GAME MACHINE

A game machine includes a game field on which medals and balls are placed, a pusher table which configures the game field moves in the game field, a driving mechanism which causes the pusher table to reciprocate in the game field by power of a driving source, a rail which guides the ball outside the game field, an operating member which is disposed to move between an operation position at which the operating member comes into contact with the ball positioned on the rail and causes the ball to be displaced in a range in which the ball does not drop from the rail and a retreating position at which the operating member does not come into contact with the ball on the rail, and a shaft which transfers power of the driving source of the operating member to move between the operation position and the retreating portion.

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Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of patent application number 2011-205194, filed in Japan on Sep. 20, 2011, the subject matter of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a game machine in which game media placed on a game field fall from the game field by reciprocation of a pusher table disposed in the game field.

BACKGROUND ART

As a sort of a medal game machine, pusher games in which a group of medals placed on a game field are pushed out by reciprocation of a pusher table, and medals fallen from a predetermined area on the game field are dispensed to a player have been known (for example, see Patent Literature 1). Further, a ball as well as a medal is putted into the game field, and as a ball falls from a predetermined area on the game field, a predetermined game process is executed.

Patent Literature 1: JP-A-2010-088710.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

A game medium such as a ball fallen from a predetermined area on the game field is guided to a storage portion that stores the game medium through a guide member and then putted onto the game field again at a predetermined timing. When the game medium is stuck in the guide member due to some reason, the game medium is not circulated in the game machine, and so the progress of a game is obstructed. Thus, there is a need for a mechanism in which the game medium is guided without being stuck in the guide member.

Thus, the present invention aims to provide a game machine which is capable of preventing a game medium from being stuck.

Solution to Problem

The game machine of the present invention is a game machine comprising: a game field on which medals as first game media and second game media different from the medals are placed; a pusher table which configures the game field and is disposed to move in the game field; a table driving mechanism which causes the pusher table to reciprocate in the game field by power of a driving source; a guide member which guides the second game medium outside the game field; an operating member which is disposed to move between an operation position at which the operating member comes into contact with the second game medium positioned on the guide member and causes the second game medium to be displaced in a range in which the second game medium does not drop from the guide member and a retreating position at which the operating member does not come into contact with the second game medium on the guide member; and an interlocking mechanism which transfers power of the driving source of the table driving mechanism to the operating member and causes the operating member to move between the operation position and the retreating position.

According to the game machine of the present invention, when the operating member moves toward the operation position, the second game medium on the guide member comes into contact with the operating member and is then displaced. When the operating member comes into contact with the second game medium which remains stuck on the guide member, the second game medium is displaced and so gets free from being stuck. Since the operating member and the pusher table share the driving source, it is possible to prevent the second game medium from being stuck without disposing a new driving source for driving the operating member. Thus, through the simple configuration, it is possible to prevent the second game medium from being stuck without monitoring whether or not the second game medium is stuck.

As one aspect of the game machine of the present invention, the operating member is disposed along the guide member. According to this, since the operating member is disposed along the guide member, it is possible to prevent the game medium from being stuck on the guide member regardless of the position of the game medium stuck on the guide member.

As one aspect of the game machine of the present invention, the game field further includes a table in which a size of an area on which the first and second game media are placed changes according to the reciprocation of the pusher table, the guide member is disposed to be arranged along a side of the table, and the operating member is disposed to be arranged at the position adjacent to the guide member. According to this, the second game medium is guided by the guide member disposed on the side surface of the table. The pusher table and the operating member are arranged with the table interposed therebetween and so can be driven by a single driving mechanism. Further, the guide member supports the second game medium in one direction, and supports and guides the second game medium between the guide member and the side surface of the table. The second game medium is supported between the guide member and the side surface of the table. A configuration of the guide member can be simplified.

As one aspect of the game machine of the present invention, a notch is disposed in the operating member. According to this, as the notch is disposed, it is possible to adjust the amount of displacement of the second game medium. Thus, the ball can smoothly move.

As one aspect of the game machine of the present invention, the operating member is arranged to come into contact with a lower portion of the second game medium. According to this, as the operating member comes into contact with the lower portion of the second game medium, it is possible to displace the second game medium not to drop from the guide member. Here, the “lower portion” refers to a surface below the center of the second game medium.

As one aspect of the game machine of the present invention, the table driving mechanism drives the operating member and the pusher table at the same timing. According to this, since power is obtained from the same driving mechanism, driving can be performed at the same timing. Further, as one aspect of the game machine of the present invention, the second game medium is a ball.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

In the present invention, when the operating member moves toward the operation position, the second game medium on the guide member comes into contact with the operating member and is then displaced in a range in which second game medium does not drop from the guide member. In a state in which the second game medium is stuck on the guide member due to, for example, grime of the guide member, when the operating member comes into contact with the second game medium, the second game medium is displaced, and so the second game medium gets free from being stuck. Since the operating member and the pusher table share the driving source, it is possible to prevent the second game medium from being stuck without disposing a new driving source for driving the operating member. Thus, through the simple configuration, it is possible to prevent the second game medium from being stuck without monitoring whether or not the second game medium is stuck.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a game field of a game machine according to one aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a falling portion.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a game field.

FIG. 4 is a diagram to describe a form in which an operating member moves.

FIG. 5 is a top view of an operating member.

 DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a game field of a game machine according to one aspect of the present invention. A game machine 1 is configured as a commercial game machine that allows a game to be played according to consumption of a predetermined economic value in exchange for the consumption. The game machine 1 includes a game field 2 which is an area on which a medal is placed and an inserting device 3 that inserts a medal into the game field 2. A table 11 and a pusher table 12 that is disposed above the table 11 and in a rear side at the player's point of view and reciprocates in the front-back direction are disposed in the game field 2. The game field 2 is configured with medal placing surfaces of the table 11 and the pusher table 12.

A medal inserted by the inserting device 3 is placed on the pusher table 12, and a medal fallen from the pusher table 12 is placed on the table 11. A group of medals are placed on the tables 11 and 12 as first game media (not illustrated). By reciprocation of the pusher table 12, a group of medals on the pusher table 12 are pushed out against a wall 13 at the rear side of the pusher table 12, and the medals fall onto the table 11. A group of medals on the table 11 are pushed out by a side surface 12a at the front side of the pusher table 12, and so medals fall onto the falling portion 14 at the front side of the table 11. In the table 11, the ball B is supplied onto a group of medals as a second game medium. The ball B is pushed out by the pusher table 12 together with a group of medals, and falls onto the falling portion 14 similarly to a group of medals. When the ball B falls onto the falling portion 14, a predetermined game process is executed.

The game machine 1 includes a driving mechanism 4 that causes the pusher table 12 to reciprocate as a table driving mechanism. The driving mechanism 4 includes a driving source 4a and a connecting member 4b. Power of the driving source 4a causes the pusher table 12 to reciprocate through the connecting member 4b (see FIG. 3). Various well-known techniques may be used as the driving mechanism 4. The game machine 1 includes a control device 10. The control device 10 controls driving of the driving source 4a. The inserting device 3 inserts a medal onto the pusher table 12 based on the player's medal insertion operation. The inserting device 3 is configured to change an insertion angle of a medal to the pusher table 12 in response to the player's operation.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the falling portion 14. A medal fallen onto the falling portion 14 is stored in a medal storage device 15 disposed below the falling portion 14. Further, a rail 16 that guides the fallen ball B to a ball storage device (not illustrated) is disposed below the falling portion 14 as a guide member. The rail 16 is a rod-shaped member that supports the ball B upward, and is disposed at the position adjacent to a front surface 11a of the table 11. The ball B is supported between the rail 16 and the front surface 11a of the table 11. Since the rail 16 is disposed to be inclined, the fallen ball B rolls on the rail 16 and is guided in an inclination direction.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the game field 2. An operating member 17 is disposed at the position adjacent to the rail 16. The operating member 17 is a plate-like member made of resin. FIG. 4 is a diagram to describe a form in which the operating member 17 moves. The operating member 17 is disposed to come into contact with the ball B which is supported upward by the rail 16, and to move between an operation position P1 at which the operating member 17 displaces the ball B in a range in which the ball B is not fallen from the rail 16 and a retreating position P2 at which the operating member 17 does not come in contact with the ball B supported upward by the rail 16. In FIG. 4, the operating member 17 and the ball B at the operation position P1 are indicated by a dotted line. When the operating member 17 is at the operation position P1, the position of the ball B is displaced from the position of the ball B which does not come into contact with the operating member 17. The operating member 17 is arranged to come into contact with a lower portion of the ball B, that is, a surface below the center of the ball B. The operating member 17 is disposed along the rail 16.

The operating member 17 includes notches 17a, which correspond to the size of the ball B, disposed at both ends thereof. FIG. 5 is a top view of the operating member 17. The notch 17a is formed such that the surface of the operating member 17 coming into contact with the ball B has a shape recessed in a triangular shape. As the notch 17a is disposed, displacement of the ball B is smaller compared to displacement of the ball B at the position at which the notch 17a is not disposed. Thus, since the notches 17a are disposed at both ends of the operating member 17, particularly, an end portion at a downstream side, movement of the ball B at the connecting portion with the rail 16 becomes smooth. Displacement of the ball B can be adjusted by adjusting the size of the notch 17a. Further, when a plurality of balls B remain stopped in line on the rail 16, for example, when a plurality of balls B fall in a state in which the ball B remains stopped at a stop position of the ball B disposed in a route at a downstream side further than the rail 16, the notch 17a may be disposed corresponding to an arranged interval.

The operating member 17 is driven by power transferred from the driving source 4a of the driving mechanism 4 that causes the pusher table 12 to reciprocate. The operating member 17 is connected to a shaft 4c that functions as an interlocking mechanism that transfers power from the driving source 4a of the driving mechanism 4. Thus, the operating member 17 is synchronized with the pusher table 12 and reciprocates between the operation position P1 and the retreating position P2. The connecting member 4b connected to the pusher table 12 and the shaft 4c connected to the operating member 17 may be disposed in an integrated manner, and the operating member 17 may be driven by the driving mechanism 4. Thus, the pusher table 12 and the operating member 17 are driven in the same direction at the same timing.

An operation of the operating member 17 will be described. When the ball B falls from the table 11, the ball is discharged to the outside of the game field 2. The ball B is guided along the rail 16 functioning as a guide member. The rail 16 only holds the ball B, and the medal further falls and is stored in the medal storage portion 15 at the lower side. The ball B supported upward by the rail 16 is guided along the rail 16 in the inclination direction of the rail 16 while repeatedly coming into contact with the operating member 17. Even when the ball B is not stuck on the rail 16, the operating member 17 repeatedly comes into contact with the ball B, but since the ball B comes into contact with the operating member 17 in a range in which the ball B does not drop from the rail 16, a normal guide is not disrupted. However, when movement of the ball B has stopped on the rail 16, for example, due to grime of the rail 16 functioning as the guide member, the operating member 17 comes into contact with the ball B and displaces the ball B. Thus, the stopped ball B moves again. While the pusher table 12 is being driven, the operating member 17 is driven in tandem with the pusher table 12. Thus, it is unnecessary to monitor whether or not the ball B is stuck, and it is possible to prevent the ball B from being stuck. Since the existing driving source 4a for driving the pusher table 12 can be used without disposing a new driving source 4a for driving the operating member 17, the cost can be saved.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and may be embodied in various forms. For example, the present embodiment has been described in connection with the example in which the operating member 17 is a plate-like member and includes the notch 17a disposed therein, but the present invention is not limited to this example. The shape of the operating member 17 may be appropriately changed. For example, the notch 17a may not be disposed in the operating member 17. Further, a convex portion may be disposed in the operating member 17 at a position at which the ball is likely to be stuck. Besides the plate shape, the operating member 17 may have an appropriate shape such as a rod shape, a spherical shape, or the like. The ball B is displaced by the operating member 17 that comes into contact with the ball B, and so it is possible to prevent the ball B from being stuck. Thus, the operating member 17 may be disposed at the position in which the ball B is likely to be stuck. Further, in the present embodiment, the notches 17a are formed at both ends of the operating member 17, but the notch 17a may be formed in the entire area of the contact surface of the operating member 17.

The above description has been made in connection with the example in which the driving source 4a drives the pusher table 12 and the operating member 17 at the same timing in the same direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this example. By appropriately changing the structures of the connecting member 4b and the shaft 4c using a cam or link mechanism or the like, a driven direction or a driven timing may be changed. Thus, driving that suits a certain purpose can be performed. Further, in the present invention, an object guided by the guide member is not limited to the ball B. For example, an object having a disk shape, an elliptical shape, an ellipsoidal shape, or a cylindrical shape may be applied as a target to be guided by the guide member. Further, the rail 16 functioning as the guide member is not limited to the rod-like member. For example, a rail having a bottom surface may be used as the guide member. An object guided by the guide member may be displaced, in a range in which the object does not drop from the guide member, by moving the operating member 17 to reciprocate between the contact position and the retreating position on the object guided on the guide member.

Claims

1. A game machine comprising:

a game field on which medals as first game media and second game media different from the medals are placed;
a pusher table which configures the game field and is disposed to move in the game field;
a table driving mechanism which causes the pusher table to reciprocate in the game field by power of a driving source;
a guide member which guides the second game medium outside the game field;
an operating member which is disposed to move between an operation position at which the operating member comes into contact with the second game medium positioned on the guide member and causes the second game medium to be displaced in a range in which the second game medium does not drop from the guide member and a retreating position at which the operating member does not come into contact with the second game medium on the guide member; and
an interlocking mechanism which transfers power of the driving source of the table driving mechanism to the operating member and causes the operating member to move between the operation position and the retreating position.

2. The game machine of claim 1, wherein

the operating member is disposed along the guide member.

3. The game machine of claim 1, wherein

the game field further includes a table in which a size of an area on which the first and second game media are placed changes according to the reciprocation of the pusher table,
the guide member is disposed to be arranged along a side of the table, and
the operating member is disposed to be arranged at the position adjacent to the guide member.

4. The game machine of claim 3, wherein

the guide member supports the second game medium in one direction, and supports and guides the second game medium between the guide member and the side surface of the table.

5. The game machine of claim 1, wherein

a notch is disposed in the operating member.

6. The game machine of claim 1, wherein

the operating member is arranged to come into contact with a lower portion of the second game medium.

7. The game machine of claim 1, wherein

the table driving mechanism drives the operating member and the pusher table at the same timing.

8. The game machine of claim 1, wherein

the second game medium is a ball.
Patent History
Publication number: 20130069303
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 7, 2012
Publication Date: Mar 21, 2013
Applicant: KONAMI DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT CO., LTD. (Tokyo)
Inventors: Koji HASEGAWA (Minato-ku), Tomohiko ARIMA (Minato-ku)
Application Number: 13/607,475
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Chance Devices (273/138.1)
International Classification: A63F 7/36 (20060101);