JPH1043382A - Image displaying device for pinball machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a colorful expressive power possible by a device wherein by transmitting a displaying light from the first image displaying device and reflecting a displaying light from the second image displaying element, the displaying lights are synthesized in such a way that displaying of two image displaying elements are seen to be overlapped from the player side. SOLUTION: A displaying apparatus 30 provided at the center of a playing board 10 is provided with the first and the second image displaying elements 31 and 32 being independently controllable and a half mirror 33 as a light path synthesizing means for synthesizing each displaying light in such a way that two displays of image displaying elements are seen to be overlapped from a player side by transmitting a displaying light from the first image displaying device 31 and reflecting a displaying light from the second image displaying element 32.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pachinko image display apparatus for displaying variable image information on a game board of a pachinko machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a pachinko machine is provided with a display device including an image display element such as a CRT display or a liquid crystal display panel for displaying variable image information in a central area of a game board. The display devices include those that display image information such as numbers and marks related to the game of the pachinko machine, and those that display image information such as video images and television broadcasts that are not related to the pachinko machine.

[0003]

However, the conventional image display device for pachinko machines has only one image display element for displaying an image two-dimensionally, so that the expressiveness of the image is limited. When a player selects a pachinko machine, the expressiveness of the display device is also considered to be one of the important factors that motivates the selection, and a wider variety of expressions are possible in order to produce a pachinko machine with high customer attraction It is desirable to provide a suitable image display device.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and has as its object to provide a pachinko image display apparatus having a wider variety of expressive powers than before.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a pachinko image display device according to the present invention is an independent pachinko image display device for displaying variable image information on a game board of a pachinko machine. The first and second image display elements, which can be controlled by the first and second display devices, transmit display light from the first image display device and reflect display light from the second image display device, so that the display light can be viewed from the player side. Optical path combining means for combining the display lights so that the displays of the two image display elements appear to overlap.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a pachinko machine according to the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1A is a front view showing the pachinko machine 1 according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 1B is an explanatory view of the arrangement viewed from the side.

The pachinko machine 1 has a game board 10 in which a number of nails (not shown) are planted, and an opening 12 on the front face is covered with a glass plate 12a. At the center of the game board 10, there is provided a display device 30 for displaying variable image information such as numbers and marks related to the game of the pachinko machine.

As shown in FIG. 1B and FIG. 2 which is an enlarged view of FIG. 1B, the display device 30 has first and second image display elements 31 and 32 which can be controlled independently, and By transmitting the display light from the image display device 31 and reflecting the display light from the second image display element 32, each display is displayed so that the display of the two image display elements appears to be overlapped when viewed from the player side. A half mirror 33 is provided as an optical path combining means for combining light. The game board 10 has an opening 10a through which display light from the display device 30 is transmitted.
The opening 10a is closed by a transparent cover plate 10b so as to be flush with the surface of the game board 10.

Each of the image display elements 31 and 32 is composed of liquid crystal display panels 31a and 32a and backlights 31b and 32b, and light emitted from the respective backlights 31b and 32b and transmitted through the liquid crystal display panels 31a and 32a is provided. The light enters the half mirror 33 as display light. The liquid crystal display panels 31a and 32a are configured by sandwiching a liquid crystal cell between two polarizing plates. The half mirror 33 is a planar element, and both the transmittance and the reflectance are about 50%.

According to the above arrangement, by displaying different images on the first and second image display elements 31, 32, the player can see the two display images in a superimposed state. Therefore, various expressions that cannot be obtained with only a single image display element can be realized. For example, two images can be given a perspective, or one can be a television image and the other can be a roulette image and superimposed. When superimposing images, according to the method of the embodiment, the images can be superimposed more easily than by superimposing by image processing.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are explanatory views similar to FIG. 2 showing the display devices 30a and 30b which are modified examples of the first embodiment. In the example of FIG. 3, a curved half mirror 33a is arranged as an optical path combining element in the display device 30a.
The curved half mirror 33a has no power with respect to the display light from the first image display element 31 passing therethrough, but is reflected by the second image display element 32.
Has a positive power with respect to the display light from, and reflects the display light from the second image display element 32 to the player side while converging. In the example of FIG. 4, the first and second image display elements 3
First and second projection optical systems 34 and 35 for projecting display lights from the image display devices 1 and 32 to the player side are arranged in the optical path between each image display element and the half mirror 33 which is an optical path combining element. Have been.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a pachinko image display device 30c according to a second embodiment. A pachinko image display device 30c according to the second embodiment includes a liquid crystal display panel 31a and a backlight 31 similar to the device shown in FIG.
b, and a projection optical system 34 for projecting display light emitted from the first image display device 31, and a smaller liquid crystal display panel 36a.
And a backlight 36b, a second image display element 36, a folding mirror 35b, and a hologram combiner 37 as an optical path combining element.

The display light from the first image display element 31 is:
The light is transmitted through the first projection optical system 34 and the hologram combiner 37 and is projected to the player side, and the second image display element 32
Is transmitted through the second projection optical system 35a, reflected by the return mirror 35b and the hologram combiner 37, and projected to the player side. In the example of FIG. 5, the hologram combiner 37 is formed in a curved surface and has a positive power with respect to the reflected light.
The display light from 2 is projected by receiving a power obtained by combining the positive power of the second projection optical system 35a and the positive power of the hologram combiner 37.

When the half mirror 33 is used as the optical path combining means as in the first embodiment, the amount of display light from any of the image display elements 31 and 32 reaching the player is equal to the amount of light emission. It is less than half, and the light amount cannot be used effectively. The hologram combiner 37 used as an optical path combining element in the second embodiment reflects only light of a specific wavelength strongly by interference due to the wavelength selectivity of the Lippmann hologram. The second image display element 32 is configured to emit display light having a wavelength width corresponding to the selected wavelength of the hologram combiner 37, and thereby, it is possible to superimpose an image without greatly reducing the light amount.

FIG. 6 shows a pachinko image display device 30d according to a modification of the second embodiment. This example has the same configuration as the example of FIG. 5 except that a planar hologram combiner 37a is used.

When the hologram combiners 37 and 37a are used as optical path combining means as in the second embodiment,
To reduce the light quantity loss, the second image display element 32
Is limited, so that the colors that can be displayed are limited.
Therefore, on the second image display device 36 side, only information that can be displayed in a single color such as character information is displayed, and the color information is displayed by the first image display element 31.

Incidentally, the half mirror 33 of the first embodiment is used.
When a polarization beam splitter is used in place of, the display light can be superimposed without limiting the wavelength while avoiding the attenuation of the light amount. As described above, since the liquid crystal display panel is configured with the liquid crystal cell interposed between two polarizing plates, the emitted display light is linearly polarized light. Therefore,
The first image display element 31 is arranged so that light incident on the polarization beam splitter is P-polarized light, and the second image display element 32 is arranged such that light incident on the polarization beam splitter is S-polarized light. According to such an arrangement, almost all of the display light from the first image display element 31 passes through the polarizing beam splitter and is projected on the player side, and the display light from the second image display element 32 is almost Everything is reflected by the polarizing beam splitter and projected to the player side.

When the display light from the two image display elements is combined by the optical path combining means as in each of the above embodiments,
The first and second image display elements 31, 32 can be arranged so that the apparent distance from the player side is different.
In order to make the apparent distance different, as shown in FIG.
2 may be positioned so that the actual distances at which the image display elements 2 are arranged are different from each other. Alternatively, as shown in FIG.
2 are equalized, and each display element 31, 32
The positions of the image planes I1 and I2 may be made different by making the powers of the imaging optical systems 34a and 35c arranged between the eye E and the eye E different.

By making the apparent distance from the player to each image display element different, it is possible to give a sense of perspective to the image displayed by the superimposed display light. For example, in the case of FIG. 7A, since the apparent distance to the first image display element 31 is longer than the apparent distance to the second image display element 32, a distant view is displayed on the first image display element 31. By displaying the near view on the second image display element 32, it is possible to display a deep image. Further, the perspective can be changed by moving at least one of the image display elements or at least one of the imaging optical systems in the optical axis direction.

FIG. 8 shows a pachinko image display device 30e according to a third embodiment. The pachinko image display device 30e according to the third embodiment includes a first image display device 31 including a liquid crystal display panel 31a and a backlight 31b, as in the device illustrated in FIG. It has a half mirror 33, and includes a hologram plate 38 as a second image projection element and a light source 38b for emitting reference light. The hologram plate 38a stores three-dimensional information of a predetermined object, and the hologram image is three-dimensionally reproduced by illuminating the light source 38b with reference light. In the display device of FIG. 8, a two-dimensional image displayed by the first image display element 31 and a three-dimensional image reproduced by the hologram plate 38a serving as the second image display element can be superimposed. The player can observe them in a superimposed state.

FIG. 9 shows a pachinko image display device 30f according to a fourth embodiment. The pachinko image display device 30f according to the fourth embodiment includes first and second image display elements each including liquid crystal display panels 31a and 32a and backlights 31b and 32b, respectively, similarly to the device shown in FIG. A lenticular plate 39 is provided on the second image display element 32, having a half mirror 33 as an optical path combining element. Lenticular plate 39
As shown in FIG. 9B, a large number of minute cylindrical lenses are arranged side by side so that the generatrix is parallel.
The second image display element 32 is provided with a lenticular plate 39.
The image for the left eye and the image for the right eye are alternately displayed in a stripe shape in correspondence with each of the cylindrical lenses. Thereby, the player can display the second image display element 32
A three-dimensional image can be viewed by the display light from, and the image information from the first image display element 31 can be viewed superimposed on the three-dimensional image.

By using at least one image display element capable of displaying a stereoscopic image as in the apparatus shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the expressive power of the display device can be further enhanced. In a normal use state of the pachinko machine, since one player uses one pachinko machine, the position of the player with respect to the pachinko machine can be almost specified, so the pachinko machine is suitable for use in a stereoscopic display device. .

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, the display light from the two image display elements can be superimposed and displayed, so that the expressive power of the display device can be improved as compared with the prior art. Therefore, it is possible to provide a pachinko machine that has a high ability to attract customers by making it different from existing pachinko machines.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a pachinko machine provided with a display device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the pachinko display device shown in FIG. 1 in an enlarged manner.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a pachinko display device according to a modification of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a pachinko display device according to another modification of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a pachinko image display device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a pachinko display device according to a modification of the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a positional relationship between a position of an image display element and an eye of a player.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a pachinko image display device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a pachinko image display device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Pachinko machine 10 Game board 30, 30a-f Display device 31 First image display element 32, 36 Second image display element 33, 33a Half mirror 37, 37a Hologram combiner 38a Hologram plate 39 Lenticular plate

Claims (19)

[Claims] 1. A pachinko image display device for displaying variable image information on a game board of a pachinko machine, comprising: a first and a second image display device that can be independently controlled; and a first image display device. And the second display light is transmitted.
By reflecting the display light from the image display element of
An image display device for a pachinko machine, comprising: an optical path synthesizing means for synthesizing each of the display lights so that the displays of the two image display elements appear to overlap when viewed from the player side. 2. The pachinko image display device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second image display elements are arranged so as to have different apparent distances from a player. 3. The display device according to claim 1, wherein display light from at least one of the first and second image display elements is projected to a player via a projection optical system. 2. The image display device for pachinko according to claim 1. 4. The power of the projection optical system is set so that apparent distances from the player to the first and second image display elements are different from each other. 4. The image display device for pachinko according to 3. 5. The image display apparatus for a pachinko machine according to claim 1, wherein said optical path combining means is a half mirror. 6. The image display device for a pachinko machine according to claim 5, wherein the transmittance and the reflectance of the half mirror are both about 50%. 7. The image display device for a pachinko machine according to claim 5, wherein said half mirror is a planar element. 8. The image display device for a pachinko machine according to claim 5, wherein said half mirror is a curved element. 9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said optical path combining means is a hologram combiner, and wherein said second image display element emits display light having a wavelength width corresponding to a wavelength selected by said hologram combiner. The image display device for pachinko according to the above. 10. The pachinko image display device according to claim 9, wherein said hologram combiner is a planar element. 11. The image display device for a pachinko machine according to claim 9, wherein the hologram combiner is a curved element. 12. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein:
The pachinko image display device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising a liquid crystal display panel having a liquid crystal cell interposed between two polarizing plates. 13. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein:
A liquid crystal display panel having a liquid crystal cell interposed between two polarizing plates, wherein the optical path synthesizing means is a polarizing beam splitter, and wherein the first image display element is configured such that light incident on the optical path synthesizing means is P-polarized light. The second image display element is arranged such that light incident on the optical path combining means is S
The pachinko image display device according to claim 1, wherein the image display device is arranged so as to be polarized light. 14. The pachinko image display device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second image display elements is an element capable of stereoscopic display. 15. The pachinko image display apparatus according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the first and second image display elements is a lenticular type stereoscopic display element. 16. The pachinko image display device according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the first and second image display elements is a stereoscopic display element using a hologram. 17. A pachinko image display device for displaying variable image information on a game board of a pachinko machine, comprising an image display element capable of three-dimensional display. 18. The image display device according to claim 17, wherein the image display device is a lenticular type stereoscopic display device.
2. The image display device for pachinko according to claim 1. 19. The image display device for a pachinko machine according to claim 17, wherein the image display device is a stereoscopic display device using a hologram.