JP2006061468A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine capable of realizing a game performance integrated with reels. <P>SOLUTION: The game machine has a liquid crystal means which is arranged facing the front surface of a variation display means, in which a plurality of patterns are arranged on a curved pattern arrangement surface, displays the patterns by transmission and displays an image with respect to a game. The liquid crystal means is formed to be bent along the curved pattern arrangement surface of the variation display means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine, and more particularly, to a gaming machine in which a liquid crystal display device is arranged in front of a fluctuation display means for variably displaying a plurality of symbol rows.

  Conventionally, a gaming machine such as a slot machine has three reel drums (reels) serving as variable display means built in a housing behind a display window formed in the center of the front door surface. Each reel drum is configured by a reel band being attached to the outer periphery of the reel drum, that is, a curved pattern arrangement surface, and a plurality of various symbols are drawn on the outer peripheral surface of the reel band. These symbols are visually recognized by the player through the display window on the front door surface.

  A slot machine game is started when a player inserts a coin, presses a bet button, and operates a start lever, whereby each reel rotates and a symbol row is displayed in a variable manner on the display window. After each reel rotates, when the player operates each stop button corresponding to each reel, each reel stops rotating, and a symbol corresponding to the operation timing of the stop button is stopped and displayed on the display window. At this time, when a predetermined symbol combination is displayed on the display window, a winning occurs.

  During the game, a lamp (reel backlight) built in each reel blinks, or a still image or a moving image such as a character is displayed on a liquid crystal display device provided above or below the display window. Slot machine games are being produced.

  In such a conventional slot machine, although the blink pattern of the lamp built in the reel is changed or the contents of the effect image displayed on the liquid crystal display device are changed, the effect of the effect is kept novel. There is a limit to maintaining the novelty of the game effect by simply changing the blinking pattern of the lamp built in the reel, and it is the display window that the player looks at during the game, and the liquid crystal display device where the effect is performed Is provided in a part away from the display window, so there is a limit to attracting the attention of the player.

As an example of the prior art that solves the above problem, the liquid crystal display panel placed in front of the variable display means for variably displaying symbols becomes a new device component that provides a game effect, thereby maintaining the novelty of the game effect. There is a “game machine” that is easy to do (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2004-166960 A

  In the invention described in Patent Document 1, a liquid crystal display panel is provided in a plane on the back side of the display window. However, although this liquid crystal display panel can display the design of the reel and the liquid crystal effect image in an overlapping manner, depending on the position where the player views the display window, the effect image may deviate from the design on the reel. An effect display integrated with the design was not possible.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and by disposing a liquid crystal curved along the outer peripheral surface of the reel drum in the vicinity of the reel drum, a gaming machine capable of a game effect integrated with the reel is provided. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to achieve this object, the invention described in claim 1 is arranged such that a plurality of symbols are arranged opposite to the front surface of the variable display means arranged on the curved symbol arrangement surface, and the symbols are transmitted through and displayed. A gaming machine having liquid crystal means for displaying an image relating to a game, wherein the liquid crystal means is curved along the curved symbol arrangement surface of the variable display means.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of symbols are arranged on a curved symbol arrangement surface, a variation display means for variably displaying a plurality of symbol rows formed by the plurality of symbols, and a front surface of the variation display means. Liquid crystal means arranged to transmit and display a graphic and display an image relating to the game, liquid crystal illumination means provided respectively at the upper and lower ends on the back side of the liquid crystal means, and light emitted from the liquid crystal illumination means Light guide means for guiding the light to the back side of the means, and the liquid crystal means is curved along the curved pattern arrangement surface of the variable display means, and guides the light emitted from the liquid crystal illumination means to the light guide means. The image is guided to the liquid crystal means via the display and integrated with a plurality of symbols of the variable display means to display an image relating to the game.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 2, which is disposed between the liquid crystal means and the light guide means, diffuses the light guided by the light guide means, and makes the light irradiated to the liquid crystal means uniform. It further has a diffusing means to be converted.

  The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a symbol illumination unit that is arranged inside the variable display unit and illuminates a plurality of symbols, and the liquid crystal unit is The light emitted from the symbol illuminating means is guided and integrated with a plurality of symbols of the variable display means to display an image relating to the game.

  The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one or more blank symbols are formed on the symbol arrangement surface of the variable display means, and the liquid crystal means is arranged on the blank symbols. An image relating to the game is displayed on the screen.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the liquid crystal means performs display by changing the color of the design of the variable display means.

  According to the present invention, by arranging the liquid crystal curved along the outer peripheral surface of the reel drum in the vicinity of the reel drum, the effect image can be displayed as if it exists on the reel, and the game effect integrated with the reel Is possible.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  First, a slot machine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a side sectional view schematically showing the internal configuration of the slot machine shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the slot machine of this embodiment includes a reel drum 10 (variable display means) inside a housing on the back side of the display window 3, as in a general conventional slot machine. Three reel drums 10 are arranged side by side in the central portion inside the housing so as to face the display window 3. The curved outer peripheral surface of each reel drum is a symbol arrangement surface, and a reel band in which various symbols are drawn in a row is pasted on each symbol arrangement surface. Each reel drum is rotated by a drive signal of a main control board (not shown) provided in the housing, and each symbol row is variably displayed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the reel drum 10 is provided with reel backlights 11a, 11b, and 11c (design illumination means) for illuminating the design from the back. The reel backlights 11 a, 11 b, and 11 c are respectively attached to three rooms of a backlight case provided facing the display window 3 in the reel drum 10. A total of nine reel backlights, each provided with three on each reel drum, are made up of LEDs (light emitting diodes) that emit a large amount of light, and are provided in the housing to control a subgame board (see FIG. (Not shown) is turned on to illuminate the symbols on the reel drum. Further, since the reel backlights 11a, 11b, and 11c emit a large amount of light, they illuminate not only the design of each reel drum but also the liquid crystal 12 on the front surface of the reel drum 10.

Next, a liquid crystal display device disposed near the front surface of the reel drum 10 will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid crystal display device of the slot machine of the present embodiment includes a liquid crystal 12 (liquid crystal means), a diffusion sheet 13 (diffusion means), light guide plates 15a and 15b (light guide means), cold cathode tubes 14a, 14 b (liquid crystal illuminating means), provided opposite to the display window 3 on the back side of the display window 3, and disposed in the vicinity of the front side of the reel drum 10. Although the method of attaching the liquid crystal display device within the housing is not shown in FIG. 1, at least one attachment member or holding member is used as in the method described in Patent Document 1 or other known methods. Then, the liquid crystal display device is attached to a predetermined place on the rear side of the front door or inside the casing.

Next, each part of the liquid crystal display device will be described with reference to FIG.
The liquid crystal 12 is a transparent electrical panel made of ITO or the like through which each reel drum is seen. The liquid crystal 12 has a curved shape along the curved surface of the outer periphery of the reel drum 10. It is curved with a predetermined distance kept uniform. The liquid crystal 12 displays various effect images by surface emission of incident light.

  The light guide plates 15a and 15b are light-transmitting resin plate materials having a special process (including laser processing) for uniformly reflecting light on the back surface of an acrylic plate or the like. 14b or light emitted from the reel backlights 11a, 11b, and 11c is made incident from the end face. In addition, the incident light is reflected by the back surface of the liquid crystal 12 to uniformly emit light.

  The diffusion sheet 13 is formed of a light-transmitting resin (for example, cellophane or the like), and has a curved shape along the outer peripheral curved surface of the reel drum 10, similar to the liquid crystal 12. The diffusion sheet 13 diffuses and reflects the light guided by the light guide plates 15a and 15b, and makes the light irradiated to the liquid crystal 12 uniform. In this embodiment, the light guide plate and the diffusion sheet are both constituent elements. However, the diffusion sheet 13 may be omitted if the light guide plate has an excellent uniform surface emission function.

  The cold cathode tubes 14a and 14b are light sources used as liquid crystal backlights separately from the reel backlights, and are provided at the side ends of the light guide plates 15a and 15b, respectively, and emit light for illuminating the liquid crystal 12. The lighting control is controlled by the sub-control board in the same manner as the reel backlight.

  In the liquid crystal display device configured as described above, light emitted from the cold cathode fluorescent lamps 14a and 14b or the reel backlights 11a, 11b, and 11c is incident from the end surfaces by the light guide plates 15a and 15b, and the incident light is transmitted. Various effect images are displayed on the liquid crystal 12 by irregularly reflecting on the light guide plates 15a and 15b or the diffusion sheet 13 and uniformly emitting light. The player visually recognizes the effect image displayed on the liquid crystal 12 through the display window 3.

  The liquid crystal display device can also be applied to a sub-reel dedicated to production and a small mini-reel.

  Next, Production Example 1 of the liquid crystal display device configured as described above will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a front view showing an example of a symbol row on each reel drum.

  As the production example 1 of the liquid crystal display device, for example, by using a reel backlight or a cold cathode tube with a built-in reel drum, display of changing the color of the symbol on the reel to another color is performed. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the yellow bell design 16 is changed to a red bell design 17, or the red cherry design 18 is changed to blue.

  In addition, a pattern such as an uncolored pattern or character (for example, a crystal or a flame of a torch) is placed on the reel, and various colors are displayed on the design depending on the production, so that the color of the crystal It is possible to give diversity to the color change of the torchlight.

  Next, Production Example 2 of the liquid crystal display device will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIGS. 3A, 3B and 4 are front views showing an example of a symbol row on each reel drum.

  As the production example 2 of the liquid crystal display device, for example, a blank or a pattern close to a blank (for example, a white frame) is formed on a reel drum, and an arbitrary symbol is displayed thereon. For example, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), at least one or more blanks 19 and 20 or a pattern 21 close to a blank are formed on each reel drum. For example, when winning a big bonus or the like, FIG. As shown in (), the effect of displaying a “big hit” character on the blanks 19 and 20 or the pattern 21 close to the blank is performed.

  As another example, the symbol 22 shown in FIG. 4 is a symbol showing a state where smoke is emitted from the lamp and the mouth of the lamp. The smoke portion is formed in advance as a frame and the inside of the frame is left blank. By doing so, it is also possible to provide an effect display in which a character image such as a genie appears in the smoke of the lamp. Alternatively, only the lamp can be formed on the reel band in advance, and the character image can be displayed together with the smoke.

Next, production example 3 of the liquid crystal display device will be described in detail.
As the production example 3 of the liquid crystal display device, when the game is not being played, the reel backlight is turned off. At such time, the cold cathode tube is turned on to display the production image on the liquid crystal. For example, it is possible to produce effects such as turning off all the reel backlights to make the screen dark and turning on the cold cathode tubes to display meteors.

  When the start lever is turned on by the player, the reel backlight is turned off, the cold cathode tube is turned on, and the effect image can be displayed on the liquid crystal.

  Further, by gradually turning off the reel backlight and at the same time brightening the cold cathode fluorescent lamp, it is possible to produce an effect display in which the symbols appear on the liquid crystal.

  As described above, according to the slot machine according to the embodiment of the present invention, the liquid crystal curved along the outer peripheral surface of the reel drum is arranged in the vicinity of the reel drum, so that the effect image exists on the reel. The game effect integrated with the symbols on the reel drum is possible.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

  The present invention can be applied to all gaming machines having variation display means.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view schematically showing an internal configuration of the slot machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 26 is a front view showing a reel symbol according to Production Example 1 of the slot machine which is an embodiment of the present invention. It is a front view which shows the reel symbol which concerns on the production example 2 of the slot machine which is embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the reel symbol which concerns on the production example 2 of the slot machine which is embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view showing the appearance of the slot machine which is an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Case 2 Front door 3 Display window 4 Start lever 5, 6, 7 Stop button 8 Bet button 9 Coin slot 10 Reel drum (variation display means)
11a, 11b, 11c Reel backlight (design illumination means)
12 Curved liquid crystal (liquid crystal means)
13 Diffusion sheet (Diffusion means)
14a, 14b Cold cathode tube (liquid crystal illumination means)
15a, 15b Light guide plate (light guide means)
16, 17 Bell design 18 Cherry design 19, 20 Blank design 21 Design close to the blank 22 Design of the lamp

Claims (6)

A gaming machine having a plurality of symbols arranged opposite to the front surface of a variable display means arranged on a curved symbol arrangement surface, having a liquid crystal means for transmitting the symbols and displaying an image relating to a game. And
The gaming machine, wherein the liquid crystal means is curved along a curved symbol arrangement surface of the variable display means. A variation display means for variably displaying a plurality of symbols in which a plurality of symbols are arranged on a curved symbol arrangement surface and formed by the plurality of symbols;
Liquid crystal means disposed opposite to the front surface of the variable display means, transmits the symbol and displays an image related to the game,
Liquid crystal illumination means respectively provided at upper and lower ends on the back side of the liquid crystal means;
A light guide means for guiding the light emitted from the liquid crystal illumination means to the back side of the liquid crystal means,
The liquid crystal means is curved along the curved symbol arrangement surface of the variable display means,
The light emitted from the liquid crystal illumination means is guided to the liquid crystal means via the light guide means, and an image relating to the game is displayed by being integrated with the plurality of symbols of the variable display means. To play. Arranged between the liquid crystal means and the light guide means;
3. The gaming machine according to claim 2, further comprising a diffusing unit that diffuses the light guided by the light guiding unit and uniformizes the light applied to the liquid crystal unit. It further includes a symbol illumination unit that is arranged inside the variation display unit and illuminates the plurality of symbols,
4. The liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal device guides light emitted from the symbol illumination device and displays an image related to the game in an integrated manner with the plurality of symbols of the variable display device. The gaming machine according to any one of the above. At least one or more blank symbols are formed on the symbol arrangement surface of the variation display means,
The gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the liquid crystal means displays an image relating to the game on the blank symbol.   The gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the liquid crystal means displays the change display means by changing a color of the symbol.

Images