JP4307441B2 - Slot machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a slot machine that has a reel having a plurality of symbols arranged on its peripheral surface inside a casing and displays the symbols in a variable manner by the rotation of the reel, and in particular, the outer periphery of a front panel without impairing the appearance. The present invention relates to a slot machine that emits light at an end face and can perform an electrical decoration effect that is highly visible to surrounding players.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a slot machine according to a conventional example, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the inside of the slot machine according to the conventional example.
As shown in these drawings, the housing 101 of the slot machine 100 includes a box body 102 having an opening on the front surface, and a front door 103 that can be opened and closed on the front surface of the box body 102. .
On the front surface of the front door 103, an upper front panel 104, an operation unit 105, a lower front panel 106, a tray 107, and the like are provided in order from the upper side.
A symbol display window 108 is formed on the upper front panel 104, and a plurality of rotatable reels 109 (109a, 109b, 109c) are arranged in parallel on the inside. A plurality of types of symbols arranged in the rotation direction are arranged on the peripheral surface of each reel 109, and these symbols are viewed from the outside of the machine through the symbol display window 108.

The operation unit 105 includes a medal insertion slot 110, bet buttons 111 (111 a and 111 b) for specifying the number of medals bet, a start lever 112 for starting the rotation of the reel 109, and a rotation stop operation for each reel 109. A plurality of stop buttons 113 (113a, 113b, 113c) to be performed are provided.
The lower front panel 106 is formed by sticking a film on which a decorative character such as a model name or a decorative pattern is printed on a translucent panel member, and from behind by a light source such as a fluorescent light or an LED (light emitting diode). Illuminated.
In the vicinity of the upper side of the tray 107, a medal payout outlet 114 is formed, and medals paid out from here are stored in the tray 107.

Inside the housing 101, a medal selector 115, a drum unit 116, a hopper 117, a control unit 118, and the like are provided.
The medal selector 115 is provided on the back surface of the front door 103 and identifies and counts medals inserted from the medal insertion slot 110.
The drum unit 116 includes three reels 109 (109a, 109b, 109c) and a plurality of stepping motors (not shown) that rotatably hold the reels 109. By rotating these stepping motors, the drum unit 116 is rotated. Then, operations such as rotation start, constant speed rotation, and rotation stop of each reel 109 are performed.
The hopper 117 accumulates medals inserted from the medal insertion slot 110 and pays out medals in response to a signal from the control unit 118.
The control unit 118 includes a control board on which a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like are mounted, and controls each unit of the slot machine 100 according to a program written in the ROM.

Next, a gaming method of the slot machine 100 will be described.
First, the player bets medals prior to the start of the game. As a method for betting a medal, there are a method for inserting a medal into the medal insertion slot 110 and a method for designating a medal multiplication number with the bet button 111.
Next, the player presses the start lever 112 to start the game. When the game starts, each reel 109 rotates and the symbols are variably displayed in the symbol display window 108.
The player presses each stop button 113 in order while watching the design of each rotating reel 109 to stop the rotation of each reel 109. When all the reels 109 are stopped, a plurality of symbols are arranged in the symbol display window 108, and a winning is determined based on the arrangement. When the stopped symbol arrangement is a winning combination, the number of medals corresponding to the winning combination is paid out from the medal payout opening 114.

In this type of slot machine, an effect by electrical decoration is performed. For example, when a slot machine enters a specific game state (such as a big bonus), the player of the slot machine and surrounding players are appealed about the transition to the specific game state by blinking a lamp or the like.
As an electrical decoration used in the slot machine, a lamp cover type electrical decoration covering a light bulb or LED with a translucent lamp cover or a film printed with a decorative pattern is attached to a translucent panel. A backlight-type illumination that illuminates from behind is known.
In addition, as an electrical decoration used in gaming machines other than slot machines, an edge light type that allows light to enter from the outer peripheral end face of the translucent panel, and the letters and designs formed on the center of the translucent panel to emerge Has also been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2005-87356 A

However, since the illumination of the slot machine is usually provided on the front surface of the casing, the player of the slot machine can easily see, but the visibility of the surrounding players is low, and the effect of the illumination is low. There is a problem that it cannot be fully demonstrated.
Therefore, it is proposed to provide an electrical decoration on the side of the slot machine, etc., so that the surrounding player can easily see the lighting. In this case, it is necessary to provide a light source and a lamp cover on the side of the slot machine. Therefore, there is a possibility that the slot machine becomes larger or the appearance of the slot machine is deteriorated.
Further, in the conventional slot machine, since the front panel is divided up and down with the operation unit as a boundary, it is difficult to have a continuous and consistent design over the entire front surface.

  The present invention is considered in view of the above circumstances, without providing a light source or a lamp cover on the outer peripheral portion, it is possible to emit light in a lateral direction such as a side, and is highly visible to surrounding players, And it aims at provision of the slot machine from which sufficient electric decoration effect is acquired.

In order to achieve the above object, a slot machine of the present invention is a slot machine that has a reel having a plurality of symbols arranged on its peripheral surface inside a casing and displays the symbols in a variable manner by rotation of the reels. A light-transmitting front panel that is provided so as to cover the front surface of the housing and allows a player to visually observe the reel through a window hole formed in the center portion, and is arranged at an edge of the window hole, And a light source that emits light from the outer peripheral end surface of the front panel when light is incident from the inner peripheral end surface of the front panel.

  In this way, the outer peripheral end face of the front panel can emit light over the entire circumference without providing a light source or lamp cover on the outer circumference. Thereby, while avoiding an increase in the size of the slot machine and a decrease in the appearance, it is possible to perform an electrical decoration effect that is highly visible to surrounding players.

In the present invention, the outer peripheral edge of the front panel is formed with a flange portion that extends the light emitting area.
If it does in this way, an electrical decoration effect can be heightened by expansion of the light emission area. In addition, the flange portion can be used not only for positioning when the front panel is attached to the housing, but also can prevent the insertion of instruments such as wires and cells, foreign matters, and the like from the outside.

Moreover, in this invention, it is set as the structure by which the attaching part with respect to the front surface of the said housing | casing is integrally molded by the back surface of the said front panel.
This not only facilitates the attachment of the front panel to the housing, but also prevents unauthorized removal from the outside.

Moreover, in this invention, the said light source is set as the structure attached to the window frame member which covers the edge part of the said window hole.
If it does in this way, light emission means, such as LED which constitutes a light source, can be unitized beforehand with a window frame member via a substrate, and can be made to assemble to a front panel integrally, and workability at the time of assembling is improved. be able to.

In the present invention, the operation unit for performing the rotation start operation and the rotation stop operation of the reel is arranged at a lower offset position on the front surface of the housing.
In this way, since the front surface of the housing can be covered with a single front panel without dividing the front panel up and down, it is possible to have a design that is flush and continuous over the entire front surface. In addition, the length of the outer peripheral end face that emits light can be extended as much as possible to enhance the electric decoration effect.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the outer peripheral end surface of the front panel is caused to emit light by entering light from the inner peripheral end surface of the front panel. Therefore, without providing a light source or a lamp cover on the outer peripheral portion, The outer peripheral end face can emit light over the entire circumference. Thereby, while avoiding an increase in the size of the slot machine and a decrease in the appearance, it is possible to perform an electrical decoration effect that is highly visible to surrounding players.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the slot machine of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 is a schematic perspective view of a slot machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the slot machine according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the effect | action of the slot machine which concerns.
As shown in these drawings, the housing 1 of the slot machine 10 includes a box 2 having an opening on the front surface, and a front door 3 that can be opened and closed on the front of the box 2. .

On the front surface of the front door 3, a front panel 4, an operation unit 5, and a tray 7 are provided in order from the upper side.
In the vicinity of the upper side of the tray 7, a medal payout outlet 14 is formed, and medals paid out from here are stored in the tray 7.
The operation unit 5 includes a medal slot 10, a bet button 11 (MAX bet button 11a and bet button 111b) for specifying the number of bets on the medal, a start lever 8 for starting the rotation of the reel 9, and a rotation stop of each reel. A plurality of stop buttons 13 (13a, 13b, 13c) and the like for operation are provided.

Here, in this embodiment, the operation part 5 is arrange | positioned in the downward offset position in the front surface of the housing | casing 1 (front door 3). By doing in this way, since the front surface of the housing | casing 1 can be covered with the sheet | seat front panel 4 without dividing | segmenting the front panel 4 up and down, the design with the same continuity over the whole front surface It can be.
The slot machine 10 of the present embodiment is characterized by the configuration of the front panel 4, and the other components have the same configuration as the existing slot machine (see FIGS. 6 to 7). Detailed description of the same components as those of the slot machine will be omitted.

The front panel 4 is made of a translucent panel such as glass and acrylic, such as colorless and transparent, colored and transparent, and can be seen through a lamp cover 3b and a decorative film (not shown) provided on the front surface of the front door 3. In the state, the front face of the front door 3 is covered.
A window hole 8a for viewing the reel symbol is formed at the center of the front panel 4. A light source 20 is disposed at the edge of the window hole 8a so that light enters from the inner peripheral end face of the front panel 4.
The light source 20 includes, for example, a plurality of LEDs 21 (single color LED, multicolor LED, full color LED, etc.), and these LEDs 21 are arranged at a predetermined pitch over the entire edge of the window hole 8a. When light enters from the inner peripheral end face 8b of the window hole 8a, the outer peripheral end face 4a of the front panel 4 emits light due to the so-called edge light effect (see FIG. 3).

In this way, since the outer peripheral end surface 4a of the front panel 4 can emit light over the entire circumference without providing a light source or lamp cover on the outer peripheral portion, an increase in the size of the slot machine 1 and a decrease in the appearance can be avoided. On the other hand, it is possible to perform an electrical decoration effect that is highly visible to surrounding players.
In particular, since the slot machine 1 is often installed under relatively dark illumination, it is possible to perform a fantastic and high-quality electric decoration effect by causing the outer peripheral end surface 4a of the front panel 4 to emit light ( (See FIG. 3).

Further, most of the light incident from the inner peripheral end face 8b of the window hole 8a of the front panel 4 is emitted from the outer peripheral end face 4a of the front panel 4, and the emission from the front face of the front panel 4 is extremely small. There is no effect on the visibility of the lamp cover 3b and the decorative film disposed on the back side of the lamp.
In addition, although the outer peripheral end surface 4a of the front panel 4 may be a flat surface, it can also be subjected to a texture (honing) process or the like, thereby diffusing light.
In addition, it is possible to adopt a colorant or a fluorescent material for the panel material constituting the front panel 4, and to change the emission color of the front panel 4 according to the slot machine model, the interior of the hall, etc. It becomes possible to perform more various productions.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the slot machine according to the present embodiment.
As shown in this figure, it is preferable that a flange portion 4 b extending rearward is formed at the outer peripheral end of the front panel 4.
By this flange portion 4b, the width (width) of the outer peripheral end surface 4a of the front panel 4 that emits light by the edge light effect can be adjusted. For example, the width of the flange portion 4b (see the arrow shown in FIG. 4) is increased. Thus, the light emitting surface can be expanded.
Moreover, in this embodiment, the convex part 3a is formed in the front-end outer end part of the front door 3, and the flange part 4b of the front panel 4 is fitted to this convex part 3a. Positioning when attaching the panel 4 to the front door 3 is facilitated, and insertion of instruments such as wires and cells and foreign matters from the outside can be prevented.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 4, it is preferable that the attachment part 4c with respect to the front surface of the housing | casing 1 (front door 3) is integrally molded by the back surface of the front panel 4. As shown in FIG. Examples of the attachment portion 4c include a pin, a boss, and a screw.
In this way, not only the front panel 4 can be easily attached to the housing 1, but also unauthorized removal from the outside can be prevented.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a window frame unit constituting the light source 20 of the slot machine 10 according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIGS. 1, 1, 2, and 4, a window frame member (bezel) 23 that covers the edge of the window hole 8 a is attached to the front panel 4. The window frame member 23 has four surfaces facing the inner peripheral end surface 8b of the window hole 8a of the front panel 4, and a plurality of LEDs 21 constituting the light source 20 are attached to these surfaces via the substrate 22, respectively. It is supposed to be.
If it does in this way, LED21 which comprises the light source 20, the board | substrate 22, and the window frame member 23 can be unitized previously, can be assembled | attached integrally to the front panel 4, and the workability | operativity at the time of an assembly | attachment will be improved. Can do.

As described above, according to the slot machine 10 of the present embodiment, the translucent front panel 4 formed so as to integrally cover the front surface of the housing 1 is provided, and the window hole 8a of the front panel 4 is provided. The light source 20 is provided at the edge of the front panel 4, and light is incident from the inner peripheral end face 8 b of the front panel 4, so that the outer peripheral end face 4 a of the front panel 4 can emit light.
Accordingly, the outer peripheral end surface 4a of the front panel 4 can be caused to emit light over the entire circumference without providing a light source or a lamp cover on the outer peripheral portion, and while avoiding an increase in the size of the slot machine 10 and a decrease in the appearance, It is possible to perform an electrical decoration effect with high visibility for the player.

Moreover, since the flange part 4b which expands a light emission area is formed in the outer peripheral end of the front panel 4, an electrical decoration effect can be heightened by expansion of a light emission area. Further, the flange portion 4b can be used not only for positioning when the front panel 4 is attached to the housing 1, but also can prevent insertion of wires and cells from the outside.
Moreover, since the attachment part 4c with respect to the front surface of the housing | casing 1 is integrally molded in the back surface of the front panel 4, not only the attachment of the front panel 4 with respect to the housing | casing 1 becomes easy but unauthorized removal from the outside is also carried out. Can be prevented.

Moreover, since LED21 which comprises the light source 20 is previously attached via the board | substrate 22 with respect to the window frame member 23 which covers the edge of the window hole 8a, LED21 which comprises the light source 20, the board | substrate 22, and the window frame member 23 Can be unitized in advance and assembled integrally with the front panel 4, and as a result, workability during assembly can be improved.
Further, since the operation unit 5 that performs the rotation start operation and the rotation stop operation of the reel is disposed at the lower offset position on the front surface of the housing 1, the front panel 4 is divided into one piece without dividing the front panel 4 up and down. Can cover the front surface of the housing 1. As a result, not only can the design be consistent and continuous across the entire front surface, but the length of the outer peripheral end surface 4a that emits light by the edge light effect can be extended as much as possible to enhance the lighting effect. Can do.

The slot machine of the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment. However, the slot machine according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. It goes without saying that it is possible.
For example,
For example, in the slot machine of the above-described embodiment, the case where the game medium to be used is a medal (coin) is shown, but the game medium that can be used in the slot machine according to the present invention is not limited to a medal, for example, a pachinko ball and Similar game balls can also be used as game media.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be applied to a slot machine that has a reel having a plurality of symbols arranged on the peripheral surface inside the casing and displays the symbols in a variable manner by the rotation of the reels. In addition, the outer peripheral end face of the front panel emits light, and it is possible to perform an electrical decoration effect that is highly visible to surrounding players.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a slot machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a disassembled perspective view of the slot machine which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view showing an operation of the slot machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a cross-sectional perspective view of the slot machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the window frame unit of the slot machine concerning one Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view of the slot machine which concerns on a prior art example. It is a perspective view which shows the inside of the slot machine which concerns on a prior art example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Housing | casing 2 Box body 3 Front door 4 Front panel 4a Outer peripheral end surface 4b Flange part 4c Mounting part 5 Operation part 8a Window hole 8b Inner peripheral end surface 10 Slot machine 12 Start lever 13 Stop button 20 Light source 21 LED
22 Substrate 23 Window frame member

Claims (4)

A slot machine that has a reel with a plurality of symbols arranged on its peripheral surface inside the housing, and displays the symbols in a variable manner by rotation of the reels.
A translucent front panel that is provided so as to cover the front surface of the housing and includes a window hole for allowing a player to visually observe the reel ;
A light source that is arranged at an edge of the window hole and that receives light from an inner peripheral end face of the front panel ;
A window frame member covering an edge of the window hole in which the light source is disposed , and
The window frame member has a surface portion facing the inner peripheral end surface of the window hole;
The light source is disposed on a surface of the window frame;
A slot machine characterized in that the outer peripheral end face of the front panel emits light by the light of the light source incident from the inner peripheral end face of the window hole .   The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein a flange portion that extends a light emitting area is formed at an outer peripheral end of the front panel.   The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein a mounting portion for the front surface of the housing is integrally formed on the back surface of the front panel. The slot machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein an operation unit that performs a rotation start operation and a rotation stop operation of the reel is disposed at a lower offset position on a front surface of the housing.

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