JP2005176897A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine which provides detailed game information to a player by simple constitution and enables the player to easily confirm required game information in accordance with the progress of the game, thereby has improved charm of a game. <P>SOLUTION: This game machine has such constitution that an information card 60 on which information (information display part 62) relating to the game is displayed can be stored in the recessed part 64 of an operation part 34 by turning the surface 60A of the card 60 to the outer side, and a cover plate 66 formed of a light transmissive material is provided on the recessed part 64 to close the upper surface side thereof, four indication lamps 82A, 82B, 82C and 82D are arranged around the information card 60, only the indication lamp arranged near the pertinent part of the game information in the information display part 62 is made to emit light so as to correspond to the progress of the game, and the pertinent part is selectively indicated. Thus, by visually recognizing the pertinent part of the game information selectively indicated by the indication lamps 82A, 82B, 82C and 82D, the player easily confirms the required game information in accordance with the progress of the game and quickly and accurately operates the game machine. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine, and more particularly, to a gaming machine provided with an information display medium for displaying information related to gaming.

  In gaming machines such as pachinko machines and pachislot machines, the operation procedure is complicated due to an increase in game variations, etc., and when playing a new model, the player must invest in knowing the characteristic game contents in advance. You will be overwhelmed, or you will have a big chance by other players right after the game ends. Such a complicated tendency of games is conspicuous in pachislot machines, and especially beginners have a great sense of unfairness in combination with technical gaps with skilled players.

  Therefore, in the gaming machine, characteristic game information of the gaming machine, for example, in the case of a symbol matching game, the type and design of the symbol, the tendency and state that appear as a precursor of the symbol occurrence, and the explanation of the role corresponding to the symbol An information display medium such as an information sticker or an information card printed thereon is provided at a position where the player can visually recognize it. For example, in the case of a pachinko machine, an information card is placed on the back side (between the two glass boards) of the glass plate that covers the game board, and in the case of a pachislot machine, on the upper surface of the operation unit where the start lever, stop button, etc. are arranged Information stickers are pasted.

In addition, a technique for displaying an operation procedure of the gaming machine using an electric display device or guiding it by illumination or voice has been proposed. For example, game start / stop, establishment selection, A light emitting element is provided in each switch for performing an input operation of initialization, and guides a game operation procedure (operation procedure of each switch) to a player with light (see Patent Document 1), when playing a mini game An operation sequence of sub-symbol stop means (stop button) is displayed on the sub-symbol display unit (liquid crystal display device) (refer to Patent Document 2). There is one that outputs a “guide” (see Patent Document 3).
JP 7-144042 A (paragraph number 0023, paragraph number 0011, FIG. 10, FIG. 11, FIG. 32 to FIG. 36) JP 2003-190388 A (paragraph number 0051 to paragraph number 0057, FIGS. 5 to 7) JP 2002-143379 A (paragraph number 0046, paragraph number 0060 to paragraph number 0071, FIGS. 6 to 11)

  However, since the technique of Patent Document 1 merely guides the operation by causing each switch to emit light, it is not possible to grasp the characteristic game information and the entire game content. In addition, since the technique of Patent Document 2 requires a specific display device and control software, the configuration is complicated and it is difficult to shorten the development period. Further, in the technique of Patent Document 3, since the voice data processing is further added to the technique of Patent Document 2, the above problem becomes remarkable.

  On the other hand, when the information display medium is used, there is an advantage that detailed game information can be provided with a simple configuration as compared with the techniques of Patent Documents 1 to 3. However, as the amount of information to be transmitted increases as the game content and operation procedures become more complex, the player's memory of the game content and operation procedures learned before the game becomes ambiguous during the game, and as the game progresses It becomes impossible to operate quickly and accurately, and there is a possibility of suffering a disadvantage such as losing the acquired opportunity.

  In consideration of the above facts, the present invention provides a gaming machine that can provide detailed game information with a simple structure and that can easily check necessary game information as the game progresses, thereby improving the interest of the game. The task is to do.

  To achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 is provided on the front side of the gaming machine main body, and displays an information display medium on which information related to the game is displayed, and a specific portion of the game information on the information display medium. It is characterized by having instruction means for instructing automatically and control means for controlling the instruction means in accordance with the progress of the game.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the player can grasp the game information by visually recognizing an information display medium such as an information sticker or an information card provided on the front side of the gaming machine main body. With such an information display medium, characteristic game information, game rules, and the like of the gaming machine can be displayed, so that detailed game information can be provided with a simple configuration.

  In the game, the control means controls the instruction means in accordance with the progress of the game, so that a specific location (corresponding location) of the game information on the information display medium is selectively instructed by the instruction means. The player can easily check necessary game information as the game progresses by visually recognizing corresponding portions of the game information selectively instructed by the instruction means, and can operate the gaming machine quickly and accurately. It becomes like this. Thereby, it is possible to avoid the disadvantage of the player who suffers by delaying the operation or not performing the necessary operation, and the interest of the game can be improved.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the gaming machine according to the first aspect, an operation unit provided on a front side of the gaming machine main body and provided with an operation input means for performing a game is provided in the operation unit. A recessed portion provided to cover the recessed portion and formed of a light transmissive material, and a communication port provided between the recessed portion and the cover member for communicating between the inside of the recessed portion and the outside. The information display medium is characterized in that it can be inserted into and removed from the recess through the communication port.

  In the invention according to claim 2, the information display medium is housed in a recess of the operation portion provided on the front side of the gaming machine body and is covered by a cover member provided so as to close the recess. Since this cover member is formed of a light-transmitting material, the player visually recognizes the display surface (information relating to the game) of the information display medium through the cover member, and the game information and game rules characteristic of the gaming machine, etc. Can be grasped. In addition, a communication port is provided between the recess and the cover member for communicating the inside of the recess with the outside, and the information display medium can be inserted into and removed from the recess through the communication port, so that the information display medium can be easily inserted into the recess. Can be attached to and detached from.

  Here, in particular, in a pachislot machine, an information display medium (information sticker) is often provided on the upper surface of the operation unit. In this case, the player can play the game by placing a hand on the operation unit, Since the hand is moved along the operation unit during operation of the operation input means such as the display surface (printing surface) of the information display medium is worn by the hand, the game information cannot be identified, or the information display medium is There is a problem that peels off and impairs the beauty. Also, when disposing of the gaming machine, it is necessary to remove the information display medium (information sticker) from the operation unit in order to disassemble the equipment and separate the components by material, and it is provided on the front side of the gaming machine body. When recycling a decorative panel or the like, it is necessary to clean the attachment (attachment) site in addition to the removal (peeling) of the information display medium.

  On the other hand, with the above configuration, when the player manually operates the operation input means arranged in the operation unit in the game, the player's hand does not touch the information display medium. It is possible to prevent the display content of the display medium from being worn out so that it cannot be identified, or the information display medium from being removed from the operation unit to impair the beauty. Further, it is possible to reduce the burden of removing or reattaching the information display medium in the dismantling or recycling work of the gaming machine.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the gaming machine according to the first or second aspect, the instructing means includes a plurality of light emitting elements.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the instructing means is constituted by a plurality of light emitting elements, and the instruction / non-instruction of the specific part of the game information on the information display medium is switched by switching the light emitting / non-light emitting of each light emitting element. By using such a plurality of light emitting elements, the instruction means can be simplified compared to a configuration in which the instruction / non-instruction state is mechanically switched, for example.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the gaming machine according to the third aspect, the plurality of light emitting elements are arranged on at least one of the periphery and the back side of the information display medium.

  In a fourth aspect of the present invention, when a plurality of light emitting elements are arranged around the information display medium, simple control such as causing only the light emitting elements arranged in the vicinity of the specific location to be indicated in the game information to emit light. The specific location can be instructed. In addition, when a plurality of light emitting elements are arranged on the back side of the information display medium, the information display medium is formed of a light transmissive material or the like, and the light emitting element is arranged on the back side of a specific location to be indicated in the game information The specific portion can be instructed by illumination by simple control such as emitting only the light.

  Since the gaming machine of the present invention has the above-described configuration, detailed game information can be provided with a simple configuration and necessary game information can be easily confirmed as the game progresses, so that the interest of the game is improved.

  Hereinafter, a gaming machine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
1 and 2 show a pachislot machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 3 and 4 show an information card (information display medium) applied to the pachislot machine according to this embodiment. Has been.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the pachislot machine 10 includes a main body 14 in which various components, a controller (main control board), and the like are incorporated in a rectangular box-shaped housing 12. An upper decorative panel 16 and a lower decorative panel 18 are provided on the front surface of the main body 14, and these panels have a shaft portion (not shown) provided at the left end in FIG. 1 as a bearing portion (not shown) of the main body 14. ) And can be opened and closed individually.

  The upper decorative panel 16 is made of a glass plate, and includes a display panel unit 20 on which decorative images, characters, and the like printed on the surface are transmitted and illuminated by a backlight (not shown) from the inside. A horizontally-long rectangular display window 22 is disposed in the center of the display panel unit 20, and the display window 22 is formed of a transparent region that is integrally formed with the display panel unit 20. On the upper side of the display panel unit 20, there are provided an illumination lamp 24 that lights or blinks according to the progress of the game and produces a light effect, and a speaker 26 that generates sound effects. These illumination lamps 24, The speaker 26 and the display panel unit 20 constitute a decorative unit 28 of the pachislot machine 10.

  Inside the display window 22 (display panel unit 20), three reels (rotating drums) 30A, 30B, 30C are coaxially arranged along the width direction. A plurality of types of symbols (not shown) are provided along the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surfaces of the reels 30A, 30B, and 30C, and the symbol varying portion 31 is configured by these reels 30A, 30B, and 30C. In the symbol changing unit 31, the symbols change and stop when the reels 30 </ b> A, 30 </ b> B, and 30 </ b> C rotate and stop rotating, and the state can be visually recognized from the outside through the display window 22. Further, at the bottom of the display panel unit 20, a 7-segment display unit 32A for displaying the number of paid-out medals in order from the left side of FIG. 1, a display unit 32B for displaying the remaining number of jack games and the game state (six levels). A 7-segment display unit 32C for displaying the number of credits is provided.

  The lower decorative panel 18 is provided with an operation unit 34 at the upper front portion. The operation unit 34 protrudes forward and is formed in a substantially rectangular table shape in plan view. As shown in FIG. 2, the upper surface 34 </ b> A closes the lower decorative panel 18 to the main body 14 and the upper decorative panel 16. A rear end side region that is arranged on the lower side and concealed is a substantially horizontal plane, and a front side region of the substantially horizontal plane is an inclined surface that is inclined downward from the rear side toward the front side. A medal insertion portion 36 is provided near the right end portion of the inclined surface on the upper surface 34A, a cancel button 38, a single bet button 40A, and a max bet button 40B are provided in order from the left side near the left end portion. For details, an information card 60 and an instruction device 80 described later are provided. Further, on the front surface 34B of the operation unit 34, a start lever 42 is provided in the vicinity of the left end, stop buttons 44A, 44B, 44C corresponding to the reels 30A, 30B, 30C are provided in the center, and in the vicinity of the right end. A cylinder lock 46 for locking and unlocking the lower decorative panel 18 and the upper decorative panel 16 to the main body 14 is provided.

  A payout portion 48 is provided at the lower front portion of the lower decorative panel 18. The payout unit 48 includes a medal payout port 50 and a tray (lower plate) 52 that receives the medal M paid out from the medal payout port 50.

  Next, the information card 60 and its mounting structure according to this embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the information card 60 has a rectangular thin card shape, and is formed of paper or a resin material. On the front surface (upper surface) 60A of the information card 60, the game rules and characteristic game information of the pachislot machine 10 (type and arrangement of symbols, trends and states appearing as signs of occurrence of symbols, explanation of roles corresponding to symbols, etc.) Is displayed by printing.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a concave portion 64 having a rectangular shape in plan view corresponding to the information card 60 is provided on the upper surface 34 </ b> A (inclined surface) of the operation unit 34 to which the information card 60 is attached. A cover plate 66 made of transparent resin and having a rectangular shape is fitted. The left and right side edges and the front edge of the recess 64 are provided with stepped portions 68 that are higher than the bottom surface of the recess 64 by a predetermined dimension, and the cover plate 66 fitted in the recess 64 has left and right side edges on its lower surface. In addition, the front edge portion is fixed by bonding in a state where it rides on the stepped portion 68, and the upper surface is flush with the upper surface 34A (inclined surface) of the operation portion 34 (see FIG. 3). As a result, a cavity is formed in the recess 64 whose upper surface is closed by the cover plate 66, and the rear edge of the recess 64 is between the cover plate 66 and the interior of the recess 64 (cavity) and the outside. A slit-like communication port 70 for communication is formed. The information card 60 can be stored in the recess 64 through the communication port 70. Further, on the rear side of the concave portion 64, a concave escape portion 72 is provided by offsetting a substantially horizontal plane on the upper surface 34A of the operation portion 34 downward. The bottom surface of the escape portion 72 is one step lower than the bottom surface of the concave portion 64. (See FIG. 2).

  The information card 60 and its mounting structure are as described above, and the information card 60 is attached to the operation unit 34 of the pachislot machine 10 by opening the lower decorative panel 18 with respect to the main body 14. When the key is inserted into the cylinder lock 46 and rotated in a predetermined direction from the state shown in FIG. 1, the lower decorative panel 18 is unlocked and can be opened. When the lower decorative panel 18 is opened as it is, the rear end side (substantially horizontal plane) of the upper surface 34A of the operation portion 34 concealed in the lower surface portion of the upper decorative panel 16 is exposed, and the cover plate 66 and the rear edge of the concave portion 64 are exposed. A communication port 70 formed between the two is opened.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the information card 60 is placed with the front surface 60 </ b> A on which the information display unit 62 is printed facing upward (outside with respect to the recess 64). It is inserted into the communication port 70 from the rear side and inserted into the recess 64 (hollow portion). When the information card 60 is inserted until the tip of the information card 60 hits the back wall of the recess 64 (the front surface 34B side of the operation unit 34), the mounting of the information card 60 is completed (the state shown by the solid line in FIG. 2). In this manner, the information card 60 attached to the operation unit 34 has the surface 60A covered with the cover plate 66 and the rear end portion protruding from the recess 64 (see FIG. 2).

  After the information card 60 is attached, the lower decorative panel 18 is closed and locked with the cylinder lock 46 and locked to the main body 14. When the lower decorative panel 18 is closed, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the rear end side (substantially horizontal plane) of the upper surface 34 </ b> A of the operation unit 34 is concealed by the lower surface portion of the upper decorative panel 16 and the communication port 70. Is closed, the information card 60 stored in the recess 64 cannot be taken out. Thereby, the player can visually recognize the information display unit 62 of the information card 60 through the transparent cover plate 66 and can grasp the characteristic game information and game rules of the pachislot machine 10.

  Further, in order to take out the information card 60 from the operation unit 34, a procedure reverse to the mounting procedure described above is performed. Here, since the rear end portion of the information card 60 attached to the operation unit 34 protrudes from the inside of the recess 64, when the information card 60 is taken out by opening the lower decorative panel 18, the operator has to ) From the escape portion 72 to the lower side of the rear end portion of the cover plate 66, the fingertip is pressed against the lower surface of the rear end portion of the information card 60, and the information card 60 is inserted into the recess 64 by the frictional force between the fingertip and the information card 60. Can be pulled out from.

  Next, the instruction device 80 according to the present embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a total of four indicator lamps 82A, 82B, two along the left and right sides, are provided around the recess 64 and the cover plate 66 on the upper surface 34A (inclined surface) of the operation unit 34. 82C and 82D are provided. More specifically, an instruction lamp 82A is disposed at the upper left part of the recess 64 and the cover plate 66, an instruction lamp 82B is disposed at the upper right part, an instruction lamp 82C is disposed at the lower left part, and an instruction lamp 82D is disposed at the lower right part. The form indicating device 80 includes these indicating lamps 82A, 82B, 82C, and 82D.

  The indicator lamps 82A, 82B, 82C, and 82D are configured such that light emitting elements (chip LEDs) 84A, 84B, 84C, and 84D serving as light sources are covered with cover lenses 86A, 86B, 86C, and 86D having light transmittance. . Further, the cover lenses 86A, 86B, 86C, 86D are arranged in a state in which the plan view is a substantially equilateral triangle (see FIGS. 6 and 7), and one corner is directed toward the concave portion 64 and the cover plate 66 and points to them. Has been.

  Next, a control system for controlling the operation of the pachislot machine 10 according to the present embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 5, to the main control board 100, a start lever 42, stop buttons 44A, 44B, 44C, a cancel button 38, a single bet button 40A, and a max bet button 40B are connected. The main control board 100 outputs a command signal to the effect sub-board 102 based on operation signals input by operating the start lever 42 and stop buttons 44A, 44B, 44C, respectively, A gaming state such as the number of medals is recognized by an operation signal input by operating the one bet button 40A and the maximum bet button 40B.

  Reel drivers 104A, 104B, and 104C are connected to the effect sub-board 102. The reel drivers 104A, 104B, and 104C control the rotation and rotation stop operation of the reels 30A, 30B, and 30C based on the control signal input from the effect sub-board 102.

  In addition, the effect sub-board 102 includes the above-described backlight of the display panel unit 20, the illumination lamp 24, the 7-segment display unit 32A, the display unit 32B, the 7-segment display unit 32C, and the like, the speaker 26, And the indicating device 80 which consists of the instruction lamps 82A, 82B, 82C and 82D is connected.

  The stage sub-board 102 controls the lighting device 106 based on the command signal input from the main control board 100 to generate various gaming state expressions, notifications and stage effects by lighting, and controls the speaker 26. Sound and sound effects. Further, the effect sub-board 102 controls the instruction device 80 in accordance with the progress of the game based on the command signal, and causes the instruction lamps 82A, 82B, 82C, and 82D to emit / not emit light, respectively.

  Further, a backup memory 110 is connected to the main control board 100, and information related to the game including symbol position data, game history data, and medal (game medium) payout number data as backup data as the game progresses. Updated and stored in real time.

  Next, the game procedure and operation of the pachislot machine 10 according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.

  The game procedure of the pachislot machine 10 is as follows. The player inserts a medal into the medal insertion unit 36, or operates the one bet button 40A or the max bet button 40B to place a bet (1 to 3) and starts the lever 42. The game is started by operating (tilting). When starting this game, the player can grasp in advance the characteristic game information and game rules of the pachislot machine 10 by viewing the information card 60 provided in the operation unit 34 as necessary. In addition, when the pachislot machine 10 is in the standby state (before the game starts) and in the normal game state, as shown in FIG. 6, the instruction lamps 82A, 82B, 82C, and 82D emit light (see FIG. 6B). State), light emission / non-light emission at a predetermined interval (the state of FIG. 6A), or one or two or two instruction lamps 82A, 82B, 82C, 82D emit light in a predetermined order and timing. For example, the non-light emission is repeated, and an effect operation that causes the player to pay attention to the information card 60 is performed.

  When the start lever 42 is operated by the player after the medal is inserted or after the betting is completed, the “winning lottery” is executed on the main control board 100 inside the pachislot machine 10. This “winning / losing” of the lottery is determined by the operation timing of the start lever 42. Here, when the lottery result is a win, the flag is “established”. After that, when the win symbols are gathered, the “win” is set, which is advantageous to the player. There are two types of hits: “Big Bonus” (big hit), which is more advantageous to the player, and “Regular Bonus” (normal win), which is less advantageous to the player than the big bonus. .

  Further, in accordance with the operation of the start lever 42, the reels 30A, 30B, and 30C start rotating in the same direction in the symbol variation unit 31 (design variation start). Here, the rotation start timing of the reels 30A, 30B, and 30C is controlled by the expected value based on the lottery result, and usually the three reels 30A, 30B, and 30C start rotating simultaneously or in a predetermined order.

  After the start of the symbol variation, the player visually observes the symbol varying through the display window 22, and operates the stop buttons 44A, 44B, and 44C in order at a timing to stop the target symbol at a predetermined position. When the stop buttons 44A, 44B, and 44C are operated, the reels 30A, 30B, and 30C sequentially stop rotating according to the operation timing in the symbol changing unit 31 (symbol changing stop). Here, the symbol stopped in the center line (effective line) of the display windows 22 side by side becomes the “basic stop symbol”. This basic stop symbol is used when a single medal is inserted (1), and a maximum of 3 medals can be inserted (3) per game. In this case, the symbols stopped along the upper and lower rows and the symbols stopped on the two diagonal lines are adopted as the “combination stop symbols” depending on the number of medals inserted.

  When the symbol stop operation is performed by the stop buttons 44A, 44B, 44C, the main control board 100 shifts the symbol stop position by a predetermined number of frames (up to four frames) in accordance with the lottery win / loss. ”Is executed. This slip control is intended to intentionally avoid stopping at this symbol when the stop button 44A, 44B, 44C is operated at the symbol stop timing that stops only when the lottery result is off. Shift the stop position (kick). In addition, when the lottery is won and the flag is established, if the winning symbol does not stop at the stop timing when the player operates the stop buttons 44A, 44B, 44C, the symbol is intentionally stopped to stop at this symbol. Shift the position (withdrawal). By performing such “kicking” and “withdrawal”, consistency with the lottery result is obtained, and even if the timing of the stop operation is slightly shifted, the winning symbols are aligned.

  In this lottery and symbol stop operation, if a flag notification (bonus notification) or a reach point (a different result from the normal time that appears when the flag is established) occurs, the player can easily make a bonus symbol by pressing the button. Will be aligned. When the big bonus symbols are arranged on the active line, the big bonus game is started, and when the regular bonus symbols are arranged, the regular bonus game is started. By playing these bonus games, a predetermined number of medals M are paid out from the medal payout opening 50 to the tray 52, and the player can acquire a large amount of medals M.

  In addition, when the above-described bonus game or a variation game accompanying the bonus game or the variation game accompanying it becomes available as the game progresses, the pachislot machine 10 describes the bonus game or variation game on the information display section 62 of the information card 60. The operation of selectively instructing is performed.

  As shown in FIGS. 7A to 7D, the information card 60 includes characteristic game information and detailed game rule explanations for each game in the upper left area 62A and upper right area of the information display section 62. 62B, the lower left area 62C, and the lower right area 62D are divided into four areas. When the game corresponding to the description of the game rule displayed in the upper left area 62A becomes ready to play, the effect sub-board 102 controls the pointing device 80 based on the command signal from the main control board 100, and the indicator lamp When only 82A is caused to emit light (state shown in FIG. 7A) or is emitted / not emitted at a predetermined interval, and a game corresponding to the game rule explanation displayed in the upper right area 62B is in a playable state, the indicator lamp 82B Only the light is emitted (in the state shown in FIG. 7B) or light is emitted / non-lighted at a predetermined interval. Similarly, the corresponding game can be played in the explanation of the game rules in the lower left area 62C / lower right area 62D. When the state is reached, only the instruction lamp 82C / instruction lamp 82D is caused to emit light (the state shown in FIG. 7C) / the state shown in FIG. 7B), or light is emitted / not emitted at a predetermined interval.

  When the specific game ends and the normal game state is restored, the above instruction operation ends, and after a predetermined time, all the instruction lamps 82A, 82B, 82C and 82D emit light again. A production operation such as performing light emission / non-light emission at a predetermined interval (see FIG. 6) is performed.

  Next, the operation of the pachislot machine 10 according to the present embodiment described above will be described.

  In the pachislot machine 10 of the present embodiment, the player can grasp the game information by visually recognizing the information card 60 of the operation unit 34 (lower decorative panel 18) provided on the front side of the main body 14. Such an information card 60 can display characteristic game information, game rules, and the like of the pachislot machine 10, so that detailed game information can be provided with a simple configuration.

  Further, in the game, the main control board 100 and the production sub board 102 control the instruction device 80 in accordance with the progress of the game, so that the corresponding location of the game information in the information display unit 62 provided in the information card 60 (The upper left area 62A, the upper right area 62B, the lower left area 62C, and the lower right area 62D) are selectively instructed by the light emission / non-light emission operation of the instruction lamps 82A, 82B, 82C, and 82D. The player can easily check the necessary game information as the game progresses by visually recognizing the corresponding portion of the game information selectively instructed by the instruction lamps 82A, 82B, 82C, 82D. 10 can be operated quickly and accurately. Thereby, it is possible to avoid the disadvantage of the player who suffers by delaying the operation or not performing the necessary operation, and the interest of the game can be improved.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the information card 60 is accommodated in the concave portion 64 of the operation portion 34 with the surface 60A provided with the information display portion 62 facing outward, and by the cover plate 66 provided so as to close the concave portion 64. Covered. Since the cover plate 66 is made of a light-transmitting material, the player visually recognizes the information display section 62 (information regarding the game) of the information card 60 through the cover plate 66, and the characteristic game of the pachislot machine 10 You can understand information and game rules. Thereby, in the game, when the player manually operates the stop buttons 44A, 44B, 44C, etc. arranged on the operation unit 34, the player's hand does not touch the information card 60. Therefore, the information card 60 It is possible to prevent the information display unit 62 from being worn out and cannot be identified, or the information card 60 from being removed from the operation unit 34 and the aesthetic appearance being impaired. In addition, a communication port 70 is provided between the recess 64 and the cover plate 66 so that the inside of the recess 64 communicates with the outside, and the information card 60 can be inserted into and removed from the recess 64 via the communication port 70. The card 60 can be easily attached to and detached from the concave portion 64, and the burden of removing or reattaching the information card 60 in dismantling or recycling work of the pachislot machine 10 is reduced.

  In this embodiment, the operation unit 34 is provided on the lower decorative panel 18 attached to the front side of the main body 14 so that it can be opened and closed. When the lower decorative panel 18 is opened, the communication port 70 opens and the information card 60 is recessed. When the lower decorative panel 18 is closed, the communication port 70 is closed and the information card 60 stored in the recess 64 cannot be taken out. Thereby, in a state where the lower decorative panel 18 is closed, it is possible to prevent mischief such as the information card 60 being securely held in the recess 64 and being removed from the operation unit 34, and the pachislot machine 10 is disassembled and recycled. Then, since the information card 60 can be removed or reattached by simply opening the lower decorative panel 18, the work becomes easy. In addition, the configuration for holding the information card 60 in the recess 64 and making it easy to attach and detach can be simplified.

  In the present embodiment, the indication device 80 is configured by four indication lamps 82A, 82B, 82C, and 82D using light emitting elements 84A, 84B, 84C, and 84D as light sources, and the indication lamps 82A, 82B, 82C, and 82D. By switching between light emission / non-light emission, instruction / non-instruction of the game information in the information card 60 (upper left area 62A, upper right area 62B, lower left area 62C, lower right area 62D) is switched. By using such instruction lamps 82A, 82B, 82C, and 82D, the instruction device 80 can be simplified compared to a configuration in which, for example, the instruction / non-instruction state is mechanically switched.

  Further, in the present embodiment in which the instruction lamps 82A, 82B, 82C, and 82D are arranged around the information card 60, only the instruction lamps arranged in the vicinity of the corresponding portion to be instructed in the information display unit 62 (game information) emit light. It is possible to instruct the corresponding part by simple control such as

(Second Embodiment)
8 to 10 show an information card and an instruction device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In addition, in the operation part of the pachislot machine and the information card mounting structure according to the present embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same parts as those in the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the information card 110 of the present embodiment has a rectangular thin card shape, and has the same outer dimensions as the information card 60 of the first embodiment. This information card 110 is formed of a translucent or colored transparent light-transmitting resin material, and its surface (upper surface) 110A has a game rule and characteristic of the pachislot machine 10 as in the first embodiment. An information display unit 112 displaying various game information is provided by printing using colored ink or colored transparent ink. As for the information display unit 112, as shown in FIG. 10 (A), characteristic game information of the pachislot machine 10 or information on precautions is displayed in the central area 112E of the information display unit 112, Detailed game rule descriptions for each game are displayed separately in an upper left area 112A, an upper right area 112B, a lower left area 112C, and a lower right area 112D of the information display unit 112.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9, the pointing device 120 of the present embodiment is embedded in the bottom surface of the recess 64. The pointing device 120 includes a light emitting element unit (dot matrix LED unit) 124 in which a plurality of light emitting elements (chip LEDs) 122 are arranged in a matrix on a rectangular substrate in plan view. In the recessed part 64, it arrange | positions so that the upper surface (light emitting surface) of the light emitting element unit 124 may become the same height as the bottom face of the recessed part 64 of 1st Embodiment. In addition, the instruction device 120 is connected to the effect sub-board 102 in the same manner as the instruction device 80 of the first embodiment, and is controlled by the effect sub-board 102 based on a command signal from the main control board 100 to each light emitting element. 122 emits / not emits light. As a result, the information card 110 can be stored in the recess 64 through the communication port 70 formed between the rear edge of the recess 64 and the cover plate 66, and each light emission of the indicating device 120 in the stored state. When the element 122 emits light, the light passes through the information card 110 and the information display unit 112 is illuminated from the back side, and the state can be visually recognized through the cover plate 66 from the outside.

  Note that the procedure for attaching and detaching the information card 110 to and from the concave portion 64 of the operation unit 34 is the same as that in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

  Next, description will be made on the rendering operation and the instruction operation and action by the information card 110 and the instruction device 120 according to the present embodiment configured as described above.

  First, when the pachislot machine 10 is in the standby state (before the game starts) and in the normal game state, as shown in FIG. 10A, all the light emitting elements 122 of the pointing device 120 (light emitting element unit 124) are turned on. There is an effect operation of notifying the player of the presence of the information card 110 by emitting light, emitting / non-emitting light at a predetermined interval, or emitting / non-emitting each light emitting element 122 in a predetermined order or randomly. Done.

  In addition, in the case where various games are ready to be played as the game progresses, or when it is necessary to notify information related to game information or precautions characteristic to the player, the pachislot machine 10 uses an information card. The operation | movement which selectively instruct | indicates the location where those information was displayed in the information display part 112 of 110 is performed.

  Here, when the game corresponding to the description of the game rule displayed in the upper left area 112A is ready to play, the effect sub-board 102 moves to the pointing device 120 (light emitting element unit 124) based on the command signal from the main control board 100. ), Only the light emitting element 122 arranged on the back surface side of the upper left region 112A is caused to emit light (state shown in FIG. 10B), or is made to emit / not emit light at a predetermined interval, and is displayed in the upper right region 112B. When a game corresponding to the explanation of the played game rules is ready to be played, only the light emitting element 122 arranged on the back side of the upper right area 112B is caused to emit light, or light is emitted / not emitted at a predetermined interval. Regarding the explanation of the game rules in the area 112C / lower right area 112D, when the corresponding game is ready to play, the lower left area 112C / lower right area 112D. Emit only the light emitting element 122 disposed on the back side or light emission at a predetermined interval / non-emission is allowed.

  In addition, when it is necessary to notify the player of information related to game information or precautions as the game progresses, only the light emitting element 122 disposed on the back side of the central region 112E in the pointing device 120 is used. Emits light (state shown in FIG. 10C) or emits / non-emits light at a predetermined interval.

  In addition, when it is necessary to notify the player of characteristic game information or information related to precautions and a description of the game rule related to the information as the game progresses, the central area 112E in the pointing device 120 is used. And only the light emitting element 122 arranged on the back side of the area (for example, the upper right area 112B and the lower left area 112C) where the related game rule explanation is displayed (the state of FIG. 10D) or Light emission / non-light emission at a predetermined interval.

  The above is the presentation operation and the instruction operation by the information card 110 and the instruction device 120 according to the present embodiment. As described above, also in this embodiment, the main control board 100 and the production sub board 102 control the instruction device 120 in accordance with the progress of the game, so that the game in the information display unit 112 provided in the information card 110 is performed. Corresponding portions of information (upper left region 112A, upper right region 112B, lower left region 112C, lower right region 112D) are selectively illuminated and designated by the light emitting / non-light emitting operation of each light emitting element 122. The player can easily confirm the necessary game information as the game progresses by visually recognizing the corresponding portion of the game information selectively instructed by the instruction device 120, and quickly and accurately check the pachislot machine 10. It becomes possible to operate. Thereby, it is possible to avoid the disadvantage of the player who suffers by delaying the operation or not performing the necessary operation, and the interest of the game can be improved.

  Also, this embodiment uses the information card 110 in the same manner as the first embodiment, so that the characteristic game information and game rules of the pachislot machine 10 can be displayed in detail, and the game information can be easily displayed. It can be provided by configuration.

  Further, in the information card 110 of the present embodiment, the surface 110A on which the information display unit 112 is provided is covered by the transparent cover plate 66 in the state of being accommodated in the recess 64. The information display unit 112 can be visually recognized, and the characteristic game information and game rules of the pachislot machine 10 can be grasped. In the game, even if the player manually operates the stop buttons 44A, 44B, 44C, etc. Since the player's hand does not touch the information card 110, the information display unit 112 of the information card 110 is worn out and cannot be identified, and the information card 110 is prevented from being detached from the operation unit 34 to prevent the appearance from being damaged. it can. In addition, the information card 110 can be easily attached to and detached from the operation section 34 because the information card 110 can be inserted into and removed from the concave portion 64 through the communication port 70. The burden of removal or re-installation is reduced.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the instruction device 120 is configured by a light emitting element unit 124 having a plurality of light emitting elements 122 as light sources, and game information in the information card 110 is switched by switching between light emission and non-light emission of each light emitting element 122. The indication / non-indication of the corresponding part (the upper left area 112A, the upper right area 112B, the lower left area 112C, and the lower right area 112D) is switched. By using such a light emitting element unit 124, the configuration of the pointing device 120 can be simplified.

  Further, in the present embodiment in which the light emitting element unit 124 is disposed on the back side of the information card 110, the information card 110 is formed of a light transmissive material, and the back side of the corresponding portion to be instructed in the information card 110 (game information). By the simple control of causing only the light emitting element 122 arranged in the light to emit light, the corresponding portion can be instructed by illumination.

  Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the first and second embodiments described above, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various other embodiments are possible within the scope of the present invention. is there.

  For example, the information display units 62 and 112 in the information cards 60 and 110 are provided on the surfaces 60A and 110A by printing, but this may be provided by a seal or the like in addition to printing. In addition, the information display medium for displaying information related to the game is not limited to a card-like paper medium or a resin medium. In the first embodiment, rewriting using a display element having a metal medium or a memory property is used. It is also possible to use an electronic display medium such as a possible electronic paper (digital paper). Moreover, the instruction | indication operation | movement of the specific location (corresponding location) of the information cards 60 and 110 by light emission / non-light emission of the instruction devices 80 and 120 can be performed in addition to the operations described in the first and second embodiments. .

  In addition, the present invention is not limited to a gaming machine in which the information display medium (information cards 60 and 110) is arranged at the center of the upper surface 34A of the operation unit 34, but may be a part that may be rubbed by the player's hand during the game ( The present invention may be applied to a gaming machine arranged at a side edge of the upper surface 34A or an empty space on the front surface 34B) or a gaming machine in which a decorative panel provided on the front side of the gaming machine main body is integrated. it can.

1 is a perspective view showing a pachislot machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a partial cross section side view which shows the lower decoration panel 18 in the pachi-slot machine of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the attachment structure of the information card provided in the operation part of the information card and the pachislot machine which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention, and an instruction | indication apparatus. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the attachment structure of the information card | curd shown by FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a pachislot machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view which shows presentation operation | movement of the information card which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows instruction | indication operation | movement of the specific location of the information card based on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the attachment structure of the information card provided in the operation part of the information card and the pachislot machine which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention, and an instruction | indication apparatus. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the attachment structure and instruction | indication apparatus of the information card | curd shown by FIG. It is a top view which shows presentation operation | movement of the information card which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention, and instruction | indication operation | movement of a specific location.

Explanation of symbols

10 Pachi-slot machines (game machines)
14 body (game machine body)
34 Operation part 42 Start lever 44A Stop button (operation input means)
44B Stop button (operation input means)
44C Stop button (operation input means)
60 Information card (information display medium)
62 Information display section (game information)
62A Upper left area (specific part of game information)
62B Upper right area (specific part of game information)
62C Lower left area (specific location of game information)
62D Lower right area (specific location of game information)
64 Recess 66 Cover plate (cover member)
70 communication port 80 indicating device (indicating means)
82A Indicator lamp (Indicator)
82B Indicator lamp (Indicator)
82C Indicator lamp (Indicator)
82D indicator lamp (indicator)
84A Light-emitting element 84B Light-emitting element 84C Light-emitting element 84D Light-emitting element 100 Main control board (control means)
102 Sub board for production (control means)
110 Information card 112 Information display section (game information)
112A Upper left area (specific location of game information)
112B Upper right area (specific part of game information)
112C Lower left area (specific location of game information)
112D Lower right area (specific location of game information)
120 Indicating device (indicating means)
122 light emitting element 124 light emitting element unit (instruction means)

Claims (4)

An information display medium provided on the front side of the gaming machine main body and displaying information about the game;
Instruction means for selectively instructing a specific location of game information in the information display medium;
Control means for controlling the instruction means in accordance with the progress of the game;
A gaming machine characterized by comprising: An operation unit provided on the front side of the gaming machine main body and provided with operation input means for playing a game;
A recess provided in the operation unit;
A cover member provided so as to close the concave portion and formed of a light-transmitting material;
A communication port that is provided between the recess and the cover member and communicates the inside of the recess with the outside;
Have
The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the information display medium can be inserted into and removed from the recess through the communication port.   The gaming machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the instruction means comprises a plurality of light emitting elements.   The gaming machine according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of light emitting elements are arranged on at least one of the periphery and the back side of the information display medium.

Images