JP2009165804A - Gaming machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a gaming machine having a glass casing, a display for displaying an effect image of the game executed by the device, and a game player's operation. A gaming machine comprising: an operation panel provided with a button for outputting a command to the device; a main door provided with the display and the operation panel; and a box for storing the device and supporting the main door. And at least the main door is made of a glass material.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine and its housing.

  For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a conventional gaming machine is provided in front of a housing when a player inserts a game medium such as a coin or a bill into a slot of the gaming machine and presses a start button. A plurality of symbols are variably displayed on the displayed display, and then each symbol is automatically stopped. Regardless of the gaming machine disclosed in Patent Document 1, the housing of the conventional gaming machine is formed of resin or sheet metal.

US Pat. No. 7,128,650

  By the way, when the housing is formed of resin or sheet metal, the design is limited, and any gaming machine looks the same. Therefore, many gaming machine manufacturers are making efforts to produce games with images, sound effects, lighting lamps, etc., in order to make a difference with other manufacturers. However, there is a problem that it is difficult to make a difference from other manufacturers because the material of the casing that is the base of the design is formed of the same resin or sheet metal. Furthermore, since resin or sheet metal is vulnerable to heat and scratches, it deteriorates quickly. For this reason, there is a problem that repair costs or replacement costs are required.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a gaming machine having a glass casing.

Means and effects for solving the problems

  The gaming machine according to the present invention relates to a gaming machine such as a pachislot machine or a pachinko machine that uses a game medium to play a game. The gaming machine according to the present invention has the following features to achieve the above object. That is, the gaming machine of the present invention has the following features alone or in combination as appropriate.

  In order to achieve the above object, a gaming machine according to the present invention is a gaming machine having the following configuration, and includes a device that executes a game, a display that displays an effect image of the game executed by the device, and a player's operation. An operation panel having buttons for outputting commands related to the game to the device, a main door provided with a display and an operation panel, and a box for storing the device and supporting the main door are provided, at least the main door is made of glass. It is formed of a material.

  According to said structure, it is a gaming machine with which a player can play a game, and the main door of a gaming machine is formed with the glass material. In addition, the transparency of the glass material forming the main door makes it easier for light to pass therethrough, which may make the inside of the amusement hall feel wider. And from the heat resistance of a glass material, it can make it hard to receive the influence of the temperature change by the temperature rise in summer, for example, and the sudden cooling in winter. Further, because of the abrasion resistance of the glass material, for example, it is possible to make it hard to be damaged by metal objects such as coins and mobile phones that are often used by players. Furthermore, due to the chemical resistance of the glass material, for example, discoloration due to perfume and cosmetics by a female player can be prevented. As a result, the gaming machine can be prevented from aging and can be used beautifully for a long time.

  Further, the gaming machine according to the present invention has an attachment hole for attaching a button to the main door, the operation panel is an upper surface, the attachment hole is a lower surface, and the operation panel and the attachment hole are kept parallel to each other. May be in contact with each other.

  According to the above configuration, the operation panel of the gaming machine and the mounting hole of the main door are in contact with each other at the periphery. Furthermore, since the main door is made of glass, there is no deformation due to heat or scratches. Therefore, since there is no gap between the operation panel and the main door, for example, dust or drinking water spilled by the player does not enter. As a result, it is possible to improve the cleaning property of the gaming machine and prevent aging.

  In the gaming machine according to the present invention, an illumination lamp may be attached inside the main door.

  According to said structure, since a main door is a glass material, a game can be produced by the lighting effect from the inside of a main door. As a result, the entire gaming machine can be seen to emit light to the player, and there are cases where the game can be made more enjoyable.

  In the gaming machine according to the present invention, the glass material may be light control glass, and a mirror may be provided on the lower surface of the light control glass.

  According to said structure, the glass raw material which forms a main door is light control glass, and can switch transparent / opaque. Furthermore, since the mirror is provided on the lower surface of the light control glass, the mirror can be taken out at a timing desired by the player. As a result, the player can see the mirror while playing the game, and there are cases where the trouble of interrupting the game to see the mirror can be eliminated.

  In the gaming machine according to the present invention, the glass material may be phosphorescent glass.

  According to said structure, the glass raw material which forms a main door is phosphorescent glass, and can store light with the illumination etc. in a shop in the daytime. Furthermore, it can shine brightly even at night by releasing the light stored in the daytime at night. As a result, the interior of the store can be brightened at night without using electricity.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

(Embodiment 1)
Embodiment 1 of a gaming machine and a housing thereof according to the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, a slot machine is used as an example of a gaming machine, but the present invention is not limited to this.

(Mechanical configuration of slot machine 10)
The machine configuration of the slot machine 10 will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a state of the gaming machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The slot machine 10 installed in the game facility executes a unit game by using a game medium. The game medium is a coin, a bill, or electronic valuable information corresponding to these. Note that the game medium in the present invention is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a medal, a token, electronic money, or a ticket. The ticket is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a ticket with a barcode described later.

  The slot machine 10 includes a cabinet 11, a top box 12 installed on the upper side of the cabinet 11, and a main door 13 provided on the front surface of the cabinet 11.

 The main door 13 is integrally formed of light control glass, and can be switched between transparent and opaque by switching ON / OFF of voltage application to the light control glass. In addition, since light is not blocked by the transparency of the glass material, it is possible to produce an effect that makes the inside of the amusement hall feel wide. Therefore, there is no feeling of pressure like a game hall where a plurality of gaming machines such as conventional resin or sheet metal gather. It is also resistant to temperature changes due to the heat resistance of glass materials. For this reason, for example, it is resistant to temperature rise due to sunlight in summer and room temperature change due to cooling of the cooler. In addition, it is resistant to sudden cooling in winter and changes in room temperature due to the heating of air conditioners. Furthermore, it is resistant to scratches due to the wear resistance of glass materials, and is also resistant to chemicals such as perfume and cosmetics used by female players due to its chemical resistance. In addition, glass materials are used in many scenes such as glass, interior furniture, sculptures, and buildings, and can produce a profound and luxurious feeling. Due to the characteristics of the glass material described above, it is possible to prevent aging and to use it beautifully over a long period of time compared to conventional gaming machines such as resin or sheet metal.

  In the first embodiment, the glass material of the main door 13 will be described using a light control glass. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the glass material has transparency, heat resistance, wear resistance, and resistance. Any glass having chemical properties may be used.

  The main door 13 includes a mirror unit 204, an operation unit 20, and an effect unit 34.

  The mirror part 204 is located in the upper part of the main door 13, and a mirror is provided on the back side of the mirror part 204 (inside the slot machine 10). This mirror is attached so that the player can use it as a cosmetic mirror, for example. Thereby, when the light control glass is opaque, the mirror is projected to the mirror part 204, whereas when the light control glass is transparent, the mirror disappears.

  The operation unit 20 is located in the middle part of the main door 13, and is provided with an operation panel 203, a maximum BET button 27, a coin receiving port 21, a bill validator 22, and a mirror button 200.

  The operation panel 203 is provided on the front side of the operation unit 20 (outside the slot machine 10). The operation panel 203 includes a spin button 23, a change button 24, a cashout button 25, and a 1-BET button 26. Note that these buttons 23 to 26 allow an instruction related to the game progress by the player to be input. The spin button 23 is a button for inputting an instruction to start symbol scrolling. The change button 24 is a button used when requesting exchange of money from a game facility staff. The cashout button 25 is a button for inputting an instruction to pay out coins corresponding to the total number of credits from the coin payout exit 19 to the coin tray 18. The 1-BET button 26 is a button for inputting an instruction to bet one coin on the game out of coins corresponding to the total number of credits.

  The maximum BET button 27 is a button for inputting an instruction to bet the maximum number of coins (for example, 50) that can be bet on one game out of coins corresponding to the total credit amount. The coin receiving port 21 allows coins to be received in the cabinet 11. The banknote discriminator 22 recognizes whether or not the banknote is a regular one and accepts the regular banknote into the cabinet 11. Note that the bill validator 22 can read a ticket 39 with a barcode, which will be described later. When the bill validator 22 reads the barcode-added ticket 39, the bill validator 22 outputs a read signal relating to the read content to the main CPU 41 described later.

  The mirror button 200 is a button for switching between transparent / opaque of the light control glass forming the main door 13. By depressing the mirror button 200, a command for switching ON / OFF of voltage application to the light control glass is output to the main CPU 41 described later. Thereby, it becomes possible to switch between transparency / opacity of the light control glass, and a mirror can be put on and off from the mirror part 204.

  The production unit 34 is provided on the lower front surface of the main door 13, that is, below the operation unit 20. A plurality of illumination lamps 202 are attached to the rear side of the rendering unit 34 (inside the slot machine 10). Thereby, since the production | presentation part 34 is formed with the light control glass, the game production by a lighting effect can be performed from the inside of the slot machine 10 using the transparency. Thus, the entire slot machine 10 can appear to the player as if it were a mirror ball, and there are cases where the game can be made more enjoyable than conventional gaming machines such as resin or sheet metal. Also, a sticker 201 on which, for example, a game character is drawn is pasted on the back side of the rendering unit 34. As a result, the player sees a picture of a character or the like through the light control glass, and does not fall off due to mischief or cleaning.

  In addition, in this Embodiment 1, although the illumination lamp is attached to the back side of the production | presentation part 34, it is not limited to this, For example, the side surface of the main door 13 may be sufficient. In other words, any place may be used as long as the player can play the game by the lighting effect from the inside of the slot machine 10 by using the transparency of the glass material forming the main door 13.

  A lower image display panel 16 is provided below the mirror part 204 of the main door 13. The lower image display panel 16 includes a transparent liquid crystal panel that displays various types of information. The lower image display panel 16 displays video reels and various information related to games, effect images, and the like. That is, the lower image display panel 16 displays 5 columns and 3 rows of display windows 151 to 155, a scatter object symbol display unit 163, and a scatter symbol display unit 171 and displays other effect images as necessary. indicate. In the first embodiment, the case where symbols in 5 columns and 3 rows are displayed using the lower image display panel 16 is described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The symbols may be displayed through the display windows 151 to 155 by rotating and stopping the mechanical reel.

  On the lower image display panel 16, one activated payline L is displayed. The payline L is set so as to cross the middle of the display windows 151 to 155 horizontally. In the first embodiment, the payline L crosses the middle stage of the display windows 151 to 155, but may cross other stages of the display windows 151 to 155. For example, the payline L may cross the upper stage or the lower stage of the display windows 151-155. Further, the payline L may cross the lower stage of the display window 151, the middle stage of the display window 152, and the upper stage of the display window 153. Further, there may be two or more paylines L. When there are two or more paylines L, all of the paylines L may be activated, or the number of paylines L according to a predetermined condition such as the number of coins bet may be activated.

  The lower image display panel 16 may display a credit amount display portion 161 and a payout amount display portion 162. The credit amount display section displays the total number of sheets that can be paid out to the player by the slot machine 10 (hereinafter also referred to as the total credit amount). The payout number display unit displays the number of coins to be paid out when a combination of symbols stopped on the payline is a winning combination described later.

  Here, the winning combination is a combination in which a combination of symbols stopped on the payline L is advantageous to the player. The advantageous state includes a state in which coins corresponding to the winning combination are paid out, a state in which the number of coins to be paid out is added to credits, a state in which a bonus game is started, and the like.

  An upper image display panel 33 is provided on the front surface of the top box 12. The upper image display panel 33 includes a liquid crystal panel and displays, for example, an effect image, an introduction of game content, and an image representing a game rule.

  The top box 12 is provided with a speaker 29 and a lamp 30 for outputting sound. Below the upper image display panel 33, a ticket printer 35, a card reader 36, a data display 37, and a keypad 38 are provided. The ticket printer 35 prints on a ticket a bar code in which data such as the number of credits, date and time, and an identification number of the slot machine 10 is encoded, and outputs it as a ticket 39 with a bar code. The player can play a game with another gaming machine using the barcode-added ticket 39, or exchange the barcode-added ticket 39 with bills or the like using a cashier of a gaming facility.

  The card reader 36 reads data from a smart card and writes data to the smart card. The smart card is a card possessed by the player, and stores, for example, data for identifying the player and data relating to a history of games played by the player.

  The data display 37 includes a fluorescent display or the like, and displays, for example, data read by the card reader 36 or data input by the player through the keypad 38. The keypad 38 inputs instructions and data related to ticket issuance and the like.

(Glass forming method of main door 13)
A method of forming the main door 13 with glass will be described. FIG. 2 is a view showing a surface mold 300 that forms the surface of the main door 13 (outside the slot machine 10) among the molds used when the main door 13 is formed of a glass material. As shown in FIG. 2, the front surface mold 300 has the same shape as the surface of the main door 13, and is joined to the operation section mold 303, the rendering section mold 304, and the lower image display panel section mold 302. Part 301.

  The operation unit mold 303 has a role of forming the operation unit 20 of the main door 13. The effect part type 304 has a role of forming the effect part 34 of the main door 13. The lower image display panel part mold 302 has a role of forming a portion in which the lower image display panel 16 of the main door 13 is accommodated. The joint portion 301 is a portion that joins to the other back mold (not shown) that forms the back surface of the main door 13. Furthermore, the joint part 301 has an opening part 305 into which a glass seed serving as a glass element can be inserted from above when the front face mold 300 and the back face mold are joined.

  Next, the procedure of “mold blowing”, which is one of the techniques for forming the main door 13, using the mold described above will be described. First, as a first procedure, the front surface mold 300 and a back surface mold (not shown) are joined. In the second procedure, the bonded mold is heated to a high temperature. A 3rd procedure inserts the glass seed | species melt | dissolved by high temperature separately from the opening part of the metal mold | die heated by the 2nd procedure. The fourth procedure is to blow air into a glass seed using a blower and inflate like a balloon. As a result, the glass type that was small at the time of insertion becomes larger by being inflated, and finally expands to the point where it comes into contact with the mold and stops where it takes the shape of the mold. And the prototype of the main door 13 is made by cooling the glass formed in the shape of a metal mold | die. Finally, in the fifth procedure, the joined molds are separated into two parts, and the resulting mold is finished by cutting off the excess part of the original mold of the main door 13.

  In addition, the manufacturing method of the main door 13 by the glass raw material demonstrated above is not limited to this. For example, in this embodiment, a technique called “moulding” is used, but even if a technique called “moulding” is used, in which molten glass is poured into a mold and the other mold is pressed. good. In the present embodiment, a mold is used as the mold, but a wooden mold, for example, may be used. Furthermore, any method may be used as long as the embodiment of the present invention is formed by other manufacturing methods.

(Junction between the operation panel 203 and the main door 13)
Next, a portion where the operation panel 203 is joined to the operation unit 20 of the main door 13 will be described. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion where the operation panel 203 and the operation unit 20 are joined. A plurality of buttons 23 to 26 are arranged on the upper surface of the operation panel 203. The operation unit 20 of the main door 13 has a mounting hole 205. The attachment hole 205 has a role of a space for connecting a plurality of buttons 23 to 26 and a door PCB 80 in the slot machine 10 to be described later by wire. Thus, when the plurality of buttons 23 to 26 are pressed by the player, a command related to the game is output to the door PCB 80 as an electrical signal.

  FIG. 3 also shows an enlarged sectional view of a portion where the operation panel 203 and the operation unit 20 are joined. As a result, the operation panel 203 and the operation unit 20 are joined at the periphery by the adhesive material 206, and the operation panel 203 is the upper surface and the operation unit 20 is the lower surface. Are joined together. As a result, the operation panel 203 and the operation unit 20 are in contact with each other at the periphery.

  FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion where the operation panel 203 and the operation unit 20 of a conventional gaming machine such as resin or sheet metal are joined. The enlarged view of the upper part shows that the operation unit 20 is deformed due to a rapid temperature change or the like, and a gap 208 is formed between the operation panel 203 and the operation unit 20. Further, the enlarged view at the bottom shows that a gap 208 is formed between the operation panel 203 and the operation unit 20 due to scratches or cracks. Since the conventional gaming machine is formed of resin or sheet metal, a gap due to such deformation, scratches or cracks due to temperature changes is likely to be formed. The dust 207 entering the gap 208 is unsanitary and may cause a failure of the gaming machine.

  On the other hand, the slot machine 10 according to the present invention is not deformed by heat or scratches due to the heat resistance and wear resistance of the glass material of the main door, and the operation panel 203 and the operation unit 20 are sealed around each other. And keep touching. Therefore, since there is no gap between the operation panel and the main door, for example, dust or water does not enter. As a result, it is possible to improve the cleaning property of the gaming machine and prevent aging.

(Configuration of the mirror unit 204)
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the mirror part 204 when the light control glass is opaque. The left side of the figure is the back side of the mirror part 204 (inside the slot machine 10), and the right side of the figure is the front side of the mirror part 204 (outside of the slot machine 10). The mirror unit 204 is provided with a single mirror 209 and two dimming glasses 210 in parallel. The two light control glasses 210 have a structure in which a transparent conductive film 211 is applied to the surfaces facing each other, and a polymer layer in which liquid crystal molecules 212 are sealed is sandwiched. The liquid crystal molecules 212 have a property of being aligned in the applied direction when a voltage is applied, and light is allowed to pass through in the aligned state. A voltage is supplied from the power supply unit 45 to the two transparent conductive films 211 via a main CPU 41, which will be described later, and the two transparent conductive films 211 are turned on when the dimming switch 213 is turned on. A predetermined voltage is applied between the conductive films 211. The dimming switch 213 is interlocked with the mirror button 200 provided on the operation unit 20, and the dimming switch 213 is switched ON / OFF when the mirror button 200 is pressed.

  Further, in FIG. 5, the dimming switch 213 is in an OFF state, but at this time, the liquid crystal molecules 212 are in an unaligned state. In this state, for example, when illumination light or solar light is incident, the incident light 214 is scattered by the liquid crystal molecules 212 in random directions. That is, in a state where no voltage is applied to the transparent conductive film 211, the light control glass 210 is in an opaque state, and the mirror part 204 is in a cloudy state so that no image is taken.

  In FIG. 6, the dimming switch 213 is in an ON state. At this time, the liquid crystal molecules 212 are aligned in the direction in which a voltage is applied. When light is incident in this state, the incident light 214 goes straight to the mirror 209 without being scattered by the liquid crystal molecules 212. In other words, when the voltage is applied to the transparent conductive film 211, the light control glass 210 is in a transparent state, and an image can be projected on the mirror unit 204, and can be used as a mirror by the player.

(How to play slot machines)
In the slot machine 10 having the machine configuration described above, a playing method will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the slot machine 10 determines by randomly selecting a scatter target symbol 181 from among a plurality of symbols 180, rearranging the symbols 180 on the display, When a payout determined by the combination of the rearranged symbols 180 is awarded, and when a predetermined number or more of the scatter target symbols 181 are rearranged, the scatter target symbols 181 are set as the scatter symbols 182, and the scatter symbols 182 The content of the payout determined on the basis of the information is notified, and a playing method including a step of giving a payout is executed.

  Further, the slot machine 10 provides a display area (scatter object symbol display unit 163) in a portion different from the arrangement area (display windows 151 to 155) where the symbols 180 are arranged, and displays the scatter object symbol 181 in the display area. And a step of notifying that the scatter target symbols 181 have been set as the scatter symbols 182 when a predetermined number or more of the scatter target symbols 181 are rearranged.

  Here, “arrangement” means that the symbol 180 including the scatter symbol 182 can be visually confirmed with respect to an external player. That is, the symbol 180 is displayed in the display windows 151-155. In addition, after canceling the arrangement of the symbol 180, arranging it again is referred to as “rearrangement”. “Pay line L” is used to determine the combination of the symbols 180. That is, when the symbols 180 are rearranged on the payline L and outside the payline L, the combination is determined only for the symbols 180 rearranged on the payline. If the winning combination is established as a result of the determination of the combination, processing such as paying out coins based on the winning combination is performed.

  In addition, the “scatter symbol 182” is a symbol that uses only the arrangement as a condition for establishing a prize regardless of the payline L. In other words, a prize is established when the scatter symbols 182 are rearranged, and coins are paid out according to the number of all the scatter symbols 182 rearranged on and outside the payline L. The “scatter target symbol 181” is a symbol that functions as a scatter symbol on condition that a predetermined number or more are rearranged. For example, in the case where the scatter target symbol is “bell” and the number of rearrangements (setting threshold) is set to “3”, if three or more “bells” are rearranged, the scatter It functions as a symbol, and functions as a normal symbol if less than 3 “bells” are rearranged. The “symbol 180” is all symbols used in the slot machine 10 and includes a scatter symbol 182 and a scatter target symbol 181. Specific contents of the payline L, the symbol 180, the scatter symbol 182 and the like will be described later.

(Display unit 101)
As shown in FIG. 8, the slot machine 10 that executes the above playing method has a display unit 101 (display) displayed on the lower image display panel 16 and a game controller 100. The display unit 101 has a payline L and is configured to arrange a plurality of symbols 180 including a scatter symbol 182. The display unit 101 is configured to provide a scatter object symbol display unit 163 (display region 101b) in a portion different from the display windows 151 to 155 (arrangement region 101a) in which the symbols 180 are arranged.

  The display unit 101 may be mechanically configured with a reel device that arranges the symbols 180 by rotating the reels, or may have an electrical configuration in which the symbols 180 are arranged by video reels that display images. . Further, the display unit 101 may be configured by combining a mechanical configuration (reel) and an electrical configuration (video reel). Examples of the electrical configuration include a liquid crystal display device, a CRT (cathode-ray tube) device, and a plasma display device. A specific configuration of the display unit 101 will be described later.

(Game controller 100)
As shown in FIG. 8, the game controller 100 has a first process that is determined by randomly selecting a scatter target symbol 181 from among a plurality of symbols 180, a second process that rearranges the symbols 180 on the display, A third process for giving a payout determined by a combination of symbols 180 rearranged on the payline L, and when a predetermined number or more of scatter target symbols 181 are rearranged, the scatter target symbols 181 are used as scatter symbols 182. A fourth process for setting and notifying the content of the payout determined based on the scatter symbol 182 and giving a payout is executed. In other words, the game controller 100 includes a first processing unit, a second processing unit, a third processing unit, and a fourth processing unit.

  Further, the game controller 100 provides a display area 101b (scatter target symbol display unit 163) in a portion different from the arrangement area 101a (display windows 151 to 155) where the symbols 180 are arranged, and the scatter target symbol 181 is displayed in the display area 101b. A fifth process to be displayed and a sixth process for notifying that the scatter object symbol 181 has been set as the scatter symbol 182 when a predetermined number or more of the scatter object symbols 181 are rearranged are configured to be executed. . In other words, the game controller 100 has a fifth processing unit and a sixth processing unit in addition to the first to fourth processing units described above.

  The game controller 100 includes a scatter target symbol storage unit 105 that stores the scatter target symbol 181, a scatter symbol storage unit 106 that stores the scatter symbol 182, and a symbol storage unit 108 that stores all symbols including the scatter symbol 182. And a display symbol storage unit 107 that stores symbols in the storage units 105, 106, and 108 as display symbols. The display symbol storage unit 107 is accessible by the display control unit 102. The display control unit 102 sets an arrangement area 101 a for arranging a plurality of symbols 180 and a display area 101 b for displaying a scatter target symbol 181 in different parts of the display unit 101. Further, the display control unit 102 reads the symbols 180 of the display symbol storage unit 107 based on the control of the game execution unit 110, displays a plurality of symbols 180 in the arrangement area 101a, and displays the scatter target symbols 181 in the display area 101b. indicate. A specific display state will be described later.

  The game controller 100 is connected to the game start unit 109. The game start unit 109 has a function of outputting a game start signal by the operation of the player. The game controller 100 is determined by a combination of a game execution unit 110 that executes a unit game for rearranging symbols with a game start signal from the game start unit 109 and a symbol rearranged on the payline in the unit game. A combination payout determination unit 111 for determining a payout to be determined, a scatter symbol payout determination unit 112 for determining a payout determined based on a scatter symbol rearranged on and off the payline, a combination payout determination unit 111, and a scatter symbol A dividend awarding unit 113 that awards each award determined by the award determining unit 112.

  Furthermore, the game controller 100 has a symbol determination unit 104 that operates in response to an input of a game start signal from the game start unit 109. The symbol determination unit 104 determines by randomly selecting a scatter target symbol 181 from a plurality of symbols 180. The symbol determination unit 104 outputs the scatter target symbol 181 to the rearrangement number determination unit 114 and the scatter target symbol storage unit 105. The rearrangement number determination unit 114 sets the scatter target symbols 181 as the scatter symbols 182 when a predetermined number or more of the scatter target symbols 181 are rearranged. That is, the rearrangement number determination unit 114 sets the scatter symbol 182 by transferring the scatter object symbol 181 stored in the scatter object symbol storage unit 105 to the scatter symbol storage unit 106.

  Furthermore, the game controller 100 includes an information output unit 116 and a game information storage unit 117 connected to the information output unit 116. The game information storage unit 117 includes background sound data of a sound signal serving as a background sound of a game, functional sound data of a sound signal serving as a function sound expressing a game operation state related to a player's action, background sound, It stores sample sound data of a sound signal that becomes a sample sound having functional sounds. Furthermore, in addition to the above information, the game information storage unit 117 stores character data associated with the scatter symbol 182, payout amount data, explanation data, and the like.

  The information output unit 116 can read data stored in the game information storage unit 117 and output the data as a sound signal to the volume level changing unit 252. The volume level changing unit 252 can switch the volume level at which the background sound signal is changed by a switching signal. As a result, the information output unit 116 reads various data from the game information storage unit 117 and outputs the data to the volume level changing unit 252, thereby obtaining the background sound and the functional sound of the volume level selected based on the switching signal. The superimposed sound is output from the volume amplifier 253 and the speaker 29.

  Each block of the game controller 100 may be formed by hardware, or may be formed by software as necessary.

(Operation of the game controller 100)
In the above configuration, the operation of the game controller 100 will be described. When a game start signal is output from the game start unit 109 by a player's operation, the symbol determination unit 104 starts processing, and the game execution unit 110 starts a unit game, whereby the rearrangement of the symbols 180 is started. (Second process). The symbol determination unit 104 performs determination by randomly selecting the scatter target symbol 181 from the plurality of symbols 180 stored in the symbol storage unit 108 (first process). Then, the determined scatter target symbol 181 is stored in the scatter target symbol storage unit 105 and used for the determination process in the rearrangement number determination unit 114.

  The scatter object symbol 181 stored in the scatter object symbol storage unit 105 is output to the display symbol storage unit 107 and then used for image processing in the display control unit 102 to be displayed in the display area 101 b of the display unit 101. Is done. That is, the game controller 100 executes the fifth process of providing the display area 101b in a portion different from the arrangement area 101a where the symbols 180 are arranged, and displaying the scatter object symbol 181 in the display area 101b. Accordingly, the player can easily recognize that the scatter object symbol 181 is displayed because the scatter object symbol 181 is displayed in the display area 101b in a state separated from the arrangement area 101a.

  Further, when the symbols 180 are rearranged by the execution of the unit game, the rearrangement number determination unit 114 identifies the scatter target symbols 181 from the rearranged symbols 180 and determines the rearrangement number of the scatter target symbols 181. Ask. When a predetermined number or more of the scatter target symbols 181 are rearranged, the scatter target symbols 181 are set as the scatter symbols 182. That is, the scatter object symbol 181 stored in the scatter object symbol storage unit 105 is transferred to the scatter symbol storage unit 106. As a result, the scatter target symbol 181 functions as the scatter symbol 182.

  When the scatter symbol 182 is set, the information output unit 116 reads character data, payout number data, and explanation data associated with the scatter symbol 182 from the game information storage unit 117. These data are output to the display control unit 102. Then, the contents of the payout determined based on the scatter symbols 182 rearranged on the payline L and outside the payline L are notified, and a payout is awarded (fourth process). Further, the above data is output to the volume level changing unit 252 and output as sound from the speaker 29.

(Display state)
An example of the display state of the display unit 101 in the operation process of the slot machine 10 will be specifically described. The display state will be described based on a configuration in which the display unit 101 arranges symbols by the video reel method as shown in FIG.

  The display unit 101 includes display windows 151 to 155 as an arrangement area for arranging a plurality of symbols. The display windows 151 to 155 are arranged at the center of the display unit 101. In the display windows 151 to 155, a symbol row composed of a plurality of symbols 180 is scroll-displayed. Each display window 151-155 is divided into an upper stage 151a, a middle stage 151b, and a lower stage 151c. The symbols 180 are stopped (arranged) at the respective stages 151a, 151b, and 151c. For example, in FIG. 7, “CHERRY” is stopped at the upper stage 151a of the display window 151, “ORANGE” is stopped at the middle stage 151b of the display window 151, and “BELL” is stopped at the lower stage 151c of the display window 151. As a result, the display windows 151 to 155 display a symbol matrix composed of five columns and three rows. The symbol matrix is not limited to 5 columns and 3 rows.

  The display unit 101 also has a scatter object symbol display unit 163 as a display area for displaying the scatter object symbol 181. The scatter object symbol display unit 163 is arranged in the upper right part of the display unit 101 so as not to overlap with the display windows 151 to 155. Note that the scatter target symbol display unit 163 can be provided at an arbitrary position on condition that the overlap with the display windows 151 to 155 can be avoided.

  A selection target window 165 is provided below the scatter target symbol display portion 163. In the selection target window 165, symbols that are candidates for the scatter target symbol 181 are displayed. Therefore, the player can intuitively recognize that the scatter target symbol 181 is randomly selected from the candidate symbols displayed in the selection target window 165 and displayed on the scatter target symbol display unit 163. it can.

  The display unit 101 has a scatter symbol display unit 171. The scatter symbol display unit 171 is formed in a basket shape, and displays the scatter symbol 182 as a contained item. The scatter symbol display unit 171 is provided in the upper left corner of the display unit 101. In addition, the scatter symbol display part 171 can be provided in arbitrary positions on condition that the overlap with the display windows 151-155 and the scatter object symbol display part 163 can be avoided.

  The display state of FIG. 7 shows a state where the scatter symbol 182 is set. That is, “ORANGE” displayed on the scatter object symbol display unit 163 is moved to the scatter symbol 182 and stored, and “ORANGE” is displayed as the stored item on the scatter symbol display unit 171. The As a result, the player can intuitively recognize that the scatter symbol 182 has been set by viewing the state in which the scatter symbol 182 is displayed.

(Symbols, combinations, etc.)
As shown in FIG. 9, the symbols 180 displayed in the display windows 151 to 155 of the display unit 101 form a symbol row with 22 symbols. Any code number from 0 to 21 is assigned to each symbol constituting each symbol column. Each symbol string is configured by combining symbols of “JACKPOT7”, “BLUE7”, “BELL”, “CHERRY”, “STRAWBERRY”, “PLUM”, “ORANGE”, and “APPLE”.

  Three consecutive symbols in the symbol column are displayed (arranged) in the upper stage 151a, the middle stage 151b, and the lower stage 151c of the display windows 151 to 155, respectively, so that the display windows 151 to 155 have five columns and three rows. The symbol matrix is configured. The symbols constituting the symbol matrix start scrolling when the 1-BET button 26 or the maximum BET button 27 is pressed and then the spin button 23 is pressed. When scrolling is started, scrolling of each symbol stops (rearrangement) after a predetermined time has elapsed.

  In addition, various winning combinations are determined in advance for each symbol. The winning combination is a combination in which a combination of symbols stopped on the payline L is advantageous to the player. The advantageous state includes a state in which coins corresponding to the winning combination are paid out, a state in which the number of coins to be paid out is added to credits, a state in which a bonus game is started, and the like.

  Specifically, when the combination of “APPLE” symbols on the payline L is stopped, a bonus trigger occurs, and the gaming state shifts from a basic game to a bonus game. When the “CHERRY” symbol is stopped on the payline L, 20 coins (game media) are paid out per bet. When the “PLUM” symbol is stopped on the payline L, 5 coins are paid out per bet.

  The bonus game is a game state that is more advantageous than the basic game. In the present embodiment, the bonus game is a free game. A free game is a game that can be played a predetermined number of times without betting coins. The bonus game is not particularly limited as long as it is advantageous to the player, that is, if it is more advantageous than the basic game.For example, the bonus game has a higher probability than the basic game, which can acquire more game media than the basic game. A state where a game medium can be acquired, a state where the number of game media consumed is smaller than that of a basic game, and the like. Specifically, free games, second games and the like can be listed as bonus games.

(Electrical configuration)
Inside the cabinet 11, a control unit including the game controller 100 of FIG. As shown in FIG. 10, the control unit includes components such as a mother board 40, a main body PCB (Printed Circuit Board) 60, a gaming board 50, a sub CPU, a door PCB 80, various switches, and sensors.

  The gaming board 50 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 51, a ROM 55 and a boot ROM 52, a card slot 53S corresponding to a memory card 53, and an IC socket corresponding to a GAL (Generic Array Logic) 54 connected to each other via an internal bus. 54S.

  The memory card 53 stores a game program and a game system program. The game program includes a stop symbol determination program. The stop symbol determination program is a program for determining a symbol to be stopped on the payline L (a code number corresponding to the symbol). This stop symbol determination program includes symbol weighting data corresponding to each of a plurality of types of payout rates (for example, 80%, 84%, 88%). The symbol weighting data is data indicating the correspondence between the code number of each symbol and one or more random values belonging to a predetermined numerical range (0 to 256) for each of the display windows 151 to 155.

  The payout rate is determined based on the payout rate setting data output from the GAL 54, and the stop symbol is determined based on the symbol weighting data corresponding to the payout rate.

  Further, the memory card 53 stores various data used in the game program and the game system program. Specifically, data indicating the relationship between the symbol 180 displayed in the display windows 151 to 155 of FIG. 1 and the random number range, data indicating the relationship between the set threshold and the random number range, and the like are stored. These data are transferred to the RAM 43 of the mother board 40 when the game program is executed.

  The card slot 53S is configured such that the memory card 53 can be inserted and removed, and is connected to the mother board 40 by an IDE bus. Therefore, by removing the memory card 53 from the card slot 53S, writing another game program and game system program into the memory card 53, and inserting the memory card 53 into the card slot 53S, the types of games performed in the slot machine 10 And can change the contents.

  The game program includes a program related to game progress and a program for shifting to a bonus game. The game program includes image data and sound data output during the game.

  The GAL 54 includes a plurality of input ports and output ports. When data is input to the input port, the GAL 54 outputs data corresponding to this data from the output port. The data output from the output port is the aforementioned payout rate setting data.

  The IC socket 54S is configured so that the GAL 54 can be attached and detached. The IC socket 54S is connected to the mother board 40 by a PCI bus. Therefore, after the GAL 54 is removed from the IC socket 54S and the program stored in the GAL 54 is rewritten, the GAL 54 is attached to the IC socket 54S, so that the payout rate setting data output from the GAL 54 can be changed. become.

  The CPU 51, the ROM 55, and the boot ROM 52 that are connected to each other via an internal bus are connected to the motherboard 40 via a PCI bus. The PCI bus transmits signals between the motherboard 40 and the gaming board 50 and supplies power from the motherboard 40 to the gaming board 50. The ROM 55 stores country identification information and an authentication program. The boot ROM 52 stores a preliminary authentication program and a program (boot code) for the CPU 51 to start the preliminary authentication program.

  The authentication program is a program (tamper check program) for authenticating the game program and the game system program. The authentication program is a program for confirming and verifying that the game program and the game system program have not been tampered with. That is, the authentication program is described in accordance with a procedure for authenticating the game program and the game system program. The preliminary authentication program is a program for authenticating the above-described authentication program. The preliminary authentication program is described in accordance with a proof that the authentication program to be authenticated is not falsified, that is, a procedure for authenticating the authentication program.

  The motherboard 40 includes a main CPU 41 (controller), a ROM (Read Only Memory) 42, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 43, and a communication interface 44.

  The main CPU 41 has a function as a game controller that controls the entire slot machine 10. In particular, the main CPU 41 controls to output a command signal for scrolling the symbol of the lower image display panel 16 when the spin button 23 is pressed after the credit is betted, and stops after the symbol is scrolled. Control for determining the symbol and control for stopping the determined symbol in the display windows 151 to 155 are performed.

  That is, the main CPU 41 selects a symbol arranged in the symbol matrix from a plurality of types of symbols in order to rearrange as a new symbol matrix after scrolling a plurality of symbols displayed on the lower image display panel 16. And a function as an arrangement controller for executing arrangement control to stop at the determined symbol from the scroll state.

  Further, the main CPU 41 performs a first process that is determined by randomly selecting a scatter target symbol 181 from among a plurality of symbols 180, a second process that rearranges the symbols 180 on the display, and a rearrangement on the payline L. And a third process for giving a payout determined by the combination of the symbols 180 and when a predetermined number or more of the scatter target symbols 181 are rearranged, the scatter target symbols 181 are set as the scatter symbols 182 and the scatter symbols The game controller 100 has a function of notifying the content of the payout determined based on 182 by voice and display, and executing a fourth process for giving a payout. Further, the main CPU 41 provides a display area (scatter target symbol display unit 163) in a portion different from the arrangement area (display windows 151 to 155) where the symbols 180 are arranged, and displays the scatter target symbol 181 in the display area. The game controller 100 has a function of executing five processes and a sixth process for notifying that the scatter target symbols 181 are set as the scatter symbols 182 when a predetermined number or more of the scatter target symbols 181 are rearranged. .

  Further, when the main CPU 41 receives a signal from a mirror switch 200S described later, the main CPU 41 applies the voltage from the power supply unit 45 to the transparent conductive film 211 applied to the light control glass via the main body PCB 60.

  The ROM 42 stores a program such as a basic input / output system (BIOS) executed by the main CPU 41, and data used permanently. When the BIOS is executed by the main CPU 41, initialization processing of each peripheral device is performed, and reading processing of the game program and the game system program stored in the memory card 53 via the gaming board 50 is started.

  The RAM 43 stores data and programs used when the main CPU 41 performs processing. For example, in the RAM 43, the scatter object symbol storage unit 105, the scatter symbol storage unit 106, the symbol storage unit 108, and the display symbol storage unit 107 of FIG. 8 are formed in the form of data areas. The scatter object symbol 181 is stored in the data area of the scatter object symbol storage unit 105. The scatter symbol 182 is stored in the data area of the scatter symbol storage unit 106. A symbol 180 is stored in the data area of the symbol storage unit 108. In the data area of the display symbol storage unit 107, a symbol 180 scatter target symbol 181 and a scatter symbol 182 are stored.

  The communication interface 44 is for performing communication with a host computer or the like provided in the gaming facility via a communication line. Further, a main body PCB (Printed Circuit Board) 60 and a door PCB 80 are connected to the mother board 40 by USB (Universal Serial Bus), respectively. Further, a power supply unit 45 is connected to the mother board 40. When power is supplied from the power supply unit 45 to the mother board 40, the main CPU 41 of the mother board 40 is activated, and power is supplied to the gaming board 50 via the PCI bus to activate the CPU 51.

  The main body PCB 60 and the door PCB 80 are connected to devices and devices that generate input signals input to the main CPU 41 and devices and devices whose operations are controlled by control signals output from the main CPU 41. The main CPU 41 performs arithmetic processing by executing the game program and the game system program stored in the RAM 43 based on the input signal input to the main CPU 41, and stores the result in the RAM 43. As a control process for the apparatus, a process of transmitting a control signal to each device or apparatus is performed.

  The main body PCB 60 includes a lamp 30, a sub CPU (not shown), a hopper 66, a coin detector 67, a graphic board 68, a light control glass 210, a speaker 29, a bill validator 22, and a ticket printer 35. A card reader 36, a key switch 38S, and a data display 37 are connected.

  The lamp 30 is controlled to be turned on / off based on a control signal output from the main CPU 41. The sub CPU performs control for scrolling the symbols in the display windows 151 to 155, and is connected to a VDP (Video Display Processor) (not shown). The VDP reads the symbol image data stored in the image data ROM, generates a scroll image to be displayed in the display windows 151 to 155, and outputs the scroll image to the lower image display panel 16.

  The hopper 66 is installed in the cabinet 11 and pays out a predetermined number of coins from the coin payout opening 19 to the coin tray 18 based on a control signal output from the main CPU 41. The coin detection unit 67 is provided inside the coin payout exit 19 and outputs an input signal to the main CPU 41 when it is detected that a predetermined number of coins have been paid out from the coin payout exit 19.

  The graphic board 68 controls image display on the upper image display panel 33 and the lower image display panel 16 based on a control signal output from the main CPU 41. The graphic board 68 includes a VDP that generates image data based on a control signal output from the main CPU 41, a video RAM that temporarily stores image data generated by the VDP, and the like.

  In the light control glass 210, an applied voltage is applied to the coated transparent conductive film 211 from the power supply unit via the main CPU 41 based on a signal output from a mirror switch 200S described later.

  The bill validator 22 reads an image of a bill and accepts a regular bill into the cabinet 11. Moreover, when the bill validator 22 accepts a regular bill, it outputs an input signal to the main CPU 41 based on the amount of the bill. The main CPU 41 stores the number of credits corresponding to the amount of bills transmitted by the input signal in the RAM 43.

  Based on the control signal output from the main CPU 41, the ticket printer 35 prints on the ticket a barcode in which data such as the number of credits, date and time, and identification number of the slot machine 10 stored in the RAM 43 is encoded. Output as a ticket 39 with code.

  The card reader 36 reads data from the smart card and transmits it to the main CPU 41, or writes data to the smart card based on a control signal from the main CPU 41. The key switch 38S is provided on the keypad 38 and outputs an input signal to the main CPU 41 when the keypad 38 is operated by the player. The data display 37 displays data read by the card reader 36 or data input via the keypad 38 by the player based on a control signal output from the main CPU 41.

  An operation unit 20, a reverter 21S, a coin counter 21C, and a cold cathode tube 81 are connected to the door PCB 80. The operation unit 20 includes a spin switch 23S corresponding to the spin button 23, a change switch 24S corresponding to the change button 24, a cashout switch 25S corresponding to the cashout button 25, and a 1-BET switch corresponding to the 1-BET button 26. 26S and a maximum BET switch 27S corresponding to the maximum BET button 27 is provided. Each of the switches 23S to 27S outputs an input signal to the main CPU 41 when the corresponding button 23 to 27 is operated by the player.

  The mirror switch 200S corresponds to the mirror button 200, and is operated by a player to apply an applied voltage to the transparent conductive film 211 applied to the light control glass to the main CPU via the door PCB. The signal is output.

  The coin counter 21C is provided inside the coin receiving slot 21 and identifies whether or not the coin inserted into the coin receiving slot 21 by the player is genuine. Items other than regular coins are discharged from the coin payout exit 19. The coin counter 21 </ b> C outputs an input signal to the main CPU 41 when a regular coin is detected.

  The coin counter 21C operates based on a control signal output from the main CPU 41, and a coin recognized as a regular coin by the coin counter 21C is installed in a cash box (not shown) in the slot machine 10. ) Or the hopper 66. That is, when the hopper 66 is filled with coins, regular coins are distributed to the cash box by the reverter 21S. On the other hand, when the hopper 66 is not filled with coins, regular coins are distributed to the hopper 66. The cold cathode tube 81 functions as a backlight installed on the back side of the lower image display panel 16 and the upper image display panel 33, and lights up based on a control signal output from the main CPU 41.

(Processing action: Scene of game execution)
Next, processing performed in the slot machine 10 will be described. As the main CPU 41 reads out and executes the game program, the game proceeds. As shown in FIG. 11, in the game execution process, it is determined whether or not a coin is bet (S10). In this process, it is determined whether or not an input signal from the 1-BET switch 26S is received when the 1-BET button 26 is pressed, and the maximum BET switch 27S is pressed when the maximum BET button 27 is pressed. It is determined whether an input signal has been received. If the coin is not bet (S10, NO), S10 is re-executed to enter a standby state until it is bet.

  On the other hand, when a coin is bet (S10, YES), the number of credits stored in the RAM 43 is subtracted according to the number of coins bet (S11). If the number of coins bet is larger than the number of credits stored in the RAM 43, S11 is re-executed without performing the process of subtracting the number of credits. Further, when the number of coins bet exceeds the upper limit (50 in this embodiment) that can be bet on one game, the process of subtracting the credit number is not performed. S12 is executed.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the spin button 23 is turned on (S12). If the spin button 23 is not turned on (S12, NO), the process returns to S10. When the spin button 23 is not turned on (for example, when an instruction to end the game is input without the spin button 23 being turned on), the subtraction result in S11 is cancelled.

  On the other hand, when the spin button 23 is turned on (S12, YES), symbol determination processing is executed (S13). That is, by executing the stop symbol determination program stored in the RAM 43, the symbols 180 to be stopped at each stage of the 15 display windows 151 to 155 are determined. As a result, a combination of symbols to be stopped on the payline L is determined.

  Thereafter, the symbols 180 in the display windows 151 to 155 are scroll-displayed (S14). In this scroll process, after the symbol 180 is scrolled in the direction of the arrow, the symbol 180 determined in S13 is stopped (rearranged) in the display windows 151 to 155.

  Thereafter, a scatter target symbol determination process is executed (S15). That is, the scatter target symbol 181 is randomly determined from the symbols 180 of “BELL”, “CHERRY”, “STRAWBERRY”, “PLUM”, “ORANGE”, and “APPLE”. Then, the determined scatter object symbol 181 is displayed on the scatter object symbol display unit 163.

  When the scroll of the symbol 180 is stopped, the rearrangement number of the scatter object symbol 181 is acquired (S16). Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the number of rearrangements is equal to or greater than a set threshold (S17). If it is equal to or greater than the set threshold value (S17, YES), the scatter object symbol 181 is set as the scatter symbol 182. Specifically, after the scatter object symbol 181 moves from the scatter object symbol display unit 163 to the scatter symbol display unit 171 and is accommodated in the scatter symbol display unit 171, a scatter symbol display unit is performed. It is displayed in a state stored in 171 as a stored item (S18).

  Thereafter, the character 251 is displayed between the scatter symbol display unit 171 and the scatter object symbol display unit 163, and a balloon frame indicating the conversation content of the character 251 is displayed. Further, the conversation content of the character 251 is output as voice. Specifically, the first explanation image “ORANGE has become a scatter symbol” is displayed in the balloon frame, and the sound is output (S19).

  Thereafter, a payout process is executed. That is, the coin payout number based on the winning combination and the coin payout number based on the display number of the scatter symbols 182 are added together. When storing coins to be paid out, a predetermined number of credits are added to the number of credits stored in the RAM 43. On the other hand, when coins are paid out, a predetermined number of coins are paid out by transmitting a control signal to the hopper 66 (S20).

  On the other hand, if the number of rearrangements is not equal to or greater than the set threshold value (S17, NO), it is determined whether or not the combination of symbols 180 stopped on the payline L is a winning combination (S23). If it is not the winning combination (S23, NO), since neither the scatter symbol 182 nor the winning combination is found, this routine is terminated as a loss.

  On the other hand, when it is a winning combination (S23, YES), S20 described above is executed. Thereafter, it is determined whether or not a bonus trigger is established as a winning combination. That is, it is determined whether or not the combination of “APPLE” is arranged on the payline L (S21). If it is determined that the bonus trigger is established (S21, YES), the bonus game process is executed. (S22). Here, in the slot machine 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the main door 13 is formed of light control glass, and an illumination lamp 202 is attached to the inside of the rendering unit 34 of the main door 13. Thus, when the bonus game process is executed, the illumination lamp can be illuminated from the inside of the main door by utilizing the transparency of the glass material. As a result, the entire slot machine 10 can be seen to emit light, and there are cases where the player can have fun playing the game. On the other hand, if the bonus trigger has not been established (S21, NO), the routine is terminated as a loss.

  In the game execution scene by the player as described above, when the player bets coins, the player may be enthusiastic about the game, so that the player may mistakenly put the coin into the coin accepting slot 21 and put it on another place. Further, there is a case where a metal object such as a mobile phone or a key possessed by the player is accidentally brought into contact with the slot machine 10 to damage a casing such as a main door. Even if you are careful not to hit it, the game may become incandescent and you will slip because of sweat in your hands, which can hurt you. In such a case, the conventional slot machine 10 made of resin or sheet metal can easily be damaged by metal objects such as coins and keys. If dust accumulates on the scratch, not only the appearance but also hygiene is bad. However, the slot machine 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention has an effect that the main door 13 is made of light control glass, and therefore is not easily damaged due to the wear resistance of the glass material.

  Furthermore, since the player is incandescent in the game, clothes and other dust may fly violently and may spill drinking water. In particular, these foreign substances often enter the gap of the operation unit 20 that the player contacts. In the case of the conventional slot machine 10 such as resin or sheet metal, such foreign matter enters the gap between the members, so that the hygiene is deteriorated, and if it enters the inside, it may cause a failure. On the other hand, in the slot machine 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the main door 13 is an integrally formed glass material, and the peripheral portions overlap with each other while the operation panel 203 and the operation portion 20 of the main door 13 are kept parallel. Touching. Furthermore, since the glass material is not deformed by heat and scratches, there is no gap between the operation panel 203 and the operation unit 20. Accordingly, there is no room for foreign matter to enter, so that the cleaning property is improved and it is difficult to age.

  In addition, in the case of a female player, there is a case where it is not possible to leave in the middle of a chance such as a bonus game even if he / she wants to make up makeup during the game. In this case, when the mirror button 200 is pressed, the opaque main door is changed to transparent by the light control glass, and a mirror appears in the mirror part 204. This makes it possible to make up makeup while playing the game, without having to stand up to look into the mirror. Furthermore, even if cosmetics are spilled, the discoloration can be prevented due to the chemical resistance of the glass material. As a result, it can be used beautifully for a long time.

(Embodiment 2)
Embodiment 2 of a gaming machine and a housing thereof according to the present invention will be described. In the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the slot machine 10 is described as an example of the gaming machine, but the present invention is not limited to this. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the member same as 1st Embodiment, and the description is abbreviate | omitted. The description of the same configuration and operation as those of the first embodiment is also omitted.

  The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the glass material of the main door 13 is made of phosphorescent glass.

  FIG. 12 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the slot machine 10 according to the second embodiment of the present invention shines at night by the phosphorescent glass. In the second embodiment, each game machine number 221 “NO.” Of the slot machine 10 is placed at a location corresponding to the mirror unit 204 of the first embodiment. 10 ”,“ NO. 11 ”,... Are made of phosphorescent glass. Here, when the phosphorescent glass receives light including ultraviolet rays, a part of the energy is stored in the glass, and the phosphorescent glass has a property that it can continue to emit light for a long time without receiving light. Taking advantage of this property, it is possible to illuminate brightly even at night by storing lighting in the store and sunlight in the daytime and releasing the light stored in the daytime at night. In the case of the second embodiment according to the present invention, the game machine number 221 can be kept lit even at night as shown in FIG. Thereby, for example, by using the game machine number 221 shining by the guard as a landmark, it may be easy to guard, and the inside of the store can be brightened even at night without using electricity.

  In the slot machine 10 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, a part of the main door (game machine number) is phosphorescent glass. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the entire main door is phosphorescent glass. Also good. In this case, since the entire main door shines at night, the inside of the store can be brightened even at night.

  (Outline of the embodiment of the present invention)

  As described above, the gaming machine according to the present embodiment is a gaming machine having the following configuration, and includes an apparatus (game controller 100) for executing a game and an effect image of a game executed by the apparatus (game controller 100). An operation in which a display (lower image display panel 16) to be displayed and buttons (spin button 23, change button 24, cash out button 25, 1-BET button 26) for outputting a command related to the game to the apparatus by the player's operation are arranged. A main door 13 provided with a panel 203, a display (lower image display panel 16) and an operation panel 203, and a box (cabinet 11) for housing the apparatus and supporting the main door 13 are provided. That the door 13 is made of glass. And butterflies.

  According to said structure, it is a gaming machine with which a player can play a game, and the main door of a gaming machine is formed with the glass material. In addition, the transparency of the glass material forming the main door makes it easier for light to pass therethrough, which may make the inside of the amusement hall feel wider. And from the heat resistance of a glass material, it can make it hard to receive the influence of the temperature change by the temperature rise in summer, for example, and the sudden cooling in winter. Further, because of the abrasion resistance of the glass material, for example, it is possible to make it hard to be damaged by metal objects such as coins and mobile phones that are often used by players. Furthermore, due to the chemical resistance of the glass material, for example, discoloration due to perfume and cosmetics by a female player can be prevented. As a result, the gaming machine can be prevented from aging and can be used beautifully for a long time.

  Further, the gaming machine according to the present invention has a mounting hole 205 for attaching a button (spin button 23, change button 24, cash out button 25, 1-BET button 26) to the main door 13, and an operation panel 203 is provided. The operation panel 203 and the mounting hole 205 may be in contact with each other while the operation panel 203 and the mounting hole 205 are parallel to each other with the upper surface and the mounting hole 205 being the lower surface.

  According to the above configuration, the operation panel of the gaming machine and the mounting hole of the main door are in contact with each other at the periphery. Furthermore, since the main door is made of glass, there is no deformation due to heat or scratches. Therefore, since there is no gap between the operation panel and the main door, for example, dust or drinking water spilled by the player does not enter. As a result, it is possible to improve the cleaning property of the gaming machine and prevent aging.

  In the gaming machine according to the present invention, the illumination lamp 202 may be attached inside the main door 13.

  According to said structure, since a main door is a glass material, a game can be produced by the lighting effect from the inside of a main door. As a result, the entire gaming machine can be seen to emit light to the player, and there are cases where the game can be made more enjoyable.

  In the gaming machine according to the present invention, the glass material may be the light control glass 210, and a mirror (mirror part 204) may be provided on the lower surface of the light control glass 210.

  According to said structure, the glass raw material which forms a main door is light control glass, and can switch transparent / opaque. Furthermore, since the mirror is provided on the lower surface of the light control glass, the mirror can be taken out at a timing desired by the player. As a result, the player can see the mirror while playing the game, and there are cases where the trouble of interrupting the game to see the mirror can be eliminated.

  In the gaming machine according to the present invention, the glass material may be phosphorescent glass.

  According to said structure, the glass raw material which forms a main door is phosphorescent glass, and can store light with the illumination etc. in a shop in the daytime. Furthermore, it can shine brightly even at night by releasing the light stored in the daytime at night. As a result, the interior of the store can be brightened at night without using electricity.

(Modification of this embodiment)
The present invention has been described based on the preferred embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the gaming machine has the following configuration in addition to or in addition to the configuration in the above embodiment. , May be provided.

  For example, in the present embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a slot machine has been described. However, the present invention can also be applied to other gaming machines (for example, pachinko gaming machines).

  In the detailed description of Embodiments 1 and 2 described above, the characteristic portions have been mainly described so that the present invention can be understood more easily. However, the present invention is not limited to the first embodiment described in the above detailed description. The present invention is not limited to the embodiment and the second embodiment, but can be applied to other embodiments, and the scope of application should be interpreted as widely as possible. The terms and terminology used in the present specification are used to accurately describe the present invention, and are not used to limit the interpretation of the present invention. Moreover, it would be easy for those skilled in the art to infer other configurations, systems, methods, and the like included in the concept of the present invention from the concept of the invention described in this specification. Accordingly, the description of the claims should be regarded as including an equivalent configuration without departing from the technical idea of the present invention. In addition, the purpose of the abstract is to allow the patent office and general public organizations, engineers belonging to this technical field who are not familiar with patents, legal terms or technical terms to understand the technical content and essence of this application. It is intended to be able to make a quick decision with a simple survey. Accordingly, the abstract is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to be evaluated by the claims. In addition, in order to fully understand the object of the present invention and the effects of the present invention, it is desirable to fully consider the literatures already disclosed.

  The above detailed description includes processing executed on a computer or a computer network. The above description and expressions are described for the purpose of enabling those skilled in the art to understand the most efficiently. In this specification, each step used for deriving one result or a block having a predetermined processing function should be understood as a process having no self-contradiction. In each step and each block, transmission / reception of electric or magnetic signals, recording, and the like are performed. In the processing in each step and each block, such a signal is expressed by bits, values, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, etc., but these are used only for convenience of explanation. It is necessary to pay attention to. In addition, the processes in each step and each block may be described in expressions common to human behavior, but the processes described in this specification are executed by various devices in principle. Further, other configurations required for each step and each block are obvious from the above description.

FIG. 2 is a view illustrating a state of the gaming machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a mold of a main door of the gaming machine. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion where an operation panel and a main door of the gaming machine are joined. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion where a main door of a conventional gaming machine is deformed by heat and scratches. These are sectional drawings of the mirror part when the light control glass is opaque. These are sectional drawings of the mirror part when the light control glass is transparent. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a display screen of the gaming machine. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a gaming machine. FIG. 4 is a view illustrating symbols of the gaming machine and code numbers of the respective symbols. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a gaming machine. These are flowcharts of game execution processing. FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a state of the gaming machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

10 Slot Machine 11 Cabinet 13 Main Door 16 Lower Image Display Panel 23 Spin Button 24 Change Button 25 Cash Out Button 26 1-BET Button 100 Game Controller

Claims (5)

A gaming machine having the following configuration,
A device for executing the game;
A display for displaying an effect image of the game executed by the device;
An operation panel on which a button for outputting a command related to the game to the device by an operation of a player is disposed;
A main door provided with the display and the operation panel;
A box for housing the device and supporting the main door, wherein at least the main door is formed of a glass material. The main door has a mounting hole for attaching the button,
2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the operation panel is an upper surface and the attachment hole is a lower surface, and the operation panel and the attachment hole are in contact with each other while keeping the operation panel and the attachment hole parallel to each other.   The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein an illumination lamp is attached to the inside of the main door.   The gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the glass material is light control glass, and a mirror is provided on a lower surface of the light control glass. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the glass material is phosphorescent glass.

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