JPH07450U - Reel lighting device of slot machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] Illuminates the symbol at a specific stop position by changing the illumination range. [Structure] A stepping motor 28 is fixed to a side plate 22 screwed to a substrate of a reel unit via an L-shaped support plate 25. This stepping motor 2
The reel 3 is attached to the shaft 8 via a shaft 28a. The lighting unit 32 is provided on the upper side of the support plate 25.
Are arranged along the circumferential direction of the reel 3. When the symbol corresponding to the winning combination is stopped at the illumination position of the illumination unit 32, the illumination lamp 35 is turned on. At the time of this lighting, the motor 39 repeats normal rotation and reverse rotation at regular intervals, and raises or lowers the condenser lens 40 at regular intervals between the solid line position and the alternate long and short dash line position. As a result, the symbols on the symbol strip 31 are illuminated by changing the illumination range.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a reel illumination device of a slot machine that illuminates a symbol at a specific stop position by changing an illumination range.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 In the slot machine, when a medal is inserted into the medal insertion slot and the start lever is operated, a plurality of, for example, three reels behind the symbol display window are rotated. After that, when the stop button is operated to stop the rotation of the reel, three symbols arranged on the outer circumference of the reel at a constant pitch are displayed in the symbol display window, three symbols per reel. The symbol display window is provided with a total of five pay lines, three horizontal and two diagonal, which are activated according to the number of medals inserted, and the combination of symbols lined up on the activated winning lines. When becomes a winning combination, a predetermined number of medals for each winning combination are paid out to the medal tray.

For example, when one medal is inserted, only one horizontal medal is activated, but when two coins are inserted, three horizontal coins are inserted, and when three coins are inserted, three lines are inserted. , 3 horizontally and 2 diagonally, a total of 5, which increases according to the number of inserted medals. When the number of activated winning lines is large, it is difficult for the player to grasp at a glance the symbol combination of the winning combination when the reels are stopped. In order to solve this problem, in the symbol lighting device of the slot machine described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 61-151785, the lighting device is arranged inside the reel, and when the reel stops, a winning combination is played. The constituent symbols are illuminated so that the player can easily identify them.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, the symbol illumination device of the slot machine described above has a problem in that the symbols of the winning combination are simply illuminated and the brightness level is changed, so that the game cannot be excited. Further, since one symbol is illuminated by one illuminating tool in the symbol illuminating device, when the symbol illuminating device is arranged inside a reel having a shape as shown in FIG. There is a problem that the skeleton (side plate) shields or dims the light.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and enables the combination of winning symbols to be grasped at a glance, and also to enhance the interest of the player in the game. It is an object of the present invention to provide a reel lighting device for a slot machine.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a reel lighting device of a slot machine of the present invention, in which a symbol at a specific position is changed in illumination range from an inner peripheral side of a symbol strip on which symbols are printed at a constant pitch. It is provided with a lighting means for illuminating it. The illumination range can be changed by moving the lens in front of the lamp in the illumination optical path. Further, the illuminating means is composed of a plurality of illuminating units each including a lamp and a tubular body for controlling the illuminating range thereof, and the illuminating ranges of the respective illumination units are different from each other.

[0007]

【Example】

 In FIG. 5 showing the appearance of the slot machine embodying the present invention, the slot machine main body 2 displays a reel display window 6 for observing the first to third reels 3 to 5, and the number of dividend medals at the time of winning. A counter display window 7, a medal insertion slot 8 for inserting medals in a range of 1 to 3 are provided. Further, the reel display window 6 has five winning lines 9 (three horizontally and two diagonally), which are activated according to the number of inserted medals.

After the medal has been inserted, the start lever 10 can be operated, and when this is operated, the reel units described later rotate the reels 3 to 5 all at once. When each of the reels 3 to 5 reaches a predetermined rotation speed, the stop buttons 11 to 13 can be operated. When each of these stop buttons 11 to 13 is operated, the rotation of each reel 3 to 5 is stopped according to the operation timing.

When each of the reels 3 to 5 is stopped, the reel display window 6 displays symbols such as “7”, “BAR”, “cherry”, for example, three symbols for each reel, that is, nine symbols in total. When the combination of the symbols lined up on the activated pay line 9 is a prize, a well-known hopper device (not shown) is driven, and the number of medals corresponding to the winning combination is set in the medal tray 14. The game is over.

In FIG. 2 showing the reel unit 20 described above, three side plates 22 to 24 are fixed to the substrate 21 via screws. Stepping motors 28 to 30 are fixed to the side plates 22 to 24 via L-shaped supporting plates 25 to 27. The reels 3 to 5 are fixed to the shafts 28a to 30a of the stepping motors 28 to 30, respectively.

On the upper side of the support plates 25 to 27, an illumination unit that illuminates the symbol strip 31 by changing the illumination range between, for example, a wide range indicated by a chain line in the figure and a narrow range indicated by a chain line in the figure. 32-34 are provided. Since the reels 3 to 5 described above have the same configuration, they will be described below based on the illumination unit 32 shown in an enlarged manner in FIG.

The illumination unit 32 has a light-shielding tube 36 for accommodating an illumination lamp 35 therein, a lens barrel 37 screwed to the light-blocking barrel 36 via a helicoid, and a lens barrel 37 which is rotated via a gear 38. And a motor 39 that operates. The light blocking tube 36 and the lens barrel 37 are screwed together via a helicoid. A condenser lens 40 for irradiating the symbols of the symbol strip 31 with the illumination light of the illumination lamp 35 is attached to the upper part of the lens barrel 37, and a tooth row 41 meshing with the gear 38 is provided on the outer periphery. ing.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the reel. The reel 3 comprises a symbol strip 31 on the surface of which various symbols are printed at predetermined intervals, and a pair of frames 46 and 47 for holding the symbol strip 31 from both sides. The symbol strip 31 is made of a thin strip-shaped plastic sheet. The symbol strip 31 has an end portion fixed with an adhesive tape or the like to have an annular shape, and then a pair of frames 46 and 47 are fitted to each other. A side plate 48 is formed integrally with the frame 46, and the side plate 48 is fixed to the shaft 28 a of the stepping motor 28. In order to reduce the weight of the reel 3, a large number of openings 49 are formed in the side plate 48, and the frame 47 is formed in a hollow ring shape. It should be noted that, as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in the figure, the reel 3 is provided with three illumination units 32 along the circumferential direction.

FIG. 4 shows an electrical configuration of the slot machine. The microprocessor unit (MPU) 50 executes the game according to the sequence program stored in the program ROM 51. The medal sensor 52 detects the number of medals inserted from the medal insertion slot 8 and inputs it to the MPU 50, whereby the number of activated winning lines 9 is determined. The start signal generator 53 detects the operation of the start lever 10 and inputs a start signal to the MPU 50. The input of the start signal causes the MPU 50 to rotate the reels 3 to 5.

The rotation of the reels 3 to 5 is started by the MPU 50 supplying clock pulses to the drivers 54 to 56. Each of the drivers 54 to 56 receives the clock pulse from the MPU 50 and supplies a driving pulse to each of the stepping motors 28 to 30 corresponding to its frequency. Since the stepping motors 28 to 30 rotate by a constant angle each time the drive pulse is supplied, the rotation angle can be known by counting the number of drive pulses. Therefore, the drive pulses output from the drivers 54 to 56 are counted by the counters 57 to 59, which are provided correspondingly. The frequency of the clock pulse is determined by the value sampled by the sampling unit 60 when the start signal is input.

A reset pulse is input to the reset (R) terminals of the counters 57 to 59 each time the stepping motors 28 to 30 pass the origin position of rotation, and the count value is cleared to "0" each time. Therefore, the count values of the counters 57 to 59 are values corresponding to the rotation angle of the stepping motors 28 to 30 within one rotation. Further, since the arrangement order of the symbols of the reels 3 to 5 and the kind of the symbol appearing in the center of the symbol display window 6 when the stepping motors 28 to 30 just stop at the origin position are known in advance, the counter 57 From the count value of ~ 59, the MPU 50 can identify the symbols stopped on each pay line 9.

The stop signal generator 61 inputs a reel stop signal to the MPU 50 when each of the stop buttons 11 to 13 is pressed. Upon receiving these reel stop signals, the MPU 50 stops the rotation of each reel 3-5. For example, if the stop buttons 11 to 13 are pressed while the reels 3 to 5 are rotating, the supply of the clock pulse to the drivers 54 to 56 is cut off, which causes the driving pulses to the stepping motors 28 to 30. Will not be supplied and the rotation of the reels 3 to 5 will be stopped.

After the reels 3 to 5 stop rotating, the winning determination unit 62 determines whether or not the activated symbol combination on each winning line 9 corresponds to a winning. Output a signal. The types of symbols stopped on the pay line 9 can be identified in correspondence with the count values of the counters 57 to 59 as described above. The determination signal is output to the lamp control unit 63, the lens barrel control unit 64, and the medal payout device 65 via the MPU 50.

Nine illumination lamps 35 are connected to the lamp control unit 63, and when a determination signal is input, the illumination lamps 35 located at a specific position, for example, a position corresponding to a symbol constituting a winning combination are Light. Further, the lens barrel control unit 64 is connected to nine motors 39, and the polarity is inverted in a certain time width to the motor 39 at a position corresponding to the illumination lamp 35 which is lit by the lamp control unit 63 based on the determination signal. Output the drive pulse. As a result, the motor 39 alternately rotates in the forward direction and the reverse direction in response to the drive pulse, and the lens barrel 37 is repeatedly moved up and down between the solid line position and the alternate long and short dash line position shown in FIG. Thereby, the illumination units 32 to 34 change the illumination range of the illumination lamp 35. A well-known hopper device is connected to the medal payout device 65, and the medals of the number of payouts corresponding to the winning combination are paid out to the medal tray 14 according to the determination signal.

The operation of the slot machine embodying the present invention will be described below. For example, when three medals are inserted into the medal insertion slot 8, all five pay lines 9 are activated. When the start lever 10 is operated, the MPU 50 supplies a clock pulse to the drivers 54 to 56 to rotate the stepping motors 28 to 30, respectively. After that, when the stop buttons 11 to 13 are pressed at an arbitrary timing, a reel stop signal is output from the stop signal generator 61, and the rotation of the reels 3 to 5 is stopped in the order of pressing the stop buttons 11 to 13. . At this time, a combination of symbols corresponding to the winning combination, for example, "cherry"-"cherry"-"-" is displayed on the winning line 9.

When the rotation of the reels 3 to 5 is stopped, the respective count values are output from the counters 57 to 59 to the winning determination section 62 via the MPU 50. The winning determination section 62 identifies all the symbols on all the winning lines 9 based on each count value, and determines the winning of the combination of the symbols on each winning line 9. At this time, since there is a combination of winning symbol combinations, "cherry"-"cherry"-"-", on the winning line 9, the winning determination unit 62 sends a determination signal corresponding to the winning combination to the lamp through the MPU 50. It outputs to the control unit 63, the lens barrel control unit 64, and the medal payout unit 65.

The lamp control unit 63, to which the determination signal is input, turns on the respective illumination lamps 35 at positions corresponding to the “cherry” symbol. Further, the lens barrel control unit 64 to which the determination signal is input outputs a drive pulse whose polarity is reversed in a certain time width to each motor 39 at a position corresponding to the symbol “cherry”. Each motor 39 alternately repeats forward rotation and reverse rotation at regular intervals, and causes the lens barrel 37 to repeatedly move up and down between the solid line position and the alternate long and short dash line position shown in FIG. As a result, the illuminated range of each of the illuminated lighting lamps 35 is widened like a great circle indicated by reference numeral 31a in FIG. 3 or narrowed like a small circle indicated by reference numeral 31b. Thereby, the "cherry" symbol is newly illuminated by the illumination units 32 and 33. Therefore, the player can easily identify the combination of symbols corresponding to the winning combination.

Based on the determination signal, the medal payout device 65 drives the hopper device to pay out the medals of the payout number corresponding to the winning combination to the medal receiving tray 14. When the payout of medals is completed, one slot machine game ends. When the combination of symbols on the pay line 9 does not correspond to a winning combination, one game of the slot machine ends when the determination signal corresponding to the loss is output to the MPU 50. When one game is over, medals can be inserted and the next game is ready. In this embodiment, the condenser lens 40 is moved back and forth on the illumination optical axis so as to form concentric circles with different illumination ranges. However, the condenser lens 40 may be intersected with the illumination optical axis. It is also possible to move and illuminate different areas with the same concentric circles.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the present invention in which one symbol is illuminated by a pair of illumination units having different illumination ranges. On the upper side of the support plate 25, a pair of large and small illumination units 70 and 71 having different diameters are tilted and fixed so that the centers of the illumination ranges intersect at the symbol strip 31. Three pairs of these lighting units 70 and 71 are attached along the circumferential direction of the reel. In a three reel slot machine, a total of nine pairs of lighting units 70 and 71 are arranged. . It should be noted that the illumination units 70 and 71 both have the same configuration and are composed of a light-shielding tube 75 and an illumination lamp 76 attached to the bottom surface of the light-shielding tube 75 as shown in FIG. When a condenser lens is attached to the upper part of the light shielding tube 75, the shape of the illumination units 70 and 71 can be made smaller.

The operation of the embodiment configured as described above will be described. In this embodiment, when the reels 3 to 5 are stopped and the symbols illuminated by the pair of illumination units 70 and 71 are a combination corresponding to a winning combination, the illumination units 70 and 71 are alternately switched. Drive and illuminate the same symbol. This allows the same symbol to be illuminated alternately in different illumination ranges. Further, the lighting unit 70 can be driven and the lighting unit 71 can be driven intermittently. Since the lighting units 70 and 71 have a simple structure, the cost of the slot machine using the lighting units can be reduced.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, when a reel having a structure in which the side plate 48 is largely inserted within the outline of the reel is illuminated by, for example, one illumination unit 70, the symbol strip 31 is used. The side plate 48 may be shaded and the symbols may not be uniformly illuminated. By the way, as described above, one symbol is arranged as a pair of illumination units 70 and 71, and the illumination light of the illumination unit 71 is applied from the opening 49 to the shaded portion formed into the symbol strip 31. When set to, the symbol can be uniformly illuminated.

[0027]

[Effect of device]

 As described above, in the reel illuminating device of the slot machine of the present invention, the illuminating means for illuminating the symbol at the specific position by changing the illumination range from the inner peripheral side of the symbol strip on which the symbols are printed at a constant pitch. Since the symbol is provided, the symbol can be newly illuminated and the player's interest in the game can be heightened. If the symbols to be illuminated are limited to the winning combination, the player can easily identify the symbol combination corresponding to the winning combination.

Further, the variable illumination range can be realized by a single illumination means by moving the lens arranged on the front surface of the lamp in the illumination optical path. Furthermore, the illuminating means is composed of a plurality of illuminating units having a simple structure consisting of a lamp and a cylindrical body that regulates the illuminating range of the lamp, and the illuminating ranges of the respective illuminating units are different from each other. The manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of a reel unit.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a reel unit.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a reel.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an electrical configuration of a slot machine.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a slot machine using the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of another reel lighting device.

7 is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of a lighting unit used in the reel lighting device shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of another reel lighting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 to 5 reels 6 symbol display window 31 symbol strips 31 to 33, 70, 71 illumination unit 35 illumination lamp 36 light shielding tube 37 lens barrel 40 condensing lens

Claims (3)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A plurality of reels which are rotated behind a symbol display window, and a symbol strip which is annularly held on the outer periphery of these reels and in which symbols are arranged at a constant pitch.
A reel illumination of a slot machine, comprising: an illumination unit provided for each reel and illuminating a symbol stopped at a specific position behind the symbol display window while changing the illumination range from the inner peripheral side of the symbol strip. apparatus. 2. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein the illuminating means comprises a lamp and a lens that is moved in an illumination optical path when the lamp is turned on, and the illumination range is changed by moving the lens. Reel lighting equipment. 3. The illuminating means comprises a plurality of illuminating units having different illuminating ranges from each other, and each illuminating unit is composed of a lamp and a cylindrical body for regulating the illuminating range. A reel lighting device of the slot machine described.