JP4272637B2 - Slot machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a slot machine that rotates a plurality of reels having a plurality of types of symbols on the outer peripheral surface thereof and displays the symbols represented on the reel peripheral surface so as to be visible from the outside.

  For example, in a conventional slot machine, three symbol display windows are provided in parallel on the front panel on the front. Inside the fuselage, three reels are arranged in parallel behind the symbol display windows. Each reel can be rotated individually, and when the reel is stopped, three symbols on the outer peripheral surface of the reel can be visually recognized from the symbol display window.

The symbol is drawn by silk screen printing on the surface of a belt-like sheet material attached to the outer peripheral surface of the reel frame, and is composed of numbers, designs, and the like.
Inside the symbol display window, a reel illumination device such as an incandescent bulb or a fluorescent lamp is provided, and thereby the outer peripheral surface of the reel is illuminated.

  As shown in FIG. 15, the reel illuminating device includes a light source 103 such as an incandescent light bulb or a fluorescent lamp disposed inside a symbol display window 102 in the front panel 101. Light from the light source 103 is supplied to the reel 104. The symbol is clearly shown by irradiating the outer peripheral surface of the lens obliquely from above.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 16, a light source 103 such as a fluorescent lamp is arranged on the inner side of the reel 104, and light from the light source 103 is irradiated on the inner peripheral surface of the reel 104 from the inner side so that the symbol is clearly shown. Some have done.

  However, as shown in the example of FIG. 15, when the light source 103 illuminates the outer peripheral surface of the reel 104 obliquely from above, the symbol at the upper position on the outer peripheral surface of the reel 104 looks bright and clear, and the symbol at the lower position is the light source. Since the distance from 103 is far, it looks darker than the symbol at the upper position.

  Also, when the player rotates the reel 104, the player tries to stop the desired symbol by staring at the moving symbol. However, since the symbol is difficult to see clearly at the lower position, the player stops aiming at the desired symbol. It is difficult and halves the fun of the game. Furthermore, eyes are apt to get tired and it is difficult to continue the game for a long time.

  Also, as in the example of FIG. 16, when light is irradiated from the inside of the reel 104, there is waste in illumination, and an extra amount of light is required to clearly show the symbol. Therefore, when a high output light source 103 is used, or when the light source 103 is brought close to the reel 104, the reel may be heated and deformed.

The present invention has been made paying attention to the above problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a slot machine that does not require an extra light amount and can improve the visibility of symbols.

The slot machine according to the present invention has a box-shaped main body having an opening on the front surface, and a door that is attached to the front opening of the main body so as to be opened and closed. A reel block in which a plurality of side-by-side reels each having a plurality of types of symbols represented on the outer peripheral surface are integrally assembled to a frame together with a stepping motor that individually rotates and drives each reel is incorporated in the main body. . A front panel formed with a symbol display window is provided on the front surface of the door portion so that three symbols on the outer peripheral surface of each reel can be visually recognized from the outside, and a line such as a fluorescent lamp is provided on the back surface of the front panel. is configured with Jo source reel illumination device for applying illumination to an outer peripheral surface of each reel is arranged. The frame of the reel block has left and right side wall portions located on both sides of the plurality of reels. Outside the reels at both end positions, reflectors that reflect the illumination light of the reel illuminating device toward the outer peripheral surface of the reel are arranged vertically . Each reflector has a front end protruding to the front of the reel, and a rear end supported by each side wall of the frame .

In the slot machine having the above-described configuration, when the outer peripheral surface of the reel is illuminated by the reel illumination device, the reflector plate projecting forward of the reel is disposed outside the reel at both end positions. The light from the apparatus is used for the illumination of each reel without waste.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the reflection material for reflecting the light from the reel lighting device of each reflecting plate is coated with the animal light or the fluorescent agent, the reflecting surface of each reflecting plate is reflected by the light from the reel lighting device. Emits light, improving the lighting effect.

According to the present invention, as described above, since the reflector plate that protrudes forward of the reel is supported by the frame of the reel block on the outside of the reel at both end positions, the light from the reel illuminator can be used for the illumination of each reel without waste. Can do. As a result, the player's eyes do not get tired and the reel symbols look clear, so that the player can easily aim for the desired symbols when the reels are rotated, and the game can be played comfortably.

FIG. 1 shows the appearance of a slot machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The machine body 1 of this slot machine is configured such that a door portion 3 is attached to a front opening of a box-shaped main body portion 2 so as to be opened and closed. As shown in FIG. 2, a medal discharger having a circuit board 5 such as a reel block 4 and a control circuit at an upper position and a hopper 6a for receiving a large number of medals at a lower position, as shown in FIG. 6 are respectively incorporated.

  The reel block 4 is formed by integrally assembling three reels 8a, 8b, 8c to a metal frame 7. On the outer peripheral surface of each reel 8a, 8b, 8c, a plurality of types of symbols such as symbols, letters, numbers, etc. are represented. Some of these symbols are symbols for establishing a prize (hereinafter referred to as "winning symbol"). That is). The reel block 4 is assembled with stepping motors 9a, 9b, 9c for individually rotating the reels 8a, 8b, 8c, and constitutes a symbol variable display device 10 together with the reels 8a, 8b, 8c. .

The front surface of the door 3 is composed of a central front panel 11 for variably displaying the symbols of the reels 8a, 8b and 8c, and an upper panel 12 and a lower panel 13 for displaying the model name and game information. Is done. Each panel 11, 12, 13 is formed by performing silk screen printing on the surface of a transparent synthetic resin plate or tempered glass.
Below the front panel 11 are a start lever 14, three stop button switches 15 a, 15 b, 15 c, a medal slot 16, etc., and below the lower panel 13 are a medal discharge port 17 and a medal tray 18, Each is deployed.

  Three uncolored and transparent symbol display windows 20a, 20b, and 20c surrounded by a color printing layer 11A (shown in FIG. 6) are arranged in parallel at the center of the front panel 11. The reels 8a, 8b, 8c of the reel block 4 are positioned behind the symbol display windows 20a, 20b, 20c. Is formed.

  On the surface of the front panel 11, as shown in FIG. 3, a total of five stop lines L <b> 1 to L <b> 5 are displayed so as to cross the symbol display windows 20 a, 20 b, and 20 c. When the reels are stopped, the symbols of the reels 8a, 8b, and 8c are aligned on the stop lines L1 to L5. These stop lines L1 to L5 are the upper, middle, and lower three if only one central stop line L1 is two if the number of medals inserted into the medal slot 16 is one. If there are three stop lines L1 to L3, all the five stop lines L1 to L5 are activated.

  In the slot machine configured as described above, when medals are inserted through the medal insertion slot 16, the number of stop lines corresponding to the number of inserted medals is validated. Then, when the start lever 14 is operated, the three reels 8a, 8b, 8c are started all at once. Thereafter, each time the stop button switches 15a, 15b, 15c are operated, the corresponding reels 8a, 8b, 8c are stopped. At this time, when a predetermined combination of symbols is established on the activated stop line, a prize is awarded, and a predetermined number of medals are discharged from the medal discharge port 17 to the medal tray 18 by the operation of the medal dispensing machine 6.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a wiring case 22 having a rectangular front shape having an opening 21 surrounding the outer periphery of the symbol display windows 20 a, 20 b, and 20 c is positioned inside the front panel 11. Is fixed to the back surface of the front panel 11 with screws (not shown).

  The wiring case 22 has two fluorescent lights for illuminating the outer peripheral surfaces of the reels 8a, 8b, and 8c corresponding to the boundary positions of the adjacent symbol display windows among the symbol display windows 20a, 20b, and 20c. Lamps 24 and 24 are arranged to constitute a reel illumination device 23.

As shown in FIG. 3, the fluorescent lamps 24 and 24 are vertically oriented along the direction (vertical direction) perpendicular to the direction in which the reels 8a, 8b and 8c are arranged (left and right direction), and within the opening surface of the wiring case 22. To be deployed.
If the reels 8a, 8b, and 8c are arranged in the up-and-down direction, the fluorescent lamps 24 and 24 are arranged sideways along the left-right direction.

  Between the front panel 11 and each of the fluorescent lamps 24, 24, there is a planar shape for reflecting the light of the fluorescent lamp 24 in the direction of each reel 8a, 8b, 8c, as shown in FIGS. Substantially V-shaped reflectors 25 and 25 are arranged and held in the wiring case 22, respectively.

  Further, between the adjacent reels, reflecting plates 26 and 26 having a convex curved surface are provided and supported by the metal frame 7, and further, reflecting plates having a concave curved reflecting surface on both sides of the reel. 27 and 27 are arranged inwardly and supported by the metal frame 7.

  In FIG. 4, 28 is a stop lamp mounting portion provided at the lower portion of the rear surface of the wiring case 22, and 29 is another lamp mounting portion provided at one side portion of the rear surface of the wiring case 22.

  After the power is turned on, the two fluorescent lamps 24, 24 are always lit to illuminate the outer peripheral surfaces of the reels 8a, 8b, 8c. Since each fluorescent lamp 24, 24 is provided in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the reels 8a, 8b, 8c are arranged, in this example, as shown in FIG. 6, the light from each fluorescent lamp 24, 24 is reeled. The upper and lower portions of the outer peripheral surfaces of 8a, 8b, and 8c are equally illuminated, and there are no upper and lower light and dark steps.

  Since each fluorescent lamp 24, 24 is provided corresponding to each boundary position of the adjacent reel display windows 20a, 20b, 20c, the fluorescent lamp 24, 24 is not visible from the outside, and the front side The space between the panel 11 and the reel block 4 is also effectively used.

Further, as in this example, by providing the reflectors 25, 26, and 27 at appropriate positions, the light from the fluorescent lamps 24 and 24 can be utilized for the illumination of the reels 8a, 8b, and 8c without waste.
In this case, if a daylighting agent or a fluorescent agent is applied to the reflecting surfaces of the reflecting plates 26 and 27, the reflecting surfaces of the reflecting plates 26 and 27 emit light by the light from the fluorescent lamps 24 and 24, and the illumination effect is improved. To do.

  FIG. 7 shows a reel illuminating device 23 in which fluorescent lamps 24 and 24 are additionally provided at the left and right end positions of the wiring case 22 in addition to the two fluorescent lamps 24 and 24 described above. Sufficient illumination can be applied to the entire area of 8b and 8c.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, a fluorescent lamp 31 may be arranged horizontally on the upper surface of the wiring case 22, and the reel illumination device 23 may be configured together with the vertical fluorescent lamps 24 and 24.
In this case, if the luminescent colors of the fluorescent lamps 24 and 31 are made different, multicolor illumination can be applied to the outer peripheral surfaces of the reels 8a, 8b and 8c.

  In FIG. 9, ultraviolet radiation lamps 41, 41 are mounted vertically in place of the fluorescent lamps 24 at the positions of the two fluorescent lamps 24, 24. The fluorescent lamps mounted horizontally on the upper surface of the wiring case 22. A reel illumination device 23 is configured together with the lamp 31.

  The embodiment of FIG. 9 is effective for a slot machine using a reel in which a specific symbol is drawn with an ultraviolet light-emitting paint, and the ultraviolet light from each of the ultraviolet radiation lamps 41 and 41 is a symbol drawn with the ultraviolet light-emitting paint. The symbol absorbs ultraviolet rays and emits colored light in the color of the fluorescent ink, for example, red. As shown in FIG. 10, the ultraviolet radiation lamps 41 and 41 are provided along the direction orthogonal to the direction in which the reels 8a, 8b and 8c are arranged, so that the outer peripheral surfaces of the reels 8a, 8b and 8c UV light is evenly irradiated, and there is no uneven light emission of symbols depending on the position.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment in which a single U-shaped cold cathode fluorescent lamp 51 is used in place of the two fluorescent lamps 24.
Since the cold cathode fluorescent lamp 51 is U-shaped, the upright portions 51a and 51b are arranged so as to correspond to the boundary positions of the symbol display windows.
An electrodeless fluorescent lamp or the like can be used in place of the cold cathode fluorescent lamp 51. In the case of an electrodeless fluorescent lamp, wiring is simple because an electrode is provided only at one end of the tube.

In FIG. 12, side-emitting optical fibers 61 and 61 are attached to the wiring case 22 along the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the reels 8a, 8b, and 8c are arranged corresponding to the boundary positions of adjacent symbol display windows. Is.
The side-emitting optical fiber 61 is effective in energy saving because it generates less heat than the fluorescent lamp 24 or the like. Since the optical fiber 61 can be arranged in a circular arc along the outer peripheral surface of the reel, more uniform illumination is possible.
An EL fiber can be used instead of the optical fiber 61.

In each of the above embodiments, a linear light source such as a fluorescent lamp is used as the light source of the reel illumination device. However, as shown in FIG. 13, a plurality of point light sources such as light emitting diodes are used to illuminate the reel. The device 71 can also be configured.
The reel illuminating device 71 shown in the figure has a plurality of point light sources 72 in a linear shape at the boundary positions between adjacent symbol display windows 20a, 20b and 20c and at positions outside the left and right symbol display windows 20a and 20c. Are arranged in line with each other. Each point light source 72 is arranged in the vertical direction orthogonal to the direction in which the reels 8a, 8b, 8c are arranged. An incandescent bulb may be used as the point light source 72 instead of the light emitting diode.

In this embodiment, the light quantity of each point light source 72 can be changed to adjust the illumination state on the outer peripheral surface of each reel 8a, 8b, 8c, and the emission colors of some point light sources 72 can be made different. It is also possible to change the symbol display state.
A plurality of point light sources 72 and a linear light source such as the fluorescent lamp 24 or the ultraviolet radiation lamp 41 can be used in combination.

It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the slot machine with which this invention was implemented. It is a front view showing an internal configuration of the main body of the slot machine. It is a front view which shows the front panel which has a symbol display window. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the structure of a reel illuminating device. It is a horizontal sectional view of the reel lighting device of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows an illumination state. It is a front view which shows the example of an additional fluorescent lamp. It is a front view which shows the other Example of a reel illuminating device. It is a front view which shows the other Example using an ultraviolet radiation lamp. It is sectional drawing which shows the illumination state by the Example of FIG. It is a front view which shows the other Example using a cold cathode fluorescent lamp. It is a front view which shows the other Example using an optical fiber. It is a front view which shows the other Example of a reel illuminating device. . It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the Example of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the conventional reel illuminating device. It is sectional drawing which shows the other structure of the conventional reel illuminating device.

Explanation of symbols

8a, 8b, 8c Reel 10 Symbol variable display device 11 Front panel 20a, 20b, 20c Symbol display window 23, 71 Reel lighting device 24, 41, 51, 61 Linear light source 25 Reflector 72 Point light source

Claims (2)

It has a box-shaped main body portion having an opening on the front surface and a door portion that can be opened and closed with respect to the front opening of the main body portion, and a plurality of types of symbols are represented on the outer peripheral surface in the main body portion. A reel block in which a plurality of side-by-side reels are assembled integrally with a frame together with a stepping motor that individually rotates and drives each reel is incorporated, and on the front surface of the door portion , there are three symbols on the outer peripheral surface of each reel. front panel symbol display window is formed for visible from the outside is provided on the back surface of the front panel, it is constructed with a linear light source such as a fluorescent lamp, a reel for applying illumination to an outer peripheral surface of each reel In a slot machine comprising a lighting device,
The frame of the reel block has left and right side wall portions located on both sides of the plurality of reels, and the illumination light of the reel illumination device is reflected toward the outer peripheral surface of the reels on the outer sides of the reels at both ends. let reflector is deployed vertically, respectively,
Each of the reflectors is a slot machine in which a front end edge extends to the front of the reel and a rear end edge is supported on each side wall of the frame . The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein a light-refining agent or a fluorescent agent is applied to a reflecting surface of each reflecting plate that reflects light from the reel lighting device.

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