JP2006345994A - Slot machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a slot machine allowing respective reel units to vertically move relative to a player according to a lottery result by providing a slide mechanism in the reel units stored with a plurality of rotary reels individually in box-shaped casings. <P>SOLUTION: Cases C1-C3 retained by pedestals 701-703 store rotary reels R1-R3 and motors (not shown) for rotatingly driving the rotary reels R1-R3 respectively, and motors 901a-903a provided in a retaining member 800 retaining the reel units 201-203 are driven respectively, so that the rotating movements of feed screws 901b-903b are transmitted to nuts 901-903 and converted into linear movements. The respective reels thus move in the front/rear relative to the player by sliding projection parts 701a-703a and 701b-703b and rails 701c-703c and 701d-703d. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a slot machine, and more particularly to a slot machine in which a plurality of rotating reels individually constitute a reel unit, and the reel unit is movable back and forth.

  In the conventional slot machine, a plurality of reels having a plurality of types of symbols drawn on the outer peripheral surface at predetermined intervals are arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction so as to constitute a variable display unit. The player can see the design of each reel through the display window on the front of the main body.

  The variable display unit has a configuration in which a plurality of types of symbols that are displayed on the outer peripheral surface and a plurality of motors that are arranged on the inner peripheral side of the reels and that drive the reels are arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction. The reel is rotated by driving the motor, and a lottery is performed inside the slot machine. The driving of the motor is controlled based on the lottery result, and the reel is stopped at a predetermined position (see Patent Document 1). ).

In addition, as the effects provided to the player, the effects such as the effect image displayed by the liquid crystal display device provided in the slot machine body, the lighting of the lamp, and a variety of music from the speaker are mainstream. The person judges the result of the lottery of the game currently being performed based on such effects.
JP 11-114130 A

  However, with respect to the effects as described above, the rotating reel only rotates and stops by the drive control of the motor based on the lottery result, and does not perform the actual effects. Further, there is a problem that the player gets bored with the act of determining whether a bonus game or the like is won from the effect image, sound, or music.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and by providing a slide mechanism on a reel unit in which a plurality of rotating reels are individually housed in a box-shaped housing, each reel unit can be changed according to a lottery result. An object of the present invention is to provide a slot machine that can move back and forth.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the slot machine according to claim 1 is based on a lottery means for lottery, a plurality of rotatable reels displaying a plurality of types of symbols, and a lottery result by the lottery means. In a slot machine that gives a predetermined game value to a person, each of the plurality of rotating reels includes a driving unit for driving the rotating reel, and a control unit for controlling the driving unit, the rotating reel and the driving unit, The control means is integrated into a box-shaped housing to constitute one reel unit, the reel unit is provided with a reel unit moving mechanism, and according to the lottery result by the lottery means, the reel unit moving mechanism Each reel unit moves back and forth.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the slot machine according to claim 1, wherein the reel unit moving mechanism is moved back and forth toward the player by a holding member for holding the reel unit and a slide mechanism provided on the holding member. It is characterized by moving to.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the slot machine according to claim 2, characterized in that it has a control means for controlling the movement of the reel unit according to the gaming state.

  The invention according to claim 4 is the slot machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the reel unit is individually moved back and forth toward the player to be stopped from the rotating reel in the moved reel unit. It is characterized by notifying the player.

  According to the present invention, since the plurality of reel units include the reel unit moving mechanism, each reel unit moves to the player side according to the lottery result, so that a new effect can be provided to the player. .

Next, the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an external structure of the slot machine 100, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an internal structure of the slot machine 100, and FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a control system provided in the slot machine 100. FIG.

  First, the external structure of the slot machine 100 will be outlined with reference to FIG. 1. The slot machine 100 includes a front door 101 facing a player and a case 102 to be described later in which the front door 101 is attached to be openable and closable. And is configured.

  The front door 101 includes an upper panel portion 103, a middle panel portion 104, and a lower panel portion 105 that are molded of mechanically strong hard plastic.

  The upper panel portion 103 is provided with an effect lamp 103a called an upper lamp, sound emitting portions 103b and 103c to which speakers are attached, and an effect display device 103d formed of a liquid crystal display or the like.

  The middle panel portion 104 is provided with a substantially rectangular transmission window WD formed of a transparent hard plastic plate and effect lamps 104a and 104b. The rotation of the spinning reel device 200 provided in the housing 102 is provided. The player can view the body reels R1, R2, and R3 through the transmission window WD.

  Furthermore, an operation unit 104c for a player to operate is provided at the lower end of the middle panel unit 104, and medal insertion for inserting game medals necessary for playing a slot machine game is performed in the operation unit 104c. Part MD, bet buttons B1, B2, and B3 for presenting the number of medals per game, a start lever ST for instructing the start of one game, and rotating spinning reels R1, R2, and R3 Stop buttons SP1, SP2 and SP3 for individually stopping are provided.

  Furthermore, a keyhole KY for unlocking the front door 101 is provided in the vicinity of the medal insertion part MD. Then, when a company or administrator on the game hall side inserts a regular key into the keyhole KY and unlocks it, the locking mechanism (not shown) is released, and the front door 101 can be opened from the housing 102. ing.

  An image (not shown) for introducing the game contents of the slot machine 100 is drawn on the lower panel portion 105, and a discharge port 105a for paying out the number of game medals acquired by the player, and A receiving tray 105b and a sound emitting unit 105c to which a speaker is attached are provided.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 2, the rear surface structure of the front door 101 and the internal structure of the housing 102 will be outlined. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the front door 101 is unlocked and opened from the housing 102.

  In the figure, speakers SR and SL constituting the above-described sound emitting units 103b and 103c are provided on the upper rear surface of the front door 101, and an effect display device 103d is provided between the speakers SR and SL.

  Further, a sub-control board 300 formed of an electric circuit board is attached to the back side of the effect display device 103d.

  That is, the sub-control board 300 is a so-called electric circuit board in which electronic components such as an integrated circuit device (IC), a transistor, a resistor, and a capacitor are mounted and connected on an insulating resin substrate on which a conductive wiring pattern is formed. And attached so as to overlap the back side of the effect display device 103d.

  Below the effect display device 103 d and the sub-control board 300, a substantially rectangular frame body 104 d in which the transmission window WD and the panel surface of the middle panel unit 104 are formed is attached.

  Below the frame body 104d, a selection mechanism G0 that determines whether an input inserted from the medal insertion unit MD is a regular game medal or a foreign object, and distributes the game medal distributed by the selection mechanism G0 on the housing 102 side. A guide member G1 for guiding to the hopper device HP, a guide member G2 for guiding the foreign matter distributed by the selection mechanism G0 to the discharge port 105a, and a payout game medal output from the hopper device HP. A guide member G3 for guiding to the outlet 105a is provided, and a speaker SW constituting the sound emitting unit 105c is attached in the vicinity of the discharge port 105a.

  A central display board 400 formed of a long electric circuit board is attached between the frame 104d and the selection mechanism G0. A light emitting diode is formed on one end of the central display board 400. A setting display element CT for performing segment display and a setting button CS are provided.

  That is, like the sub-control board 300, the central display board 400 is also mounted with an electronic component such as an integrated circuit device (IC), a transistor, a resistor, and a capacitor on an insulating resin board on which a conductive wiring pattern is formed. It is formed as a connected so-called electric circuit board, and further, a setting display element CT and a setting button CS are mounted and connected by wiring.

  Next, the housing 102 is provided with a main power supply device PWU and an auxiliary storage portion SHP for storing game medals overflowing from the hopper device HP, and is attached so as to face the above-described transmission window WD. The rotating reel device 200 includes reel units 201 to 201 in which rotating reels R1, R2, and R3 and electric motors (not shown) for rotating the rotating reels R1, R2, and R3 are housed in cases, respectively. 203.

  Further, a power supply device board (not shown) is provided on the side of the main power supply device PWU, a spinning device substrate 500 is provided on the upper ends of the reel units 201, 202, and 203, and a main control board 600 is provided above the reel units 201, 202, and 203. An external concentrated terminal board (not shown) is attached to one end of the inner wall of the housing 102.

  That is, the power supply device board, the rotor device board 500, the main control board 600, and the external concentrated terminal board are also made of an insulating resin having a conductive wiring pattern formed in the same manner as the sub-control board 300 and the central display board 400 described above. The circuit board is formed as a so-called electric circuit board connected by wiring on which electronic components such as an integrated circuit device (IC), a transistor, a resistor, and a capacitor are mounted.

  However, each of the sub control board 300 and the main control board 700 has a unit structure individually housed in a hard plastic housing case.

Next, the configuration of the control system will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.
The above-mentioned main control board 600 is provided for comprehensively managing the operation of the slot machine 100, and the sub-control board 300, the central display board 400, and the spinning device board 500 are respectively connected to the main control board 600 as predetermined wirings. Wiring is connected via a cable (not shown).

  Here, a semiconductor memory ROM and a microprocessor MPU are mounted on the main control board 600, and the microprocessor MPU executes a system program and a slot machine game program stored in advance in the semiconductor memory ROM. By controlling each of the substrates 300, 400, 500, and 600, the operation state of the slot machine 100 and the progress of the game are integrated and managed.

  That is, when a player plays a game by operating the start lever ST and the stop buttons SP1, SP2, SP3, etc., and acquires any of a plurality of types of roles determined in advance by a slot machine game program, the microprocessor The MPU controls the progress of the game in a control mode corresponding to the combination acquired by the player. In other words, the microprocessor MPU sets a game type and controls a game state to be progressed by executing a slot machine game program in accordance with the game operation of the player.

  Further, the production speakers SR, SL, SW, the production lamps 103a, 104a, 104b, and the production display device 103d are connected to the sub control board 300 via predetermined wiring cables (not shown). The electric circuit provided in the sub control board 300 drives the effect speakers SR, SL, SW, the effect lamps 103a, 104a, 104b, and the effect display device 103d in accordance with instructions from the main control board 600, It is designed to appeal to the visual and auditory sense of the player. Further, motors 901a, 902a, and 903a provided in reel units 201, 202, and 203, which will be described later, are also wired and connected through predetermined wiring cables, respectively, and in accordance with instructions from the main control board 600, the sub control board 300 is connected. Drives the motors 901a, 902a and 903a.

  A rotating reel device 200 is connected to the rotating device substrate 500, and the driving reels R1, R2, and R3 are controlled by controlling the driving power and driving timing to the electric motor in accordance with a command from the main control substrate 600. Rotation, braking and stopping are controlled.

  The central display board 400 is connected to the setting display element CT and the setting button CS described above, and the select mechanism G0, the bet buttons B1, B2, and B3, the start lever ST, and the stop buttons SP1, SP2, and SP3 are provided with predetermined wiring. Wiring is connected via a cable (not shown).

  The central display board 400 receives an operation signal (not shown) in the main control board 600 indicating that the bet buttons B1, B2, B3, the start lever ST, and the stop buttons SP1, SP2, SP3 are turned on or off. To the microprocessor MPU to control the progress of the game.

  In addition, the select mechanism G0 is provided with an optical sensor, a mechanical sensor, or a magnetic sensor that detects whether an input inserted from the medal insertion unit MD is a game medal or a foreign object, and an input output from these sensors. The central display board 400 transfers the detection signal (not shown) to the microprocessor MPU in the main control board 600.

  Then, when an input detection signal indicating that a game medal has been inserted is input to the microprocessor MPU, the number of inserted medals is totaled. On the other hand, when an input detection signal indicating that a foreign object has been input is input, it is determined that an abnormality has occurred, and the sub-control board 300 is instructed to generate an alarm sound on the production speakers SR, SL, and SW. Or the alarm lamps 103a, 104a, and 104b display an alarm.

  In addition, the setting button CS is provided for the business operator or the administrator to change the appearance rate, and the setting display element CT is set by displaying any number from 1 to 6 as a segment. The output rate changed by the button CS is displayed in stages.

  That is, when the setting button CS is turned on, the central display board 400 transfers a setting signal (not shown) to the microprocessor MPU in the main control board 600 every time the setting button CS is turned on. Each time a signal is input, the ball payout rate determined in advance in six stages is changed in order, and a setting display signal (not shown) indicating a number corresponding to the changed ball payout rate is sent to the central display substrate 400. Return it. Then, the central display substrate 400 causes the setting display element CT to display a segment on the basis of the setting display signal, thereby notifying the operator and the manager of the changed payout rate information.

Next, the reel unit in the embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the reel unit in the present embodiment. FIG. 4A is a front view of the reel unit, and FIG. 4B is a side view of the reel unit.
As shown in FIG. 4A, the spinning reel device 200 includes reel units 201-203. The reel unit 201 includes a rotating reel R1 and a motor (not shown) for driving the rotating reel R1 in a case C1, and a pedestal 701 for holding the case C1. Similarly, in the reel unit 202, a rotating reel R2 and a motor for driving the rotating reel R2 are housed in C2, and held by a pedestal 702, and the reel unit 203 is used for driving the rotating reel R3 and the rotating reel R3. The motor is housed in C3 and held by a pedestal 703.

  The reel units 201 to 203 are held by a holding member 800, and rails 701 c to 703 c and 701 d to 703 d corresponding to the reel units 201 to 203 are installed on the holding member 800. The rails 701c to 703c and 701d to 703d are configured to be longer than the depth of the reel units 201 to 203. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4B, motors 901a to 903a to which feed screws 901b to 903b are connected are provided.

  Sliding projections 701 a and 701 b and a nut 901 are provided at the lower part of the base 701. The sliding projections 701a and 701b are formed to have the same depth as the base 701, and the sliding projections 701a and 701b slide on rails 701c and 701d provided on the holding member 800. Yes.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, feed screws 901b to 903b connected to motors 901a to 903a provided at the rear of the reel units 201 to 203 are provided below the bases 701 to 703, respectively. The nuts 901 to 903 are connected.

  The motors 901a to 903a are connected to the sub control board 300 by a predetermined wiring cable (not shown). The motors 901a to 903a are driven by signals sent from the sub-control board 300, and the connected feed screws 901b to 903b are rotated. The reel unit 201-203 moves vertically with respect to the player by transmitting the rotational motion of the feed screws 901b-903b to the nuts 901-903 and converting it into linear motion.

Next, the operation of the reel unit will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 5 is a view of the reel units 201 to 203 as viewed from above. First, FIG. 5A shows that the reel units 201 to 203 are at the position A. With the position A as the initial position, the reel units 201 to 203 move to positions B and C to the player side. FIG. 5B shows that the reel unit 201 is at the position A, the reel unit 202 is at the position B, and the reel unit 203 is at the position C. At this time, a drive signal is sent from the sub control board 300 to the motors 902a and 903a, and the motors 902a and 903a are driven so that the reel units 202 and 203 move to predetermined positions.

  As shown in FIG. 5B, when the reel units 201 to 203 move to the positions B and C, the player may be notified of the order of pressing the stop buttons SP1 to SP3. For example, in the special game state such as assist time (AT), the pressing order of the stop buttons SP1 to SP3 corresponding to the rotating reels R1 to R3 can be notified by the positions of the reel units 201 to 203.

  According to the positions of the reel units 201 to 203 shown in FIG. 5B, the stop buttons SP1 to SP3 corresponding to the rotating reels may be pressed in the order of the rotating reel R3 → the rotating reel R2 → the rotating reel R1. When the stop reels R1 to R3 are stopped by pressing the stop buttons SP1 to SP3, the reel units 202 and 203 are moved back to the position A.

  Next, according to the positions of the reel units 201 to 203 shown in FIG. 5C, the stop button SP3 corresponding to the reel unit 203 is pressed at the positions of the reel units 201 to 203 shown in FIG. The rotation of the rotary reel R3 stops and the reel unit 203 moves backward to the position A.

  Further, as described above, the movement of the reel units 201 to 203 is not limited to the assist time, and the reel units 201 to 203 can be moved back and forth as an effect to provide a player with a new effect. it can.

From the above description, according to the present embodiment, the reel units 201 to 203 move forward and backward with respect to the player according to the lottery result, so that the player can operate the stop buttons SP1 to SP3. Can be notified, or the player can have a sense of expectation.

FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically showing the external structure of the slot machine in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing an internal structure of the slot machine shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control system provided in the slot machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is the figure which showed the structure of the reel unit in embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the operation | movement of the reel unit shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

201-203 Reel units 701-703 Bases 701a-703a, 701b-703b Sliding projections 701c-703c, 701d-701d Rail 800 Holding member 901-903 Nut motor 901a-903a
Lead screw 901b-903b

Claims (4)

In a slot machine that gives a predetermined game value to a player based on a lottery means for lottering, a plurality of rotatable reels that display a plurality of types of symbols, and a lottery result by the lottery means,
A driving means for driving each of the plurality of rotating reels;
Control means for controlling the drive means,
The rotating reel, the driving means, and the control means are integrated and housed in a box-shaped housing to constitute one reel unit,
The reel unit is provided with a reel unit moving mechanism,
The slot machine, wherein each reel unit is moved back and forth by the reel unit moving mechanism in accordance with a lottery result by the lottery means. The reel unit moving mechanism is
A holding member for holding the reel unit;
2. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein the slot machine is moved back and forth toward the player by a slide mechanism provided in the holding member.   3. The slot machine according to claim 2, further comprising control means for controlling movement of the reel unit according to a gaming state.   3. The slot according to claim 1, wherein the reel unit is individually moved back and forth toward the player to notify the player that the reel unit is stopped from the rotating reel in the moved reel unit. 4. Machine.

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