JP7131850B2 - game machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to gaming machines.

2. Description of the Related Art A slot machine is known as a gaming machine that includes a plurality of reels on which a plurality of symbols are arranged, a start lever, a stop button, and the like. In a slot machine, when it detects that a start lever has been operated after game media (medals) have been bet, rotation of a plurality of reels is started. Further, when it is detected that a stop button provided corresponding to each reel has been operated, the rotation of the reel corresponding to the stop button is stopped.

In the slot machine, as the reels start rotating with the start of a game, an internal lottery using a lottery table is performed. Further, when the reels are stopped, the symbol combination corresponding to the winning combination won in the internal lottery is displayed by a plurality of reels, and if this winning combination wins, the processing corresponding to the winning combination is performed, for example, as a predetermined process. A medal payout process for paying out the number of medals (game value), a replay process for enabling the game to be played again without consuming new medals, and the like are performed, and the player is provided with a game profit.

The slot machine has a hopper unit as a payout device for paying out medals. This hopper unit can be pulled out to the outside of the slot machine in order to deal with problems such as when the medals are dispensed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 6553768

By the way, in game machines, it is required to suppress an increase in work load.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a game machine in which an increase in work load is suppressed.

In order to achieve the above object, the gaming machine according to the present invention includes:
A gaming machine comprising a housing and a medal payout device arranged inside the housing,
The medal dispensing device includes guide pieces formed on both left and right sides of the lower part,
The housing includes a bottom plate,
The bottom plate is provided with a rail portion that holds the guide piece in a state in which it can move in the front-rear direction,
The rail portion includes a rail top plate portion that covers the upper side of the guide piece, and a rail bottom portion that contacts the lower surface of the guide piece,
A stopper portion for restricting the rearward movement of the guide piece is provided on the rear side of the rail portion,
The lateral width of the stopper portion is smaller than the radius of the medal,
The rail bottom is provided at a position higher than the top surface of the bottom plate,
The width of the rail bottom portion in the left-right direction is equal to or larger than the radius of the medal.

According to such a configuration, (1) since the lateral width of the stopper portion is smaller than the radius of the token, the token in the rail is pushed by the guide piece to move backward and contact the stopper portion. Even when you do, the medal will not stay in place and will be pushed backwards. Therefore, the medal dispensing device can be arranged at an appropriate position without requiring an operation to remove medals from the rail. (2) Since the rail bottom portion is provided at a position higher than the top surface of the bottom plate, medals on the top surface of the bottom plate outside the rail do not move and enter the rail. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility that medals will enter the rail, and the possibility that the presence of medals in the rail will hinder the smooth movement of the guide piece can be reduced. (3) Since the width of the rail bottom in the horizontal direction is equal to or greater than the radius of the medal, the posture of the medal on the rail bottom can be stabilized. Therefore, it is possible to suppress inclination of the medal when the medal is pushed by the guide piece and moves backward. If the medal is tilted on the bottom of the rail, smooth movement of the guide piece can be hindered, but the guide piece can be smoothly moved by suppressing the tilt of the medal, and the medal dispensing device can be smoothly arranged.

Further, in the configuration of the present invention,
Assuming that the thickness of the guide piece is the first thickness and the thickness of one game medal is the second thickness,
The vertical distance between the rail top plate portion and the rail bottom portion is
greater than the first thickness;
It is less than the total thickness of the first thickness and the second thickness.

According to such a configuration, since the vertical distance between the rail upper bottom portion and the rail bottom portion is larger than the first thickness, the guide piece can be inserted, and the distance is the first thickness. Since the thickness is smaller than the total thickness of the first thickness and the second thickness, another medal is inserted in the gap (the gap between the guide piece and the rail upper plate portion) that occurs when the guide piece is inserted. there is no room for entry. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of the problem that smooth movement of the guide piece is hindered due to one medal being inserted in addition to the guide piece between the rail upper bottom portion and the rail bottom portion.

According to the present invention, an increase in work load can be suppressed.

1 is a front perspective view showing an example of a game machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the structure inside a housing|casing equally. It is a perspective view which shows a hopper unit equally. It is a figure which shows the bottom part inside a housing|casing equally. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the left rail portion and its surroundings as seen from the front, showing a state in which the hopper unit is not arranged. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the left rail portion and its surroundings, viewed from the front, showing a state in which the hopper unit is arranged; It is the perspective view which looked at the rail member of the left rail part from the downward direction equally. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the rail member of the left rail portion and its surroundings as viewed from the front, showing a state in which the hopper unit is not arranged and medals are present in the rail. FIG. 10 is a top view of the left rail portion of the same, and shows a state in which medals are present between the guide piece and the stopper portion. FIG. 11 is a top view of the left rail portion of the same, and shows a state in which medals are pushed out from the left rail portion. FIG. 10 is a top view of the left rail portion of the same, and shows a state in which the hopper unit is arranged at a position where the guide piece contacts the stopper portion. Similarly, it is the figure which looked at the gaming machine from the front side. FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view along the line SS shown in FIG. 12A, showing the case where the front door is in the first state. FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view taken along line SS shown in FIG. 12A, showing a case where the front door is in the second state. FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view taken along line SS shown in FIG. 12A, showing a case where the front door is in the third state. It is a figure which shows the game medal|token used for a game same. It is a perspective view of a 3-reel housing as seen from the front side, showing an example of a gaming machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the housing as seen from the front, and FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the reel frame as seen from the front. It is the figure which looked at the reel unit from the front similarly. It is a figure which shows the structure of a reel unit similarly, (a) is a perspective view which looked at the reel unit from the front, (b) is a part of axial sectional view of a reel. It is a perspective view of the four-reel housing seen from the front side, showing an example of the gaming machine. It is a perspective view which shows the structure inside a housing|casing equally. It is the figure which looked at the reel unit from the front similarly. It is an exploded perspective view showing a middle panel unit and a reel unit of the same, (a) shows the case of 3 reels, and (b) shows the case of 4 reels. It is sectional drawing which looked at the middle panel unit and the reel unit of 3 reels from upper direction same. It is sectional drawing which looked at the middle panel unit and the reel unit of 4 reels from upper direction same. It is sectional drawing (another example) which looked at the middle panel unit and the reel unit of 3 reels from upper direction equally. 1 is a perspective view of the housing of the game machine viewed from the front side, showing an example of the game machine. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the reel unit and members arranged in front thereof as viewed from above; In the same figure, (a) shows an example of a game machine, which is a perspective view of the housing as seen from the front side, and (b) is a perspective view of the liquid crystal case as seen from the front side. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the reel unit with three reels and members arranged in front thereof, as viewed from above; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the reel unit of 4 reels and members arranged in front thereof, as viewed from above;

(First embodiment)
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Although a slot machine, which is one type of game machine, will be described below, the game machine according to the present invention is not limited to a slot machine, and may be a pachinko game machine or the like.
Further, in the following explanation, when the player is in front of the slot machine, "front" means "front" for the player, "back" for the slot machine, and "up and down". means that the top side of the slot machine is "up" and the bottom side is "bottom", and "left and right" means that the left side of the player playing the slot machine is "left" and the right side is "right". do.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a slot machine X. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inside of the housing 1 of the slot machine X. As shown in FIG. This slot machine X has a housing (gaming machine housing) 1 . Further, the housing 1 includes a top plate 2, a back plate 3, a bottom plate 4, and left and right side plates 5 and 6, and is formed in a box shape having a front opening that opens to the front side of the housing 1. The back plate 3 may be thinner than the top plate 2, the bottom plate 4, and the left and right side plates 5 and 6. As shown in FIG.

In the following, the lower surface of the top plate 2, the front surface of the back plate 3, the upper surface of the bottom plate 4, the right surface of the left side plate 5 and the left surface of the right side plate 6, namely the top plate 2, the back plate 3, the bottom plate 4, the side plate 5 or the side plates The plate surface of 6 facing the inside of the housing 1 is sometimes referred to as the "inner surface". In addition, the top surface of the top plate 2, the back surface of the back plate 3, the bottom surface of the bottom plate 4, the left surface of the left side plate 5, and the right surface of the right side plate 6, that is, the top plate 2, the back plate 3, the bottom plate 4, the side plate 5, or the side plate 6 , the plate surface facing the outside of the housing 1 is sometimes called an "outer surface". The housing 1 is made of wood, synthetic resin, metal, or the like. Further, the material of the housing 1 is not limited to one type. For example, a part (the top plate 2) is made of wood, and the others (the back plate 3, the bottom plate 4, and the left and right side plates 5 and 6) are made of resin. good too. Further, for example, the top plate 2 may be composed of two types of materials (resin and metal).

A front door 20 for opening and closing the front opening of the housing 1 is provided on the front side of the housing 1 . The front door 20 is rotatably connected to the housing 1 via a hinge 29 so as to open and close the opening of the housing 1 . Note that the front door 20 may be divided into a plurality of doors, such as being divided into an upper portion and a lower portion. In addition, when the model of the slot machine X is changed in the game hall, the housing 1, the lower part of the front door 20, the power supply unit 10 and the hopper unit 11 in the housing 1 remain attached to the island equipment of the game hall. , a so-called separate housing type in which the upper portion of the front door 20, the reel unit 14 and the like are replaceable. When the front door 20 is divided into an upper door and a lower door, the upper door and the lower door can be opened and closed with respect to the housing 1 respectively. The upper door is rotatably connected via a hinge to open and close the upper opening of the housing 1 . Further, the lower door is rotatably connected via a hinge so as to open and close the lower opening of the housing 1 .

A flat panel 21 is provided in the upper center of the front door 20 . In addition, the panel 21 has a transparent display window (window portion) 22 formed in its central portion, and a design portion formed so as to surround the display window 22 and having a pattern or the like drawn (printed with a pattern or the like). 23 and. A light source (LED) for illumination is provided on the back side of the design section 23, and the pattern drawn on the design section 23 is illuminated from behind by the light from this light source.

Behind the display window 22, three reels 15a to 15c (see FIG. 2) are arranged in a row. Part of the reels 15a to 15c is visible through the display window 22. FIG. On the outer peripheral surface of each reel 15a-15c, a plurality of types of symbols are arranged in a row along the circumferential direction. Designs (upper design, middle design and lower design) are displayed. The display window 22 is provided with upper, middle, and lower display positions for visually recognizing the symbols on the reels 15a to 15c. there is In the gaming machine of this embodiment, the active line is composed of the middle stage of the first reel 15a, the middle stage of the second reel 15b, and the middle stage of the third reel 15c. In addition, in the gaming machine of the present embodiment, the number of medals required for one game (specified number) is set to "3", and when the specified number of medals is inserted, the activated line is activated. It has become so. When the three reels 15a to 15c are stopped, a combination of symbols displayed through the display window 22 indicates whether or not a winning combination has been won. In the slot machine X, the reels 15a to 15c start rotating with the start of the game, and an internal lottery is executed to determine whether one of the winning combinations wins or loses (no win). When the reels 15a to 15c are stopped and the symbol combination corresponding to the winning combination won in the winning combination lottery is displayed on the active line, this winning combination wins, and the processing corresponding to the winning combination ( Winning process) is executed.

The front door 20 is provided with illumination devices 24 and 25, a speaker 27, and the like, which serve as performance devices for performing performance (notification) and the like. The lighting device 24 is provided above the panel 21 of the front door 20 . Also, the lighting devices 25 , 25 are provided at both left and right ends of the front door 20 . A decorative member 26 having a luminous or non-luminous three-dimensional shape, including these lighting devices 24 and 25, is provided at a predetermined portion of the front door 20, and the outer shape of the front side of the game machine has unevenness. ing. That is, the decorative member 26 decorates the gaming machine.

A plurality of speakers 27 are provided on the front door 20, for example, on the upper and lower portions. The speaker 27 outputs sounds for various effects (music, BGM, sound effects, voice, etc.). In addition to the lighting devices 24 and 25 and the speaker 27, the production devices include a display device (liquid crystal display) for displaying images (moving images and still images) for various productions, movable accessories that can be operated by actuators, and the like. may be provided.

An operation unit 30 for operating the slot machine X is provided at the center of the front door 20 in the vertical direction. This operation unit 30 includes a checkout button 31 operated when paying out credited (stored) medals, a start lever 32 operated when starting a game, and rotation of each of the three reels 15a to 15c. Three stop buttons 33a, 33b, 33c to be operated when stopping, a medal slot 34 for inserting medals (game media), and an operation to clear a jammed medal generated below the medal slot 34. A reject button (not shown) that is displayed, a MAX bet button 35 (bet button) that is operated when betting (investing) credited medals (operated when setting the maximum bet number), and a production Effect buttons (not shown) that are operated when changing the mode, etc. are provided. Note that the effect button may be provided at a predetermined location (the front door 20) other than the operation unit 30.

At the bottom of the front door 20, there are a medal payout port (not shown) for ejecting medals from inside the slot machine, a medal tray 38 for storing the medals ejected from the medal payout port, and the like. formed. A lower panel 39 for decorating the appearance of the gaming machine is provided between the operation section 30 and the medal receiving tray 38 . A light source (LED) for illumination is provided on the back side of the lower panel 39, and the lower panel 39 is illuminated from behind by the light from this light source. Note that the lower panel 39 may be formed to be pushable, and may serve as an effect operation section having the same function as the effect button.

As shown in FIG. 2, inside the housing 1, a reel unit 14 and the like are provided. The reel unit 14 includes three reels 15a, 15b, and 15c around which a plurality of patterns are displayed, a driving motor (stepping motor) for rotating the reels 15a to 15c, these reels 15a to 15c, the driving motor, and the like. are attached and a reel frame (frame member) 13 for integrally supporting them.

Further, on the upper surface of the bottom plate 4, a power supply unit 10 for supplying electric power to each part, a hopper unit 11 (medal payout device 11) as a payout device for storing and paying out medals, and a medal payout device 11 are stored. A cash box 12 or the like is provided from which surplus medals are sent out when the number of accumulated medals reaches a certain amount.

The medal payout device 11 can be pulled out to the front side to be removed from the game machine (housing 1), or can be attached (arranged) to the game machine (housing 1) by pushing it to the back side (back side). It's becoming In other words, the medal payout device 11 can be attached to and detached from the game machine (housing 1) by moving (sliding) in the front-rear direction on the bottom plate 4. As shown in FIG. The medal dispensing device 11 is not fixed to the inside of the housing and is detachable (can be pulled out) in order to be able to deal with problems such as when a malfunction occurs in dispensing medals or when periodic maintenance is performed. ing.

The medals put into the slot machine X are accumulated in the medal payout device 11, and the accumulated medals and the medals supplied to the medal payout device 11 are paid based on the winning of the winning combination and the settlement of the credited medals. The tokens are paid out to the outside by the medal payout device 11 .

As shown in FIG. 3, on both left and right sides (both ends) (both side surfaces) of the lower portion (lower end) of the medal payout device 11, one metal protruding piece 41 (slider portion) is provided. . The protruding pieces 41, 41 are hereinafter referred to as guide pieces 41, 41. As shown in FIG. The guide pieces 41, 41 are formed in a plate shape, the left guide piece 41 projects (extends) leftward, and the right guide piece 41 projects (extends) rightward. Further, the guide pieces 41, 41 have a substantially rectangular shape elongated in the front-rear direction when viewed from above and below.

As shown in FIG. 4, the bottom plate 4 is provided with rail portions 50, 50 (hopper rails) (guide rails) elongated in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the rail portions 50, 50 are composed of a left rail portion 50 and a right rail portion 50 (composed of a pair of rail portions), which are parallel to each other with a predetermined spacing therebetween. are arranged so that It should be noted that the rail portions 50, 50 are not limited to being divided into left and right, and may be connected at a predetermined location to form a single member. The rail portions 50, 50 are provided to guide the movement of the medal payout device 11 and arrange the medal payout device 11 at a predetermined position (appropriate position) (regular position) inside the housing 1. It is

Next, the rail portion 50 (left rail portion 50) will be described with reference to FIG. Since the right rail portion 50 has the same configuration as the left rail portion 50, the description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 5 is a front sectional view showing the left rail portion 50 and its surroundings. Note that hatching indicating a cross section is omitted. The rail portion 50 includes a rail member 60 and a rail bottom portion 70 . In this embodiment, the rail member 60 is a metal part fixed to the bottom plate 4 , and the rail bottom portion 70 is made of the same material (resin) as the bottom plate 4 and integrally formed with the bottom plate 4 . The rail bottom portion 70 is formed as four ribs projecting upward from the upper surface of the bottom plate 4 and extending in the front-rear direction.
Note that the rail bottom portion 70 may be configured by a separate component (a separate member) from the bottom plate 4 . For example, if the bottom plate 4 is made of wood instead of resin, the rail bottom portion 70 may be made of metal. In that case, the rail bottom portion 70 may be configured (in one piece) so as to be integrated with the metal rail member 60 .

The rail member 60 is fixed to the bottom plate 4 by a predetermined method (screw fastening in this example). Although the rail member 60 is directly fixed to the bottom plate 4 in this embodiment, the rail member 60 may be fixed to the bottom plate 4 via another member (such as sheet metal). The rail member 60 includes a mounting portion 63 that contacts a mounting member (bottom plate 4 in this example), a rail side plate portion 62 that extends upward from the right end (inner side) of the mounting portion 63, and a rail side plate portion 62 that extends upward from the upper end of the rail side plate portion 62. and a rail upper plate portion 61 extending toward the right side (inward). The rail upper plate portion 61 faces the rail bottom portion 70 and forms a predetermined gap (hereinafter referred to as gap A) with the rail bottom portion 70 . This gap A is of a size that allows the guide piece 41 to be inserted, that is, a gap larger than the thickness (about 1.6 mm) of the plate-like guide piece 41 . A gap A (vertical distance between the rail upper plate portion and the rail bottom portion) is, for example, about 2.1 mm. A guide piece 41 can be inserted into the gap A from the front. The gap A can be said to be a passage area of the guide piece 41 . The rail upper plate portion 61 and the rail bottom portion 70 form the upper and lower sides of the passage area of the guide piece 41 . Hereinafter, the area through which the guide piece 41 passes may be referred to as the inside of the rail. The rail portion 50 having the gap A holds the guide piece 41 (the medal dispensing device 11) in a state that it can move in the front-rear direction. The state in which the guide piece 41 is inserted into the gap A can also be said to be the engagement between the rail portion 50 and the guide piece 41 .

FIG. 6 is a front cross-sectional view of the left rail portion 50 with the guide piece 41 inserted into the gap A and its surroundings. Note that hatching indicating a cross section is omitted. The rail side plate portion 62 restricts the lateral movement (the leftward movement in FIG. 6) of the guide piece 41 (the medal dispensing device 11). Further, the rail upper plate portion 61 covering the upper side of the guide piece 41 regulates the upward movement of the guide piece 41 (the medal payout device 11). Also, the rail bottom portion 70 is in contact with the lower surface of the guide piece 41 . The guide piece 41 slides on the rail bottom portion 70 in the front-rear direction.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the metal rail member 60 viewed from below (rear surface). A stopper portion 64 (positioning portion) is formed at the rear end portion of the rail member 60 . In this embodiment, the stopper portion 64 is formed to extend downward from the rear end portion of the rail upper plate portion 61 . The stopper portion 64 restricts the rearward movement of the guide piece 41 (the medal payout device 11). When the guide piece 41 inserted into the rail portion 50 (gap A) comes into contact with the stopper portion 64, the medal dispensing device 11 cannot move further rearward (back side). In other words, the stopper portion 64 enables the medal payout device 11 to be arranged at a predetermined position (appropriate position).

As shown in FIG. 5, the stopper portion 64 has a predetermined width in the left-right direction (width in the left-right direction) (length in the left-right direction). It's becoming The width of the stopper portion 64 is the length from the inner surface (reference surface) of the rail side plate portion 62 to the right end of the stopper portion 64 (the end surface away from the rail side wall portion 62). Although a gap is provided between the rail side plate portion 62 and the stopper portion 64 in FIG. 5, this gap may not be provided.

As shown in FIG. 7, the tip of the stopper portion 64 extends downward and is housed inside a through hole (or recess) formed in the bottom plate 4 . Therefore, even if the guide piece 41 collides vigorously with the stopper portion 64, the tip portion of the stopper portion 64 comes into contact with the inner surface (inner wall) of the through hole, so that the tip portion comes out of the through hole. never Therefore, even if the guide piece 41 is moved vigorously, the rearward movement of the guide piece 41 can be reliably restricted, and the medal payout device 11 can be arranged at an appropriate position.

In this embodiment, the stopper portion 64 extends downward, but it is not limited to this. If the rail bottom portion 70 is made of metal, the stopper portion 64 may be formed to extend upward from the rear end portion of the rail bottom portion 70 . The point is that the stopper portion 64 is provided on the rear side of the rail portion 50 and can restrict the rearward movement of the guide piece 41 .

Here, let us consider a state in which the game medal M has fallen inside the housing 1 and has entered the gap A of the rail portion 50 (the medal M has been caught). FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the left rail portion 50 with the medal M in the gap A and its surroundings viewed from the front. Note that hatching indicating a cross section is omitted. As described above, the gap A is approximately 2.1 mm. Moreover, the thickness of the medal M is approximately 1.6 mm. The gap A is larger than the thickness of one medal and smaller than the thickness of two medals (approximately 3.2 mm). In other words, in the gap A, two medals do not overlap.

In the state shown in FIG. 8, when the guide piece 41 is inserted from the front into the gap A and moved backward, the medal M is pushed by the guide piece 41 and moves backward. At this time, the medal M may drop from the rail bottom portion 70 and move out of the rail, or may remain on the rail bottom portion 70 and move backward. FIG. 9 shows a state in which the medal M that has moved backward is in contact with the stopper portion 64 . If the medal M comes into contact with the stopper part 64 and the guide piece 41 cannot be moved further backward, the medal dispensing device 11 cannot be arranged at an appropriate position (regular position). In this case, the medal payout device 11 is pulled out once to remove the medals M on the rail (inside the rail), and then the medal payout device 11 is pushed in again.

In this embodiment, the width of the stopper portion 64 is approximately 8 mm (see FIG. 5). In contrast, the medal M has a diameter of approximately 25 mm and a radius of approximately 12.5 mm. That is, the radius of the medal is larger than the width of the stopper portion 64 (in other words, the width of the stopper portion 64 is smaller than the radius of the medal M). Therefore, when the guide piece 41 is further pushed backward from the state shown in FIG. 9, the medal M does not stay inside the rail, but is pushed outward (back side) (in the direction of escaping from the rail) as shown in FIG. pushed out (pushed out). Then, as shown in FIG. 11, the medal payout device 11 can be moved to a position where the guide piece 41 contacts the stopper portion 64, and the medal payout device 11 can be arranged at an appropriate position. Therefore, the operation of removing the medals M as described above does not occur. Therefore, an increase in work load can be suppressed. According to this embodiment, even if medals M are present on the rail (inside the rail), the medals M can be removed by inserting the medal dispensing device 11 (protruding piece 41) into the rail and moving backward. The medal payout device 11 can be placed at an appropriate position by being reliably pushed out of the rail. In other words, the medal payout device 11 can be placed (stored) at an appropriate position without requiring an operation to remove the medals M from the rail.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the rail bottom portion (rail bottom surface) 70 is formed on the top surface of the bottom plate 4 . In this embodiment, the rail bottom portion 70 is configured by four ribs projecting upward from the upper surface of the bottom plate 4 and extending in the front-rear direction. However, the rail bottom portion 70 is not limited to this. It may be composed of a separate member (separate part).

When the rail bottom portion 70 is formed in the shape of four ribs, it is possible to reduce the contact area between the rail bottom portion 70 and the guide piece 41, thereby reducing the sliding resistance, as compared with the case where the rail bottom portion 70 is formed in the shape of one pedestal. can. In addition, even if small dust (for example, dust) exists in the rail, the dust falls between the ribs (recesses), so that the dust does not interfere with the sliding of the guide piece 41. can be prevented.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the rail bottom portion 70 has a predetermined width in the left-right direction (width in the left-right direction) (length in the left-right direction). In this embodiment, the width of the rail bottom portion 70 is approximately 17 mm. The width of the rail bottom portion 70 is preferably equal to or greater than the radius of the medal (approximately 12.5 mm), and is equal to or greater than approximately 70% (approximately 2/3) of the diameter (φ25) of the medal M. more preferred. The width (upper limit) of the rail bottom portion 70 is smaller than the diameter of the medal M (φ25).

If the medal M is tilted while it is in the rail, the medal M tilts when pushed backward by the guide piece 41, which may cause a problem that the medal M does not move smoothly. In this embodiment, the rail bottom portion 70 is formed with a width that allows the tokens to be stably positioned on the rail bottom portion 70 . In other words, when the medal M is present on the rail bottom portion 70, the medal M will not be tilted or the left or right side of the medal M will not float. Therefore, when the medal M that has entered the rail is pushed by the guide piece 41 and moves backward, the medal M moves backward on the rail bottom portion 70 in a horizontal state. That is, the behavior of the medal M when moving backward is stabilized. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the problem that smooth movement of the guide piece 41 is hindered due to tilting of the medal M within the rail.

Also, the rail bottom portion 70 is formed at a position higher than the bottom plate 4, and as shown in FIG. Therefore, even if the medal M existing on the upper surface of the bottom plate 4 (the medal M dropped from the rail bottom portion 70) moves (slides) toward the rail side, the medal M comes into contact with the side surface of the rail bottom portion 70 and stops. M does not enter the rail). That is, by providing the rail bottom portion 70, it is possible to prevent the tokens M on the bottom plate 4 outside the rail from moving and entering the rail (above the rail bottom portion 70). In this embodiment, the amount of protrusion of the rail bottom portion 70 is approximately 1.3 mm, but the amount of protrusion may be equal to or greater than the thickness of the medal M (approximately 1.6 mm). In that case, it is possible to more reliably prevent the medal M from entering the rail. By reducing the possibility that medals will enter the rail in this way, the possibility that smooth movement of the guide piece 41 will be hindered can be reduced.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the distance (gap) between the upper surface of the bottom plate 4 and the lower surface (rear surface) of the rail upper plate portion 61 is approximately 4.4 mm. This distance is larger than the thickness (approximately 3.2 mm) of two stacked medals M.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, from the width (the length in the left-right direction) of the rail upper plate portion 61, that is, the inner surface (reference surface) of the rail side plate portion 62, the right end of the rail upper plate portion 61 (the game machine ) is about 12 mm. Therefore, the width of the rail upper plate portion 61 is equal to or less than the radius of the medal M. Therefore, when the state in which the medal M is contained in the rail (the state in which the medal M is present on the rail bottom portion 70) is viewed from above, more than half (approximately 13 mm) of the medal M (φ25) is visible. It becomes possible. As a result, it is possible to easily notice that the medal M is inside the rail (that the medal M is caught). The width of the rail upper plate portion 61 is smaller than the width of the projecting piece 41 (FIG. 6).

The vertical distance (gap A: about 2.1 mm) between the rail top plate portion 61 and the rail bottom portion 70 shown in FIG. 0.6 mm), but smaller than the sum of the thickness of the guide piece 41 (approximately 1.6 mm) and the thickness of one medal (second thickness: approximately 1.6 mm). . Therefore, when the guide piece 41 is inserted into the rail (gap A), a single medal will not enter the gap between the two (between the guide piece 41 and the rail upper plate portion 61). . As a result, it is possible to prevent the smooth movement of the guide piece 41 from being hindered by the entry of the medal.

Here, the case where medals M are present in the portion P on the bottom plate 4 shown in FIG. 4 will be described. In this embodiment, even when the guide pieces 41, 41 of the medal dispensing device 11 are inserted into the rail portions 50, 50 and moved backward while the medal M is present in the portion P, the medal M position does not change. In other words, the medal dispensing device 11 passes over the medals M. In other words, the medal M is not pushed by the medal dispensing device 11 and moved backward. This is achieved by adjusting either the amount of protrusion of the rail bottom portion 70 or the height of the bottom surface (lower surface) of the token dispensing device 11, or both.

In the present embodiment, the upper surface of the bottom plate 4 is assumed to be flat. ) may be slanted so that it becomes higher toward the rear (higher toward the rear). In this case, the gap (approximately 4.4 mm) between the upper surface of the bottom plate 4 and the lower surface of the rail upper plate portion 61 shown in FIG. , and the gap on the rear side is smaller than the thickness (about 3.2 mm) when two medals M are stacked. Also, the amount of protrusion (approximately 1.3 mm) of the rail bottom portion 70 shown in FIG. 5 gradually decreases toward the rear.

On the other hand, even if the upper surface (predetermined range) of the bottom plate 4 is an inclined surface, the upper surface of the rail bottom portion 70 forming the lower surface of the guide piece passage area (gap A) is a horizontal surface. In other words, the upper surface of the rail bottom portion 70 does not slope from the front to the rear. Further, the rail upper plate portion 61 forming the upper surface of the guide piece passage area (gap A) is also horizontal and does not incline from the front to the rear. Therefore, the vertical width (gap A) of the guide piece passage area is the same at the most forward and the most rearward positions.

The gaming machine according to this embodiment is
A gaming machine comprising a housing and a medal payout device arranged inside the housing,
The medal dispensing device includes guide pieces formed on both left and right sides of the lower part,
The housing includes a bottom plate,
The bottom plate is provided with a rail portion that holds the guide piece in a state in which it can move in the front-rear direction,
The rail portion includes a rail top plate portion that covers the upper side of the guide piece, and a rail bottom portion that contacts the lower surface of the guide piece,
A stopper portion for restricting the rearward movement of the guide piece is provided on the rear side of the rail portion,
The lateral width of the stopper portion is smaller than the radius of the medal,
The rail bottom is provided at a position higher than the top surface of the bottom plate,
The width of the rail bottom portion in the left-right direction is equal to or larger than the radius of the medal.

(1) Since the lateral width of the stopper portion is smaller than the radius of the medal, even when the medal in the rail is pushed by the guide piece and moves backward and contacts the stopper portion, the medal is does not stay in place and is pushed backwards. Therefore, the medal dispensing device can be arranged at an appropriate position without requiring an operation to remove medals from the rail. (2) Since the rail bottom portion is provided at a position higher than the top surface of the bottom plate, medals on the top surface of the bottom plate outside the rail do not move and enter the rail. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility that medals will enter the rail, and the possibility that the presence of medals in the rail will hinder the smooth movement of the guide piece can be reduced. (3) Since the width of the rail bottom in the horizontal direction is equal to or greater than the radius of the medal, the posture of the medal on the rail bottom can be stabilized. Therefore, it is possible to suppress inclination of the medal when the medal is pushed by the guide piece and moves backward. If the medal is tilted on the bottom of the rail, smooth movement of the guide piece can be hindered, but the guide piece can be smoothly moved by suppressing the tilt of the medal, and the medal dispensing device can be smoothly arranged.

In addition, the gaming machine according to the present embodiment is
Assuming that the thickness of the guide piece is the first thickness and the thickness of one game medal is the second thickness,
The vertical distance between the rail top plate portion and the rail bottom portion is
greater than the first thickness;
It is less than the total thickness of the first thickness and the second thickness.

Since the vertical distance between the rail upper bottom portion and the rail bottom portion is larger than the first thickness, the guide piece can be inserted, and the distance is the distance between the first thickness and the second thickness. Since the thickness is smaller than the total thickness, there is no room for another medal to enter the gap (the gap between the guide piece and the rail upper plate portion) generated when the guide piece is inserted. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of the problem that smooth movement of the guide piece is hindered due to one medal being inserted in addition to the guide piece between the rail upper bottom portion and the rail bottom portion.

12B, 12C, and 12D are cross-sectional views along the SS line shown in FIG. 12A. The position of the SS line is shifted (offset) to the left by a predetermined dimension (a dimension corresponding to the diameter of a medal) from the right end of the game machine (the right side of the housing). Although the details will be described later, FIG. 12B shows the case where the front door 20 is in the "first state", FIG. 12C shows the case where the front door 20 is in the "second state", and FIG. is in the "third state".

As shown in FIG. 12B , a supported portion 81 (a convex part) is provided. In addition, in the present embodiment, a roller portion is provided at the tip of the supported portion 81 . A support portion 82 that supports the supported portion 81 is formed at a position corresponding to the supported portion 81 (when the front door 20 is closed) on the right side inside the housing 1 . In this embodiment, the supporting portion 82 is formed in a plate shape, and supports the supported portion 81 from below. When the front door 20 is closed from the open state, first, the roller portion of the supported portion 81 contacts (abuts) the front side of the support portion 82, and then the roller portion of the supported portion 81 comes into contact with the support portion 82. It rides on (rides on) the support portion 82, and the roller portion advances on the support portion 82 to the rear side. Then, the roller portion stops at a predetermined position. When the front door 20 is closed, the supported portion 81 is supported from below, and when the front door 20 is opened, the support from below of the supported portion 81 is released (released). The front door 20, which has lost support from below, is lowered by its own weight.

The state (position) of the front door 20 includes a first state, a second state, and a third state.
(First state)
As shown in FIG. 12B , the first state is a state in which the front door 20 is closed (closed) and the supported portion 81 of the front door 20 is supported by the support portion 82 of the housing 1 . In this embodiment, the supported portion 81 is in a state of applying (loading) a load to the supporting portion 82 . It can also be said that the supporting portion 82 lifts the supported portion 81 upward.
(Second state)
As shown in FIG. 12C , the second state is a state in which the front door 20 is open and the supported portion 81 of the front door 20 is not in contact with the support portion 82 of the housing 1 .
(Third state)
As shown in FIG. 12D , the third state is a state in which the front door 20 is open and the supported portion 81 of the front door 20 is in contact with the support portion 82 of the housing 1 . It can also be said that the supported portion 81 is in contact with the supporting portion 82 and the front door 20 is not completely closed but is open.

The bottom surface (bottom surface of the bottom plate 4) of the gaming machine (casing 1) is a surface that contacts with the mating member (island equipment, etc.). Hereinafter, a surface (flat surface) including a surface where the housing 1 and the mating member are in contact with each other is referred to as a mounting surface Z of the housing 1 . The mounting surface Z of the housing 1 includes the upper surface of the mating member (stand). The platform extends from the rear side toward the front side and is also positioned (existing) below the saucer 38 . In addition, the player can place a drink or the like in the space on the table on the left side of the saucer 38, for example.

As shown in FIG. 12B, in the first state, the dimension (vertical dimension) of the gap from the lower end (lower side) Y1 of the front door 20 to the mounting surface Z of the housing 1 is the first dimension L1 ( designed to be the first dimension L1). The first dimension L1 is approximately 3 to 5 mm.
As shown in FIG. 12C, in the second state, the dimension (vertical dimension) of the gap from the lower end (lower side) Y2 of the front door 20 to the mounting surface Z of the housing 1 is smaller than the first dimension L1. It has two dimensions L2 (designed to be the second dimension L2). The second dimension L2 is approximately 2 to 3 mm.
As shown in FIG. 12D, in the third state, the dimension (vertical dimension) of the gap from the lower end (lower side) Y3 of the front door 20 to the mounting surface Z of the housing 1 is smaller than the first dimension L1. It has a dimension L3 (it is designed to have a third dimension L3). The third dimension L3 is approximately 2 to 3 mm.
The lower end Y2 and the lower end Y3 are positioned below the lower end Y1. The thickness of the bottom plate 4 is about 15 mm.

As shown in FIG. 13, the diameter of the game medal M is defined as dimension L4. Also, let the thickness of the game medal M be a dimension L5. The game medal M used in the game in the gaming machine according to this embodiment has a dimension L4 of φ25 (approximately 25 mm in diameter) and a dimension L5 of approximately 1.6 mm. However, the game medal M may have a dimension L4 of φ30 (approximately 30 mm in diameter) and a dimension L5 of approximately 1.7 mm. Also, the diameter of the game ball B is defined as a dimension L6. Dimension L6 is about 11 mm.

The first dimension L1 shown in FIG. 12B is smaller than the diameter L6 of the game ball B and larger than the thickness L5 of the game medal M (designed to be larger).
The second dimension L2 shown in FIG. 12C is smaller than the diameter L6 of the game ball B and larger than the thickness L5 of the game medal M (designed to be larger).
The third dimension L3 shown in FIG. 12D is smaller than the diameter L6 of the game ball B and larger than the thickness L5 of the game medal M (designed to be larger).
For example, consider a case where a slot machine and a pachinko game machine are installed close to each other and game balls B are present near the front door 20 (receiving tray 38). In the state where the front door 20 is closed (first state), even if the game ball B rolls under the front door 20 (receptacle 38), the first dimension L1 is larger than the diameter L6 of the game ball B. is also small, the game ball B does not enter deep. That is, the lower surface of the receiving tray 38 is inclined upward toward the near side, but the game ball B comes into contact with the inclined surface before reaching the lower end of the front door 20 and stops. do. When the front door 20 is opened in this state, the game ball B is pushed forward and falls from the table. Also, since the game ball B falls in this way, it does not interfere with the closing of the front door 20. - 特許庁In the second state and the third state, the game ball B stops before reaching the lower end of the front door 20, and when the front door 20 is opened in that state, the game ball B moves forward. It is pushed out and falls from the top of the table.

The first dimension L1 is greater than the third dimension L3, the third dimension L3 is greater than the second dimension L2, and the second dimension L2 is greater than the dimension L5. In other words, the following relationship is established.
L1>L3>L2>L5
The third dimension L3 may be greater than or equal to the second dimension L2 (L3≧L2). Also, the third dimension L3 may be substantially the same as the second dimension L2 (L3≈L2). “Substantially identical” means that the difference between the two is within 1 mm, for example.

In the state (third state) shown in FIG. 12D, although not shown, the dimension of the gap from the right side (right end) of the front door 20 to the right side (right end) of the housing 1 is defined as a fourth dimension L7. The fourth dimension L7 can also be said to be the open dimension (horizontal dimension in FIG. 12D) of the right end of the front door 20 in the third state. The fourth dimension L7 is approximately 33 mm. This fourth dimension L7 is larger (designed to be larger) than the diameter dimension L4 of the game medal M (L7>L4).

Even when the game medals M are placed on the placing surface Z of the housing 1 without overlapping, the game medals M do not prevent the front door 20 from changing from the second state to the first state. (unprevented, unhindered).

When a game hall (hall) clerk closes the open front door 20 to eliminate the cause of an empty error caused by running out of medals in the hopper, the medals are placed on the mounting surface Z of the housing 1. is placed, the front door 20 can be closed without the medals coming into contact with the front door 20.例文帳に追加As a result, it is possible to avoid the situation that the front door 20 cannot be closed due to the token being caught in the gap between the front door 20 and the housing 1, or the situation that the front door 20 is damaged.

Even when the game medals M are placed on the placing surface Z of the housing 1 without overlapping, the game medals M do not prevent the front door 20 from changing from the first state to the second state. (unprevented, unhindered).

When opening the closed front door 20 in order to eliminate the cause of an empty error caused by running out of medals in the hopper, a store clerk of the game hall (hall) places the medals on the mounting surface Z of the housing 1. is placed, the front door 20 can be opened without the medals coming into contact with the front door 20.例文帳に追加As a result, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the front door 20 cannot be opened due to a token being caught in the gap between the front door 20 and the placement surface Z, or a situation in which the front door 20 is damaged.

Since the first dimension L1, the second dimension L2, and the third dimension L3 are larger than the thickness (dimension L5) of the game medal M, it is assumed that the bottom side of the front door 20 (receptacle 38) and the receptacle 38 Even if the front door 20 is opened and closed in a state in which the game medal M has entered between the table located below (the medal M is hidden), the lower end of the front door 20 and the medal M do not move. does not come into contact. In other words, the medal M hidden in the gap between the tray 38 and the table does not interfere with the opening and closing of the front door 20.例文帳に追加Therefore, even when medals M are placed on the placement surface Z of the housing 1, the front door 20 can be opened and closed smoothly. In addition, if the lower end of the front door 20 contacts the medal M when the front door 20 is opened, the medal M falls from the table to the floor, and it takes time and effort to find the medal. can prevent such troubles from occurring.

In this embodiment, the second dimension L2 and the third dimension L3 are designed to be larger than the thickness L5 of the game medal M, but the quality (durability) of the hinge 29 (see FIG. 1) There may be a case where the second dimension L2 or the third dimension L3 becomes equal to or less than (less than) the medal thickness L5 due to deterioration, assembly error, or the like. Even in such a case, the supported portion 81 of the front door 20 moves above the supporting portion 82 of the housing 1 while the front door 20 moves from the third state (FIG. 12D) to the first state (FIG. 12B). (The supported portion 81 is supported so as to be loaded on the supporting portion 82), and a dimension corresponding to the thickness of the medal is secured between the front door 20 and the mounting surface Z. Therefore, a situation in which the front door 20 cannot be closed or a situation in which the front door 20 is damaged can be avoided.

(Second embodiment)
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Although a slot machine, which is one type of game machine, will be described below, the game machine according to the present invention is not limited to the slot machine, and may be other game machines such as a pachinko game machine. In the following explanation, when the player is in front of the slot machine, "front" means "front" for the player, "back" for the slot machine, and "up and down". means that the top side of the slot machine is "up" and the bottom side is "bottom", and "left and right" means that the left side of the player playing the slot machine is "left" and the right side is "right". do.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the slot machine (gaming machine) 100 of the present invention. Note that the slot machine 100 shown in FIG. 14 is a 3-reel housing. The slot machine 100 includes a box-shaped housing 111 with an open front side facing the player, and a front door 112 that opens and closes the front side opening of the housing 111 . The housing 111 accommodates a reel unit 50 in which a rotatable first reel 10a, a second reel 10b and a third reel 10c are unitized, a hopper device for paying out medals, and the like.

The front door 112 is provided with devices for presentation such as a speaker 114 and a panel portion 116 . The speaker 114 outputs sounds for various effects (music, sound effects, voice, etc.). In addition to the speaker 114, a display device such as a liquid crystal display, an illumination device such as a lamp (LED), a movable accessory operable by an actuator, or the like may be provided as a device for presentation. Images for various effects (moving images and still images) are displayed on the liquid crystal display.

The reel unit 50 is arranged so that a part thereof can be visually recognized through the window portion 116 a (visible area) of the panel portion 116 . On the outer peripheral surface of each of the reels 10a to 10c that constitute the reel unit 50, a plurality of types of symbols are arranged in a row along the circumferential direction. Three consecutive symbols per reel (upper stage symbol, middle stage symbol, lower stage symbol) are visible.

The panel unit 116 is provided with upper, middle, and lower display positions for visually recognizing the symbols on the reels 10a to 10c, and effective lines are set by combining the display positions of the reels 10a to 10c. It is In addition, in the gaming machine of the present embodiment, the active line is composed of the middle stage of the first reel 10a, the middle stage of the second reel 10b, and the middle stage of the third reel 10c. In addition, in the gaming machine of the present embodiment, the number of medals required for one game (specified number) is set to three, and when the specified number of medals is inserted, the activated line is activated. It's like

In the slot machine 100, the reels 10a to 10c start rotating at the start of the game, and an internal lottery for determining the suitability of a combination is executed to determine whether one of the winning combinations wins or loses (not won). . Next, when the reels 10a to 10c are stopped, when the symbol combination corresponding to the winning combination won by the internal lottery is displayed on the active line, the winning combination wins, and the processing corresponding to the winning combination ( Winning process) is executed.

The front door 112 also has a medal slot 821 for inserting medals, a bet button 123 for betting credited medals, a start lever 990 operated when starting a game, and rotating reels. A stop button unit (stop button) 126 (including a first stop button 126a, a second stop button 126b and a third stop button 126c) for stopping 10a to 10c, a payout port 127 for paying out medals by a hopper device, A medal receiving tray 128 for receiving medals paid out from a payout port 127 is provided. Further, at the back of the medal slot 122, a medal sensor is provided to detect passage of medals inserted from the medal slot 821. FIG.

In the slot machine 100, operation of the start lever 990 is validated by inserting medals into the medal slot 821 or betting a specified number of medals by operating the bet button 123. FIG. Also, when the activated start lever 990 is operated, the game is started. When the game starts, the reels 10a to 10c start rotating, and when the rotation speed of each reel 10a to 10c reaches a constant speed and becomes steady rotation, the operation of the stop buttons 126a to 126c is enabled. Further, when the activated stop buttons 126a to 126c are operated, the reels 10a to 10c corresponding to the operated stop buttons 126a to 126c are stopped.

Inside the slot machine 100, a main control board (main control device) and a sub control board (sub control device) are provided. The main control board receives input signals from input means such as the bet button 123, the start lever 990, the stop buttons 126a to 126c, medal sensors, etc., performs various calculations for executing the game, and reels based on the calculation results. It controls output means such as units and hopper devices. In addition, the sub control board receives signals sent from the main control board, performs various calculations for executing effects, and controls devices for effects such as the liquid crystal display and speaker 114 based on the results of the calculations. conduct.

In addition, the main control board and the sub control board are electrically connected, and various information (signals) such as information indicating the game state can be sent from the main control board to the sub control board. Information cannot be transmitted from the control board to the main control board. The functions of each board such as the main control board and the sub-control board are stored in advance in various processors (CPU, DSP, etc.), ICs, hardware such as information storage media such as ROM and RAM, and ROM. It is realized by software consisting of a predetermined program.

Next, a reel unit 50 for a 3-reel housing will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16. FIG. The reel unit 50 includes reels 10a to 10c that are coaxially arranged side by side (arranged horizontally), and a frame-shaped reel frame portion 11 that rotatably supports the reels 10a to 10c. . The reel unit 50 is arranged on a reel support portion 125 provided inside the housing 111 .

As shown in FIG. 15A, the reel support portion 125 includes a rod-shaped upper support portion 125a elongated in the left and right direction and a plate-shaped lower support portion 125b elongated in the left and right direction. The upper support portion 125a and the lower support portion 125b are arranged apart from each other in the vertical direction. ), and the right ends of the upper support portion 125 a and the lower support portion 125 b are fixed (connected) to the inner surface of the right side plate (right side wall portion) of the housing 111 . The fixation includes, for example, screw tightening.

As shown in FIG. 15B, the reel frame portion 11 of the reel unit 50 includes an upper frame portion 11a provided above the reels 10a to 10c and a lower frame portion 11b provided below the reels 10a to 10c. , a left frame portion 11c connecting the left end portion of the upper frame portion 11a and the left end portion of the lower frame portion 11b, a right frame portion 11d connecting the right end portion of the upper frame portion 11a and the right end portion of the lower frame portion 11b, left and right It is provided with three motor frame portions 11f, etc., arranged side by side at predetermined intervals in the direction, each holding a stepping motor.

The reel unit 50 is fixed (arranged) to the reel support portion 125 by connecting the upper frame portion 11a to the upper support portion 125a and connecting the lower frame portion 11b to the lower support portion 125b. . The fixation includes, for example, screw tightening.

In the above description, the reel support portion 125 is composed of the upper support portion 125a and the lower support portion 125b. ) may be provided in the hole. In this case, for example, the upper support portion 125a and the lower support portion 125b are used as components of the reel unit 50, and the upper support portion 125a and the lower support portion 125b are fixed to the holes of the reel support portion 125 by screwing or the like, A reel unit 50 is arranged.
The reel support portion 125 may be a groove provided in the left side plate (left side wall portion) and the right side plate (right side wall portion) of the housing 111 other than the hole.

Hereinafter, a set of reels 10a to 10c (reel group), which are components of the reel unit 50, may be referred to as 3 reels 10. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 16, the width in the axial direction (lateral direction) of the three reels 10, that is, the width in the axial direction (lateral direction) from the left end of the first reel 10a to the right end of the third reel 10c is approximately 270 mm. It's becoming Hereinafter, the width in the axial direction (horizontal direction) is referred to as the width of the three reels 10 . The reels 10a to 10c are arranged at regular intervals along the axial direction (lateral direction), and the gap (distance) between adjacent reels in the axial direction (lateral direction) is approximately 8 mm. In other words, the distance between adjacent reels (minimum distance between adjacent reel ends of adjacent reels) is approximately 8 mm.

Here, the end portion of the reel will be described with reference to FIG. 17 . The reel unit 50 includes a frame 18 (frame) shown in FIG. 17(a). Each of the three frames 18 rotates based on the rotation of the stepping motor. The frame 18 is made of resin or the like, has a circular shape, and a reel tape is attached to the circumference thereof. FIG. 17B is a cross-sectional view (axial cross-sectional view) of the first reel 10a. The left end (left end) of the first reel 10a refers to the left end portion of the frame 18 (that is, the reel tape ). Further, the right end (right end) of the first reel 10 a refers to the right end portion of the frame 18 . In this embodiment, the left end or right end of the reel refers to the left end or right end of the frame 18 .

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the slot machine 100 as a 4-reel case, and FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing the inside thereof. As shown in FIG. 18, in the 4-reel housing, a reel unit 60 is arranged (installed) inside the housing 111 instead of the reel unit 50 . The reel unit 50 and the reel unit 60 are formed so as to be selectively arranged on the reel support portion 125 . In other words, the reel support portion 125 is formed so that the reel unit 50 and the reel unit 60 can be selectively arranged. Specifically, the upper support portion 125a and the lower support portion 125b of the reel support portion 125 are provided with screw insertion holes for screwing the reel frame portion 11 of the reel unit 50, and reel frame portions of the reel unit 60. A hole for screwing through which the portion 21 can be screwed is provided. Here, the holes for screw insertion may be shared by the reel unit 50 and the reel unit 60, or may be provided separately. The distance between the upper support portion 125a and the lower support portion 125b of the reel support portion 125 is set to a length that allows both the reel unit 50 and the reel unit 60 to be selectively fitted. The reel unit 60 includes a first reel 20a, a second reel 20b, a third reel 20c, a fourth reel 20d, a reel frame portion 21, and the like. Although illustration is omitted, the reel frame portion 21 has a structure corresponding to the upper frame portion 11a, the lower frame portion 11b, the left frame portion 11c, the right frame portion 11d, and the motor frame portion 11f shown in FIG. 15(b). have.

Further, as shown in FIG. 18, the 4-reel slot machine 100 has a stop button unit 129 provided on the front side of the front door 112 . The stop button unit (stop button) 129 has a first stop button 129a, a second stop button 129b, a third stop button 129c and a fourth stop button 129d. Here, the stop buttons 129a-129d are buttons for stopping the rotating reels 20a-20d. The stop button unit 126 for 3 reels and the stop button unit 129 for 4 reels can be selectively arranged (attached). In other words, the front door 112 is provided with a stop button unit placement portion in which the stop button unit 126 and the stop button unit 129 can be selectively placed.

The stop button unit 126 and the stop button unit 129 are unitized together with the stop buttons 126a to 126d or the stop buttons 129a to 129d. may That is, depending on whether a 3-reel housing or a 4-reel housing is used, for example, a stop button unit integrated (unitized) so as to include a medal slot 821, a bet button 123, a start lever 990, etc. 126 or stop button 129 may be selectively arranged.

Hereinafter, the set of reels 20a to 20d, which are components of the reel unit 60, may be referred to as 4 reels 20 in some cases. As shown in FIG. 20, the width in the axial direction (lateral direction) of the four reels 20, that is, the width in the axial direction (lateral direction) from the left end of the first reel 20a to the right end of the fourth reel 20d is approximately 275 mm. It's becoming Hereinafter, the width in this axial direction is referred to as the width of the 4 reels 20 . The reels 20a to 20d are arranged at regular intervals along the axial direction (lateral direction), and the gap (distance) between adjacent reels in the axial direction (lateral direction) is about 8 mm. In other words, the distance between adjacent reels (minimum distance between adjacent reel ends of adjacent reels) is approximately 8 mm.

In this embodiment, the width of the 4 reels 20 (approximately 275 mm) and the width of the 3 reels 10 (approximately 270 mm) are the same or substantially the same. Note that "substantially the same" means that the difference between the two is within about 2% (about 5.4 mm) of the width of the shorter reel. The width of the 4-reel 20 is not limited to being larger than the width of the 3-reel 10 and may be smaller than the width of the 3-reel 10 .

Next, the panel unit and reel unit will be described with reference to FIG. The panel unit is arranged on the front side of the reel units 50 and 60 and attached to the rear side of the front door 112 . The panel unit has a panel portion 116 (panel), a base member 30 (intermediate panel base) (reflector) (partition member) (frame member), and the like. 21(a) shows the panel unit of the 3-reel housing and the reel unit 50, and FIG. 21(b) shows the panel unit of the 4-reel housing and the reel unit 60. there is

The panel section 116 is formed of, for example, a transparent acrylic plate in a substantially rectangular shape. The window portion 116a (reel window portion) is an area that allows the reel to be visually recognized. Although FIG. 21 illustrates an example in which the window portion 116a is formed in the panel portion 116, the window portion 116a is not limited to this, and the window portion 116a is realized (determined, defined, formed) by a predetermined member described later. ).

In this embodiment, the window portion 116 a is determined by the base member 30 arranged on the back side (rear side) of the panel portion 116 . The base member 30 is a frame-shaped member and is made of, for example, white resin. In addition, the base member 30 is formed to be capable of reflecting light, divides the light emitted from a predetermined light source provided on the back side of the base member 30, and guides it to a predetermined portion of the panel section 116. good.

The base member 30 has a laterally long rectangular (rectangular) through-hole 31 (opening) in the front-rear direction. The through-hole 31 is provided at a position facing the reel unit 50 (or the reel unit 60) arranged on the back side of the base member 30, and makes each reel visible (a part of each reel is exposed). cause). It can be said that the base member 30 allows a part of each reel to be visually recognized and shields a predetermined part from being seen. Here, the front opening end of the through hole 31 is referred to as a front opening end 31a. The front opening end 31 a (the edge portion of the opening) is in contact with the rear surface (rear surface) of the panel section 116 .

The window portion 116 a is formed by the front open end 31 a of the base member 30 . The window portion 116a has a horizontally long rectangular shape (rectangular shape) (square shape), and the upper side, the lower side, the right side, and the left side that constitute the frame (edge) (periphery) of the window portion are respectively defined as the upper portion of the window frame, The lower part of the window frame, the right part of the window frame, and the left part of the window frame. In the case of a 3-reel case, the upper, middle and lower symbols of each of the reels 10a to 10c are visible through the window 116a. In the case of a 4-reel case, the upper, middle and lower symbols of the reels 20a to 20d are visible through the window 116a.

FIG. 22 is a top view (sectional view) of the panel unit and the reel unit 50, which is three reels. Assuming that the distance between adjacent reels (distance in the left-right direction) is the second distance, the reel unit 50 is formed so that the second distance is approximately 8 mm.
The first distance is defined as the distance (minimum distance) between the left end of the leftmost reel 10a and the left portion of the window sill of the window 116a when viewed from the front (front). In FIG. 22, the left part of the window frame is the left edge of the front opening end 31a.
The first distance is defined as the distance (minimum distance) between the right end of the rightmost reel 10c and the window frame right portion of the window portion 116a when viewed from the front (front). In FIG. 22, the right portion of the window frame is the right edge of the front opening end 31a.
The reel unit 50 and the window portion 116a (base member 30) are formed such that the first distance is approximately 4 mm. Therefore, the gaming machine of this embodiment is formed such that the first distance (approximately 4 mm) is half or less (half or less) of the second distance (approximately 8 mm).

FIG. 23 is a top view (sectional view) of the panel unit and the reel unit 60, which is four reels. A reel unit 60 having four reels is formed so that the second distance is about 8 mm. Further, the reel unit 60 and the window portion 116a (base member 30) are formed such that the first distance is approximately 2.7 mm. Therefore, even in the case of a 4-reel gaming machine, the first distance (approximately 2.7 m) is formed to be less than half (half or less) of the second distance (approximately 8 mm). ing.

In this embodiment, the first distance is smaller than the second distance. Specifically, the first distance is half or less than the second distance. Compared to the distance of 2, it feels relatively small (narrow). Therefore, it is possible to suppress deterioration in design (appearance) caused by the large first distance (gap). In addition, the first distance is made small while ensuring the visibility of the reel, but the space can be effectively utilized by the amount of the small first distance. For example, other parts can be formed larger, and the degree of design freedom can be improved. For example, the smaller the first distance, the larger the design member can be formed, and the marketability of the game machine can be enhanced.

Here, the through holes 31 of the base member 30 will be specifically described. As shown in FIG. 21A, the through hole 31 is formed surrounded by four walls (upper wall 34, lower wall 35, left wall 32, right wall 33).
In addition, as shown in FIG. 22, the left wall portion 32 is inclined to the left as it goes rearward with respect to the front-rear direction. In addition, the right wall portion 33 is inclined to the right with respect to the front-rear direction as it goes rearward. In other words, the left wall portion 32 and the right wall portion 33 are inclined (tapered) so that the opening becomes larger (opening widens) toward the rear. Thus, by forming the left wall portion 32 and the right wall portion 33 in a tapered shape, it is possible to reduce the gap (first distance) on the front side and increase the gap from the reel on the rear side. . By reducing the first distance, it is possible to suppress deterioration in appearance due to a large gap. Further, by increasing the gap between the reel and the rear side, when the front door 112 is opened and closed, the contact between the left wall portion 32 and the left end portion of the reel 10a, or the right wall portion 33 and the right end portion of the reel 10c. can be avoided, and the front door 112 can be opened and closed smoothly.

In this embodiment, the left wall portion 32 and the right wall portion 33 are provided so that the opening widens toward the rear. However, as shown in FIG. It may be provided in a tapered shape so that the opening widens toward the front. The left wall portion 32 is slanted to the left as it goes forward in the front-rear direction. In addition, the right wall portion 33 is inclined to the right with respect to the front-rear direction as it goes forward. At this time, the window portion 116a is formed by the rear opening end of the base member 30, and the narrowest distance (gap) between the left end of the reel 10a and the left wall portion 32 is the first distance. The narrowest distance (gap) between the right end of the reel 10c and the right wall portion 33 is the first distance. Even in this case, the first distance is set to be less than half the second distance.

Although not shown, a sheet-like design member (sheet member) is provided on the back side of the panel portion 116 . The sheet member is attached to the back side of the panel section 116 . The sheet member consists of (1) a pattern display portion on which a pattern is drawn and which is almost invisible from the front side to the rear side, and (2) a horizontally long rectangular shape provided in the center of the pattern display portion. and a (rectangular) transparent portion. Note that the transparent portion is not limited to a sheet that is transparent, and may be a sheet that is cut out (that is, has a through hole in the front-rear direction). The transparent portion is provided so that the reel can be visually recognized from the front.

In the present embodiment, the window portion 116 a is realized by the base member 30 , but the window portion 116 a may be realized by a design member located forward of the base member 30 . Specifically, the window portion 116a may be formed by a transparent portion (through hole) of the sheet member. When the outer shape (size) of the transparent portion is smaller than the outer shape (size) of the front open end 31a when viewed from the front (front), in other words, the outer periphery of the transparent portion is smaller than the front open end 31a when viewed from the front. , the window portion 116a is determined by the perimeter of the transparent portion.

Note that the sheet member is not limited to being attached to the back side of the panel section 116 , and may be attached to the front side of the panel section 116 . Alternatively, it may be sandwiched and held between the panel portion 116 and another member (another panel or the base member 30) located on the rear side thereof. Also, the panel portion 116 and the sheet member may be integrally formed (in one member). Further, the design member is not limited to a sheet member, and may be a plate-like (thin plate-like) member. In that case, the plate-shaped member has a through-hole (front opening end 31a) forming the window portion 116a. Further, the design member may be a decorative member having unevenness formed of resin or the like. In that case, the decorative member has a through-hole (front open end 31a) forming the window portion 116a. The decorative member is arranged on the front side of the panel portion 116 .

As described above, the width of the 3-reel 10 (approximately 270 mm) and the width of the 4-reel 20 (approximately 275 mm) are substantially the same. , the sizes of the windows 116a can be the same.

Here, another example of the gaming machine (three reels) according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 25 and 26. FIG. In this example, the design member 310 is arranged in front of the panel portion 116 and the base member 320 (FIG. 26) is arranged behind the panel portion 116 . The design member 310 and the base member 320 have through holes (openings) penetrating in the front-rear direction, which are formed at positions facing the reels 10a to 10c. When viewed from the front, the left end 321 (left edge) of the opening in the base member 320 is located inside the left end 311 of the opening in the design member 310, and the right end 322 (right edge) of the opening in the base member 320 is positioned inside the design member. It is located inside the right edge 312 of the opening at 310 . Therefore, the left edge 321 of the base member 320 constitutes the left portion of the window frame of the window portion 116 a , and the right edge 322 of the base member 320 constitutes the right portion of the window frame of the window portion 116 a. Also in this example, the first distance (approximately 4 mm) is formed to be half or less (half or less) of the second distance (approximately 8 mm).

Next, as a modified example of the gaming machine according to the present embodiment, a case where the liquid crystal display device 400 is arranged in front of the reel units will be described with reference to FIGS. 27, 28 and 29. FIG. As shown in FIG. 27, a plate-shaped liquid crystal protective glass 490 is arranged on the front side of the liquid crystal display device 400 . The liquid crystal display device 400 includes a plate-shaped liquid crystal panel 410 (panel) (liquid crystal module), a liquid crystal case 420 arranged on the back side of the liquid crystal panel 410 and formed so as to accommodate the liquid crystal panel 410, and the like.

The liquid crystal panel 410 displays images and the like relating to game effects. The liquid crystal panel 410 has a first display area 411 and a second display area 412 . The first display area 411 is formed in a laterally long rectangular shape (rectangular shape) (square shape) within a substantially lower half range of the liquid crystal panel 410 when viewed from the front (front). The second display area 412 is a portion of the image display area of the liquid crystal panel 410 excluding the first display area 411 and is formed to surround the first display area 411 .

The first display area 411 is depressed (recessed) to the rear side (deep side) of the second display area 412 . In other words, the first display area 411 is a recess. The depth of the depression of the first display area 411 is approximately 1 mm. The liquid crystal panel 410 is of a transmissive type, and the first display area 411 is transparent in a predetermined state (a state in which no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal), and one of the reels arranged on the rear side is displayed. Parts (upper pattern, interrupted pattern, lower pattern) are visually recognized, and an image or the like is displayed in a predetermined state (state in which voltage is applied to the liquid crystal). In addition, the first display area 411 and the second display area 412 are capable of displaying an image or the like having a unity. It can be said that the liquid crystal panel 410 has a doughnut-shaped image display area.

Liquid crystal case 420 is formed to cover the rear and side surfaces of liquid crystal panel 410 . Specifically, the liquid crystal case 420 includes a bottom portion 421 (bottom plate portion) that abuts (contacts) the back side of the liquid crystal panel 410, and a side plate that extends forward from the periphery (outer edge portion) of the bottom portion 421. a portion 422; An opening 423 is formed at a position facing the first display area 411 in the bottom 421 . The opening 423 penetrates in the front-rear direction and is formed in a horizontally long rectangular shape.

FIG. 28 is a top cross-sectional view of the reel unit and parts arranged in front thereof. As shown in FIG. 28, the left edge 411a of the first display area 411 is located inside the left edge 423a of the opening 423 in the liquid crystal case 420, and the right edge 411b of the first display area 411 is located inside the liquid crystal case. 420 is located inside the right end 423 b of the opening 423 . Therefore, the left edge portion 411 a of the first display area 411 constitutes the left portion of the window frame of the window portion 116 a , and the right edge portion 411 b of the first display area 411 constitutes the right portion of the window frame of the window portion 116 a.

The second distance is approximately 12 mm and the first distance is approximately 4.75 mm. Therefore, also in this example, the first distance is 1/2 or less of the second distance, and the first distance is about 40% of the second distance.

FIG. 29 is a diagram showing a case where four reels are used in the configuration shown in FIG. The second distance is approximately 8 mm and the first distance is approximately 2.7 mm. Therefore, also in this example, the first distance is 1/2 or less of the second distance, and the first distance is approximately 34% of the second distance.

28 and 29 show an example in which the left and right window frame portions of the window portion 116a are formed by the edge (peripheral edge) of the first display area 411, but the opening of the liquid crystal case 420 The portion 423 (the position of the opening edge) is positioned inside the edge of the first display area 411, and the left and right portions of the window frame of the window portion 116a are formed by the opening edges 423a and 423b of the opening portion 423. You may do so.

The gaming machine according to this embodiment is
A plurality of reels lined up in the horizontal direction,
a panel arranged in front of the plurality of reels;
and a rectangular window part that allows a part of the plurality of reels to be visually recognized,
The first distance is the distance between the left end of the leftmost reel and the left window frame of the window, or the distance between the right end of the rightmost reel and the right window frame of the window,
Assuming that the distance between adjacent reels is the second distance,
The first distance is 1/2 or less of the second distance.

In this embodiment, the first distance is smaller than the second distance. Specifically, the first distance is half or less than the second distance. Compared to the distance of 2, it feels relatively small (narrow). Therefore, it is possible to suppress deterioration in design (appearance) caused by the large first distance (gap). In addition, the first distance is made small while ensuring the visibility of the reel, but the space can be effectively utilized by the amount of the small first distance. For example, other parts can be formed larger, and the degree of design freedom can be improved. For example, the smaller the first distance, the larger the design member can be formed, and the marketability of the gaming machine can be enhanced.

In addition, from the viewpoint of suppressing deterioration of designability and improving the degree of design freedom, it is preferable that the first distance is narrower, and the first distance is 40% or less of the second distance. It is more preferable that

Even if the number of reels is increased to 4 reels, by setting the second distance to approximately 8 mm, which is smaller than the case of 3 reels (approximately 12 mm), the width of the entire reel in the horizontal direction can be suppressed. In addition, by setting the second distance to approximately 8 mm in the 4-reel housing, it is possible to reduce the amount of movement of the player's line of sight to the left and right (movement of the line of sight), thereby reducing the burden on the player. . In addition, by setting the second distance to about 8 mm for four reels, the width of each reel can be increased accordingly. Therefore, in the case of four reels, it is possible to prevent the visibility of the reels from decreasing due to the narrow width of each reel.

In addition, as a modification of the game machine according to the present embodiment, the outer periphery of the transparent portion (through hole) of the design member (sheet member) is positioned inside the front opening end 31a (Fig. 22), and is viewed from the front. , the left and right ends of the reel and the sheet member overlap, but on the rear side, the reel unit 50 and the base member 30 are secured by a first distance (half or less of the second distance). It may be configured as

1 Case 4 Bottom Plate 11 Medal Dispensing Device 41 Guide Piece 50 Rail Part 61 Rail Top Plate Part 64 Stopper Part 70 Rail Bottom M Medal

Claims (1)

a housing;
a front door that can be opened and closed with the left side of the housing as an axis,
The state of the front door includes a first state, a second state and a third state,
The first state is a state in which the front door is closed and the supported portion of the front door is supported by the support portion of the housing,
the second state is a state in which the front door is opened and the supported portion of the front door is not in contact with the support portion of the housing;
the third state is a state in which the front door is opened and the supported portion of the front door is in contact with the support portion of the housing;
A vertical dimension between the lower right end portion of the front door and the mounting surface of the housing in the first state is defined as a first dimension,
A vertical dimension between the lower right end portion of the front door and the mounting surface of the housing in the second state is defined as a second dimension,
Assuming that the vertical dimension between the lower right end portion of the front door and the mounting surface of the housing in the third state is the third dimension,
The second dimension is smaller than the first dimension and larger than the thickness of the game medal,
The third dimension is smaller than the first dimension and larger than the thickness of the game medal,
The gaming machine , wherein the first dimension, the second dimension and the third dimension are dimensions smaller than the diameter of the game ball .

Images