JP6565117B2 - Monitor support device and game machine using the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus for supporting a monitor rotatably about three axes.

  Various game machines have been proposed in which the movement of a monitor around three axes orthogonal to each other is detected, and the game progresses while reflecting the detection result in the calculation of the game. As this type of game machine, in addition to an example using a monitor-integrated computer device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal, a flat panel display such as a liquid crystal display is supported by a monitor support device so as to be rotatable around three axes. There is also a case. For example, an inner frame that can rotate around the Y axis is provided inside the outer frame, and a rotating base that can rotate around the X axis is provided inside the inner frame, and a monitor is mounted on the rotating base. A monitor support device is known that is mounted so as to be rotatable about a Z-axis (axis line in a direction orthogonal to the display surface of the monitor) (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the device of Patent Document 1, when the monitor is not operated, a spring return mechanism is provided around the X axis and the Y axis of the monitor support device in order to hold the monitor in a neutral position with its display surface facing upward. Yes.

Japanese Patent No. 4979474

  In the game machine of Patent Document 1, the X axis and the Y axis as rotation axes of the monitor are set so as to intersect each other on the same plane. Accordingly, the monitor only moves along a spherical surface centered on the intersection of the X axis and the Y axis and having a radius from the intersection of the two axes to the monitor, and the movable range of the monitor is considerably narrow. Further, since the point of application of the restoring force of the spring return mechanism is close to the X axis and the Y axis, it is necessary to set the spring force of the mechanism to be considerably large in order to hold the heavy monitor in the neutral position. .

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a monitor support device or the like that can move a monitor in a wide range and can appropriately apply a restoring force.

  A monitor support device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a base, a first movable body that is rotatably connected to the base around a first axis, and a direction orthogonal to the first axis. A second movable body extending and coupled to the first movable body in a state of being rotatable around a second axis set at a distance from the first axis; and A monitor base that is connected to the second movable body in a state of being rotatable around a third axis extending in a direction intersecting with the second axis and the second axis, and to which a monitor can be attached. A plurality of restoring force applying members provided between the base and the second movable body, such that a restoring force for returning to the neutral position with the display surface facing upward acts on the second movable body; , With.

  In addition, a game machine according to an aspect of the present invention includes a monitor support device according to the above aspect, a monitor attached to the monitor base of the monitor support device, and a detection unit that detects a physical quantity correlated with the movement of the monitor. And a game control device that advances the game while referring to the information detected by the detection means and displays the game image on the monitor.

The figure which shows the principal part of the game machine which concerns on one form of this invention. The figure which shows the principal part of the monitor support apparatus used for the game machine of FIG. The partially broken front view of a monitor support apparatus. The partially broken right view of a monitor support apparatus. The figure which modeled and showed the motion of the monitor support apparatus. The figure which shows an example of the screen of the game played with a game machine. The block diagram which shows the principal part of the control system of a game machine.

  FIG. 1 shows a game machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. The game machine 1 includes a monitor support device 2 and a monitor 3 supported by the monitor support device 2. The monitor 3 is a display device using a flat panel display such as a liquid crystal display. In addition, the monitor 3 is configured as a display device with a touch panel that outputs a signal corresponding to the position of the user's contact with the display surface 3a. However, the monitor 3 is not limited to the structure provided with the touch panel. The monitor support device 2 is provided to support the monitor 3 so as to be rotatable around three axes orthogonal to each other. In the following description, the monitor 3 is supported by the monitor support device 2 so that the display surface 3a faces directly above the vertical direction in a state where no operation is performed by the user. Hereinafter, a position where the display surface 3a is directed right above in the vertical direction is referred to as a neutral position. That is, the neutral position means the position of the monitor 3 when no operation is performed by the user and no external force is applied to the game machine 1.

  The principal part of the monitor support apparatus 2 which removed the monitor 3 from the game machine 1 of FIG. 1 is shown in FIGS. As is apparent from these drawings, the monitor support device 2 includes a base 5, a first movable body 10, a second movable body 20, and a monitor base 30. The base 5 includes a case 6 formed in a box shape having an upper opening, and a shaft holder 7 fixed to a central portion inside the case 6. The case 6 is fixed to the floor of an installation location such as a game store using a fixture 8 (FIG. 1) provided on the outer periphery of the lower end.

  The first movable body 10 includes a shaft connector 11, a plate 12 fixed to the upper portion of the shaft connector 11, and support legs 13 fixed to the upper surface of the plate 12. The shaft connector 11 is rotatably connected to the shaft holder 7 of the base 5 via the first rotating shaft 14. The support legs 13 are provided so as to extend straight upward from the surface of the plate 12 when in the neutral position. The axis X of the first rotating shaft 14 is oriented in the horizontal direction. The second movable body 20 includes a shaft connector 21 and a housing 22 fixed to the upper portion of the shaft connector 21. A lower portion of the shaft connector 21 is opened, and a support leg 13 of the first movable body 10 is inserted into the opening portion. The support leg 13 and the shaft connector 21 are connected to each other via a second rotation shaft 23 so as to be rotatable. The axis Y of the second rotating shaft 23 is also oriented in the horizontal direction and orthogonal to the axis X of the first rotating shaft 14. Further, the second rotation shaft 23 is located at a position spaced apart from the first rotation shaft 14 by a predetermined distance L1. Hereinafter, the axis of the first rotating shaft 14 is called the X axis, the axis of the second rotating shaft 23 is called the Y axis, the direction of the first rotating shaft 14 is the X axis direction, and the direction of the second rotating shaft 23 is the Y axis direction. Sometimes called.

  A bearing portion 24 (FIG. 4) is provided on the upper portion of the housing 22 of the second movable body 20. A third rotary shaft 31 is attached to the bearing portion 24 so as to be rotatable and immovable in the axial direction. A monitor base 30 is attached to the upper end of the third rotation shaft 31 so as to be integrally rotatable. The axis Z of the third rotating shaft 31 is set in a direction orthogonal to both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. Therefore, when the monitor 3 is in the neutral position, the direction of the axis Z of the third rotation shaft 31 coincides with the vertical direction. Further, the axis Z is directed in a direction orthogonal to the display surface 3 a of the monitor 3. Hereinafter, the axis of the third rotation shaft 31 may be referred to as the Z-axis, and the axis direction of the third rotation shaft 31 may be referred to as the Z-axis direction. The X axis corresponds to an example of a first rotation axis, the Y axis corresponds to an example of a second rotation axis, and the Z axis corresponds to an example of a third rotation axis.

  A generally flat connecting plate 32 is provided on the top of the monitor base 30. The monitor 3 is connected to the connecting plate 32 so that the center of the display surface 3a of the monitor 3 coincides with the Z axis. Therefore, the monitor 3 is attached to the monitor support device 2 in a state where the monitor 3 can rotate about each of the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis. When the monitor 3 is in the neutral position, the connecting plate 32 is in a position separated upward from the Y axis. That is, the monitor base 30 is provided such that the monitor 3 is located farther from the Y axis than the Y axis.

  A spring receiving frame 40 is attached to each of the pair of side surfaces of the case 6 of the base 5. Four coil springs 41 are stretched between the spring receiving frame 40 and the outer periphery of the upper end portion of the housing 22. The coil spring 41 is provided as a restoring force imparting member that causes the restoring force to return the monitor 3 to the neutral position on the monitor base 30. In other words, the coil spring 41 is provided so that each spring force is balanced when the monitor 3 is in the neutral position. Therefore, the neutral position is also a position where the restoring force applied by the restoring force applying member is balanced.

  The upper end portion of the coil spring 41 is connected to a spring hook portion 42 provided at a position near the four corners of the outer periphery of the housing 22. The spring hook 42 is placed in the same plane orthogonal to the Z axis. That is, when the monitor 3 is in the neutral position, the heights of the spring hook portions 42 in the Z-axis direction are equal to each other. Further, the distance from the Z axis to the spring hooking portion 42 is also equal to each other. The spring hook 42 serves as a point of action of the restoring force of the coil spring 41, and the position thereof is set at a position farther from the Y axis than the X axis. On the other hand, the lower end portion of the coil spring 41 is connected to a spring hook portion 43 provided on the spring receiving frame 40. The spring hook portion 43 is also placed in the same plane orthogonal to the Z axis. That is, the heights of the spring hooks 43 in the Z-axis direction are equal to each other.

  When the spring hooks 42 and 43 are looked down from the direction along the Z axis, the lower spring hook 43 is in a different direction from the Z axis than the upper spring hook 42 in the X axis direction and the Y axis direction. Positioned to leave. Accordingly, each coil spring 41 is inclined so as to move away from the Z-axis along a direction different from both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction as it goes downward from the spring hook portion 42. Thereby, when the monitor base 30 is rotated around the X axis and the Y axis from the neutral position, one of the coil springs 41 is elastically deformed to be pulled, and the monitor 3 is brought to the neutral position along with the elastic deformation. The restoring force to return acts on the housing 22. In order to accurately match the balance position and neutral position of the spring force of the coil spring 41, an adjustment mechanism for changing the positions of the spring hook portions 42 and 43 and the distance between the spring hook portions 42 and 43 may be further provided. .

  The rotation range of the first movable body 10 around the X axis and the rotation range of the second movable body 20 around the Y axis are limited to appropriate ranges by a stopper mechanism (not shown). . On the lower surface side of the monitor 3, an appropriate cover for covering the configuration of the monitor support device 2 from the user is attached. The cover needs to have a flexibility that does not hinder the movement of the monitor 3. For example, the cover may be configured in a bellows shape or a curtain shape. As shown in FIG. 1, operation members such as a handle 50 and a grip 51 are provided on the outer periphery of the monitor 3. These operation members are used by the user to rotate the monitor 3 around the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis.

  FIG. 5 shows a model of the movable range of the monitor 3 by the monitor support device 2 described above. In FIG. 5, the point Px indicates the rotation center of the first movable body 10, and the point Py indicates the rotation center of the second movable body 20 at the neutral position. The point Pz is an appropriate reference point on the Z axis of the monitor base 30 or the monitor 3 when in the neutral position, and here, it means the center point of the display surface 3a. The distance L1 corresponds to the interval between the X axis and the Y axis, and the distance L2 corresponds to the interval between the Y axis and the point Pz.

  First, when the first movable body 10 rotates around the X axis in a predetermined range around the point Px, the rotation center of the second movable body 20 has a radius around the X axis around the point Px. It can move along the arc Cy of L1. If the rotation center of the second movable body 20 when the first movable body 10 is rotated to both ends of the rotation range is Pya and Pyb, the second movable body 20 has an arc Cy in the range of the points Pya to Pyb. It can be rotated so as to draw an arc having a radius L2 around the Y axis, with an arbitrary position on the center as a center. Accordingly, the point Pz moves on the arc Cz having the radius L2 centered on the point Py in the neutral position, and when the rotation center of the second movable body 20 is at the point Pya, the arc having the radius L2 centered on the point Pya. When the center of rotation of the second movable body 20 is at the point Pyb, the second movable body 20 moves on the arc Czb having a radius L2 with the point Pyb as the center. Therefore, the point Pz can move on the curved surface SZ drawn by moving the arc Cz along the arc Cy.

  As is clear from the above description, in the monitor support device 2, the X axis that is the rotation center of the first movable body 10 and the Y axis that is the rotation center of the second movable body 20 are spaced apart. Since it is set, the second movable body 20 can be moved relatively large along the arc Cy. In addition, a distance L2 is further set from the rotation center of the second movable body 20 to the display surface 3a of the monitor 3. Therefore, the position of the center point of the display surface 3a of the monitor 3 can be changed along a relatively wide curved surface SZ. Incidentally, in the conventional monitor support apparatus, since the points Px and Py coincide with each other in FIG. 5, the point Pz can move only within a spherical range with the point Px as the center and the distance L2 as the radius. In comparison with this, according to the monitor support device 2 of the present embodiment, the movable range of the monitor 3 can be set in a wider range than before.

  Further, in the monitor support device 2 of this embodiment, the restoring force of the coil spring 41 acts on the upper end portion of the housing 22 to be connected to the monitor base 30. A sufficient distance can be ensured between the action point and the X and Y axes. Therefore, the moment around the X axis and the Y axis caused by the restoring force of the coil spring 41 can be increased as compared with the case where the restoring force is applied in the vicinity of the X axis and the Y axis. Therefore, the heavy monitor 3 can be reliably held in the neutral position without generating an excessive spring force by the coil spring 41.

  Next, a game to be played on the game machine 1 and a configuration necessary for controlling the game will be described. In one game, a game is provided to the user that reflects the movement of the monitor 3 around the X axis, Y axis, and Z axis in the progress of the game. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, a ball 101 and a field 102 are displayed on the game screen 100, and a game in which the ball 101 moves relatively in the field 102 in accordance with the movement of the monitor 3 is provided to the user. . The user needs to operate the monitor 3 around each axis so that the ball 101 moves while avoiding the prohibited area (hatched area) 102a of the field 102, and the user's score is calculated in consideration of the superiority or inferiority of the operation. Is done. The display of the game screen 100 may be controlled so that the next field 102 is displayed when the ball 101 is moved within the game screen 100 and the ball 101 moves to the end. The display of the game screen 100 may be controlled so as to be scrolled according to the direction. However, the game screen 100 in FIG. 6 is merely an example. In the game machine 1, various games may be playable as long as the user's operation of moving the monitor 3 around each axis is reflected in the calculation of the game.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the main part of the control system of the game machine 1. The game machine 1 includes a game control unit 60. The game control unit 60 is configured as a computer in which peripheral devices such as a CPU and a memory necessary for its operation are combined. Further, the game machine 1 is provided with an X-axis sensor 61, a Y-axis sensor 62, and a Z-axis sensor 63 as means for detecting a physical quantity correlated with the movement of the monitor 3. The X-axis sensor 61 detects a physical quantity that correlates with the movement of the monitor 3 around the X axis, and the Y-axis sensor 62 detects a physical quantity that correlates with the movement of the monitor 3 around the Y axis. The sensor 63 detects a physical quantity that correlates with the movement of the monitor 3 around the Z axis. The physical quantity correlated with the movement of the monitor 3 means a physical quantity whose value changes in correlation with the movement of the monitor 3, and examples thereof include a rotation angle, angular velocity, or angular acceleration around each axis. When the rotation angle is detected, the detected amount may be an absolute rotation angle from a predetermined reference position (neutral position as an example), or may be a relative rotation angle based on the previous stop position or the like. The sensors 61 to 63 may be realized, for example, by providing a known three-axis gyro sensor inside the monitor base 30. Alternatively, the sensors 61 to 63 may be built in the monitor 3. Alternatively, the monitor support device includes a detection mechanism that detects the rotation amount, angular velocity, or angular acceleration of a rotating body attached to each of the first rotating shaft 14, the second rotating shaft 23, and the third rotating shaft 31 with a sensor such as a photo interrupter. 2 may be provided.

  The game control unit 60 includes a determination unit 64, a game calculation unit 65, and an image drawing unit 66 as logical devices realized by a combination of computer hardware and software. The discriminating unit 64 discriminates the rotation angle, angular velocity or angular acceleration around the X axis, Y axis and Z axis of the monitor 3 based on the output signals of the sensors 61 to 63 and provides the discrimination result to the game calculation unit 65. To do. The game calculation unit 65 performs various calculations necessary for the progress of the game in consideration of the determination result provided from the determination unit 64. For example, the game calculation unit 65 calculates the position of the ball 101 on the game screen 100 of the next frame based on information from the determination unit 64. However, the game calculation unit 65 may further perform control such as changing the content or image of the game with reference to the user contact position information provided from the monitor 3. The image drawing unit 66 draws an image to be displayed on the game screen 100 of the next frame on a predetermined memory based on the calculation result of the game calculation unit 65, and outputs an image signal corresponding to the drawn image. The game screen 100 is displayed on the display surface 3a by displaying on the monitor 3.

  Note that the game control unit 60 described above may be housed in a housing different from the monitor support device 2 and provided to be connected to the monitor 3 via wiring, or for example, the base 5 of the monitor support device 2. May be connected to the monitor 3 via wiring. Alternatively, the game control unit 60 may be provided inside the monitor table 30 or the monitor 3. When the game control unit 60 and the sensors 61 to 63 are accommodated in the monitor 3, the monitor 3 is substantially configured as a computer device with an integrated monitor. When wiring is provided between the monitor 3 and the monitor support device 2, the rotation range of the monitor base 30 around the Z axis is also set with an appropriate stopper so that the wiring is not wound around the monitor support device 2. Need to be restricted.

  In the above embodiment, the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis are set in directions orthogonal to each other, but the Z axis may be directed in a direction inclined with respect to the direction orthogonal to the X axis and the Y axis. That is, the Z axis only needs to be directed in a direction intersecting the X axis and the Y axis. For example, when the monitor is in the neutral position, the monitor is tilted and attached to the monitor support device so that a slight upward gradient is generated from the front side of the display surface to the back side when viewed from the user. The Z axis may be set in the orthogonal direction. On the other hand, even when the display surface of the monitor is tilted as described above, the Z axis may be oriented in a direction perpendicular to the X axis and the Y axis. That is, when the monitor is in the neutral position, the Z-axis may be directed vertically regardless of whether the display surface is tilted. Further, as is clear from the above, the display surface of the monitor does not necessarily have to be directed directly above in the vertical direction at the neutral position, and it is sufficient if the display surface faces upward. The X axis and the Y axis are not limited to the horizontal direction, and the X axis and the Y axis may be directed in a direction other than the horizontal direction.

  In the above embodiment, the four coil springs 41 are provided as an example of the restoring force applying member. However, the restoring force applying member causes the second movable body 20 to exert a restoring force that returns the monitor 3 to the neutral position. As long as it is possible, a coil spring is not necessarily used. For example, rubber or another elastic member may be bridged between the base and the second movable body so as to function as a restoring force applying member. In addition, a gas spring or a hydraulic spring that generates a restoring force using gas pressure or hydraulic pressure may be used as the restoring force applying member.

  Various aspects of the present invention derived from each of the above-described embodiments and modifications will be described below. In the following description, in order to facilitate understanding of each aspect of the present invention, the corresponding members illustrated in the accompanying drawings are added in parentheses, but the present invention is thereby limited to the illustrated embodiments. It is not a thing.

  A monitor support device (2) according to an aspect of the present invention includes a base (5) and a first movable body (10) coupled to the base so as to be rotatable about a first axis (X). And extending in a direction perpendicular to the first axis and being rotatable about a second axis (Y) set at an interval (L1) with respect to the first axis. A second movable body (20) connected to the first movable body, and the first movable body and a third axis (Z) extending in a direction intersecting the first axis and the second axis in a rotatable state. A monitor base (30) connected to the second movable body and capable of attaching a monitor (3) on the upper surface, and a restoring force for returning the monitor to a neutral position with the display surface (3a) facing upward. Applying a plurality of restoring forces provided between the base and the second movable body so as to act on the movable body With product (41), those having a.

  According to the monitor support device of the above aspect, since the second axis is spaced from the first axis, the center of rotation of the second movable body has an arc shape around the first axis. The second movable body rotates around the second axis on any point on the locus. Thereby, compared with the case where the 1st axis and the 2nd axis are made to cross, the movable range of a monitor is expanded in the range equivalent to the interval of the 1st and 2nd axis at least. Thereby, the monitor can be moved in a wider range. For this reason, it is possible to diversify game screen display and production variations. Since the monitor can be moved in a wider range, the correspondence between the movement of the monitor and the control of the game can be diversified, and the degree of freedom in designing the game can be increased. For example, with the expansion of the movable range of the monitor, the positional relationship before and after the movement of the monitor diversifies, the movement distance before and after the movement also increases, and the angular velocity and angular acceleration of the monitor increase with the increase of the movement distance. Change. Therefore, it is possible to perform control such that various movements are given to the object by reflecting the amount of change in the movement of the object in the game screen. For example, it is possible to realize such a control that the object moves gently when the monitor moves small, and the object moves more dynamically when the monitor moves largely. Moreover, since the space | interval is provided between the 1st axis line and the 2nd axis line, by making the restoring force from the restoring force provision member act on the 2nd movable body, around the 1st axis line Can produce a relatively large moment by returning the monitor to the neutral position. As a result, it is possible to reliably hold the monitor that tends to be heavy in the neutral position without generating an excessive restoring force by the restoring force applying member, and it is possible to appropriately apply the restoring force. A monitor support device is obtained.

  In the monitor support device of the above aspect, the third axis may be set in a direction orthogonal to the display surface of the monitor to be attached to the monitor base. Alternatively, the third axis may be set to face in the vertical direction when the monitor to be attached to the monitor base is in the neutral position. Furthermore, the first and second axes may be oriented in the horizontal direction. As described above, the first to third axes can be set in various directions, whereby the monitor support device can be configured so that the monitor moves in a direction suitable for the game.

  In one aspect of the monitor support device according to the present invention, the monitor base may be provided so that the monitor is located farther than the second axis with respect to the first axis. According to this, the movable range of the monitor can be further expanded according to the distance between the second axis and the monitor.

  Furthermore, the point of action of the restoring force of the restoring force applying means on the second movable body may be set at a position farther from the second axis than the first axis. According to this, a relatively large moment can be generated not only around the first axis but also around the second axis by returning the monitor to the neutral position. As a result, the monitor can be reliably held in the neutral position.

  A game machine (1) according to one aspect of the present invention includes a monitor support device (2), a monitor (3) attached to the monitor base of the monitor support device, and a physical quantity that correlates with the movement of the monitor. Detecting means (61, 62, 63) for detecting the game, and a game control device (60) for causing the game to proceed while referring to the information detected by the detecting means and displaying the game image (100) on the monitor It is equipped with. According to this, while utilizing the advantages of the monitor support device according to the above aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a game machine of the type that plays by moving the monitor around the first to third axes.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Game machine 2 Monitor support apparatus 3 Monitor 3a Monitor display surface 5 Base 10 1st movable body 14 1st rotating shaft 20 2nd movable body 23 2nd rotating shaft 30 Monitor stand 31 3rd rotating shaft 41 Coil spring (restoring force application member)
60 Game control unit (game control device)
61 X-axis sensor (detection means)
62 Y-axis sensor (detection means)
63 Z-axis sensor (detection means)

Claims (7)

Base and
A first movable body rotatably connected to the base around a first axis;
The first movable body is coupled to the first movable body so as to be rotatable around a second axis that extends in a direction orthogonal to the first axis and is spaced from the first axis. A second movable body;
A monitor base connected to the second movable body in a state of being rotatable around a third axis extending in a direction intersecting the first axis and the second axis, and having a monitor attached to the upper surface;
A plurality of restoring forces provided between the base and the second movable body such that a restoring force for returning the monitor to the neutral position with the display surface facing upward acts on the second movable body. And a support member.   The monitor support device according to claim 1, wherein the third axis is set in a direction orthogonal to the display surface of the monitor to be attached to the monitor base.   The monitor support device according to claim 1, wherein the third axis is set to face in a vertical direction when the monitor to be attached to the monitor base is in the neutral position.   The monitor support device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the first and second axes are oriented in the horizontal direction.   The monitor support device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the monitor base is provided so that the monitor is located farther than the second axis with respect to the first axis.   6. The monitor according to claim 5, wherein an operating point of the restoring force of the restoring force applying unit with respect to the second movable body is set at a position farther from the second axis than the first axis. Support device.   The monitor support device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, a monitor attached to the monitor base of the monitor support device, detection means for detecting a physical quantity correlated with the movement of the monitor, and the detection A game machine comprising: a game control device that advances a game while referring to information detected by the means and displays an image of the game on the monitor.

Images