Information display device

Abstract

Even large-scale information display devices can be safely adjusted manually to change their tilt angle. [Solution] In the information display device 3, a lock release unit 65 is provided that can be operated while the worker supports the display device body 40. The lock release unit is released during operation, and the lock is released when the operation is finished. This makes it easier to ensure that the worker is supporting the display device body 40 when the lock is released, and even if the worker's hand slips from the lock release unit 65 due to an unexpected factor such as their hand falling, the display device body 40 will be locked once the continuous operation is finished. Therefore, even with a large information display device 3 that enables large-screen display, it is possible to ensure the safety of the worker when changing the tilt angle.

Description

[[Technical Field]]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information display device. [[Background Art]]

[0002] Conventionally, game parlors use information display devices to display game information such as the number of jackpots. For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, there has been proposed an information display device capable of changing the inclination angle of a main body portion relative to a mounting portion by motor control. [[Prior Art Documents]] [[Patent Documents]]

[0003] [[Patent Document 1]] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2018-51409 [[Summary of the Invention]] [[Problem to be Solved by the Invention]]

[0004] However, when such an information display device is installed, mounting a motor not only increases the cost of the device itself, but also may increase the weight of the device. On the other hand, if no motor is mounted, an operator is required to manually release the fixed state and change the inclination angle, but there is also a risk that the device may fall forcefully due to unexpected factors such as performing the release operation without supporting the information display device or slipping a hand during the release operation, causing injury to the operator.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an information display device that allows manual and safe change of the inclination angle even when the information display device is large-sized. [[Means for Solving the Problem]]

[0006] The invention described in claim 1 is an information display device (e.g., information display device 3) which is installed above a game machine (e.g., game machine 1) installed in a game arcade, on a per-game machine basis, and capable of displaying various game information related to the game of the game machine, and includes a mounting part (e.g., mounting part 57) attached to the game island on which the game machine is installed, and a display device body (e.g., display device body 40) that can be tilted relative to the mounting part, wherein the information display device (e.g., information display device 3) includes a tilt angle fixing means (e.g., lock mechanism 62, fixing hole 63, straight holes 70a~70d, inclined holes 71a~71e, etc.) that fixes the display device body to one of a plurality of tilt angles (e.g., "0 degrees", "7.5 degrees", "15 degrees", "22.5 degrees", etc. for straight holes 70a~70d, "38 degrees", "51 degrees", "64 degrees", "77 degrees", "90 degrees", etc. for inclined holes 71a~71e), and a release mechanism that releases the fixation in response to a release operation to release the tilt angle of the display device body. The device includes a release mechanism (e.g., a lock release part 65), and the release operation can be continuously performed by an operator while supporting the display device body (for example, to release the lock mechanism 62, the operator holds the side or front of the main body with their palm (supporting the display device body 40) and inserts their fingers into the lock release part 65 provided on the handles 66, 67 on the back of the display device body 40, and slides the lock release part 65 toward the outside of the display device body 40, thereby pulling out the fixed shaft 64 which is linked via the arm 68 from the fixed hole 63, and the lock is released, etc.). The tilt angle fixing mechanism fixes the display device body in accordance with the end of the continuous release operation (for example, when the release operation is stopped (the lock release part 65 is released), the display device body 40 tilts to the tilt angle corresponding to the fixed hole 63, so that the fixed shaft 64 which is subjected to the tension of the spring 69 fits into the fixed hole 63, and the lock is established, etc.).

[0007] With this configuration, the release operation to loosen the tilt angle of the display device body can be continuously performed by an operator while supporting the display device body, while the locking operation is re-established in response to the completion of the continuous release operation. Therefore, by fixing the tilt angle in response to the completion of the release operation, it becomes possible to safely change the tilt angle manually even for large information display devices. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a game arcade system in one embodiment. [Figure 2] Front view of a gaming machine [Figure 3] Front view of the gaming device [Figure 4] Front view of the information display device [Figure 5] Right side view of the information display device. [Figure 6] Diagram showing the fixing area of ​​the protective cover. [Figure 7] Diagram showing the design of the protective cover [Figure 8] Left side view of the information display device. [Figure 9] Right side view of the information display device. [Figure 10] Top view of an information display device [Figure 11] Enlarged view of the top [Figure 12] Enlarged view of the right side [Figure 13] Right side view illustrating the depth. [Figure 14] Diagram showing a list of the information to be released. [Figure 15] Side view illustrating angle adjustment [Figure 16] Rear view of the information display device [Figure 17] Diagram illustrating the details of the locking mechanism. [Figure 18] Diagram illustrating the arrangement of the click mechanism. [Figure 19] Schematic diagram of a click mechanism [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a game parlor system. A large number of gaming machines 1 are installed in the game parlor. A gaming device 2 and an information display device 3 are installed in one-to-one correspondence with the gaming machines 1. The gaming machine 1 is connected to the gaming device 2, and every two gaming devices 2 and information display devices 3 are connected to a relay device 4. The relay device 4 is connected to a management device 6 via a LAN 5. The gaming device 2 may be referred to as a lending unit.

[0010] The management device 6 receives game information indicating the gaming status of each gaming machine 1 from the gaming machine 1, and manages the game information on a per-gaming-machine basis. In this case, the game information in the gaming machine 1 is received by the management device 6 via the gaming device 2 and the relay device 4. On the other hand, various types of setting information for the gaming device 2 set in the management device 6 is received by the gaming device 2 from the management device 6 side via the relay device 4.

[0011] The management device 6 is installed, for example, in an office or the like within the game parlor, and is connected with a monitor 7, a keyboard 8, and the like. The management device 6 manages the operating status of various devices installed in the game parlor (the gaming machines 1, the gaming devices 2, the information display devices 3, etc.). For example, several hundreds of gaming machines 1 including so-called pachinko machines are installed in the game parlor, and each of these gaming machines 1 is an object managed by the management device 6.

[0012] In the game hall, a prize exchange terminal (hereinafter referred to as POS) 9 and a checkout machine (not shown) are also connected to a management device 6 via a LAN 5. The POS 9 includes a touch-panel type liquid crystal display unit, a card insertion slot into which an IC card such as a membership card or a general card (hereinafter may be referred to as a card) is inserted, a numeric keypad for authentication processing, and the like. When an IC card is inserted into the card insertion slot, the POS 9 executes prize exchange processing based on game values such as owned points and deposited points (stored points) specified by the inserted IC card. When executing the prize exchange processing, the POS 9 specifies an acquirable value available for prize exchange by, for example, reading owned points acquired by a general player from a general card, or specifying a member player from a membership card and acquiring, from the management device 6 online, deposited points deposited by the member player into the game hall.

[0013] The checkout machine includes a card insertion slot into which an IC card is inserted, a bill insertion slot into which a bill is inserted, a return slot for returning bills and coins, and the like. When an IC card is inserted into the card insertion slot, the checkout machine returns bills or coins corresponding to a deposit balance (which corresponds to a currency value and a held value, hereinafter may be referred to as a balance) specified by the inserted IC card from the return slot. Further, when a bill is inserted into the bill insertion slot, the checkout machine adds the inserted amount to the deposit balance recorded on the IC card.

[0014] The IC card used as a recording medium in the amusement arcade is an IC card with a built-in IC chip that can identify the game value and the deposit balance. Member cards are valid until a predetermined expiration date (e.g., 3 years), issued to registered member players, and record a member ID (member identification information) that can identify the card for that member player. General cards are valid only for the day, issued to an unspecified number of general players, including players who are not registered as members at the amusement arcade, and record a general ID (general identification information) that can identify each individual card. Furthermore, if a player requests it, it can also be issued to registered players. In addition, if the game value and deposit balance can be associated with a recording medium like an IC card, it is also possible to adopt a configuration where the management device 6 records them by associating them with the recording medium's identification information, rather than recording them directly on the recording medium.

[0015] Let me explain Gaming Machine 1. Gaming Machine 1 is a so-called smart gaming machine that stores and manages game points, which are calculated by converting at least one of the player's deposit balance, points held, or deposited points. Provided that there are still game points stored in it, it supplies pachinko balls to the launching device and launches them onto the game board. When a player wins a prize and acquires game points, it adds the acquired points to the data (virtual game value) without dispensing any pachinko balls, and thus primarily manages the increase or decrease of game points.

[0016] In gaming machine 1, the game value acquired by the player through gameplay, primarily managed by gaming machine 1, is also referred to as gaming machine value (corresponding to gaming machine acquisition value or holding value), and the points primarily managed by gaming device 2 are also referred to as device value (corresponding to device acquisition value or holding value). Furthermore, the total game value acquired by the player, including the sum of gaming machine value and device value (the sum of game points and holding points), is also referred to as acquisition value.

[0017] As shown in Figure 2, the gaming machine 1 has a game board 10 from which pachinko balls are launched, an operating handle 11 that constitutes the launching device, a balance display unit 12 that displays the deposit balance, a counting button 13 for converting game points into points, and a game point display unit 14 that displays the game points. The game board 10 has a general diagram display unit 15, a general diagram reserve display unit 16, a special diagram display unit 17, a general diagram prize slot 18, general prize slots 19, 20, a first reserve number display unit 21, a second reserve number display unit 22, a first start slot 23, a second start slot 24, a big prize slot 25, etc. In addition, there is a decorative panel 26 below the counting button 13 and the game point display unit 14.

[0018] Gaming machine 1 operates as follows: (1) The first starting port 23 is a winning port with a fixed winning rate (a so-called "center winning port"), and the second starting port 24 is a winning port with a variable winning rate (a so-called "electric chute"). A jackpot lottery is held according to the winnings into each starting port 23 and 24 (starting winnings), and the lottery results are announced by symbol changes (unit games) performed on the special display unit 17, and a jackpot is awarded according to the result of those changes.

[0019] (2) If a starting win occurs during a symbol change, the symbol changes will be cumulatively held in reserve up to a predetermined maximum number of reserved symbols (for example, 4 of each), and the reserved symbol changes will start after the symbol changes have finished. However, if a starting win occurs when the number of reserved symbol changes (reserved number) has reached the maximum value, the symbol changes will not be held in reserve.

[0020] (3) The probability of winning a jackpot (jackpot probability) is set separately for the normal game state (normal state, normal) and the probability variation state (probability variation state, probability variation), and the probability variation rate, which is the proportion of jackpots that become probability variation jackpots after a jackpot, is 66%.

[0021] (4) When a jackpot occurs, the large prize slot 25 is opened for the corresponding number of rounds (R). The maximum number of prizes that can be won in 1R is 10, and the maximum opening period is 30 seconds. 1R ends when either the maximum number of prizes or the maximum opening period is reached. The corresponding rounds are also drawn in the same way as the jackpot lottery, and the distribution rates are as follows: if the prize enters the first starting slot 23, there is a 10% chance of 2R, a 50% chance of 8R, and a 40% chance of 15R. However, if the prize enters the second starting slot 24, there is a 10% chance of 8R and a 90% chance of 15R. In addition, the priority for consuming the reserved symbols corresponding to the prize is set higher for the second starting slot 24 than for the first starting slot 23.

[0022] (5) During the probability variation mode, the probability of winning a jackpot increases, and the rate of winning at the second starting slot 24 increases, resulting in a time-saving state (time-saving mode). Also, if a jackpot that is not a probability variation jackpot (a regular jackpot) occurs, a time-saving mode that is not a probability variation mode (a standalone time-saving mode) will be entered after the jackpot, and the time-saving mode will continue until the symbols change for a predetermined number of time-saving times (for example, 100 times) or a jackpot occurs. If the symbols change for the number of time-saving times without a jackpot occurring, the game returns to the normal state.

[0023] (6) The second starting gate 24 opens to a state with a high probability of winning when a regular symbol (regular symbol), which changes in response to a win in the regular symbol winning gate 18, is hit. In this case, the period of one regular symbol change is 30 seconds in the normal state and 3 seconds in the time-saving state. Also, the opening period is 0.3 seconds in the normal state and 5 seconds in the time-saving state. In other words, in the time-saving state, the period of regular symbol change is shorter compared to the normal state, while the opening period is longer, resulting in a higher probability of winning in the second starting gate 24.

[0024] (7) Since the large prize slot 25 and the second starting slot 24 are located on the right side of the playfield 10, players will aim to shoot the balls towards the right side of the playfield 10 during the time-saving mode or when a big win occurs, a technique known as "right-handed shooting." The above explanation uses machine A as an example, but the values ​​exemplified will vary depending on the machine, for example, machine B will have a different distribution of rounds, and the gameplay will also differ.

[0025] The gaming machine 1 outputs data signals containing the following data items as the game progresses, such as when the player shoots balls into the starting holes 23 and 24. Out = A data item that shows the value (out) of consumption (usage, input) since the last data transmission, in units of 1 point. Safe = A data item that shows the prize value (Safe) awarded in units of 1 point, based on the number of wins since the last data submission. S-rank wins (number of times) = A data item that shows the number of starting wins (S-rank wins) in units of one since the last data transmission. Start (Count) = A data item indicating the start (number of symbol changes, number of mechanism activations, unit game count) of the special feature (special display unit 17) that is activated (changed) by S-winning since the last data transmission. It is counted when confirmed, but it may also be counted when the game starts. "Operating (Status)" = A data item that indicates whether a special feature, such as a changing symbol, is active during data transmission (ON) or not active (OFF). The period from when it turns ON until it turns OFF is identified as when the special feature is active. Jackpot (Count) = A data item that shows the number of jackpots that have occurred since the last data transmission, in units of one. It is counted when it occurs, but it is also acceptable to count it when it ends. Jackpot (Status) = A data item that, when data is transmitted, indicates whether a jackpot is occurring (on) or not (jackpot status). The period from when it is on until it is off is identified as a jackpot. It corresponds to a jackpot signal that can identify a jackpot. Sweet Mode (State) = A data item that, when data is transmitted, indicates whether the game is in a special state (Sweet Mode) or a jackpot, and is turned on; otherwise, it is turned off. The period from when it is turned on until it is turned off is identified as Sweet Mode or a jackpot. For example, if Sweet Mode (State) is on, it is identified as a jackpot if Jackpot (State) is on, and Sweet Mode if it is off. Sweet Mode corresponds to special states such as the time-saving mode and probability variation mentioned above. It does not necessarily have to be turned on during a jackpot. Also, if both Jackpot (State) and Sweet Mode (State) are off, it is identified as a normal state. The state of being a jackpot or Sweet Mode is referred to as Special Prize Mode. Note that it is sufficient to indicate that it is in probability variation mode when it is in time-saving mode, but it is also acceptable to indicate that it is in probability variation mode when it is in probability variation mode (i.e., it is acceptable not to indicate that it is on when it is in time-saving mode and not probability variation). Game points = A data item that shows the game value stored in game machine 1 in units of 1 point.

[0026] A data signal, such as a message that can identify the above data items, is transmitted from the gaming machine 1 to the gaming device 2 at predetermined intervals (300ms). The above only exemplifies information related to this embodiment, but other items such as game scores and fraud information can also be output. In each data item, "ON" means that when a data signal such as a message is transmitted as described above, a message indicating data ON is transmitted, and when a pulse signal is transmitted, the signal is transmitted when it is ON.

[0027] Let me explain the gaming device 2. The gaming device 2 is installed on a per-game-machine basis at a location to the left when viewed from the front of the corresponding gaming machine 1. As shown in Figure 3, the gaming device 2 includes a status LED 27 that indicates the game status of the gaming machine 1 and the status of the gaming device 2, a banknote slot 28 into which banknotes are inserted, a camera 29 that photographs the upper body including the player's face (only the protective cover is shown in Figure 3), a touch panel type liquid crystal display 30 that accepts operation input from the player and displays various game data described later, a game button (grant button, payout button) 31 that accepts payout operations (grant operations), a loan button 32 that accepts loan operations, a call button 33 that accepts calls for the gaming hall staff, a contactless mobile terminal reader 34 that can read mobile IDs, a remote control receiver 36 that receives signals from an employee remote control 35 (see Figure 1) that is carried and operated by an employee, an issuance button 37 that accepts IC card issuance operations, a card slot 38 into which an IC card is inserted, a USB connector 39 to which a USB cable can be attached and detached, and the like.

[0028] The mobile ID read by the mobile terminal reader 34 is, for example, an ID assigned to an IC chip embedded in a FeliCa® mobile terminal (member recording medium) (not shown), and is a unique ID for identifying the FeliCa mobile terminal. The mobile terminal reader 34 is not only incorporated into the gaming device 2, but also into the POS system.

[0029] Game device 2 operates as follows: (1) When a banknote is accepted (banknote acceptance processing), the amount is added to the deposit balance and displayed on both the gaming machine 1 and the gaming device 2. When the lending button 32 is operated (lending operation, granting operation) while there is a deposit balance, one unit of lending (e.g., 125 points) is converted into game points (value given as consideration) as lending points, and the game points managed by the gaming machine 1 are increased by this converted amount to grant lending points (lending processing, consideration granting processing), and the consideration amount according to the game rate (hereinafter referred to as the rate) is deducted from the deposit balance. Banknotes can be accepted for the amount corresponding to multiple consideration granting processes (e.g., up to 11,000 yen).

[0030] (2) Points are managed, and points cannot be used directly in the game, but a conversion process (consideration process, replay process) is performed in response to the operation of the game button 31 (replay operation, grant operation, payout operation) to convert points equivalent to one payout unit into game points (conversion value, conversion points). In this case, a separate conversion rate may be set, but in this embodiment it is set to 1:1 (the same applies to the counting process below).

[0031] (3) When the game points on the game machine 1 increase in accordance with the game, a counting process is performed to convert the game points into points as counted points in accordance with the operation of the counting button 13 on the game machine 1 (counting operation). In this case, 1 point is converted for each operation, but if the operation is continued, conversion becomes possible continuously and at an accelerated rate. After updating the game points and points in this way, if a return operation (issuance operation) is performed on the game device 2, such as by operating the issuance button 37 while there is a remaining balance of deposits or points, the deposit balance or points will be issued in association with a general card (issuance process). In addition, it is also possible to perform a partial issuance process in which only a portion of the points or the deposit balance is to be issued.

[0032] (4) The issuance process is based on issuance conditions corresponding to the game points in the gaming machine 1. In this embodiment, the issuance conditions are met and the issuance process becomes possible when the game points become a predetermined number "0" or less. Therefore, communication (including information such as out or safe) is performed with the gaming machine 1 at regular intervals (for example, every 300ms), and when the game points become "0" due to use in the game or counting processing, this fact is notified to the gaming device 2, and if the issuance conditions are met, the issuance process is permitted. It is sufficient to update the game points and identify that the issuance conditions have been met by including game point information that can identify the game points in the data items transmitted from the gaming machine 1, but other identification methods such as separately providing a data item to indicate that the game points have become "0" or outputting a separate signal may also be adopted.

[0033] (5) Points that can be identified by the issued general card can be exchanged for prizes at POS9, and the deposit balance can be settled into currency (banknotes and coins) at the settlement machine. Although cash is an example of monetary value, including the currency accepted by the gaming device 2, other forms of monetary value such as electronic money or credit card payments may also be accepted or settled. Furthermore, although the example shows issuing points and deposit balances in association with general cards, it is also possible to issue them in association with other recording media such as membership cards or the player's FeliCa mobile terminal.

[0034] (6) Through serial communication with the relay device 4, the management device 6 can identify various information such as currency acceptance processing, payment processing, deposit balance, points held, loan points, conversion points, deposit amount, counted points, sales amount which is the consideration for loan points, and acceptance and issuance processing of recording media. These can also be identified using pulse signals (for example, one pulse for every 1000 yen deposited, one pulse for every 100 yen sold, etc.). Although the example shows a configuration in which the gaming machine 1 and the gaming device 2 communicate directly, the gaming machine 1 and the gaming device 2 may also communicate via the relay device 4.

[0035] (7) The remote control receiver 36 receives commands from the employee remote control 35 and performs various processes according to the content of the commands.

[0036] The information display device 3 will now be described. The information display device 3 is installed on a per-game machine basis at a position above the corresponding game machine 1. As shown in Figure 4, the display device body 40 includes an illumination section 41 (corresponding to the first area) that performs various illumination effects on the outer edge side when viewed from the front of the display device body 40, and an information display section 42 (corresponding to the second area) that can display various game information related to the game of the game machine 1.

[0037] The lower right of the display device body 40 is provided with a machine number display area 43 for attaching a sticker indicating the machine number of the corresponding gaming machine 1, and the lower left of the display device body 40 is provided with a call button 44, which is a push-button for players to call an employee. In addition, the information display unit 42 has a touch panel 46 below its display screen 45.

[0038] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, a protective cover 47 (corresponding to a protective means) is provided on the frontmost side of the display device body 40. Although there are cutouts in some areas (corresponding to the call button 44 and the machine number display area 43), a single protective cover 47 covers the area including the illumination section 41 and the information display section 42 (corresponding to covering the first and second areas with one protective means). The protective cover 47 is made of a colorless, transparent material so that the various effects performed in the illumination section 41 and the various game information displayed in the information display section 42 are visible (corresponding to the protective means having transparency that allows the effects and game information to be visible). This structure, including the protective cover 47, can give a simple and sophisticated impression even for a large information display device 3, which tends to have a large amount of visual information. In addition, the protective cover 47 is provided with a non-transparent design section 48 (corresponding to a decorative protective area).

[0039] Double-sided tape (which serves as the fixing means) is used to secure the protective cover 47. As explained in Figure 4, since the information display device 3 has a structure that includes a touch panel 46, the frequency with which players directly touch the protective cover 47 increases, which may cause damage to the protective cover 47. If the protective cover 47 is damaged, it will need to be replaced, but since double-sided tape can be removed using a release agent, repairs are easier compared to fixing methods such as adhesives.

[0040] As shown in Figure 6, fixing regions 49a to 49c are provided as areas for fixing the protective cover 47. In fixing region 49a (the dashed line indicated by arrow A in Figure 6), the protective cover 47 is fixed with double-sided tape so as to traverse from the left end to the right end in the short direction (corresponding to the protective means being fixed so as to traverse the protective means while avoiding the front surface of the second region), thereby uniformly distributing the fixing force and increasing the overall strength of the bond. As a result, partial peeling or lifting can be prevented, and a stable fixed state can be maintained over a long period of time.

[0041] The fixed area 49b (indicated by the dashed line indicated by arrow B in Figure 6) is secured to the outer periphery of the information display unit 42 by fixing the protective cover 47 with double-sided tape, thereby reducing the risk of interference with the liquid crystal screen due to warping or expansion of the protective cover 47. As a result, the sealing performance that prevents the intrusion of dust and moisture can be improved, and the display screen 45 can be protected for a long period of time.

[0042] The fixed area 49c (indicated by the dashed line indicated by arrow C in Figure 6) separates a portion of the longitudinal side of the illumination section 41 from the outer circumference of the display device body 40 (separated area (indicated by the dashed line indicated by arrow D in Figure 7)). By fixing the protective cover 47 with double-sided tape at this separated area (corresponding to the separated area), the reduction in the effect of the illumination section 41, which extends longitudinally along the outer outline, is minimized. As a result, the illumination section 41 can be positioned in accordance with the outer outline of the display device body 40 without reducing the effect of the illumination section 41, while also allowing the longitudinal direction, which is susceptible to warping and expansion of the protective cover 47, to be appropriately fixed.

[0043] As shown in Figure 7, the protective cover 47 is provided with a first decoration 50 (corresponding to the first decoration protection area) and a second decoration 51 (corresponding to the second decoration protection area). As mentioned above, the protective cover 47 is colorless and transparent in areas other than those with designs, so these areas (corresponding to the visibility protection area) allow various effects and game information to be seen. The first decoration 50 (indicated by the dashed line indicated by arrow E in Figure 7) is an opaque design applied to the fixed areas 49a to 49c of the protective cover 47, while the second decoration 51 (indicated by the dashed line indicated by arrow F in Figure 7) is applied not to the fixed areas 49a to 49c, but to the front of the illumination section 41. Although opaque, it has a higher transparency than the first decoration 50 so as to allow some of the various effects from the illumination to pass through.

[0044] If only the first decoration 50 is present, it will depend on the shape of the fixed areas 49a to 49c, and there is a risk that the design will appear unbalanced. However, by providing the second decoration 51, it is possible to appropriately perform various illumination effects while giving the impression that the illumination section 41 has an arc-shaped design, as shown in Figure 7. This enables various illumination effects while also enhancing the design, and reduces the risk that the first decoration 50 alone will stand out and detract from the overall design.

[0045] Next, the appearance of the information display device 3 will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 13. Figure 8 shows the left side, and Figure 9 shows the right side. Figure 10 shows the top, and Figure 9 indicates the direction of illustration for Figure 10. Figure 11 shows an enlarged view of Figure 10, and Figure 10 indicates the area of ​​illustration for Figure 11. Figure 12 shows an enlarged view of Figure 9, and Figure 9 indicates the area of ​​illustration for Figure 12. Figure 13 shows the depth.

[0046] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the information display device 3 includes a staff LED section (corresponding to a special notification means) on the left side of the display device body 40, which is a staff LED section 52 (corresponding to a first special notification means), and a staff LED section 53 (corresponding to a second special notification means) on the right side of the display device body 40.

[0047] The illumination unit 41 (corresponding to a general notification means) is provided on the front side of the display device body 40 and includes a first illumination unit 54 (corresponding to a first general notification means) that performs various effects mainly for the player sitting in front of the corresponding gaming machine 1, and a second illumination unit 55 (corresponding to a second general notification means) that is provided on the rear side of the display device body 40 and performs various effects mainly for the player other than the player sitting in front of the corresponding gaming machine 1 (for example, the player of the adjacent gaming machine).

[0048] The staff LED units 52 and 53 notify employees of various information and, unlike the information display unit 42 described in Figures 6 and 7, and the first illumination unit 54 and second illumination unit 55 described in Figure 8, do not provide notifications or effects for players (this corresponds to the first special notification means and the second special notification means each providing notifications targeting the same employee information, and not notifying effect information). Furthermore, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, the first illumination section 54 and the second illumination section 55 have a structure that protrudes outward from the staff LED sections 52 and 53. Therefore, the cover section 56 (corresponding to the cover means) of the first illumination section 54 shown in Figure 11 makes it difficult to see the staff LED sections 52 and 53 from the front side of the information display device 3 (the special notification means is positioned so that it is not visible to the player, as it is positioned by the cover means), but makes it easy to see the staff LED sections 52 and 53 from the side side of the information display device 3 (it is positioned so that it is visible from the side side of the display device body). In other words, the staff LED sections 52 and 53 are difficult to see from a player sitting in front of the gaming machine 1, but are positioned so that they are easily visible to an employee patrolling the aisles within the gaming area.

[0049] As shown in Figure 8, the illumination section 41 consists of a first illumination section 54 and a second illumination section 55, which are spaced apart on the front and rear sides of the display device body 40, flanking the staff LED sections 52 and 53. When viewed from the side, they roughly follow the shape of the display device body 40 from the top to the bottom (the first general notification means is provided from above the vertical center of the display device body to below the center, and the second general notification means is provided from the top to the bottom, and is spaced apart from the first general notification means in at least a portion of the top and bottom so that at least a portion of the display device body is visible when viewed from the side of the display device body).

[0050] However, in reality, as shown in Figure 12, the depth of the illumination section 41, which is composed of the first illumination section 54 and the second illumination section 55 at the upper end of the second illumination section 55, is designed to be shorter than the depth of the upper part of the display device body 40 (the depth at which the first general notification means and the second general notification means are spaced apart differs in at least a part of the upper side and at least a part of the lower side, and is shorter in at least a part of the upper side compared to the depth of at least a part of the upper side of the display device body). This design allows the illumination section 41 to leave a lasting impression through its visual effects, causing users to mistakenly believe that the depth of the upper part of the display device body 40 is the depth of the first illumination section 54 and the second illumination section 55, thereby giving the impression that the information display device 3 has a smart and sophisticated design.

[0051] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 13, the depth of the illumination section 41 at the lower end of the second illumination section 55 is designed to be longer than the depth of the upper part of the display device body 40. (This corresponds to at least a portion of the lower part being longer.) The design of the illumination section 41, with the upper end of the second illumination section 55 being shorter and the lower end being longer, gives the impression that the lower part of the display device body 40 is thick and heavy, providing a sense of security that the center of gravity of the information display device 3 is located lower down, close to the mounting section 57.

[0052] The first illumination section 54 and the second illumination section 55 use lenses that are processed to diffuse light from the light source, enabling even and eye-friendly illumination. On the other hand, the staff LED sections 52 and 53 use lenses that do not impair the directionality of light from the light source, allowing the illumination to be seen even at a distance from the information display device 3. Furthermore, the first LED 58 and second LED 60 shown in Figure 8 and the first LED 59 and second LED 61 shown in Figure 9 can be made into small light-emitting units, allowing the staff LED sections 52 and 53 to be installed even in the relatively narrow area between the first illumination section 54 and the second illumination section 55.

[0053] While the example given illustrates the use of the illumination section 41 to make it difficult for players to see the staff LED sections 52 and 53, any type of cover can be used to obstruct the view of the staff LED sections 52 and 53 from the front. This could be a resin component that does not display any effects, or an LCD panel that displays information.

[0054] The first LED 58 and second LED 60 of staff LED unit 52, and the first LED 59 and second LED 61 of staff LED unit 53, use full-color LEDs, and various information is conveyed to employees through combinations of lighting states, including the respective light colors. In addition, the left and right staff LED units 52 and 53 convey the same information.

[0055] Figure 14 shows a list of the notification content in the staff LED units 52 and 53. Each item is as follows: "Display Factor": This is the name of the "light emission pattern" and indicates an overview of the notification content. "Light emission pattern": This indicates how the first LEDs 58 and 59 and the second LEDs 60 and 61 will emit light to notify when the conditions (second notification conditions) shown in the corresponding "display conditions" are met. The "first LED" mainly indicates the importance of the corresponding condition, with red being the most important, in the order of green, yellow, and red. The "second LED" indicates the type of display factor, for example, red when an illegal signal is detected from gaming machine 1, and purple when there is inspection information related to gaming device 2.

[0056] The notification process will now be explained. When any of the "display conditions" are met, the staff LEDs 52 and 53 illuminate the first LEDs 58 and 59 and the second LEDs 60 and 61 according to the "lighting pattern" corresponding to the met "display condition" to notify employees of information. The notification continues as long as the "display condition" is met. When the event corresponding to the "display condition" is resolved, the notification ends, and the staff LEDs 52 and 53 are not illuminated, as shown in "No. 6" of Figure 14, "No Notification," thereby suppressing the notification.

[0057] Each "display condition" has a priority setting to determine which one should be notified if multiple "display conditions" are met simultaneously. In Figure 14, the priority is associated with "No.", and the smaller the value, the higher the priority. Therefore, if multiple "display conditions" are met simultaneously, the staff LED units 52 and 53 will notify the "lighting pattern" corresponding to the smallest value of "No.". For example, if "No. 1" "Invalid" and "No. 3" "Card Stock Warning" occur simultaneously in Figure 14, the "Invalid" of "No. 1," which has the smallest value and the highest display priority, will be notified, and the first LEDs 58 and 59 and the second LEDs 60 and 61 will light up red.

[0058] Here, the illumination unit 41 will perform various effects for the player when the conditions for performing various effects for the player are met (corresponding to the first notification condition), such as when the corresponding gaming machine 1 hits a jackpot or when various effects are performed at a predetermined time, or when no other effects are performed. When the player presses the call button 44, the illumination unit 41 will also light up to notify the player that the operation has been received. "Employee call" is, so to speak, a notification for employees (corresponding to the second notification condition), but as shown in "No. 6" "Employee call", notification by the staff LED units 52 and 53 is suppressed. Thus, even if the information is for employees, it does not have to be notified by the staff LED units 52 and 53, and it may be notified by the illumination unit 41. Furthermore, as indicated in "No. 7" under "No Notification," if none of the "display conditions" are met, even if the conditions for performing various effects for the player are met, both the first LEDs 58 and 59 and the second LEDs 60 and 61 will not light up and will remain off until a new "display condition" is met (this is equivalent to suppressing all notifications even if the first notification condition is met if the second notification condition is not met). Note that the staff LED units 52 and 53 do not provide notifications for content such as various effects for the player.

[0059] The display device body 40 is assembled to the mounting part 57, and the tilt angle of the display device body 40 can be adjusted while it is installed on the gaming island. Figure 15 shows the adjustment range of the tilt angle of the display device body 40. The angle can be fixed to any angle using the locking mechanism 62 (corresponding to the tilt angle fixing means), and the tilt angle toward the forward side can be adjusted in multiple stages (for example, 9 stages) up to a maximum of 90 degrees, with the state where the information display part 42 of the display device body 40 is vertical being set as "0 degrees". Angle adjustment range A has four stages: "0 degrees", "7.5 degrees", "15 degrees", and "22.5 degrees", and angle adjustment range B has five stages: "38 degrees", "51 degrees", "64 degrees", "77 degrees", and "90 degrees", with the adjustment angle per stage differing in each range.

[0060] The locking mechanism for fixing the tilt angle of the display device body 40 will be described with reference to Figures 16 and 17. The locking mechanism 62 allows the tilt angle of the display device body 40 to be fixed by having the fixing shaft 64 on the display device body 40 side fit into one of the multiple fixing holes 63 (corresponding to the tilt angle fixing means and fixing part) provided on the mounting part 57 side (corresponding to the tilt angle fixing means).

[0061] To release the lock mechanism 62, the operator holds the side or front of the main body with their palm (supporting the display device body 40) and inserts their fingers into the release parts 65 provided on the handles 66 and 67 on the back of the display device body 40, sliding the release parts 65 outwards from the display device body 40 (corresponding to the release operation). This causes the fixed shaft 64, which is linked via the arm 68, to be pulled out of the fixed hole 63, and the lock is released (the release operation can be continuously performed while the operator supports the display device body). Furthermore, a spring 69 is attached to the fixed shaft 64, and the tension of the spring 69 acts to force the fixed shaft 64 into the fixing hole 63. Therefore, when the unlocking operation is stopped (the unlocking part 65 is released), the display device body 40 tilts to an inclination angle corresponding to one of the fixing holes 63, causing the fixed shaft 64, which is under the tension of the spring 69, to fit into the fixing hole 63, and the device becomes locked (the inclination angle fixing means corresponds to fixing the device to the display device body in accordance with the end of continuous unlocking operations). Since the tension of the spring 69 continues to be applied to the fixed shaft 64, the device can maintain its locked state if there is no operation on the unlocking part 65 or the display device body 40.

[0062] As shown in Figure 17, the fixing holes 63 are arranged concentrically with respect to the axis of rotation of the inclination and positioned on the mounting portion 57 side so that the fixing shaft 64 can be accommodated in accordance with the inclination angle to be fixed. The fixing holes 63 include straight holes 70a to 70d (corresponding to the inclination angle fixing means, fixing part, and first fixing part) and inclined holes 71a to 71e (corresponding to the inclination angle fixing means, fixing part, and second fixing part). With straight holes 70a to 70d, the fixing shaft 64 is fixed by the wall surface of the hole once it is inserted, so angle adjustment cannot be performed without a lock release operation. On the other hand, with inclined holes 71a to 71e, the fixing shaft 64 is fixed by the wall surface of the hole in the forward tilting direction, similar to straight holes 70a to 70d, so angle adjustment cannot be performed without a lock release operation. However, in the upright direction (the direction in which the display device body 40 is raised), the wall surface of the hole is composed of a gentle slope, so by directly raising the display device body 40, the fixing shaft 64 is pushed in to the unlocked position by the slope. Furthermore, if the tilt is changed to the adjacent fixing hole 63, the tension of the spring 69 will return the fixing shaft 64 to the locked position, so it will no longer be possible to tilt it forward without unlocking it.

[0063] The corresponding inclination angles for each of the fixing holes 63 are "0 degrees," "7.5 degrees," "15 degrees," and "22.5 degrees" for the straight holes 70a to 70d, and "38 degrees," "51 degrees," "64 degrees," "77 degrees," and "90 degrees" for the inclined holes 71a to 71e. As shown in Figure 17, the straight holes 70a to 70d do not have a large hole width, so by providing them close together, they can accommodate cases where fine angle adjustments are required. On the other hand, the inclined holes 71a to 71e are provided to correspond to inclination angles that require the display device body 40 to be tilted forward significantly for work on the rear side of the device (corresponding to the inclination angle of the display device body that is tilted forward relative to the mounting part from the first fixing part), so that even when the tilt is large and the weight load of the display device body 40 is large, the angle can be adjusted simply by lifting the display device body 40 without unlocking it (corresponding to the fact that the fixing can be released by raising the display device body).

[0064] A click mechanism for notifying the tilt angle when adjusting the tilt angle of the display device body 40 will be described with reference to Figures 18 and 19. As shown in Figures 18 and 19, the click mechanism 72 (corresponding to the notification means) consists of a protrusion housing portion 73 provided on the display device body 40 side and a receiving portion 74 provided on the mounting portion 57 side. The protrusion housing portion 73 includes a spring 75 (corresponding to an elastic member) and a protrusion member 76 (corresponding to an engaging portion). The receiving portion 74 includes a plurality of recesses 77 (corresponding to engaged portions).

[0065] The spring 75 has a convex portion housing 73 and a convex member 76 attached to both ends, respectively, and generates tension so as to press the convex member 76 toward the receiving portion 74. The convex portion housing 73 moves in accordance with the change in the tilt angle of the display device body 40, and the recess 77 provided in the receiving portion 74 is located on its movement trajectory, so the convex member 76 is pressed against the receiving portion 74, including the recess 77, in accordance with the change in the tilt angle.

[0066] As the inclination angle changes, the convex member 76 moves from outside the recess 77 to inside the recess 77. Due to the tension of the spring 75, the tip of the convex member 76 forcefully collides with the bottom surface of the recess 77, generating a click sound. Furthermore, as the inclination angle changes and the convex member 76 attempts to move from inside the recess 77 to outside the recess 77, a resistive force is generated between the convex member 76 and the recess 77, directed toward the center of the recess 77. In other words, the click mechanism 72 generates a click sound by changing the angle of the display device body 40 to the inclination angle corresponding to the recess 77, and generates a resistive force when moving away from that inclination angle. Therefore, whether or not the convex member 76 fits into the recess 77 indicates whether or not the inclination angle is fixed (this is equivalent to whether or not the display device body is at a predetermined inclination angle by whether or not the engaging part engages with the engaged part).

[0067] As shown in Figure 18, the click mechanism 72 is provided in accordance with the straight holes 70a to 70d (the notification means targets the inclination angle corresponding to the first fixing part for notification), and since it notifies the inclination angle corresponding to each of the straight holes 70a to 70d, the angle can be quantitatively determined by the number of times the click sound was emitted from the vertical position without visually checking the angle of the display device body 40 by the click sound. In addition, the resistance force of the click mechanism 72 acts to guide the fixing hole 63 to the center, so the lock position can also be correctly determined.

[0068] As described above, this embodiment provides the following advantages and benefits. In the information display device 3, the illumination section 41 and the information display section 42 are covered by a single transparent protective cover 47. Therefore, even in a large information display device 3, which tends to have a large amount of visual information due to various effects and game information, it is possible to ensure a simple and sophisticated design and a unified design.

[0069] By applying an opaque design to the protective cover 47 in accordance with the fixing points to the display device body 40, even when using a transparent, highly designed protective cover 47 that covers almost the entire surface of the display device body 40, it is possible to hide the fixing area with the design and ensure an appropriate design while displaying various effects and game information.

[0070] Since the protective cover 47 is secured with double-sided tape, maintenance of the information display device 3 can be easily performed, as replacement of the protective cover 47 due to damage or deterioration can be done by simply removing it with a release agent. Furthermore, since the fixing areas 49a to 49c are provided on the front of the display device body 40, even though double-sided tape has inferior fixing strength compared to fixing materials such as screws or bolts, it is easier to secure a wide fixing area and thus easier to ensure fixing strength, considering that the information display device 3 is large.

[0071] Since the protective cover 47 is fixed so as to cross over the information display section 42 while avoiding it, the fixing force is evenly distributed without obstructing the display of game information, preventing partial peeling or lifting, and enabling a stable fixed state to be maintained over a long period of time.

[0072] By separating a portion of the longitudinal side of the illumination section 41 from the outer circumference of the main body and fixing the protective cover 47 at this separated portion, it is possible to properly fix the longitudinal direction of the protective cover 47, which is susceptible to warping and expansion, while still positioning the illumination section 41 in accordance with the outer outline of the display device body 40 so as not to reduce the various effects of the illumination section 41.

[0073] By applying a design to the protective cover 47 that has a higher transparency than the fixed areas 49a to 49c, it is possible to reduce the risk of the design being compromised, such as the design that hides the fixed areas 49a to 49c being the only thing that stands out, without significantly obstructing the display of various effects and game information.

[0074] Staff LED units 52 and 53 are provided in a position where their view is obstructed by the cover unit 46 while the player is playing the game on the game machine 1, but they are visible from the side of the display device body 40. These staff LED units 52 and 53 are used to notify employees of information, thereby reducing the risk of disrupting the player's enjoyment by notifying employees of information, and allowing employees to easily grasp the information notified to them.

[0075] The illumination section 41 is positioned in front of and behind the display unit 40, and the front first illumination section 54 forms the cover section 46. As a result, the notification from the first illumination section 54 that constitutes the cover section 46 further reduces the risk that the notifications from the staff LED sections 52 and 53 will be visible to players in front of them. In addition, since the staff LED sections 52 and 53 are positioned between the first illumination section 54 and the second illumination section 55, the notification from the illumination section 41 will be more noticeable than the notification from the staff LED sections 52 and 53 when viewed from the end of the island, thereby reducing the risk of the notification from the illumination section 41 being obscured.

[0076] By comparing the depth of the first illumination section 54 and the second illumination section 55 with the depth of the upper side of the display device body 40, the upper side is made shorter and the lower side is made longer. As a result, the upper side of the display device body 40 appears thinner than it actually is, while the lower side appears thicker and heavier, creating a visually sleek impression and a sense of security due to the center of gravity being at the bottom. Furthermore, since the first illumination section 54 and the second illumination section 55 are spaced apart so that the display device body 40 is visible, the areas where the display device body 40 is visible are less visually prominent than the first illumination section 54 and the second illumination section 55, thereby reducing the perceived thickness and weight of the display device body 40.

[0077] Staff LED units 52 and 53 are provided so that employee information can be viewed from either the left or right side, and the same content is displayed on both. This makes it easy for employees to understand the information regardless of which side they are viewing it from.

[0078] If the conditions for notifying employees are not met, the staff LED units 52 and 53 will be turned off, but various effects for players will continue to be displayed. This contrasts with the off state, making the notification (lighting) of employee information more distinctive and making it easier for employees to understand the notification.

[0079] A lock release unit 65 is provided that allows the worker to operate the display device body 40 while supporting it. The lock is released during operation and fixed when the operation is finished. This makes it easier to ensure that the worker is supporting the display device body 40 when the lock is released. At the same time, even if the worker's hand slips from the lock release unit 65 due to an unexpected event, the display device body 40 will be fixed once the continuous operation is finished. Therefore, even with a large information display device 3 that enables large-screen display, it is easier to ensure the worker's safety when changing the tilt angle.

[0080] In addition to straight holes 70a to 70d that can be released by unlocking, the fixing holes 63 are also provided with inclined holes 71a to 71e that allow the angle to be changed on the upright side without unlocking. Therefore, when changing the inclination angle corresponding to the inclined holes 71a to 71e on the upright side, unlocking is not required, making it possible to improve work efficiency while ensuring safety.

[0081] Since the inclined holes 71a to 71e are positioned further forward than the straight holes 70a to 70d, even if the display device body 40 is tilted significantly forward to perform work on the game island, the tilt angle can be quickly restored without any release operation near the inclined holes 71a to 71e on the forward side after the work is completed. Furthermore, since the release operation becomes easier after the restoration, the workability near the straight holes 70a to 70d on the upright side can also be improved.

[0082] The click mechanism 72 is designed to notify the user of a predetermined tilt angle through sound, resistance, etc., so that, for example, by notifying the maximum possible tilt angle, it is possible to reduce the risk of damaging the information display device 3 by tilting it too far forward, and by notifying the manufacturer's recommended tilt angle, it is also possible to improve the workability of adjusting the angle to that point.

[0083] Since a click mechanism 72 is provided corresponding to the straight holes 70a to 70d whose fixing is released by the release operation, it becomes easier to grasp the tilt angle through notification from the click mechanism 72, even during the release operation when it is difficult to anticipate sounds, resistance, etc. corresponding to the straight holes 70a to 70d.

[0084] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and may be modified or expanded as follows. Not only are the front surfaces of the information display unit 42 and the illumination unit 41 flush, but one of the front surfaces may protrude to the extent that a protective cover 47 can be fixed to both (this corresponds to a configuration where one of the first and second regions does not protrude to the front of the other, or where both the first and second regions protrude to the front of the other only to the extent that one protective means can be fixed to both).

[0085] The example given shows how to apply a design to the protective cover 47, but if the protective cover 47 is fixed in place, it is not necessary to apply a design. Furthermore, it is not only necessary to apply a design to the fixed areas 49a to 49c, but there may also be areas within the fixed areas 49a to 49c where no design is applied.

[0086] As long as the illumination unit 41 and the information display unit 42 can be covered by the protective cover 47, it is not necessary to cover the entire area of ​​the front of the display device body 40, the information display unit 42, or the illumination unit 41. For example, areas other than the touch panel 46 of the information display unit 42, or parts of the illumination unit 41 that protrude from the display device body 40, may not be covered. Furthermore, the protective cover 47 may, of course, cover the entire area of ​​the front of the display device body 40, or an area that extends beyond the outer boundary of the display device body 40.

[0087] Although the example given shows the protective cover 47 being made of a colorless and transparent material, any material is acceptable as long as the content displayed in the area covered by the protective cover 47 is visible. For example, it may be treated to limit certain color tones, such as blue light filtering to reduce eye strain, or it may be provided with light-blocking stripes arranged in a striped pattern to prevent peeping.

[0088] Although the entire information display unit 42 is designated as a visibility protection area, similar to the illumination unit 41, a portion of it may be decorated with a design to create a decorative protection area. Alternatively, the entire illumination unit 41 may also be designated as a visibility protection area.

[0089] Although an example has been given of fixing the protective cover 47 to the front of the display device body 40, the protective cover 47 may also be provided with a protrusion, and the protective cover may be fixed to the protrusion on a location other than the front, such as the side of the display device body 40, and a design may be applied to the front of the protrusion.

[0090] Although the example given shows the use of double-sided tape to secure the protective cover 47, it may also be secured using fastening members such as screws, or the protective cover 47 may be fitted and secured to the display device body 40 without using any fastening members.

[0091] Figure 6 illustrates an example where the fixed area 49a is fixed so as to traverse the short side from the left end to the right end. However, as long as it is fixed in a traversing direction, it is not limited to one end to the other; it may also be fixed from a point slightly away from the end of the display device body 40 to another point slightly away from the other. Furthermore, the traversal does not have to be in a straight line; it may also be in a curved line, and it may traverse in any direction, not just the short side. It is desirable to ensure that the fixed area 49a covers at least 90% of the distance from one end to the other.

[0092] Although the example given shows the display device body 40 as a vertically elongated rectangle, it may also be horizontally elongated as long as it is rectangular.

[0093] Although Figure 6 illustrates the case where the fixed area 49c is located in the middle of the longitudinal direction, it may also be located off-center at either end of the longitudinal direction, or its direction may be in the short direction.

[0094] In this embodiment, a "protective cover" is used as an example, but any flat protective cover that covers the front can be provided for any purpose, and of course, it can also be a "design cover" that prioritizes aesthetics, or a "changing cover" that comes in multiple types for the purpose of changing clothes.

[0095] The example given shows how staff LED units 52 and 53 can be used to display employee information exclusively. However, staff LED units 52 and 53 can also be used to display various effects. In that case, it is desirable to make the frequency of displaying employee information higher than the frequency of displaying various effects (this corresponds to making employee information more frequently displayed compared to displaying effects).

[0096] Although the example given shows the first illumination section 54 and the second illumination section 55 being provided from the upper end to the lower end of the display device body 40, it is not necessary to provide each of them from the upper end to the lower end, as long as the first illumination section 54 and the second illumination section 55 are provided above and below the center of the display device body 40.

[0097] Although the example given shows the first illumination section 54 and the second illumination section 55 being separated at any position, it is acceptable for the first illumination section 54 and the second illumination section 55 to be separated at least in part on the upper side and at least in part on the lower side, even if they are not separated elsewhere. For example, a configuration in which they are not separated at only one point near the center is also acceptable, or a configuration in which the first illumination section 54 and the second illumination section 55 are not separated at the upper and lower ends and appear as a single unit when viewed from the side.

[0098] The depth of the first illumination section 54 and the second illumination section 55 may be longer on the upper side and shorter on the lower side compared to at least a portion of the upper side of the display device body 40, provided that a portion of the upper side is shorter and a portion of the lower side is longer. In that case, it is desirable that the proportion of the longer portion on the upper side is greater than the proportion of the shorter portion on the upper side. Similarly, it is desirable that the proportion of the shorter portion on the lower side is greater than the proportion of the longer portion on the lower side.

[0099] While the example given illustrates a case where notification is provided using a combination of light emission patterns of two LEDs 58 and 60 as the staff LED unit 52 and two LEDs 59 and 61 as the staff LED unit 53, any notification means may be used. Notification may be provided using a single LED's light emission color or a light emission pattern that includes flashing, or it may be a notification means using multiple LEDs, such as a dot matrix.

[0100] Although the example shows the staff LED units 52 and 53 being provided on the left and right sides of the display device body 40, any arrangement is acceptable as long as they are visible from the left and right. For example, they may be provided on the top or bottom side relative to the front of the display device body 40.

[0101] The example given shows how multiple staff LED units 52 and 53 can display the same employee information by lighting up the first LEDs 58 and 59 and the second LEDs 60 and 61. However, the notification method does not necessarily have to be the same; for example, the left and right staff LED units 52 and 53 can be lit alternately.

[0102] Figure 14 shows examples of suppressing notifications by prohibiting notification from staff LED units 52 and 53, as in "No. 6" and "No. 7." However, if the goal is to suppress notifications more than normal, other methods such as reducing the brightness of the LED light or changing the light color to a color that is difficult to distinguish are also acceptable.

[0103] While the example shows different "lighting patterns" for each "display factor," the same "lighting pattern" may be used even for different "display factors." For example, "display factors" related to the inspection of gaming equipment could share a common "lighting pattern," and the gaming equipment could then display details of the "display factor" to employees who come to inspect the equipment after seeing the notification.

[0104] Although the recessed component on the back of the display device body 40 is shown as the lock release part 65, any shape can be used as long as it can be operated while supporting the display device body 40. For example, a rod-shaped shape like a bicycle brake lever may be used.

[0105] Although the example given illustrates a case where the tilt angle is fixed by the fixed shaft 64 fitting into the fixed hole 63, any structure is acceptable as long as it is fixed. For example, a structure in which two parts, each having a sawtooth groove formed on one end face of a cylinder, are placed facing each other around the axis of rotation of the tilt angle, causing the grooves to engage and fix the tilt angle, or a structure that utilizes frictional force, like a brake pad, could be adopted as a fixing method.

[0106] As an example of the configuration of the click mechanism 72, a protrusion storage section 73 is provided on the display device body 40 side and a receiving section 74 is provided on the mounting section 57 side, but the corresponding configurations may be swapped.

[0107] As an example of the positional relationship between the convex member 76 and the concave member 77 in the click mechanism 72, they are provided to be parallel to the rotation axis of the tilt angle of the display device body 40. However, any positional relationship is acceptable as long as the convex member 76 fits into the concave member 77. For example, the convex member 76 may be provided on the inside and the concave member 77 on the outside so as to be radially opposite to the rotation axis.

[0108] Although the example shows the click mechanism 72 being provided to indicate the inclination angle corresponding to the straight holes 70a to 70d, the click mechanism 72 may also be provided to correspond to the inclined holes 71a to 71e. Furthermore, multiple click mechanisms may be provided to indicate a single inclination angle, in which case an increase in the number of click mechanisms is expected to have the effect of increasing the sound and resistance that indicates the inclination angle.

[0109] The settings for the management device 6 and the gaming device 2 can be set by the administrator through manual input, pre-configured by the management device manufacturer, or downloaded from an external server (e.g., the chain store headquarters). In this case as well, the settings will be those entered via manual input on the server. It is also possible to use past gaming data as a reference value.

[0110] All the game information exemplified can be identified directly by the input signal or indirectly using a calculation formula. Furthermore, while data signals such as telegrams were used as examples of game signals, other signal inputs such as pulse signals can also be used, as illustrated.

[0111] The numerical values, number of digits, and items are examples only; any numerical values ​​may be used. Furthermore, the identification output may be any format other than those exemplified, such as adding symbols; at a minimum, printing and display output are expected.

[0112] Regarding "greater than" and "exceeding," either can be used, and expressions such as "reached" or "exceeded" can correspond to either. The same applies to "less than" and "less than," and expressions such as "did not reach" can correspond to both.

[0113] The target gaming machines can include not only the example pachinko machines, but also slot machines, which are so-called smart gaming machines that manage gaming media solely as data, as well as conventional pachinko and slot machines that dispense gaming media. Furthermore, considering the cases in which gaming media are dispensed or handled as data, the expression "assigning gaming value as needed" encompasses both the value of the dispensed gaming media and the value acquired managed as data.

[0114] Some of the processing performed by the information display device 3 may be carried out by the management device 6, the gaming device 2, or the relay device 4, etc., or the information display device 3 alone may be used for all of it. Furthermore, the example configurations may be changed as appropriate depending on the settings, the example configurations including modified versions may be combined in any way, and configurations may be excluded as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0115] In the drawing, 1 is a game machine, 2 is a game device, 3 is an information display device, 40 is the display device body, 41 is the illumination section (first area, general notification means), 42 is the information display section (second area), 46 is the cover section (cover means), 47 is the protective cover (protective means), 49a~49c are fixed areas, 52, 53 are staff LED sections (special notification means), 54 is the first illumination section (first general notification means), 55 is the second illumination section (second general notification means) The means are as follows: 57 is the mounting part, 62 is the locking mechanism (inclination angle fixing means), 63 is the fixing hole (inclination angle fixing means, fixing part), 65 is the lock release part (release means), 70a to 70d are the straight holes (inclination angle fixing means, first fixing part), 71a to 71e are the inclined holes (inclination angle fixing means, second fixing part), 72 is the click mechanism (notification means), 75 is the spring (elastic member), 76 is the convex member (engaging part), and 77 is the concave part (engaged part).

Claims

1. It is installed above each gaming machine within the gaming arcade, and is capable of displaying various gaming information related to the game being played on that machine. A mounting part that is attached to the gaming island where the gaming machines are installed, An information display device including a display device body that can be tilted relative to the mounting portion, An inclination angle fixing means for fixing the display device body at one of several inclination angles, The device includes a release means for releasing the fixed tilt angle in response to a release operation for releasing the fixed tilt angle of the display device body, The aforementioned release operation can be continuously performed while the worker supports the display device body. The tilt angle fixing means is an information display device that fixes the tilt angle to the display device body in accordance with the completion of the continuous release operation.

2. The tilt angle fixing means has a fixing part that fixes to the corresponding tilt angle, The fixing portion includes a first fixing portion whose fixing is released by the release operation, and a second fixing portion whose fixing can be released without the release operation. The information display device according to claim 1, wherein the second fixing part can be released by raising the display device body.

3. The information display device according to claim 2, wherein the second fixing portion is provided in accordance with the inclination angle of the display device body, which is inclined in the front direction with respect to the mounting portion more than the first fixing portion.

4. The display device body and the mounting portion are provided with an engaging portion and an engaged portion that can engage with the engaging portion. An information display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a notification means for notifying whether the display device body has reached a predetermined inclination angle based on whether the engaging portion, which is displaced relative to the engaged portion by an elastic member, engages with the engaged portion.

5. The tilt angle fixing means has a fixing part that fixes to the corresponding tilt angle, The fixing portion includes a first fixing portion whose fixing is released by the release operation, and a second fixing portion whose fixing can be released without the release operation. The notification means is an information display device according to claim 4, wherein the inclination angle corresponding to the first fixed portion is the target of notification.

Images