JP3212358B2 - Switch device of operation handle for gaming machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in a switch device of an operation handle for a game machine, for example, a slot machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a switch device of an operation handle for a game machine of this type, a switch device is mounted on a front panel of the game machine so as to be swingable only in a vertical direction, for example, and is always set at a reference position by a return spring. An operating handle urged toward the operating handle, a tongue protruding from a free end on the back side of the front panel of the operating handle, and an optical sensor having a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit separated by a predetermined gap. When the operating handle is swung in a predetermined direction from the reference position, the tongue enters the gap between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit to block light, thereby switching between the on state and the off state. Things are known.

[0003]

However, in the above-described conventional switch device for an operation handle for a game machine, a tongue provided at a free end of the operation handle is provided between the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion of the optical sensor. Since it is necessary to insert the handle, the operation of the handle is limited to only a predetermined one-way swing operation. For this reason, there is a problem that as the player becomes engrossed in the game, such a handle operation becomes cumbersome, and there is a risk that the switch operation may be damaged due to an incorrect handle operation or an unreasonable operation.

[0004] Therefore, a switch device for an operation handle for a gaming machine according to the first aspect of the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. It is an object of the present invention to provide a switch device of an operation handle for a gaming machine, which eliminates the direction of an operation handle to be turned off, simplifies the operation of the handle, and enables a player to proceed a game more smoothly.

[0005] In addition, a switch device according to a second aspect of the present invention is to provide a switch device of an operation handle for a game machine in which the operability of the operation handle is further improved.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is to achieve the above-mentioned object, and its contents will be described below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. The switch device of the operation handle of the gaming machine according to the first aspect is swingably attached to a front panel (14) of the gaming machine (for example, the slot machine 10), and is normally moved toward a reference position by a return spring (25). A biased operation handle (21), a reflector (26) provided at an end of the operation handle (21) on the front panel (14) side,
A light emitting unit (31) that emits light toward the reflecting plate (26), and a light receiving unit (32) that receives light reflected from the reflecting plate (26), and the operation handle (21) is Front position which is the reference position
When in the vertical position with respect to the panel (14) ,
The reflected light (b) reflected at the same reflection angle is
(32), but at a position where the reflected light (b) does not enter the light receiving portion (32) when the operation handle (21) is at the swing position, the reflecting plate (26), the light emitting portion ( 31) and light receiving section (3
2) is relatively disposed, and switches between an on state and an off state according to the light receiving state of the light receiving section (32), and is fixed to the front panel (14) on the operation handle (21). The support member (22) and the front panel (14) of the operation handle (21)
A spring receiver (24) fixed at a position separated by a predetermined distance rearward from the back side is provided, and the return spring (25) is provided with a support member (2).
It is characterized by being formed by a coil spring fitted between 2) and the spring receiver (24).

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the features of the first aspect, the operation handle (21) is disposed at a reference position at right angles to the front panel (14), and It is characterized by being mounted so as to be swingable in all directions around the position.

[0008]

Therefore, according to the switch device of the operation handle for a game machine according to the first aspect, when the operation handle (21) is swung in any direction, the light emitting section (31) is operated regardless of the swing direction. ), And the reflected light reflected by the reflector (26)
(b) is no longer incident on the light receiving section (32), and the switch is turned on or off.

According to the switch device of the second aspect, the operating handle (21) is normally biased so as to be perpendicular to the front panel (14), and can be tilted in any direction in the entire circumferential direction. The switch device (20) can be operated.

[0010]

1 to 4 show an embodiment of a switch device for an operation handle for a game machine according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of the switch device, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a slot machine. FIG. 3 is a front view of the operation handle, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged explanatory view showing an operation state of the optical sensor.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 10 denotes, for example, a slot machine as a gaming machine, and three rotary drums 11 to 13 are arranged at the center of the front of the slot machine 10. Further, the slot machine 10 is provided with a front panel 14 below the three rotating drums 11 to 13, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, a lever-shaped operation handle 21 of a switch device 20 for simultaneously rotating the three rotating drums 11 to 13 is disposed on the front panel 14 from the left side as viewed in FIG. Also, on the front panel 14,
Each of the rotating drums 11 to 13 is located below the corresponding rotating drum 11 to 13 and corresponds to each of the rotating drums 11 to 13.
Three stop switches 15 to stop individually
17 are arranged respectively. In addition, a coin slot is provided on the front panel 14 at a diagonally lower right side of each of the rotating drums 11 to 13.
18 are located.

As shown in FIG. 1, the switch device 20 has an operation handle 21 extending through the front panel 14 at right angles and extending into the slot machine 10, and a support member 22 fixed to the front panel 14. Is fixed so as to be swingable. As shown in FIG. 1, the operation handle 21 is made of a rigid steel material such as a round bar. The distal end of the operation handle 21 protruding outward from the front panel 14 is provided at the tip of FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 7, a spherical grip 23 is fixed so that the player can easily grip the operating handle 21 with his / her hand.

As shown in FIG. 1, a spring receiving portion is provided at a rear portion of the operating handle 21 extending to the rear side of the front panel 14 at a position away from the rear surface of the front panel 14 by a predetermined distance.
24 is fixed, between the spring receiver 24 and the support member 22,
A return spring 24 made of a coil spring is fitted. Accordingly, the operation handle is operated by the urging force of the return spring 24.
21 is normally held perpendicular to the front panel 14. With the vertical direction as a reference position, the operation handle 21 can be swung in the entire circumferential direction as well shown in FIG.

At the free end, that is, at the rear end of the operation handle 21 extending to the back side of the front panel 14, as shown in FIG.
It is fixed at right angles to the 21 axis. As shown in FIG. 4, an optical sensor 30 is fixed near the reflection plate 26 at a position coaxial with the operation handle 21 and separated by a predetermined distance.

The optical sensor 30 is, as shown in FIG.
It includes a light emitting unit 31 for emitting light toward the reflecting plate 26, and a light receiving unit 32 for receiving the light reflected from the reflecting plate 26. When the operation handle 21 is at the above-described reference position indicated by a solid line in FIG. 4, the optical sensor 30 is positioned coaxially with the operation handle 21 so that the incident light a emitted from the light emitting section 31 The reflected light b is reflected at a reflection angle equal to the incident angle, and the reflected light b enters the light receiving unit 32. In this state, the switch device 20 is kept off.

Here, when the player swings the operation handle 21 by holding the grip portion 23, the operation handle 21
At the same time, the position of the reflection plate 26 moves, for example, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. At the moving position, the incident light a from the light emitting unit 31 does not hit the reflecting plate 26 of the operation handle 21a, and the reflected light b does not enter the light receiving unit 32. When the light receiving state of the light receiving section 32 changes in this way,
The switch device 20 is switched from the off state to the on state. When the switch device 20 is turned on, the slot machine
The three rotating drums 11 to 13 on the front of the slot machine 10 are driven by the driving force of a driving source (not shown) arranged inside the slot machine 10.
Start rotating at the same time.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, for example, a slot machine 10 as a gaming machine is taken as an example, but the invention is not limited to this, and it can be widely used for general game machines in a game center. In addition to this, the switch device 20
Is used as a start lever of the slot machine 10, but is not limited thereto, and can be used as various operation switches of a general game machine in a game center.

The operating handle 21 may have various shapes and structures other than a straight rod shape, and a reflecting plate 26 may be provided on an appropriate portion of the operating handle 21 in accordance with the shape, mounting structure and the like. Can be provided.

[0019]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects. Claim 1
According to the switch device for an operation handle for a gaming machine described above, the directivity of the operation handle is eliminated, the operability of the handle is improved, and the switch can be turned on / off regardless of swinging in any direction. Therefore, the player can progress the game more smoothly.

In addition, according to the switch device of the second aspect, the reference position of the operation handle is set at a right angle to the front panel of the game machine, and the operation handle can be swung in all directions. Operability of the handle can be further improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a switch device.

FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the slot machine.

FIG. 3 is a front view of an operation handle.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged explanatory view showing an operation state of an optical sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Slot machine as a game machine 11 ~ 13 Rotary drum 14 Front panel 15 ~ 17 Stop switch 18 Coin slot 20 Switch device 21,21a Operation handle 22 Support member 23 Gripping part 24 Spring receiver 25 Return spring 26,21a Reflector plate 30 Light sensor 31 Light emitting part 32 Light receiving part a Incident light b Reflected light

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-61-39425 (JP, A) JP-A-63-50382 (JP, U) JP-A-61-115583 (JP, U) JP-A-63 130093 (JP, U) Fully open sho 63-22043 (JP, U) Fully open sho 59-103334 (JP, U) Really open sho 54-1007067 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. ⁷ , DB name) A63F 5/04 A63F 7/02 A63F 13/00 H01H 35/00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An operation handle which is swingably attached to a front panel of a gaming machine and is normally urged toward a reference position by a return spring, and is provided at an end of the operation handle on the front panel side. A reflecting plate, a light emitting unit that emits light toward the reflecting plate, and a light receiving unit that receives light reflected from the reflecting plate, wherein the operation handle is arranged on a front panel that is the reference position .
And in the vertical position , the reflection angle equal to the angle of incidence
The reflected light is incident on the light receiving portion, but the reflection plate, the light emitting portion, and the light receiving portion are located at positions where the reflected light is not incident on the light receiving portion when the operation handle is at the swing position. The operation handle is switched between an on state and an off state according to a light receiving state of the light receiving unit. The operation handle includes a support member fixed to a front panel , and a predetermined distance from a back side of the front panel of the operation handle. of
A spring receiver fixed at a position separated rearward , wherein the return spring is formed by a coil spring fitted between the support member and the spring receiver. Switch device. 2. The operation handle according to claim 1, wherein the operation handle is disposed at a right angle to the front panel at a reference position, and is mounted to be swingable in all directions around the reference position. Switch device of operation handle for gaming machine.