U.S. patent application number 10/866816 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-23 for reel drive device utilizable in gaming machine.
Invention is credited to Omomo, Shingo.
Application Number | 20040256799 10/866816 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33410956 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040256799 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Omomo, Shingo |
December 23, 2004 |
Reel drive device utilizable in gaming machine
Abstract
The reel drive device is provided with the reel 3 having the
cylindrical member 32 formed from transparent material, on an outer
periphery of which a plurality of symbols are described, and an
input gear installed in the cylindrical member 32; the shaft
support part 720 for rotatably supporting the reel 3; the stepping
motor 70 for rotating the reel 3 through the input gear 72; the
detection member 11 arranged in the input gear 72, the detection
member 11 being formed from opaque material; and the position
detection sensor 10 for detecting the detection member 11 as the
rotation reference position of the reel 3.
Inventors: |
Omomo, Shingo; (Tokyo,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RADER FISHMAN & GRAUER PLLC
LION BUILDING
1233 20TH STREET N.W., SUITE 501
WASHINGTON
DC
20036
US
|
Family ID: |
33410956 |
Appl. No.: |
10/866816 |
Filed: |
June 15, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/142R |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3213 20130101;
G07F 17/34 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
273/142.00R |
International
Class: |
A63F 005/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 18, 2003 |
JP |
JP2003-173732 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A reel drive device comprising: a reel having a cylindrical
member formed from transparent material, on an outer periphery of
which a plurality of symbols are described, and a gear member
installed in the cylindrical member; a shaft support part for
rotatably supporting the reel; a motor for rotating the reel
through the gear member; a detection member arranged in the gear
member, the detection member being formed from opaque material; and
a position detector for detecting the detection member as a
rotation reference position of the reel.
2. The reel drive device according to claim 1, wherein the gear
member is formed from opaque material, and wherein the detection
member is formed into one body with the gear member.
3. The reel drive device according to claim 1, wherein the position
detector has a light emitting part and a light receiving part
facing to the light emitting part, and wherein the position
detector detects the rotation reference position of the reel based
on that the sensor light emitted from the light emitting part is
interrupted by the detection member when the detection member
positions between the light emitting part and the light receiving
part.
4. The reel drive device according to claim 1, wherein the position
detector has a light emitting part and a light receiving part
facing to the light emitting part, wherein the light emitting part
and the light receiving part are integrally formed in the position
detector, and wherein the detection member is constructed so as to
reflect the sensor light emitted from the light emitting part.
5. The reel drive device according to claim 4, wherein the position
detector detects the rotation reference position of the reel based
on that the light receiving part receives the sensor light
reflected through the detection member.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
CROSS-REFERENCE TO THE RELATED APPLICATION (S)
[0001] This application is based upon and claims a priority from
the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-173732 filed on Jun.
18, 2003, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by
reference.
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a reel-type gaming machine
having a plurality of reels on each of which a plurality of symbols
are formed and motors each of which rotates each reel, the gaming
machine detecting rotation reference positions of the reels.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Conventionally, as described in Japanese Unexamined
Publication No. 10-71240, a reel drive device for a reel-type
gaming machine (for example, Japanese Pachi-slot machine) generally
outputs a signal pulse representing a reel rotation reference
position as a reset pulse, the reel drive device installed in a
stepping motor (for example, the stepping motor is a direct-drive
type motor that a rotation shaft thereof can be directly put in a
central hole of the reel). And as the other type of reel drive
device, there is a reel drive device which is installed out of the
stepping motor and outputs the above rest pulse by detecting a
detection member to specify the reel rotation reference
position.
[0006] However, since the above reel drive device is not installed
beforehand in a general stepping motor, a designer of the gaming
machine has to design so that the reel drive device can be
installed in a peripheral construction of the reel. On the other
hand, there exists a reel drive device which is constructed so as
to output the reset pulse by detecting a detection member formed in
the reel. In a case that such reel drive device has a circuitry
construction of a so-called light transmitting type, the reel drive
device can detect the detection member by detecting whether sensor
light emitted from the reel drive device is transmitted through the
detection member or not.
[0007] By the way, in order to conduct variegated effects in
connection with a game done in the gaming machine, if a liquid
crystal display device, through which symbols formed on the reels
can be seen from outside, is arranged in front of the reels, the
reels have to be formed from transparent material so that troubles
in effect do not occur by preventing shadow of the reels from being
projected on the liquid crystal display device. Due to this, if the
detection member is formed from transparent material into one body
with the transparent reel, the reel drive device cannot properly
detect the detection member since the sensor light emitted
therefrom is transmitted through the detection member. Taking the
above situation into consideration, it is desired to develop the
reel construction in which the detection member is able to be made
opaque when the detection member is formed in the reel made from
transparent material.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention has been done to resolve the above
problems and it is an object to provide a reel drive device in
which the detection member can be surely detected by arranging the
detection member in the gear member formed from opaque material,
the gear member being arranged in the reel and rotating the reel by
receiving rotation force from the motor.
[0009] In order to accomplish the above object, according to one
aspect of the present invention, it is provided a reel drive device
comprising:
[0010] a reel having a cylindrical member formed from transparent
material, on an outer periphery of which a plurality of symbols are
described, and a gear member installed in the cylindrical
member;
[0011] a shaft support part for rotatably supporting the reel;
[0012] a motor for rotating the reel through the gear member;
[0013] a detection member arranged in the gear member, the
detection member being formed from opaque material; and
[0014] a position detector for detecting the detection member as a
rotation reference position of the reel.
[0015] Here, in the reel drive device, it is desirable that the
gear member is formed from opaque material and the detection member
is formed into one body with the gear member.
[0016] And it is desirable that the position detector has a light
emitting part and a light receiving part and detects the rotation
reference position of the reel based on that sensor light emitted
from the light emitting part is interrupted by the detection member
when the detection member positions between the light emitting part
and the light receiving part.
[0017] Further, it is desirable that the light emitting part and
the light receiving part are integrally formed in the position
detector and the detection member is constructed so as to reflect
the sensor light emitted from the light emitting part. In this
case, the position detector detects the rotation reference position
of the reel based on that the light receiving part receives the
sensor light reflected through the detection member.
[0018] According to the reel drive device of the present invention,
since the detection member is not arranged on the cylindrical
member of the reel formed from transparent material but is arranged
on the gear member formed from opaque material, the reel drive
device can surely detect the detection member through the position
detector. That is to say, in the reel drive device, when the reel
is positioned at the predetermined position, the sensor light
emitted from the light emitting part in the position detector is
surely interrupted by the detection member formed from opaque
material, thereby the position detector can surely detect the
detection member.
[0019] As mentioned, according to the present invention, the
detection member can be surely detected by forming the detection
member in the gear member formed form opaque material.
[0020] The above and further objects and novel features of the
invention will more fully appear from the following detailed
description when the same is read in connection with the
accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however,
that the drawings are for purpose of illustration only and not
intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification illustrate embodiments of
the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain
the objects, advantages and principles of the invention.
[0022] In the drawings,
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gaming machine according
to the embodiment,
[0024] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a construction of reels
when obliquely seeing the reels in the embodiment,
[0025] FIG. 3 is a side view of the reel in the embodiment,
[0026] FIG. 4 is an enlarged explanatory view showing a
construction near a shaft support portion of the reel in the
embodiment,
[0027] FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a shaft support
portion of the reel in the embodiment,
[0028] FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a construction in which
the shaft support portion is arranged on a support plate, in the
embodiment,
[0029] FIG. 7 is an enlarged explanatory view schematically showing
a construction of a position detection sensor in the embodiment,
and
[0030] FIG. 8 is a block diagram schematically showing a control
system in the gaming machine in the embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0031] (Basic Construction of Motor Drive Device)
[0032] The motor drive device of the embodiment will be described
with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a
gaming machine 1 according to the embodiment.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 1, in front of a cabinet forming a whole
construction of the drum-type gaming machine 1, three panel display
windows 5L, 5C, 5R are formed. Reels 3L, 3C, 3R constructing a reel
unit are seen and recognized through the panel display windows 5L,
5C, 5R, respectively. And on the panel display windows 5L, 5C, 5R,
three pay lines 6 are described along three horizontal directions
and two pay lines 6 are described along two oblique directions.
These pay lines 6 are made effective according to the number of
coins inserted through an insertion slot 7 and the number of pay
lines 6 are determined.
[0034] Each of the reels 3L, 3C, 3R starts to rotate when a player
inserts coins in the insertion slot 7 and operates a start lever 9.
And when the player presses stop buttons 4L, 4C, 4R arranged
corresponding to the reels 3L, 3C, 3R respectively, rotation of the
reels 3L, 3C, 3R is stopped. Further, based on symbol combination
of each of reels 3L, 3C, 3R which are seen and recognized through
each of the panel display windows 5L, 5C, 5R when rotation of the
reels 3L, 3C, 3R is stopped, winning mode is determined. And when
winning is obtained, coins the number of which corresponds to the
winning mode are paid out to a coin tray 8.
[0035] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the construction of the
reel unit arranged within the panel display windows 5L, 5C, 5R. As
shown in FIG. 2, the reel unit has three support plates 80L, 80C,
80R, three reels 3L, 3C, 3R arranged inside of each support plate
80L, 80C, 80R, respectively, and three stepping motors 70L, 70C,
70R rotating the reels 3L, 3C, 3R, respectively. The stepping motor
70L, 70C, 70R rotates the reel 3 since an output gear 71 fixed on a
drive shaft 70A thereof (see FIG. 3) is meshed with an input gear
72.
[0036] Hereinafter, for convenience sake of explanation, although
description will be done to limit to the left reel 3L (reel 3), the
left support plate 80L (support plate 80), the left stepping motor
70L (stepping motor 70), among three reels 3L, 3C, 3R, three
support plates 80L, 80C, 80R, three stepping motors 70L, 70, 70R,
the other reels 3C, 3R, the other support plates 80C, 80R, the
other stepping motors 70C, 70R have the same construction as those
of the reel 3L, the support plate 80L, the stepping motor 70L, so
long as explanation is not especially referred.
[0037] FIG. 3 is a left side view of the reel 3. As shown in FIG.
3, the reel 3 is made from transparent material and the center
portion of the reel 3 is rotatably supported on a reel post 76
which is extended in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the
support plate. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the reel 3 is
constructed from six arms 31 extending spokewise from the center of
the reel 3 and a cylindrical member 32 integrally formed so that
top ends of the arms 31 are connected thereto.
[0038] On an outer periphery of the cylindrical member 32, symbol
marks 33 are printed with a predetermined pitch, total number of
the symbol mark 33 being 21 in the embodiment. And a symbol sheet
(not shown) is adhered on the outer periphery of the cylindrical
member 32. This symbol sheet is set to the outer periphery of the
cylindrical member 32 by a method such as adhesion so that center
of the symbol printed on the symbol sheet is positioned at the
symbol mark 33. Here, a position detection sensor 10 and a
detection member 11 shown in FIG. 3 will be described
hereinafter.
[0039] A speed reduction transmission mechanism 700 is arranged
between a drive shaft 70A of the stepping motor 70 and a rotation
shaft of the reel 3, as shown in FIG. 3. This speed reduction
transmission mechanism 700 transmits rotation of the stepping motor
70 to the rotation shaft of the reel 3 with a predetermined
reduction ratio.
[0040] As shown in FIG. 3, the speed reduction transmission
mechanism 700 has two gears, one of which is an output gear 71 put
on the drive shaft 70A of the stepping motor 70 and the other is an
input gear 72 meshing with the output gear 71 and being arranged in
the reel 3 so that the rotation center of the input gear becomes
the same shaft center as the rotation shaft of the reel 3. The
input gear 72, as mentioned later, is installed in the cylindrical
member 32. And the output gear 71 transmits rotation of the
stepping motor 70 to the reel 3 by meshing with the input gear
72.
[0041] As the output gear 71 and the input gear 72, spur gears are,
for example, utilized. The tooth number of the input gear 72 in the
embodiment is set to the tooth number obtained by multiplying the
tooth number of the output gear 71 by 7. Therefore, the speed
reduction transmission mechanism 700 is constructed so as to
transmit rotation of the stepping motor 70 to the reel 3 while
reducing rotation number of the stepping motor 70 to 1/7
thereof.
[0042] It is desirable that the reduction ratio of the above output
gear 71 and the input gear 72 is obtained based on the ratio of the
step number necessary for one rotation of the stepping motor 70 and
the least common multiple calculated from the symbol number
described on the reel 3 and the step number for one rotation of the
stepping motor 70.
[0043] FIG. 4 is a perspective view indicating a periphery part of
the rotation shaft of the reel 3. FIG. 5A is an explanatory view
indicating a construction of the shaft support part 720 for
rotatably supporting the reel 3. FIG. 5B is an explanatory view
indicating a construction for supporting the reel 3 by the shaft
support part 720 arranged on the support plate 80. And FIG. 6 is a
sectional view indicating a whole construction for supporting the
reel 3 by the shaft support part 720.
[0044] As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the shaft support part 720 has
a stopper screw 73, colors 74a, 74b, a vibration restraining member
75 and a reel post 76. The reel post 76 is provided with a rotation
support portion 76a to which the input gear 72 is inserted and
rotatably supported, a position fixing portion 76b to which a
member for fixing the position of the reel 3 is inserted, a
projection portion 76c which projected toward the support plate 80
from the bottom plane of the reel post 76 and is utilized for
inserting the reel post 76 in a hole 81 formed in the support plate
80, screw holes 76d for fixing the reel post 76 to the support
plate 80 by screws and a screw hole 76ein which the stopper screw
73 is fastened while the input gear 72 is inserted to the rotation
support portion 76a and the colors 74a, 74b are inserted to the
position fixing portion 76b while existing the vibration
restraining member 75 therebetween, thereby the input gear 72 is
prevented from coming off from the reel post 76.
[0045] The vibration restraining member 75 has function to brake
rotation of the reel 3 when the reel 3 is rotating, based on stop
control by the CPU 40, and to decline vibration of the reel 3
occurring when rotation of the reel 3 is stopped. As the vibration
restraining member 75, springs can be utilized. In the embodiment,
description will be done according that the spring 75 shown in FIG.
5A is used as the vibration restraining member. As shown in FIG.
5B, the input gear 72 is inserted to the rotation support portion
76a, the spring 75 is inserted to the position fixing portion 76b
while being sandwiched between the colors 74a and 74b.
[0046] The above mentioned stopper screw 73 is, as shown in FIG.
5B, inserted and fastened to the screw hole 76e, thereby the colors
64a, 74b and the spring 75 inserted to the position fixing portion
76b are prevented from coming off therefrom. The spring 75, which
is prevented from coming off by the stopper screw 73, presses the
input gear 72 toward the support plate 80 through the color 74b by
its resilient force. At that time, frictional force occurs between
the input gear 72 and the support plate 80, thereby the spring 75
can decline vibration of the reel 3 occurring when the reel 3 is
stopped.
[0047] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in the input gear 72, two
cylindrical projection portions 72a and 72b are integrally formed
from both sides of the plate portion. Both the cylindrical
projection portions 72a, 72b are perpendicularly projected from
both sides of the plate portion, thereby the rotation support
portion 76a can be inserted through the cylindrical projection
portions 72a, 72b along an axis passing through the center of the
cylindrical projection portions 72a, 72b. The input gear 72 is
inserted to the rotation support portion 76a so that one
cylindrical projection portion 72b faces to the support plate 80.
The other cylindrical projection portion 72a is pressed into the
hole 34 formed at the center position of the reel 3. Therefore,
when the output gear 71 is rotated, the input gear 72 and the reel
3 are rotated all together around the rotation support portion
76a.
[0048] The detection member 11 is arranged on the opaque input gear
72, the detection member being formed from opaque material. The
detection member 11 in the embodiment is formed from material which
can be colored in any desirable color and is formed on the input
gear 72 into one body by mold formation. This detection member 11
is formed so as to interrupt the sensor light emitted from the
position detection sensor 10. Concretely, as shown in FIG. 6, the
detection member 11 is arranged at a position where the position
detection sensor 10 can detect the detection member 11, and
arranged near the outer periphery of the disc plate constructing
the input gear 72.
[0049] Here, as for opaque colors, such color is not limited to the
color which completely interrupt the sensor light emitted from the
position detection sensor 10 and may be the color which can decline
the sensor light to an extent that the position detection sensor 10
cannot detect the sensor light emitted therefrom.
[0050] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the position detection sensor 10
is attached to the support plate 80 trough a support portion 10C,
the position detection sensor 10 being a position detector which
detects the detection member 11 as the rotation reference position
of the reel 3. FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing a construction
of the position detection sensor 10. As shown in FIG. 7, a light
emitting part 10A and a light receiving part 10B are formed in the
position detection sensor 10. The light emitting part 10A and the
light receiving part 10B are arranged at positions that both parts
10A and 10B face with each other. The light emitting part 10A emits
the sensor light toward the light receiving part 10B. And the light
receiving part 10B receives the sensor light emitted from the light
emitting part 10A.
[0051] As shown in FIG. 7, when the detection member 11 is
positioned between the light emitting part 10A and the light
receiving part 10B by rotation of the reel 3, the sensor light
emitted from the light emitting part 10A is surely interrupted by
the detection member 11. And the light receiving part 10B detects
that the sensor light is interrupted by the detection member 11 and
outputs the detected result as detected signal to the main CPU 40.
This detected signal becomes a signal which indicates the rotation
reference position of the reel 3.
[0052] Here, in a case that the light emitting part 10A and the
light receiving part 10B are integrally formed in the position
detection sensor 10, the detection member 11 may be constructed so
as to reflect the sensor light emitted form the light emitting part
10A and the light receiving part 10B may detect the detection
member 11 as the rotation reference position of the reel 3 by
receiving the light reflected by the detection member 11 and output
the detected rotation reference position as the detected signal to
the main CPU 40.
[0053] FIG. 8 is a block diagram indicating an electrical
construction of the gaming machine 1, including the reel drive
device (for example, the reel 3, the motor drive circuit 20, the
position detection sensor 10, the detection member 11 and the main
CPU 40). The reel drive device is provided with the stepping motor
70 which acts as a drive source of the reel 3 having a plurality of
symbols thereon and detects the rotation reference position of the
reel 3.
[0054] As shown in FIG. 8, in a microcomputer, there are provided a
main CPU 40 functioning as a main controller for mainly controlling
and calculating, a program ROM 40b for storing programs and various
data, a control RAM 40a utilized for data reading and writing, and
a random number generator (not shown) for generating predetermined
random number values.
[0055] Input parts such as a start switch 3 for detecting operation
of the start lever 9, a reel stop signal circuit 12 for detecting
operation of the stop buttons 4L, 4C, 4R, an input part 2 including
BET switches 2a .about.2c for betting credited coins by pressing
thereof and output parts such as a motor drive circuit 20, coin
payout part (not shown) and gaming effect control execution part
50, are connected to the main CPU 40.
[0056] The main CPU 40 reads and writes data in the control RAM 40a
according to the program stored in the program ROM 40b, thereby
serially controls operation of each input and output part and
conducts lottery treatment by utilizing the random number value
generated by the random number generator after detecting operation
of the start lever 9. The gaming effect control execution part 50
executes effects corresponding to the lottery treatment, based on
commands from the main CPU 40.
[0057] When the reel 3 is rotated, the main CPU 40 calculates the
number of drive pulses provided to the stepping motor 70 and writes
the calculated value in the predetermined area of the control RAM
40a. This main CPU 40 clears the value of drive pulses written in
the control RAM 40a to "0", based on the detected signal input from
the position detection sensor 10. Thereby, in the control RAM 40a,
the calculated value (rotation pitch) corresponding to the rotation
position within one rotation is stored every each reel 3L, 3C,
3R.
[0058] Further, when stop operations by the stop buttons 4L, 4C, 4R
are conducted, the main CPU 40 specifies the rotation position of
the reel 3 with reference to the control RAM 40a at the time of the
stop operations by the stop buttons 4L, 4C, 4R. And when the symbol
combination corresponding to the specified rotation position
coincides with the specific winning combination which is internally
won, the main CPU 40 executes stop control so as to draw the
symbols of the above combination into the pay line.
[0059] On the other hand, when the specific winning combination is
not internally won, the main CPU 40 conducts slide treatment of the
symbols (this treatment is done by sliding the predetermined number
of symbols), thereafter the main CPU 40 conducts stop control of
the reels 3.
[0060] (Action and Effect by Motor Drive Device)
[0061] According to the embodiment, since the detection member 11
is not arranged on the cylindrical member 32 of the reel 3 formed
from transparent material but is arranged on the input gear 72
formed from opaque material, the position detection sensor 10 can
surely detect the detection member 11. That is to say, when the
reel 3 is positioned at the predetermined position, the sensor
light emitted from the position detection sensor 10 is surely
interrupted by the detection member 11 formed from opaque material,
thereby the position detection sensor 10 can surely detect the
detection member 11.
[0062] Here, it is not limited to the detection member 11 which is
formed into one body with the input gear 72 by mold formation. And
if the detection member 11 is constructed so as to reflect the
sensor light emitted form the light emitting part 10A, the
detection member 11 may be formed by metal with the input gear 72
and paint plating may be done to the detection member 11 after
formed from transparent material with the input gear 72.
[0063] As mentioned above, since the detection member 11 is formed
into one body with the input gear 72 formed from opaque material,
the detection member can be surely detected.
* * * * *