other player of the same game machine 1 but also the players of the other game machines 1, so that enjoyment of the game increases. Since the plural game machines 1 accumulate common points, larger points can be accumulated as compared with the case of accumulating points of the game by a single game machine. Thereby, the enjoyment of the game can be also increased.
(Control Procedure)
When a station control routine starts, first, in step S101, the controller 110 executes the lottery about a combination of symbols to be displayed on a main play part 201 in the game screen 200 by using random numbers and controls the display state in the main play part 201 so that the result of the lottery is displayed. Concretely, the controllers 110 makes the symbol bands 201a to 201c run and controls the display state of each of the symbol bands 201a to 201c so that the combination of symbols determined by the lottery is obtained.
After that, a combination for probability change start (except for “777”) is obtained or not is determined in step S102. If the combination is obtained, a probability change flag is set to “1” in step S103, and the process goes to step S106. On the other hand, when the combination is not obtained, the process goes to step S104 to determine whether a combination for probability change end is obtained or not. If the combination is obtained, the controller 110 resets the probability change flag to “0”, and the process goes to step S106. The probability change flag is considered in the lottery in step S101. When the flag is set to “1”, the probability to obtain the winning combination (the combinations shown in
In step S106, the medal hopper 115 is driven to eject medals of the number corresponding to the combination obtained in the lottery from the medal ejection port 61 onto the upper table 62. At this time, dramatic presentation may be performed in such a manner that players can feel as if medals fell by displaying an image of dropping medals on the monitor 6 in synchronization with ejecting medals from the medal ejection port 61.
After ejection of medals, the process goes to step S107 to add “1” to the value of a JP step stored in the RAM 112. The value of the JP step is equal to the number of light-on of the jackpot counter 203 in the game screen 200. Each time the value of the RAM 112 is updated, in accordance with that, the number of light-on of the jackpot counter 203 is also updated. In the following step S108, it is determined whether the JP step reaches the predetermined maximum value (7 in this case) or not. If it reaches the maximum value, it means the JP is obtained and the process goes to step S109. The upper table 62 is driven to move from the horizontal position to the action position, and again to the horizontal position to drop all medals accumulated on the upper table 62 onto the medal guiding device 63, thereby jackpot medals are ejected toward the lower table 65. At this time, medals may be ejected also from the medal ejection port 61. After that, in step 110, the JP step on the RAM 112 is reset to the initial value “0”, and the station control routine is finished.
On the other hand, when the condition in step S104 is not satisfied, the process goes to step S111 and it is determined whether the combination for single-center-game (refer to
When the condition in step S111 is not satisfied, the process goes to step S113 to determine whether a combination for the triple-center-game is obtained or not. If the combination is obtained, the process goes to step S114 to drive the upper table 62 for moving from the horizontal position to the action position, and again to the horizontal position. In the following step S115, the fact that the combination for triple-center-game is obtained is notified to the controller 100 of the main unit 2. After that, the process goes to step S103 to set the probability change flag to “1” ant goes to step S106 to eject medals corresponding to the combination for triple-center-game.
If the combination for triple-center-game is not obtained in step S113, the process goes to step S116 to determine whether or not roulette symbols (symbols in the second line from the bottom in
When it is determined in step S116 that roulette symbols do not exist or when it is determined in step S118 that the meter value is not the maximum value, the controller 110 skips the subsequent processes and finishes the station control routine.
Next, the processes of the controller 100 of the main unit 2 will be described.
When the center game control routine starts, first, in step S200, the controller 100 determines whether the combination for single-center-game has been notified or not. When the combination has been notified, the process goes to step S201 to set the initial value of “1” to a variable N for determining the number of games. When the combination has not been notified (that is, when the combination for triple-center-game has been notified), the process goes to step S202 to set the initial value of “3” to the variable N. After the variable N is set, the process goes to step S203 to determine one of the numerical values 1 to 8 by roulette lottery, that is, lottery using the lottery machine 7. The controller 100 updates the position information of the piece 306 stored in the RAM 102 so that the position of the piece 306 on the map 302 is advanced by the number of boxes equal to the obtained numerical value. The information of the position of the piece 306 is held in the RAM 102 in association with information for identifying the station 40. The position information updated at this time relates to the piece 306 corresponding to the station 40 which has obtained the combination for single-center-game or triple-center-game. The display on the monitor 6 is also updated in correspondence with updating of the piece position information.
In the following step S204, it is determined whether the piece 306 has passed the SJP box 305b or not. If the piece 306 has passed it, the SJP number of the SJP display 307 adjacent to the SJP box 305b is increased by a predetermined number in step S205. After that, the process goes to step S208. On the other hand, when the piece 306 has not passed the SJP box 305b in step S204, the process goes to step S206 to determine whether the piece 306 has passed through the BB box 305c or not. When the piece 306 has passed the BB box 305c, the process goes to step S207 to increase the BB number by a predetermined number. Since the BB number is shared by other game machines 1 constructing the same game system, increase in the BB number is also notified to the controllers 100 of the game machines 1. After such processes, the process goes to step S208. If it is determined that the piece 306 has not passed in step S206, the controller 100 skips step S207 and the process goes to step S208.
In step S208, the kind of a box (stop box) corresponding to the position of the piece updated in step S203 is determined. In the subsequent step S209, the controller 100 determines whether the piece 306 has stopped in the SJP box 305b or not. If the piece 306 has stopped, the process goes to step S210 to perform roulette lottery for super jackpot. The roulette lottery in this case is performed by using, for example, one of the eight areas shown on the drum 31 of the lottery machine 7 as a super jackpot (SJP) winning box. Obviously, the lottery may be performed by using other means. After the roulette (drum 31) stops, the processing goes to step S212 to determine whether the player has won the super jackpot or not. If the player has won, the process goes to step S216. If not won, the process goes to step S220 in
On the other hand, when in step S209 in
In step S216, medals of the number according to SJP or BB are ejected. The medals are ejected to the medal tray 90 of the medal ejecting device 44. Therefore, the controller 100 instructs the controller 110 of the sub unit 3 to eject medals. In response to the instruction, the controller 110 waits for completion of ejection of medals to the medal tray 90 and drives the medal tray 90 to the action position. After the medals drop onto the belt conveyor 91, the controller 110 drives the belt conveyor 91 toward the station 40 which has won SJP or BB, thereby the medals ejected to the medal tray 90 are ejected onto the upper table 62 of the station 40.
After the ejection of medals for the SJP or BB, the process goes to step S217 to reset the SJP number or BB number stored in the RAM 102 to the initial value, and finish the center game control routine. When it is determined in step S212 that the piece 306 has not stopped in the BB box 305c, the process goes to step S221 in
In step S221 in
After the obtained number is set in step S220 or S223, the process goes to step S225 to eject medals of the number according to the obtained number. Ejection of medals in this case may be also performed by using the medal electing device 44. When the number is small, medals may be ejected from the medal ejection port 61. When the piece 306 stops in the warp box 305d in step S221, the process goes to step S227 to move the piece 306 between the warp box 305d in the outer route 303 and the warp box 305d in the inner route 304. The condition of movement from the outer route 303 to the inner route 304 and the condition of movement from the inner route 304 to the outer route 303 may be different from each other. For example, the movement from the outer route 303 to the inner route 304 may be more regulated as compared with the movement from the inner route 304 to the outer route 303.
After the processes in step S224, S225, or S227, the process goes to step S226 to notify the other game machines 1 of the updated stop position of the piece 306. The notification may be sent regarding only the piece 306 positioned in the inner route 304. After the notification of the stop position, the process goes to step S228 to determine whether the variable N is 1 or not. If the variable N is not 1, the process goes to step S229 to subtract 1 from the variable N and, after that, return to step S203 in
In the following step S254, the controller 100 determines whether the stop position of the piece 306 has been notified from another game machine 1 or not. If it has been notified, the process goes to step S255 to update the position information of the piece 309 on the inner route 304 held in the RAM 102 in accordance with the notified information. If it has not been notified, the controller 100 skips step S255. In the following step S256, the controller 100 updates the BB number and the information in the map 302 in accordance with the latest information held in the RAM 102. After that, the game information updating control routine is finished.
By the proper repeat execution of the routine of
The present invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiments but may be carried out in various modes. For example, the protrusion portion 57 may not be provided continuously through the overall length in the width direction of the medal tray 50. Two or more protrusion portions may be provided at an interval in the width direction of the medal tray. The protrusion portion is not limited to the tapered shape but may have a rectangular or semi-circular shape in cross section.
Claims
1. A medal tray provided for a medal game machine as a portion where medals are ejected, comprising:
- a bottom wall on which medals are accumulated; and
- side and rear walls surrounding three sides of the bottom wall,
- wherein the rear wall is provided with a protrusion portion for regulating accumulation of medals along the rear wall, so that the protrusion portion projects forward and is provided above the bottom wall so as to be separated from the bottom wall.
2. The medal tray according to claim 1, wherein the side wall has a medal ejection port, and the protrusion portion is disposed between the medal ejection port and the bottom wall.
3. The medal tray according to claim 1, wherein a curved wall is provided between the bottom wall and the protrusion portion.
4. The medal tray according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion portion is tapered in the vertical direction from a base portion joined to the rear wall toward a tip.
5. The medal tray according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion portion is provided in the overall length in the width direction of the rear wall.
6. A medal game machine having a medal tray according to claim 1.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 9, 2005
Publication Date: Aug 17, 2006
Applicant: Konami Corporation (Tokyo)
Inventors: Seiji Kiriyama (Gifu), Ryu Sasaki (Tokyo)
Application Number: 10/547,664
International Classification: A63F 9/24 (20060101);