JP2013230251A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine capable of reducing a power consumption under operation.SOLUTION: A game machine has: a game machine casing 2 for storing a reel unit RL; a front door 3 openably attached to an opening part of a game machine casing 2; a lower panel P1 attached below a display window for displaying the reel unit RL in the front door 3; an illumination device P2, disposed inside the front door 3, for illumination toward the outside of the front door via the lower panel P1; a luminous member P1c, disposed inside the front door 3, to store the light from the illumination device P2 and for emitting the stored light toward the outside of the front door 3; and an illumination device controller LC for controlling the light emission by the illumination device P2 according to time when the illumination device P2 applies light to the luminous member P1c.

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine.

  A lower panel on which a design that gives the image of the model of the gaming machine is arranged is arranged below the front door of the gaming machine. An illuminating device is arranged on the back side of the lower panel, and the lower panel is illuminated from the back side in a state where the power switch of the gaming machine body is ON.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a gaming machine in which a transparent pattern made of a phosphorescent functional material is formed on a transparent portion of the outer peripheral surface of a reel.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-220741

  In amusement halls, power consumption during business hours is a problem, and demand for power saving is growing. In order to save the power consumption of the game hall, it is considered desirable to reduce the power consumption per gaming machine as much as possible.

  In view of the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a gaming machine that can reduce power consumption during operation.

  In view of the above problems, a gaming machine according to the present invention has a gaming machine housing (2) that houses a reel unit (RL), and a front door that is attached to the opening of the gaming machine housing so as to be openable and closable ( 2), a front panel (2), a lower panel (P1) attached below the display window for displaying the reel unit (RL), and the front door (2). The illumination device (P2) that illuminates the outside of the front door (2) through the lower panel (P1), and the illumination device (P2) disposed inside the front door (2) A phosphorescent member (P1c) that accumulates light and emits the accumulated light toward the outside of the front door (2), and according to the time when the illuminating device (P2) irradiates the phosphorescent member (P1c) with light Lighting device control for controlling light emission by the lighting device (P2) It has a (LC), and characterized in that.

  In one aspect of the gaming machine according to the present invention, the phosphorescent member (P1c) is a film-like member coated with a material that accumulates light from the lighting device, and the lower panel (P1) The at least one transparent cover member (P1a) and the phosphorescent member (P1c) are configured, and the transparent cover member (P1a) is disposed outside the phosphorescent member (P1c). It may be a feature.

  Moreover, in one aspect of the gaming machine according to the present invention, the lower panel (P1) is disposed between the transparent cover member (P1a) and the phosphorescent member (P1c), and is a printed film having a design. A member (P1b) is included, and the phosphorescent member (P1c) may be arranged so as to overlap with the printing film member and emit light from the back side of the printing film member.

  Further, in one aspect of the gaming machine according to the present invention, the phosphorescent member is formed by applying a material that accumulates light from the lighting device (P2) to a film-like member to which a design is applied. This may be a feature.

  In one aspect of the gaming machine according to the present invention, the lighting device control unit (LC) emits light from the lighting device (P2) in the predetermined period after the lighting device (P2) is turned on for a predetermined period. The illumination device (P2) may be controlled so that it emits light with a lower intensity or is turned off.

  Further, in one aspect of the gaming machine according to the present invention, according to the first lighting mode in which the lighting device (P2) is always lit with a predetermined intensity, and the time when the light storage member (P1c) is irradiated with light, A means (199) for switching between the second illumination mode for controlling light emission by the illumination device (P2) may be provided.

  In addition, the gaming machine according to the present invention is a gaming machine having a lamp portion (31) disposed in a gaming machine housing in view of the above-described problems, and the lamp portion includes a cover member (M1), The light source device (E2) that emits light toward the outside of the gaming machine housing through the cover member (M1) and the light from the light source device (E2) are accumulated and directed toward the outside of the gaming machine housing. And the game machine controls light emission by the light source device (E2) according to the time when the light source device (E2) emits light to the light storage material. A light source control unit (SC) may be further included.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a gaming machine that consumes less power during operation.

1 is a perspective view showing an overview of a gaming machine according to a first embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware constitutions of a game machine. It is a figure which shows the mode of the front door of the gaming machine which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is an expansion | deployment perspective view which shows the mode of each member which comprises a lower panel and a lower panel illumination board. It is VV sectional drawing in the front view of the front door of Fig.3 (a). It is a block diagram which shows the functional structure of the sub control board which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the control flow of the illuminating device control part in the 2nd illumination mode of 1st Embodiment.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overview of the gaming machine 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The housing of the gaming machine 1 includes a reel unit RL (reel variable display device), a box-shaped main body 2 that houses a main control board and a sub control board, and a front door 3 disposed on the front surface of the main body 2. . The main body 2 and the front door 3 are connected on one side by a hinge so that they can be opened and closed.

  In addition, the front door 3 displays an operation unit OP in which buttons for players to play a game, a reel window 20 for visually recognizing the symbols of the reel unit RL, and information for proceeding with the game. Panel display portion DP on which display devices are arranged, liquid crystal display devices on which information for proceeding games and display devices TP on which an illumination device is arranged, and a saucer portion BP Yes. In addition, a lower panel P <b> 1 with a design that gives an image of the model of the gaming machine is disposed below the reel window 20.

  The operation section OP has a medal slot 10 for inserting medals, a bet button 11 for performing a storage bet operation, a start lever 12 for starting the rotation of the reels, and for stopping the rotation of each reel. Stop buttons 13a to 13c are provided. On the left side of the start lever 12, a settlement button 14 for adjusting the credit stored in the medal storage device and paying out medals to the medal tray 40 and a display screen operation button 15 are arranged.

  In the gaming machine 1, the menu screen can be displayed on the display 30 in accordance with the input from the display screen operation button 15 in a state where the game cannot be started (a state where no medal is bet). The player can perform a predetermined operation such as selecting an option displayed on the menu screen by operating a selection cursor via the display screen operation button 15.

  Below the reel window 20, a credit number display 23a for displaying the number of credits stored in the medal storage device, a payout number display 23c for displaying the number of payouts awarded when winning, and a predetermined game It has a game value information display unit 23 comprising an acquired number display 23b for displaying the acquired number by accumulating the number of payouts given therein.

  The medal tray BP is provided with a medal tray 40 for storing game medals discharged from the medal payout opening 40 a by driving the medal payout device, and an ashtray 41 is provided on the left side of the medal tray 40.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the gaming machine 1. The gaming machine 1 includes a main control board 100A that performs main control of the game, and a sub control board 100B that performs display control on the liquid crystal display and displays an image.

  The CPU of the main control board 100A is supplied with power when a power switch installed in a power supply unit that supplies power to each part of the gaming machine 1 is turned on, and executes a main program from a predetermined address. The state of various buttons and sensors is read through the output port, and each drive motor of the reel unit RL is driven. The CPU of the main control board 100A outputs various commands to the sub control board 100B through the data transmission circuit.

  The sub control board 100B receives various commands from the main control board 100A, and outputs an instruction to display an effect image associated with the game on the display circuit 197. In addition, the sub control board 100B is configured to control the lighting of the lower panel lighting board P2 (lighting device), the game guide indicator 22, and the illumination LED 31 (lamp unit), and the lighting control of the backlight device provided in the reel unit RL. And sound control for outputting sound such as BGM from the speaker 32.

  The sub-control board 100B includes a CPU (central processing unit) 191, a clock generation circuit c192, a clock generation circuit d193, a ROM (read-onlymemory) 194, a RAM (random-accessmemory) 195, a data input circuit 196, a graphic LSI, and its peripheral circuits. A display circuit 197, a clock unit 198, and a changeover switch 199. The CPU 191 reads the program stored in the ROM 194 based on the timing of the CLK signal generated by the clock generation circuit c192, and sequentially executes the program. When the power is turned on, the CPU 191 executes the main program from a predetermined address, and starts from a predetermined address at the timing of the INTR1 signal generated by the clock generation circuit d193 different from the cycle of the clock generation circuit c192. Run the interrupt program. The strobe signal of the CPU 191 stores various flags, various counters, or various information in the RAM 195 according to the execution of the program. Further, the data input circuit 196 generates an INTR2 signal based on a strobe signal transmitted in synchronization with the data transmission timing from the data transmission circuit of the main control board 100A, and the CPU 191 preliminarily uses the timing of the INTR2 signal. An interrupt program starting from a predetermined address is executed.

  Next, the configuration of the lower panel P1 and the lower panel illumination board P2 (illumination device) of the gaming machine 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state of the front door 3 in the gaming machine 1, FIG. 3A is a front view of the front door 3, and FIG. 3B is a rear view of the front door 3. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a state of each member constituting the lower panel P1 and the lower panel illumination board P2. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV in the front view of FIG. 3.

  As shown in the developed perspective view of FIG. 4 and the cross-sectional view of FIG. 5, the lower panel P <b> 1 and the lower panel illumination board P <b> 2 are disposed in the lower part of the front door 3. The lower panel illumination board P2 is disposed inside the front door 3, and emits light toward the outside of the front door 3 via the lower panel P1.

  In particular, a phosphorescent member P1c that accumulates light emitted from the lower panel illumination board P2 and emits the accumulated light to the outside of the front door 3 is disposed inside the front door 3 of the gaming machine 1 of the present embodiment. In addition, the light emission in the lower panel illumination board P2 can be saved by the timer being controlled according to the irradiation time to the luminous member P1c.

  Specifically, the lower panel illumination board P2 is a plate-like illumination device arranged at the bottom of the storage portion RC in the front door 3, and is a dot-like light emitter as shown in FIG. Light sources LS of white diodes (LEDs) are regularly arranged at a plurality of locations. The lower panel illumination board P2 is fixed at the bottom of the storage part RC so that it is screwed at one or a plurality of places and leans so as to be parallel to the lower panel P1.

  In addition, the lower panel P1 in the present embodiment includes a first transparent cover member P1a formed of an acrylic plate, a printed film member P1b to which a design is applied, and a film-like phosphorescent member P1c coated with a phosphorescent material. And a second transparent cover member P1d formed by an acrylic plate paired with the first transparent cover member P1a.

  First, the first transparent cover member P1a and the second transparent cover member P1d cover the interior of the storage portion RC in the gaming machine 1 while holding the printing film member P1b and the phosphorescent member P1c therebetween. It is a fixed member. Specifically, the first transparent cover member P1a and the second transparent cover member P1d are engaged and temporarily fixed at the upper end of the side wall constituting the storage portion RC. It is screwed from the back side of the door 3 to be completely fixed. Further, the first transparent cover member P1a and the second transparent cover member P1d are formed so that the central portion is formed in a flat shape, the left and right portions are formed in a smooth streamline shape, and the design by the printing film member P1b is curved. To be fixed.

  Next, the printing film member P1b is a PET film-like member on which the design of the gaming machine 1 is designed. Depending on the design, a portion to which ink is applied and a portion that is formed to be transparent are included. Existing.

  The phosphorescent member P1c is a member formed by applying a white phosphorescent material with low saturation to a PET film. The light from the light source LS is absorbed by the phosphorescent member P1c to store light energy, and further passes through the phosphorescent member P1c and reaches the printing film P1b. In addition, the use of a white-based phosphorescent material enhances the color of the design applied to the printing film member P1b. From the transparent part of the printing film member P1b, the transmitted light or the stored light from the light storing member P1c is directly emitted to the outside.

  As the phosphorescent material to be applied to the phosphorescent member P1c, for example, it is conceivable to use a general phosphorescent ink that ensures an afterglow time of 500 minutes or more by irradiation with an indoor fluorescent lamp for about 30 minutes. When the in-store lighting of the hall in which the gaming machine 1 is installed is dark, the player can design the lower panel P1 even if the lower panel lighting board P2 is extinguished and only the afterglow (light storage) of the phosphorescent member P1c. Can be recognized. On the other hand, when the in-store lighting of the hall where the gaming machine 1 is installed is bright, the light emission of the lower panel P1 may be felt insufficient only by the light emission due to the afterglow time. It is easy to ensure safety.

  Next, the control of the light emission time in the lower panel illumination board P2 will be described.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the sub-control board 100B in the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the sub-control board 100B is configured to include the lighting device control unit LC, and the profile of the phosphorescent material applied to the phosphorescent member P1c (specifically, the time for storing phosphor, the remaining time The light emission of the lower panel illumination board P2 is controlled according to (light time).

  Specifically, the illuminating device control unit LC controls the light emission of the light source LS in the lower panel illumination board PL2 according to the time and intensity of the light applied to the phosphorescent member P1c. After the light sources LS are turned on at the first emission intensity toward the phosphorescent member P1c during the period, the light sources LS are turned off or emitted at an intensity lower than the first emission intensity during the second period. To be controlled. In the present embodiment, each light source LS is turned off in the second period, and the first period and the second period are alternately repeated, and the lower panel per unit time in the second period. The power consumption of the illumination board PL2 is set so that the power consumption per unit time in the first period is also reduced.

  By controlling the lower panel illumination board P2 as described above, the light emission energy from the light source LS is stored in the first period, and in the second period, the stored light is stored from the inside of the lower panel P1. As a result, light emission is ensured, which makes it possible to save power consumption in the lower panel illumination board P2.

  In the present embodiment, the illumination device control unit LC selects and controls one of the plurality of illumination modes, and as shown in FIG. 3B, the lower panel illumination substrate P2 Is provided with a changeover switch 199 as means for switching the illumination mode. As a means for switching the illumination mode, for example, a menu screen for hall employees is displayed on the display 30 by an input from the display screen operation button 15, and the illumination mode is switched by an operation of a selection cursor or the like. You may be able to.

  The illumination device control unit LC is configured to be switched between the first illumination mode and the second illumination mode 2 by a changeover switch 199. The first illumination mode is a control mode in which each light source LS on the lower panel illumination board P2 is always lit when the power switch in the power supply unit is turned on. Further, the second illumination mode is a control mode in which the lower panel illumination board P2 is controlled to emit light according to the irradiation time to the phosphorescent member P1c to save power.

  Specifically, as described above, in the second illumination mode, the first period for accumulating light emission energy from the lower panel illumination board P2, and the lower panel illumination board P2 than in the first period. The second period in which the amount of light output from the power source is reduced to save power consumption is controlled to be repeated alternately. Note that the light emission from the phosphorescent member P1c due to the phosphorescence can occur not only in the second period but also in the first period, but in the second period in the illumination mode 2, the unit time emitted to the outside of the lower panel P1 The ratio of the luminous intensity of the phosphorescent member P1c in the amount of light per unit is improved from the ratio of the phosphorescence in the first period.

  When the second illumination mode is set by the changeover switch 199, the illumination device control unit LC acquires the time when the lower panel illumination board P2 starts lighting (the start time of the first period) from the clock unit 198. The clock unit 198 is provided with current time information from time to time to the lighting device control unit LC, and the lighting device control unit LC performs the second operation based on the start time of the first period and the current time information. It is supposed to shift to the period.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a control flow of the illumination device controller LC in the second illumination mode of the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, first, when power is supplied to the sub-control board 100B, the illumination device control unit LC controls the light sources LS on the lower panel illumination board P2 to light up with a predetermined emission intensity. (S701). At this time, the illumination device control unit LC acquires the lighting start time information from the clock unit 198 and records it in the RAM 195. In S702, based on the current time information and the lighting start time information from the clock unit 198, it is determined whether or not a first period (for example, 30 minutes) preset based on the profile of the phosphorescent material has elapsed. to decide. When the first period has elapsed (in the case of YES), each light source LS of the lower panel illumination board P2 is turned off (S703), and when the first period has not elapsed (in the case of NO), Continue lighting. In S703, the turn-off time of each light source LS is recorded in the RAM 195 as turn-off time information. Similarly, in S704, a second period (for example, 60 minutes) is set based on the turn-off time information and the current time information. Judge whether or not it has passed. When the second period has elapsed (in the case of YES), the first period is started again and each light source LS is lit at a predetermined light emission intensity, and when the second period has not elapsed (NO) In the case), the light is turned off. In this second period, since the light emission intensity by the phosphorescent member P1c gradually decreases, it is desirable to set the period so that an effective afterglow intensity is ensured.

  Further, in the gaming machine 1 of the present embodiment, a phosphorescent material is also used in the electric LED 31 (lamp part) installed on the upper part of the gaming machine 1, and each LED lamp inside the electric LED 31 is similarly used. Power is saved by controlling E2 (light source device).

  Specifically, the phosphorescent material is applied to the inside (the side facing the LED lamp E2) of the cover member M1 of the illumination LED 31, and the LED lamp E2 is, for example, during a first period (for example, 10 minutes). In a second period (for example, 20 minutes) that starts after the first period has elapsed, the display blinks at a luminance lower than the predetermined emission intensity and power consumption is reduced. Saved. In the first period and the second period, the latter has a smaller amount of light per unit time output by the LED lamp E2.

  Further, the sub-control board 100B includes a light source controller SC as shown in FIG. Similarly to the lighting device control unit LC, the light source control unit SC switches the current mode from the clock unit 198 from the clock unit 198 when the illumination mode is switched by the changeover switch 199 and the second illumination mode is selected. Light emission control is performed so that information is received at any time and power consumption in the illumination LED 31 is saved.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, the gaming machine 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the lower panel P1 in the first embodiment, the phosphorescent member P1c formed in a film shape is arranged so as to overlap with the printing film member P1b so that afterglow is radiated from the back side of the printing film member P1b. It has become. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the printed film member on which the design of the gaming machine 1 is applied and the phosphorescent member are integrated, and a white single-color phosphorescent material is directly applied to the back side of the portion on which the design is applied. It has been applied. In addition, the phosphorescent material is applied to almost the entire region where the design is applied, and also has a role as a base of the design, so that the color of the design is enhanced. The gaming machine 1 according to the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the print film and the phosphorescent member are integrally configured, but the other points are the same. Description is omitted.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a gaming machine 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the third embodiment, as in the case of the second embodiment, the phosphorescent member to which the phosphorescent material is applied and the print film member are integrally configured, but the phosphorescent material does not become the base of the design. In addition, it is applied as a part of the design constituting the design. That is, in the third embodiment, for example, one or a plurality of types of phosphorescent materials are partially applied to a film-like member according to the design applied to the lower panel P1, and the phosphorescent material In the places where the ink is not applied, normal ink having no phosphorescent property is applied. The gaming machine 1 according to the third embodiment is different from the second embodiment in this respect, but the other points are the same and the description thereof is omitted.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, a first period in which the luminous energy is accumulated in the phosphorescent member P1c and a second period in which power consumption is saved are set, and the second period is a lower panel illumination board. It is set in advance according to the light emission time of P2 (that is, the length of the first period). However, for example, a period in which the power consumption of the entire hall is large may be set as a power saving period, and each light source in the lower panel illumination board P2 and the LED lamp E2 is controlled according to time. May be. Specifically, for example, when it is after 5:00 in the evening, the lower panel illumination board P2 may be turned off to save a power saving period. After the evening, there is a tendency that the outside light is reduced and the entire hall becomes dark. Therefore, even if the lower panel illumination board P2 is turned off and only the afterglow is emitted by the phosphorescent member P1c, Light emission is easy to recognize.

  Further, in each of the above embodiments, the first illumination mode and the second illumination mode can be switched, but instead of the second illumination mode, the power saving period as described above is set. There may be provided a third illumination mode. As the power saving period, it is desirable that the start time and the end time can be set by, for example, operating the operation unit OP by a hall attendant. This power saving period is a period in which power consumption per unit time in the lower panel illumination board P2 is smaller than a period that is not a power saving period.

  In each of the above embodiments, the light sources LS on the lower panel illumination board P2 and the LED lamp E2 on the illumination LED 31 are both light sources based on light emitting diodes. For example, the light sources are composed of fluorescent light sources. It may be configured by other light sources.

  In each of the above embodiments, the phosphorescent material is applied to the member constituting the lower panel P1, but for example, the phosphorescent member may be disposed on the wall surface of the storage unit RC, or the wall surface of the storage unit RC may be A phosphorescent member coated with a phosphorescent material may be used. Specifically, as the phosphorescent material, it is applied to the outermost surface of the lower panel P1 (the surface forming the outer shape of the lower panel P1) or a position on the inner side of the outermost surface of the cover member of the electric LED 31. What is necessary is just to be arrange | positioned in the position which receives light emission from the lower panel illumination board | substrate P2 and LED light source E2 inside the front door 3 which a customer cannot touch.

  In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the white phosphorescent material is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this aspect, and other types are used depending on the design expressed by the lower panel P1. A phosphorescent material having color may be used, and the light source LS or the like may be a light emitter other than white.

  Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Game machine, 12 Start lever, 13a-13c Stop button, 30 Display part, 31 Illumination LED (lamp part), P1 lower panel, P2 Lower panel light emission board | substrate (illuminating device), 100A main control board, 100B sub control board , 191 CPU, 199 changeover switch.

Claims (7)

A gaming machine housing for storing the reel unit;
A front door attached to the opening of the gaming machine housing so as to be openable and closable;
In the front door, a lower panel attached below the display window for displaying the reel unit;
An illumination device that is arranged inside the front door and illuminates the outside of the front door through the lower panel;
A phosphorescent member disposed inside the front door for storing light from the lighting device, and emitting the stored light toward the outside of the front door;
An illuminating device control unit that controls light emission by the illuminating device according to a time when the illuminating device irradiates light to the phosphorescent member,
A gaming machine characterized by that. A gaming machine according to claim 1,
The phosphorescent member is a film-like member coated with a material that accumulates light from the lighting device,
The lower panel includes at least one transparent cover member and the phosphorescent member,
The transparent cover member is disposed outside the phosphorescent member;
A gaming machine characterized by that. A gaming machine according to claim 2,
The lower panel is
A printed film member disposed between the transparent cover member and the phosphorescent member and provided with a design;
The phosphorescent member is disposed so as to overlap the print film member, and emits light from the back side of the print film member.
A gaming machine characterized by that. A gaming machine according to claim 2,
The phosphorescent member is formed by applying a material that accumulates light from the lighting device to a film-like member to which a design is applied.
A gaming machine characterized by that. A gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The lighting device control unit controls the lighting device to emit light with an intensity weaker than the intensity emitted by the lighting device in the predetermined period after the lighting device is turned on for a predetermined period, or to turn off.
A gaming machine characterized by that. The gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
Means for switching between a first illumination mode in which the illumination device is always lit at a predetermined intensity, and a second illumination mode in which light emission by the illumination device is controlled according to a time during which the light storage member is irradiated with light; Have
A gaming machine characterized by that. A gaming machine having a lamp portion arranged in a gaming machine housing,
The lamp section is
A cover member;
A light source device that emits light toward the outside of the gaming machine housing through the cover member;
A phosphorescent material that accumulates light from the light source device of the preceding paragraph and emits the light accumulated toward the outside of the gaming machine housing;
The gaming machine is
The light source device further includes a light source control unit that controls light emission by the light source device according to a time when the light storage material emits light.
A gaming machine characterized by that.

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