JP2001300140A - Input device for game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inexpensive input device of a game machine in a simple structure suitable for use in a household capable of obtaining excellent presence at the time of playing an experience type game. SOLUTION: This input device is provided with a pair of operation members 1 and IA provided with grip parts 3 and 3A on one end and formed in a bar shape, a connection link 5 for connecting the pair of the operation members 1 and 1A with each other by pivoting and volumes 7 and 7A provided on the pivoting point of the connection link 5 and the operation members 1 and 1A for detecting the rotation angle of the operation members 1 and 1A to the connection link 5.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an input device of a game machine operated by a player to advance a game.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various kinds of games have been provided in game machines, and experience-type games in which players experience the game in a simulated manner have gained considerable popularity. In this type of game machine, an input operation member operated by a player is often made to resemble an existing one.For example, in a game simulating a skiing competition, the player rides on a platform simulating a ski, There are those who hold the stock and play. In this case, a platform imitating a ski can be moved left and right, a means for detecting the amount of movement is provided, a signal is input to an input means, and a character image displayed on a CRT display arranged in front of the player is displayed. I try to operate.

[0003]

The experience-type game machine described above is an arcade game, so that a sense of realism can be expected. However, a home-use game machine uses a general-purpose controller, and even if a ski game or the like is performed, the sense of presence is poor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, the present invention provides a game machine which provides a good sense of reality when playing an interactive game, and which is simple in structure and inexpensive and suitable for home use. It is an object of the present invention to provide an input device.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to an input device of a game machine operated by a player to advance a game, wherein a grip portion is provided at one end and is formed in a rod shape. A pair of operating members, a connecting member that connects the pair of operating members to each other by a pivot, and provided at a pivot of the connecting member and the operating member,
Detecting means for detecting a rotation angle of the operation member with respect to the connection member. The present invention is effective when a rotation synchronizing means is provided for synchronizing the pair of operation members when the pair of operation members are rotated about the shaft fulcrum with respect to the connection member.

Further, according to the present invention, the rotation synchronization means includes:
It is effective if the pair of operating members is a node facing each other, and a member forming the node facing the connecting member is a four-node parallel link provided between the pair of operating members.

Still further, according to the present invention, there is provided means for setting a position where the pair of operating members and the connecting member form a predetermined angle as an initial position, and for urging the pair of operating members to return to the initial position. Is effective.

Further, according to the present invention, the connecting member is
It is effective to provide a support means for supporting via a fulcrum. Further, the present invention is effective when an angle detecting means for detecting a rotation angle of the support means at a fulcrum is provided.

Still further, according to the present invention, the grip portion is rotatable about an axis of the operation member, and rotation detecting means for detecting a rotation amount of the grip portion is provided.
It is effective.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an input device suitable for a ski game machine.

In FIG. 1, reference numerals 1 and 1A denote a pair of operating members formed in a rod shape with the same shape and the same size. The operating members 1 and 1A have stick portions 2 and 2A, and a grip portion 3 that a player holds. , 3A. The grips 3 and 3A are located at one end of the operation members 1 and 1A, and the sticks 2 and 2A are separated from the grips 3 and 3A by flanges 4 and 4A.

The operating members 1 and 1A are connected to each other by a connecting link 5 as a connecting member at the same position of the stick portions 2 and 2A, and are formed in an H shape as a whole. The connection link 5 is rotatably mounted on the operation members 1 and 1A via the support shafts 6 and 6A, respectively. The axes of the support shafts 6 and 6A are parallel to each other and orthogonal to the axis of the operation members 1 and 1A. Therefore, the operation members 1 and 1A are rotatable about the support shafts 6 and 6A in the same plane.
The supporting shafts 6, 6A are provided with volumes 7, 7A as detecting means for detecting an angle at which the operating members 1, 1A are rotated with respect to the connecting link 5. At this time, the support shafts 6 and 6A are fixed to the operation members 1 and 1A and rotate together, and the volumes 7 and 7A are supported by the connecting link 5 and their detection shafts (not shown) are supported by the support shafts 6 and 6A. The cores are connected together.

FIG. 2 shows an input device constructed as described above.
As shown in FIG. 2A, a C-shape in which the tips of both grip portions 3 and 3A approach each other, and an inverted C-shape in which the tips of both grip portions 3 and 3A move away as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2 (c), one grip part 3 is at right angles to the connecting link 5, and the other grip part 3A can rotate around the support shaft 6A. Further, as shown in FIG. 2D, an operation of protruding one grip portion 3 forward and pulling the other grip portion 3A forward can be obtained. These movements can be detected by monitoring the volumes 7, 7A described above.

Although the operation of the operating members 1 and 1A is effective in that a large number of input signals can be obtained by moving the operating members 1 and 1A with both hands, the operation is slightly different from the movement of the ski pole.

Therefore, in another embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3, a support means for stabilizing the position of the connecting link 5 is provided. The support means of this example includes a stick 11 parallel to the operation members 1 and 1A, and the stick 1
1 is fixed to one end of the backrest member 12 and is formed in an arc shape.
The other end of the stick 11 is rotatably mounted at the center in the longitudinal direction of the connecting link 5 via the shaft 10.

In the input device configured as described above, the player grips the grips 3 and 3A, and
Play with your hips on your hips. At this time, since the position of the connecting link 5 is stabilized by the waist support member 12, the grip operation shown in FIG. 2 is easily performed, and the operability is improved.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory plan view showing still another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the operation members 1 and 1A are shown.
Are linked to each other. In this case, a link 13 parallel to the connecting link 5 is provided between the stick portions 2 and 2A, and the link 13 is provided between the stick portions 2 and 2A.
Are supported by pins 14 and 14A.

With this configuration, the operating members 1, 1A
Sticks 2 and 2A, connecting link 5 and link 13
Constitute a four-section parallel link mechanism, and the operating members 1 and 1A, which are nodes facing each other, are linked so that if one is turned right, the other is also turned right. Such an interlocking operation further improves the operability without a sense of incongruity even when the operation members 1 and 1A are used for input of a ski game.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory plan view showing still another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the operation members 1 and 1A are provided.
A position where the angle formed by the connecting member 5 and the connecting link 5 is a right angle, that is, a position where an H-shape is formed between the operating members 1 and 1A and the connecting link 5 is set as a home position, and the operating members 1 and 1A are returned to the home position. Means for resiliently urging is provided. The urging means of this embodiment locks two tension springs 15, 15A from the connecting link 5 to the stick portions 2, 2A of the operation members 1, 1A, respectively. In this case, the springs 15 and 15A are equivalent, and the locking points of the stick portions 2 and 2A are the support shafts 6 and 6.
It is a symmetrical position around A.

With this configuration, the operating members 1 and 1A
Is substantially free, the stick portions 2 and 2A of the spring 14, the connecting link 5 and the link 13 constitute a four-bar parallel link mechanism, and when the operating member 1 is turned clockwise, the operating member 1A is also turned right. It is linked to turn around. In the ski game, good operability can be obtained even when the grip portions 3 and 3A are linked to each other.

Next, an example of a preferable input operation when the present input device is used for a ski game will be described. FIG.
In (a), the skier operated by the player turns right as shown by a solid line when the connecting link 5 is tilted to the right without changing the position of the connecting link 5, and turns left when the skier is tilted to the left as shown by a chain line. As shown in FIG. 6B, the operation members 1 and 1A
If you alternately bring forward, the skier controlled by the player will accelerate using the pole. In this case, the right grip portion 3 shown in FIG. 6B is tilted to the right of the solid line in FIG.
There is no difference in the inclination of the operation members 1 and 1A with respect to the connection link 5 when A is moved forward. Therefore, if only the volumes 7 and 7A are provided in the detection means, the two cannot be distinguished.

Therefore, in order to realize the operation example of FIG.
If a volume (not shown) for detecting a rotation angle is provided on the stick 11 and the shaft 10 that supports the connecting link 5 by providing a support means, the two can be distinguished. That is, when the operating members 1 and 1A are tilted with respect to the connecting link 5, it is possible to distinguish between a bending operation and an accelerating operation with stock depending on whether or not the connecting link 5 is tilted with respect to the stick 11 at the shaft 10. .

In addition, skis can be decelerated by applying an edge. Therefore, in the input device, the grip portion can be rotated around its axis like a throttle grip of a motorcycle, as shown in FIG. Alternatively, the rotation of the grip portions 3 and 3A may be used to perform deceleration with an edge. In this case, the grip portion 3, 3A
It is sufficient to provide a sensor for detecting the rotation of, and use the signal of the sensor. A signal for applying an edge may be provided by providing a push button switch (not shown) at the tip of the grip portion 3, 3A and using the ON signal.

It should be noted that the input device of the present invention is not limited to a ski game, and can be used as an input device for other games. In addition, the support means is not limited to the one that is applied to the waist of the player, and may be supported by another body part, or may be supported by another object.

[0025]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is suitable as a home input device with a simple configuration, and can provide a sufficient sense of presence.

According to the second to fourth aspects, the operability of the operation member can be further improved. According to the configuration of the fifth aspect, the position of the connecting link is stabilized, and the operability is extremely good.

According to the configuration of claim 6, the inclination of the operating member with respect to the connecting link can be distinguished between the turn and the acceleration. According to the configuration of claim 7, it is possible to extract a signal for further game progress from the movement of the grip portion.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an input operation device according to the present invention.

FIGS. 2A to 2D are explanatory views showing one aspect of the input operation device at the time of different operations.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing another embodiment of the input operation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing still another embodiment of the input operation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing still another embodiment of the input operation device according to the present invention.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating the relationship between one mode of the input operation device and the movement of a ski game.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a relationship between one mode of the input operation device and a motion of a game.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,1A operation member 2,2A stick part 3,3A grip part 5 connection link 6,6A support shaft 7,7A volume

Continued on front page F-term (reference) 2C001 AA00 AA03 CA00 CA05 CB01 CC02 3J070 AA02 BA01 BA21 CB01 DA61 5B087 AA09 AB02 BB06 BC02 BC10 BC13 9A001 DD11 JJ76

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An input device for a game machine operated by a player to advance a game, wherein a grip portion is provided at one end, and a pair of rod-shaped operation members are pivotally supported by the pair of operation members. An input device for a game machine, comprising: a connecting member that is connected to each other by means of a connecting member; and detecting means that is provided at a pivot of the connecting member and the operating member and that detects a rotation angle of the operating member with respect to the connecting member. . 2. The input device for a game machine according to claim 1, further comprising: a rotation synchronization unit configured to synchronize when the pair of operation members are rotated with respect to the connection member about the pivot. An input device for a game machine, comprising: 3. The input device for a game machine according to claim 2, wherein said rotation synchronization means includes a node facing said pair of operation members and a member defining a node facing said coupling member. An input device for a game machine, wherein the input device is a four-node parallel link provided between members. 4. The input device for a game machine according to claim 1, wherein a position at which the pair of operation members and the connecting member form a predetermined angle is an initial position,
An input device for a game machine, further comprising means for urging the pair of operation members to return to the initial position. 5. The input device for a game machine according to claim 1, further comprising: support means for supporting said connecting member via a fulcrum. apparatus. 6. An input device for a game machine according to claim 1, further comprising an angle detection means for detecting a rotation angle of said support means at a fulcrum. Input device. 7. The input device for a game machine according to claim 1, wherein said grip portion is rotatable about an axis of said operation member, and rotation detecting means for detecting a rotation amount of said grip portion is provided. An input device for a game machine, comprising: