EP0968743A1

EP0968743A1 - Game machine

Info

Publication number: EP0968743A1
Application number: EP98938948A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Shigeto Sasaki
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-08-26
Filing date: 1998-08-21
Publication date: 2000-01-05
Also published as: WO1999010058A1; JPH1157207A; KR20000068840A; EP0968743A4; TW381039B

Abstract

A player inputs the spots of dice he anticipates through a keyboard (26). When air is supplied upward for a predetermined time by supply fans (74a and 74b), balls (12a and 12b) on tables (56a and 56b) float and rotate. Here, since each of the balls (12a and 12b) comprises an icosahedron, its rotation is promoted, and the rotation becomes smoother due to level difference portions (42a and 42b) of cylinders (40a and 40b). When air supply is stopped, the balls (12a and 12b) fall to the tables (56a and 56b), respectively. The tables (56a and 56b) are swayed so as to allow the balls (12a and 12b) to land at the normal positions, respectively. A sensor read circuit (78) reads the spots of the dice and a main controller (68) gives a score to the player who guessed the correct spots.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a game machine and, more particularly, to a game machine for forecasting a spot or pip on the turned-up side of an icosahedron.

BACKGROUND ART

Hitherto, there has been known a game machine for forecasting a spot or pip on the turned-up side of a hexagonal die, in which the die is caused to float by applying a wind pressure from underside for a predetermined time and then dropped or cast.
In such a known game machine, however, the die is moved up and down during floating just by adjusting the wind pressure, which is not so interesting and any strong desire of participating in the game is not aroused when watching the movement of the die. Moreover, even when adjusting the wind pressure by an air blower during the floating of the hexagonal die, there is a disadvantage of insufficient rotation of the die during the floating and another disadvantage of turning up partially or unevenly any particular side or pip.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a game machine which is apparently interesting and attractive and easy to arouse a strong desire of participating in the game when watching it, and in which an icosahedron is not only floated but also is sufficiently rotated at random without turning up partially any particular side or pip.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

To accomplish the foregoing object, claim 1 of the invention discloses a game machine for forecasting a pip of an icosahedron comprising: input means for inputting a pip forecasted by a player; a support table on which the icosahedron is mounted; air blower means disposed under the support table to float and rotate the icosahedron by blowing an air upward for a predetermined time; a cylinder of which upper side is open and which regulates a blowing direction of the air applied by the air blower means; read means for reading a pip on the turned-up side of the icosahedron dropped on the support table after stopping the air blowing; and judgment means for judging whether or not the player hits the pip in accordance with the pip inputted by the input means and the pip read by the read means.
In the game machine according to claim 1 of the invention, first a player inputs a pip forecasted by the player using the input means. Then, when the air blower means blows an air upward for a predetermined time, the icosahedron floats and rotates on and above the support table. At this time, the air blowing direction is regulated by the cylinder. Thus, rotation of the icosahedron is accelerated. When stopping the air blow, the icosahedron drops or is cast on the support table. The pip on the turned-up side of the icosahedron is read by the reading means, and in accordance with the pip inputted by the player and the pip read, the judgment means judges whether or not the player hits the pip.
Claim 2 discloses a game machine according to claim 1 in which the cylinder has a step portion on the inner periphery, and the step portion is formed so that diameter of the inner periphery of the cylinder is enlarged at the open upper side.
In the game machine according to claim 2, since the cylinder has a step portion on the inner periphery, the icosahedron can be rotated more smoothly. This is because the air from the air blower means is blown right upward without being diffused, and a strong wind pressure is applied to the icosahedron.
Claim 3 discloses a game machine according to claim 1 or 2 further comprising drive means for moving the support table so that the icosahedron dropping on the support table may make a normal landing on the support table.
In the game machine according to claim 3, since the support table on which the icosahedron drops is moved by the drive means, the icosahedron is swung or shaken by the moving support table, and the icosahedron lands normally on the support table, that is, bottom side of the icosahedron makes a contact with the support table assuming a normal position.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a game machine of which top board is open according to an embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a sectional side view and a plan view showing schematically the essential part of the invention; Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 are a sectional side view and a perspective view each showing a structure between a sensor motor and a support table. Fig. 6 is an explanatory view showing the operation of a disk, support table, etc.; and Figs. 7 (a) and (b) are development views each showing an example of numerals or figures displayed on the surface of the icosahedron.
Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing an essential electrical arrangement of the invention; and Fig. 9 is a flow sheet showing an example of the operation of the invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A best mode for carrying out the invention is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings.
Referring to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, a game machine 10 is used to play a game in which two icosahedrons 12a and 12b are floated and rotated in the air by a wind pressure of air blowing, then dropped by stopping the air blowing, and a pip on the turned-up side of each icosahedron 12a and 12b at the time of dropping is to be forecasted.
Described hereinafter is a forecasting system in which a figure is displayed on each side of the two icosahedrons 12a and 12b, and a pair or conbination of figures each displayed on the turned-up side of the icosahedrons 12a and 12b after dropping is forecasted.
The game machine 10 can be arranged to be a so-called multi-play game machine enabling plural players to play independently and concurrently. However, for the sake of convenience, a game machine played by two players is hereinafter described.
The game machine 10 includes a table 14. The table 14 includes a hollow box-like table body 16a of which upper side is open, and a top board 16b disposed to cover the upper side of the table body 16a. The top board 16b is mounted on the upper side of the table body 16a so as to be freely opened and closed to perform necessary maintenance, and a cover 20 composed of a transparent glass, plastic material or the like is attached to a hollow part 18 formed at the center of the top board 16b so that progress of game in the table body 16a may be watched from outside.
On each of the upper part of two sides of the table body 16a, a play unit 22 for each player is projectingly provided like a flange. A later-described sub-controller 80 and the like are incorporated in the play unit 22, and a display 24 such as LED display and a keyboard 26 provided with keys 25 for betting are formed on the upper side of the play unit 22.
On the display 24, odds for each combination of figures, figure betted by the player, credit, etc. are displayed, and each player inputs a pair of figures forecasted by him manipulating the keyboard 26. In the vicinity of each play unit 22 formed on the side of the table body 16, a coin slot 28 for inserting a coin therein and a prize outlet 30 for taking out a prize therefrom are formed.
As shown in Fig. 3, a base board 32 is disposed in the table body 16a, and the base board 32 is longitudinally provided with two holes 34a and 34b. Ducts 36a and 36b are vertically inserted into the holes 34a and 34b respectively from the bottom of thereof, and in the ducts 36a and 36b, air blowing fans 38a and 38b each comprising a sirocco fan are respectively disposed. In this manner, an air sent from the air blowing fans 38a and 38b is blown right upward. The air blowing fans 38a and 38b are respectively driven by fan motors 74a and 74b later described.
On the base board 32, cylinders 40a and 40b with their top and bottom sides open are disposed in such a manner as to surround the holes 34a and 34b. Top openings 41a and 41b of the cylinders 40a and 40b respectively serve as air blowing outlets. It is to be noted that step portions 42a and 42b are respectively formed on the inner periphery of the cylinders 40a and 40b so that diameter of the inner periphery of each cylinder 40a and 40b may be enlarged on the side of the top openings 41a and 41b.
As a result of forming the mentioned step portions 42a and 42b, a strong air wall is formed at the time of air blowing, and therefore the air sent from the air blowing fans 38a and 38b is blown upward the cylinders 40a and 40b without being diffused. Dimensions of the step portions 42a and 42b are preferably about 3 mm in thickness (T) and 12 mm to 15 mm in height (H) (see Fig. 4).
A sensor motor 44 is mounted on the bottom side of the base board 32 at a position almost equally distant from the cylinders 40a and 40b. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, a shaft 46 of the sensor motor 44 protrudes upward through the base board 32, and a disk 48 like a pulley is mounted on the shaft 46.
A support 50a is disposed on the upper side of the base board 32 between the disk 48 and the cylinder 40a, and a knife-like transmission shaft 52a is slidably disposed on the support 50a. One end of the transmission shaft 52a extends on the disk 48 and is connected to the disk 48 through a shaft 54. The shaft 54 is eccentrically screwed in the disk 48. Another end of the transmission shaft 52a extends into the cylinder 40a, and an inverted cone-like support table 56a for placing an icosahedron 12a thereon is mounted on the extending another end.
A longitudinally extending slot 58a is formed almost in the center of the transmission shaft 52a, and a stationary shaft 60a inserted vertically in the slot 58a is connected to the support 50a. A plate member 62a for preventing the transmission shaft 52a from getting out of the stationary shaft 60a is mounted on the upper end portion of the stationary shaft 60a, and the upper end of the stationary shaft 60a is further held with a nut 64a.
Accordingly, when rotating the disk 48, the transmission shaft 52a slides on the support 50a in response to the rotation of the shaft 54 eccentrically screwed in the disk 48. As a result , another end of the transmission shaft 52a, i.e., the support table 56a performs a revolution regularly on almost the same horizontal plane in the cylinder 40a (see Fig. 6). In this manner, drive means for driving the support table 56a is arranged.
As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the same mechanism as that mentioned above is formed also on the cylinder 40b side on the upper side of the base board 32, and repetition of the same description is omitted herein just by replacing the reference numerals "a" with "b". In addition, antennas 66a and 66b are respectively embedded in the support tables 56a and 56b.
Then, balls, i.e., icosahedrons 12a and 12b are hereinafter described. Figs. 7 (a) and (b) show respectively an example of figures displayed on each side of the icosahedrons 12a and 12b. On the icosahedron 12a, as shown in Fig. 7 (a), there are displayed five "1", four "2", four "3", three "4", three "5", and one "7". On the icosahedron 12b, as shown in Fig. 7 (b), there are displayed five "1", four "2", three "3", three "4", three "5", and two "6".
Inside of each side of the icosahedrons 12a and 12b, an IC circuit for responding to the wave sent from the antennas 66a and 66b and a memory in which digital data showing each figure is stored (both not illustrated) are mounted. That is, digital data corresponding to the figure displayed on one side of the icosahedrons 12a and 12b are stored in the memory mounted on the back of another side located at a symmetrical position of that one side. For example, if a memory corresponding to "3" is mounted on the back of the bottom side of the icosahedron 12a, "3" is displayed on the upper side located at the symmetrical position of the bottom side.
Accordingly, after dropping the icosahedron 12a on the support table 56a, for reading a figure on the upper side of the icosahedron 12a, a weak radio wave to which only the IC circuit disposed on the bottom side of the icosahedron 12a can respond is transmitted from the antenna 66a to the icosahedron 12a. Then, the IC circuit mounted on the back of the side in contact with the support table 56a detects the radio wave and responds the digital data stored in the memory to the antenna 66a through a radio wave. In accordance with this digital data, the figure on the upper side of the icosahedron 12a is read by a sensor read circuit 78 (later described). The antenna 66b performs the same operation as the antenna 66a.
Referring now to Fig. 8, an essential part of the electrical arrangement of the game machine 10 is hereinafter described. The game machine 10 includes a main controller 68 disposed in the table body 16a. A ROM 70 and a RAM 72 are incorporated in the main controller 68, and the main controller 68 controls operation of the game machine 10 by a control program stored in the ROM 70. Data of the bet inputted by the player through the keyboard 26 are stored in the RAM 72.
Connected to the main controller 68 are fan motors 74a and 74b, sensor motor 44, antenna switching circuit 76, sensor read circuit 78, and sub-controller 80.
The fan motors 74a and 74b drive the air blowing fan 38a and 38b respectively, and the sensor motor 44 rotates the support tables 66a and 66b. The antenna switching circuit 76 connects either the antenna 66a or the antenna 66b to the sensor read circuit 78, and the sensor read circuit 78 read the figure of the icosahedron in accordance with the digital data from the antenna 66a or 66b connected to itself.
The sub-controller 80 includes a ROM 82 and a RAM 84, and controls the display 24 and the keyboard 26 by a control program stored in the ROM 82. Data of the bet inputted by the player through the keyboard 26 are stored in the RAM 84.
Operation of the game machine arranged as mentioned above is hereinafter described with reference to Fig. 9.
First, when switching on the power source of the game machine 10, the game machine 10 is ready for the play, and the main controller 68 sends a signal requesting to bet to each sub-controller 80, thus betting being started (Step S1). Each player bets on a figure guessed by him, and corresponding to the bet, each sub-controller 80 lets the main controller 68 know a state of the bet, i.e., how many points have been betted by the player on the figure (Step S3). The processing is repeated until the betting time is up, and when the betting time is up (Step S5), the main controller 68 lets each sub-controller 80 know that the betting time is up, thereby it being no longer possible to bet (Step S7).
Then, the main controller 68 starts the fan motors 74a and 74b, whereby the icosahedrons 12a and 12b are blown upward and rotated inside the respective cylinders 40a and 40b (Step S9). The fan motor 74a is then stopped, whereby the icosahedron 12a is dropped (Step S11). At this time, the icosahedron 12a sometimes does not land assuming a normal position (i.e., does not come to a state where bottom side of the icosahedron 12a is in contact with the upper side of the support table 56a), and therefore the sensor motor 44 is driven for a predetermined time, whereby the icosahedron 12a is swung or shaken to land assuming a normal position (Step S13).
Then, when the main controller 68 instructs the sensor read circuit 78 to read a figure displayed on the upper side of the icosahedron 12a, the sensor read circuit 78 causes the antenna 66a to send a radio wave, and reads the digital data in the memory mounted on the back of the bottom side of the icosahedron 12a, thus a figure of the icosahedron 12a being determined. The sensor read circuit 78 lets the main controller 68 know the figure, and the main controller 68 lets each sub-controller 80 know the figure (Step S15).
Subsequently, the fan motor 74b is stopped, whereby the icosahedron 12b is dropped (Step S17). The sensor motor 44 is driven for s predetermined time in the same manner as Step 13, whereby the icosahedron 12b lands assuming a normal position (Step S19). At this time, as the antenna switching circuit 76 normally connects the antenna 66a to the sensor read circuit 78, the main controller 68 instructs the antenna switching circuit 76 to connect the antenna 66b to the sensor read circuit 78, thus the connection being switched (Step S21).
When the main controller 68 instructs the sensor read circuit 78 to read the figure on the upper side of the icosahedron 12b, the sensor read circuit 78 causes the antenna 66b to send a radio wave, and reads the digital data in the memory mounted on the back of the bottom side of the icosahedron 12b, thus a figure of the icosahedron 12b being determined. The sensor read circuit 78 lets the main controller 68 know the figure, and the main controller 68 lets each sub-controller 80 know the figure (Step S23).
Then, the main controller 68 gives a point to the player who hits the combination or pair of the figures (for example, when the icosahedron 12a shows "3" and the icosahedron 12b does "5", the player who hits "3-5" makes a score). That is, a score corresponding to the bet is displayed on the display 24 of the player who hits the combination of the figures, and the score is credited (Step S25). Then, the operation returns to Step S1.
In the game machine 10 of above arrangement and operation, as a result of employing the icosahedrons 12a and 12b, rotation becomes smooth. Further, since the air from the fans 38a and 38b is blown right upward without being diffused, as a result of forming the step portions 42a and 42b respectively on the inner periphery of the cylinders 40a and 40b, rotation of the icosahedrons 12a and 12b becomes smooth, which is apparently interesting and attractive and easy to arouse a strong desire of participating in the game when watching it, and there is no such disadvantage as turning up partially any particular side or pip.
Since the icosahedrons 12a and 12b land respectively assuming a normal position by revolving the support tables 56a and 56b and shaking the icosahedrons 12a and 12b after dropping them, any figure on the turned-up side can be exactly read and the game machine 10 is prevented from erroneous operation.
Since the support tables 56a and 56b are moved just by one sensor motor 44, required figures of parts are reduced.
Stop position of the support tables 56a and 56b is variable by each revolution, whereby air flow is also variable. Therefore, it is impossible to know any pip preliminarily, and it is possible for players to enjoy a game without unfairness.
Though a forecasting system, in which a pair of figures each displayed on the turned-up side of the two icosahedrons 12a and 12b is forecasted, is described in the foregoing example, it is also preferred to play a forecasting system of forecasting only one figure on the turned-up side of either icosahedron 12a or icosahedron 12b. It is also preferred to forecast one figure using only one icosahedron or to forecast a series of figures using three or more icosahedrons.
Information displayed on each side of the icosahedrons is not limited to Arabic figures but any other information can be displayed. For example, it is preferred to hit a picture of animal or the like, which may be a game suitable for children.
In addition, by increasing the play unit 22, it becomes possible to increase players concurrently participating in the game.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

In the game machine according to claim 1, as the icosahedron is not only floated but also rotated, nobody can know preliminarily the pip on the turned-up side of the icosahedron, and it becomes possible to arouse a strong desire of participating in the game.
In the game machine according to claim 2, as the icosahedron can be rotated more smoothly, just watching the moving icosahedron is very interesting, and the watcher is strongly interested in participating in the game.
In the game machine according to claim 3, as the icosahedron lands assuming a normal position at all times, any pip can be exactly read, and it becomes possible to prevent the game machine from erroneous operation.

Claims

A game machine for forecasting a pip of an icosahedron comprising:

input means for inputting a pip forecasted by a player;

a support table on which said icosahedron is mounted;

air blower means disposed under said support table to float and rotate said icosahedron by blowing an air upward for a predetermined time;

a cylinder of which upper side is open and which regulates a blowing direction of the air applied by said air blower means;

read means for reading a pip on the turned-up side of said icosahedron dropped on said support table after stopping the air blowing; and

judgment means for judging whether or not the player hits the pip in accordance with the pip inputted by said input means and the pip read by said read means.
A game machine according to claim 1, wherein said cylinder has a step portion on the inner periphery, and said step portion is formed so that diameter of the inner periphery of the cylinder is enlarged at said open upper side.
A game machine according to claim 1 or 2 further comprising drive means for moving said support table so that said icosahedron dropping on the support table may make a normal landing on the support table.