JP6750908B1 - Amusement machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the operability of a stop button. SOLUTION: A start lever extends forward, has a shaft portion that is urged toward an initial position and can swing, and is triggered by swinging from the initial position to rotate a reel. Accepts the start operation. The stop buttons (B1 to B3) have pressing surfaces (Ba) that can be pressed, and when pressed toward the rear, they receive a stop operation that triggers the reel to stop. The pressing surfaces (Ba) of the stop buttons (B1 to B3) were installed so as to be inclined upward from the virtual plane orthogonal to the axial direction of the start lever located at the initial position. [Selection diagram] Fig. 9

Description

The present invention relates to a gaming machine.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a gaming machine (a spinning type gaming machine, a slot machine) including a plurality of reels having symbols arranged on an outer peripheral surface. This type of gaming machine gives a certain gaming value to gaming media such as medals and pachinko balls, and plays a game to obtain such gaming media. In addition, this type of gaming machine performs an internal lottery triggered by a player's start operation on a start lever and starts rotation of a plurality of reels, and is triggered by a player's stop operation on a stop button. The control for stopping the plurality of reels is performed in a manner according to the result. Then, the result of the game is determined by the symbol combination displayed on the winning determination line in the state where the plurality of reels are stopped, and medals are paid out according to the result of the game.

In this type of gaming machine, there is disclosed a configuration in which a start lever (starting lever) and a stop button (stop button switch) are provided on a vertical surface arranged to face a player (Patent Document 1). reference).

JP, 11-299962, A

Generally, in this type of gaming machine, the start lever extends toward the front (toward the player) and has a swingable shaft portion, so that the player swings the shaft portion. Accept the start operation. In addition, the stop button has a pressing portion that can be pressed and is pressed backward by the player to accept a stop operation. In addition, in this type of gaming machine, generally, the start lever and the stop button are arranged below the liquid crystal display and the display window for observing the rotating state and the stopped state of the reel, The direction in which the shaft extends and the direction in which the stop button is pressed are provided so as to be parallel to each other.

In recent years, in this type of gaming machine, the start lever and the stop button tend to be arranged lower than before with the increase in the size of the liquid crystal display and the size of the reel. The operability was sometimes reduced.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a gaming machine capable of improving the operability of the stop button.

The present invention provides a gaming machine including a housing having an opening formed on the front side and a front door supported by the housing so as to be capable of opening and closing,
A start lever having a shaft portion that can be tilted,
A stop button having a pressing portion that can be pressed ,
The opening is formed along an inclined surface in which the lower portion is forward than the upper portion,
The front door has a mating surface facing the inclined surface,
The shaft portion is provided so as to be orthogonal to the mating surface,
Before Ki押 pressure part, the mating surfaces are placed in the constant slope so that the upper direction than, characterized in that.

According to the present invention, the operability of the stop button can be improved.

It is a front view showing the appearance composition of the game machine concerning this embodiment. It is a side view which shows the external appearance structure of the game machine which concerns on this embodiment. It is a rear view showing the configuration of the front door of the gaming machine according to the present embodiment. It is a front view showing the internal configuration of the housing of the gaming machine according to the present embodiment. It is an AA sectional view of Drawing 1 showing a start lever unit of a game machine concerning this embodiment. It is a BB sectional view of FIG. 1 showing the mounting structure of the start lever unit of the gaming machine according to the present embodiment. It is the DD sectional view of FIG. 2 which shows the stop button unit of the game machine which concerns on this embodiment. It is an exploded view showing a stop button unit of the gaming machine according to the present embodiment. It is CC sectional drawing of FIG. 1 which shows the stop button unit of the game machine which concerns on this embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described. The present embodiment described below does not unreasonably limit the content of the present invention described in the claims. Moreover, not all of the configurations described in the present embodiment are essential configuration requirements of the invention. In the following description, "parallel" and "orthogonal" are explained, but it is realistic to make them strictly "parallel" and "orthogonal" due to dimensional error (design error, manufacturing error) and the like. Is difficult, and “parallel” and “orthogonal” include “substantially parallel” and “substantially orthogonal”, respectively.

[Outline of game machine configuration]
FIG. 1 is a front view showing the external configuration of the slot machine 1 of the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a side view showing the external configuration of the slot machine 1. The slot machine 1 of the present embodiment is a so-called spinning-roller type gaming machine, and is a type of gaming machine that performs a game using medals as a game medium. In the following, the player (front side) will be referred to as “front” and the opposite will be referred to as “rear”. Further, the top, bottom, left and right of the gaming machine are defined based on the front view of FIG.

The slot machine 1 of the present embodiment is a box-shaped case BX having an opening BXa (see FIG. 4) formed on the front side (front side), which is the side facing the player, and is supported by the case BX so that it can be opened and closed. And a reel unit 310 having a first reel R1 to a third reel R3 as a plurality of reels arranged side by side in the left-right direction in the housing BX. .. The opening BXa of the housing BX is formed along the inclined surface S1 in which the lower portion is forward than the upper portion. The housing BX has a lower surface BXb that comes into contact with the floor surface of the game hall when the slot machine 1 is installed in the game hall. In addition, the lower surface BXb is not limited to the one formed in a planar shape. The lower surface BXb may be formed so that the slot machine 1 can be stably placed by coming into contact with the floor surface of the game hall, and may have, for example, a plurality of irregularities. Since the housing BX is formed along the inclined surface S1, it relaxes the force that tends to fall forward when the front door FD is opened. In addition, a hopper unit 320 (see FIG. 4) as a medal payout device is housed below the reel unit 310 in the housing BX. In addition, a CPU, a ROM (an example of an information storage medium), a RAM, and the like are mounted in the housing BX of the slot machine 1 of the present embodiment, and the control board 10 that controls the operation of the slot machine 1 (see FIG. 4). Is also included.

The first reel R1 arranged on the leftmost side, the second reel R2 arranged on the right side of the first reel R1, and the third reel R3 arranged on the right side of the second reel R2 are the outer circumferences, respectively. The surface is divided into 20 areas (hereinafter, each area is referred to as a "frame") at regular intervals, and one of a plurality of types of symbols is arranged in each frame. Further, the first reel R1 to the third reel R3 are axially supported by a stepping motor M (see FIG. 4) as a reel driving means, and are respectively rotationally driven around the axis of the stepping motor M to drive the stepping motor M. By controlling the number of pulses or the pulse width of the pulse, it is possible to stop in units of frames (predetermined rotation angle unit, predetermined rotation amount unit).

The front door FD is divided into an upper front door UD that can be individually opened and closed and that can close the upper half of the opening BXa, and a lower front door DD that can close the lower half of the opening BXa. The part D is divided into upper and lower parts. The front upper door UD is provided with a display window DW that allows observation of the rotation state and the stopped state of the first reel R1 to the third reel R3. In the stopped state of the first reel R1 to the third reel R3, among the plurality of types of symbols arranged at regular intervals on the outer peripheral surface of each of the first reel R1 to the third reel R3, they are continuously arranged on the outer peripheral surface. The three symbols (upper symbol, middle symbol, lower symbol) that are present can be observed from the front of the slot machine 1 through the display window DW.

Further, in the slot machine 1 of the present embodiment, an upper stage, a middle stage, and a lower stage are provided for each reel as display positions for observing the symbols through the display window DW, and an effective line is formed depending on the combination of the display positions of the reels. It is set. In the slot machine 1 of the present embodiment, the number of medals required for one game, that is, the so-called prescribed insertion number is set to 3 in any gaming state, and the medals corresponding to the prescribed insertion number are set. When loaded, the activated line L1 constituted by the middle stages of the first reel R1 to the third reel R3 is activated.

Then, the game result is determined by the symbol combination stopped and displayed on the activated line L1 in the display window DW, and when the symbol combination on the activated line L1 is a symbol combination corresponding to a predetermined winning combination, As the winning combination, the hopper unit 320 pays out medals.

A game information display section DS is provided on the front upper door UD. The game information display section DS is composed of an LED, a lamp, a 7-segment display, etc., and is the total or the number of medals credited, the number of medals paid out or obtained in one game, and the number of medals paid out in the bonus state. , Various winning game information such as information of winning combinations in this game, and information indicating how to press the stop buttons B1 to B3 related to payout of medals are displayed.

The game information display section DS includes a main control display device 500 composed of a 7-segment display, and when a specified number of medals are inserted and the start lever SL is tilted, the game this time When the notification display, which is a display corresponding to the winning command that is the control signal created based on the winning information that is the information of the winning combination, is displayed, and the first reel R1 to the third reel R3 are stopped after the notification display is displayed. At the same time, the number of medals paid out or the number of medals acquired is displayed when the notification display is completed. In the slot machine 1 of the present embodiment, the notification display in which each segment of the main control display device 500 is turned on and off is executed in a display mode according to the winning command.

Further, the main control display device 500 is a dot of a 7-segment display, lights up when the advantageous period is started by an advantageous period control means (not shown), and the advantageous period is not started, that is, the non- advantageous period. An advantageous period informing unit 500A is provided that informs whether or not the advantageous period is started by turning off the light when is started.

Further, the slot machine 1 is provided with an effect device 300 capable of executing an effect related to the game, such as assisting the game or enlivening the game. The rendering device 300 includes a display device 330, a movable accessory device 350, and a plurality of lighting devices 360 provided on the front upper door UD, and a plurality of lighting devices 370 provided on the front lower door. Be done. The display device 330 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display, and executes an effect of displaying various images and images according to the progress of the game. The movable accessory device 350 is arranged, for example, in front of the display device 330, and is moved by a driving unit such as a motor or a solenoid according to the progress of the game to shield or expose the screen of the display device 330. Perform the performance. The illumination devices 360 and 370 execute an effect of emitting light according to the progress of the game. The rendering device 300 also includes a plurality of acoustic devices 380 and 390 provided on the front upper door UD and the front lower door DD. The audio devices 380 and 390 execute an effect of outputting various sounds according to the progress of the game.

The lower front door DD has substantially the same size as the lower front door DD when viewed from the front, and has a lower door base DB made of synthetic resin to which the lighting device 370, the sound device 390, the medal tray MP, and the like are attached. The lower door base DB is integrally formed with an operating portion CP to which various operating means are attached. The operating portion CP has an operating portion upper surface CPa facing upward and an operating portion front surface CPb facing forward. On the operation unit upper surface CPa, a player inserts medals one by one into a medal insertion slot MI, and in a state in which medals are credited (stored), a prescribed insertion is performed from one credited medal. A max bet button MB (bet button) is attached as an insertion operation means for accepting an insertion operation for inserting several medals.

On the front face CPb of the operation portion, a single bet button BT as a closing operation means, a start lever unit LU having a start lever SL as a start operation means, and a plurality of stop buttons B1 to B3 as stop operation means. A stop button unit BU having a button, a button cover BC covering the front side of the stop button unit BU, and a clearing button BS for clearing credited medals are attached. The single bet button BT receives an insertion operation for inserting one medal from the credited medals in a state where the medals are credited. The start lever SL receives a start operation that triggers rotation of the first reel R1 to the third reel R3. The stop buttons B1 to B3 receive a stop operation that triggers each of the first reel R1 to the third reel R3 that is rotationally driven by the stepping motor M (see FIG. 4). The credited medals are stored (stored) in the control board 10 as a storage means.

In the slot machine 1 of the present embodiment, when the player inserts a medal into the medal insertion slot MI, or when the medal is credited more than the specified insertion number, the single bet button BT is moved backward as many times as the specified insertion number. By performing a single bet operation (insertion operation) to push down toward the bottom or a max bet operation (insertion operation) to push down the max bet button MB downward, a specified number of medals are set to the insertion state, and the first reel The R1 to third reels R3 are set to a ready state in which the rotation control can be started. Then, when the player performs a start operation (tilt operation) for tilting the start lever SL with respect to the start lever SL, the control board 10 starts the rotation of the first reel R1 to the third reel R3 by driving the stepping motor M. At the same time, an internal lottery using random numbers is performed, and the stop button B1 to the stop button B3 are pressed on condition that the rotation speeds of the first reel R1 to the third reel R3 have risen to a predetermined speed and have become steady rotation. The operation is permitted, that is, the stop operation by the stop button B1 to the stop button B3 is validated.

The slot machine 1 of this embodiment sets a waiting time (about 4.1 seconds) called a wait (or a wait time) when the first reel R1 to the third reel R3 are started to rotate. Is configured. Then, the slot machine 1 starts rotating the first reel R1 to the third reel R3 after the waiting time elapses when the start operation is performed again within the period from the setting of the waiting time until the waiting time elapses. Is configured to let.

After that, when the player presses the stop button B1 to the stop button B3 backward (hereinafter referred to as “pressing timing”) at an arbitrary timing, each of the stop button B1 to the stop button B3 is built in. The stop switch 35 (see FIG. 8) serving as a stop signal output means performs an ON operation to change the reel stop signal output to the control board 10 from the OFF state to the ON state.

Further, when the player releases the stop button B1 to the stop button B3 which are in the pressed state at an arbitrary timing, the stop switches corresponding to the stop button B1 to the stop button B3 perform the OFF operation and output to the control board 10. The stop signal is changed from the ON state to the OFF state. Then, the control board 10 responds to the result of the internal lottery based on the change from the OFF state to the ON state of the reel stop signal whose signal state changes depending on the pressing timing and the release timing of the stop button B1 to the stop button B3. The first reel R1 to the third reel R3 are stopped at the stopped position.

Further, a medal payout opening MO and a medal receiving tray MP are provided on the lower tray front surface 51 below the front lower door DD, and the number of medals corresponding to the result of the game is transferred from the medal payout outlet MO to the medal receiving tray MP. It is supposed to be paid out. Further, when the clearing button BS is pressed while the credited medals are stored in the control board 10, a medal clearing switch (not shown) built in the clearing button BS when the clearing button BS is pressed. Performs an ON operation to change the medal clearing signal output to the control board 10 from the OFF state to the ON state. The control board 10 is provided with the hopper unit 320 only when the first reel R1 to the third reel R3 are not rotating and the medals are not bet with the change of the medal clearing signal from the OFF state to the ON state. From the medal payout opening MO, the medals are paid out to the medal tray MP from the medal payout opening MO.

On the left and right sides of the medal payout outlet MO on the front surface 51 of the lower plate, there are certificate stamps (certificate certifying the conformity of the test by a public institution, certificate certifying the license of the patent, etc. ) Is recorded by a code or a number, and a certificate stamp arranging section 52L, 52R for arranging a nameplate) is arranged. The stamp paper placement portions 52L and 52R can be configured by, for example, a concave portion that stores the stamp paper and a transparent cover that covers the concave portion. Alternatively, the certificate stamp placement portions 52L and 52R may be flat portions for simply pasting or adhering certificate stamps (certificate stamps, name plates, etc.). The above-mentioned acoustic devices 390, 390 are arranged behind the lower plate front face 51 and on the left and right outer sides of the certificate stamp arrangement units 52L, 52R, and the acoustic device is arranged on the lower plate front face 51 in front of the acoustic devices 390, 390. Openings 53, 53 made up of a large number of openings for outputting the sounds from 390, 390 to the front are arranged.

The lower plate front surface 51 is formed so as to be parallel to a mating surface DDa that faces an inclined surface S1 of a front lower door DD described later, and the front end edge MOa of the opening of the medal payout opening MO is also parallel to the mating surface DDa. It is formed so that. Further, the openings of the openings 53, 53 are formed so as to be orthogonal to the mating surface DDa. As a result, the shape of the front lower door DD can be simplified and the production cost can be reduced. The opening of the opening may have any shape as long as it can be die-cut in a direction orthogonal to the mating surface DDa in injection molding. For example, a draft of about 0 to 10° may be formed on the inner surface of each opening. The draft of holes does not have to be constant in one hole. Further, the flat surface portions of the certificate stamp placement portions 52L and 52R to which the certificate stamps are attached are formed so as to be parallel to the mating surface DDa. That is, the certificate sheets arranged in the certificate sheet arranging portions 52L and 52R are inclined such that the lower portion is in front of the upper portion. As a result, when a worker or a player visually confirms the information of the certificate stamps, it becomes easier to visually recognize the certificate stamps from above the certificate stamp placement portions 52L and 52R, and the workability in the certificate stamp confirmation work is improved. I am trying.

[Configuration related to opening and closing the upper front door and the lower front door]
Next, a configuration related to opening and closing the front door FD will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the front door FD is supported by the housing BX via hinges HN (see FIG. 4) provided on the left sides of the front upper door UD and the front lower door DD, respectively. The right side of the housing BX can be opened and closed. The front upper door UD has an upper locking unit (not shown), and the front lower door DD has a lower locking unit DL.

The upper locking unit is provided on the right side of the front upper door UD. The upper locking unit UL is tiltably supported with respect to the upper locking base ULa attached to the lower door base DB and the upper locking base ULa, and is mounted on the upper engaged portion BXc (see FIG. 4) provided on the housing BX. An upper engagement portion ULb that is movable between an engaged position and a non-engaged position, an engagement operation portion ULc that operates movement of the upper engagement portion, and an upper engagement portion and an engagement operation portion ULc are connected. It has an upper connection part (not shown). The front upper door UD is locked in a closed state by the upper engaging portion ULb of the upper locking unit engaging the upper engaged portion BXc. The lower locking unit DL is provided on the right side of the front lower door DD. The lower locking unit DL is supported by the lower locking base DLa attached to the lower door base DB and the lower locking base DLa so as to be tiltable, and is attached to the lower engaged portion BXd (see FIG. 4) provided on the housing BX. A lower engagement portion DLb that is movable between an engaged position and a non-engaged position, a cylinder lock CY that operates the movement of the lower engagement portion by a key operation, and the lower engagement portion DLb and the cylinder lock CY are connected. It has a lower connection portion DLd. The front lower door DD is locked in a closed state by the lower engaging portion DLb of the lower locking unit DL engaging the lower engaged portion BXd. The front door FD is in a state where the opening BXa is closed by locking the front upper door UD and the front lower door DD.

The front upper door UD has a mating surface UDa that faces the inclined surface S1 when the front door FD closes the opening BXa, and the front lower door DD tilts when the front door FD closes the opening BXa. It has a mating surface DDa facing the surface S1. Further, the front upper door UD has a lower end front surface UDb (see FIG. 5) which is arranged at a lower end portion of the front upper door UD and is formed so as to face forward. The lower front door DD is disposed at an upper end portion of the lower front door DD and is formed to face rearward. doing.

The upper front door UD is restricted from moving in the opening direction with respect to the lower front door DD by the upper end rear surface DDb contacting the lower end front surface UDb. Therefore, the front upper door UD is in a state where the lower engaging portion of the lower locking unit DL of the lower front door DD is not engaged with the lower engaged portion BXd (the lower front door DD is not locked and is open). Can be opened and closed. Further, the front lower door DD is in a state in which the upper engaging portion of the upper locking unit of the front upper door UD is engaged with the upper engaged portion BXc (the front upper door UD is closed and locked). Thus, it can be opened and closed independently of the front lower door DD.

The engagement operation portion ULc of the upper locking unit UL is arranged so as to be operably exposed when the front lower door DD is opened, and when operated, the upper locking unit ULc is operated via the upper connection portion. The upper engaging portion ULb is moved to a position where it does not engage with the upper engaged portion BXc. The cylinder lock CY of the lower locking unit DL is formed in a cylindrical shape extending along the direction orthogonal to the mating surface DDa, and extends from the cylinder through hole DBc (see FIG. 1) formed in the front lower door DD to the front end portion CYa. (See FIG. 1) is exposed to the front, and a key operation for rotating the inserted key is performed to lower-engage the lower engaging portion DLb of the lower locking unit DL via the lower connecting portion. It is moved to a position where it does not engage with the portion BXd.

The lower front door DD has a cylinder through hole DBc formed in a direction orthogonal to the mating surface DDa. Further, the front lower door DD has a cylinder peripheral surface DBd formed around the opening on the front end side of the cylinder through hole DBc, and is formed such that the cylinder peripheral surface DBd is parallel to the mating surface DDa. ing. As a result, the shape of the front lower door DD can be simplified and the production cost can be reduced. It should be noted that the cylinder through hole has only to have a shape capable of being die-cut in a direction orthogonal to the mating surface DDa in injection molding. Draft does not have to be constant in one hole.

Further, the front upper door UD has an upper door lower end surface UDc which is a dividing surface of the dividing portion D and which is arranged at a lower end portion of the front upper door UD and faces downward. The lower front door DD is arranged at an upper end portion of the lower front door DD and is formed to face upward, and faces the lower end surface UDc of the upper door in a state where the front door FD closes the opening BXa. It has a lower door upper end surface DDc which is a division surface. The upper door lower end surface UDc and the lower door upper end surface DDc are inclined so as to face forward with respect to a virtual plane S2 orthogonal to the mating surfaces UDa, DDa.

Thereby, in the slot machine 1 of the present embodiment, when the operator opens the front upper door UD with the front lower door DD opened, the front upper door UD is lowered with the right end side of the front upper door UD lowered by its own weight. The upper door lower end surface UDc is configured to be guided along the lower door upper end surface DDc even when is moved. Further, in the slot machine 1 of the present embodiment, even when the worker closes the front lower door DD while closing the front lower door DD when the worker closes the front lower door DD, The lower end surface UDc of the door is configured to be guided along the upper end surface DDc of the lower door.

With this configuration, in the slot machine 1 of the present embodiment, when the operator opens and closes the upper front door UD and the lower front door DD independently of each other, the slot machine 1 is provided behind the upper end of the lower front door DD. The corner and the front corner of the lower end portion of the front upper door UD are less likely to collide with each other, and the operability in opening and closing the front upper door UD and the front lower door DD is improved. Further, the rear corner of the upper end of the front lower door DD and the front corner of the lower end of the front upper door UD are prevented from colliding and being damaged. Further, when the upper door lower end surface UDc and the lower door upper end surface DDc slide, the contact pressure between the upper door lower end surface UDc and the lower door upper end surface DDc is reduced, and the upper door lower end surface UDc and the lower door upper surface UDc. The scratches due to the sliding with the end surface DDc are suppressed.

[Details of reel unit]
Next, details of the reel unit 310 will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the housing BX has left and right side plates BXe and BXf arranged laterally. The upper frame 11 and the middle frame 12 are bridged between the side plates BXe and BXf so as to be vertically separated from each other.

The reel unit 310 is held by the reel base 21 that is screwed to the upper frame 11 and the middle frame 12, and is held by the reel base 21, and is provided on each of the first reel R1 to the third reel R3 and rotationally drives each reel. The stepping motor M and the first reel R1 to the third reel R3 supported by the drive shaft of each stepping motor M are included. Further, the reel unit 310 is held by the reel base 21, is provided on each of the first reel R1 to the third reel R3, and has a plurality of LEDs that emit light from the inside of each reel toward the front. It has a substrate 23 and a reflector 25 that guides the light from the reel backlight substrate 23 forward.

Each of the first reel R1 to the third reel R3 has a reel frame 22 pivotally supported by the stepping motor M, and a thin strip-shaped reel tape RT having a plurality of symbols, respectively. The reel frame 22 is concentric with the rotation shaft of the stepping motor, and is bridged between a pair of annular rim portions 22a that are spaced apart in the left-right direction and a pair of rim portions 22a. Connecting portion 22b for connecting the rim portions 22a of each other to each other at a plurality of points, a hub portion 22c attached to the rotation shaft of the stepping motor M, and connecting one of the rim portions 22a and the hub portion 22c to each other so that the rotational force of the stepping motor is increased. It has a spoke portion (not shown) that transmits from the hub portion 22c to the rim portion 22a, and is integrally formed of synthetic resin. Ends formed on the outer circumferences of the pair of rim portions 22a so as to have a predetermined width in the left-right direction and abutting against the reel tape RT to radially support the left-right ends of the reel tape RT. A support surface 22d is formed.

The connecting portion 22b is continuous with the end support surfaces 22d of the pair of rim portions 22a, and an intermediate support surface 22e for radially supporting the reel tape RT is formed between the pair of rim portions 22a. .. The end support surface 22d and the intermediate support surface 22e form a support surface 22f for radially supporting the reel tape RT.

The reel tape RT has a plurality of patterns printed on a base material made of synthetic resin, and is wound around the support surface 22f of the reel frame 22 so as to have a cylindrical shape. For example, an adhesive material is attached to the end support surface 22d. And is held so as not to rotate relative to the reel frame 22. The reel tape RT is a specific symbol (second symbol) P1 having a high discriminating power during the rotation of the first reel R1 to the third reel R3 as compared with the other symbols (first symbol) among the plurality of symbols. have. The specific symbol P1 is a symbol designed with the value "7", and is formed to have the largest dimension in the longitudinal direction and the left-right direction (rotational axis direction of the reel) of the reel tape RT among the plurality of symbols. In addition, the specific pattern P1 has a first region P1a having a low visible light transmittance and a second region P1b (a hatched portion in FIG. 4) having a higher visible light transmittance than the first region. .. Specifically, the first region P1a of the reel tape RT is printed with a paint having a low visible light transmittance, such as black, dark gray, or dark blue. It should be noted that the printing with the paint of a color having a low visible light transmittance of the first region may be performed on either the inner side or the outer side of each reel, and the printing of another color may be performed by overlapping the printing. The formation of a metal film or the like may be performed. However, it is desirable that the first region has a color with low lightness, for example, black, dark gray, dark blue, or the like when viewed from the outside of each reel (the side opposite to the reel axis, the player's side). .. This makes it possible to reduce the reflected light from the first region and make the light from the reel backlight substrate that passes through the second region more noticeable.

The specific symbol P1 is formed to be relatively large compared to other symbols, and the second region P1b is transmitted due to the difference in the visible light transmittance between the first region P1a and the second region P1b. By making it easier for the player to visually recognize the light from the reel backlight substrate 23, the player can identify the light more easily than the other symbols during the rotation of the first reel R1 to the third reel R3.

It should be noted that the specific symbol may be formed to be relatively large at least as compared to any symbol other than the specific symbol. For example, the specific symbol may be a dimension in the longitudinal direction of the reel tape RT, a dimension in the left-right direction, and Any one of the areas may be formed to be the largest of the plurality of symbols, or the dimension in the left-right direction may be formed to be the second largest of the plurality of symbols, or other than the value "7". It may be a pattern including a character string of (for example, "BAR" or the like), a pattern of a character, or the like.

The second region P1b has a pair of pairs in a radial direction from the rotation center (the rotation center of the first reel R1 to the third reel R3) CL of the reel frame 22 with the reel tape RT fixed to the reel frame 22. It is arranged at a position where it does not overlap the rim portion 22a and the connecting portion 22b. In other words, the second region P1b is arranged at a position where the reel tape RT is fixed to the reel frame 22 and does not overlap the support surface 22f when viewed in the radial direction from the rotation center CL of the reel frame 22. This prevents light traveling from the reel backlight substrate 23 to the second region having high transmittance from being blocked by the reel frame 22, and makes it easier for the player to visually recognize the second region P1b. The operability of the stop operation is improved.

The second area P1b is arranged at a position where the reel tape RT is fixed to the reel frame 22 and does not overlap the pair of rim portions 22a and the connecting portion 22b when viewed in the radial direction from the rotation center of the reel frame 22. For example, when the reel tape is fixed to the reel frame, the ridgeline of the second region is the ridgeline of the reel frame (first reel R1 in FIG. 4 when viewed from the rotation center of the reel frame 22 in the radial direction). (Portion indicated by the broken line) of FIG.

Further, the visible light transmittance of the third region RTa where the symbol of the reel tape is not arranged is between the first region P1a and the second region P1b of the specific symbol P1. This makes it easier for the player to visually recognize the first area P1b by the light from the reel backlight substrate 23, and improves the operability when the player performs the stop operation. In addition, as for the specific pattern, the area|region of a different color from the 1st area and the 2nd area may be arrange|positioned inside the 1st area (between the 2nd area) and the outside of the 1st area.

[Details of lower front door and start lever unit]
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the lower door base DB is a lever mounting surface DBj to which the start lever unit LU is mounted, and a plurality of lever mountings into which screws for mounting the start lever unit LU to the lower door base DB are inserted. Injection is performed using a mold having a hole DBk, a lever through hole DBm into which the start lever unit LU is inserted, and a lever peripheral surface DBn, and a direction orthogonal to the mating surface DDa is an opening direction (drawing direction). It is formed by molding.

The lever mounting surface DBj is formed so as to face rearward and be parallel to the mating surface DDa, and is in contact with the start lever unit LU. The plurality of lever mounting holes DBk extend forward from the lever mounting surface DBj and are formed along a direction orthogonal to the mating surface DDa. The lever through hole DBm extends forward from the lever mounting surface DBj and is formed along a direction orthogonal to the mating surface DDa. That is, the center line DBKL of the plurality of lever mounting holes DBk and the center line DBmL of the lever through hole DBm are orthogonal to the mating surface DDa.

The lever peripheral surface DBn is formed around the opening on the front end side of the lever through hole DBm so as to be parallel to the mating surface DDa. The lever peripheral surface DBn may be formed on the lower door base DB as the same surface as the operation portion front surface CPb. The start lever unit LU is attached to the operation portion CP of the lower door base DB from the rear and screwed, and the front end side penetrates the lever through hole DBm and is exposed to the front from the operation portion CP.

The start lever unit LU is started based on tilting of the holding portion 41 attached to the lower door base DB, the start lever SL, the return spring 43 as the biasing means, and the shaft portion 42 in the vertical and horizontal directions from the initial position. It has a tilt sensor 45 for detecting. The start lever SL has a shaft portion 42 that is swingably (tilted) held by a holding portion 41, and a spherical grip 44 that is attached to the front end portion of the shaft portion 42.

The holding portion 41 has a cylindrical cylindrical portion 41a inserted into the lever through hole DBm, and a plurality of screw through holes 41b through which screws for attaching to the lower door base DB pass, and is orthogonal to the mating surface DDa. It is formed by injection molding using a mold whose direction is the opening direction (drawing direction). The cylindrical portion 41a and the plurality of screw through holes 41b are formed so as to extend in a direction orthogonal to the mating surface DDa in a state of being attached to the lower door base DB. That is, the center line 41aL of the cylindrical portion 41a and the center line 41bL of the plurality of screw through holes 41b are orthogonal to the mating surface DDa.

The shaft portion 42 extends in a direction orthogonal to the mating surface DDa from the operation portion front surface CPb toward the front in a state in which the shaft portion 42 is located at the initial position, that is, in a state where no operation is performed by the player. The return spring 43 is arranged between the shaft portion 42 and the holding portion 41, and biases the shaft portion 42 toward the initial position. When the shaft portion 42 tilts vertically and horizontally from the initial position, the detection signal output from the tilt sensor 45 to the control board 10 (see FIG. 4) changes from the OFF state to the ON state. The shaft portion 42 is not limited to the one that extends in the direction strictly orthogonal to the mating surface DDa in the state of being located at the initial position. For example, the shaft portion may have its front end lowered due to its own weight, and may be inclined about 0 to 3° with respect to the direction orthogonal to the mating surface.

[Details of front lower door, clearing button and single bet button]
The lower door base DB extends in a direction orthogonal to the mating surface DDa, is formed on the operation portion front surface CPb, and has a clearing button through hole (not shown) into which the clearing button BS shown in FIG. 1 is inserted, and FIG. And a single bet button through hole (not shown) into which the single bet button SB is inserted. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the lower door base DB has a settlement button peripheral surface DBp formed in parallel with the mating surface DDa around the opening on the front end side of the settlement button through hole, and a single bet button. A single bet button peripheral surface DBq formed so as to be parallel to the mating surface DDa around the opening on the front end side of the use through hole.

[Details of lower front door and stop button unit]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 7 to 9, the lower door base DB has a button unit mounting surface DBe to which the stop button unit BU is mounted, and a screw for mounting the stop button unit BU to the lower door base DB. It has a plurality of button unit mounting holes DBf. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 1 taken at the center of the stop button B2, the sectional views taken at the centers of the stop button B1 and the stop button B3 are also the same, so the stop button B1 and Illustration of the stop button B3 is omitted.

The button unit mounting surface DBe is formed so as to face forward and be parallel to the mating surface DDa, and is in contact with the stop button unit BU. The plurality of button unit mounting holes DBf extend rearward from the button unit mounting surface DBe and are formed along a direction orthogonal to the mating surface DDa. That is, the center lines DBfL of the plurality of button unit mounting holes DBf are orthogonal to the mating surface DDa.

The stop button unit BU is attached to the operation portion CP of the lower door base DB from the front and screwed, and the front side around the stop buttons B1 to B3 is covered by the button cover attached to the operation portion CP. .. The button cover BC has a mating surface DDa around the button through hole BCa through which the stop button B1 to the stop button B3 pass, and the opening on the front end side of each of the button through holes BCa of the stop button B1 to the stop button B3. It has through-hole peripheral surfaces BCb formed in parallel and is made of synthetic resin. The button through hole BCa is formed so as to extend in parallel with a center line 32aL of a guide hole 32a, which will be described later, in a state of being attached to the lower door base DB. That is, the center line BCaL of the button through hole BCa is parallel to the center line 32aL of the guide hole 32a. Further, the through hole peripheral surface BCb is formed so as to be orthogonal to the center line BCaL.

As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the stop button unit BU has a button base 31 attached to the lower door base DB, a stop button B1 to a stop button B3, and a button guide 32, and the stop button B1 to the stop button B1. For each of B3, a button spring 33 and a stop switch 35, which is a transmissive optical sensor that detects a stop operation based on the movement of the stop buttons B1 to B3, are provided.

The button base 31 has a contact surface 31a that contacts the button unit mounting surface DBe of the lower door base DB, a plurality of screw through holes 31b through which screws for mounting the lower door base DB penetrate, and a plurality of button guides 32 that hold the button guide 32. It has a button guide holding portion 31c and a switch mounting portion 31d to which the stop switch 35 is mounted, and is formed by injection molding using a mold whose opening direction (drawing direction) is orthogonal to the mating surface DDa. The contact surface 31a is formed to be parallel to the mating surface DDa when the stop button unit BU is attached to the lower door base DB. The plurality of screw through holes 31b are formed so as to extend in a direction orthogonal to the mating surface DDa when the stop button unit BU is attached to the lower door base DB. That is, the center line 31bL of the screw through hole 31b is orthogonal to the mating surface DDa. The button base 31 holds the button guide 32 by the plurality of button guide holding portions 31c in a state where the stop switch 35 is housed between the button base 31 and the button guide 32.

The button guide 32 is formed corresponding to each of the stop button B1 to the stop button B3, has a guide hole 32a as a button guide hole for guiding the movement of the stop button B1 to the stop button B3, and is orthogonal to the mating surface DDa. It is formed by injection molding using a mold whose opening direction is the opening direction (drawing direction). In addition, the button guide 32 includes a front restriction surface 32b that restricts forward movement of the stop buttons B1 to B3, a rear restriction surface 32c that restricts backward movement of the stop buttons B1 to B3, and a button periphery. It has a surface 32d.

With the stop button unit BU attached to the lower door base DB, the guide hole 32a is opened at the front end side and extends so that the front side faces upward with respect to the direction orthogonal to the mating surface DDa. The movement of the stop buttons B1 to B3 is guided in a direction inclined with respect to the direction orthogonal to DDa. That is, the center line 32aL of the guide hole 32a is inclined such that the front side faces upward with respect to the direction orthogonal to the mating surface DDa. The front regulation surface 32b and the rear regulation surface 32c are formed so as to be orthogonal to the center line 32aL. The button peripheral surface 32d is formed around the openings on the front end side of the guide holes 32a of the stop buttons B1 to B3 so as to be orthogonal to the center line 32aL.

The stop button B1 to the stop button B3 are respectively a pressing surface Ba as a pressing portion that can be pressed by the player, a front contact surface Bb that can contact the front restriction surface 32b, and a rear that can contact the rear restriction surface 32c. The contact surface Bd and the index Be for blocking the optical axis of the stop switch 35 are provided. The stop button B1 to the stop button B3 are guided by the guide hole 32a, and from the position where the front contact surface Bb contacts the front restriction surface 32b to the position where the rear contact surface Bd contacts the rear restriction surface 32c. Thus, it is movable along the center line 32aL. The button spring 33 is arranged between the stop button B1 to the stop button B3 and the button guide 32, and biases the stop button B1 to the stop button B3 forward.

The stop button B1 to the stop button B3 are pushed by the player against the urging force of the button spring 33 so that the pushing surface Ba is pushed backward, and the index Be moves to a position where the optical axis of the stop switch 35 is shielded. As a result, the stop switch 35 changes the reel stop signal output to the control board 10 from the OFF state to the ON state. When the player releases his/her hand from the pressing surface Ba, the stop buttons B1 to B3 move forward by the urging force of the button spring 33, and the index Be moves to a position where the optical axis of the stop switch 35 is not blocked. By doing so, the stop switch 35 changes the reel stop signal output to the control board 10 from the ON state to the OFF state.

[Pressing surface of stop button]
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 9, in the slot machine 1 according to the present embodiment, the pressing surface Ba is formed in a spherical shape having a large curvature that bulges forward (for example, a spherical shape having a radius of 100 mm or more). In the state where it is positioned at the initial position where it is not pressed, it is installed so as to be inclined so as to be upward from the mating surface DDa. Specifically, the pressing surface Ba is installed so that the direction perpendicular to the surface (perpendicular direction) A at the center (central portion) Bf is inclined so that the front side is upward as compared with the direction orthogonal to the mating surface DDa. There is. More specifically, the pressing surface Ba is installed such that the surface perpendicular direction A is along the center line 32aL of the guide hole 32a, that is, the pressing direction of the pressing surface Ba (in parallel with the center line 32aL). Has been done. In recent years, there is a tendency that the stop button is arranged downward due to an increase in the size of the display device and an increase in the size of the reel. In this embodiment, however, the stop surface Ba is installed so as to be inclined upward. By doing so, the player can press the stop buttons B1 to B3 slightly downward, and the operability of the stop buttons B1 to B3 can be improved.

Desirably, the pressing surface Ba is installed so as to be inclined with respect to the lower surface BXb of the housing BX within a range of 75° to 86°. More desirably, the pressing surface Ba is installed so as to be inclined with respect to the lower surface BXb of the housing BX within a range of 78° to 82°. As a result, while suppressing a player who is accustomed to operating a conventional machine from feeling uncomfortable in operation, when a player with an average physique operates the slot machine 1 installed at a general height, It is possible to configure the stop button B1 to the stop button B3 to move in a direction that is easy to operate, and it is possible to obtain high operability.

Further, in the present embodiment, the front direction A of the pressing surface Ba is upward with respect to the direction (axial direction) of the center line 42L of the shaft portion 42 of the start lever SL located at the initial position. It is installed so as to be inclined. That is, the pressing surface Ba is installed so as to be inclined so as to be upward from the virtual plane S3 orthogonal to the axial direction of the shaft portion 42 located at the initial position. That is, the perpendicular direction A of the pressing surface Ba is inclined such that the front side is upward with respect to the virtual plane S2 (see FIG. 2) orthogonal to the mating surface DDa.

Desirably, the direction A of the pressing surface Ba is inclined with respect to the direction of the center line 42L of the shaft portion 42 of the start lever SL located at the initial position in the range of 1° to 10°. More desirably, the direction A perpendicular to the pressing surface Ba is installed so as to be inclined in the range of 3° to 7° with respect to the direction of the center line 42L of the shaft portion 42 of the start lever SL located at the initial position. .. Therefore, regardless of the direction of the shaft portion 42 of the start lever SL, the direction of the lower door base DB for removing the mold, the direction of the mating surface DDa, etc., the stop button B1 to the stop button B3 should be installed in an easy-to-operate direction. It is possible to improve operability. Further, since the start lever SL and the pressing surface Ba are installed at such angles, after the tilting operation for tilting the start lever SL from the upper side to the lower side, the stop button B1 to the stop button B3 are slightly pushed from the upper side. The operation can be performed so that the stop button B1 to the stop button B3 can flow from the start lever SL, so that the operability can be improved.

The position of the vertical center Bf (see FIG. 9) of the pressing surface Ba is slightly higher than the vertical position of the center 44c of the grip 44 of the start lever SL (44a which is the front end of the grip 44, see FIG. 5). It is located above. Thereby, when the player performs the stop operation of the stop button B1 to the stop button B3 after performing the start operation of the start lever SL from the upper side to the lower side, the vertical movement amount of the hand can be reduced, The operability of the stop button B1 to the stop button B3 is improved.

Further, the front door FD of the present embodiment is formed so that the button unit mounting surface DBe, the lever mounting surface DBj, and the lever peripheral surface DBn are parallel to the mating surface DDa, that is, orthogonal to the opening direction of the mold. As a result, the lower door base DB, the button base 31, and the button guide 32 can be simplified in shape, as compared with the case where the above surfaces are formed so as to intersect the mating surface DDa. It is possible to reduce the design cost and the dimensional accuracy in the component design, improve the product yield, and reduce the production cost.

Further, the front door FD of the present embodiment is formed so that the plurality of button unit mounting holes DBf, the plurality of lever mounting holes DBk and the lever through hole DBm extend in the direction orthogonal to the mating surface DDa. As a result, the shape of the lower door base DB, the button base 31, the button guide 32, and the holding portion 41 can be simplified as compared with the case where the above surfaces are formed so as to intersect the mating surface DDa. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the design cost and improve the dimensional accuracy.

The center lines of the plurality of button unit mounting holes DBf, the plurality of lever mounting holes DBk, and the lever through hole DBm are not limited to those formed so as to be exactly orthogonal to the mating surface DDa. Multiple locking unit mounting holes, cylinder through holes, multiple button unit mounting holes, multiple lever mounting holes, lever through holes, clearing button through holes, and single bed button through holes are the mating surfaces in injection molding. Any shape can be used as long as it can be die-cut in the orthogonal direction. Further, for example, the plurality of button unit mounting holes, the plurality of lever mounting holes, and the through holes for levers may have a draft of about 0 to 3° formed on the inner surface with respect to the direction orthogonal to the mating surface. , The draft of each hole need not be constant in one hole.

[Summary of this embodiment]
The gaming machine (1) according to the present embodiment,
In a gaming machine (1) including a housing (BX) having an opening (BXa) formed on the front surface side, and a front door (FD) supported by the housing (BX) so as to be openable and closable,
A plurality of reels (R1, R2, R3),
A start lever (SL) that can be tilted,
And a stop button (B1, B2, B3) that can be pressed,
The pressing portion (Ba) of the stop button (B1, B2, B3) is inclined so as to be upward from a virtual plane (S3) orthogonal to the axial direction of the shaft portion (42) of the start lever (SL). It is characterized by being installed.

As a result, the stop button B1 to the stop button B3 can be installed in directions that are easy to operate without being restricted by the direction of the shaft portion 42 of the start lever SL, and operability can be improved.

In addition, the gaming machine (1)
The opening (BXa) is formed along an inclined surface (S1) in which the lower portion is forward than the upper portion,
The front door (FD) has a mating surface (DDa) facing the inclined surface (S1) in a state in which the opening (BXa) is closed,
The shaft portion (42) extends in a direction orthogonal to the mating surface (DDa).

As a result, it is possible to install the stop buttons B1 to B3 in directions that are easy to operate while reducing the design cost of the front door FD and improving the dimensional accuracy, and it is possible to improve operability. Become.

[Possibility of Other Embodiments]
In the present embodiment, the stop buttons B1 to B3 are formed such that the surface perpendicular direction A at the center of the pressing surface Ba is the direction along the center line 32aL of the guide hole 32a. Not limited to. The stop button B1 to the stop button B3 may be installed so that the pressing surface is inclined so as to be upward from a virtual plane orthogonal to the axial direction of the shaft portion located at the initial position, for example, The button guide is installed so that the direction of the center line of the button guide hole and the axial direction of the shaft part are parallel, and the pressing surface faces upward from a virtual plane orthogonal to the direction of the center line of the button guide hole. It may be installed so as to be inclined.

Further, in the present embodiment, the button peripheral surface 32d and the through hole peripheral surface BCb are formed so as to be orthogonal to the center line 32aL of the guide hole 32a, but the present invention is not limited to this. The button peripheral surface and the through-hole peripheral surface may be formed so as to be parallel to the mating surface, or when the direction perpendicular to the center of the pressing surface and the direction of the center line of the button guide hole intersect. The button peripheral surface and the through hole peripheral surface may be formed so as to be orthogonal to the plane perpendicular direction in the central portion of the pressing surface.

Further, in the present embodiment, the start lever SL is arranged such that the axial direction of the shaft portion 42 located at the initial position is orthogonal to the mating surface DDa, but the invention is not limited to this. It suffices that the pressing surface is installed so as to be inclined so as to be upward from a virtual plane orthogonal to the axial direction of the shaft portion located at the initial position. For example, the shaft portion located at the initial position. Is installed so as to be inclined so that the axial direction thereof is upward from the direction orthogonal to the mating surface, and the pressing surface is further upward than the virtual plane orthogonal to the axial direction of the shaft portion located at the initial position. It may be installed so as to be inclined. Further, for example, the shaft portion located at the initial position is installed such that the axial direction is horizontal, and the pressing surface is along the mating surface, that is, the direction perpendicular to the center of the pressing surface is the mating surface. You may install so that it may cross at right angles. Further, for example, the axial direction of the shaft portion located in the initial position is installed so that the front side is downward than the horizontal direction, and the axial direction of the central portion of the pressing surface is horizontal. May be.

Further, in the present embodiment, each of the stop buttons B1 to B3 has the pressing surface Ba formed in a spherical shape having a large curvature that bulges forward, but the present invention is not limited to this. The stop button may have a pressing portion that can be pressed. For example, the pressing portion may be a flat surface, may be formed in a spherical shape having a large curvature that is recessed rearward, or may be a spherical surface. It may be formed of a curved surface other than. Further, for example, the pressing portion may have fine irregularities formed on its surface. In such a case, the smooth virtual curved surface that passes through the vertices of each unevenness is installed so as to be inclined so as to be upward from the virtual plane orthogonal to the axial direction of the shaft portion located at the initial position. It should be.

Further, in the present embodiment, the front door FD serving as the front door has a button unit mounting surface DBe, a lever mounting surface DBj, a lever peripheral surface DBn, and a mating surface DDa which are formed to be parallel to the mating surface DDa. Although it has a plurality of button unit mounting holes DBf, a plurality of lever mounting holes DBk, and a lever through hole DBm that are formed so as to extend in the orthogonal direction, and has a lower door base DB that is integrally formed, , But not limited to this. For example, the front door is formed with any one or more of a button unit mounting surface, a lever mounting surface, a lever peripheral surface, a plurality of button unit mounting holes, a plurality of lever mounting holes and a lever through hole. The part may be configured as a separate part from the lower door base. Specifically, the front door may have the operation unit as a separate component from the lower door base, or may have a structure in which the operation unit, which is a separate component, is attached to the lower door base.

Further, in the present embodiment, the front door FD as the front door is vertically divided into the upper front door UD and the lower front door DD that can be individually opened and closed, but is not limited thereto. The front door only needs to be supported by the housing so that the opening of the housing can be opened and closed. For example, the front door has substantially the same size as the opening of the housing in a front view, and has a display device, a movable accessory device, and a medal. It may be configured to have a tray and a door base to which various operating means are attached, so that the opening of the housing can be opened and closed integrally, or it is configured to be divided vertically. The upper and lower doors may be connected to each other so that they cannot be opened and closed individually.

Further, in the present embodiment, the stop button B1 to the stop button B3 constitute a stop button unit BU together with the respective button springs 33, the stop switch 35, the button guide 32, etc., and are in the state of being unitized as the stop button unit BU. , Is attached to the lower door base DB from the front, but is not limited to this. The stop button only needs to be configured to be guided in the front-rear direction by the button guide hole. For example, the button unit may be attached from the rear of the lower door base, or one stop button, A plurality of (for example, three) unitized button guides having button springs, stop switches, and button guide holes may be attached to the lower door base or the like. It may be formed integrally with the part or the like.

1 gaming machine (slot machine)
42 Shaft part B1 Stop button B2 Stop button B3 Stop button Ba Pressing part (pressing surface)
BX case BXa opening DDa mating surface FD front door (front door)
S1 Slope S3 Virtual plane SL Start lever

Claims (1)

In a gaming machine including a housing having an opening formed on the front side and a front door supported by the housing so as to be openable and closable,
A start lever having a shaft portion that can be tilted,
A stop button having a pressing portion that can be pressed ,
The opening is formed along an inclined surface in which the lower portion is forward than the upper portion,
The front door has a mating surface facing the inclined surface,
The shaft portion is provided so as to be orthogonal to the mating surface,
Before Ki押 pressure part, and the constant slope so that the upper direction are installed than the mating surface,
A gaming machine characterized by that.

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