JP2024070714A - Gaming Machines - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a gaming machine with a new operating mode. [Solution] A gaming machine 1 includes an operation unit that accepts pressing operations by a player, and a vibration unit 50 that vibrates the operation unit in response to the operation of the operation unit by the player, the operation unit includes a main operation unit 20M that accepts pressing operations, and a large button 23 that accepts pressing operations and has a button body 41 supported so as to be movable in the pressing direction, the vibration unit 50 includes a first vibration unit 51 that vibrates the main operation unit 20M in response to acceptance of the operation of the main operation unit 20M, and a second vibration unit 52 that is provided inside the button body 41 and vibrates the button body 41 in response to acceptance of the operation of the large button 23. [Selected Figure] Figure 11

Description

The present invention relates to gaming machines.

Conventionally, there have been gaming machines installed in facilities such as amusement parks (for example, Patent Document 1).

Patent Application No. 2018-134984

However, there was room for improvement in conventional gaming machines.

One aspect of the present invention is a gaming machine that includes an operation unit that accepts pressing operations by a player, and a vibration unit that vibrates the operation unit in response to the operation of the operation unit by the player, the operation unit including a first operation unit that accepts pressing operations, and a second operation unit that accepts pressing operations and has a button unit supported so as to be movable in the pressing direction, the vibration unit including a first vibration unit that vibrates the first operation unit in response to the acceptance of the operation of the first operation unit, and a second vibration unit that is provided inside the button unit and vibrates the button unit in response to the acceptance of the operation of the second operation unit.

This is a diagram illustrating the overall configuration of the gaming machine 1 of the embodiment, and is a front view (viewed from the front side Y1) and a left side view. This is an oblique view and a vertical cross-sectional view of the entire gaming machine 1 of the embodiment, viewed from the upper right of the front side Y1. This is a view of the vicinity of the aerial display 5 of the embodiment from the front side Y1, and a vertical cross-sectional view of the left and right panels 10. 3 is an enlarged view of the lower portion of the vertical cross section of the gaming machine 1 of the embodiment (the portion indicated by the arrow 4 in FIG. 2(B)). 13 is a view showing the main parts of the main operating unit 20M of the embodiment as viewed from the upper side Z2. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the system configuration of a gaming machine 1 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a main operating unit 20M according to the embodiment. 13 is a view of the main operating unit 20M alone according to the embodiment, seen from the upper side Z2. FIG. 13 is a view of the main operating unit 20M alone according to the embodiment, as viewed from the right side X2. FIG. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the main operating unit 20M alone in the embodiment (as viewed from the upper right on the front side Y1). 11 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along 11-11 in FIG. 8) of a main operating unit 20M according to the embodiment. 7A is a perspective view of the large button unit 40 and its vicinity as viewed from the upper right of the front side Y1 (arrow 12 in FIG. 7A ). FIG. 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the vicinity of a large button unit 40 according to an embodiment. 13A to 13C are diagrams illustrating a link mechanism 45d of the large button unit 40 according to the embodiment. 1 is a diagram illustrating the positional relationship of the lower portion of the gaming machine 1 of the embodiment (the cabinet 2, the reels 11, the main operation portion 20M, the lower operation portion 20D, the vicinity of the lower space portion 60, etc.). 1 is a diagram illustrating the positional relationship of the lower portion of the gaming machine 1 of the embodiment (the cabinet 2, the reels 11, the main operation portion 20M, the lower operation portion 20D, the vicinity of the lower space portion 60, etc.). 1 is a perspective view of a main operating unit 20M and its support structure according to an embodiment, as viewed from the lower right of the front side Y1. FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of the lower space 60 and its vicinity according to the embodiment (as viewed from the upper right on the front side Y1). FIG. 4A to 4C are diagrams illustrating a lower panel portion 70 according to an embodiment. This is a diagram showing the vicinity of the lower space 60 of the embodiment as viewed from the right side X2, and is a diagram explaining the arrangement of the main operating unit 20M, the lower space 60, the lower panel unit 70, etc.

(Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the overall configuration of a gaming machine 1 according to an embodiment, and is a front view (as viewed from the front side Y1) and a left side view.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view and a vertical cross-sectional view of the entire gaming machine 1 of the embodiment, seen from the upper right of the front side Y1.
FIG. 3 is a view of the vicinity of the aerial display 5 of the embodiment as viewed from the front side Y1, and is a vertical cross-sectional view of the left and right panels 10.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the lower portion (arrow 4 in FIG. 2B) of the vertical cross section of the gaming machine 1 according to the embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a view of the main part of the main operation unit 20M according to the embodiment as viewed from the upper side Z2.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the system configuration of the gaming machine 1 according to the embodiment.

In the embodiments and drawings, an XYZ Cartesian coordinate system is used for explanation as appropriate. As shown in Fig. 1 etc., this coordinate system represents the left-right direction X (left side X1, right side X2), the front-rear direction Y (front side Y1, rear side Y2), and the vertical direction Z (lower side Z1, upper side Z2) of the gaming machine 1.
[Overview of Gaming Machine 1]
An overview of the gaming machine 1 will now be described.
The gaming machine 1 of the embodiment is a slot machine. The gaming machine 1 is a device that allows a game to be played without using game media such as actual medals, and is capable of managing game values that can be used in the game. In other words, the gaming machine 1 executes a game using pseudo medals (so-called credit medals) stored in a memory unit as medals. In the embodiment, such pseudo medals are also simply called medals.
The gaming machine 1 may be placed in an amusement parlor alone or in two or more units, similar to conventional gaming machines, and may also be installed alone or in two or more units in gaming facilities, various commercial facilities, various tourist facilities, entertainment facilities, etc.

The gaming machine 1 comprises a cabinet 2, a front door 3, a main display unit 4, an aerial display 5, speakers 6, 7, left and right panels 10, reels 11 (11L, 11C, 11R), a drum unit 12, an operation unit 20, and a control unit 27.
The gaming machine 1 is a device that is equipped with a memory unit and a control unit provided on the main control board 28 and the sub-control board 29 (see FIG. 6) of the control unit 27, and is capable of various arithmetic processing and various controls, and is included in the concept of a computer. Each memory unit is equipped with a storage device such as a semiconductor memory element that stores programs, information, etc. necessary for the operation of the gaming machine 1. Each control unit is equipped with a CPU, etc. Each control unit realizes various functions of the embodiment by appropriately reading and executing various programs, etc. stored in each memory unit. The gaming machine 1 may also be composed of multiple computers. Furthermore, the main control board 28 and the sub-control board 29 are also equipped with a memory unit and a control unit, respectively, and are included in the concept of a computer.

The cabinet 2 is a box that forms the outer frame of the gaming machine 1 .
The front door 3 is a member that constitutes the front portion of the gaming machine 1. The front door 3 is provided to the cabinet 2 so as to be openable and closable by a hinge or the like (not shown). The main display unit 4, the speaker 6, etc. are attached to the front door 3.
A pull-out tray 3a (see FIG. 4) is provided at the bottom of the front door 3. During a game, a player can store personal belongings such as a mobile phone in the tray 3a.

The main display unit 4, the aerial display 5, the speakers 6, 7, etc. can be used as notification means, presentation means, etc. by outputting various types of video information and sound information.
The main display unit 4 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display device or an organic EL display. The main display unit 4 may be a high-resolution display device such as 4K. The main display unit 4 is a large display device with a diagonal of, for example, about 24 inches, and is arranged vertically. For this reason, the length of the main display unit 4 in the vertical direction Z is, for example, about 580 mm, which is larger than the display devices of conventional gaming machines.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the aerial display 5 is disposed on the upper side Z2 of the gaming machine 1.
The aerial display 5 is a display device that displays a display screen such as a liquid crystal display device 5d in the air. In the vertical direction Z, the aerial display 5 is disposed directly above the main display unit 4.
The form of the aerial display 5 is not limited, but for example, a device described in JP 2017-107218 A can be used.
The observation image 5a generated by the aerial display 5 is an image of a display screen of a liquid crystal display device or the like, and is therefore observed flat (see FIG. 2B). The observation image 5a is tilted to the front Y1 so that the player can easily view it.

As shown in Fig. 3A, a front side Y1 of the observation image 5a is provided with an opening/closing door 5b that opens and closes depending on the game state, etc. This allows the aerial display 5 to control the observation range of the observation image 5a depending on the performance, etc.
When viewed from the player, the display screen of the main display unit 4 and the display range of the observation image 5a of the aerial display 5 are continuous in the vertical direction Z.
The gaming machine 1 improves the presentation effect by continuously displaying one image on the display screen of the main display unit 4 and the observation image 5a of the aerial display 5. For example, in FIG. 3(A), the observation image 5a of the aerial display 5 and the image 4a of the main display unit 4 are continuously displayed to form a circular image. Then, this circular image moves to the lower side Z1. Although not shown, the gaming machine 1 can improve the presentation effect by linking the display screen of the main display unit 4 and the observation image of the aerial display 5.

The speakers 6 are disposed on the left and right sides of the gaming machine 1, and the speaker 7 is disposed on the bottom of the gaming machine 1 (see FIG. 4, etc.). The speaker 7 is a dynamic speaker capable of outputting low-pitched sounds.
In addition, the gaming machine 1 may have speakers other than those mentioned above, for example, located near the upper or lower corners of the gaming machine 1 .

The left and right panels 10 are provided on the left and right sides of the gaming machine 1. The left and right panels 10 are detachably attached to the cabinet 2 using brackets 10g, screws 10h, etc. (see FIG. 1(B)). The left and right panels 10 function as illuminations, as partitions that separate the space in which the player is located to some extent, and the like.
The left and right panels 10 are plate-shaped and extend outward in the left-right direction X toward the front side Y1.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the left and right panels 10 include a transparent plate 10a, an LED 10d, and a rear panel 10e.
The transparent plate 10a is the main body of the left and right panels 10. The transparent plate 10a is a transparent plate made of an acrylic resin plate material or the like. The transparent plate 10a is elongated in the vertical direction Z. The transparent plate 10a is formed by overlapping two transparent plates, a front transparent plate 10b and a rear transparent plate 10c.
The LEDs 10d are light sources arranged in a plurality inside the transparent plate 10a. The LEDs 10d may be a so-called LED tape light in which a plurality of LEDs 10d are arranged on a tape.
The rear panel 10e is disposed on the rear side Y2 of the transparent plate 10a so as to overlap the transparent plate 10a. In the embodiment, the rear panel 10e has the letters 10f "ABC" printed thereon (see FIG. 1(A)), but for example, the role of the gaming machine 1, illustrations of characters appearing in the game, the model name of the gaming machine 1, etc. may be printed thereon. In other words, the rear panel 10e has a function as a POP advertisement, etc.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the LED 10d is not lit, the characters 10f on the rear panel 10e can be clearly seen through the transparent plate 10a.
As shown in Fig. 2A, when the LED 10d is turned on, the visibility of the characters 10f on the rear panel 10e is reduced due to the light from the LED 10d being obscured. In this way, the left and right panels 10 have two functions: POP advertising and illumination. The illumination by the LED 10d may be turned on in response to the game status, or only some of the LEDs 10d may be turned on to display video and text information.

The gaming machine 1 can be installed in a smaller space with the left and right panels 10 removed than with the left and right panels 10 attached. For this reason, when the gaming machines 1 are installed side by side in an amusement facility, the left and right panels 10 may be removed from the gaming machine 1.

As shown in Fig. 1 and other figures, the reel 11 is an example of a variable display unit that variably displays symbols (identification information). Three reels 11L, 11C, and 11R are arranged in this order from the left side X1 to the right side X2 (see Fig. 15).
A plurality of (e.g., 20) symbols are displayed on the periphery of each of the reels 11L, 11C, and 11R. The types of symbols include, for example, “watermelon,” “cherry,” “bell,” “RP,” “7,” and “BAR.”

2B, the drum unit 12 is a device that drives the reels 11L, 11C, and 11R to rotate. The drum unit 12 is provided inside the housing 2.
In the above-described embodiment, some of the symbols on the periphery of the reels 11L, 11C, and 11R that are driven to rotate are visible through the window 11a (display window) on the front surface of the front door 3, and the symbols are displayed in a variable manner.
The form of the variable display means is not limited to this, and for example, the number of symbols on the periphery may be other than 20. Also, the form of the variable display means may not be a mechanical reel, but may be a form in which symbols are displayed on a liquid crystal display device or the like.

The stop buttons 22L, 22C, and 22R (see FIG. 5) are an example of an operating means for performing a stop operation on these reels 11L, 11C, and 11R. The stop buttons 22L, 22C, and 22R are provided corresponding to the reels 11L, 11C, and 11R, respectively, and can accept an operation to stop the changing patterns being displayed. When the stop buttons 22L, 22C, and 22R are in a state where they can accept an operation, the light-emitting means such as an LED provided corresponding to each button lights up.

The gaming machine 1 has a push order notification function that navigates (notifies) the player of the order in which to operate the stop buttons 22L, 22C, and 22R when a winning combination that involves the pressing of the stop buttons 22L, 22C, and 22R is won. The push order notification function controls the navigation lamps (not shown) to light up in order according to the order in which the stop buttons 22L, 22C, and 22R are operated, and notifies the player of the stop button corresponding to the pressing order by outputting sounds such as "left," "middle," and "right."

(Operation unit 20)
The operation unit 20 is a unit that mainly includes operation members and the like that receive operations from the player.
The operation unit 20 includes a main operation section 20M and a lower operation section 20D.
In this embodiment, the main operation section 20M and the lower operation section 20D, which receive operations from the player, are collectively referred to as the operation unit 20.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the main operation unit 20M is assembled with a case member provided so as to protrude from the housing 2 to the front side Y1, various operation members, and the like.
The main operation unit 20M includes a medal count display unit 20a, a bet button 21a, a mode switching button 21b, an environment setting button 21c, stop buttons 22L, 22C, 22R, a large button 23, a start lever 24, and a full press operation unit 25 (see Figure 16, etc.) (case movement operation unit).
The lower operation unit 20D includes a slash operation unit 26a (see FIG. 17, etc.), a lower panel lever 26c (see FIG. 16, etc.), and an electrical action unit 82 (see FIG. 20B, etc.).

Although not explained here, in addition to these operating members, the gaming machine 1 also has various buttons for counting the number of medals owned and for storing and outputting the number on an IC card.
In addition, the bet button 21a, the stop button 22, the mode switching button 21b, the environment setting button 21c, the large button 23, etc. are touch input type operation units, and are interfaces that accept operations when the player's hand touches the operation surface. In the embodiment, these operation units are also called buttons, and the action of touch input to these buttons is also called a touch operation, a pressing operation, or simply pressing, etc.

The medal number display unit 20a is a display device that displays the credit medals owned by the player. The medal number display unit 20a is a seven-segment display (also simply called seven-segment) using an LED, a liquid crystal display device, etc. The medal number display unit 20a is provided on the upper surface (upper operation surface 20U) of the main operation unit 20M.
The details of the operation unit 20 and the configuration of these buttons will be described later.

(Control unit 27)
6, the control unit 27 includes a main control board 28 and a sub-control board 29. Although not shown in the figure, the main control board 28 and the sub-control board 29 are housed inside the gaming machine 1.
The main control board 28 mainly performs processes related to medal counting, various lottery processes, processes related to game states, etc. The sub-control board 29 mainly performs controls related to presentation, etc.
In the embodiment, the gaming machine 1 is shown as having a main control board 28 and a sub-control board 29, similar to conventional gaming machines, but is not limited to this. A control board that integrates the functions of the main control board 28 and the sub-control board 29 may be provided. In this case, the computer that houses the control board may be disposed outside the gaming machine 1 (inside the gaming island, etc.).
Furthermore, the main control board 28 may be separated into a unit which mainly controls the counting of medals and a unit which mainly controls the game state, and the two units may be connected so as to be able to communicate with each other via an electric cable or the like.

The main control board 28, the drum unit 12, the bet button 21a, the stop button 22, etc. are connected by communication cables and are capable of communicating with each other.
The main control board 28 includes a main memory unit 28a (storage means) and a main control unit 28b.
The main memory unit 28a stores various information such as game programs related to games and various tables for conducting internal lotteries.
Although detailed explanation will be omitted, the main memory unit 28a stores, for example, an internal lottery table, a payout table, etc. corresponding to the type of the gaming machine 1 (AT type, ART type, etc.).

The main control unit 28b operates according to the program stored in the main memory unit 28a. As a result, the main control unit 28b performs processes related to the progress of the game on the gaming machine 1.
In addition, the main control unit 28b realizes play on the gaming machine 1 by performing game progress processing involving internal lottery processing, management of various information stored in the main memory unit 28a, and processing of awarding medals to players in response to the operation of the operating units such as the start lever 24.

The sub-control board 29 is connected to the main display unit 4, speakers 6, 7, large button 23, full pressing operation unit 25, lower operation unit 20D, etc. by communication cables, and is capable of communication. The sub-control board 29 controls these devices in response to instructions from the main control board 28.

The sub-control board 29 includes a sub-storage unit 29a and a sub-control unit 29b.
The sub-storage unit 29a stores various information such as game programs related to games.
The sub-controller 29b processes and controls notifications, effects, etc., synchronized with play on the gaming machine 1 in response to commands (instructions) from the main controller 28b of the main control board 28. The sub-controller 29b controls the main display unit 4, speakers 6, 7, etc., to perform effects such as video output and fanfare sound output. These outputs and effects include, for example, notifications of transitions in game states, effects corresponding to each game state, etc.

(Basic Operation of Gaming Machine 1)
The main control unit 28b of the main control board 28 and the sub-control unit 29b of the sub-control board 29 perform the basic operations of the game as follows.
At the start of each game (also referred to as the relevant game, the current game, etc.), the number of medals is subtracted in response to the pressing operation of the bet button 21a, and the subtracted amount is set as the bet amount.
The bet button 21a may be a button that increases the bet by one in response to an operation, a button corresponding to the maximum bet of 3 (a so-called MAX bet button), or a button corresponding to each of the bets from 1 to 3.

In the above-mentioned game start possible state, the operation of the start lever 24 is valid. In this valid state, when the start lever 24 is tilted, the game starts. In the embodiment, the operation of the start lever 24 in the valid state is also referred to as a "game start operation". In response to the reception of the game start operation, the reels 11L, 11C, and 11R start to move, and an internal lottery process is executed to determine the lottery result of the current game from among a plurality of winning roles (including losing roles) such as RP (replay) roles and small roles before the reels 11L, 11C, and 11R stop. As a result, the main control unit 28b performs a determination by internal lottery as to whether or not to award game media.
In the internal lottery process, a winning combination for the current game is determined by lottery from among a plurality of winning combinations based on a predetermined winning rate.
In this embodiment, the internal lottery process is completed before the reels 11L, 11C, and 11R reach steady rotation, but it may be completed before the reels 11L, 11C, and 11R start to rotate.

The reels 11L, 11C, and 11R gradually increase their rotation speed from a stopped state, and then reach a steady state where they rotate at a constant speed. When the reels reach this steady state, the stop buttons 22L, 22C, and 22R provided corresponding to the reels 11L, 11C, and 11R become pressable (stop button operation is enabled).
When each stop button 22 is pressed in this state, each reel 11L, 11C, 11R is controlled to stop with a combination of symbols permitted by the timing of the operation and the lottery result of the internal lottery process.

After the third reel is stopped, the combination of symbols stopped on the winning line is judged, and if it is a predetermined combination of symbols, it is judged as a winning combination, and a game value according to the combination of symbols is awarded.
The third reel refers to the reel that is stopped the third time when the three reels 11L, 11C, and 11R are stopped three times, one for each reel. After the third reel is stopped, the third reel is stopped after the player releases his/her finger from the stop button 22 that was used to stop the third reel.

As an example of a gaming value, when a combination of symbols corresponding to a small win appears, a small win is determined, and a predetermined number of medals are awarded to the player.
In the stopped state, three consecutive symbols displayed in the vertical direction on each of the reels 11L, 11C, and 11R are stopped so as to be visible from outside the machine (also called "stopped display"). As a result, the main control unit 28b controls the variable displayed symbols so as to be stopped in a manner based on the result of the internal lottery.
Then, the main control unit 28b determines whether or not a win has been made based on the stopped display state at this time.
The main control unit 28b judges whether or not a prize has been won based on the combination of symbols that have stopped on the winning line in the middle row (the center of the three symbols that are consecutive in the vertical direction). Note that the winning lines are not limited to this, and may be, for example, five lines in total, consisting of three lines in the upper row, middle row, and lower row and two diagonal lines, or any one or more of these five lines may be used.

(Winning role)
The winning roles include, for example, a "small role,""push order RP role 1, 2," and "SB (single bonus) role."
The combination of symbols corresponding to the "small winning combination" is, for example, a bell combination, a rare combination, a chance combination, a losing combination, and the like.
The symbol combination corresponding to the "Bell role" is "Bell, Bell, Bell" in the order of "reel 11L (left), reel 11C (center), reel 11R (right)" on the winning line.
Furthermore, the "bell role" includes a "common bell role" and a "push order bell role."
When you win the "Common Bell Role", the combination of symbols will line up regardless of the order in which you press the buttons.
When you win the "Push Order Bell Role," you can line up a combination of symbols by performing the stopping operation that corresponds to the push order.

The rare combination includes a cherry and a watermelon. The symbol combination of the cherry is "cherry, ANY, ANY" (where ANY is any symbol), and the symbol combination of the watermelon is "watermelon, watermelon, watermelon."
In a game in which a rare combination is won, the sub-controller 29b displays images of symbols corresponding to the rare combination or images suggesting the symbols on the main display unit 4. The player performs an operation involving eye-pressing in accordance with this display, that is, stops the reels 11L, 11C, and 11R at the timing when the same symbols as those displayed on the main display unit 4 and the like stop on the winning line. In response to this stopping operation, the main control unit 28b stops and displays a combination of symbols corresponding to the winning combination.
The combinations of chance symbols include "bell, watermelon, RP1", etc.

When the combination of symbols corresponding to "Push Order RP Role 1, 2" stops, a replay is determined to have been won, and the next game can be played without betting medals, i.e., without spending medals.
The symbol combinations corresponding to "Push Order RP Roles 1 and 2" are "RP1, RP1, RP1" and "RP2, RP2, RP2", respectively.
The symbol combination corresponding to the "SB role" is "BAR, SB, SB", etc. The "SB role" is a 0-coin role. Therefore, even if the symbol combination corresponding to the "SB role" is stopped and displayed, no medals are awarded.

(Push order)
The pressing order refers to the order in which the stop buttons 22L, 22C, and 22R are operated.
In this embodiment, the winning roles involving push orders include a push order bell role and push order RP roles 1 and 2.
The push order bell role further includes push order bell roles 1 to 6, which have different operating orders of the stop buttons 22L, 22C, and 22R. As described below, when the result of the internal lottery determination is a push order bell role (specific determination result) and the operating mode of the stop buttons 22L, 22C, and 22R is in accordance with the push order (specific operating mode), the main control unit 28b executes control to stop and display the symbols in the combination of "Bell Bell Bell" (specific mode) corresponding to the bell role.
In an embodiment, when a winning role involving a push order such as a push order bell role is won, and the corresponding push order is followed, this is referred to as correct push order bell, correct push order, correct, etc., while failure to follow the corresponding push order is referred to as incorrect push order bell, incorrect push order, incorrect, etc.

As an example of notification of the push order, for example, if the player wins "Push Order Bell Role 1" out of "Push Order Bell Roles 1 to 6," three navigation lamps (not shown) will light up sequentially from left to right, and speakers 6 and 7 will output the respective sounds in the order of "left,""middle," and "right."
In this way, the navigation lamps and speakers 6 and 7 output information regarding the operation order of the stop buttons 22L, 22C, and 22R.
In addition to or instead of the navigation lamps and the speakers 6 and 7, the main display unit 4 may output information regarding the operation order of the stop buttons 22L, 22C, and 22R.
In an embodiment, when a winning combination that involves a push order is won, the push order is navigated (informed) and is referred to as push order navigation.

In a game where a player wins one of the "Push Order Bell Roles 1 to 6," if the player operates the stop button 22 according to the push order navigation, the player can get the push order correct. In response, a combination of symbols corresponding to the "Push Order Bell Role" is displayed in a stopped state, and the player is given a game value (a specified number of medals, a transition to a game state, etc.).
On the other hand, if the player operates the stop button 22 without following the push order navigation in a game in which he/she has won one of the "push order bell roles 1 to 6," the push order will be incorrect. In this case, the combination of symbols corresponding to the "push order bell role" will not stop (so-called bell drop, bell drop). In this case, the game may be controlled so that a predetermined combination of symbols is stopped and one medal is awarded.

Similarly, push order RP roles 1 and 2 each have six winning roles with different operation orders, and in a game in which a winning role is won, the combination of symbols corresponding to each winning role is stopped by performing a stop operation corresponding to the push order. Also, when push order navigation is executed, the combination of symbols corresponding to each winning role is stopped by performing a stop operation according to the push order navigation. Also, when push order RP roles 1 and 2 are won, if the push order is incorrect, a combination of symbols other than those corresponding to push order RP roles 1 and 2 may be displayed as stopped.

The control unit 27 executes various processes related to each of the above games. That is, the main control unit 28b executes processes such as lottery processing corresponding to the current gaming state, transition of the gaming state, etc., and the sub-control unit 29b executes processes such as presentation corresponding to these. These processes differ depending on the type, model, etc. of the gaming machine 1. In the embodiment, the explanation of these processes is omitted.

[Configuration in the vicinity of operation unit 20]
The configuration in the vicinity of the operation unit 20 will now be described in detail.
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the main operation unit 20M according to the embodiment.
7A is a view seen from the upper right corner of the front side Y1, and FIG. 7B is a view seen from the upper right corner of the rear side Y2.
FIG. 8 is a view of the main operation unit 20M alone according to the embodiment, as viewed from the upper side Z2.
FIG. 9 is a view of the main operation unit 20M alone according to the embodiment, as viewed from the right side X2.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the main operation unit 20M alone according to the embodiment (as viewed from the upper right on the front side Y1).
10A shows the button body 41 of the large button 23 in a flat state, and FIG. 10B shows the button body 41 in a protruding state.
FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 in FIG. 8) of the main operation unit 20M according to the embodiment.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view (arrow 12 in FIG. 7A) of the large button unit 40 and its vicinity as viewed from the upper right of the front side Y1 according to the embodiment.
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the large button unit 40 and its surrounding area according to the embodiment.
FIG. 13A is a perspective view (arrow 13A in FIG. 7B) seen from the upper right of the rear side Y2.
Fig. 13B is a view seen from the rear side Y2. Note that in Fig. 13B, the cover of the gear unit is omitted.
FIG. 13C is a view seen from the front side Y1.
FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating the link mechanism 45d of the large button unit 40 according to the embodiment.

[Main operation unit 20M]
As shown in Figures 7, 11, 12, etc., the main operation unit 20M includes a chassis portion 31, a lower case portion 32, a left case portion 33, a right case portion 34, an upper case portion 35, a front case portion 36, a capacitance sensor 37, a large button unit 40 (second operation unit), and a vibration portion 50.
The chassis portion 31, the lower case portion 32, the left case portion 33, the right case portion 34, the upper case portion 35, and the front case portion 36 are case portions that constitute the housing, base, etc. of the main operating unit 20M.
The chassis portion 31 has a U-shape when viewed from the upper side Z2.
The lower case part 32, the left case part 33, the right case part 34, the upper case part 35, and the front case part 36 are the case parts on the lower side Z1, the upper side Z2, the left side X1, the right side X2, and the front side Y1 of the main operation part 20M, respectively. Each of these case parts may be composed of a plurality of members. These case parts are integrated by being fixed to the chassis part 31 directly or indirectly (i.e., via other members) by screws or the like.

The lower case portion 32 has a substantially flat shape.
The left case portion 33 and the right case portion 34 are substantially symmetrical in the left-right direction X.
A start lever 24 is provided on the front surface of the left case portion 33 so as to protrude toward the front side Y1.

(Upper case portion 35)
The upper case 35 mainly includes a configuration for receiving operations from the player from the upper side Z2. The upper case 35 includes a configuration for operation sections such as a medal count display section 20a, a bet button 21a, a mode switching button 21b, and an environment setting button 21c.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 11, the upper case portion 35 includes a base portion 35a, an electric board 35b, a light guide plate 35c, a diffusion sheet 35d, and an upper cover 35g.
The base 35a, the electric board 35b, the light guide plate 35c, the diffusion sheet 35d, and the upper cover 35g are arranged in this order from the lower side Z1 to the upper side Z2. These members are provided with through holes that penetrate in the vertical direction Z to insert the button body 41 (see FIG. 11, etc.).
The base portion 35a is a member that serves as the base of the upper case portion 35. The base portion 35a is, for example, a molded product made of resin, etc. The base portion 35a has a flat upper surface on which the electric board 35b is placed and fixed.

The electric board 35b is disposed directly above the base portion 35a. The electric board 35b includes an LED and electrodes (not shown).
The LED is a light source that illuminates the upper operation surface 20U.
The electrodes are members for receiving a capacitive touch operation. The electrodes are arranged in a manner corresponding to the range in which the touch operation is performed. The electrodes are not limited to those mounted on the electric board 35b, but may be arranged on top of the electric board 35b, or may be electrically connected to the electric board 35b by a cable or the like.

The light guide plate 35c is an optical member that guides the light from the LEDs to the entire upper operation surface 20U. The light guide plate 35c is, for example, a molded product made of transparent resin.
The diffusion sheet 35d is a sheet material that diffuses the light of the LEDs. The diffusion sheet 35d has characters such as "BET" and "MODE" and symbols (see FIG. 8) printed thereon to explain the operation contents.
As described later, the upper cover 35g is made of smoke material. When the buttons are not accepting operation, the LEDs are controlled to be turned off, so the printing on the diffusion sheet 35d cannot be seen. On the other hand, when the buttons are accepting operation, the LEDs are controlled to be turned on, so the printing on the diffusion sheet 35d can be seen. This allows the player to confirm that it is time for each button to accept operation.

The upper cover 35g is disposed at the outermost portion of the upper case portion 35. The upper cover 35g is a molded product made of a resin such as a gray smoke acrylic.
11, the vertical cross section of the upper cover 35g is an L-shape formed by connecting a plate-shaped top portion 35u and a front portion 35f. The top portion 35u forms an upper operation surface 20U of the main operation unit 20M, and the front portion 35f forms a front operation surface 20F of the main operation unit 20M.
The upper operation surface 20U (upper operation surface) and the front operation surface 20F (front operation surface) are flat operation surfaces that accept pressing operations by the player. The top surface (front face) of the upper operation surface 20U faces substantially toward the upper side Z2, and the front surface (front face) of the front operation surface 20F faces substantially toward the front side Y1. When performing a touch operation, the player only needs to touch these flat surfaces with his/her finger from the upper side Z2.

(Front case portion 36)
The front case portion 36 mainly has a configuration for receiving operations from the player from the front side Y1.
The front case portion 36 includes a base portion 36a, an electric board 36b, a light guide plate 36c, and a diffusion sheet 36d, and these members are arranged in this order from the rear side Y2 to the front side Y1.
The base 36a, the electric board 36b, the light guide plate 36c, and the diffusion sheet 36d are the same members as the base 35a, the electric board 35b, the light guide plate 35c, and the diffusion sheet 35d of the upper case part 35. That is, the base 36a is a member that serves as the base of the front case part 36, the electric board 36b includes LEDs and electrodes, and the light guide plate 36c guides the light of the LEDs to the entire front operation surface 20F. The diffusion sheet 36d includes an elliptical print or the like to indicate the position where an operation is accepted.
As described above, the upper cover 35g of the upper case portion 35 covers the front side Y1 of the diffusion sheet 36d, thereby forming the front surface of the main operation portion 20M.

(Capacitive sensors 37a to 37f)
As shown in Fig. 12, the capacitance sensors 37a to 37f are electrical components for receiving capacitive operation. Six capacitance sensors 37a to 37f are provided corresponding to the touch operation unit. That is, the six capacitance sensors 37a to 37f correspond to the operation areas (areas operated by touch) of the bet button 21a, the mode switching button 21b, the environment setting button 21c, the stop buttons 22L, 22C, and 22R, and the large button 23 of the main operation unit 20M.
The capacitance sensors 37a to 37f are electrically connected to electrodes of electric boards (electric boards 35b, 36b, 43b, etc.) provided corresponding to the buttons, so that the capacitance sensors 37a to 37f can detect touch operations by the player on the front operation surface 20F and the upper operation surface 20U of the main operation unit 20M.
Of these, the capacitance sensor 37f is housed in the button case portion 42 (see FIG. 12).

In this way, the gaming machine 1 has a large flat surface area by providing the upper operation surface 20U and the front operation surface 20F, and is also provided with the capacitance sensors 37a to 37e, so that it can receive touch operations of multiple operation parts. Also, the gaming machine 1 can follow the operation mode of conventional slot machines by receiving operations corresponding to the stop button on the front operation surface 20F.
Furthermore, since the gaming machine 1 receives the touch operation of the large button 23 via the capacitance sensor 37f, the operation manner of the large button 23 can be unified with the operation manner on the upper operation surface 20U and the front operation surface 20F.

The touch operation surface does not have to be a completely flat surface. For example, as shown in the front operation surface 20F in FIG. 11, it may be recessed so that the area to be touched is easily visible.

(Large button unit 40)
The large button unit 40 is a unit related to the large button 23 .
10 and other figures, the large button unit 40 drives the button body 41 between a flat state and a protruding state depending on whether or not the large button 23 is operated by a player. The operable state of the large button 23 is, for example, a state in which a presentation can be executed depending on the progress of the game.
The large button unit 40 is housed in approximately the center of the main operation portion 20M, and only a portion of the button case portion 42 is exposed to the outside.

As shown in FIGS. 11 to 13 , the large button unit 40 includes a button body 41 and a button drive unit 45 .
As shown in FIG. 11, the button body 41 includes a button case 42 (movable button), an electric board 43b, a light guide plate 43c, and a diffusion sheet 43d.
The button case portion 42 is a case member that constitutes the housing of the button in the large button unit 40. The button case portion 42 may be composed of a plurality of resin molded parts, metal pressed parts, etc. The outer shape of the button case portion 42 is a hollow elliptical cylinder. The button case portion 42 is provided with an elliptical cylinder-shaped main part 42a that opens to the lower side Z1, and a bottom plate 42b that covers this opening. The main part 42a is a gray smoke resin molded part, etc., similar to the upper cover 35g.
The upper surface of the button case portion 42 (i.e., the upper surface of the main portion 42a) is a flat surface parallel to the upper operation surface 20U.

As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the sides of the button case part 42 are supported by a number of rollers 42c and the like. These rollers 42c are rotatably attached to the chassis part 31 or the base part 35a of the upper case part 35. These rollers 42c guide the button main body part 41 to be movable in the substantially vertical direction Z relative to the main operation part 20M.

The electric board 43b, the light guide plate 43c, and the diffusion sheet 43d are fixed to the upper part inside the button body 41, and are arranged in this order from the lower side Z1 to the upper side Z2.
The electric board 43b, the light guide plate 43c, and the diffusion sheet 43d are the same members as the electric board 35b, the light guide plate 35c, and the diffusion sheet 35d of the upper case part 35. That is, the electric board 43b has a configuration for accepting an operation from the front side Y1, and also has an LED and an electrode. The diffusion sheet 43d has an oval print for indicating the position for accepting an operation, a character print such as "PUSH", etc. (see FIG. 8 ). The LED is controlled to emit light when the operation of the large button 23 is acceptable, so that the print, etc. can be seen.

As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the button drive unit 45 includes a motor 45a, a gear 45b, a cam mechanism 45c, a link mechanism 45d, and the like.
14, the link mechanism 45d includes a slider 45e and an arm member 45f, and supports the button case portion 42 so as to be movable in parallel in the vertical direction Z. The driving force of the motor 45a is transmitted to the link mechanism 45d via a gear 45b and a cam mechanism 45c. As a result, when the link mechanism 45d is driven, the button case portion 42 is driven.

The button case part 42 is driven to be deformable between a flat state and a protruding state by a button driving part 45. In the flat state, the top surface of the button case part 42 is disposed on substantially the same plane as the upper operation surface 20U, whereas in the protruding state, the top surface of the button case part 42 is disposed at a position protruding upward Z2 from the upper operation surface 20U.
The large button unit 40 does not accept operation by the player when the button case portion 42 is driven to a flat state, but accepts operation by the player when driven to a protruding state.

In the embodiment, the state in which the top surface of the button case part 42 and the upper operation surface 20U are substantially flush with each other is a concept that the amount of protrusion of the button case part 42 from the upper operation surface 20U is small, so that the player can understand that the button case part 42 does not have a stroke amount sufficient for operation. Therefore, substantially flush is not limited to a state in which both are arranged on the same plane, but also includes a state in which the top surface of the button case part 42 protrudes or is recessed to a certain extent from the upper operation surface 20U.
On the other hand, the state in which the top surface of the button case part 42 protrudes upward Z2 from the upper operation surface 20U refers to the concept that the amount of protrusion of the button case part 42 from the upper operation surface 20U is so large that the player can understand that the button case part 42 has a stroke amount that is sufficient for operation.

(Vibration unit 50)
The vibration section 50 is a section that vibrates the main operation section 20M and the button main body section 41, which are the operation section, in response to the operation of the operation section by the player.
As shown in FIG. 11 , the vibration section 50 includes a first vibration section 51 and a second vibration section 52 .
The first vibrating part 51 is a vibration source and propagates vibration to a structure surrounding the first vibrating part 51 .
The first vibration unit 51 is an electrical component including a moving element 51a, a coil 51b for reciprocating the moving element 51a, etc. The configuration of the first vibration unit 51 is not limited as long as it is a configuration that serves as a vibration source, and may be, for example, a configuration in which a vibrator is attached to the rotating shaft of a rotary motor.

The coil 51b is fixed to the chassis portion 31. The control unit 27 controls the moving element 51a of the first vibration portion 51 to move back and forth in response to reception of an operation of a touch operation portion (first operation portion) fixedly disposed on the main operation portion 20M.
This allows the first vibration section 51 to vibrate mainly the pressing surface of the touch operation section that is directly disposed on the main operation section 20M.

Here, the touch operation units fixedly disposed on the main operation unit 20M refer to the operation units that are integrally provided with the main operation unit 20M among the touch operation units disposed on the main operation unit 20M, and are each operation unit other than the button case unit 42 (second operation unit) of the large button unit 40. In other words, the touch operation units fixedly disposed on the main operation unit 20M are the bet button 21a, the mode switching button 21b, the environment setting button 21c, and the stop buttons 22L, 22C, and 22R. The button case unit 42 of the large button unit 40 is provided movably with respect to the main operation unit 20M, and therefore the vibration of the first vibration unit 51 is unlikely to be transmitted.
The pressing surface is not simply a surface that can be pressed, but a surface that accepts a touch operation when pressed, among the surfaces of the main operation unit 20M and the large button unit 40. The pressing direction is not limited to the normal direction of the operation surface, and may be any direction that accepts a touch operation when pressed.

The second vibrating part 52 is a vibration source and propagates vibration to a structure surrounding the second vibrating part 52. The second vibrating part 52 is an electric component or the like similar to the first vibrating part 51, and includes a slider 52a and a coil 52b.
11 , the second vibrating section 52 is provided inside the button case section 42, and the coil 52b is fixed to the bottom plate 42b of the button case section 42. In this way, the second vibrating section 52 can mainly vibrate the top surface (pressing surface) of the button case section 42 by reciprocating the slider 52a in response to the reception of an operation of the button case section 42 of the large button unit 40.

[Operation of main operation unit 20M]
(Arrangement of the window portion 11a of the reel 11 and the upper operation surface 20U of the main operation unit 20M)
4, the upper operation surface 20U is disposed on a substantially horizontal plane and is gently inclined toward the upper side Z2 as it approaches the rear side Y2, so that the upper operation surface 20U has good visibility for the player.
Here, the window 11a of the reel 11 is closer to a vertical plane than the upper operation surface 20U, but is inclined toward the upper side Z2 as it approaches the rear side Y2, similar to the upper operation surface 20U. Therefore, even if the window 11a is smaller than the display window of a conventional gaming machine in terms of length in the vertical direction Z, it can secure a sufficient area for displaying symbols. Also, even if the window 11a is installed on the lower side Z1 than the display window of a conventional gaming machine, it has good visibility. Therefore, the gaming machine 1 can secure a large space for arranging other devices on the upper side Z2 than the window 11a. In the embodiment, the main display unit 4 having a large screen is placed in the area thus secured.
In addition, the window 11a of the reel 11 is provided so as to be continuous with the upper operation surface 20U of the main operation unit 20M on the upper side Z2. When moving the player's line of sight between the window 11a and the main operation unit 20M, the movement of the player's line of sight can be made small, so visibility and operability are good. Furthermore, the angle between the upper operation surface 20U and the window 11a is an obtuse angle. This improves the sense of unity between the upper operation surface 20U and the window 11a.

When the control unit 27 is in a state where it is able to accept operation of each button on the main operation section 20M, it illuminates the LEDs corresponding to each button. This allows the gaming machine 1 to illuminate the operation area and notify the player that button operation is possible. In addition, by driving the first vibration section 51 to vibrate the operation surface, it is possible to give the player a feeling of operation (a sensation of operation) when performing a touch operation.

(Control of the touch operation unit of the main operation unit 20M)
When the control unit 27 receives an input from the player using a touch operation section fixedly disposed on the main operation section 20M, the control unit 27 performs control related to the game, presentation, etc. based on the output of the capacitance sensors 37a to 37e.
For example, in a state in which operations related to the three stop buttons 22L, 22C, and 22R can be accepted, the control unit 27 illuminates the illumination areas of the three stop buttons 22L, 22C, and 22R. Then, for example, when the middle button 22C (first stop button) is operated, the control unit 27 turns off the illumination of the operation area corresponding to the middle button 22C based on the output of the capacitance sensor corresponding to the middle button 22C, and stops the middle reel 11C.

(Operation of the large button unit 40)
When the game state does not accept operation of the large button 23, the control unit 27 drives the button case portion 42 to a flat state and turns off the light emitting area of the button case portion 42.
Then, as the game state transitions from a state in which operation of the large button 23 is not accepted to a state in which operation of the large button 23 is accepted (a state in which various effects can be executed), the button case portion 42 is driven to a protruding state, and the light-emitting area of the button case portion 42 is illuminated.
When a player presses the large button 23, the button case 42 is lowered from the protruding position to the flat position by the pressing force. The control unit 27 performs control corresponding to the operation of the large button 23 (such as executing various effects) based on the output of the capacitance sensor 37f corresponding to the large button 23.
The operation of the large button 23 may be detected by detecting the descent of the button case part 42. In this case, a detection part such as an optical sensor that detects the movement of the button case part 42 may be provided, and the rotation of the motor accompanying the descent of the button case part 42 may be detected by an encoder or the like. When detecting the button operation in this manner, it is not necessary to provide a capacitance sensor.

In this way, when the gaming machine 1 is in a state where it cannot accept operation of the large button 23, the button case portion 42 can be driven to a flat state, making the entire upper operation surface 20U of the main operation unit 20M flat. Then, the gaming machine 1 can accept operation of various buttons on the upper operation surface 20U.
On the other hand, in a state where the gaming machine 1 is capable of accepting operation of the large button 23 in response to a change in the game state or the like, the button case portion 42 is driven to a protruding state, thereby accepting operation of the large button 23. In this way, the gaming machine 1 drives the button case portion 42 to rise, thereby improving the entertainment value of the configuration of the operating portion.

(Control of vibration unit 50)
The control unit 27 controls the vibration unit 50 as described above in response to the touch operation unit receiving an operation when the touch operation unit is in a state in which the touch operation unit is capable of receiving an operation.
That is, in response to receiving an operation of the touch operation parts fixedly disposed on the main operation part 20M, the control unit 27 vibrates the pressing surfaces of these operation parts by controlling the first vibration part 51. In addition, in response to receiving a pressing operation of the button case part 42, the control unit 27 vibrates the pressing surface of the button case part 42 by controlling the second vibration part 52.
The vibrations of these pressure surfaces are transmitted to the player's fingers, allowing the player to physically understand that their operation has been accepted.

Here, among the touch operation units fixedly arranged on the main operation unit 20M, the area of the pressing surface of the button case unit 42 is larger than the area of each pressing surface of the touch operation units fixedly arranged on the main operation unit 20M. In addition, since the button case unit 42 moves when receiving a pressing operation, it has a larger operation stroke than the touch operation units fixedly arranged on the main operation unit 20M.
In this way, the button case section 42 has a larger operation surface (surface that can accept pressing operations) than a touch operation section fixedly arranged on the main operation section 20M, and also requires larger finger and hand movements when the player operates it.
For this reason, if the first vibration unit 51 is used to vibrate the operation surface of the button case unit 42, there is a possibility that the sensation of the vibration may not be sufficiently conveyed to the player's fingers. In the embodiment, the second vibration unit 52, which mainly vibrates only the button case unit 42, is housed within the button case unit 42. For this reason, the second vibration unit 52 can convey a sufficient sensation of vibration to the player's fingers.

(Full press operation unit 25)
The configuration of the whole depression operation unit 25 will be described.
In this embodiment, the entire operation of the main operation unit 20M refers to an operation in which the player moves the entire main operation unit 20M.
The support structure etc. of the main operation unit 20M are substantially symmetrical in the left-right direction X. Hereinafter, the support structure etc. on the right side X2 will be mainly described.
15 and 16 are diagrams for explaining the positional relationship of the lower portion of the gaming machine 1 of the embodiment (the cabinet 2, the reels 11, the main operation section 20M, the lower operation section 20D, the vicinity of the lower space section 60, etc.).
Fig. 15 is a view seen from the front side Y1, and Fig. 16 is a view seen from the right side X2.
FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the main operating unit 20M and its support structure according to the embodiment, as viewed from the lower right on the front side Y1.
15 and 16, the outer shape of the housing 2 is illustrated by a two-dot chain line, and the front door 3 and the like are omitted from illustration. Furthermore, in Figs. 15 to 17, the cover members that support the rotation of each gear of the gear unit 56b are omitted from illustration.

8 and other drawings, the chassis 31 includes arm portions 31a extending toward the rear side Y2. The arm portions 31a are provided on both left and right ends of the chassis 31 on the rear side Y2.
As shown in FIG. 9 and other figures, the arm portion 31a has a rear end portion provided with a through hole 31b penetrating in the left-right direction X.

As shown in Figures 15 to 17, the gaming machine 1 includes a rotation support shaft 55 and a drive unit 56 as a support structure for the main operation unit 20M.
16, the rotation support shaft 55 is a shaft body fixed to the housing 2. The rotation support shaft 55 may include a bearing or the like. The rotation support shaft 55 is inserted into the through hole 31b of the chassis part 31. The axial direction of the rotation support shaft 55 is the left-right direction X. As a result, the rotation support shaft 55 supports the entire main operation unit 20M so that it can rotate relative to the housing 2. In the embodiment, the position where the main operation unit 20M is rotated to the upper side Z2 and arranged is also referred to as the upper position, and the position where the main operation unit 20M is rotated to the lower side Z1 and arranged is also referred to as the lower position (see the two-dot chain line in FIG. 16).
The rotation range of the main operation unit 20M about the rotation axis (the rotation range between the upper position and the lower position) is limited by the chassis portion 31 and the like abutting against a stopper (not shown). The rotation range of the main operation unit 20M is about several degrees.
When the main operation unit 20M is in the upper position, the upper operation surface 20U is disposed on a substantially horizontal plane. When the main operation unit 20M is in the lower position, the main operation unit 20M is disposed at a height such that it does not come into contact with the lower panel unit 70.

The rotation support shaft 55 is disposed on the rear side Y2 of the cabinet 2, in the vicinity of the rear end of the reel 11. Furthermore, in the front-rear direction Y, the length of the arm portion 31a of the chassis portion 31 is sufficiently long.
Furthermore, in the vertical direction Z, the height of the case portion of the main operating unit 20M and the height of the rotation support shaft 55 are approximately equal.
Therefore, when the main operation unit 20M rotates from the upper position to the lower position, the radius of rotation becomes large, so that the arc-shaped movement of the case of the main operation unit 20M accompanying the rotation can be made to be a substantially linear movement. Therefore, the rotation trajectory of the main operation unit 20M becomes the lower side Z1 that is substantially parallel to the vertical direction Z.

Furthermore, the gaming machine 1 can effectively utilize the space of the case portion of the main operation unit 20M and the rotating support shaft 55 to arrange the reels 11.
The rotation spindle 55 may be located inside the housing 2, further to the rear Y2 than the rear end of the reel 11. In this case, the arm portion 31a of the chassis portion 31 can be made longer, so that the rotation trajectory of the main operating unit 20M can be made straighter.

The drive unit 56 is a drive device that drives the main operating unit 20M disposed in the lower position to return to the upper position by transmitting the driving force of the motor 56a to the chassis portion 31 via a gear unit 56b.
17, a pair of gears 56c of the left and right gear units 56b are connected by a shaft body 56d and therefore rotate together. This prevents the left and right gear units 56b from being out of phase with each other, allowing the drive unit 56 to drive the main operating unit 20M evenly on the left and right.

(Full movement operation of main operation unit 20M: Full pressing operation unit 25)
The main operating unit 20M is normally disposed in the upper position, and the gear unit 56b is in a locked state (that is, the gear unit 56b is restricted from rotating).
On the other hand, when the entire pressing operation unit 25 is ready to accept operation, the lock of the gear unit 56b is released. Therefore, when a player applies force to the top surface of the case of the main operation unit 20M toward the lower side Z1 with both hands, the entire main operation unit 20M rotates around the rotation support shaft 55. As described above, in this case, the main operation unit 20M moves parallel to the lower side Z1 in the vertical direction Z. This allows the player to operate the main operation unit 20M without feeling uncomfortable, that is, without being conscious of trying to rotate the main operation unit 20M.

In this way, the main operation unit 20M can receive an operation of moving the entire case of the main operation unit 20M downward Z1 (in the direction of rotation of the rotation support unit) by the whole pressing operation unit 25 in addition to the pressing operation of the button, etc., thereby improving the interest of the operation mode. Also, the whole pressing operation unit 25 can be operated by pressing the entire main operation unit 20M with a hand from above and moving it downward Z1, thereby improving the interest.
As described above, when the main operation unit 20M rotates, it moves in the vertical direction Z. Therefore, even when an instruction is given on the main display unit 4 or the like to move the main operation unit 20M downward Z1, the player can operate it without feeling uncomfortable.

[Configuration and operation mode of the lower operation unit 20D and the vicinity of the lower space 60]
The configuration of the lower operating section 20D and the lower space section 60 will be described with reference to FIG. 2, FIG. 17 to FIG. 20, and the like.
FIG. 18 is an enlarged perspective view of the lower space 60 and its vicinity in the embodiment (as viewed from the upper right on the front side Y1).
FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating the lower panel portion 70 according to the embodiment.
Fig. 19(A) is a view seen from the front side Y1. Fig. 19(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of Fig. 19(A). Fig. 19(C) is a diagram for explaining the manner of illumination of the lower panel portion 70.
FIG. 20 is a view of the vicinity of the lower space 60 according to the embodiment as viewed from the right side X2, and is a view for explaining the arrangement of the main operation unit 20M, the lower space 60, the lower panel unit 70, etc.
The lower part of the gaming machine 1 is equipped with a lower space section 60, a lower panel section 70, a hand detection section 81, an electrical action section 82, a normal temperature blower 90a, and a high temperature blower 90b.

The lower space 60 is a component part of the front side Y1 of the gaming machine 1, and is a space provided below the main operation unit 20M on the side Z1 below and behind the lower panel unit 70 on the rear side Y2.
The lower space 60 is open at an upper front portion and at both left and right sides. The lower space 60 is covered at a lower front portion by a lower panel portion 70.
Therefore, the player can insert his/her hand into the lower space 60 (see FIG. 18, FIG. 20(A), etc.). As will be described later, the player can insert his/her hand into the lower space 60 and perform operations such as slash operations, operation of the lower panel lever 26c, and operation of touching the electric action portion 82.
In this way, the gaming machine 1 is provided with a lower space portion 60 on the lower side Z1 of the main operation portion 20M and receives the operation of inserting a hand into the lower space portion 60, thereby improving the interest of the operation mode.

For example, the player can insert his/her hand into the upper front part of the lower space 60 and then move it in the left/right direction X, or can insert his/her hand into one of the left/right openings and then move it left/right as if sweeping it out of the other opening (see FIG. 18). In the embodiment, the operation in which the player's hand is moved in the left/right direction X inside the lower space 60 is also called a slash operation.

(Lower panel portion 70: lower panel lever 26c)
16 and 19, the lower panel portion 70 is a member that constitutes the lower panel lever 26c. The lower panel portion 70 is a flat panel that covers the lower part of the front side Y1 of the lower space portion 60.
The lower panel portion 70 includes a front panel 71 , a rear panel 72 , a support hole 73 , and a lower panel illumination portion 75 .

The front panel 71 and the rear panel 72 respectively constitute the front plate and the rear plate of the lower panel portion 70. The front panel 71 and the rear panel 72 are arranged with a gap therebetween in the front-rear direction Y. Therefore, the inside of the lower panel portion 70 is hollow.
As shown in FIG. 19A, as indicated by hatching, the main portion of the front panel 71 is composed of a half mirror 71a.
Similarly, the main portion of the rear panel 72 is composed of a half mirror 72a.

The support holes 73 are holes for supporting the lower panel portion 70 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis with respect to the housing 2. The support holes 73 are provided on the left and right sides of the lower side Z1 of the lower panel portion 70. The support holes 73 penetrate in the left-right direction X.
A shaft 73a provided in the housing 2 (or the front door 3) is inserted into the support hole 73. As a result, the lower panel portion 70 is supported rotatably relative to the housing 2 so as to be able to fall in the front-rear direction Y.
The angle by which the lower panel portion 70 can rotate is limited by a stopper or the like (not shown) and is about a few degrees. The lower panel portion 70 is also biased toward the rear side Y2 around the rotation axis by a biasing member 73b such as a spring. Therefore, the lower panel portion 70 can accept an operation to tilt the lower panel portion 70 toward the front side Y1 by about a few degrees from a state in which the lower panel portion 70 is biased toward the rear side Y2.

As shown in FIG. 19, the lower panel illumination section 75 is a section that decorates the lower panel section 70 with light.
The lower panel illumination section 75 includes a light source 75 a , a light guide plate 75 b , and a symbol light-emitting section 76 .
The light source 75 a and the light guide plate 75 b are housed inside the lower panel portion 70 , that is, are disposed in the internal space formed by the front panel 71 and the rear panel 72 .
The light source 75a is a light source provided with a plurality of light emitting elements such as LEDs, and may be, for example, an LED tape light. In addition, when viewed from the front side Y1, the light source 75a is disposed along the left and right edges of the front panel 71.

When viewed from the front side Y1, the light guide plate 75b is provided along the entire peripheral edge of the front panel 71. Therefore, the light guide plate 75b can guide light from the multiple light sources 75a to the entire peripheral edge of the front panel 71.
As shown in FIG. 19C, when the lower panel portion 70 is viewed from the front side Y1, the light guide plate 75b arranged around the entire edge of the front panel 71 is viewed as shining in a stripe.

Here, the main parts of the front panel 71 and the rear panel 72 are half mirrors 71a, 72a, and the lower space 60 located on the rear side Y2 of the lower panel 70 is sufficiently darker than the outside of the gaming machine 1. For this reason, the front panel 71 and the rear panel 72 function as an infinite mirror.
As a result, the band-shaped light guide plate 75b is observed as if it were arranged in multiple layers stacked from the front side Y1 to the rear side Y2. Note that Fig. 19(C) shows only three band-shaped images 75b-1, 75b-2, and 75b-3 in order to illustrate the observation mode of the light guide plate 75b in a schematic manner, but in reality, many more band-shaped images are observed. Note that the observed mode differs depending on the angle at which the lower panel portion 70 is observed.

As shown in FIGS. 19(A) and 19(B), the symbol light emitting section 76 includes a light source 76a and a symbol section 76b.
The light source 76a is a light emitting element such as an LED, and is disposed on the rear surface of the rear panel 72.
The symbol portion 76b is a molded product made of resin, etc. The symbol portion 76b is, for example, a resin containing a diffusing material (for example, a milky white resin), and the symbol portion 76b emits light by the light of the light source 76a.
When viewed from the front side Y1, the symbol portion 76b is formed in the shape of a symbol such as a model name, various signs, various codes, etc. (in this embodiment, the letters "ABC") Since the main portion of the front panel 71 is the half mirror 71a, when the lower panel portion 70 is observed from the front side Y1, the symbol portion 76b is not visible when the light source 76a is turned off (see the dashed line in FIG. 19(A)), but is visible when the light source 76a is turned off (see the solid line in FIG. 19(C)).
The symbol portion 76b may be formed, for example, by a surface light emitting device that guides the light from the light source 76a using a light guide plate.

In this way, the lower panel illumination unit 75 can improve the illumination effect by emitting light in multiple band shapes or in the shape of a symbol.

18, the speaker 7 may have a symbol 7a similar to the symbol portion 76b provided on the center cap by printing or the like. The symbol 7a of the speaker 7 can be seen from the front side Y1 through a gap formed between the main operation unit 20M and the lower panel portion 70.
The center cap moves back and forth in response to the sound output of the speaker 7. For this reason, the gaming machine 1 can link the symbol portion 76b and the symbol 7a by controlling the symbol light emitting portion 76 to emit light at the timing when the center cap moves to the front side Y1, thereby improving the effect of the presentation.

As shown in FIG. 20, the hand detection unit 81 (81a to 81c) and the electrical action unit 82 constitute an operation unit (space operation unit) that accepts the operation of inserting the player's hand into the lower space 60.

(Hand detection unit 81: Configuration related to slash operation unit 26a)
The hand detection unit 81 is a detection unit such as an optical sensor that detects the player's hand inserted into the lower space 60. The hand detection unit 81 is a member that constitutes the slash operation unit 26a.
17, three hand detection units 81a to 81c are arranged side by side in the left-right direction X on the bottom surface of the lower case part 32 of the main operation unit 20M. The object detection range of the hand detection units 81a to 81c is directly below the main operation unit 20M, that is, the light projection direction of the optical sensor or the like is the downward side Z1.
Each of the hand detection units 81a to 81c outputs detection information to the control unit 27 in response to the player's hand being positioned directly below the corresponding hand detection unit 81a to 81c. Furthermore, when the player's hand moves in the left-right direction X within the lower space 60, the three hand detection units 81a to 81c sequentially output detection information to the control unit 27. In response to the detection information being sequentially output in this manner from the three hand detection units 81a to 81c, the control unit 27 can accept a slash operation by the player.

In this way, the slash operation unit 26a can accept operations such as swiping the hand left and right, allowing for the introduction of new types of operations.

As shown in Figures 16 and 20 (B), when the lower panel lever 26c is operated so that the lower panel portion 70 is tilted forward Y1, a sensor such as a limit switch (not shown) detects the rotation of the lower panel portion 70 and outputs the detection information to the control unit 27.
The electrical action section 82 is a device that electrically acts on the player's hand inserted into the lower space 60 .

(Electrical action portion 82)
15, 20(B), etc., the electric action unit 82 includes two electrodes 82a, 82b arranged like rails parallel to the left-right direction X. The electrodes 82a, 82b protrude from the rear surface of the lower panel unit 70 to the rear side Y2. Since the electrodes 82a, 82b are arranged on the rear surface and upper side Z2 of the lower panel unit 70, they cannot be seen from the front side Y1. For this reason, the player is usually unaware of the existence of the electrodes 82a, 82b.

As shown in Fig. 20B, with the above configuration, when the lower panel 70 is ready to accept operations, if the player grabs the upper edge of the lower panel 70 with his/her hand and pulls it toward the front Y1, the hand will come into contact with these two electrodes 82a, 82b at the same time. In this case, when the control unit 27 operates the electric action unit 82, a sufficiently safe and very low current flows through the hand. As a result, the electric action unit 82 gives an electric shock to the player.
In this way, the gaming machine 1 has an unexpected operating method and can surprise the player, thereby increasing the interest during operation.
When the gaming machine 1 is ready to accept operation of the lower panel lever 26c, it may output information encouraging the operation (for example, a display such as "Pull the lower panel lever 26c" on the main display unit 4). This allows the gaming machine 1 to guide the player's hand to the electric action unit 82 without alerting the player.

18, the room temperature blowers 90a are provided in the lower space 60, at the left and right lower corners of the front door 3. The room temperature blowers 90a blow room temperature air toward the front side Y1 according to the performance or the like.
The high-temperature fans 90b are provided in the lower space 60 on the upper side Z2 of the left and right normal-temperature fans 90a. The high-temperature fans 90b blow warm air toward the front side Y1 in accordance with the performance or the like.
In this way, the gaming machine 1 is provided with two types of blowers, the normal temperature blower 90a and the high temperature blower 90b, so that it can selectively blow room temperature air or warm air depending on the type of performance, etc. Also, by providing two types of blowers in this way, it is possible to instantly switch between blowing room temperature air and warm air. Furthermore, the normal temperature blower 90a can blow even a small amount of air because there is no risk of it being hot.
The high-temperature blower 90b may also serve as a blower for room temperature air.

As described above, the gaming machine 1 of the present embodiment can provide a new operating mode different from conventional ones.
In addition, since the gaming machine 1 is a medal-less gaming machine, it does not require a device such as a hopper for storing medals. By arranging the drum unit 12 and the like in the space where the hopper and the like were arranged, the operation unit (main operation unit 20M, etc.) can be arranged more compressed on the lower side Z1 than in the past. As a result, the gaming machine 1 can secure a large space on the upper side Z2 of the operation unit, and this space can be used to arrange the main display unit 4 with a large screen, etc.

In contrast to this, conventional gaming machines have almost the same operation style regardless of the model, and therefore lack novelty.
Furthermore, in conventional gaming machines, the operation unit is disposed higher than in the gaming machine 1 of the embodiment, and therefore the conventional gaming machines do not include a large display device or the like.

The above describes a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention. Note that the configurations of the above-described embodiment and the configurations of the modified forms described below can be used in appropriate combinations, but detailed explanations will be omitted.

(Modifications)
(1) In the embodiment, the large button is driven to a flat state and a protruding state, but is not limited to this. The large button may be, for example, a general push button having an electrical contact.

(2) In the embodiment, the first vibration unit is driven when an operation of a touch operation unit fixedly arranged on the main operation unit is accepted, and the second vibration unit is driven when an operation of a large button is accepted, but this is not limited to the above. For example, when an operation of a large button is accepted, when an operation of a full pressing operation unit is accepted, when there is a possibility that the game state will shift to the player's advantage, etc., both the first vibration unit and the second vibration unit may be driven to transmit a larger vibration to the player.

(3) In the embodiment, the gaming machine is an example of a medal-less slot machine, but is not limited to this. Each configuration of the embodiment may be applied as appropriate to other gaming machines, such as medal-less pachinko and ball slot machines. Also, each configuration of the embodiment may be applied as appropriate to gaming machines such as slot machines and pachinko machines that use actual gaming media (medals, pachinko balls, etc.).

1: Gaming machine 2: Cabinet 3: Front door 4: Main display section 11, 11L, 11C, 11R: Reels 11a: Window section 12: Drum unit 20: Operation unit 20D: Lower operation section 20F: Front operation surface 20M: Main operation section 20U: Upper operation surface 21a: Bet button 21b: Mode switching button 21c: Environment setting button 22, 22L, 22C, 22R: Stop button 23: Large button 25: Overall pressing operation section 26a: Slash operation section 26c: Lower panel lever 27: Control unit 28: Main control board 28a: Main memory section 28b: Main control section 29: Sub control board 29a: Sub memory section 29b: Sub control section 31: Chassis section 37, 37a to 37f: Capacitive sensor 40: Large button unit 41: Button body section 42: Button case section 50: Vibration section 51: First vibration section 52: Second vibration section 55: Rotation support shaft 56: Drive section 60: Lower space section 70: Lower panel section 81, 81a to 81c: Hand detection section 82: Electric action section

Claims (2)

an operation unit that receives a pressing operation by a player;
A vibration unit that vibrates the operation unit in response to an operation of the operation unit by a player,
The operation unit includes:
A first operation unit that accepts a pressing operation;
a second operation unit having a button portion that receives a pressing operation and is supported so as to be movable in a pressing direction;
The vibration unit includes:
a first vibration unit that vibrates the first operation unit in response to reception of an operation of the first operation unit;
a second vibration unit provided inside the button unit and configured to vibrate the button unit in response to reception of an operation of the second operation unit. The second operation unit is
A pressing surface is larger than that of the first operating portion,
The gaming machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the second operating part has a larger operating stroke than the first operating part.

Images