JP2017070415A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine capable of heightening interest of a player by a characteristic display performance.SOLUTION: A game machine including a prescribed indicator 80 and a cylindrical light guide plate 873 has a constitution in which the indicator 80 has a screen 831 for reflecting visibly light irradiated from the front, and the cylindrical light guide plate 873 is provided on the periphery of the screen 831, and guides light entering from the rear to the front, and a front end 873a emits forward light guided to the end and irradiates a prescribed region d on the screen 831 from the front.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine capable of producing a display effect with a sense of depth and a three-dimensional effect.

Game machines such as pachinko machines and slot machines equipped with an effect display device are known.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an effect display in which a decorative body image having a sense of depth or a stereoscopic effect can be visually recognized by arranging a decorative body and a light source in a light reflection space formed between a pair of reflecting members. A gaming machine equipped with a device has been proposed.

JP 2010-148684 A

  However, such conventional gaming machines have room for improvement.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a gaming machine according to the present invention is a gaming machine including a predetermined display and a light guide plate, and the display has a display surface that reflects light radiated from the front so that the light is visible. The light plate is provided around the display surface, guides the light incident from the rear, and the front end emits the light guided to the end to the front, with respect to a predetermined region of the display surface. It is set as the structure irradiated from the front.

It is a schematic front view which shows the external appearance of a gaming machine. It is a schematic perspective view which shows the internal structure of a game machine. It is a block diagram which shows the control structure of a gaming machine. It is a figure of a display unit, (a) is a top view, (b) is a front view, (c) is a right view. It is a disassembled perspective view of the whole display unit. It is a disassembled perspective view of a part of display unit. It is AA sectional drawing of the display unit shown in FIG.4 (b). It is a perspective view of a display unit. It is a figure which shows the display unit which concerns on other embodiment.

  A preferred embodiment of a gaming machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The slot machine 1 is an example of a gaming machine that includes a light guide plate and a display. Like a conventional slot machine, the slot machine 1 can acquire medals that are gaming media by rotating a plurality of reels 41a, 41b, and 41c. It constitutes a spinning machine that can be used.

Specifically, the slot machine 1 includes a housing 1b and a front door 1a that covers the front side of the housing 1b.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the front door 1a is a door body that can be opened and closed to the casing 1b of the slot machine 1 via a hinge or the like. The front door 1a is operated by a front panel P or a player on the front side. A plurality of operating means are provided.

  For example, a medal insertion slot 2 for inserting medals into the machine is provided as an operating means, and a predetermined number (for example, three) of medals are inserted from the medal insertion slot 2 to communicate with the medal insertion slot 2. The medal selector 2b detects the medal and the game can be started.

  In addition, a bet button 2a (for example, a max bet button) that can be pressed is provided, and a medal in a data format can be inserted into a game from a credit medal stored internally according to the operation.

  In addition, a start lever 3 is provided for starting the rotation of the reels 41a, 41b, and 41c, and a slot machine game is started when the player is operated in a state where the game can be started, and the reels 41a, 41b, and 41c are rotated. To start.

  Further, stop buttons 5a, 5b, 5c are provided corresponding to the respective reels 41, and the rotating reels 41 can be stopped by pressing the stop buttons 5 by the player. .

The front door 1a is provided with various devices in addition to the operation means. For example, the display window 6 and the medal which can visually recognize the three continuous symbols in the vertical direction shown on each reel 41 in the stopped state are provided. A medal payout exit 7b to be paid out is provided.
A display unit 8 for displaying predetermined image information and a lamp 11 having light emitting means such as an LED are provided.
Furthermore, the front door 1a is also provided with a speaker 9 for outputting predetermined sound.

  On the other hand, the housing 1b has a housing structure and houses various machines and devices necessary for slot machine games.

For example, a drum unit 4 including reels 41a, 41b, and 41c, a stepping motor (not shown) that rotates each reel 41, a sensor that detects a rotation position, and the like is provided.
Further, a medal payout device 7 for storing and paying out medals is provided, and the payout medals are provided to the player through the medal payout opening 7b.
The medal payout device 7 is provided with a hopper 7a for storing medals, and medals inserted from the medal insertion slot 2 are guided to the hopper 7a via the medal selector 2b.

Further, in the case 1b, a slot machine game can be executed by controlling each device such as the drum unit 4 and the medal payout device 7 based on operation signals from operation means such as the start lever 3 and the stop button 5. A main control unit 10 is provided (see FIG. 3).
The main control unit 10 is configured as a computer including a CPU and the like. For example, when an operation on the start lever 3 is detected in a state where a game can be started, the rotation of each reel 41 is started.
At the same time, an internal lottery process for determining a winning combination such as a re-playing role, a small role or a bonus by lottery is executed, and when a pressing operation on each stop button 5 is detected while each reel 41 is rotating, Stop control of each rotating reel 41 is performed so as to stop at a combination of symbols corresponding to the result.
The main control unit 10 determines a combination of three symbols that are continuous in the vertical direction shown on each stopped reel 41, and determines a stop with a combination of symbols corresponding to the small role, a predetermined number of medals. The medal payout device 7 is controlled to pay out.

The front door 1a is provided with a sub-control unit 20 that can execute an effect synchronized with the slot machine game.
The sub-control unit 20 is configured as a computer having a CPU and the like, like the main control unit 10, and effects output means such as the display unit 8, the speaker 9, and the lamp 11 are provided based on control commands transmitted from the main control unit 10. Control (see FIG. 3) to produce an effect synchronized with the slot machine game. For example, when receiving a control command indicating the winning of a bonus from the main control unit 10, the display unit 8 is controlled to display a predetermined picture (design).
As shown in FIGS. 4 to 8, the slot machine 1 having such a configuration includes a display unit 8 as a display device having a predetermined display and a light guide plate.

[Display unit]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the display unit 8 is disposed on the back side of the front door 1a so as to face the front (player side), and displays predetermined image information related to the slot machine game.
Such a display unit 8 is composed of a plurality of members. For example, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a rear member 81, a rear LED substrate 811, a diffusion sheet 82, a design sheet 83, a base member 84, and a front LED. A substrate 85, a side LED substrate 86, a light guide plate housing member 871, a transparent plate 872, a cylindrical light guide plate 873, an intermediate member 874, a decorative member 875, and the like are provided.
Among these, the structure composed of the rear member 81, the rear LED substrate 811, the diffusion sheet 82, and the design sheet 83 corresponds to the display device 80 of the present invention.

The rear member 81 is a dish-shaped storage unit that can store the rear LED substrate 811, the diffusion sheet 82, and the design sheet 83.
The rear LED substrate 811 is provided on the bottom surface of the rear member 81, and is mounted with the LED 812 whose light emission direction faces the front. The LED 812 is mounted in accordance with the shape and size of the design 833 applied to the design sheet 83, and is used as a backlight (light source) that irradiates the design 833 from behind.

The diffusion sheet 82 is a sheet-like member that has been subjected to a predetermined process (for example, uneven processing) for diffusing light, and is disposed between the rear LED substrate 811 and the design sheet 83.
Thereby, the light emitted from the LED 812 is diffused by the diffusion sheet 82 so that the back surface of the design sheet 83 is uniformly irradiated.

The design sheet 83 is a sheet-like member on which a predetermined design is applied.
In the design sheet 83 of the present embodiment, the front surface (display surface 831) is a light-shielding surface having a predetermined light-shielding effect, and the back surface is a design surface provided with a predetermined pattern (design) 833.
The display surface 831 constitutes a light shielding surface that blocks transmission of visible light, for example, by applying a smoke film or the like. On the back surface, a pattern 833 is printed by silk screen printing, and a white paint having a high light reflectance is applied to a portion other than the pattern 833.
In addition, the design sheet 83 forms a display surface 831 whose surface (light-shielding surface) can display image information. In front of the display surface 831, a cylindrical member (light guide plate rendering portion 87 described later) is provided so as to cover the periphery of the display surface 831, and the player can visually recognize the display surface 831 from the front through the internal space of this member. I am doing so.

Depending on the display device 80 having such a configuration, the back of the design sheet 83 is concealed by the light shielding function of the design sheet 83 in a normal state (a state where the LED 812, the LED 851 and the like are not emitting light). Nothing is displayed for 831.
Here, when the LED 812 is caused to emit light, the back surface 832 of the design sheet 83 is uniformly irradiated, only the light that irradiates the pattern 833 is transmitted, and light other than the pattern 833 is reflected and not transmitted.
For this reason, the pattern 833 is suddenly displayed on the display surface 831 on which nothing has been displayed.
Further, since the part other than the picture 833 is not displayed, only the picture 833 can be clearly displayed.
Further, since the periphery of the display surface 831 is darkened by the light guide plate effecting portion 87 described later, it is possible to make a three-dimensional appearance as if the pattern 833 has been lifted.

  A base member 84 is provided on the front side of such an indicator 80, and a light guide plate effect part 87 is provided on the front side of the base member 84.

The base member 84 is a member provided between the light guide plate effect part 87 and the display device 80, and can be attached to a frame body (not shown) of the slot machine 1 (front door 1a) by means of attachment pieces provided on the left and right.
The base member 84 is formed in a prescribed shape and size so that it can be attached to various types of slot machines. That is, the slot machine having the prescribed frame body has versatility that can be commonly attached regardless of the model.
The base member 84 has an opening 841 at the center. The opening 841 is opened in a circular shape corresponding to the display surface 831.

A front LED board 85 and a side LED board 86 are attached to the base member 84.
On the front LED board 85, a plurality of LEDs 851 are arranged in a ring shape along the periphery of the opening 841. The LED 851 is disposed to face the rear end face of the cylindrical light guide plate 873 (see FIG. 7), and is used as a light source for light emission effects by the light guide plate effect section 87.
In addition to the LEDs 851, LEDs 853 are mounted on the front LED board 85, and LEDs 852 are mounted on the side LED board 86.
These LEDs 852 and 853 are used for various purposes (for example, a light source for displaying a picture drawn on the front panel P).

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the light guide plate rendering unit 87 includes a light guide plate housing member 871, a transparent plate 872, a cylindrical light guide plate 873, an intermediate member 874, and a decoration member 875.

The light guide plate accommodating member 871 has a structure in which cylinders having different outer diameters are stacked, and a cylindrical light guide plate 873 can be accommodated between an inner wall portion 871a and an outer wall portion 871b corresponding to the side surfaces of these cylinders. A space is formed. According to the light guide plate housing member 871 having such a structure, the side portion of the cylindrical light guide plate 873 is shielded by the inner wall portion 871a and the outer wall portion 871b by housing the cylindrical light guide plate 873. Thereby, the light emitted from both side surfaces of the cylindrical light guide plate 873 can be shielded.
The inner surface of the inner side wall portion 871a is blackened by painting or the like, thereby blocking / absorbing light from the room lamp or the like, and darkening the internal space.
In addition, since the outer surface of the inner wall portion 871a and the inner surface of the outer wall portion 871b are white, among the light propagating through the inside of the cylindrical light guide plate 873, the light that is about to be emitted from the side portion is reflected, Propagation efficiency can be increased.

The transparent plate 872 is made of, for example, a transparent acrylic plate, and is placed on the front peripheral edge of the light guide plate housing member 871 (inner wall portion 871a) to constitute the display window of the display unit 8.
The cylindrical light guide plate 873 is a well-known light guide plate formed in a cylindrical shape, and is housed inside the light guide plate housing member 871.
The cylindrical light guide plate 873 is housed in the light guide plate housing member 871, so that ring-shaped end portions are disposed at the front and rear, and light incident from the rear end surface a is propagated forward through the inside. ing.
In the cylindrical light guide plate 873 of this embodiment, the front end portion 873a protrudes slightly inward, and the ring on the front end surface b is wider than the ring on the rear end surface a (see FIG. 7).
Moreover, the cylindrical light guide plate 873 is formed of, for example, a white translucent light guide plate, and a part of light propagating through the inside is diffused or scattered.
The intermediate member 874 is a resin member provided between the light guide plate housing member 871 and the decorative member 875.

The decorative member 875 is disposed on the forefront portion of the display unit 8 by overlapping the intermediate member 874. The decorative member 875 of this embodiment is formed of a yellow translucent resin member in a crown shape, and has a silver plating coating (for example, high brightness silver coating) on the back surface. In this way, the decorative member 875 can be seen as a crown shining in gold, with the silver on the back and the yellow on the member added. Further, it is possible to prevent the paint from being peeled off due to mischief or the like.
When the silver plating is applied to the back surface of the decorative member 875, a white base coating having a high reflection effect is applied so that unintended reflection on the decorative member 875 does not occur due to unintended light.
For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the display unit 8 is arranged directly above the display window 6 capable of displaying the picture of the reel 41, so that a so-called navigation lamp light source (LED 853 or the like) is a decorative member 875. It may be arranged at the back of the periphery.
In this case, every time the navigation lamp is activated, the light emitted from the light source may be emitted from behind the decorative member 875 or the like, causing unnatural light emission.
Therefore, in particular, in the vicinity where the light source other than the LED 851 is mounted as described above, an unnatural reflection of light generated in the decorative member 875 is obtained by applying a deep base coating or silver plating coating on the back surface of the decorative member 875. It is possible to prevent the jamming more effectively.

A display effect in the display unit 8 having such a structure will be described.
As shown in FIG. 7, the display unit 8 of the present embodiment is configured by disposing a light guide plate rendering unit 87 in front of the display device 80.
In such a light guide plate rendering unit 87, the LEDs 853 mounted on the front LED substrate 85 are disposed to face the rear end surface a of the cylindrical light guide plate 873.

Here, when the LED 853 is caused to emit light, the light emitted from the LED 853 is incident from the rear end surface a of the cylindrical light guide plate 873 and propagates forward while repeating total reflection at the boundary surfaces on both side surfaces inside the light guide plate.
When the light reaches the front end portion 873a, a part is emitted forward from the front end surface b.
Thereby, the player can visually recognize the ring-shaped light emitting region (referred to as the front ring A) corresponding to the shape of the front end face b (see FIG. 8).

Further, a part of the light reaching the front end portion 873a reaches a portion protruding inward due to diffusion, scattering, and the like in addition to reflection on the front end surface b. Thereby, light is emitted from the inside of the front end portion 873a to the outside. In particular, light emitted backward from the back surface c irradiates the predetermined area d of the display surface 831 and the reflected light is emitted to the player. Is visible.
Thereby, the player can visually recognize on the display surface 831 a ring-shaped light emitting region (referred to as the rear ring B) corresponding to the shape of the protruding portion (particularly the back surface c) of the front end portion 873a (see FIG. 8).

Here, the display surface 831 is subjected to a light shielding process, and the inside of the inner wall portion 871a of the light guide plate housing member 871 is black, thereby making the internal space dark. For this reason, the rear ring B appears to be floating in a completely dark space.
Further, since the rear ring B similar to this is emitted on the display surface 831 which is a considerable distance behind the front end surface b on which the front ring A is lit and displayed, the rear ring is based on the sense of distance. B can be shown as having a sense of depth or three-dimensionality.
Further, for example, when the display surface 831 is viewed from the front and when the display surface 831 is viewed from the right side, the concealment area of the rear ring B by the front ring A also changes, and thus the relative of such rings Depending on how you look, you can feel a sense of depth and three-dimensionality.
In addition, by causing the LED 812 in the display device 80 to emit light, the picture 833 drawn on the design sheet 83 is displayed on the display surface 831 and the picture 833 is displayed so as to be surrounded by the front ring A and the rear ring B. be able to.
As a result, the pattern 833 is displayed in a ring with a sense of depth so that it appears in a dark space, and thus a display effect that makes the pattern 833 stand out more clearly is possible.

The display unit 8 having such a configuration is controlled by the sub-control unit 20 and operates as follows.
Specifically, various effects can be performed based on the result of an internal lottery process in which a winning combination such as a re-playing combination, a small combination, or a bonus is determined by lottery.
For example, when the bonus is won, the LED 812 mounted on the rear LED board 811 is caused to emit light, thereby making it possible to make an announcement by displaying the pattern 833 on the display surface 831.
As a result, the pattern 833 is displayed so as to suddenly emerge in a dark interior space where there is nothing until then, and it is possible to notify the player of a bonus winning with a surprise.

Further, the front ring A and the rear ring B can be displayed by causing the LED 851 mounted on the front LED board 85 to emit light.
Thereby, the characteristic notification by the display effect with a sense of depth or a three-dimensional effect is possible.
At this time, the front ring A and the rear ring B are caused to emit light in synchronization with or independently of the display of the pattern 833 or the like, whereby a variation can be added to the notification mode when the bonus is won.
By making such a characteristic announcement, the interest of the player can be enhanced.
In addition, at the time of winning a bonus, it is also possible to notify the LED 852 to emit the pattern on the front panel P together with the display effect.

By the way, the pattern 833 and the rear ring B displayed on the display surface 831 are arranged so that the display surface 831 is located in the inner space of the light guide plate rendering portion 87 and the inner space is surrounded by each member. It is difficult to see from other players around.
For this reason, at the time of winning the bonus, by controlling so that the display effect of emitting light on the front panel P by the LED 852 is not performed, another player or the like is not notified of the bonus winning and only the player is notified of the bonus winning. Is possible.
Moreover, it can control so that a player can select a notification aspect.
For example, a setting for notifying a player only of a bonus winning (a setting for causing only the LED 851 to emit light) by a player's button operation or the like, and a setting for notifying a bonus winning by other players including the player (such as an LED 851 or the like). The setting for causing the LED 853 to emit light) can be selected.
By doing in this way, the player can play a game based on the notification mode suitable for his / her preference.

[Other Embodiments]
FIG. 9 is a view showing a display unit according to another embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 9A, the light from the LED 851 that has entered from the rear end surface a of the cylindrical light guide plate 873 propagates in the light guide plate toward the front end portion 873a, of which the front end portion 873a reaches the front end portion 873a. This is common in that a part of the reached light is emitted forward from the front end face b.
However, as shown to Fig.9 (a), the display unit 8 which concerns on this embodiment provides the shielding member 873b which covers the protrusion part of the said front end part 873a in the front end part 873a of the cylindrical light-guide plate 873. FIG. This is different from the above-described embodiment.
According to such a display unit 8, even if light is propagated to the protruding portion of the front end portion 873a due to reflection, diffusion, or scattering by the front end surface b, the light is not emitted to the outside from there.
Then, no light is emitted backward from the back surface c of the front end portion 873a, and no light emitting region is formed on the display surface 831.
For this reason, as shown in FIG. 9B, the front ring A emits light so as to be visible, but the rear ring B does not emit light so as to be visible on the display surface 831.
Therefore, according to the display unit 8 of the present embodiment, only the pattern 833 is displayed in a completely dark space, and the others are not displayed. Therefore, a display effect that makes the pattern 833 appear clearer and clearer is possible.

  As described above, the slot machine 1 according to the present embodiment can perform display with a three-dimensional space and display with a sense of depth by the display unit 8 including a display and a light guide plate. Since the picture can be displayed in a conspicuous manner, the range of game effects can be widened and the interest of the player can be further enhanced.

On the other hand, in the conventional slot machine, the pattern of the present embodiment is not raised or cannot be displayed so that it is not interesting.
According to the slot machine 1 of the present embodiment, all or a part of such problems that the conventional slot machine should improve can be solved.

  The preferred embodiment of the gaming machine of the present invention has been described above, but the gaming machine according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. Needless to say.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the cylindrical light guide plate is used. However, a light guide plate having a rectangular tube shape or other cylindrical shape can be used, and is not limited to the cylindrical shape.
In addition, the structure including the combination of the rear member 81, the rear LED substrate 811, the diffusion sheet 82, and the design sheet 83 is the display device 80, but the liquid crystal TV or the reel 41 may be the display device 80.
In addition, the design sheet 83 has been described as an example of a single sheet member having a light shielding surface and a design surface on the front surface 831 and the back surface 832, but the sheet member having the light shielding function and the design is applied. A configuration may be adopted in which one member is prepared and the members are stacked.

In the present embodiment, the present invention is applied to a slot machine, but can also be applied to other gaming machines such as a pachinko (for example, ball slot).
The present invention can also be applied to a so-called enclosed game machine that can execute a game using a pseudo game medium in a data format without using actual game media such as medals and game balls.

In the above-described embodiment, the LED 851 is used as a light source of the light guide plate rendering unit 87, and the other LEDs 852 and 853 are used for other purposes. However, the roles of these LEDs can be changed.
For example, when an irradiated body (production member) such as a light guide plate is provided on the side portion, the LED 852 mounted on the side LED substrate 86 can be used as a light source and used for notification when a bonus is won.
That is, as shown in FIG. 5, by arranging the LEDs at various positions on the base member 84, it is possible to easily change the effect mode simply by replacing the irradiated object (effect member).
Thereby, the arrangement | positioning of LED can be changed whenever it changes an effect aspect, the effort to mount can be saved, and the versatility of the display unit 8 can be improved.

Further, the front panel P is provided with a circular opening in accordance with the shape of the display unit 8, and a conductive paint is applied to the periphery of the opening of the front panel P, and a ground wire is connected to the application surface. You can also
In this way, for example, even if static electricity is generated near the display unit 8 for mischief or fraudulent purposes, noise current caused by the static electricity can be released to the ground.
Thereby, it can prevent that a noise current flows into a control circuit etc. via the display unit 8 or the front panel P, and can prevent illegal game operation.

1 Slot Machine 8 Display Unit P Front Panel 80 Display 83 Design Sheet 833 Pattern (Design)
831 Display surface (shading surface)
812, 851, 852, 853 LEDs
87 Light guide plate rendering part 871 Light guide plate accommodating part 871a Inner wall part 871b Outer wall part 873 Cylindrical light guide plate 873a Front end part a Rear end face of cylindrical light guide plate b Front end face of cylindrical light guide plate c Front of cylindrical light guide plate The back surface d of the end portion The predetermined area of the display surface

Claims (5)

In a gaming machine provided with a predetermined display and a light guide plate,
The indicator has a display surface that reflects the light emitted from the front so as to be visible,
The light guide plate is provided around the display surface, guides light incident from the rear, the front end emits the light guided to the end forward, and the display surface A gaming machine that irradiates a predetermined area from the front. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the display surface includes a light shielding surface having a predetermined light shielding effect. The gaming machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the light guide plate has a shape in which the front end protrudes toward the display surface. The gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least the display surface side of the side portion of the light guide plate is covered with a predetermined shielding member. A design surface with a predetermined design is provided so as to overlap the display surface,
The game machine according to claim 1, wherein the display device displays the design on the display surface by irradiating the design surface with light.