JP2006055372A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine which enables the economical replacement of parts while enabling the blocking of the fraudulent attempt to open the upper door slightly by making the opening openable or closeable on the front of a cabinet without employing the single swing door using a hinge. <P>SOLUTION: A lid body (30) provided with a frame member (31) so formed as to be visually recognizable from the front side of the symbols on a figure display means and a panel member (32) is mounted on a replacement unit (2) covering the front of the support (21). The lid body (30) is able to open or close the opening top (13) of a cabinet (1) while the replacement unit (2) is housed into the cabinet and the panel member (32) is disabled from being removed from the frame member (31) when the upper part of the opening is closed by the lid body (30) and allowed to be removed from the frame member (31) at the position of sliding ahead as compared with that when the opening top (13) is closed by the lid body (30). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine in which an exchange unit equipped with a symbol display means and a control device is detachably formed inside a casing.

Conventionally, from the viewpoint of effective use of resources, simplification of game machine replacement work, and cost reduction, only the minimum components necessary for changing the game contents are replaced, and the housing and other components remain in the hall. A separate slot machine has been devised (see Patent Document 1). In this separation-type slot machine, the front door is divided into an upper door and a lower door, and the upper door is attached to an exchange unit in which the reel unit and control device are mounted on the support. The unit and the upper door are integrally attached and detached, and the housing and the lower front door are formed to be used as they are.
On the other hand, from the viewpoint of minimizing the number of replacement parts, a separate slot machine has been devised in which a panel member is detachably attached to a front door frame (see Patent Document 2).
JP 2003-47686 A JP 2003-260169 A

However, in the conventional separation type slot machine, the upper front door is pivotally attached to the support body of the replacement unit via the hinge, so that the hinge portion that is cantilevered when the door is opened is heavy, The support tends to be distorted. In addition, if the accuracy of the pivoting between the hinge part and the engaging part of the upper door is not good, a gap is formed between the lower part of the upper door and the upper part of the lower door, and a gouge action that causes a wire or the like to enter from the gap. There was a risk of inviting. Furthermore, if the door is a single-open door structure using a hinge, it can be easily opened with one hand if the key is unlocked, and the internal device can be touched by slightly opening the door without being distracted by the clerk or the surroundings. So there was a problem with the measures against goto.
On the other hand, there are parts that can be used in common in multiple models if there is no complete change in the design of the gaming machine, even if the replacement unit is replaced every time the face is changed. There was a waste of having been replaced.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and can open and close the opening on the front of the housing without adopting a single-open door using a hinge, which is a more economical replacement part. An object is to provide a game machine that can be exchanged.

The invention described in the claims has been made to achieve the above-described object, and the features of the present invention will be described below using the embodiments of the invention shown in the drawings.
In addition, the code | symbol in parenthesis shows the code | symbol used in embodiment of invention, and does not limit the technical scope of this invention.
(Feature point)
(Claim 1)
The invention described in claim 1 is characterized by the following points.
That is, the invention described in claim 1 is a case (1) having an opening (11) on the front surface, a symbol display means capable of variably displaying and stopping a plurality of symbols, and for controlling the operation of the gaming machine. An exchange unit (2) equipped with at least the symbol display means and the control device on a support (21) formed so as to be housed in the upper opening (13) of the housing (1). The present invention relates to a gaming machine formed slidably and detachably in the front-rear direction with respect to the housing (1).

The gaming machine according to the present invention is a gaming machine installed in a game arcade, and is suitable for, for example, a slot machine or a similar gaming machine. In addition to the above, the gaming machine has a payout device (hopper unit 5) for storing and paying out game medals as game media, and a switch for changing the main power supply of the gaming machine and the gaming machine. You may have a power supply unit (4) etc. In addition, it has a middle plate (12) that partitions the opening (11) of the housing (1) up and down, and a lower door (40) that closes a part of the opening (11) (for example, the lower part of the opening (14)). It may be.
Here, the “symbol display means” includes a rotating reel (25) displaying a plurality of symbols rotated by a drive motor, a liquid crystal display device, and the like. The “control device” is a so-called board, and includes a game control device for controlling a game and an effect control device for controlling an effect accompanying the game. The “control device” can be configured as a board unit (24) in which a control board is housed in a board case.

  The replacement unit (2) has at least the “symbol display means” and “control device” installed on the support (21), and may be capable of mounting other components. The support (21) includes a rectangular metal frame or the like, and is supported inside the casing by, for example, a middle plate (12) as a mounting member provided in the casing (1). The exchange unit (2) is slidably and detachably attached to the casing (1) in the front-rear direction. Here, “detachable” does not mean that it can be simply attached and detached, but that it can be attached and detached without using a tool such as a screwdriver or even with a tool. I mean. Therefore, for example, the fixing means (fixing device (10)) for fixing the support unit (21) and the housing (1) of the replacement unit (2) secures the “detachable” such as the catch clip and the hook. It is a thing of such a structure.

As a means for attaching the replacement unit (2) so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction with respect to the housing (1), for example, a roller (27) is provided at the bottom of the support (21) and placed. The middle plate (12) as a member and the upper surface of the guide rail can be rolled.
The replacement unit (2) is attached with a lid (upper door (30)) that covers the front of the support (21) and is formed so that the symbol of the symbol display means can be seen from the front side. Yes. This lid (30) has a window part (38) through which the rear side can be seen through from the front side, and an opening (panel insertion opening (37)) provided on either side of the outer circumference excluding the front side and the rear side And a panel member (32) that is at least partially transparent and is detachably attached to the frame member (31) from the opening (37). Further, the lid (30) can close the upper opening (13) of the casing (1) in a state in which the replacement unit (2) is housed in the casing. The panel member (32) cannot be removed from the frame member (31) when the lid (30) closes the upper opening (13), and the lid (30) It is characterized in that it is formed so as to be removable from the frame member (31) at a position slid forward from the time of closing in (13).

  The lid (30) includes a frame member (31) and a panel member (32), is attached to the front side of the support (21) of the replacement unit (2), and houses the replacement unit (2). At least the upper opening (13) of the housing (1) can be closed from the front side while being fixed at a fixed position in the body. Here, the lid (30) may be fixed to the front surface of the support (21), or may be detachably attached to the support (21). Alternatively, the support (21) may be formed so as to be movable (eg, slidable back and forth). The lid (30) can be configured as a front door (upper door (30)) that closes the upper opening (13) of the housing (1). In this case, a lower door (40) that can freely open and close the lower opening (14) of the housing (1) is provided, and if the lower door (40) is not opened, the replacement unit (2) and the lid (30) will move forward. It is preferable to prevent sliding.

  The frame member (31) includes, for example, a frame-like rectangular frame or a hollow thin box, and includes a decorative portion (33) which is a front design of a gaming machine, an electric decoration such as a lamp, and a speaker. You may provide the display part for the production to include. Here, the window (38) is formed so as to be able to see what is on the other side from the front side to the back side, and the exchange unit (2) is arranged inside the casing (1). When it is stored in the game machine, the symbols on the symbol display means mounted on the support (21) can be seen from the front side of the gaming machine. The window (38) may be, for example, an opening that penetrates from the front to the back of the frame-shaped frame member (31) and opens to the front and back of the hollow box-shaped frame member (31). The formed transparent part may be sufficient.

Further, “any side of the outer circumference excluding the front side and the back side” of the frame member (31) means the upper side, the lower side, the right side, and the left side of the frame member (31). The opening (37) can be a slit or an open hole provided on at least one of them.
The panel member (32) can be a plate member installed on the front side of the support (21), and is formed so that the symbol of the symbol display means can be seen from the front side. For example, the window may be formed by forming an opening in the opaque panel member (32) and fitting a transparent member, or by printing or pasting a sheet on the transparent panel member (32). . In addition, the panel member (32) may have a display unit for displaying the explanation of the game and the characteristics of the gaming machine, and a display unit for performing various displays by energization.

The panel member (32) is detachably formed on the frame member (31). That is, the panel member (32) can be fitted and fixed in the opening (37), and can be released from the opening (37) after being fixed. The fixing means (locking means (39)) for fixing the frame member (31) and the panel member (32) has a structure capable of securing the “detachable”, such as a concave portion and a convex portion biased by a spring. Preferably.
Here, in “the lid (30) slides forward than when the upper opening (13) is closed”, the replacement unit (2) itself slides forward from the fixed position of the housing (1). If the lid (30) attached to the replacement unit (2) slides forward together, the replacement unit (2) remains fixed to the housing (1) and the lid (30) Including both cases where only slides forward.

When the cover member (32) closes the upper opening portion (13), the panel member (32) cannot be removed from the frame member (31). ) Can be removed from the frame member (31) at a position slid forward from the closed position '', for example, if the lid (30) is not slid forward, the lower door (40) The panel member (32) comes into contact with other structural members such as the inner plate (12) and the internal device and the movement of the panel member (32) is prevented, the replacement unit (2) and the lid ( This includes preventing the opening (37) of the frame member (31) from appearing and the panel member (32) from being removed unless the 30) is slid forward.
(Function)
In the gaming machine of the present invention, when so-called face change, the replacement unit (2) with the lid (30) attached can be slid forward from the upper opening (13) and taken out from the housing (1). it can. If the lid (30) is separable from the replacement unit (2), remove the lid (30) from the replacement unit (2) and replace the replacement unit (2) with the panel. By exchanging the member (32), the game content and the front design of the gaming machine can be changed. In this case, if electrical decorations or decorations that do not need to be replaced every time the game content is changed are fixed to the frame member (31), unnecessary replacement is not necessary. Furthermore, if only the panel member (32) is replaced without replacing the replacement unit (2), it is possible to provide a gaming machine having the same game content but a different front design.

(Claim 2)
The invention described in claim 2 is characterized by the following points in addition to the features of the invention described in claim 1 described above.
In other words, the frame member (31) is attached to the support (21) of the exchange unit (2) so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction, and the panel member (32) is When the lid (30) closes the upper opening (13), it cannot be removed from the frame member (31), and can be removed from the frame member (31) by sliding the frame member (31) forward. It is formed so that it may become.

In the present invention, the lid (30) is formed so as to be movable in the front-rear direction with respect to the replacement unit (2). The frame member (31) may be separable from the support (21).
Here, as means for attaching the frame member (31) to the support (21) so as to be slidable, for example, a tubular or concave or convex portion provided on the support (21) from the near side to the back side. The guide rail (22) made of the above and the rod-like or plate-like slide member (35) provided on the frame member (31) can be engaged with each other via a roller or the like to be slidable.
(Function)
According to the present invention, the panel member (32) can be removed from the frame member (31) without sliding the replacement unit (2) as a whole. Also, with the replacement unit (2) fixed to the housing (1), slide the lid (30) forward so that there is sufficient space between the back of the lid (30) and the front of the housing (1). This makes it possible to operate internal devices (symbol display means, control device, fixing device (10), etc.) in the upper part of the opening (13).

(Claim 3)
The invention described in claim 3 is characterized by the following points in addition to the characteristics of the invention described in claim 1 or 2.
That is, in the invention according to claim 3, the window portion (38) of the frame member is an opening penetrating from the front to the back of the frame member, and the panel member (32) is fitted into the frame member (31). In the fixed state, at least the front side of the window (38) is formed so as to be closed.
In the present invention, by inserting the panel member (32) into the frame member (31), at least the front side of the window (38) which is an opening provided in the frame member (31) is placed on the panel member (32). The front surface is formed so as to be closed from the inside of the frame member (31). That is, according to the present invention, the front of the upper opening (13) is opened by the movement of the panel member (32).

(Function)
In the present invention, when the panel member (32) is extracted from the opening (37) of the frame member (31), the inside of the upper opening (13) can be exposed. In this case, the window (38) can be opened without completely removing the panel member (32) from the frame member (31).
According to the present invention, the frame member (31) is largely pulled out from the support (21) of the replacement unit (2), and the side or between the front surface of the housing (1) and the back surface of the frame member (31) Without enough space to insert a hand from above, or without removing the replacement unit (2) or frame member (31) from the housing (1), Maintenance of the symbol display means and the like can be easily performed.

  Since the present invention is configured as described above, the opening at the front of the housing can be opened and closed without adopting a one-sided door using a hinge, and more economical replacement parts can be replaced. A gaming machine can be provided.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, taking a slot machine as an example of a gaming machine.
(Explanation of drawings)
1 to 5 show an embodiment of the present invention.
1 and 2 are exploded perspective views of the slot machine, FIGS. 3 and 4 are longitudinal sectional views of the slot machine, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line I-I in FIG. 6 to 9 are diagrams showing another example of another embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the slot machine S according to the present embodiment is roughly divided into a casing 1 having an opening 11 on the front side, an exchange unit 2 detachably provided inside the casing 1, and a casing. It is comprised from the front door 3 which block | closes 1 opening part 11 so that opening and closing is possible. The front door 3 is divided into an upper door 30 that covers the opening upper portion 13 of the housing 1 so as to be openable and closable, and a lower door 40 that closes the opening lower portion 14 of the housing 1 so as to be openable and closable.

(Case 1)
As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 1 is a box that opens to the front surface (front surface facing the player) composed of a bottom plate 15, a side plate 16, a top plate 17, and a back plate 18. The middle plate 12 is provided in the horizontal direction between the two side plates 16, 16 ′. A power supply unit 4 is attached to the lower surface of the middle plate 12, and a hopper unit 5 is installed and fixed to the upper surface of the bottom plate 15. Further, a fixing device 10 for fixing the replacement unit 2 is provided on the side of the upper opening 13 of the side plates 16 and 16 ′.
Here, the power supply unit 4 includes a power supply device (not shown), and includes a switch for the hall manager to perform various settings. The hopper unit 5 is for storing and paying out game medals. The power supply unit 4 and the hopper unit 5 do not necessarily need to be replaced at the time of so-called “replacement”, and can be left installed when the gaming machine is replaced.

Further, two casing hinges 19 for engaging the lower door 40 and rotatably supporting the lower door 40 are provided in the lower part of the left side plate 16 on the front side at intervals in the vertical direction.
The fixing device 10 is provided inside the side plates 16 and 16 'in FIG. 1, but the installation location of the fixing device 10 is not limited to this position. For example, it may be provided on the upper surface of the intermediate plate 12 or on the front or lower surface of the intermediate plate 12.
(Exchange unit 2)
The exchange unit 2 is formed of a support body 21 made of a rectangular metal frame, and a reel unit 20 and a substrate unit 24 fixed to the support body 21.

Here, the support body 21 removably fixes the reel unit 20 and the substrate unit 24 to the housing 1 and allows them to be handled integrally. In addition, two guide rails 22 as slide devices 50 for supporting the upper door 30 slidably in the front-rear direction are provided at the left and right side lower portions of the support body 21. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, rollers 26 for allowing the replacement unit 2 to slide in the front-rear direction with respect to the housing 1 are provided at both ends of the bottom surface of the support 21.
The reel unit 20 includes three drive motors (not shown) fixed to a support frame, and three rotary reels 23 that are respectively attached to the drive motors and display a plurality of symbols around the drive motors. Yes. The board unit 24 is a board board housing a control board having a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and functions as a control device of the slot machine S. The board unit 24 is provided with a main board mainly for controlling the game and a sub board for controlling effects associated with the game.

Note that it is sufficient that at least the main substrate is mounted on the support 21. That is, by changing the main board, the game content of the slot machine S is changed. By replacing the board unit 24 with the rotary reel 23, the slot machine S is replaced with a new model. Can be handled.
The support 21 may be capable of fixedly installing other components. For example, a switch unit provided with a setting change switch for changing the game setting of the slot machine S and a switch for adjusting the volume may be fixed. Further, the support 21 is not limited to a metal frame, and may be a frame formed of an appropriate material such as resin or carbon.

The replacement unit 2 is placed on the middle plate 12 of the housing 1 with the upper door 30 attached, and is housed inside the upper opening 13. Then, it is fixed to the housing 1 by the fixing device 10.
(Upper door 30)
The upper door 30 is a plate-like door that is supported by the support 21 of the replacement unit 2 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction, and corresponds to a “lid” described in the claims. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the upper door 30 has a configuration in which a plate-like front panel 32 is fitted into a frame-like upper door frame 31.
(Upper door frame 31)
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper door frame 31 is made of a frame material having a rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front, a gate shape when viewed from the back surface, and a substantially U-shaped frame material penetrating from the front surface to the rear surface. The window portion 38 is provided. A decorative portion 33 is provided around the window portion 38 on the front surface of the upper door frame 31, and a panel insertion opening 37 for fitting the front panel 32 is formed below the upper door frame 31. Yes.

The decoration part 33 can be formed as an electrical decoration for production by providing a light emitter such as a lamp inside. Although not particularly illustrated, the upper door frame 31 may be provided with a speaker, a liquid crystal display device, or the like.
As shown in FIG. 5, an upper door frame connector 36A that can be connected to a connector 36 (panel connector 36B) provided on the front panel 32 is provided on the upper inside of the upper door frame 31. Inside the side of the frame 31, as the locking means 39 for locking the front panel 32, there are provided two recesses 39A that open opposite each other toward the center with a gap in the vertical direction. Yes.
A slide member 35 as a slide device 50 that can be engaged with the guide rail 22 provided on the support 21 of the replacement unit 2 is provided below the back surface of the upper door frame 31.

Although not particularly illustrated, a lock mechanism for locking the upper door 30 to the support 21 is provided at a predetermined position of the upper door frame 31. In other words, the upper door 30 can close the opening upper portion 13 of the housing 1 in a state where the upper door 30 is pushed into the innermost position (see FIG. 3). The lock mechanism may be of any form such as a cylinder lock or a latch mechanism. In addition, this locking mechanism can be released only when the lower door 40 is opened. For example, it is provided at the lower front portion of the upper door frame 31 that is hidden behind the lower door 40 when the lower door 40 is closed, or at the bottom of the upper door frame 31.
(Front panel 32)
The front panel 32 is a plate member that has a larger outer dimension than the window portion 38 of the upper door frame 31 and closes the window portion 38 by being fitted through the panel insertion opening 37.

The front panel 32 forms a symbol display window that allows the symbols of the plurality of rotating reels 23 to be seen from the front side in a substantially central portion, for example, by sticking or printing a plastic film on a transparent acrylic plate. In addition, a description (such as a character symbol) describing the game and the characteristics of the gaming machine is provided around the symbol display window. Further, the front panel 32 is provided with a display device 34 for performing various displays. The display device 34 is a 7-segment LED, a light emitter such as a lamp, an EL plate, and the like, and the display can be viewed from the front side.
Further, a panel connector 36B that can be connected to the frame connector 36A of the upper door frame 31 is provided at the approximate center of the upper end of the front panel 32. When the frame connector 36A and the panel connector 36B are connected, the display device 34 provided on the front panel 32 is electrically connected to the substrate unit 34 via the upper door 30.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, convex portions 39 </ b> B as locking means 39 are provided above both side surfaces of the front panel 32. This convex portion 39B is a tip-like or semi-cylindrical protruding member that is constantly urged outward by a spring (not shown) provided inside the front panel 32. It is supposed to be buried. Accordingly, when the front panel 32 is inserted from the panel insertion opening 37, the convex portion 39B is placed on the inner surface of the side wall of the upper door frame 31 to be immersed in the front panel 32 and positioned in the concave portion 39A of the upper door frame 31. , Projecting and engaging in the recess 39A. The front panel 32 is locked to the upper door frame 31 by this engagement.
The form of the locking means 39 is not limited to the above, and for example, the concave portion 39A may be provided on the front panel 32 and the convex portion 39B may be provided on the upper door frame 31. Further, as the locking means 39, a leaf spring and a spring receiving portion may be provided.

(Slide device 50)
Here, the slide device 50 will be described in detail.
The slide device 50 includes a guide rail 22 provided on the support 21 of the replacement unit 2 and a slide member 35 provided on the upper door frame 31 of the upper door 30. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the guide rails 22 are two tubular rails provided at the left and right ends of the upper surface of the bottom plate of the support 21 from the front side to the back side. On the other hand, the slide member 35 extends from the rear bottom portion of the upper door frame 31 of the upper door 30 toward the rear side, and is a long length made of a tube material or an angle material having an outer dimension smaller than the inner dimension of the guide rail 22. It is a member.

Although not particularly illustrated, either or both of the guide rail 22 and the slide member 35 eliminates frictional resistance between the inner surface of the guide rail 22 and the outer surface of the slide member 35, and the slide member 35 is provided inside the guide rail 22. Support members for supporting the roller, such as rollers, rollers, and bearings, are provided. The slide member 35 slides in the front-rear direction inside the guide rail 22 so that the front door 30 slides back and forth with respect to the housing 1. Note that the slide member 35 may be slidably attached to and fixed to the guide rail 22, or may be formed so as to be removable from the guide rail 22.
Further, although not particularly illustrated, the slide device 50 is inserted into the guide rail 22 at the position shown in FIG. 4, that is, the position where the front panel 32 can be pulled out from the panel insertion opening 37 without interfering with the housing 1. A stopper is provided for temporary fixing. This stopper is, for example, a concave portion and a convex portion provided on the slide member 35 and the guide rail 22, and the upper door 30 can be restricted from moving back and forth by engaging the concave portion and the convex portion. When the upper door 30 is pushed or pulled with a certain force, the engagement of the concave portion and the convex portion is released and the upper door 30 can be slid back and forth. By providing this stopper, the front panel 32 can be attached and detached stably.

Here, if the stopper is formed, for example, so that the upper door 30 is locked at the position shown in FIG. 4 so as not to slide further forward, the upper door 30 is slidably fixed to the replacement unit 2. Become. In this case, the replacement unit 2 can be taken out from the upper opening 13 by pulling the upper door 30 further forward from the position shown in FIG.
Further, it is preferable that the electrical connection between the upper door 30 and the substrate unit 24 is performed via the slide member 50. Specifically, although not particularly illustrated, for example, a harness for transmitting various electrical signals is passed through the guide rail 22, and this harness is provided at a predetermined location such as the middle or rear end of the slide member 35. Connect to the correct connector. When the front door 30 is pulled out to some extent (for example, when it is slid to the front side to the position shown in FIG. 4), the electrical connection is not broken, but the slide member 35 is further to the front side than the position. When pulled out or when the slide member 35 is completely removed from the guide rail 22, the connector and harness are released (or automatically released) so that the electrical connection can be disconnected. Can do.

  Note that the configuration of the slide device 50 is not limited to that described above. For example, as shown in FIG. 6A, as the slide member 35, a slide plate 351 formed substantially across the width direction is provided at the bottom of the back surface of the upper door frame 31, and this slide plate is used as the bottom plate of the support 21 of the exchange unit 2. Can be slidably formed. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6B, as the slide member 35, a slide plate 352 having a concave portion 353 formed from the both side end portions on the back side of the upper door frame 31 toward the back side is provided. The slide plate 352 may be formed to be slidable with respect to the side plate of the support 21 by engaging with the convex portion 354 formed on the side plate of the support 21. In addition, although not particularly illustrated, a known technique such as a desk drawer storage structure can be used.

(Lower door 40)
The lower door 40 is a door wider than the upper door 30 for closing the opening lower portion 14 of the housing 1, and is formed on the side plate 16 of the housing 1 so as to be rotatable and lockable.
As shown in FIG. 1, the upper part of the lower door 40 is an operation unit 41 for operating the slot machine S, and the upper surface of the lower door 40 is more than the upper door 30 when the door is closed. It protrudes to the front side. As the operation unit 41, a medal insertion port 42 is provided at a step portion formed at the upper right end of the lower door 40, a bet switch and a settlement switch provided on the left side of the upper surface, and a start switch and a stop switch are provided on the front side. Yes. The start switch and stop switch are for starting and stopping the rotation of the rotary reel 25. The bet switch is for replacing a stored medal with medal insertion.

A medal tray 43 for storing medals paid out from the hopper unit 5 is attached to the lower part of the lower door 40, and a medal discharge port for discharging the paid out medals is formed in the medal plate 43. ing. A lower panel unit is detachably attached between the operation unit 41 and the medal tray 43. The lower panel unit has a display panel fitted into a frame body, and although not particularly shown, a hook-shaped engagement portion that can be engaged with a mounting groove provided on the lower door 40 on the back surface of the frame body. And can be removed from the back side of the lower door 40 by releasing the engagement.
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a medal selector 45 for determining the authenticity of the medal while guiding the medal inserted from the medal insertion slot 42 is provided on the back side of the lower door 40. In addition, two lower door engaging portions 46 that can be engaged with the hinge 19 are provided at the right end of the back surface of the lower door 40 at intervals in the vertical direction. A lock mechanism 7 is provided at the side end. In this locking mechanism 7, the locking piece provided on the lower door 40 side is not particularly shown, but is locked to a convex portion provided on the inner surface of the side plate 16 ′ on the side opposite to the hinge of the housing 1, When the door is closed, it is automatically locked, and when a predetermined key is inserted and turned in a key hole 44 (see FIG. 1) provided at the front side end of the lower door 40, the lock is released.

(Replacement of slot machine S)
With respect to the slot machine S formed as described above, a procedure for opening and closing the upper door 30 and so-called surface changing will be described.
In the closed state of the slot machine S, as shown in FIG. 3, the support 21 is fixed in the upper opening portion 13 of the housing 1, and the upper door 30 in which the front panel 32 is fitted and fixed to the upper door frame 31 is provided. The upper opening portion 13 is blocked from the front side. On the other hand, the lower door 40 closes the lower opening portion 14 of the housing 1 from the front side and presses the lower end portion of the upper door 30 from the front side.
Next, for example, when opening the upper door 30 and opening the upper opening 13 in order to check the board unit 24 and match the design of the rotary reel 23, first the lock of the lower door 40 is released and the lower door 40 is moved. Open and allow the upper door 30 to be unlocked. When the upper door 30 is unlocked by a predetermined release method and the upper door frame 31 is pulled forward, the slide member 35 slides in the guide rail 22 and the upper door 30 slides forward, as shown in FIG. As shown, a gap is formed between the back surface of the upper door frame 31 and the front surface of the housing 1. Therefore, when the front panel 32 is pulled down, the locking means 39 is disengaged, and the front panel 32 can be slid downward from the panel insertion opening 37. As a result, the window 38 is opened, and the inside of the upper opening 13 can be exposed.

Here, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 5, the front panel 32 is temporarily locked at a position where the convex portion 39B engages with the concave portion 39A provided on the lower side of the inner wall of the upper door frame. Even if the front panel 32 is not pressed by hand, it does not fall and the upper opening 13 can be kept open. Incidentally, when removing the front panel 32 from the upper door frame 31, it is only necessary to pull it further downward from this position.
On the other hand, when changing the surface, the front panel 32 is slid downward to expose the inside of the upper opening 13, and then the fixing device 10 is removed by inserting a hand from the window portion 38, and the support 21 and the housing 1. Release the lock. Alternatively, even if the upper door 30 is pulled out further to the near side than the position shown in FIG. 4 and a hand is inserted through the gap between the back surface of the upper door frame 31 and the front surface of the housing 1, the fixing device 10 is removed. Good. Then, the replacement unit 2 is pulled out from the upper opening 13 together with the upper door 30. Then, the new replacement unit 2 and the upper door 30 may be integrally stored in the upper opening 13 and fixed by the fixing device 10. For the lower door 40, it is only necessary to replace the lower panel unit or the display panel.

  Here, when the slide member 35 is formed so as to be removable from the guide rail 22, the support 21 may be taken out after the upper door 30 is completely removed from the support 21. In this case, the game content and the front design of the slot machine can be changed by reusing the upper door frame 31 and replacing only the front panel 32 and the support 21. In this way, since the decorative portion 33 provided on the upper door frame 31 and the display device for production can be reused, the number of replacement parts can be reduced and the replacement cost can be reduced. In addition, by replacing only the upper door 30 or only the front panel 32 with the support 21 left stationary on the housing 1, it is possible to provide a slot machine with the same game content but different front design. Become.

  Note that the upper door 30 is pulled out slightly forward to open the window 38, or the front panel 32 is removed when the front panel 32 is pulled downward, its lower end is This is so as not to interfere with internal devices such as the hopper unit 5 installed at the lower front portion 1 and the lower opening portion 14. Therefore, when there is nothing that prevents the movement of the front panel 32 below the panel insertion opening 37 when the lower door 40 is opened, it is not necessary to pull out the upper door 30 to the front. However, if the front door 30 is slightly pulled out and temporarily fixed, the upper end of the lower door 40 will not abut against the front door 30 and the lower door 40 will not close under its own weight, so that the front panel 32 can be inserted and removed. There is an advantage that it is easy to work.

By the way, as the fixing device 10, for example, a catch clip provided on the lower surface of the intermediate plate 12 and a hook extending downward from the bottom of the exchange unit 2 through the intermediate plate 12 are provided. If the replacement unit 2 is formed so as to be fixed to the intermediate plate 12, it is not necessary to slide the upper door 30 or the front panel 32 to insert the replacement unit 2 into the case, and the replacement operation can be performed quickly. Can be done.
Thus, according to the present embodiment, the configuration in which the inside of the opening upper portion 13 is exposed by sliding the upper door 30 forward and pulling the front panel 32 downward, in other words, the lower door 40 must be fully opened. Since the inside of the opening upper part 13 cannot be exposed, it is difficult to perform a go-to action by opening the front door 3. Also, if the front panel 32 is removed, the electrical connection of the display device 34 provided on the front panel 32 will be cut off. It leads to deterrence.

Furthermore, in the door with the conventional hinge structure, if the key is unlocked, it can be easily opened with one hand and fraudulent, but the sliding load in this embodiment does not reduce the load to be slid. . For this reason, it is difficult to open with one hand, and if you try to open it with both hands, the operation becomes large and stands out, which also suppresses fraud.
Further, in the case of the hinged door, the inside of the housing can be accessed only by slightly opening, but in this embodiment, a protruding piece (for example, slide plates 351 and 352) that protrudes from the rear outer edge of the upper door 30 to the rear side is provided. Since the gap between the front surface of the housing 1 and the back surface of the upper door 30 can be closed, it is possible to prevent access to the inside of the housing unless the upper door 30 is pulled out largely.

(Another embodiment of the present invention)
In the above-described embodiment, the support 21 is formed so as to be placed on the intermediate plate 12. However, the intermediate plate 12 is not provided in the housing 1, and the support plate 21 is provided by other support means. It may be supported inside. For example, although not particularly illustrated, a support member (a projecting piece, a fixture, a support column, etc.) for supporting the support 21 from below may be provided on the inner peripheral surface of the side plates 16, 16 ′ and the back plate 18 and the bottom plate 15. Good. Alternatively, a suspension member that can support the support 21 in a suspended manner can be provided on the lower surface of the top plate 17.
In the above embodiment, the upper door 30 can be slid to the front side while the support 21 is fixed inside the housing 1. For example, as shown in FIG. The upper door 30 may be fixed to the support 21 of the unit 2, and the replacement unit 2 and the upper door 30 may be formed so as to slide together.

Here, the means for making the replacement unit 2 and the upper door 30 slidable with respect to the housing 1 may be as shown in FIG. 8 in addition to the roller 26 shown in FIG. This is the same as the slide device 50 described in FIG. 6, and the slide plate 351 is formed to be slidable with respect to the middle plate 12, or the slide plate 352 is used as the side plates 16, 16 ′ of the housing 1. It is formed so as to be slidable with respect to the side plate 16 by engaging with a convex portion 354 formed on the inner surface of the plate.
Even in this case, if the fixing device 10 is provided on the lower surface of the middle plate 12, there is no need to pull out the front panel 32 and open the window 38 of the upper door frame 31, and the replacement work can be performed quickly. it can.
Furthermore, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 9, the front panel 32 of the upper door 30 may be formed so as to be slidable and removable from a panel insertion opening 37 provided on the side of the upper door frame 31. . In this case, when the door is closed, the upper door 30 fits inside the housing 1 and closes the upper opening 13 so that the lower end of the visual door 30 is covered by the upper end of the lower door 40 from the front side. . Even when formed in this way, the upper door 30 cannot slide forward unless the lower door 40 is fully opened. Therefore, as in the case of the above-described embodiment, it is possible to prevent an illegal act by opening the front door 3. it can.

  Here, from the viewpoint of preventing fraud, the window portion 38 of the upper door frame 31 is fitted with a transparent member at least on the front surface of the upper door frame 31 instead of the “opening” as described in the above embodiment. Alternatively, it may be a “surface” formed integrally with the surrounding decorative portion 33 and transparent. If formed in this way, there is no gap between the periphery of the window portion 38 and the front panel 32 (there is no seam in the front of the upper door 30), so that it is difficult to receive fraud from the front side. On the other hand, the back surface of the upper door frame 31 is preferably formed as an opening in view of the fact that the electronic components and the substrate of the display device 34 protrude from the back surface of the front panel 32. However, when formed in this way, it is necessary to pull out the upper door 30 to the maximum extent or to remove the upper door 30 from the housing 1 in order to expose the inside of the upper opening 13.

  The present invention can also be applied to gaming machines other than slot machines. For example, the present invention can be applied to a parrot game machine that uses a game ball such as a pachinko ball instead of a game medal to perform a game similar to a slot machine.

1 is an exploded perspective view of a slot machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the slot machine with the front door opened according to the embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a slot machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a slot machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II in FIG. 3 according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is other embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a schematic perspective view which shows a support body and an upper door. It is other embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the slot machine. It is other embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a schematic perspective view which shows a housing | casing, an exchange unit, and an upper door. It is other embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a schematic perspective view which shows a housing | casing and an upper door.

Explanation of symbols

S slot machine 1 housing 2 exchange unit 3 front door 4 power supply unit 5 hopper unit 7 lock mechanism
10 Fixing device 11 Opening
12 Middle plate 13 Upper opening
14 Lower opening 15 Bottom plate
16 Side plate 17 Top plate
18 Back plate 19 Hinge
20 reel unit 21 support
22 guide rail 23 rotating reel
24 Board unit 25 Slide member
26 Laura
30 Upper door (lid) 31 Upper door frame (frame member)
32 Front panel (panel material) 33 Decoration
34 Display 35 Slide member
36 Connector 37 Panel insertion opening (opening)
38 Window 39 Locking means
40 Lower door 41 Operation section
42 Medal slot 43 Medal plate
44 Keyhole 45 Medal selector
46 Lower door engagement part
50 Slide device

Claims (3)

A housing having an opening on the front;
A symbol display means capable of variable display and stop display of a plurality of symbols;
A control device for controlling the operation of the gaming machine;
A game in which an exchange unit in which at least the symbol display means and the control device are mounted on a support body formed to be storable at the upper opening of the housing is slidable and detachable in the front-rear direction with respect to the housing. In the machine
A cover body that covers the front surface of the support body and is formed so as to be visible from the front side is attached to the replacement unit,
This lid is
A window member that can be seen through from the front side to the back side, and a frame member that has an opening provided on either side of the outer periphery excluding the front side and the back side, and at least a portion is formed transparently from the opening A panel member that is detachably attached to the frame member, and the upper opening of the housing can be closed in a state where the replacement unit is housed inside the housing.
The panel member is
When the lid closes the top of the opening, it cannot be removed from the frame member, and at the position where the lid slides forward than when the top of the opening is closed, it can be removed from the frame member. A gaming machine characterized by being formed. The frame member is slidably attached to the support of the exchange unit in the front-rear direction,
The panel member is formed so that it cannot be removed from the frame member when the lid closes the upper part of the opening, and can be removed from the frame member when the frame member is slid forward. The gaming machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The window portion of the frame member is an opening penetrating from the front of the frame member to the back,
The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the panel member is formed so as to be capable of closing at least a front side of the window portion while being fitted and fixed to the frame member.

Images