JPH08164253A - Pachinko machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To improve the visual game function of a PACHINKO machine by using an electrically variable display as the display section of an identified information display device, and showing variable information through an optical fiber lens. CONSTITUTION: A flat display section 18 is laid in an identified information display device 8, and an electrically variable display including a plurality of luminous sections arranged according to the prescribed mode is used as in section 18. For example, LEDs are arrayed for a segment display or a dot display. Also, a lens formed out of an optical fiber array (hereinafter referred to as the optical fiber lens) 19 is laid in front of the section 18. The optical fiber lens 19 has a light receiving surface 191 in close contact with the section 18, and a flange section 193 formed on the upper and lower ends of a light emitting surface 192 is fitted with a parting frame 20. In addition, another parting frame 21 is stacked on the front of the frame 20, and a center base 22 with an open window 5 is mounted. A pattern shown on the section 18 is thereby made visible through the optical fiber lens 19.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement of a pachinko machine which uses an identification information display device as a means for transmitting identification information during a game, in order to improve the visual playability of the pachinko machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various types of pachinko machines in recent years (the so-called first
Many types, pachinko machines referred to as second type, third type, and general electric role) are provided with an identification information display device 1 as shown in FIG. Further, the identification information display device 1 is provided with a display unit 2, and some identification information is sequentially displayed on the display unit 2 in a variable manner, and the variable display is stopped at a predetermined timing, thereby stopping the identification. When the information is specific identification information, a pachinko ball is easily placed on the game board.

According to this type of pachinko machine, since the winning probability is increased depending on the type of the identification information as described above, the player is provided with a pleasant feeling different from the winning of the hit ball, You can double the fun of the game.

As described above, in the display section 2 of the identification information display device 1 for enhancing the visual playability, as described above, a plurality of drums 3 can be individually controlled to rotate and stop. It is driven by a motor 4 and has a structure in which symbols drawn on the circumference of the drum 3 are sequentially displayed from a window 5 which is a display unit. The identification information display device having this structure is characterized in that the identification information is expressed three-dimensionally and with a feeling of dynamism, since the rotation of the drum 3 is actually viewed.

[0005]

However, the pachinko machine having the conventional identification information display device has the following problems. First, since the mechanical structure in which the drum 3 is driven and rotated by the motor 4 is used in order to three-dimensionally and variably display the identification information in a dynamic manner, the number of components increases. The cost becomes high, and there is a possibility that the motor 4 becomes inoperable when a mechanical trouble such as a failure of the motor 4 or a damage of the rotary bearing of the drum 3 occurs. Further, the identification information displayed is a combination of symbols drawn on the circumference of the drum, and the identification information that can be displayed on the same display unit 2 is naturally limited, so that the visual amusement is further improved. Was difficult.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to use an electrically variable display as a display unit of an identification information display device of a pachinko machine, and to display variable information of the display unit. By displaying through a fiber optic lens, a wide variety of variable information can be expressed three-dimensionally and with a feeling of dynamism, and it is to greatly improve the visual playability as a pachinko machine.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems According to the present invention for solving the above problems, a plurality of display units of an identification information display device provided on a game board of a pachinko machine are arranged in a predetermined manner. It is formed by a flat electrically variable display including a light emitting part, and a light receiving surface of a lens formed by aligning optical fibers is arranged on the front surface of the display part, and electrically variable information is sequentially transmitted through the lens. The feature is that variable display is possible.

In the present invention, it is desirable that the optical fiber lens has a light-receiving surface formed in a flat shape and the light-emitting surface has undulations.

[0009]

By forming the display portion of the identification information display device by an electrically variable display, a mechanical structure is not required, and
Providing the player with various display information. Further, by arranging an optical fiber lens on the front surface of the display unit, various patterns shown on the display unit are projected on the light emitting surface of the lens, and the player can show the light emitting surface pattern. .

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the figure, the same or corresponding parts as those of the conventional example are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 3 shows an example in which the present invention is applied to a pachinko machine. An identification information display device 8 is provided on the board of the game board 7 held by the front frame 6 of the pachinko machine. Further, a central winning ball device 9, a plurality of winning ball devices (features) 10, 10, ..., A plurality of safe holes 11, 11, ... And an out ball entrance 12 are arranged. Further, at the lower part of the game board 7, a batting ball waiting gutter 13 for guiding the pachinko balls to the batting position in order to hit the pachinko balls one by one, and a pachinko ball guided to the batting position by the gutter 13 are arranged along the top of the gaming board 7. A batting handle 14 that drives a batting rod (not shown) to be driven by a motor by a player's operation, a prize ball payout outlet 15 that pays out a prize ball when a pachinko ball wins, and the hitting ball standby gutter 13 is filled with prize balls. A surplus prize ball payout opening 16 for paying out the surplus prize ball and a prize ball tray 17 are provided.

1 and 2 show an identification information display device 8 which is a main part of a pachinko machine according to the present invention. Inside the identification information display device 8, there is a flat display section 18 for displaying identification information. As the display unit 18, an electrically variable display including a plurality of light emitting units arranged in a predetermined manner,
For example, an LED (light emitting diode) arrayed for segment display or dot display, a liquid crystal display, a fluorescent tube display, or the like can be used.

A lens (hereinafter referred to as an optical fiber lens) 19 formed by aligning the optical fibers 26 is installed on the front surface of the display unit 18 with its light-receiving surface 191 in close contact with the display unit 18. Furthermore, the light emitting surface of the optical fiber lens 19
A parting frame for the flanges 193 provided at the upper and lower ends of the 192
20 is attached, a parting frame 21 is further laminated on the front surface of the parting frame 20, and a center base 22 having the window 5 opened is covered and fixed. Above the center base 22, top decorations 23 and 24, which are decorative parts, and a shoulder decoration 25 are attached, and on the rear surface of the point decoration 23, a top prize hole 27 is provided. With the above configuration, the pattern displayed on the display unit 18 is the optical fiber lens 19
It is designed to be viewed through.

Here, the above-mentioned optical fiber lens 19 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the optical fiber lens 19 is formed by aligning the optical fibers 26, hardening them with an adhesive or the like, and then cutting or the like. The diameter of the optical fiber 26 can be selected according to the application. Further, the light receiving surface 191 of the optical fiber lens 19 is formed in a flat shape, and the light emitting surface 192 is formed in an uneven shape. In FIG. 4, the light emitting surface 192 is formed by cutting a part of the peripheral wall of the cylinder into an arcuate cross-section with the central portion in the vertical direction most protruding.

By the way, the structure of the optical fiber 26 is a fiber in which a transparent core (core material) 261 is covered with a clad (sheath material) 262 having a lower refractive index as shown in FIGS. There is a stepwise change in the refractive index between the core 261 and the clad 262, and a continuous change in the refractive index shown in FIG. The light L that is incident on the core 261 of the optical fiber 26 within a certain angle repeats total reflection at the interface between the core 261 and the clad 262, or is continuously refracted in the core 261 and is transmitted while meandering. Go.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, the pattern of the display unit 18 incident from the light receiving surface 191 of the optical fiber lens 19 is transmitted through the aligned optical fibers 26 and the light emitting surface.
It is projected on the surface of 192. At this time, even if the light emitting surface 192 has any surface shape, the pattern incident from the light receiving surface 191 is projected onto the surface of the light receiving surface 192 as long as the optical fiber 26 is not broken in the middle.

Here, the case where the pattern of the display section 18 viewed through the optical fiber lens 19 is continuously moved from the upper side to the lower side will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 (a) to 9 (c). Here, for convenience, the display unit 18 and the optical fiber lens 19 are shown with a distance therebetween. Further, a pattern projected on the flat display unit 18 is i, and a pattern seen through the optical fiber lens 19 is I.

First, the pattern i displayed on the flat display section 18 is, as shown in FIGS. 9A to 9C, the display surface 18 from beginning to end.
It flows from above to below in a plane. However, when this pattern i enters from the light receiving surface 191 and passes through the optical fiber lens 19, the light emitting surface formed with the undulations
While projected along the surface shape of 192, it flows downward from above. Therefore, as the pattern I moves from the upper part to the central part (FIGS. 9 (a) and 9 (b)), the pattern I seems to be projected, and when it approaches the central part, it is most projected (FIG. 9 (b)). )), And when it moves further downward, it appears to gradually retract (FIG. 9C). That is, when the pattern i displayed on the flat display unit 18 is viewed through the optical fiber lens 19, it is as if the pattern I was drawn on the circumference of the drum, and the drum rotates. It is possible to make the displayed pattern change.

By carrying out the present invention having the above structure, the following effects can be obtained. Since the display unit 18 of the identification information display device 8 uses an electrically variable display, a movable device having a mechanical structure such as a power unit and a rotary shaft is not necessary. Moreover, since the display information is provided by the central processing unit that controls the electrically variable display, the information content can be varied over a wide range and can be continuously changed. Moreover, in the present embodiment, the flat pattern projected on the display unit 18 has an optical fiber lens having an arc-shaped cross section.
The light-emitting surface of the lens 19 can be seen by seeing through 1
The pattern moves along the undulating shape of 92, so that the pattern can be made to appear as if it is drawn around the drum.
Therefore, various kinds of identification information can be provided to the player, and at the same time, it is possible to give a dynamic feeling to the expression.

By the way, the above optical fiber lens 19
The shape of the undulations on the light emitting surface 192 is not limited to an arcuate cross section, but as shown in FIG. 10, the thickness increases from the upper part to the lower part, and as shown in FIG. Various shapes can be used, such as an arcuate cross-section that is biased downward, or one in which only the central portion in the vertical direction of a flat light emitting surface 192 is projected in an arcuate cross-section, as shown in FIG.
Due to the above various shapes, the state of the change of the pattern seen through the lens is different, but as the pattern moves, it is possible to freely select the shape so that the desired pattern change can be obtained Is. Also, by changing the thickness of the optical fiber lens 19 (distance between the light receiving surface 191 and the light emitting surface 192), the distance between the player and the projection surface of the symbol can be freely set, so that the player can identify It is also easy to set the information so that it can be easily confirmed.

[0021]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above, the following effects can be obtained. Since the display unit of the identification information display device provided on the game board of the pachinko machine is formed by a flat electrically variable display including a plurality of light emitting units arranged in a predetermined manner, a power unit, a rotating shaft, etc. No moving device is required. Therefore, the number of components is small, and the mechanical structure with high probability of failure is eliminated.
It is possible to create a pachinko machine with less trouble and at low cost.

Further, since the display information is provided by the central processing unit which controls the electrically variable display, the information content can be ambiguous and continuously changed.
Therefore, it is possible to perform various symbols such as a demonstration display at the time of increasing the winning probability, which has been impossible in the past. Moreover, in the present embodiment, by observing the flat pattern projected on the display unit through the optical fiber lens whose light emitting surface has an arcuate cross section,
The pattern moves along the undulating shape of the light emitting surface of the lens, so that the player can see a three-dimensional and dynamic image as if the pattern was drawn on the circumference of the drum.

Furthermore, by changing the shape of the light emitting surface of the optical fiber lens, the appearance of the pattern seen through the lens can be changed in various ways, and it can be applied to various types of pachinko machines to enhance the visual playability. It will be possible.
Moreover, since the optical fiber lens can be used for various types of electrically variable displays, it is easy to enhance the visual playability of the pachinko machine without being restricted by the cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is an identification information display device of a pachinko machine showing an embodiment of the present invention, and is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 2 is a front view of an identification information display device of a pachinko machine showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an overall schematic diagram of a pachinko machine showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic front view showing an optical fiber lens used in the present invention.

5 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing the structure of an optical fiber.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing the structure of an optical fiber.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a pattern incident from a light receiving surface of an optical fiber lens used in the present invention is projected on a light emitting surface.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing how the symbols variably displayed by the identification information display device of the pachinko machine according to the embodiment of the present invention are changed.

FIG. 10 is a side view showing the shape of an optical fiber lens showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a side view showing the shape of an optical fiber lens showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a side view showing the shape of an optical fiber lens showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional identification information display device.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a structure of a display unit of a conventional identification information display device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 7 Game board 8 Identification information display 18 Display 19 Optical fiber lens 191 Light receiving surface 192 Light emitting surface 26 Optical fiber

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A display section of an identification information display device provided on a game board of a pachinko machine is formed by a flat electrically variable display including a plurality of light emitting sections arranged in a predetermined mode, and the display is provided. A pachinko machine characterized in that a light-receiving surface of a lens formed by aligning optical fibers is arranged on the front surface of the portion, and electrically variable information can be sequentially displayed in a variable manner through the lens. 2. The pachinko machine according to claim 1, wherein the optical fiber lens has a light-receiving surface formed in a flat shape and the light-emitting surface is formed with undulations.