Gaming machine

Abstract

To provide a game machine capable of inserting a sheet-like member into a decorative member without any trouble and supporting it and preventing uneven light emission.SOLUTION: In a game machine, a decorative member 420 is provided in a door 100 mounted to a game machine body openably and closably. The decorative member 420 includes: a decorative member body 420A; a base section 460 provided in the decorative member body 420A; and sheet-like members 430, 430b disposed detachably in the decorative member body in at least one side of the base section. The base section has surfaces 460a, 460b that oppose the sheet-like members, and at least one conical support projections 462a, 462b for supporting the sheet-like members within a panel body and securing light derivation spaces S01, S02 for guiding light from a predetermined light source between the sheet-like members and the surfaces are provided on the surfaces.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a gaming machine.

Background Art

[0002] A pachinko gaming machine, which is an example of a gaming machine, includes a vertically rectangular machine frame (outer frame) installed in an island facility of a game parlor, a main body frame (inner frame) attached to the machine frame in a door-like manner so as to be openable and closable, a game board housed inside the main body frame, and a glass door (door frame) attached to the front surface of the main body frame in a door-like manner so as to be openable and closable and covering the game board so that it can be visually recognized. In addition, various decorative members are provided on the upper part and the left and right side parts of the glass door.

[0003] As the decorative member, for example, there is a decorative member configured to include a light guide plate that guides light incident on an end surface in a predetermined direction, a light source such as an LED provided so as to be able to emit light on an end surface of the light guide plate, and a sheet-like member (decorative sheet) irradiated with the light guided in a predetermined direction by the light guide plate, and by emitting light from the light source, the sheet-like member can be irradiated with light and can be made to appear to be emitting light (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, in such a gaming machine, it is required to insert and support the sheet-like member into the decorative member without any trouble and without causing uneven light emission.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a gaming machine capable of inserting and supporting a sheet-like member into a decorative member without any trouble and preventing uneven light emission.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the gaming machine of the present invention is provided with a decorative member (for example, side panel unit 420) on a door (for example, door frame 100) that is attachable to and detachable from the gaming machine body, the decorative member includes a decorative member main body (for example, panel main body 420A), a base portion (for example, base portion 460) provided in the decorative member main body, and a sheet-like member (for example, decorative sheets 430a, 430b) that is detachably disposed in the decorative member main body on at least one side of the base portion, the base portion has a surface (for example, side surfaces 460a, 460b) facing the sheet-like member, and at least one conical support protrusion (for example, support protrusions 462a, 462b) is provided on the surface to support the sheet-like member in the decorative member main body and secure a light guide space (for example, light guide spaces S01, S02) for guiding light from a predetermined light source (for example, light source 800) between the sheet-like member and the surface.

[0008] According to such a configuration, since support protrusions for supporting the sheet-like member in the decorative member main body are provided on the surface of the base portion facing the sheet-like member, it is possible to reliably press and hold the sheet-like member, which generally tends to be in the form of a large, replaceable sheet, so that it does not bend in the decorative member main body. Therefore, it is also possible to position the sheet-like member, for example, in an upright state so that the entire decorative surface faces in a desired direction. Further, if the sheet-like member can be supported by the support protrusions without being bent in this way, a sufficient light guide space can be secured between such a sheet-like member and the base portion, and thereby, it is possible to make it appear as if the entire sheet-like member is emitting light with a desired light amount by the light guided through the light guide space.

[0009] Generally, when using a light guide plate or a reflector as disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, a sheet-like member can be fixed and supported by sandwiching it between these plates. Therefore, there is no need to provide support protrusions, and there is no need to secure a light guide space by the support protrusions. However, if a configuration is adopted in which a sheet-like member is clamped and fixed using a light guide plate or a reflector, plates are required on both sides of the sheet-like member, resulting in an increase in the number of parts and a higher manufacturing cost. On the other hand, if the sheet-like member is supported by the support protrusions of the base portion and a light guide space is secured as in the above configuration of the present invention, a light guide plate or the like becomes unnecessary, and the number of parts can be reduced and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Note that the number and position of the support protrusions may depend on the shape and area of the sheet-like member.

[0010] Further, according to the above configuration of the present invention, since the support protrusions are conical, compared with other protrusions such as upright bosses and ribs, light emission unevenness (in other words, the generation of shadows) can be alleviated. That is, the conical support protrusions contact the sheet-like member only by their vertices and hold down the sheet-like member, and at the same time, by receiving light by their tapered side surfaces, the light is condensed along the side surfaces toward the vertices, so that almost no shadow is generated on the sheet-like member.

[0011] Also, if the support protrusions are conical, when inserting the sheet-like member into the decorative member body for the purpose of replacing the sheet-like member or the like, the insertion can be performed smoothly. That is, the sheet-like member inserted into the decorative member body can easily overcome the support protrusions while being guided by the tapered conical side surfaces of the support protrusions even when it hits the support protrusions, so that it is possible to prevent the sheet-like member from being caught during insertion into the support protrusions and to realize a smooth insertion operation of the sheet-like member.

[0012] Note that in the above configuration, the "conical shape" is not limited to a complete conical shape having one vertex and tapered side surfaces converging to the vertex, but also includes a frustum of a cone shape in which the top is formed as a surface having a predetermined area. However, it is preferable that the area of the top is as small as possible so as not to generate shadows as much as possible.

Advantages of the Invention

[0013] According to the gaming machine of the present invention, a sheet-like member can be inserted into and supported by a decorative member without any hindrance, and uneven light emission can be prevented.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a pachinko gaming machine, which is one type of gaming machine, will be described, but other gaming machines may also be applicable. In the following description, basically, "front and back" means that when a player is on the front side of the pachinko gaming machine, the player side is "front" and the pachinko gaming machine side is "back", "up and down" means that the upper surface side of the pachinko gaming machine is "up" and the lower surface side is "down", and "left and right" means that the left hand side of the player is "left" and the right hand side is "right".

[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a door frame (front door) 100 that constitutes a gaming machine. This door frame 100 is attached to a gaming machine body (not shown) so as to be openable and closable. Different from conventional pachinko gaming machines, the gaming machine of this embodiment enables the game to proceed without the player touching the game balls. The gaming machine of this embodiment has an enclosed circulation type in which a certain number of game balls circulate inside the gaming machine. Also, the gaming machine of this embodiment is a gaming machine in which game value as electronic information is used, and the game value is consumed or paid out by the game. In the gaming machine of this embodiment, paying out the game value means electronically paying out (granting) the game value. Note that the invention according to this embodiment is not limited to such a gaming machine, and is also applicable to conventional pachinko gaming machines, that is, pachinko gaming machines of a specification in which a player can touch a physical game ball as a game value, and the game ball is paid out to a tray based on the entry of the game ball into a predetermined winning opening, etc.

[0017] The gaming machine includes an outer frame (not shown) formed in a substantially rectangular frame shape (vertically long rectangular frame shape), an inner frame (middle frame) in a substantially rectangular frame shape detachably attached to the outer frame via a hinge mechanism, and a door frame (front frame) 100 detachably attached to the inner frame via a hinge mechanism. The outer frame and the inner frame constitute the gaming machine body. Also, the inner frame holds a game board (game board unit) (not shown). Specifically, the game board is detachable from the inner frame (inner frame assembly) with the door frame 100 opened forward.

[0018] A glass unit 110 (transparent plate) is attached to the door frame 100. Specifically, a window is formed in the central portion of the door frame 100, and the glass unit 110 is attached to the window. The glass unit 110 is, for example, a combination of two transparent plates (glass plates) cut according to the shape of the window. In this embodiment, the glass unit 110 is used, but it may be made of resin.

[0019] Here, the door frame 100 is detachable (openable and closable) with respect to the outer frame together with the inner frame. When the door frame 100 and the inner frame are closed with respect to the outer frame, the game board and the glass unit 110 face each other substantially in parallel with a predetermined interval (gap) therebetween. At this time, the game board is visible through the glass unit 110 from the front side of the gaming machine. In other words, the gaming area where the game balls roll is visible through the door frame 100.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, the door frame 100 is configured as a door unit in which various components including a decorative member are integrated, and includes a plate-shaped door base 310, a handle 340, and the like. Note that the glass unit 110 can be attached to the back side of the door base 310. The door frame 100 may be provided with a tray capable of storing game balls (loaned balls) lent to the player or game balls (bonus balls) acquired by winning, at the lower part of the front side or the like.

[0021] Further, the door frame 100 is provided with an operation unit 208 that receives an operation related to the progress of the effect. The door frame 100 is also provided with a plurality of speakers SP.

[0022] The handle 340 is provided at the lower right part of the door base 310 so as to protrude forward. The handle 340 is formed to be rotatable. When the handle 340 is rotated to perform a shooting operation, a game ball is shot from the shooting device on the gaming machine body side with an intensity (momentum) corresponding to the rotation angle (rotation amount) of the handle 340.

[0023] Further, the door frame 100 has a top panel unit 400 as a decorative member located above the glass unit 110, and a side panel unit 420 as a decorative member located on the right side of the glass unit 110. A plurality of LEDs (not particularly shown) are provided inside the top panel unit 400, and effects are performed by the LEDs emitting light in various colors and light emission patterns as the game progresses.

[0024] Further, as can be seen from FIG. 1, the side panel unit 420 is formed to protrude from the upper end portion at the right side end of the door frame 100 (door base 310) toward the front of the door frame 100. In this case, similar to the top panel unit 400, the side panel unit 420 can produce effects by emitting light from the LEDs in various colors and emission patterns as the game progresses, and for example, a sheet-like decorative sheet (in other words, a design sheet) 430 on which characters and various character information (in other words, illustrations) based on the motif of the pachinko machine are drawn is arranged inside to enhance its visibility (decorativeness). In relation to improving visibility, the side panel unit 420 is formed of a colorless and transparent (in other words, light-transmissive) material (for example, polycarbonate, etc.) at the portion where the decorative sheet 430 is arranged so that the decorative sheet 430 can be visually recognized from the outside. Further, in the present embodiment, as an example, as will be described in more detail below, the decorative sheet 430 is arranged on both the left and right sides of the side panel unit 420. That is, the side panel unit 420 has a right decorative sheet 430a arranged to face its right side surface and a left decorative sheet 430b arranged to face its left side surface (see FIG. 4). Note that each decorative sheet 430 (430a, 430b) is formed of a resin sheet having light transmissivity (in other words, light permeability).

[0025] In addition, as will be described later, the side panel unit 420 is configured as a detachable attachment to the door frame 100, and when attached to the door frame 100, it protrudes forward of the door frame 100 as described above (see FIG. 1). Therefore, adjacent pachinko gaming machines arranged side by side on the island in the game arcade are partitioned by the side panel unit 420. That is, the side panel unit 420 can also function as a partition wall for partitioning adjacent pachinko gaming machines, with its right side facing the right side of the gaming machine and its left side facing the left side of the gaming machine. Accordingly, when a player is in a state of facing the front of a pachinko gaming machine (sitting in front of the pachinko gaming machine), this player can view the left side surface of the side panel unit 420 (the left decorative sheet 430b visible through the colorless transparent portion of the left side surface of the side panel unit 420) of the facing pachinko gaming machine, but it is difficult to view the right side surface (the right decorative sheet 430a). In contrast, this player can view the right side surface of the side panel unit 420 (the right decorative sheet 430a visible through the colorless transparent portion of the right side surface of the side panel unit 420) of the pachinko gaming machine on the left adjacent side.

[0026] Figure 2 shows a state where the side panel unit 420 as an attachment is removed from the door frame 100. The side panel unit 420 is detachably attached to a panel mounting portion 320 formed on a door base 310 of the door frame 100. Specifically, the panel mounting portion 320 includes a rear support portion 320A that extends vertically downward along the height direction of the door base 310 from the upper end of the right side end of the door base 310, and a lower support portion 320B that extends forward from the lower end of the rear support portion 320A. The lower support portion 320B has a light emitting portion 326 for light emission effect at its front extending end. On the other hand, the side panel unit 420 has a mounted portion 422 at its rear side portion that is detachably attached to the panel mounting portion 320. In this case, the mounted portion 422 includes a rear surface portion 422a that is applied to the rear support portion 320A and supported by the rear support portion 320A from the rear when attached to the panel mounting portion 320, and a lower end surface portion 422b that is applied to the lower support portion 320B and supported by the lower support portion 320B from below when attached to the panel mounting portion 320.

[0027] In a support region 320Ba of the lower support portion 320B of the panel mounting portion 320 that supports the lower end surface portion 422b of the mounted portion 422 of the side panel unit 420, a positioning boss 325 is erected upward at its rear end. This positioning boss 325 engages with a recess (not shown) formed in the lower end surface portion 422b of the mounted portion 422 when the mounted portion 422 is attached to the panel mounting portion 320, so as to position the mounted portion 422 with respect to the panel mounting portion 320 (therefore, position the side panel unit 420 with respect to the door frame 100).

[0028] Also, together with such positioning, when the mounted part 422 is mounted on the panel mounting part 320, a pair of hooks 423 (see FIG. 3 in particular) provided at the upper part of the back surface part 422a of the mounted part 422 pass through a slit 327 formed at the upper part of the support area 320Aa of the back surface support part 320A of the panel mounting part 320, and are detachably locked to a locking part (not shown) formed inside the back surface support part 320A. Thereby, the mounted part 422 (side panel unit 420) is firmly fixed so as not to come off from the panel mounting part 320 (in other words, the mounted state of the mounted part 422 with respect to the panel mounting part 320 is maintained).

[0029] Also, the locked state between such a locking part and the hook 423 is released by pushing in a pushing member 329 provided to protrude forward from the support area 320Aa of the back surface support part 320A of the panel mounting part 320. Specifically, the pushing member 329 is located between a pair of slits 327 through which the hook 423 is inserted at the upper part of the support area 320Aa, and is provided in a state of being constantly spring-biased forward. Then, when the pushing member 329 is pushed backward against the biasing force of the spring, the locking part is disengaged from the hook 423 in conjunction with the movement. When the pushing state of the pushing member 329 (and thus the pushing force by the operator) is released, the pushing member 329 protrudes forward by the biasing force of the spring, and the locking part is locked to the hook 423 again (in this sense, the pushing member 329 may be referred to as a locking member).

[0030] As described above, the side panel unit 420 having the mounted part 422 that can be mounted on the panel mounting part 320 of the door frame 100 includes, as clearly shown in FIG. 4, a panel main body 420A having an internal space S, a base part 460 installed in the internal space S of the panel main body 420A, and the aforementioned decorative sheets 430a and 430b that are located on both the left and right sides of the base part 460 and are detachably arranged in the internal space S of the panel main body 420A. The internal space S of the panel main body 420A has an upper space region S1 having a predetermined volume and a lower space region S2 communicating with the upper space region S1, and the lower space region S2 has a bulging space region S21 that bulges rearward. Thus, in the present embodiment, the volume of the lower space region S2 is set to be larger than the volume of the upper space region S1. And these internal spaces S (space regions S1 and S2) are defined by a panel frame body 440 formed of a transparent material (light-transmissive material). Therefore, the panel frame body 440 has an upper extending part 440a that extends to define the upper space region S1 and a lower extending part 440b that extends to define the lower space region S2 including the bulging space region S21, and these extending parts 440a and 440b cooperate to form a tip surface 445 through which light can be transmitted toward the tip end.

[0031] In the internal space S of the panel main body 420A (and thus, the internal space of the panel frame body 440), a base part 460 having a cross-sectional shape substantially corresponding to the internal space S is installed in an inserted state so as to occupy substantially the entire central part thereof. And in that installed state, between the decorative sheets 430a and 430b that are detachably inserted into the internal space S and the base part 460 on both sides of the base part 460, light guide spaces SO1 and SO2 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) are secured by support protrusions 462a and 462b described later.

[0032] In the panel frame 440 that forms the panel body 420A, the above-described mounted portion 422 is formed so as to surround the rear end region and the lower end region of the lower extending portion 440b thereof. Further, in the panel frame 440, a cover mounting portion 450 is formed to removably and slidably mount the slide cover 500 up to the upper end surface portion of the mounted portion 422 so as to surround the rear end region and the upper end region of the upper extending portion 440a thereof. In this case, the slide cover 500 opens and closes a pair of left and right decorative sheet insertion slits 480a, 480b (see FIG. 3) for inserting and removing the decorative sheets 430a, 430b into and from the internal space S with respect to the outside. These decorative sheet insertion slits 480a, 480b are provided in the panel frame 440 corresponding to the light guide spaces SO1, SO2 on both sides of the base portion 460, respectively.

[0033] Specifically, the cover mounting portion 450 includes an upper mounting portion 450a that extends in the front-rear direction along the upper end region of the upper extending portion 440a of the panel frame 440, an intermediate mounting portion 450b that extends obliquely downward from the rear end of the upper mounting portion 450a along the rear end region of the upper extending portion 440a, and a lower mounting portion 450c that extends in the front-rear direction from the lower end of the intermediate mounting portion 450b so as to form the upper end surface portion of the mounted portion 422 along the upper end region of the lower extending portion 440b. And the cover mounting portion 450 is open so as to expose the upper end region and the rear end region of the upper extending portion 440a of the panel frame 440 and the upper end region of the lower extending portion 440b to the outside. Therefore, in the state of FIG. 3 where the slide cover 500 is not mounted on the cover mounting portion 450, the pair of left and right decorative sheet insertion slits 480a, 480b that continuously extend parallel to each other over the upper end region and the rear end region of the upper extending portion 440a of the panel frame 440 and the upper end region of the lower extending portion 440b are exposed to the outside.

[0034] In addition, the slide cover 500 that is detachably attached to the cover attachment portion 450 is a resin member that extends in a shape corresponding to the cover attachment portion 450. Further, in the state shown in FIG. 2 where the slide cover 500 is attached to the cover attachment portion 450, when the mounted portion 422 is attached to the panel attachment portion 320 as shown in FIG. 1, the push-in member 329 that is positioned inside the back surface portion 422a of the mounted portion 422 is covered from above (see FIGS. 1 and 2). In other words, the push-in member 329 is exposed to the outside only when the slide cover 500 is removed from the cover attachment portion 450 in the state where the mounted portion 422 is attached to the panel attachment portion 320. Further, as described above, since the locked state between the locking portion of the panel attachment portion 320 and the hook 423 of the mounted portion 422 is not released unless the push-in member 329 is pushed in, the side panel unit 420 cannot be removed from the door frame 100 side unless the slide cover 500 is removed from the cover attachment portion 450.

[0035] Also, as shown in FIG. 1, when the mounted part 422 is mounted on the panel mounting part 320 and the slide cover 500 is mounted on the cover mounting part 450, the slide cover 500 is locked to the panel mounting part 320 by a lock mechanism (not shown). This locked state can be released by a switch lever 610 (see FIG. 3) on the back surface of the door frame 100 that also serves as a switch for opening the opening / closing door 400a of the top panel unit 400. Specifically, when the switch lever 610 is switched to one side (left or right) in the mounted state of FIG. 1, for example, the locked state of the slide cover 500 is released, and when the switch lever 610 is switched to the other side (left or right), for example, the slide cover 500 is locked. Note that the switch lever 610 may be biased by a spring or the like to the other side. Also, when the locked state of the slide cover 500 is released, the slide cover 500 can be slid backward, and by sliding the slide cover 500 backward, the locking state between the slide cover 500 and the cover mounting part 450 is released, and the slide cover 500 can be removed from the cover mounting part 450. Further, in order to enable the backward sliding of the slide cover 500 in the unlocked state when the mounted part 422 is mounted on the panel mounting part 320, a recess 620 for allowing the slide cover 500 to pass through is provided on the upper end surface of the rear support part 320A of the panel mounting part 320.

[0036] Note that when the door frame 100 is completely closed with respect to the gaming machine body and attached to the inner frame of the gaming machine body, the back surface of the door frame 100 where the switch lever 610 is located is hidden from the outside, so the slide cover 500 cannot be removed from the cover mounting part 450. Therefore, the side panel unit 420 cannot be removed from the panel mounting part 320 of the door frame 100.

[0037] Based on the above configuration, when mounting the side panel unit 420 on the panel mounting portion 320 of the door frame 100, align the back surface portion 422a of the mounted portion 422 of the side panel unit 420 with the back support portion 320A of the panel mounting portion 320, and align the lower end surface portion 422b of the mounted portion 422 with the lower support portion 320B of the panel mounting portion 320. Then, insert the pair of hooks 423 of the mounted portion 422 through the slits 327 of the back support portion 320A of the panel mounting portion 320. And engage the recess of the lower end surface portion 422b of the mounted portion 422 with the positioning boss 325 of the lower support portion 320B of the panel mounting portion 320 to position the side panel unit 420 with respect to the panel mounting portion 320. Thereby, along with the protruding and retracting operation of the spring-biased pushing member 329, the locking portion of the panel mounting portion 320 and the hook 423 of the mounted portion 422 are held in a locked state, and the slide cover 500 is locked with respect to the panel mounting portion 320 to cover the pushing member 329 from above. That state is shown in FIG. 1.

[0038] On the other hand, when removing the side panel unit 420 from the panel mounting portion 320 of the door frame 100, first, with the door frame 100 in an open state, operate the switch lever 610 on the back of the door frame 100 in one direction to release the locked state of the slide cover 500 with respect to the panel mounting portion 320. And while maintaining that released state (therefore, the one-way operation state of the switch lever 610), slide the slide cover 500 backward. Thereby, the locked state between the slide cover 500 and the cover mounting portion 450 is also released, and the slide cover 500 can be removed from the cover mounting portion 450. Also, after removing the slide cover 500 in this way, this time, push in the pushing member 329 that is exposed to the outside due to the opening of the slide cover 500 to release the locked state between the locking portion of the panel mounting portion 320 and the hook 423 of the mounted portion 422. And while maintaining that released state (therefore, the pushed-in state of the pushing member 329), pull up the side panel unit 420 upward to release the engagement of the positioning boss 325 and remove it from the panel mounting portion 320. That state is shown in FIG. 3.

[0039] Incidentally, as shown in FIG. 3, when the slide cover 500 is removed from the cover mounting portion 450 (after removing the side panel unit 420 from the panel mounting portion 320 of the door frame 100), the decorative sheets 430a and 430b can be detachably inserted and removed through the exposed decorative sheet insertion slits 480a and 480b into the internal space S of the panel body 420A in which the base portion 460 is housed. In this regard, in the present embodiment, a characteristic configuration is provided for guiding the insertion of such decorative sheets 430a and 430b into the panel body 420A (in other words, the side panel unit 420) and stably supporting the inserted decorative sheets 430a and 430b. This will be described below.

[0040] The base portion 460 is formed entirely of a colorless light-transmissive material (in other words, a colorless transparent material), and has a surface facing the decorative sheet 430 inserted and disposed in the internal space S of the panel body 420A on at least one side thereof. In particular, in the present embodiment where the decorative sheets 430a and 430b are disposed in the panel body 420A on both sides of the base portion 460, as shown in FIG. 4, the surfaces of the base portion 460 facing the decorative sheets 430a and 430b are two surfaces, namely, the right side surface 460a (see also FIG. 5) and the left side surface 460b on the opposite side (see also FIG. 6).

[0041] As shown enlarged and separately in FIGS. 5 and 6, the base portion 460 having a cross-sectional shape substantially corresponding to the internal space S (in other words, the panel body 420A) has an upper side surface portion 460aa having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the upper space region S1 of the internal space S and a lower side surface portion 460ab having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the lower space region S2 of the internal space S on its right side surface 460a. Similarly, the left side surface 460b of the base portion 460 has an upper side surface portion 460ba having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the upper space region S1 of the internal space S and a lower side surface portion 460bb having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the lower space region S2 of the internal space S.

[0042] Each of the decorative sheets 430a and 430b has a shape substantially corresponding to the base portion 460 (see FIGS. 4 and 7), and has a reflecting portion on the surface facing each of the side surfaces 460a and 460b of the base portion 460. Specifically, in the decorative sheets 430a and 430b, a display such as a character is printed on the front surface or the back surface (the surface facing the base portion 460), and a white layer is formed (for example, formed by printing) on the back surface (so as to cover the display when the display is printed). The white layer is formed over substantially the entire area of the decorative sheets 430a and 430b. Then, this white layer functions as a reflecting portion and, as will be described later, reflects light to cause the light to reach the entire decorative sheets 430a and 430b. The white layer also has light transmissivity, and allows part of the light to be transmitted through each part of the decorative sheets 430a and 430b to illuminate that part, while reflecting part of the light to cause the light to reach the entire decorative sheets 430a and 430b.

[0043] In addition, at each side surface 460a, 460b of the base portion 460, at least one conical support protrusion 462a, 462b for supporting the decorative sheets 430a, 430b within the panel body 420A is provided. As shown in FIG. 5, each support protrusion 462a, 462b has a conical shape with a vertex 490 and a tapered side surface 491, and is integrally formed with the base portion 460 from a transparent resin material. Also, the number and positions of the support protrusions 462a, 462b may depend on the shape and area of the decorative sheets 430a, 430b. For example, in the present embodiment where the volume of the lower space region S2 is set to be larger than the volume of the upper space region S1, two support protrusions 462a, 462b are provided at a predetermined distance apart at the lower side surface portions 460ab, 460bb having a larger area corresponding to the lower space region S2. Thereby, a portion of the decorative sheets 430a, 430b having a shape corresponding to the lower side surface portions 460ab, 460bb and a large area facing the same can be stably supported without being bent. On the other hand, at the upper side surface portions 460aa, 460ba having a smaller area corresponding to the upper space region S1, one support protrusion 462a, 462b is provided at a predetermined position. This is because at a portion of the decorative sheets 430a, 430b having a shape corresponding to the upper side surface portions 460aa, 460ba and a small area facing the same, sufficient stable support can be achieved with only one support protrusion 462a, 462b.

[0044] As can be seen from the above, in this embodiment, three support protrusions 462a and 462b are provided on each of the side surfaces 460a and 460b of the base portion 460. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, one support protrusion 462a is provided at the upper side surface portion 460aa and two support protrusions 462a are provided at the lower side surface portion 460ab on the right side surface 460a of the base portion 460. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, one support protrusion 462b is provided at the upper side surface portion 460ba and two support protrusions 462b are provided at the lower side surface portion 460bb on the left side surface 460b of the base portion 460. According to the base portion 460 made of a transparent material, at least a part of the support protrusions 462b (462a) on the side surface 460b (460a) on the other side can be seen on one side surface 460a (460b). Further, the light-transmissive material forming the base portion 460 may be colored. Also, the base portion 460 may be formed of a material that does not have light transmissivity. In this embodiment, the support protrusions 462a and 462b on the side surfaces 460a and 460b are provided so as to be shifted from each other, but the positions of these support protrusions 462a and 462b may coincide with each other.

[0045] Thus, when the support protrusions 462a and 462b for supporting the decorative sheets 430a and 430b are provided on the side surfaces 460a and 460b of the base portion 460 facing the decorative sheets 430a and 430b, it becomes possible to reliably press and hold the decorative sheets 430a and 430b so as not to bend within the panel body 420A. Therefore, it is also possible to position the decorative sheets 430a and 430b, for example, in an upright state so that the entire decorative surface faces in a desired direction.

[0046] In addition, since the support protrusions 462a and 462b are conical, light unevenness (in other words, shadow generation) can be alleviated as compared with other protrusions such as upright bosses and ribs. That is, the conical support protrusions 462a and 462b support the decorative sheets 430a and 430b by contacting the decorative sheets 430a and 430b only at their apexes 490 and pressing the decorative sheets 430a and 430b against both side surfaces of the panel frame body 440. Further, since the light is received by the tapered side surfaces 491 and condensed along the side surfaces 491 toward the apexes 490, almost no shadow is generated on the decorative sheets 430a and 430b.

[0047] In addition, since the support protrusions 462a and 462b are conical, when the decorative sheets 430a and 430b are inserted into the panel body 420A for the purpose of replacement or the like, the insertion can be performed smoothly. That is, even when the decorative sheets 430a and 430b abut against the support protrusions 462a and 462b, the decorative sheets 430a and 430b can easily overcome the support protrusions 462a and 462b while being guided by the tapered conical side surfaces 491 of the support protrusions 462a and 462b. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the decorative sheets 430a and 430b from being caught during insertion against the support protrusions 462a and 462b, and a smooth insertion operation of the decorative sheets 430a and 430b can be realized.

[0048] Note that the decorative sheets 430a and 430b may be arranged only on one side of the base portion 460. In that case, the support protrusions are also provided only on the side surface of one side of the base portion 460. Further, in addition to the conical support protrusions 462a and 462b, the decorative sheets 430a and 430b may be supported assistively by other support means such as upright bosses and ribs. In that case, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, it is preferable to provide ribs 470 and bosses upright at the peripheral positions on the side surfaces 460a and 460b that do not affect the light guiding within the panel body 420A. Thereby, the supporting force for the decorative sheets 430a and 430b can be improved by the cooperation with the support protrusions 462a and 462b. Further, in this case, it is preferable that the ribs 470 and bosses support the edges of the decorative sheets 430a and 430b at their tip portions. Further, in this case, the portions of the decorative sheets 430a and 430b supported by the ribs 470 and bosses are preferably the portions corresponding to the portions of the panel body 420A that do not have light transmissivity (for example, the portions corresponding to the mounted portions 422).

[0049] In addition, as described above, the support protrusions 462a and 462b of the base portion 460 support the decorative sheets 430a and 430b within the panel body 420A, thereby securing light guide spaces S01 and S02 (see FIGS. 4 to 7) for guiding light within the panel body 420A between the decorative sheets 430a and 430b and the respective side surfaces 460a and 460b. Further, in such light guide spaces S01 and S02, light is incident from a light source 800 (see FIG. 2) provided in the panel mounting portion 320 of the door frame 100 in the mounted state of the mounted portion 422 with respect to the panel mounting portion 320 (the state in FIG. 1). To enable this, the back surface portion 422a and the lower end surface portion 422b of the mounted portion 422 formed in the panel body 420A are open so that light from the light source 800 can enter, and light is taken into the light guide spaces S01 and S02 from the back surface portion 422a and the lower end surface portion 422b. That is, light from the light source 800 is incident into the light guide spaces S01 and S02 from the rear and the lower side. In other words, the light source 800 is arranged to emit light toward the space between the decorative sheets 430a and 430b and the base portion 460. Further in other words, the light source 800 is not arranged at a position sandwiched between the decorative sheets 430a and 430b and the base portion 460, but is arranged at a position allowing light to pass between the decorative sheets 430a and 430b and the base portion 460.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 2, the light source 800 provided in the panel mounting portion 320 is composed of a first light source portion 800A provided in a support region 320Aa of a back surface support portion 320A of the panel mounting portion 320 and a second light source portion 800B provided in a support region 320Ba of a lower side support portion 320B of the panel mounting portion 320. In this case, as clearly shown enlarged in FIG. 7, each light source portion 800A and 800B is formed by mounting a plurality of LEDs 900 on an LED substrate 815, and these LEDs 900 form two arrays L1 and L2 parallel to each other.

[0051] Specifically, the plurality of LEDs 900 forming the first light source unit 800A form a right array L1 and a left array L2 that extend parallel to each other in the vertical direction along the support region 320Aa of the rear support portion 320A. Also, the right array L1 and the left array L2 are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the left-right direction. Similarly, the plurality of LEDs 900 forming the second light source unit 800B form a right array L1 and a left array L2 that extend parallel to each other in the front-rear direction along the support region 320Ba of the lower support portion 320B. Also, the right array L1 and the left array L2 are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the left-right direction.

[0052] And in the state of FIG. 1 where the mounted portion 422 is mounted on the panel mounting portion 320, for each light source unit 800A, 800B, its right array L1 faces the right light guide space S01 (see FIG. 5), and its left array L2 faces the left light guide space S02 (see FIG. 6). The positional relationship between such LED arrays L1, L2 and the light guide spaces S01, S02 is shown in FIG. 7 (only the right light guide space S01 can be seen in FIG. 7).

[0053] According to such a configuration, in the state of FIG. 1 where the mounted portion 422 is mounted on the panel mounting portion 320, the light from the light source 800 enters the light guide spaces S01, S02 from the back surface portion 422a and the lower end surface portion 422b of the mounted portion 422. Then, the incident light hits the decorative sheets 430a, 430b and is guided within the light guide spaces S01, S02 while being transmitted and reflected (reflected at the reflection portion), making it possible to make the decorative sheets 430a, 430b appear as if they are emitting light. Thereby, the visibility (decorativeness) of an illustration or the like drawn on the decorative sheets 430a, 430b can be enhanced, and the front end surface 460c of the base portion 460 and the front end surface 445 of the panel frame body 440 can also be made to emit light, further enhancing the decorative effect. Also, in the present embodiment, since the base portion 460 is formed of a transparent material, no shadow is formed on the front end surface 445.

[0054] Note that the light source 800 may be provided in the side panel unit 420. In other words, in the present embodiment, when the side panel unit 420 is removed from the panel mounting portion 320 of the door frame 100, the light source 800 remains on the side of the panel mounting portion 320 (door frame 100), but it may be configured to be removed together with the side panel unit 420.

[0055] The gaming machine of the present embodiment is provided with a decorative member (for example, the side panel unit 420) on a door (for example, the door frame 100) that is attached to the gaming machine body so as to be openable and closable. The decorative member includes a decorative member main body (for example, the panel main body 420A), a base portion (for example, the base portion 460) provided in the decorative member main body, and a sheet-like member (for example, the decorative sheets 430a, 430b) that is detachably disposed in the decorative member main body on at least one side of the base portion. The base portion has a surface (for example, side surfaces 460a, 460b) facing the sheet-like member, and on the surface, at least one conical support protrusion (for example, support protrusions 462a, 462b) is provided to support the sheet-like member within the decorative member main body and secure a light guiding space (for example, light guiding spaces S01, S02) for guiding light from a predetermined light source (for example, the light source 800) between the sheet-like member and the surface.

[0056] In the present embodiment, since the support protrusions for supporting the sheet-like member are provided on the surface of the base portion facing the sheet-like member, it is possible to securely hold down and retain the sheet-like member, which generally tends to be in the form of a large and replaceable sheet, so that it does not bend within the panel main body. Therefore, it is also possible to position the sheet-like member, for example, in an upright state so that the entire decorative surface faces in a desired direction. Further, if the sheet-like member can be supported by the support protrusions without bending it, a sufficient light guiding space can be secured between such a sheet-like member and the base portion, and thereby, it is possible to make it appear as if the entire sheet-like member is emitting light with a desired amount of light guided through the light guiding space.

[0057] Further, in the present embodiment, since the support protrusions are conical, light unevenness (in other words, shadow generation) can be alleviated as compared with other protrusions such as upright bosses and ribs. That is, the conical support protrusions contact the sheet-like member only at their vertices to hold down the sheet-like member, and by receiving light with their tapered side surfaces, the light is condensed along the side surfaces toward the vertices. Therefore, almost no shadow is generated on the sheet-like member.

[0058] Also, if the support protrusions are conical, when inserting the sheet-like member into the decorative member body for the purpose of replacing the sheet-like member or the like, the insertion can be performed smoothly. That is, the sheet-like member inserted into the decorative member body can easily overcome the support protrusions while being guided by the tapered conical side surfaces of the support protrusions even when it hits the support protrusions. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the sheet-like member from getting caught during insertion with respect to the support protrusions, and a smooth insertion operation of the sheet-like member can be realized.

[0059] (Application to a slot machine) In the present embodiment, an example of applying the present invention to a pachinko gaming machine that uses game balls as game values has been described. However, the number of bets is set using medals or electronic information as game values, the reels are rotated by a game start operation on the start lever, and the rotating reels are stopped by a stop operation on the stop button. The present invention may be applied to a slot machine in which winning can occur depending on the type of symbols and the combination of symbols when the reels stop. For example, the aforementioned side panel unit 420 may be provided on the front door of the slot machine.

[0060] Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist thereof. For example, the configurations of the pachinko gaming machine and the slot machine are not limited to those of the above-described embodiments. For example, the above-described configuration is not limited to the side panel unit and can be applied to all decorative members. Also, the above-described configuration can be applied to other gaming machines such as medal-less gaming machines.

[0061] In addition, within the scope of the present invention, free combination of each component, any modification of each component, or omission of each component, etc. are possible.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0062] 100 Door frame (door) 420 Side panel unit (decorative member) 420A Panel body (decorative member body) 430a, 430b Decorative sheet (sheet-like member) 460 Base part 460a, 460b Side surface (surface) 462a, 462b Support protrusion 800 Light source S01, S02 Light guide space

Claims

【Claim 1】 A decorative member is provided on a door that is attached to the gaming machine body so as to be openable and closable. The decorative member includes a decorative member body, a base portion provided in the decorative member body, and a sheet-like member that is detachably disposed in the decorative member body on at least one side of the base portion. The base portion has a surface facing the sheet-like member, and at least one conical support protrusion is provided on the surface to support the sheet-like member within the decorative member body and secure a light guide space for guiding light from a predetermined light source between the sheet-like member and the surface. A gaming machine characterized by this.

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