JP7012342B2 - Pachinko machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a gaming machine.

Various gaming machines provided with decorative members illuminated by light emitted from a light source are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-73474

An object of the present invention is to enhance the decorativeness of the decorative member in a gaming machine provided with a light source and a decorative member illuminated by the light of the light source.

The gaming machine according to the present invention, which has been made to solve the above problems, has a light source arranged so as to substantially follow a plane whose optical axis is orthogonal to the front-rear direction, and the light source so as to intersect the optical axis of the light source. A member arranged on the light emitting side, which is a space for transmitting light emitted from the light source or a decorative member having a light transmitting portion made of a colorless and transparent material and a light reflecting portion for reflecting light. , Is characterized by the provision of.

According to the gaming machine according to the present invention, it is possible to enhance the decorativeness of the decorative member illuminated by the light of the light source.

It is an whole view of the gaming machine which concerns on this embodiment. It is the figure which looked at the decoration unit from the front (the cross-sectional view taken along line AA is shown in the frame). (A) is a view of the decorative unit viewed from below, and (b) is a diagram for explaining the operation of the decorative unit. It is a figure for demonstrating the 2nd specific example. It is a figure for demonstrating a 3rd specific example. It is a figure for demonstrating the 4th specific example. It is a figure for demonstrating the fifth concrete example. It is a figure for demonstrating the sixth concrete example.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the gaming machine 1 according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, the overall configuration of the gaming machine 1 will be briefly described with reference to FIG.

The gaming machine 1 includes a gaming board 90. The game board 90 is formed of a substantially square plywood, and the guide rail 903 constituting the passage for guiding the game ball launched by the operation of the launch device 908 (launch handle) to the game area 902 has a substantially arc shape. It is provided as follows.

The game area 902 is provided with a display device 91, a start winning opening 904, a large winning opening 906, an out opening, and the like. The display area 911 of the display device 91 is an area that can be visually recognized through the opening 901 formed in the game board 90. The shape of the display area 911 can be changed as appropriate (the shape and size of the display area 911 can be changed by changing the shape and size of the opening 901 and the shape and size of the display device 91 itself). ..

Further, in the game area 902, a plurality of game nails are provided as obstacles that change the flow mode of the game ball by colliding with the game ball flowing down. The game ball flowing down the game area 902 changes in various modes depending on the conditions when it collides with the game nail.

In such a gaming machine 1, the gaming ball is launched toward the gaming area 902 by operating the launching device 908. When a game ball flowing down the game area 902 wins a prize in a winning opening such as a starting winning opening 904 or a large winning opening 906, a predetermined number of winning balls are paid out by a payout device.

The jackpot lottery is executed by the winning / failing determination means provided on the control board 21 (not shown) triggered by the winning of the game ball to the starting winning opening 904 (a plurality of such starting winning openings may be provided). Specifically, a numerical value (hereinafter, also referred to as hit / fail judgment information) is acquired from a random number source triggered by the winning of the game ball to the starting winning opening 904, and the numerical value is the same as the predetermined jackpot numerical value. If it is, it will be a big hit, and if it is different, it will be a miss.

In the present embodiment, similarly to the known gaming machine, the winning / failing determination result is notified to the player by the combination of the decorative symbols 50 (see FIG. 1 and the like) displayed in the display area 911 of the display device 91. The decorative symbol 50 starts to change at the same time as the notification of the hit / miss determination result is started. If the jackpot is won, the decorative symbol 50 finally stops at a predetermined combination (for example, a set of three of the same decorative symbol 50). If it is out of alignment, the decorative symbol 50 finally stops at a combination other than that (other than the combination that becomes a big hit).

The components of the gaming machine 1 that are not related to the present invention, such as the frame of the gaming machine 1, the lower plate and the upper plate for storing the gaming balls, will be omitted. As for these, those having the same structure as a known gaming machine can be applied.

Hereinafter, the decorative unit 10 included in the gaming machine 1 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail. In the following description, the direction orthogonal to the game board surface is the front-back direction (the player side is the front), the gravity direction is the up-down direction, and the direction orthogonal to the front-back direction and the up-down direction is the lateral direction (left-right direction,). Width direction). In each figure, the front-back direction is the Y-axis, the up-down direction is the Z-axis, and the horizontal direction is the direction along the X-axis.

The decorative unit 10 (see FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 (a)) in the present embodiment is fixed to the main body of the gaming machine 1, and includes a light source 20, a decorative member 30, and a reflective member 40. Be prepared. The decoration unit 10 in the present embodiment is provided on the left side of the game area 902 (Note that FIG. 1 shows decorations other than the decoration unit 10 because any configuration other than the decoration unit 10 may be used. Etc. are omitted).

The light source 20 in the present embodiment is an LED, and is mounted on a substrate (hereinafter referred to as a control board 21) in which at least a part of a circuit for controlling the light source 20 is constructed (FIGS. 2 and 3 (a)). reference). The control board 21 is arranged along a plane (YZ plane) orthogonal to the lateral direction. The control board 21 in this embodiment has an elongated shape in the vertical direction. In the control board 21, a plurality of light sources 20 are mounted so as to be arranged in the vertical direction. The positions of the plurality of light sources 20 in the front-rear direction are the same. Each light source 20 is arranged so that its optical axis L is along the lateral direction. As described above, the decorative unit 10 in the present embodiment is provided on the left side of the game area, and the light source 20 is provided so as to emit light toward the right side, that is, toward the center in the width direction.

The decorative member 30 is a member that actually exhibits a decorative function, and is provided on the light emitting side of the light source 20 (see FIGS. 2 and 3A). That is, in the present embodiment, it is arranged on the right side of the light source 20. The decorative member 30 has a light transmitting portion 31 and a light reflecting portion 32. Specifically, the decorative member 30 has a mesh-like structure in which elongated linear portions are intricate. The surface of the linear portion functions as a light reflecting portion 32, and the space between the linear portions functions as a light transmitting portion 31. The surface of the light reflecting portion 32 is a mirror surface. Any method may be used to construct the mirror surface. For example, the mirror surface can be constructed by adhering a metal by thin film deposition. There is a space between the light transmitting portions 31 (linear portions). Therefore, the light that has reached the light transmitting portion 31 passes through the light transmitting portion 31 as it is. The light transmitting portion 31 may be a portion formed of a light-transmitting material (preferably colorless and transparent) instead of a space.

The front side of the light reflecting portion 32 (linear portion) functions as a front light reflecting portion 321 and the rear side functions as a rear light reflecting portion 322. It can be said that the front light reflecting portion 321 is a portion that is directly visible to the player. It can be said that the rear light reflecting portion 322 is a portion that is indirectly visually recognized by the player by being reflected by the reflecting member 40 whose details will be described later. The mode of the mirror surface treatment of the front light reflecting unit 321 and the rear light reflecting unit 322 may be the same or different. If they are different, it can be said that the front light reflecting unit 321 is a portion directly visible to the player and is "conspicuous" as compared with the rear light reflecting unit 322. Therefore, the front light reflecting unit 321 can be said to be different. It is preferable that the glossiness is higher than that of the rear light reflecting portion 322. Looking at the light reflecting portion 32 (linear portion) in cross section, the front light reflecting portion 321 is a curved surface that is convex toward the front, and the rear light reflecting portion 322 is a nearly flat surface. (See the framed part in Fig. 2).

As a whole, the decorative member 30 in the present embodiment has a shape that tends toward the rear as the distance from the light source 20 increases (see FIG. 3A). That is, when considered in terms of a cross section cut along a plane orthogonal to the vertical direction, the side closer to the light source 20 (left end) is located in the front, and the side far from the light source 20 (right end) is located in the rear. A part of the decorative member 30 may be a part having such a shape, not all of the decorative member 30. The optical axis L of the light source 20 is located behind the left end of the decorative member 30 and in front of the right end of the decorative member 30. That is, the decorative member 30 is arranged so as to intersect the optical axis L of the light source 20.

The reflective member 40 is a member having a reflective surface 41 (mirror surface) formed on the front surface thereof (see FIGS. 2 and 3 (a)). The reflection surface 41 is along a plane orthogonal to the front-rear direction. The reflective member 40 is arranged so that at least a part thereof overlaps with the decorative member 30 in the front-rear direction. Since the decorative member 30 arranged in front of the reflective member 40 has the light transmitting portion 31, the player can visually recognize the image projected on the reflecting surface 41 of the reflecting member 40 through the light transmitting portion 31. .. Further, the reflective member 40 (reflection surface 41) is located behind the optical axis L of the light source 20. Therefore, when viewed from the side where the light source 20 is provided (on the left side of the decorative unit 10), the decorative member 30, the light source 20, and the reflective member 40 are located in this order from the front.

The operation of the decorative unit 10 configured in this way is as follows. When the light source 20 is driven, light is emitted from the light source 20 in the right direction, that is, toward the decorative member 30 side. Of the light that has reached the decorative member 30, a part of the light that has passed through the light transmitting portion 31 is reflected by the front light reflecting portion 321 (see FIG. 3B). That is, the front light reflecting portion 321 that is directly visible to the player is illuminated by the light, and the decoration becomes gorgeous.

On the other hand, the light that has reached the rear light reflecting portion 322 is reflected by the rear light reflecting portion 322, and the light is further reflected by the reflecting surface 41 of the reflecting member 40 (see FIG. 3B). ). That is, the rear light reflecting portion 322 is also illuminated by the light from the light source 20, and is reflected by the reflecting member 40 so as to be visually recognized by the player (visible through the light transmitting portion 31).

As described above, in the present embodiment, the light reflecting portion 32 of the decorative member 30 is illuminated by the light of the light source 20, but for the front light reflecting portion 321, a part of the light passes through the light transmitting portion 31. What is illuminated by this is directly visible to the player, while for the rear light reflecting portion 322, what is illuminated by a part of the light is indirectly visible to the player via the reflecting member 40. Will be done. In combination with these, the gorgeous decorative member 30 is visually recognized three-dimensionally (three-dimensionally).

In particular, the front light reflecting portion 321 in the present embodiment has a surface that is convex toward the front. Therefore, most of the light emitted from the light source 20 whose optical axis L is in the lateral direction is reflected by the front light reflecting portion 321 and heads forward. That is, by forming the front light reflecting portion 321 into the above-mentioned shape, the amount of light toward the player side increases, so that the decorative member 30 seems to shine more brilliantly. Since the rear light reflecting portion 322 is basically a portion that is visually recognized by being reflected by the reflecting member 40 (a portion that assists the front light reflecting portion 321 that is directly visually recognized), the front side is used. It is not shaped like the light reflecting section 321. In the present embodiment, since the entire decorative member 30 has a shape that moves backward as it moves away from the light source 20, most of the light that reaches the rear light reflecting portion 322 is reflected to the reflecting member 40 side. become. That is, by making the shape of the entire decorative member 30 as described above, the rear light reflecting portion 322 visually recognized via the reflecting member 40 also appears to shine brilliantly.

Further, the decorative unit 10 in the present embodiment is provided on the side of the gaming machine 1 (on the left side in the present embodiment), and the decorative member 30 has a shape that goes backward from the outside in the width direction toward the center. .. Further, the reflective member 40 (reflection surface 41) is along a plane direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction. Therefore, from the player's viewpoint (the viewpoint when it is assumed that the player faces the center of the game machine 1), a part of the front light reflecting portion 321 is also indirectly reflected by the reflecting member 40. It will be visible to the player. That is, not only the rear light reflecting portion 322 but also the front light reflecting portion 321 is reflected by the reflecting member 40 and is visually recognized, so that it is as if the decorative members 30 illuminated by the light are overlapped with each other. It is visually recognized.

Hereinafter, specific examples in which the gaming machine 1 according to the above embodiment has been improved, modified, and embodied will be described. In addition, a configuration may be configured in which a plurality of items described using the following specific examples are applied.

○ First Specific Example A configuration may be configured in which the reflective member 40 is not provided. As described above, the reflective member 40 has the effect of projecting the rear light reflecting portion 322 of the decorative member 30, but even without such a reflective member 40, a novel decorative aspect that has never existed before is realized. can do. That is, the structure is provided so that the decorative member 30 on which the light transmitting portion 31 and the light reflecting portion 32 (front light reflecting portion 321) are formed intersect with the optical axis L of the light source 20 that emits light in the lateral direction. Therefore, an unprecedented decorative mode in which the front light reflecting portion 321 located on the player side is illuminated by the light passing through the light transmitting portion 31 is exhibited.

○ Second Specific Example It has been explained that the decorative unit 10 in the above embodiment is provided with a plurality of light sources 20 arranged in the vertical direction (the positions are the same in the front-rear direction), but the positions in the front-rear direction are different. The light source 20 is arranged in the light source (see FIG. 4). For example, a configuration is provided in which one or a plurality of first light sources 201 and one or a plurality of second light sources 202 located behind the first light source 201 are provided. When a plurality of first light sources 201 are provided, the first light sources 201 are arranged along the vertical direction. Similarly, when a plurality of second light sources 202 are provided, the second light sources 202 are arranged along the vertical direction. The decorative member 30 is provided so as to intersect both the optical axis L1 of the first light source 201 and the optical axis L2 of the second light source 202.

By doing so, the light reaching the decorative member 30 travels in various directions, so that the decorativeness of the decorative member 30 is further enhanced. In addition, it is possible to reduce unevenness in the amount of light that illuminates the decorative member 30.

In addition, a configuration in which three or more types of light sources 20 having different positions in the front-rear direction are provided (a configuration in which both light sources and another light source having different positions in the front-rear direction are provided in addition to the first light source 201 and the second light source 202) may be used. .. Even in such a configuration, it is preferable that the optical axes L of all the light sources 20 overlap with the decorative member 30.

○ Third Specific Example Although it has been explained that the optical axis L of the light source 20 in the above embodiment is along the horizontal direction, the optical axis L may be set to be tilted with respect to the horizontal direction. However, even in such a configuration, the optical axis L is made to intersect with the decorative member 30. If the light source 20 is arranged so that the angle at which the optical axis L is tilted with respect to the lateral direction (X-axis) (the angle formed by the optical axis L and the X-axis) is less than 45 degrees, the light source 20 is concerned. The optical axis L of the light source 20 is assumed to be substantially in the lateral direction.

Assuming that the optical axis L is set to be tilted to the front side (player side) with respect to the lateral direction when viewed from the vertical direction (see FIG. 5A), the amount of light reaching the front side light reflecting unit 321 is It will increase. That is, it is a decoration mode in which the brilliance (decoration that is directly visible) of the front light reflecting portion 321 is further emphasized. On the other hand, if the optical axis L is set to be tilted rearward with respect to the lateral direction (see FIG. 5B), the amount of light reaching the rear light reflecting portion 322 increases. That is, it is a decoration mode in which the brilliance of the rear light reflecting portion 322 (decoration indirectly visible through the reflecting member 40) is further emphasized. By tilting the optical axis L of the light source 20 in this way, it is possible to realize a decorative mode in which one of the front light reflecting portion 321 and the rear light reflecting portion 322 is emphasized as compared with the other. The degree of emphasis increases as the inclination of the optical axis L increases.

It should be noted that the configuration in which the optical axis L of the light source 20 is substantially along the lateral direction is only an example. The optical axis L of the light source 20 may be substantially along the plane direction (XZ plane) orthogonal to the front-back direction. That is, if the optical axis L is set so that the angle of inclination with respect to the surface (the angle formed by the surface and the optical axis) is less than 45 degrees when viewed along the surface direction. good. In the configuration in which the light source 20 is arranged in this way, the optical axis L is assumed to substantially follow the plane direction. The decorative member 30 may be arranged so as to be on the light emitting side of the light source 20 and intersect with the optical axis L.

○ Fourth Specific Example Although it has been explained that the decorative member 30 in the above embodiment has a shape that tends to move backward as the distance from the light source 20 increases, the decorative member 30 exhibits a shape that moves toward the front as the distance from the light source 20 increases. (See FIG. 6). Even with such a configuration, some light is reflected by the front light reflecting portion 321 and some other light is reflected by the rear light reflecting portion 322, so that a three-dimensional decoration mode can be realized. can.

However, in the case of the configuration as in this example, since the front light reflecting portion 321 is located on the light source 20 side, the amount of light reflected by the front light reflecting portion 321 is increased as compared with the above embodiment. However, the amount of light reflected by the rear light reflecting unit 322 is reduced. That is, it can be said that the brilliance of the front light reflecting portion 321 is emphasized as compared with the above embodiment.

Fifth Specific Example In the decorative member 30 in the above embodiment, the light reflecting portion 32 includes a front side light reflecting portion 321 and a rear side light reflecting portion 322, that is, a linear portion (excluding the light transmitting portion 31). Although it has been explained that the entire surface of the tangible portion) is the light reflecting portion 32 (mirror surface), a configuration in which only a part thereof is the light reflecting portion 32 may be used.

For example, the front side of the linear portion is a light reflecting portion 32 (front side light reflecting portion 321) that has been mirror-finished, but the rear side is not a light reflecting portion 32 (not mirror-finished). (See FIG. 7 (a)). Even with such a configuration, the front light reflecting portion 321 is illuminated by the light that has passed through the light transmitting portion 31. Further, the rear side of the linear portion is also visually recognized by the player by being reflected by the reflective member 40.

On the contrary, the rear side of the linear portion is a light reflecting portion 32 (rear side light reflecting portion 322) that has been mirror-finished, but the front side is not the light reflecting portion 32 (mirror-finished). It may be configured (see FIG. 7 (b)). Even with such a configuration, the rear light reflecting portion 322 illuminated by the light of the light source 20 will be visible to the player via the reflecting member 40. Further, the front side of the linear portion will be visually recognized by the player as it is.

○ Sixth Specific Example One or more optical lenses 22 may be interposed between the light source 20 and the decorative member 30 (see FIG. 8). That is, the light rays constituting the light emitted from the light source 20 may be configured to reach the decorative member 30 after the traveling direction is changed by the action of the optical lens 22. The decoration mode of the decorative member 30 varies depending on the mode (type) of the lens adopted as the optical lens 22.

○ Seventh Specific Example The decoration unit 10 in the above embodiment is fixed to the main body side of the gaming machine 1 so as not to move, but the decoration of a movable body (so-called accessory) is used for the decoration unit 10. The same technology as the one used may be applied.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

The gaming machine 1 according to the above embodiment is a so-called pachinko gaming machine, but the same technical idea can be applied to other gaming machines such as a rotary gaming machine.

Specific means (game machines) obtained from the above embodiments are listed below.

・ Means 1
A light source whose optical axis is arranged so as to run substantially in the horizontal direction,
A member arranged on the light emitting side of the light source so as to intersect the optical axis of the light source, and a light transmitting portion for transmitting the light emitted from the light source and a light reflecting portion for reflecting the light are formed. Decorative materials and
A gaming machine characterized by being equipped with.
According to the above-mentioned gaming machine, since the decorative member has a light transmitting portion that transmits light emitted laterally from the light source and a light reflecting portion that reflects the light, the decoration mode by the decorative member is novel. It becomes a thing.

・ Means 2
The gaming machine according to means 1, wherein a reflective member that at least partially overlaps with the decorative member in the front-rear direction is provided behind the decorative member.
By doing so, a part of the light reflected by the light reflecting portion of the decorative member is reflected by the reflecting member, so that the decoration by the decorative member has a three-dimensional effect.

・ Means 3
A means characterized in that a front light reflecting portion, which is at least a part of the light reflecting portion, is formed on the front side of the decorative member to reflect light emitted from the light source and transmitted through the light transmitting portion. The gaming machine according to 1 or means 2.
As described above, in order to improve the decorativeness of the decorative member, it is preferable to provide a front light reflecting portion that reflects the light transmitted through the light transmitting portion.

・ Means 4
The means 1 to the means 3 are characterized in that a rear light reflecting portion which is at least a part of the light reflecting portion for reflecting the light emitted from the light source is formed on the rear side of the decorative member. The gaming machine described in either.
As described above, in order to improve the decorativeness of the decorative member, it is preferable to provide a rear light reflecting portion that reflects the light emitted from the light source. When the above-mentioned reflecting member is provided, a part of the light reflected by the rear light reflecting portion is reflected by the reflecting member, so that the three-dimensional effect of the decoration is further enhanced.

・ Means 5
As the light source, a first light source and a second light source located behind the first light source are provided.
The gaming machine according to any one of means 1 to 4, wherein the decorative member is provided so as to intersect both the optical axis of the first light source and the optical axis of the second light source.
By doing so, the light that reaches the decorative member travels in various directions, so that the decorativeness of the decorative member is further enhanced. In addition, it is possible to reduce unevenness in the amount of light that illuminates the decorative member.

・ Means 6
The gaming machine according to any one of means 1 to 5, wherein the decorative member includes a portion that has a shape that tends to move backward as the distance from the light source increases.
With such a configuration, the light is irradiated so that the light that passes through the light transmitting portion and reaches the front surface of the decorative member and the light that reaches the rear surface of the decorative member are present. The decorative members are more three-dimensional.

1 Game machine 10 Decorative unit 20 Light source L Optical axis 30 Decorative member 31 Light transmitting part 32 Light reflecting part 321 Front side light reflecting part 322 Rear side light reflecting part 40 Reflecting member 41 Reflecting surface

Claims (1)

A light source arranged so that the optical axis is substantially along a plane orthogonal to the front-back direction,
A part is located in front of the optical axis and the other part is located behind the optical axis so as to be shaped so as to move backward as the distance from the light source increases and intersect the optical axis of the light source. A member arranged on the light emitting side of the light source, in which a space for transmitting light emitted from the light source or a light transmitting portion made of a colorless transparent material and a light reflecting portion for reflecting light are formed. Decorative materials and
Equipped with
The gaming machine is characterized in that the decorative member is formed so that the light transmitting portion exists in a place other than the place where the light reflecting portion exists when viewed from the front .

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