JP3780200B2 - Slot machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a slot machine, and more particularly to a configuration of a slot machine for enhancing the interest of games.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, a gaming machine is provided with a game operation tool for a player to play a game in the vicinity of the game surface. For example, in a slot machine, a start lever, a stop button, and the like are provided below a panel surface having a display window of a reel device as a game surface.
In recent years, gaming machines tend to have various gaming characteristics in order to enhance the fun of gaming. For example, in a pachinko machine, a display screen such as a liquid crystal display is provided at the center of the game surface, and in addition to performing display processing of main symbol fluctuations on this display screen, a big hit or reach state, or the occurrence of a reach or big hit An effect display such as a notice is performed, and the game situation is informed in an easy-to-understand manner to the player in combination with the sound effect from the speaker.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in a slot machine, it is difficult to give the reel device itself in the game surface a variety of display functions such as a liquid crystal display. It remains to be. In addition, when a display unit for illumination effect is added to the panel surface around the reel window, there are already five display units for winning lines and medal credits in addition to the reel window on the panel surface. There is concern that the player's attention will be distracted and it will be difficult to concentrate on the game.
[0004]
In a slot machine, for example, as disclosed in JP-A-8-298042, a light emitter is incorporated in a stop button to notify the operation timing of the stop button, or disclosed in JP-A-5-123444. As shown, a start lamp is built in the handle of the start lever to notify that the start lever can be operated.
However, these only indicate that the stop button and the start lever are ready to be operated by lighting the light emitter, and have no effect of enhancing the fun of the game.
[0005]
The present invention has been made under such a conventional technique, and an object thereof is to provide a slot machine that can effectively exert a production effect without distracting the player's attention and enhance the interest of the game. And
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention]
First aspect of the present invention rotates a plurality of reels by operation of the start lever, in the slot machine to pay out medals by the display combination of when they reel stops, the start lever is approximately its head It has a spherical, solid hemispherical back surface material, and a translucent hollow hemispherical surface material joined so as to form a hollow portion between the back surface material, and in the hollow portion, A substantially disk-shaped LED substrate is provided in contact with the back surface material, and a plurality of light emitting diodes that emit light of different colors are arranged on the LED substrate in the circumferential direction, and face each other across the center of the LED substrate arranged light-emitting diodes as is the same color, a plurality of light emitting diodes are incorporated in the head, tail hit flag when per a random number lottery is performed in association with the operation of the start lever A manner in order to inform the player that hit flag is on, among the plurality of light emitting diodes incorporated in the head of the start lever, by blinking the two kinds of color light emitting diodes are alternately When a flag notification control means for performing flag notification and the reels stop and the bonus symbols displayed on the peripheral surface of the reels are aligned, a plurality of built-in heads of the start lever are provided for a predetermined time. All of the light emitting diodes of the above, a winning notification control means for appealing the winning by flashing multicolor, and after the multicolor flashing during the predetermined time, only the light emitting diodes of the predetermined color are turned on, and the bonus game It is a slot machine characterized by having a bonus game transition notification control means for notifying transition .
[0008]
According to the present invention, the head of the start lever for starting the rotation of the reel is configured to emit light, and the light emission state of the start lever head indicates that the game content is in a specific state, It changes according to the progress. Therefore, the player can recognize the game situation in a timely manner through the light emission mode of the start lever head, and can know the winning per lot.
In particular, in a state where a plurality of reels are rotating, the winning per lottery is notified by the light emission mode of the start lever head. The notice per lottery notifies the player of the possibility that a large game value will be paid, and the light emission mode of the start lever head excites the interest. Then, the player can perform a careful stop button operation or the like so as to validate the lottery, the degree of expectation for obtaining a large game value increases, and the fun of the game increases.
[0009]
In the present invention, each of the predetermined light emission modes is performed by light emission from the start lever head. That is, the start lever is a game operation tool that is always operated by the player at the start of the game, and is an extremely important operation tool in the slot machine. This start lever is usually installed in a state of protruding from the front surface of the front door of the slot machine, and during the game, it is within the player's visual range and is frequently noted for operation. Therefore, by illuminating the start lever head, it is possible to effectively inform the player of the game situation, especially the notice per lottery so that the player's attention is not distracted, and the slot machine that can enhance the fun of the game can do.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a slot machine A according to an embodiment of the present invention. This slot machine A has a front door 1 attached to the front side of a housing (not shown) for storing devices, which can be opened and closed. The front door 1 has a reel display window 2 and a credit number display section. 3, payout number display section 4, winning combination number display section 5, medal slot 6, start lever 7, 3 stop buttons 8, 8, 8, 1 bet button 9, 2 bet button 10, 3 bet button 11 A medal return button 12, a checkout switch 13, a door key 14, a medal payout port 15, a medal tray 16, and the like are provided. Of the surface of the front door 1, the reel display window 2 and its periphery are constituted by an intermediate panel 18, the lower stop button 8 is constituted by an operation panel 19, and the lower part thereof is constituted by a decorative panel 20. .
[0011]
The reel display window 2 and its periphery (that is, the surface of the middle panel 18) show five winning lines L1 to L5, three laterally and two diagonally, and a medal inserted into the medal slot 6. If the number of cards is 1, only the central winning line L1 is valid, if it is 2, the horizontal 3 winning lines L1 to L3 are valid, and if the number is 3, all 5 winning lines L1 to L5 are valid. Is done. From the reel display window 2, three reels (not shown) that are rotatably provided in the housing can be seen in a horizontal row. A plurality of types of symbols are drawn on the outer peripheral surface of each reel, and when the reels are stopped, the symbols for three frames of each reel are aligned and arranged on the winning lines L1 to L5.
[0012]
The start lever is for starting rotation of the three reels simultaneously or sequentially, and the three stop buttons 8, 8, 8 are for individually stopping the rotation of the corresponding reels. When a predetermined combination of symbols is arranged on the pay lines L1 to L5 activated according to the number of coins inserted as described above, the number of medals obtained according to the combination is displayed on the payout number display unit 4. The number of medals is paid out from the medal payout port 15 to the medal tray 16.
[0013]
The slot machine A is of a so-called credit format in which a plurality of medals are inserted in advance from the medal slot 6 and can be played while consuming the deposited medals. Displays the number of medals deposited. Prior to the operation of the start lever 7, when the 1-bet button 9 is pressed, one medal is inserted. When the 2-bet button 10 is pressed, two medals are inserted. When the 3-bet button 11 is pressed, three medals are respectively inserted. The winning lines L1 to L5 are validated in the same manner as in the case where the game is performed. The settlement switch 13 is used to settle the medals and pay them out from the medal payout opening 15 to the medal tray 16.
[0014]
As shown in detail in FIG. 2, the start lever 7 is composed of a head 7a that a player grips for operation, and a shaft 7b that extends from the head 7a through the front door 1 to the back side. The shaft portion 7b is supported by a bracket 23 attached to the back side of the front door 1 via a support shaft 24 so as to be able to swing up and down. The start lever 7 is always urged so as to be positioned in a horizontal state by a coil spring 25 spanned between the shaft portion 7b and the bracket 23. From this state, the player pushes the head 7a downward. It is designed to operate. The operation of the start lever 7 is detected by a photo interrupter 26 as a lever operation detection sensor attached to the bracket 23 corresponding to the rear end of the shaft portion 7b, and the detection signal is described later for controlling the slot machine A. Is output to the machine controller 40.
[0015]
Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the head portion 7 a of the start lever 7 has a hollow portion between the solid hemispherical back material 31 through which the tubular shaft portion 7 b passes and the back material 31. And a light-transmitting hollow hemispherical surface material 32 joined so as to form a film. In the hollow portion of the head 7a, a substantially disk-shaped LED substrate 33 is provided in contact with the back material 31, and a red light emitting diode 34a, a green light emitting diode 34b, and a blue light emitting diode 34c are used as light emitters. A total of six of each two are provided on the LED substrate 33. The six light emitting diodes 34 a to 34 c are arranged on the LED substrate 33 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction at intervals of 60 degrees, and the two light emitting diodes facing each other across the center of the LED substrate 33 are arranged. Are of the same color and constitute three light emitting sections that emit light in different colors (that is, red, green or blue). Lead wires 35 connected to the light emitting diodes 34a to 34c are drawn out of the start lever 7 through the shaft portion 7b.
[0016]
FIG. 5 shows a block configuration of a control system of the slot machine A. In this figure, reference numeral 40 denotes a machine control unit. The machine control unit 40 has a CPU 41 as a control main body, a ROM 42 for storing a control program and fixed data, and a RAM 43 used for reading and writing data. . The CPU 41 is connected to the start lever 7 (more specifically, the photo interrupter 26 which is a lever operation detection sensor), three stop buttons 8, 8, 8, 1 bet button 9, 2 bet buttons 10, In addition to the 3-bet button 11, a medal sensor 46 that detects insertion of a medal into the medal insertion slot 6, a medal payer 47 that pays out medals from the medal payout opening 15, and three reel driving units 48 that individually drive each reel. , 48, 48, the light emission control circuit 49, etc. are connected so as to be able to send and receive signals. The CPU 41 is based on a control program stored in the ROM 42 and fixed data such as a symbol arrangement table or a symbol lottery table for each reel. The operation of these input / output units is controlled while reading / writing data from / to.
[0017]
The light emission control circuit 49 executes light emission control of the light emitting diodes 34a to 34c in the start lever head 7a based on a control command of the machine control unit 40 (specifically, the CPU 41). The light emission control of the light emitting diodes 34a to 34c by the machine control unit 40 is performed according to the flowchart shown in FIG. Hereinafter, this flowchart will be described.
In FIG. 6, first, in step S1, all the light emitting diodes (LEDs) 34a to 34c in the start lever head 7a are turned off, and then in step S2, a medal is inserted into the medal insertion slot 6 or any bet button. Press 9-11 to wait for the insertion of a credit medal. When a medal is inserted or the like, in step S3, only the red light emitting diode 34a is lit and the start lever head 7a emits red light, thereby notifying the player of the reel start acceptance state.
[0018]
Subsequently, after waiting for the start lever 7 to be operated in step S4, the red light emitting diode 34a is turned off in step S5, a random number lottery is performed in step S6, and whether or not the lottery is won or missed in step S7. judge. When the lottery is off, a loss process is performed in step S12, and one control is finished. In this flow, the winning of a small role is omitted.
On the other hand, when the lottery is won, the winning flag is turned on in step S8, the three reels are rotated in step S9, and the red light emitting diode 34a and the green light emitting diode 34b in the start lever head 7a are alternately turned on in step S10. Blink and give flag notification.
[0019]
Next, in step S11, after waiting for the three reels to stop together by pressing each stop button 8 or elapse of a predetermined time, in step S13, the symbols of each reel are changed to predetermined bonus symbols on the winning line. Judge whether or not they are ready. When this determination is NO, the process returns to step S2. However, once the flag is turned on, the red LED 34a and the green LED 34b in the start lever head 7a are alternately blinked until the bonus symbols are aligned, and the flag notification is continued. Alternatively, after the reels are stopped, both the red and green light emitting diodes 34a and 34b may be turned off once, and both the light emitting diodes 34a and 34b may be alternately blinked again upon restarting to notify the flag.
[0020]
On the other hand, when the bonus symbols for which the determination in step S13 is YES are complete, the winning flag is turned off in step S14, and instead of flag notification by alternately flashing the red light emitting diode 34a and the green light emitting diode 34b in step S15, 3 Seven colors, that is, red, green, blue, orange, yellow, purple, and white) are flashed by the combination of the light emitting diodes 34a to 34c. Then, after the seven-color blinking is continued for 10 seconds in step S16, instead of the seven-color blinking in step S17, only the green light emitting diode 34b is lit to notify the bonus game transition, and the bonus game process is performed in step S18. . After the bonus game is over, the green light emitting diode 34b is turned off in step S19, and one-time control is finished.
[0021]
Therefore, in the above-described embodiment, the three types of light emitting diodes 34a to 34c provided in the head 7a of the start lever 7 have various types according to the gaming situation of the slot machine A based on the control of the machine control unit 40. Emits light in a manner and effects are displayed in a timely manner. That is,
(1) The light is emitted in red when a medal is inserted from a light-off state in a non-game state to prompt the user to operate the start lever 7, and the light is turned off after the operation (steps S1 to S5).
[0022]
(2) When a flag per result of random number lottery is established, the flag is notified by blinking alternately in red and green (steps S6 to S10).
(3) When the winning symbols are complete, the color blinks in seven colors, and the player is awarded a winning prize to enjoy a sense of accomplishment (steps S13 to S15).
(4) Lights up in green in the bonus game state, and turns off at the end of the bonus game (steps S17 to S19).
[0023]
As described above, the player can recognize the gaming situation of the slot machine A in a timely manner by the light emitting states of the light emitting diodes 34a to 34c in the start lever head 7a, and can also play the game by displaying light of seven colors. Since the game can be enjoyed, the interest of the game can be greatly enhanced. Moreover, the light emitting diodes 34a to 34c are provided not in the reel display window 2 or the middle panel 18 which is the game surface of the slot machine A but in the head 7a of the start lever 7 located near the lower portion of the middle panel 18. Therefore, the player is not distracted and cannot concentrate on the game, and the seven-color effect display that is emitted through the start lever head 7a while gazing at the reel display window 2 or the middle panel 18. Can be accepted without difficulty, and the production effect can be fully enjoyed.
[0024]
Further, in the effect display in which the light emitting diodes 34a to 34c are provided in the start lever head 7a, the number of parts is reduced as compared with the case where an indicator corresponding to the game situation is individually provided, and the layout. Therefore, implementation can be easily achieved in terms of cost, design, and the like.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view of a slot machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a start lever assembly of the slot machine.
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the start lever.
FIG. 4 is a view showing an arrangement state of light emitting diodes provided in a head of a start lever.
FIG. 5 is a block configuration diagram of a control system of the slot machine.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart of light emission control of a light emitting diode.
[Explanation of symbols]
A slot machine 7 start lever 7a start lever heads 34a, 34b, 34c light emitting diode 40 machine control unit

Claims (1)

In a slot machine that rotates a plurality of reels by operating a start lever and pays out medals by a combination of indications when the reels stop,
The start lever has a substantially spherical head, a solid hemispherical back material, and a translucent hollow hemispherical surface material joined so as to form a hollow portion between the back material and In the hollow portion, a substantially disk-shaped LED substrate is provided in contact with the back material, and a plurality of light emitting diodes that emit light of different colors are arranged on the LED substrate in the circumferential direction, In addition, a plurality of light emitting diodes are built in the head so that the light emitting diodes arranged opposite to each other across the center of the LED substrate have the same color.
In order to inform the player that the winning flag is on when the random number lottery performed in accordance with the operation of the start lever is successful, and to inform the player that the winning flag is on, a plurality of built-in heads of the start lever Flag notification control means for performing flag notification by alternately flashing light emitting diodes of two kinds of light emitting diodes;
When the reels stop and the bonus symbols displayed on the peripheral surface of the reels are aligned, all of the plurality of light emitting diodes built in the head of the start lever are used for a predetermined time. Winning notification control means for appealing winnings by blinking colors;
A slot machine comprising bonus game transition notification control means for notifying a bonus game transition by turning on only light-emitting diodes of a predetermined color after flashing of multiple colors during the predetermined time .

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