Illumination device and gaming machine

Abstract

To provide an illumination device and a game machine capable of showing a light performance having a larger performance effect by increasing luminance of the light performance regardless of restrictions on the number of light sources.SOLUTION: A long illumination device (1) that is installed in both the sides of a game machine and is long in a vertical direction includes: a case (2) in which at least a front face and a side face of the device are open; a transparent cover (3) for covering an opened part of the case (2); plural light guide plates (4S, 4M, 4L) that are housed in the case (2) and are disposed with a gap mutually in a fore-and-aft direction of the device while each light emission surface (4a) faces the front face of the device; and plural light sources provided in accordance with the plural light guide plates (4S, 4M, 4L).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an illumination device and a gaming machine that perform light effects using a light guide plate. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a technology is known in which light emitted from a light source is made to enter the inside of a light guide plate from an end face, reflected by dimples provided on the back surface of the light guide plate, and emitted from the surface (light exit surface) of the light guide plate. Illumination devices using such technology are mounted on gaming machines such as slot machines and gaming machines installed in gaming facilities such as casinos. The applicant of the present application has also proposed an illumination device suitable for mounting on gaming machines (for example, Patent Document 1). Such an illumination device performs light effects by switching the illumination pattern of the light guide plate. Various illumination patterns can be created by changing the combination of light emission color and light emission timing in various ways. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-156317 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In such illumination devices, the brightness of the light guide plate is important, and the higher the brightness, the better the presentation effect for the player and the more likely it is to attract the player to the gaming machine. The brightness of the light guide plate can be increased by increasing the number of light sources, but this increases power consumption, so it cannot be increased indiscriminately.

[0005] To provide an illumination device and a game machine capable of increasing the luminance of a light effect and presenting a light effect with a higher performance even if the number of light sources is restricted. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following configuration.

[0007] In other words, an illumination device installed in a gaming machine according to one aspect of the present invention is an illumination device installed in the housing of the gaming machine, and comprises a case with at least the front and sides of the device being open, a transparent cover covering the open portion of the case, a plurality of light guide plates housed inside the case and arranged at intervals from each other in the front-to-rear direction of the device with their light emission surfaces facing the front of the device, and a plurality of light sources provided corresponding to the plurality of light guide plates.

[0008] According to the above configuration, the multiple light guide plates are arranged in the front-rear direction of the device with their respective light exit surfaces facing the front of the device. With such an arrangement, the multiple light guide plates are visually overlapped when viewed from the front of the device. By visually overlapping the multiple light guide plates, the light emitted from each light guide plate complements each other, and a higher brightness can be obtained in the overlapping portions than that obtained with a single light guide plate.

[0009] As a result, even if it is not possible to increase the brightness of each light guide plate due to restrictions on the number of light sources, by overlapping multiple illuminated light guide plates, it is possible to increase the brightness of the light presentation and present a light presentation with a higher presentation effect.

[0010] Moreover, according to the above configuration, since the multiple light guide plates are arranged at intervals from each other, each of the multiple light guide plates can be visually recognized separately in the front-rear direction, which creates a sense of depth in the front-rear direction, and by controlling each of the multiple light guide plates, a light performance with a sense of depth can be produced.

[0011] In the illumination device according to the above aspect, the case and the cover may be formed in an elongated shape, and a plurality of sets each made up of the plurality of light guide plates may be arranged in the elongated direction. According to the above configuration, in the elongated illumination device, by controlling each of the sets each made up of the plurality of light guide plates arranged in the elongated direction, it is possible to perform a performance with movement in the elongated direction.

[0012] In the illumination device according to the above aspect, the plurality of light guide plates may be configured to increase in size from the front to the rear. With this configuration, all of the plurality of light guide plates arranged in the front-rear direction can be viewed from the front, which increases the range of effects. In addition, a light effect with a greater sense of depth can be produced by using perspective.

[0013] In the illumination device according to the above aspect, the case may be configured to include a mirror portion having a light reflecting function on an inner wall that defines a space in which the plurality of light guide plates are arranged. According to the above configuration, light emitted from the rear surfaces of the plurality of light guide plates or from the peripheral end faces of the plurality of light guide plates is reflected by the mirror portion. This allows a user such as a player to see light that would not normally be visible from the front or side of the device, thereby enhancing the presentation effect.

[0014] In the illumination device according to the above aspect, the cover may be configured to include a half mirror portion having a light reflecting function and a light transmitting function. According to the above configuration, the cover can be made to look like a mirror or transparent depending on the brightness inside. This can enhance the presentation effect.

[0015] In an illumination device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the case may further be configured to include a mirror portion having a light-reflecting function on an inner wall that defines a space in which the plurality of light-guiding plates are arranged, and the cover may be configured to include a half-mirror portion having a light-reflecting function and a light-transmitting function.

[0016] According to the above configuration, the mirror section provided on the inner wall and the half mirror section provided on the cover form a combined mirror. In addition to the respective effects of the mirror section and the half mirror section described above, the combined mirror can produce a light effect with a fantastic sense of depth, in which the illuminated light guide plate is reflected multiple times, further enhancing the presentation effect.

[0017] A gaming machine according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a gaming machine main body and an illumination device according to any one of the aspects of the above disclosure that is installed in a cabinet of the gaming machine main body. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an illumination device and a gaming machine that can provide a highly effective lighting effect even to users positioned other than in front of the device.

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an illumination device and a gaming machine that can increase the brightness of light effects and provide light effects with a higher presentation effect even if the number of light sources is limited. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a gaming machine equipped with an illumination device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a perspective view of an illumination device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of an illumination device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the illumination device according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 5] 2 is a perspective view showing a light guide plate and an LED substrate in the illumination device according to the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the dramatic effect achieved by the illumination device according to the present embodiment, which is achieved by supplementing light. [Figure 7] 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the dramatic effect of the mirror portion in the illumination device according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 8] 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a presentation of an illumination device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 13 is an explanatory diagram showing three light guide plates arranged in the front-rear direction in an illumination device according to a modified example. FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the illumination state of the three light guide plates shown in FIG. 9 and how they appear when viewed from the front. [Figure 11] This is an explanatory diagram showing a modified example, in which the straight line illuminated by the illuminated outer edge face is used as a means of conveying some kind of information to players or arcade employees. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Hereinafter, an embodiment according to one aspect of the present disclosure (hereinafter, also referred to as "the present embodiment") will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, an illumination device installed on both the left and right edge portions of the front of a gaming machine will be illustrated.

[0022] §1 Examples of application As shown in FIG. 1, the illumination device 1 according to this embodiment has an elongated shape that is long in the vertical direction, and is installed on both the left and right edges of the front of a housing 101 of a gaming machine 100 such as a slot machine. As shown in FIG. 2, the illumination device 1 includes a case 2 that is open at least on the front and side, a cover 3 that covers the open portion of the case 2, and a plurality of light guide plates 4 arranged inside the case 2. The light guide plates 4 are arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction with their light exit surfaces 4a facing the front. In the example of FIG. 2, three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L are arranged in the front-rear direction, and three sets each consisting of the three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L are arranged in the vertical direction.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 6, the multiple light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L arranged in the front-rear direction overlap when viewed from the front, and mutually compensate for the light. As a result, the brightness of the overlapping parts becomes higher than the brightness obtained with a single light guide plate 4, and it is possible to obtain a high brightness that cannot be obtained with a single light guide plate 4. This makes it possible to obtain a high brightness and improve the presentation effect without increasing the number of light sources provided on a single light guide plate 4.

[0024] Moreover, since the light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L are arranged at intervals from each other, it is possible to create a sense of perspective in the front-to-back direction by controlling each of the light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L. The case 2 is open not only from the front but also from the sides, so that the light guide plates 4 can be seen not only from the front but also from diagonal directions and from the side. When viewed from an oblique direction, the light emitted from the outer peripheral end face of the light guide plate 4 can make the outer shape of the light guide plate 4 appear as a shining line. When viewed from the side, the light emitted from the outer peripheral end face of the light guide plate 4 facing the side can make a shining straight line appear, with the width being the thickness of the light guide plate and the length being the vertical dimension of the light guide plate.

[0025] Furthermore, a mirror section 9 is provided on the inner wall of the case 2, and a half mirror section 12 is provided on the cover 3. The mirror section 9 and the half mirror section 12 form a combined mirror, which can create a light effect with a greater sense of depth.

[0026] §2 Configuration Example The following describes an embodiment of the present disclosure with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

[0027] (1. Appearance of the gaming machine) Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a gaming machine 100 equipped with an illumination device 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the illumination device 1 is attached to, for example, left and right edge portions on the front side of a cabinet 101 of a gaming machine main body of the gaming machine 100. Recesses are provided on the left and right edge portions on the front side of the cabinet 101 for fitting the illumination device 1. In this specification, the left and right direction refers to the left and right direction facing the front of the gaming machine 100.

[0028] (2. Overview of the illumination device 1) Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the illumination device 1 according to this embodiment. The illumination device 1 shown in Fig. 2 is attached to the edge portion on the left side (left side as viewed from the front) of the gaming machine 100 (see Fig. 1). As shown in Fig. 2, the illumination device 1 of this embodiment has an elongated shape that is long in the vertical direction. The illumination device 1 includes an elongated case 2 with open front and side surfaces, an elongated transparent cover 3 that covers the open portion of the case 2, and a plurality of light guide plates 4.

[0029] The light guide plates 4 are arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction (depth direction) with the light exit surface 4a facing forward. In the example of Fig. 2, three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L are arranged in the front-rear direction, and three sets each consisting of these three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L are arranged in the up-down direction. Note that the shape and size of the light guide plate, the number of light guide plates arranged in the front-rear direction, and the number of sets each consisting of a plurality of light guide plates arranged in the up-down direction can be appropriately changed in consideration of the dimension of the illumination device in the depth direction and the dimension of the illumination device in the up-down direction.

[0030] The three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L are formed in a generally rectangular shape that is long in the vertical direction, and the lengths in the vertical and horizontal directions are different. The three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L are arranged so that the three overlap when viewed from the front, and the size increases from the front to the rear. Specifically, the light guide plate 4S, which has the shortest length in the vertical and horizontal directions, is arranged in the first row at the front, the light guide plate 4M, which has the intermediate length in the two directions, is arranged in the second row, and the light guide plate 4L, which has the longest length in the two directions, is arranged in the third row at the back. These three light guide plates 4L, 4M, and 4S are arranged so that the light guide plates 4M and 4L gradually increase in size in the vertical and left directions with the smallest light guide plate 4S at the center when viewed from the front.

[0031] The case 2 has a mirror section 9 on its inner wall surface that has a light reflecting function. The cover 3 has a half mirror section 12 that has a light reflecting function and a light transmitting function. The mirror section 9 of the case 2 and the half mirror section 12 of the cover 3 form a combined mirror. In addition, the cover 3 has a plurality of depressions 3a that are concave from the outside toward the inside.

[0032] In the drawing, members indicated by reference numerals 7 and 8 are end covers fitted to the upper and lower ends of the illumination device 1. The illumination device 1 attached to the right edge portion of the gaming machine 100 is configured symmetrically to the illumination device 1 shown in FIG.

[0033] (3. Configuration of illumination device 1) Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the illumination device 1 according to the present embodiment. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the illumination device 1 according to the present embodiment. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a light guide plate 4 and an LED substrate 5 in the illumination device 1 according to the present embodiment.

[0034] 3 and 4, the illumination device 1 includes the above-mentioned case 2, cover 3, multiple light guide plates 4, and end covers 7 and 8, as well as an LED substrate 5 and a base 6. The LED substrate 5 and the base 6 are formed in an elongated shape, similar to the case 2 and cover 3.

[0035] The case 2 supports each component that constitutes the illumination device 1. The case 2 comprises a small case 2S located on the back side of the illumination device 1, and a large case 2L located on the right side of the illumination device 1. As described above, the mirror section 9 is provided on each of the inner walls (walls that define the space in which the light guide plate 4 is disposed) of the small case 2S and the large case 2L. The mirror section 9 is formed by, for example, vapor deposition.

[0036] The large case 2L has slit-shaped fixing holes 10 for supporting the light guide plates 4. A plurality of fixing holes 10 are formed corresponding to the attachment positions of the plurality of light guide plates 4, and are through holes that penetrate the large case 2L in the thickness direction.

[0037] The LED substrate 5 includes a plurality of LEDs (light sources) 11 arranged corresponding to the mounting positions of the plurality of light guide plates 4. The LEDs 11 are arranged to face the outer peripheral end faces of the light guide plates 4 supported by the large case 2L. Depending on the size of the light guide plates 4, one LED 11 is provided on the light guide plate 4S, two on the light guide plate 4M, and three on the light guide plate 4L. Such an LED substrate 5 is held by the base 6 and attached to the back side (outside) of the large case 2L.

[0038] The light guide plate 4 is a member made of transparent polycarbonate, acrylic resin, or the like. As shown in Fig. 5, the light guide plate 4 has a main body 4b formed in a desired shape and a base 4c protruding in the vertical direction from the main body 4b. The light guide plate 4 is inserted into a fixing hole 10 formed in the large case 2L from the rear side of the large case 2L, and is fixed with the base 4c abutting against the rear surface of the large case 2L. The outer peripheral end surface of the base 4c facing the LED 11 is the light incident surface 4d.

[0039] Dimples (not shown), which are minute irregularities, are formed on the back surface 4e opposite to the light exit surface 4a of the light guide plate 4 to reflect the light guided inside the light guide plate 4 and emit it from the light exit surface 4a. The dimples may be formed all over the back surface 4e so as to illuminate the entire light guide plate 4, or may be formed on a part of the back surface 4e so as to draw a design or pattern.

[0040] When the LED 11 is turned on, the light of the LED 11 enters the inside of the light guide plate 4 from the light entrance surface 4d and is guided therein. Of the light guided inside, the light reflected by the dimples is emitted from the light exit surface 4a. As a result, the light exit surface 4a is illuminated in the pattern shape formed by the dimples. Of the light guided inside, the light that reaches the outer peripheral end surface 4f without being reflected by the dimples is diffused and emitted from the outer peripheral end surface 4f. As a result, the outer peripheral end surface 4f of the light guide plate 4 is illuminated, and the outline of the light guide plate 4 can be seen as a shining line.

[0041] (4. Effects of illumination device 1) 6 is a diagram for explaining the presentation effect by the light compensation in the illumination device 1 according to this embodiment. The diagram indicated by the reference numeral 601 shows the line of sight of a player looking from the front at the three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L arranged in the front-rear direction. The diagram indicated by the reference numeral 602 shows how the three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L arranged in the front-rear direction look when viewed from the front by a player.

[0042] As shown in the diagram indicated by reference numeral 602, the three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L arranged in the front-to-rear direction appear to overlap when viewed from the front. As shown in the diagram indicated by reference numeral 601, the three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L complement each other's light by overlapping. As a result, the brightness of the overlapping parts is higher than the brightness that can be obtained with a single light guide plate 4, and a high brightness that cannot be obtained with a single light guide plate 4 can be obtained.

[0043] In the case where dimples are formed on the entire back surface 4e of the three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L, the light guide plate 4S, which is made up of three overlapping plates, appears to be illuminated with the highest brightness, followed by the light guide plate 4M, which is made up of two overlapping plates. This makes it possible to obtain high brightness and improve the presentation effect without increasing the number of LEDs 11 provided on one light guide plate 4.

[0044] The brightness when viewed from the front of one light guide plate 4 can be increased by setting the shape of the dimples so that the light emitted from the light exit surface 4a travels toward the player positioned in front. Therefore, by setting the shape of the dimples provided on the three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L so that the light emitted from the light exit surface 4a travels toward the player positioned in front, the brightness can be further increased when the three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L are viewed overlapping each other.

[0045] In addition, since the three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4 are arranged at intervals from each other, the three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4 are visually recognized separately in the front-to-rear direction, as shown in the diagram of reference numeral 601. This creates a sense of depth in the front-to-rear direction, and by controlling the three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4 individually, a light effect with a sense of depth can be produced.

[0046] The three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L have different lengths in the vertical and horizontal directions, and the sizes increase from the front to the rear. As a result, as shown in the figure with reference numeral 602, all three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L can be viewed from the front, and the range of effects can be expanded. In addition, the perspective method can be used to create a light effect with a greater sense of depth. In this embodiment, the three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L have different lengths in the vertical and horizontal directions, but either one of the lengths in the vertical and horizontal directions may be different, or the three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L may be similar in shape.

[0047] Also, as shown in the diagram of reference numeral 601, when the illumination device 1 is viewed from the side, a shining straight line can be seen in the three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L, with the line width corresponding to the thickness of each plate and the length corresponding to the vertical dimension of each plate. Since the brightness of the outer peripheral end face 4f, which appears as a shining straight line, is higher than the brightness of the light exit face 4a, the shining straight line can be clearly seen.

[0048] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the effect of the mirror unit 9 in the illumination device 1 according to this embodiment. The light emitted from the illumination device 1 includes direct light L1 from the light guide plate 4 indicated by a thin solid arrow and reflected light L2 from the mirror unit 9 indicated by a thin two-dot chain arrow. The direct light L1 includes light traveling in a direction set by the dimples from the light exit surface 4a of the light guide plate 4 and diffused light emitted in various directions from the outer peripheral end surface 4f of the light guide plate 4. The player and users around the gaming machine 100 visually recognize the direct light L1 from the light guide plate 4 and the reflected light L2 reflected by the mirror unit 9. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the cover 3 is provided with the half mirror unit 12, the player and users around the gaming machine 100 visually recognize the light (light by the combined mirror) that is a part of the direct light L1 and the reflected light L2 that is repeatedly reflected by the cover 3 and the mirror unit 9. The combined mirror creates a greater sense of depth.

[0049] FIG. 8 is a perspective view for explaining an example of the illumination device 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in the diagram of reference numeral 801, when all the light guide plates 4 are not illuminated, the inside of the illumination device 1 is dark, and the cover 3 becomes mirror-like. Since the recesses 3a are provided, the image reflected in the recesses 3a changes, which can add interest. In this state, when one or several light guide plates 4 are illuminated, the surroundings of the illuminated light guide plates 4 become bright, and the cover 3 becomes transparent in those parts, making it possible to see the illuminated light guide plates 4.

[0050] As shown in the diagrams denoted by reference numerals 802 to 804, the three light guide plates 4S to 4L are sequentially illuminated from the light guide plate 4L located in the third row toward the front, thereby creating an effect of a movement that seems to approach forward and gradually increasing in brightness. Conversely, by sequentially turning off the three light guide plates 4S to 4L from the light guide plate 4S located in the first row, an effect of a movement that seems to recede backward and gradually decreasing in brightness can be created. In this way, by individually controlling the multiple light guide plates 4 included in the set, a light effect can be created that has a sense of depth and movement in the front-rear direction and has a change in brightness.

[0051] (5. Other Effects) (1) In the above configuration, by changing the shape of the light guide plate 4, the thickness of the light guide plate 4, the area of ​​the light guide plate 4, the spacing between the light guide plates 4, the pattern drawn by the dimples, etc., in the multiple light guide plates 4, the content of the presentation can be easily changed, thereby diversifying the presentation.

[0052] (2) By individually controlling the illumination colors of the multiple light guide plates 4 arranged in the front-rear direction, it is possible to combine illumination colors, which also leads to a diversification of the presentation.

[0053] (3) The illuminated outer peripheral end faces 4f can be made visible, making the outline of the light guide plate 4 appear as glowing lines, thereby making it possible to create a three-dimensional effect by combining the planar light from the multiple light emitting surfaces 4a with the linear light from the multiple outer peripheral end faces 4f.

[0054] (4) The straight line lit by the illuminated outer peripheral end face 4f can also be used as a means for conveying some kind of information to players or employees of the game arcade. This will be described in a modified example with reference to the drawings.

[0055] §3 Variations Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, the above description is merely an example of the present invention in every respect. It goes without saying that various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the following modifications are possible. In the following, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as in the above embodiment, and the description of the same points as in the above embodiment is omitted as appropriate. The following modifications can be combined as appropriate.

[0056] <3.1> In the above embodiment, an example of an elongated illumination device that is long in the vertical direction is given as an example of an elongated illumination device that is incorporated into the cabinet of a gaming machine, but it may also be elongated in the horizontal direction, and multiple sets made up of multiple light guide plates 4 arranged in the front-to-back direction may be arranged in the horizontal direction.

[0057] <3.2> The light guide plates 4 arranged in the front-rear direction may include light guide plates 4 with different outer shapes, or may include light guide plates 4 with different patterns drawn by dimples. Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing three light guide plates 4X, 4Y, and 4Z arranged in the front-rear direction in an illumination device of a modified example. Fig. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the illumination state of the three light guide plates 4X, 4Y, and 4Z shown in Fig. 9 and how they appear when viewed from the front.

[0058] As shown in Fig. 9, a number of balloon designs are drawn using dimples on three light guide plates 4X, 4Y, and 4Z. The number of balloons decreases toward the rear, with the first row having the most (8 balloons), the second row having 5 balloons, and the third row having 2 balloons.

[0059] 10, when viewed from the front with only the third light guide plate 4Z illuminated, two balloons drawn on the third light guide plate 4Z are visible. The luminance of the balloons at this time is the luminance of one light guide plate 4Z.

[0060] When viewed from the front with the third row light guide plate 4Z and the second row light guide plate 4Y illuminated, five balloons are visible. Of these, the two balloons drawn on the two light guide plates 4Y and 4Z have a higher brightness than the other three balloons due to the supplement of light by the two light guide plates 4Y and 4Z.

[0061] When viewed from the front with the three light guide plates 4X, 4Y, and 4Z in the first to third rows illuminated, eight balloons are visible. Of these, the two balloons drawn on all three light guide plates 4X, 4Y, and 4Z have the highest brightness due to the compensation of light by the three light guide plates 4X, 4Y, and 4Z. The three balloons drawn on the second row light guide plate 4Y and the first row light guide plate 4X have the next highest brightness, and the three balloons drawn only on the first row light guide plate 4X have the lowest brightness.

[0062] By sequentially lighting the three light guide plates 4X-4Z starting from the light guide plate 4Z in the third row toward the front, the number of balloons increases as they approach the front, and the brightness changes, creating a dynamic effect. Conversely, by sequentially turning off the three light guide plates 4X-4Z starting from the light guide plate 4X in the first row, the number of balloons decreases as they move backward, and the brightness changes, creating a dynamic effect.

[0063] <3.3> Fig. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a state in which the straight light lines formed by the illuminated outer peripheral end face 4f are used as a means of conveying some kind of information to players or employees of the game arcade. In the example of Fig. 11, the length of the straight light lines formed by the light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L of different sizes is used to show the winning status of the gaming machine 100 today.

[0064] The light guide plate 4L with the longest light line is assigned to the large number of wins, the light guide plate 4M with the medium length of light line is assigned to the medium number of wins, and the light guide plate 4S with the shortest light line is assigned to the small number of wins. Depending on the winning state of the gaming machine 100, the number of wins is divided into large, medium and small based on a predetermined threshold, and one of the three light guide plates 4S, 4M, and 4L is lit up. The large, medium and small are determined according to the predetermined threshold and the number of wins of the gaming machine 100 on that day. Note that the information to be transmitted is not limited to the winning state of the day, and may be, for example, the state of the investment amount or the state of the payout amount. Such notification of information may be performed at a fixed timing, for example, every predetermined time, for example, every 5 minutes for 30 seconds.

[0065] <3.4> The mirror unit 9 may be provided on the inner wall of either the small case 2S or the large case 2L, or may be provided partially. The presentation can be diversified by changing the location where the mirror unit 9 is provided. Furthermore, the mirror unit 9 may be provided on the inner wall surface of the end covers 7, 8.

[0066] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 1. Illumination device 2 Cases 3 Cover 4,4S,4M,4L,4X,4Y,4Z Light guide plate 4a Light exit surface 4d light incidence surface 4e Back 4f Outer edge end face 5 LED board 9 Mirror section 10 fixing hole 11 LED (light source) 12 Half mirror section 100 Gaming Machines 101 Case

Claims

1. An illumination device installed on a housing of a gaming machine, a case for the device that is open on at least the front and sides; a transparent cover for covering the open portion of the case; A plurality of light guide plates are housed inside the case, and are arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction of the device, with each light exit surface facing the front of the device; a plurality of light sources provided corresponding to the plurality of light guide plates; The plurality of light guide plates have sizes increasing from the front to the rear.

2. The case and the cover are formed in an elongated shape, The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of sets each made up of a plurality of light guide plates are arranged in the longitudinal direction.

3. 3. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the case includes an inner wall defining a space in which the light guide plates are disposed, the inner wall comprising a mirror portion having a light reflecting function.

4. 3. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the cover includes a half mirror portion having a light reflecting function and a light transmitting function.

5. The illumination device according to claim 3 , wherein the cover includes a half mirror portion having a light reflecting function and a light transmitting function.

6. A gaming machine body, A gaming machine comprising: an illumination device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is installed on a cabinet of the gaming machine main body.

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