JP4804414B2 - Game machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine in which a separation unit that can handle a gaming device and a control board integrally, such as a separation type slot machine, is detachable and replaceable with respect to a housing of the gaming machine.

Conventionally, from the viewpoint of effective use of resources, simplification of game machine replacement work, and cost saving, a separation unit in which a separation unit in which a rotating reel and a control board are mounted on a support is formed detachably from a casing of a gaming machine. A machine has been devised. As shown in Patent Document 1, in order to facilitate the attaching / detaching operation of the separation type slot machine, the electrical connection between the interior member on the housing side and the mounted component on the separation unit side is performed simultaneously with the attaching / detaching operation. Such a technique has also been devised.
JP-A-2005-342196

In the separation-type gaming machine as described above, it is required to reduce the number of parts arranged on the replacement side as much as possible to reduce the labor required for the replacement work and further reduce the replacement cost. For example, in the case of a gaming machine using a liquid crystal display device as an effect display unit, if the effect content such as a moving image displayed on the liquid crystal screen is changed, the device itself does not need to be replaced. Similarly, an electrical decoration device such as a decorative lamp provided in front of the gaming machine can be used in common for a plurality of models except when the design of the gaming machine is significantly changed.
However, since the conventional separation-type gaming machine has a structure in which even such components that can be stationary are mounted on the separation unit, there is room for improvement in terms of cost and labor for replacement work.

Accordingly, the invention described in each claim has been made to solve the above-described problems and has the following objects.
In other words, an object of the invention described in claim 1 is to provide a separation-type gaming machine that allows the parts that do not need to be replaced to be placed on the housing side as much as possible, and that is more cost-effective and can reduce work labor.
The invention described in claim 2 aims to prevent deformation of the non-replaceable part to which the separation unit is attached, in addition to the object of the invention described in claim 1 above. In addition to the object of the second aspect of the present invention, it is an object to provide a gaming machine that can facilitate the mounting operation of the separation unit and is easy to maintain after the separation unit is mounted.

  Furthermore, the invention described in claim 4 aims at reducing the number of replacement parts in addition to the object of the invention described in claim 3, and the invention described in claim 5 is the invention described in claim 4. In addition to the above object, it is an object to simplify the work for electrical connection between the replacement part and the non-replacement part, and to make it easier to mount the separation unit.

The invention described in each claim has been made to achieve each of the above-described objects, and features of the present invention will be described below using the embodiments of the invention shown in the drawings.
In addition, the code | symbol in parenthesis shows the code | symbol used in embodiment of invention, and does not limit the technical scope of this invention.
(Claim 1)
(Feature point)
The invention described in claim 1 is characterized by the following points.
That is, the invention according to claim 1 is a box-shaped housing (1) that opens to the front side, and is attached to the housing (1) so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction, and the front surface of the housing (1). The front door (3) that can open and close the opening (11), and a separation unit (replacement unit 2) that is detachably attached to the back side of the front (3), the casing (1) and the front door In (3), a non-replaceable member and a non-replaceable control board (60) that can be used in common for a plurality of models are arranged, and the separation unit (2) includes a replacement member and a replacement control board (for each model). 50) related to the gaming machine.

The gaming machine according to the present invention is a gaming machine installed in a game arcade and is suitable for a slot machine, for example. In addition to the above configuration, the gaming machine may include a power supply unit (4) for turning on the main power of the gaming machine and a payout device (hopper unit 5) for paying out game media such as medals. .
The separation unit (2) includes a support body (21) that is open at least on the front side, and is detachably attached to the support body (21) as the replacement member, and a plurality of symbols are displayed in a variable display and a stop display. A reel unit (20) having possible symbol display means (rotary reel 23), and a front surface of the support (21) attached to the support (21) so as to be rotatable in the same direction as the front door (3). A panel unit (30) having at least a symbol display window (32) capable of opening and closing the opening (21A) and allowing the symbol of the symbol display means to be visually recognized from the front side, the exchange control board (50) And at least a main board (51) that is fixed to the support (21) and performs control related to lottery, operation of the gaming machine, and other game contents.

Here, the support (21) can be a rectangular frame or box-shaped member, and the reel unit (20), the panel unit (30), and the main board (51) can be handled integrally. Is for.
Further, the “symbol display means” includes a rotating reel (23) that displays a plurality of symbols on a reel tape and is rotated by a drive motor, and a liquid crystal display device capable of variably displaying or stopping a symbol as an image on a display screen. can do. That is, even if the reel device is not mounted, the reel unit (20) includes the symbol display means as described above.

The main board (51) is a control board for mainly controlling the operation of the gaming apparatus such as the reel unit (20) among the replacement members. Specifically, in the case of a slot machine (S), a lottery process for a winning combination consisting of a plurality of symbol arrangements is performed, and a rotating reel (23) based on operation signals of a start switch (42B) and a stop switch (42C) ) Rotation and rotation stop processing, and the presence or absence of a prize is determined from the stop position of the design of the rotating reel (23), and in the case of a prize, the hopper unit (5) is operated to pay out medals. Is. The main substrate (51) can be fixed to the upper surface of the support (21), for example.
The panel unit (30) can be a door that opens and closes the front opening (21A) of the support (21), and provides a gaming method and gaming machine characteristics around the symbol display window (32). It can be displayed. In addition to the symbol display window (32), the panel unit (30) may include a display unit for displaying a game situation such as the number of games and the number of payout game media. In addition, you may provide the latching | locking part (hook etc.) for latching in the state in which the panel unit (30) closed the front opening (21) of the support body (21).

  Further, in the present invention, the front door (3) includes a see-through portion (41) that can be seen through from the front side, and the separation unit (2) sees the panel unit (30) through the see-through. The support (21) is attached to the front door (3) by being fixed to the back side of the portion (41) and the panel knit (30) is fixed to the front door (3). It is formed to be rotatable with respect to the panel unit (30). Then, the separation unit (2) is attached to the front door (3), and the front opening (21A) of the support (21) is closed by the panel unit (30). It is characterized in that at least the symbol display window (32) of the panel unit (30) is visible from the front side of 3) through the see-through part (41).

Here, the see-through portion (41) may be an opening provided in the front door (3) or a transparent portion formed in the front door (3).
“Fixing the panel unit (30) to the back side of the see-through part (41)” means a fixing part (for example, a screw hole or a locking part) provided in the panel unit (30) and the front door (3). And fixing a fixing portion provided around the see-through portion (41) with a screw or a hook. The panel unit (30) may be formed so as to close the see-through part (41) from the back side of the front door (3), or to be fitted into the opening as the see-through part (41) from the back side.
In addition, it is only necessary that at least the symbol display window (32) of the panel unit (30) is visible from the see-through portion (41), and the portion other than the symbol display window (32) from the front side of the front door (3), For example, a portion around the symbol display window (32) may be visible. However, it is preferable that a part other than the front surface of the panel unit (30) (such as a fixing part of the panel unit (30)) is not visible from the see-through part (41).

(Function)
In the present invention, when attaching the separation unit (2) to the front door (3), the front surface of the panel unit (30) is opposed to the back side of the see-through portion (41) of the opened front door (3). Secure the unit (30) to the front door (3). At this time, if the panel unit (30) is attached in a state in which the panel unit (30) is rotated in a direction to open the front opening (21A) of the support (21), an operation such as screwing is facilitated. When closing the front door (3) fitted with the separation unit (2), the panel unit (30) closes the front opening (21A) of the support (21) (that is, the support (21) is placed in the panel unit. (Rotate with respect to (30)) and rotate the front door (3) in the closing direction. When the front door (3) is closed, the support (21) is housed inside the housing (1) .From the front side of the front door (3), at least the panel unit (30) is passed through the fluoroscopic part (41). The symbol display window (32) becomes visible.

On the other hand, when removing the separation unit (2) from the front door (3), the front door (3) is opened and the separation unit (2) is removed from the back side of the front door (3). If the separation unit (2) is replaced, the reel unit (20), the main board (51), and the panel unit (30) are replaced at the same time, and the contents of the game can be changed and can be seen from the see-through part (41). The display other than the display window (32) (display dependent on the model) is also changed. In other words, the door frame (40) of the front door (3), the decorative part including the electric decoration attached to the door frame (40), etc. can be deferred in the game hall.
Further, with the separation unit (2) attached to the front door (3), the support (21) is rotated relative to the panel unit (30) to open the front opening (21A) of the support (21). By doing so, the reel unit (20) can be taken out from the front opening (21A) for maintenance without removing the separation unit (2) from the front door (3).

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the cost of model exchange by reducing the number of replacement parts, and it is possible to provide a separation-type gaming machine that is easy to maintain.
(Claim 2)
(Feature point)
The invention described in claim 2 is characterized by the following points in addition to the characteristics of the invention described in claim 1 described above.
That is, the invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the support (21) of the separation unit (2) attached to the front door (3) is attached to the casing (1) at least of the front door (3). A support member (intermediate plate 12) that supports from below when closed is provided.

The support member (12) is a plate member or frame member spanned between two opposing side plates (16) of the housing (1), or an overhang formed on the inner surface of the housing (1). When the front door (3) fitted with the separation unit (2) is closed in the opening (11) of the housing (1), or when the front door (3) is opened and closed, the support (21) It suffices if it can be supported from below. It is preferable to provide a roller or the like on the upper surface of the support member (12) or the lower surface of the support body (21) to reduce the frictional resistance.
According to the present invention, the weight of the support body (21) protruding to the rear side of the front door (3) is at least when the door is closed (the closing time is overwhelmingly longer than when the door is opened). Since it can be supported by the support member (12), the load on the front door (3) can be reduced, and deformation of the front door (3) due to the weight being applied for a long time can be prevented. As a result, it is possible to prevent a gap from being generated between the casing (1) and the upper end of the front door (3), particularly on the anti-hinge side, and to prevent an illegal act of entering a wire or the like from the gap. it can.

(Claim 3)
(Feature point)
The invention described in claim 3 is characterized by the following points in addition to the characteristics of the invention described in claim 1 or 2.
That is, in the invention described in claim 3, the support (21) is on the opposite side of the rotating shaft of the front door (3) when the separation unit (2) is attached to the front door (3). The reel unit (20) has a side surface opening (21B) on the side surface side, and the reel unit (20) has a side surface opening of the support (21) in a state where the front door (3) mounted with the separation unit (3) is opened. (21B) is formed so as to be removable.

In the present invention, the reel unit (20) can be easily attached to and detached from the support (21). For example, in a state in which the support (21) is rotated with respect to the panel unit (30) (a state in which the front opening (21A) is opened), the reel unit (20) is moved to the side opening ( 21B) can be slid and removed. In the present invention, the reel unit (20) may not be taken out from the front opening (21A) but only from the side opening (21B), or the reel unit (20) may be taken out from the side opening (21B). The front opening (21A) may be taken out.
According to the present invention, the reel unit (20) can be removed from the support (21) even when the opening angle of the front door (3) to which the separation unit (3) is attached is small.

(Claim 4)
(Feature point)
The invention described in claim 4 is characterized by the following points in addition to the features of the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 3.
That is, the invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the front door (3) is an effect display device (speaker 47, liquid crystal display device 48, ornament, etc.) for performing effect display by means of an audio image or other display method as the non-exchange member. And a non-replaceable control board (60) that is an effect control board (sub-board 61, liquid crystal control board 62) for controlling the operation of the effect display device (47, 48, 49). At least. In addition, the separation unit (3) further includes a data storage member (ROM cassette 34) containing a storage device storing effect data corresponding to the model as the replacement part. And the production control board (61, 62) is arranged on the back side of the front door (3), the data storage member (34) is arranged on the front side of the panel unit (30), the panel unit ( By fixing 30) to the front door (3), the data storage member (34) is mounted on the effect control board (61, 62), and the effect data can be read out.

The effect control board (61, 62) is a board for controlling the operation of the effect display device (47, 48, 49) installed on the housing side based on predetermined effect data, for example, a liquid crystal display device ( 48) includes a control board for controlling the display of the liquid crystal screen. In addition, the data storage member (34) is a case storing a ROM storing contents to be displayed on the display screen of the liquid crystal display device (48), and a ROM storing voice data, flashing data of light emitters, and the like. Can do. The production control board (61, 62) can perform production display corresponding to each model by reading production data stored in the data storage member (34). .
According to the present invention, only the content of the effect performed by the effect display device (47, 48) placed on the housing side is exchanged, and the substrate for operating the effect display device (47, 48, 49) is on the housing side. Since it can be deferred, the number of replacement parts can be reduced.

(Claim 5)
(Feature point)
The invention described in claim 5 is characterized by the following points in addition to the characteristics of the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 4.
That is, in the invention according to claim 5, the casing (1) includes at least a power supply unit (4) for turning on and off a main power supply of a gaming machine as the non-exchange member, and the front door (3 ) Further includes, as the non-exchange control board (60), a non-exchange relay board (front door relay board 63) electrically connected to at least the power supply unit (4) and the effect control board (61, 62). I have. On the other hand, the separation unit (2) further includes an exchange relay board (reel relay board 52) electrically connected to at least the reel unit (20) and the main board (51) as the exchange control board (50). I have. Then, the non-exchange relay board (63) is arranged on the back side of the front door (3), the exchange relay board (52) is arranged on the front side of the panel unit (30), and the panel unit (30 ) Is fixed to the front door (3), the non-exchange relay board (63) and the exchange relay board (52) are connected, and the power supply unit (4), the reel unit (20), and The main board (50) is electrically connected.

  In the present invention, the electrical connection between the component or board mounted on the separation unit (2) and the component or board placed on the housing side is completed by the connection between the boards. According to the present invention, when attaching / detaching the separation unit (2), there is no need to perform troublesome work such as connecting a harness.

Since this invention is comprised as mentioned above, there exist the following effects.
That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a separation-type gaming machine that can place a part that does not need to be replaced on the housing side as much as possible and that is more cost-effective and can reduce work labor.
Further, according to the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 1, the non-replaceable part to which the separation unit is attached can be prevented from being deformed. Accordingly, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 2, it is possible to provide a gaming machine that can facilitate the mounting operation of the separation unit and can be easily maintained after the separation unit is mounted.

  Furthermore, according to the invention described in claim 4, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 3, the number of replacement parts can be reduced. According to the invention described in claim 5, the above-described claim 4 In addition to the effects of the described invention, the work for electrical connection between the replacement part and the non-replacement part can be simplified, and the attachment work of the separation unit can be performed more easily.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, taking a slot machine as an example of a gaming machine.
(Explanation of drawings)
1 to 6 show an embodiment of the present invention.
1 is an external perspective view of the slot machine S, FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views of the slot machine S with the door open, and FIGS. 4 to 6 are perspective views showing the replacement knit 2. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the slot machine S according to the present embodiment is roughly divided into a housing 1 having an opening 11 on the front side, a front door 3 for closing the opening 11 of the housing 1 so as to be openable and closable, The replacement unit 2 is detachably attached to the door 3 and is housed in the housing 1 with the front door 3 closed.

(Case 1)
As shown in FIG. 2, the housing 1 is a box having an opening 11 on the front surface (front surface facing the player) composed of a bottom plate 15, a side plate 16, a top plate 17 and a back plate 18. An intermediate plate 12 is provided in the horizontal direction at a substantially central portion in the height direction between the side plates 16. The power source unit 4 and the hopper unit 5 are installed on the bottom plate 15, and a hinge 19 for engaging the front door 3 and rotatably supporting the side plate 16 on the left side of the front is provided in the vertical direction. Two are provided at intervals.
Here, the power supply unit 4 includes a power supply device (not shown), and includes a switch for the hall manager to perform various settings. The hopper unit 5 is capable of storing medals and paying out medals when winning a prize.

The case 1 can be left installed in the game room when the model of the slot machine S is changed.
(Front door 3)
The front door 3 is a plate-like door for closing the opening 11 of the housing 1, and is formed on the side plate 16 of the housing 1 so as to be rotatable and lockable.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, a counter-like operation unit 42 that projects to the front side is provided at a substantially central portion in the height direction of the door frame 40 that forms the skeleton of the door body. Is formed with a lower plate 45 in which medals paid out from the hopper unit 5 can be stored. Further, a lower panel 44 for displaying game contents and the like is fitted between the operation unit 42 and the lower plate 45, and various effects are displayed on the upper portion of the door frame 40 by a moving image or the like. A liquid crystal display device 48 and a decorative part 49 including an electric decoration such as a lamp are provided. Further, a see-through portion 41 is formed above the operation portion 42 so that the front panel 31 of the panel unit 30 provided on the reel unit 2 can be seen with the reel unit 2 described later fixed to the front door 3. Has been.

Here, in the present embodiment, the see-through portion 41 is formed as an opening penetrating from the front side to the back side of the door frame 40 as shown in FIG. In addition, as long as the back side can be seen through from the front side of the front door 3, the see-through part 41 may not be an opening. For example, the opening formed in the door frame 41 may be closed with a transparent acrylic plate. Further, in the illustrated example, the see-through portion 41 is formed in such a size that the substantially entire surface of the panel unit 30 of the replacement unit 2 attached to the front door 3 can be visually recognized, but at least the symbol display window 32 of the panel unit 30. As long as the is visible.
As shown in FIG. 1, the operation unit 42 is provided with a medal slot 43 at the upper right end, and an operation switch for operating the slot machine S. On the side, a start switch 42B, a stop switch 42C, and a settlement switch 42D are provided. Here, the bet switch 42A is for replacing a medal stored as a credit with a medal insertion, and the start switch 42B and the stop switch 42C are a rotating reel 23 provided in the reel unit 2 (see FIG. 2). This is for starting and stopping the rotation. The settlement switch 42D is for refunding credits.

In the slot machine S, the operation of the start switch 42B becomes effective by inserting medals or the operation of the bet switch 42A, and the rotation reel 23 starts to rotate by the operation of the start switch 42B. Then, when the lottery result of the winning determination performed by the main board 51 described later is winning a predetermined winning combination, the rotating reel 23 is stopped by the operation of the stop switch 42C so that the winning symbol becomes a winning mode. If a player can win, a prize is awarded, and a medal is paid out from the hopper unit 5 or an advantageous game such as a bonus game is started.
The lower panel 44 is detachably attached to the door frame 40, and a lighting device (not shown) is provided inside to illuminate the panel portion from the inside. On the panel portion, display corresponding to the model, such as the name of the slot machine S, the game method, and the display of characters, is performed.

Further, on the back side of the front door 3, as shown in FIG. 2, a medal selector 46 for judging whether the medal is correct or not while guiding the medal inserted from the medal slot 43, and for outputting a sound. Speaker 47 is provided. When the front door 3 is closed, it is automatically locked by a latch lock, and the opening 11 of the housing 1 is sealed. Further, when the predetermined key is inserted into the key hole 40A provided at the right front end of the operation unit 42 and turned, the front door 3 is unlocked.
A non-replacement control board 60 that is electrically connected to a replacement control board 50 mounted on the replacement unit 2 when a later-described replacement unit 2 is mounted is provided on the rear surface of the front door 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the non-replacement control board 60 includes a sub-board 61 and a liquid crystal control board 62 on the upper back side of the door frame 40 (back side of the liquid crystal display device 48), and a front door relay on the back side of the operation unit 42. Substrates 63 are respectively provided.

Here, the sub-board 61 is for controlling an effect display device such as a lamp of the decoration 49 provided on the front door 3 and the speaker 47, and the liquid crystal control board 62 controls the display of the liquid crystal display device 48. Is to do. The sub board 61 and the liquid crystal control board 62 are provided with insertion openings 61A and 62A for inserting a ROM cassette 34, which will be described later, and the ROM cassette 34 in which effect data is recorded is inserted into the insertion openings 61A and 62A. As a result, the effect data in the ROM cassette 34 is read, and the effect display according to the model can be performed.
In addition, the front door relay board 63 includes non-replaceable parts (power supply unit 4 and hopper unit 5) that are stationary on the housing 1, the sub board 61, the liquid crystal control board 62, and replacement parts (reel mounted on the exchange unit 2). The unit 20 and the panel unit 30) and the main board 51 are electrically connected. In addition, it is preferable to form the front door relay board 63 so that the position of the front door relay board 63 can be moved in the vertical and horizontal directions because the displacement and dimensional errors can be absorbed when the replacement unit 2 is mounted.

The front door 3 can be left in the housing 1 when changing models. By exchanging the exchange unit 2 and the lower panel 44, different models can be supported.
(Exchange unit 2)
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the exchange unit 2 includes a box-shaped support body 21 having a U-shaped side view that is open on the front side and one side face, and a reel unit that is detachably fixed to the support body 21. 20 and a panel unit 30 attached to the support 21 so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction.
The reel unit 20 is a main gaming machine of the slot machine S, and as shown in FIG. 5, a reel frame 22 housed in a support 21 and three drive motors (supported by the reel frame 22). (Not shown) and three rotary reels 23 attached to the drive shafts of the respective drive motors and displaying a plurality of symbols (not shown) around them.

The reel unit 20 is supported by a guide means (for example, a guide rail) (not shown) so as to be slidable in the left-right direction of the support 21 and not movable in the front-rear direction. And can be stored. Then, three rotating reels 23 can be seen side by side from the front opening 21A of the support 21 in a state of being housed and fixed to the support 21.
As shown in FIG. 5, a hinge 25 is provided in front of the left side plate of the support 21. A panel unit 30 is attached to the hinge 25. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the panel unit 30 includes a rectangular frame-like panel frame 33 and a front panel 31 attached to the panel frame 33.

The front panel 31 is a panel member that is positioned on the back side of the see-through portion 41 of the door frame 40 when the panel unit 30 is fixed to the front door 3 and closes the see-through portion 41 from the back side. That is, the outer dimension of the front panel 31 is slightly larger than the inner diameter dimension of the see-through part 41, and when the panel frame 33 is fixed to the door frame 40, the front surface of the front panel 31 is located behind the edge of the see-through part 41. The front panel 31 is fitted into the see-through part 41 so as to close the see-through part 41 without any gap.
In addition, a symbol display window 32 through which the symbol of the rotary reel 23 can be visually recognized is provided in the front center portion of the front panel 31. The symbol display window 32 is a transparent window portion formed on the front panel 31. Around the symbol display window 32, although not shown in particular, a display corresponding to the model such as the display of the type of winning combination, the name of the slot machine S, the character, and the like is made.

The front panel 31 may be provided with a display unit for displaying the number of games, the number of paid-out medals, and the number of credits, for example, in addition to the symbol display window 32, although not shown. These display sections are transparent windows similar to the symbol display window 32, and the display of the 7-segment display or liquid crystal display provided on the back side of the front panel 31 is visible from the front side. can do.
A fixing portion 36 for fixing the panel unit 30 to the door frame 40 is provided at a side end portion of the panel frame 33. The fixing part 36 can fix the panel frame 33 to the door frame 40 by matching with a screw hole provided in the door frame 40 and screwing. Note that the fixing portion 36 is not limited to a screw, and may be a clip or a hook.

  A ROM cassette 34 for storing a ROM storing effect data is attached to the upper end of the panel frame 33. The ROM cassette 34 is a case member that houses an electronic board on which a ROM is mounted, and connection terminals are exposed from the case. The terminal portion is fixed to the panel frame 33 so as to be movable in the left-right direction with the terminal portion facing the front side. As the ROM cassette 34, a liquid crystal ROM cassette 34B storing a ROM for causing the liquid crystal display device 48 to perform display, and a rendering device other than the liquid crystal display device 48 (for example, the speaker 47 and the lamp) to perform display. ROM cassettes 34A storing the ROMs are provided, and when the replacement unit 2 is fixed to the front door 3, the terminal portions of the ROM cassettes 34A and 34B are connected to the sub-board 61 and the inlet 61A of the liquid crystal control board 62, respectively. , 62A can be inserted. That is, the terminal of the ROM cassette 34A is inserted into the insertion slot 61A of the sub-board 61, and the terminal of the ROM cassette 34B is inserted into the insertion slot 62A of the liquid crystal control board 62.

Further, the replacement unit 2 is provided with a replacement control board 50 that is electrically connected to the non-replacement control board 60 provided on the front door 3 when the front door 3 is mounted. As shown in FIG. 5, the replacement control board 50 is provided with a main board 51 on the upper surface of the support 21 and a reel relay board 52 on the lower end of the panel frame 33.
Here, the main board 51 is used for performing lottery for determination of whether or not to win, and for controlling the operation of the reel unit 20 based on the operation of the start switch 42B and the stop switch 42C. Connected with. The reel relay board 52 provides electrical connection between the reel unit 20 and the main board 51 mounted on the exchange unit 2, and the power supply unit 4, the hopper unit 5, the sub board 61, and the liquid crystal control board 62 installed on the housing 1. Is to do.

The production data stored in the main board 51 and the ROM cassette 34 is different for each model, and the game content and the production accompanying it are changed by changing these. Then, by exchanging the exchange unit 2, the soft part (main board 51 etc.) and the hard part (reel symbol arrangement etc.) for playing a game are exchanged at the same time.
Further, although not particularly illustrated, the support 21 is provided with a support connector that is electrically connected to the main board 51, and the reel frame 22 of the reel unit 20 is connected to the support connector. A reel frame connector is provided. By storing and installing the reel unit 20 at a fixed position of the support 21, the support connector and the reel frame connector are connected, and the reel unit 20 and the main board 51 are electrically connected. Yes.

The replacement unit 2 closes the front door 3 while being attached to the front door 3, whereby the support 21 is accommodated above the middle plate 12 of the housing 1. When changing the model, the game content is changed by exchanging at least the exchange unit 2, and the housing 1 can be used as a new game machine as it is.
(Removal of exchange unit 2)
Next, a procedure for attaching and detaching the exchange unit 2 in the slot machine S having the above configuration will be described.
First, when fixing the replacement unit 2 to the front door 3, the front door 3 is opened, and then the panel unit 30 of the replacement unit 2 is disposed facing the see-through portion 41 from the back side of the door frame 40 ( (See FIG. 2). At this time, the panel unit 30 closes the front opening 21A of the support 21. It is preferable to provide an engaging portion (for example, a joint portion using a hook or a leaf spring) such that the panel unit 30 is temporarily fixed to the support 21.

Next, the replacement unit 2 is pushed into the recess on the back surface of the door frame 40, and the see-through part 41 is closed with the panel unit 30. At this time, the ROM cassette 34 (34A, 34B) is inserted into the insertion openings 61A, 62A of the sub board 61 and the liquid crystal control board 62, and the reel relay board 52 is connected to the front door relay board 63. With these connections, the replacement unit 2 is temporarily fixed to the front door 3, and the components mounted on the replacement unit 2 and the installation device for the housing 1 and the front door 3 are electrically connected.
Subsequently, the fixing part 36 of the panel unit 30 and the fixing part (not shown) of the door frame 40 are fixed. At this time, if the support body 21 is rotated in a direction to return to the inside of the opening 11 of the housing 1 so that a space is provided between the panel unit 30 and the front surface of the support body 21 (see FIG. 6), the work is performed. Easy. The panel unit 30 is fixed to the door frame 40, and the support body 21 is rotated so that the front opening 21A of the support body 21 is closed by the panel unit 30, and the panel unit 30 and the support body 21 are locked. As shown in FIG. 3, the support 21 is in a state of protruding to the back side of the front door 3.

  If the replacement unit 2 is fixed to the front door 3 in this way and the front door 3 is closed as it is, the support 21 is housed inside the opening 11 of the housing 1 while its bottom surface is supported by the middle plate 12. When the door 3 is completely closed, the door 3 is placed on the upper surface of the intermediate plate 12. Further, the front panel 31 of the panel unit 30 is exposed on the see-through portion 41 of the front door 3. The see-through part 41 and the front panel 31 are closely attached with no gap in the front-rear direction. It is preferable to provide a caster on the bottom surface of the support 21 so as to eliminate the frictional resistance between the support 21 and the middle plate 12 when the front door 3 is opened and closed. Further, a packing for preventing a gap from being formed between the front panel 31 and the fluoroscopic part 41 may be pasted.

On the other hand, when removing the replacement unit 2 fixed to the front door 3, the front door 3 is opened to expose the replacement unit 2 from the housing 1, and the fixing of the panel unit 30 and the door frame 40 is released. As described above, at this time, the engagement between the support 21 and the panel unit 30 may be released, and the front side of the support 21 may be opened. Then, when the replacement unit 2 is pulled out in the direction of the back surface of the door frame 40, the ROM cassette 34 comes out of the insertion openings 61A and 62A, and the connection between the reel relay board 52 and the front door relay board 63 is released. Can be separated (see FIG. 2).
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, only the reel unit 20 can be removed from the replacement unit 2 fixed to the front door 3. Specifically, with the front door 3 opened, the support 21 and the panel unit 30 are disengaged, and the support 21 is centered on the hinge 25 while the panel unit 30 is fixed to the front door 3. Rotate. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6, the reel unit 20 may be pulled out from the side opening 21 </ b> B of the support 21.

The panel unit 30 may be fixed to the door frame 40 with the reel unit 20 removed from the support 21 as described above. Then, after fixing the panel unit 30 to the door frame 40, the reel unit 20 may be housed and fixed to the support 21.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the lower panel 44 is detachably attached to the front door 3, and the replacement unit 2 in which the reel unit 20 and the panel unit 30 are integrated is detachable. At the time of replacement, only the minimum necessary members can be replaced in the front door 3 in order to correspond to the new model. That is, devices that do not need to be replaced every time the model is replaced, such as the lamp of the decorative portion 49 provided on the front door 3 and the liquid crystal display device 48, can be placed on the housing side, and the number of replacement parts can be reduced. This can reduce the cost of model exchange.

Further, in the present embodiment, the sub board 61 and the liquid crystal control board 62 are placed on the housing side, and only the ROM storing the production data is exchanged, so that the number of replacement parts can be reduced, and the ROM cassette By attaching 34 to the exchange unit 2, it is possible to prevent the cassette from being lost or misplaced.
In addition, the electrical connection between the replacement unit 2 and the front door 3 is completed only by connecting the reel relay board 52 and the front door relay board 63, and the replacement unit 2 is mounted on the front door 3. At the same time, since the ROM cassette 34 is formed so as to be connected to the sub-board 61 and the liquid crystal control board 62, it is not necessary to perform troublesome work such as connecting harnesses.

Further, when the replacement unit 2 is attached to the front door 3, there is a concern that a load is applied to the front door 3 and the hinge 19 is loosened or the front door 3 is distorted. When closed, the support 21 of the replacement unit 2 is supported from below by the intermediate plate 12. For this reason, the front door 3 is not heavy, and even if the front door 3 is placed on the housing 1 for a long period of time, there is no gap between the door and the housing 1 due to the deformation of the front door 3.
In the present embodiment, the middle plate 12 is provided in the housing 1 as a support member that supports the replacement unit 2 from below. However, the support member is supported when the front door 3 is opened and closed and when the door is closed. As long as the weight of the body 21 can be supported, it does not have to be plate-shaped. For example, it may be a frame or an overhang part on which at least a part of the support 21 is placed.

Further, in the present embodiment, the front door 3 is formed as a single door, but the front door 3 is divided into an upper door that closes the upper opening of the housing 1 and a lower door that closes the lower opening. May be. In this case, it is preferable that the upper door and the lower door can be locked to the housing 1 a little, and the upper door cannot be unlocked and opened unless the lower door is opened. The front door relay board 63 may be configured to be attached to the upper door in order not to release the connection with the reel relay board 52 when only the lower door is opened.
In such a case, when it is necessary to open the front door 3 due to replenishment of medals to the hopper unit 5 or clogging of medals selector 46, it is sufficient to open only the lower door. That is, since the heavy replacement unit 2 can be left in the housing 1 (while being supported by the intermediate plate 12 as a support member), the upper door and the housing are not deformed by weight. Since there is no gap between the main board 51 and the main board 51, it is preferable from the viewpoint of security.

1 is an external perspective view of a slot machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a slot machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the slot machine according to the embodiment of the present invention with the front door opened. It is an embodiment of the present invention, and is a perspective view of an exchange unit. It is an embodiment of the present invention, and is a perspective view of an exchange unit with a panel unit opened. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an exchange unit according to the embodiment of the present invention when the reel unit is attached or detached.

Explanation of symbols

S slot machine (game machine)
1 Housing 2 Exchange unit (separation unit)
3 Front door 4 Power supply unit (non-replacement member)
5 Hopper unit (non-replaceable member)
11 Opening 12 Middle plate
13 Upper opening 14 Lower opening
15 Bottom plate 16 Side plate
17 Top plate 18 Back plate
19 Hinge
20 Reel unit (replacement member) 21 Support
22 reel frame 23 rotating reel
25 Hinge
30 Panel unit 31 Front panel
32 Symbol display window 33 Panel frame
34 ROM cassette (data storage member)
40 Door frame 41 Perspective section
42 Operation part 42A Bet switch
42B Start switch 42C Stop switch
42D checkout switch 43 medal slot
44 Lower panel 45 Medal tray
46 Medal selector 47 Speaker (production display device)
48 Liquid crystal display device (effect display device) 49 Decorative part (effect display device)
50 Replacement control board 51 Main board
52 Reel relay board (replacement relay board)
60 Non-exchange control board 61 Sub board (production control board)
62 LCD control board (production control board) 63 Front door relay board (non-exchange relay board)

Claims (5)

A box-shaped housing opening on the front side;
A front door attached to the housing so as to be rotatable in a horizontal direction and capable of opening and closing a front opening of the housing;
It consists of a separation unit that is detachably attached to the back side of the front door,
The casing and the front door are provided with non-replaceable members and non-replaceable control boards that can be used in common for a plurality of models, and the separation unit is provided with replacement members and replacement control boards corresponding to each model. In the gaming machine
The separation unit includes a support body that opens at least on the front side, and is a reel unit that is detachably attached to the support body as the replacement member, and has a symbol display means that can display a plurality of symbols in a variable manner and stop display, A panel having a symbol display window attached to the support so as to be rotatable in the same direction as the front door and capable of opening and closing the front opening of the support and allowing the symbol of the symbol display means to be visually recognized from the front side. At least a unit, and as the replacement control board, at least a main board that is fixed to the support and for performing control related to lottery, operation of the gaming machine and other game contents,
The front door includes a see-through portion that can be seen through from the front side.
The separation unit is attached to the front door by fixing the panel unit to the back side of the see-through portion, and the support unit is attached to the panel unit in a state where the panel knit is fixed to the front door. It is formed to be rotatable with respect to
When the separation unit is mounted on the front door and the front opening of the support is closed by the panel unit, at least the symbol display window of the panel unit is visually recognized from the front side of the front door through the see-through portion. A gaming machine characterized by being made possible.   The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein a support member that supports a support body of the separation unit attached to the front door from below is provided at least when the front door is closed. The support body has a side opening on a side surface that is opposite to the rotation axis of the front door when the separation unit is attached to the front door;
The gaming machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the reel unit is formed so as to be removable from a side opening of the support body in a state where the front door on which the separation unit is mounted is opened. The front door includes at least an effect display device for performing an effect display by an audio image or other display method as the non-exchange member, and controls the operation of the effect display device as the non-exchange control board. At least a production control board,
The separation unit further includes, as the replacement member, a data storage member that incorporates a storage device that stores production data corresponding to the model,
The production control board is arranged on the back side of the front door, the data storage member is arranged on the front side of the panel unit,
4. The effect data can be read out by attaching the data storage member to the effect control board by fixing the panel unit to the front door. 5. Game machines. The housing includes at least a power supply unit for turning on and off the main power supply of the gaming machine as the non-exchange member,
The front door further includes, as the non-exchange control board, a non-exchange relay board that is electrically connected to at least the power supply unit and the effect control board,
The separation unit further includes, as the replacement control board, an exchange relay board that is electrically connected to at least the reel unit and the main board,
Arranging the non-exchange relay board on the back side of the front door, arranging the exchange relay board on the front side of the panel unit,
By fixing the panel unit to the front door, the non-exchange relay board and the exchange relay board are connected, and the power supply unit, the reel unit, and the main board are electrically connected. The gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the gaming machine is characterized in that:

Images