JP2002233605A - Symbol variable display game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a symbol variable display game machine which can be installed with a lighting system even in a small space in a machine and improve illumination effect. SOLUTION: This game machine is a slot machine which is equipped with plural reels 8a, 8b, 8c to display any of symbols by stopping the variable display after variable-displaying plural symbols and a symbol display window which enables symbols displayed on reels to be viewed from outside. Side emitting optical fibers 22B, 22C as a linear illuminating members placed curved along the peripheral faces of reels at border positions of neighboring reels and a light source 23 to emit light to be guided into the end faces of the optical fibers 22B, 22C are also equipped.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a plurality of reels for displaying one of symbols, such as a slot machine or a pachinko machine, in which a plurality of symbols are variably displayed and then the variability display is stopped. The present invention relates to a variable symbol display amusement machine including a symbol display window that allows symbols to be displayed to be visually recognized from outside.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a conventional slot machine,
Three symbol display windows are provided side by side on the front panel on the front. Inside the body, three reels each having a plurality of symbols on the outer peripheral surface are arranged in parallel as a variable symbol display device at a position behind each symbol display window. Each reel is individually rotatable, and from each symbol display window, a symbol in a moving state when the reel is rotated and a symbol for three frames when the reel is stopped can be visually recognized from the outside. .

[0003] The symbols are composed of numerals, designs, and the like, and a plurality of symbols are drawn by silk-screen printing on the surface of a band-shaped sheet material adhered to the outer peripheral surface of a reel frame. Inside the symbol display window, a reel lighting device such as an incandescent lamp or a fluorescent lamp is provided, and thereby the outer peripheral surface of the reel is illuminated.

As shown in FIG. 13, a light source 103 such as an incandescent light bulb or a fluorescent light is disposed above a symbol display window 102 inside a front panel 101 so as to be invisible from the outside. Become composed. This light source 1
Light from 03 is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the reel 104 from obliquely above.

[0005] As shown in FIG. 14, a light source 103 such as a fluorescent lamp is not visible from outside.
The light from the light source 103 is applied to the inner peripheral surface of the reel 104 to clearly indicate the symbol.

[0006]

However, when an incandescent lamp or a fluorescent lamp is used as the light source 103 as in the above-mentioned conventional example, a large installation space is required,
Is limited to a location above the symbol display window 102 inside the front panel 101, a location inside the reel 104, and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a variable symbol display amusement machine capable of installing a lighting device even in a narrow space inside a body and improving an illumination effect. The purpose is to do.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, after a plurality of symbols are variably displayed, the variability display is stopped, and a plurality of reels displaying any one of the symbols and the symbols displayed on each reel are visually recognized from outside. A variable light emitting game machine having a symbol display window for enabling the linear light emitting member disposed at least at a boundary position between adjacent reels and curved along the outer peripheral surface of the reel; and the linear light emitting member. And a light source for introducing light from an end face of the light source.

There are various embodiments of the linear light emitting member. One of the linear light-emitting members is a side-emitting optical fiber, and light introduced from an end face is emitted from an outer peripheral face. The emission colors of the two linear light emitting members are variable according to the progress of the game. The three linear light emitting members are optical fibers, and one end face has a light reflecting portion. There are various embodiments of the light source. One of the light sources is a chip of a plurality of light emitting diodes having different emission colors.

[0010]

Since the linear light-emitting members are arranged at the boundary positions of the adjacent reels, the symbols on each reel can be easily viewed even with a single symbol display window having no partition. When viewed from the outside, the symbol display window
It looks like it is divided into three parts and divided into three symbol display parts. Since the outer peripheral surface of each reel is clearly illuminated in the symbol display window, the illumination effect is improved.

[0011]

FIG. 1 shows the appearance of a slot machine embodying the present invention. The body 1 of this slot machine has a box-shaped main body 2 and a door 3 attached to the front opening so as to be openable and closable. As shown in FIG. 2, a medal discharger having a circuit board 5 such as a reel block 4 and a control circuit at an upper position, and a hopper 6a for accommodating a large number of medals at a lower position, as shown in FIG. 6 are incorporated respectively.

The reel block 4 comprises a metal frame 7
, Three reels 8a, 8b, 8c are integrally assembled. On the outer peripheral surface of each reel 8a, 8b, 8c, a symbol,
Character, plural kinds of symbols are represented, such as numerical, some symbols are symbols for establishing a prize (hereinafter referred to as "winning symbols".) Constituting the. The reel block 4 has stepping motors 9a, 9b, 9c for individually rotating and driving the reels 8a, 8b, 8c.
And constitutes the variable symbol display device 10 together with the reels 8a, 8b, 8c.

The front surface of the door 3 is provided with reels 8a and 8a.
Symbol display window 2 for displaying symbols b and 8c
0, an upper panel 12 and a lower panel 1 for displaying a model name and game information.
And 3. Each of the panels 11, 12, 13 is formed by performing silk screen printing on the surface of a transparent synthetic resin plate or tempered glass. Below the front panel 11, a start lever 14, three stop button switches 15a, 1
5b, 15c, a medal slot 16 and the like, and below the lower panel 13, a medal discharge port 17 and a medal tray 1 are provided.
8 are deployed respectively.

A single transparent symbol display window 20 surrounded by a color print layer 11A (shown in FIG. 5) is formed in the center of the front panel 11 at the plate surface. This symbol display window 2
Numeral 0 denotes a horizontally long rectangular shape, and three symbol display sections 20 for displaying symbols of the respective reels 8a, 8b, 8c.
a, 20b, and 20c. Behind the symbol display sections 20a, 20b, 20c, the reels 8a, 8b, 8c of the reel block 4 are located, and when the reels are stopped, the symbols on the reel outer peripheral surface for each reel can be visually recognized for three frames. In this embodiment, the front panel 11
Symbol display window 20 with no partition on the plate surface
Is formed in a width corresponding to the arrangement width of the three reels 8a, 8b, 8c, and a symbol display window for each reel having a width corresponding to the width of each of the reels 8a, 8b, 8c is formed. Three may be formed side by side with intervening.

On the surface of the front panel 11, as shown in FIG.
A total of five lower and diagonal stop lines L1 to L5 are shown, and when the reels are stopped, the symbols of the reels 8a, 8b, 8c are arranged on these stop lines L1 to L5. If the number of medals inserted into the medal insertion slot 16 is one, these stop lines L1 to L5 are upper, middle, and lower if only one central stop line L1 is two. If there are three stop lines L1 to L3, all five stop lines L1 to L5 are activated respectively.

In the slot machine having the above structure, when medals are inserted from the medal insertion slot 16, the number of stop lines corresponding to the number of inserted medals is activated. Then, when the starting lever 14 is operated, the three reels 8a, 8b, 8
c starts all at once. Thereafter, the stop button switch 15a,
Each time 15b, 15c is operated, the corresponding reel 8
a, 8b and 8c stop. At this time, when a combination of winning symbols is established on the activated stop line, a winning is achieved, and a predetermined number of medals are discharged from the medal discharge opening 17 to the medal tray 18 by the operation of the medal payout machine 6.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, an illumination device 21 for illuminating the outer peripheral surfaces of the reels 8a, 8b, 8c is provided inside the door portion 3.

The illumination device 21 of this embodiment comprises four side-emitting optical fibers 2 arranged in parallel at equal intervals at a position facing the symbol display window 20 inside the front panel 11.
2A, 22B, 22C and 22D, and a light source 23 for introducing light from the lower end face 220 of each of the optical fibers 22A, 22B, 22C and 22D.

Each of the optical fibers 22A, 22B, 22C,
Reference numeral 22D is held by the metal frame 7 of the reel block 4. The lower ends 22a of the reel block 4 are bundled in an assembled state, and each of the lower ends 220 is a light source disposed upward in the main body 2. 23 is optically coupled via a socket 25.

Each of the optical fibers 22A, 22B, 22C,
22D penetrates the partition wall 24 in the main body 2, and an upper half extending upward constitutes a reel lighting unit 22b. The two optical fibers 22A and 22D located on both sides are curved so that the reel illuminating portions 22b are respectively located on both side edges of the symbol display window 20 and substantially along the front half of the outer peripheral surface of the reels 8a, 8b and 8c. Let me do it. Intermediate position 2
The two optical fibers 22B and 22C are provided on the reels 8a and 8 on which the reel lighting unit 22b of one optical fiber 22B is adjacent.
The reel illuminating portion 22b of the other optical fiber 22C corresponds to the boundary position of the adjacent reels 8b and 8c at the boundary position of the other optical fiber 22C, and substantially along the front half of the outer peripheral surface of the reels 8a, 8b and 8c. It is curved.

Each optical fiber 22A, 22B, 22C
Has a structure in which the outer periphery of a core with excellent light transmission is covered with a flexible pipe-shaped cladding, and the materials of the core and the cladding are selected and the refractive index between the two is adjusted. Light introduced from the end surface is emitted from the outer peripheral surface, and the outer peripheral surface emits light over the entire length. Acrylic resin is used as the core, and Teflon (registered trademark) is used as the clad, but each material is not limited to this.

The optical fibers 22A, 22B, 22
C and 22D are not limited to those having the above-described configuration. For example, an AC voltage is applied between a core electrode and a transparent pipe-shaped electrode on the outer periphery of the core electrode to cause a pipe-shaped light-emitting layer interposed between the electrodes to emit light. An electroluminescent optical fiber or the like as described above may be used.

Further, the illumination device 21 of the present invention, as long as it is configured using the light-emitting member having a small diameter and linear, such as an optical fiber, as a linear light emitting member, cold-cathode tube lamps and neon tubes, etc. May be used. Regardless of which linear light-emitting member is used, the linear light-emitting member is located at a position inside the symbol display window 20 and does not block the symbols of three frames visually recognized from the symbol display window 20 when the reel is stopped. Is placed. In particular, one symbol display window 20 without a partition portion is connected to three reels 8a, 8
When the linear light-emitting members are formed at a width corresponding to the arrangement width of b and 8c, the linear light-emitting member is located at a position visible from the outside inside the symbol display window 20 and at a boundary position between the adjacent reels, whereby the partition is formed. Even if there is no portion, the symbols of the reels 8a, 8b, 8c can be easily seen by the linear light emitting members.

As the light source 23 constituting the illumination device 21 of this embodiment, a halogen bulb, a metal highland bulb, a light emitting diode, a semiconductor laser, or the like is used. Light source 23
Can be arbitrarily selected, but as shown in this embodiment, the light source 2
If 3 is provided, the space can be effectively used.

When the light source 23 is turned on by turning on the power,
Light is introduced from the lower end surfaces 220 of the four optical fibers 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D. As a result, each of the optical fibers 22A, 22B, 22C, and 22D emits side light over the entire length, and each of the reel lighting units 22b illuminates the outer peripheral surface of each of the reels 8a, 8b, and 8c.

Each of the optical fibers 22A, 22B, 22C,
22D reel lighting unit 22b is connected to reels 8a, 8b, 8c.
Of the reels 8a and 8b.
Since the outer peripheral surfaces of b and 8c are equally illuminated from the same distance,
There is no upper and lower light / dark step.

Optical fibers 22A, 22B, 22C, 2
Since 2D generates almost no heat during light emission, the optical fibers 22A, 22B, 22C, and 22D are connected to the reels 8a,
Even if they are arranged close to 8b and 8c, a uniform illumination state is ensured without any trouble due to heat.

The two optical fibers 22B, 2 at the intermediate position
2C, the symbol display window 20 is divided into two parts at the center by these optical fibers 22B and 22C, and thus, the three reels 8a, 8b and 8c are arranged at mutually adjacent boundary positions. Symbol display section 20
a, 20b, and 20c appear to be divided into three.

Also, the two optical fibers 22 on both sides are provided.
Since A and 22D are provided corresponding to both side edges of the symbol display window 20, respectively, the symbol display window 20 is formed by both optical fibers 22A and 22D when viewed from the outside.
It appears that the left and right window frame portions 20d and 20e are formed.

As described in the above embodiment, the optical fiber 22
By arranging A, 22B, 22C, and 22D, the outer peripheral surfaces of the reels 8a, 8b, and 8c are clearly illuminated in the symbol display window 20, so that the illumination effect is enhanced and the visibility of the symbols can be further clarified.

The optical fibers 22A, 22B, 22
Generally, a light reflecting portion exists on the upper end surfaces of the C and 22D, and the reflected light of the light from the light source 23 is also effectively used for illumination. Is returned to the light source 23 so as to face the light source 23, so that the light from the light source 23 can be more effectively used.

The optical fibers 22A, 22B, 22
The side emission colors of C and 22D are not limited to a single color, but can be changed to two or more colors. When a halogen bulb or a metal halide bulb is used as the light source 23, for example, a color filter is switchably provided in front of the light source 23. When a light emitting diode is used as the light source 23, as shown in FIG. 6, a composite element 32 having a plurality of light emitting diode chips 31 having different emission colors is used. Is used to control the switching.

Each of the optical fibers 22A, 22B, 22C,
By making the emission color of 22D variable, the illumination effect is improved, and various colors can be displayed according to the progress of the game, and the player's mood for the game can be increased.

The illumination device 21 is not limited to the use of only the combination of the four optical fibers 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D and the light source 23, but may be a combination of a fluorescent lamp and a light emitting diode.

The optical fiber is, as shown in the illustrated example,
It is not always necessary to use four optical fibers. For example, as shown by a chain line in FIG. 4, one optical fiber can be formed into a series by bending it.

7 to 9 show other application examples of the optical fiber. The illustrated example uses two side-emitting optical fibers 22A and 22B to each of the reel lighting units 2A and 22B.
2b is formed. One optical fiber 22A
The four reels 22c, 22d, 22e, and 2 of the vertical sides 22c, 22d, 22e, 2
2f, the vertical sides 22c, 22f at both sides are arranged along the right and left window frames 20d, 20e of the symbol display window 20, and the vertical sides 22d, 2 at the intermediate position are provided.
2e are arranged corresponding to the positions of the reels 8a, 8b, 8c adjacent to each other.

The reel illuminating portion 22b of the other optical fiber 22B has upper and lower horizontal sides 22g and 22h which are formed in a folded shape and are parallel to each other.
The 22h, top and bottom of the window frame portion 20f of the symbol display window 20,
Each is arranged along 20g.

[0038] In this embodiment, one of the optical fibers 22
Each vertical side 22c, 22d, 22 formed with A
e, 22f and the other side 22g, 22h formed by the other optical fiber 22B emit light from the side surface, so that the outer peripheral surface of each of the reels 8a, 8b, 8c is illuminated without a vertical light-dark step. The window frames 20d and 20e on both sides of the symbol display window 20 and the window frames 20f and 20g on the upper and lower edges are clearly illuminated in a rectangular shape.

10 to 12 show still another application example of the optical fiber. In the illustrated example, the upper and lower horizontal sides 22c, 2c are respectively composed of two optical fibers 22A, 22B.
2d, and these horizontal sides 22c, 22d are arranged along the window frame portions 20f, 20g on the upper and lower edges of the symbol display window 20,
They are arranged corresponding to each other. Also, the reels 8a, 8
b, 8c adjacent position and symbol display window 2
The four optical fibers 22C to 22F are arranged at positions corresponding to the window frame portions 20d and 20e on both side edges of 0, and their upper and lower ends are connected to upper and lower horizontal sides 22c and 22d.

In this embodiment, the reels 8a, 8b, 8c
Of the optical fiber 22 can be uniformly illuminated.
The total length of A to 22F is reduced, and the symbol display window 2
The light emission of the window frame portions 20d and 20e on both side edges and the window frame portions 20f and 20g on the upper and lower edges can be specified. According to this embodiment, optical fibers 22A to 22A to 22
The total length of 22F can be reduced.

The present invention is not limited to a slot machine having three reels 8a, 8b and 8c as variable symbol display devices, but can also be implemented in a pachinko machine having a variable symbol display device. Instead of 8c, the present invention can be applied to a game machine using another symbol display medium such as a disk.

[0042]

According to the present invention, the linear light emitting member curved along the outer peripheral surface of the reel is disposed at least at the boundary position between the adjacent reels so that light is introduced from the end face of the linear light emitting member. Therefore, the lighting device can be installed even in a narrow space inside the airframe. Further, even in the case of a single symbol display window having no partition, the symbol display window is divided into two places at the center by the linear light-emitting member, so that the symbols on each reel are easy to see, and the illumination effect is improved. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a slot machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the internal configuration of the slot machine.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a front panel of the slot machine.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the inside of a slot machine showing an application example of an optical fiber.

FIG. 5 is a right side view of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of an embodiment in which a composite element having a plurality of light emitting diode chips having different emission colors is used as a light source.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a front panel showing another application example of the optical fiber.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the inside of the slot machine showing the embodiment of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a right side view of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 10 is a front view of a front panel showing another application example of the optical fiber.

11 is a front view of the inside slot machine showing the embodiment of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a right side view of the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a conventional lighting device.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of another conventional lighting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 8a, 8b, 8c Reel 20 Symbol display window 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D Optical fiber 23 Light source

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A display system comprising: a plurality of reels for displaying one of symbols after a plurality of symbols are variably displayed and stopping the variability display, and a symbol display window for allowing the symbols displayed on each reel to be visually recognized from outside. In the variable symbol display game machine provided, a linear light emitting member disposed at least at a boundary position between adjacent reels and curved along the outer peripheral surface of the reel, and a light source for introducing light from an end face of the linear light emitting member Symbol-variable display game machine comprising: 2. The variable symbol display game machine according to claim 1, wherein the linear light emitting member is a side-emitting optical fiber, and light introduced from an end face is emitted from an outer peripheral face. 3. The variable symbol display amusement machine according to claim 1, wherein the linear light-emitting member has a variable emission color in accordance with the progress of a game. 4. The variable symbol display game machine according to claim 1, wherein the linear light emitting member is an optical fiber, and a light reflecting portion is provided on one end surface. 5. The variable symbol display game machine according to claim 1, wherein the light source is a chip of a plurality of light emitting diodes having different emission colors.