JP4449016B2 - Game machine operation buttons - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an operation button of a gaming machine in which a plurality of operation units protrude and are arranged in parallel on the surface of a gaming machine such as a slot machine or a poker game machine.

  Conventionally, as this type of operation button, for example, there are stop buttons 2, 3, and 4 used in the slot machine 1 shown in FIG. A display panel 5 is provided in the upper half of the front surface of the slot machine 1, and rotating reels 7, 8, 9 are observed in each window 6 of the display panel 5. Various symbols are drawn on the outer circumferences of these rotary reels 7 to 9. Each stop button 2, 3, 4 is attached to a button base (base frame) 10, and is provided corresponding to each of the first, second and third rotating reels 7, 8, 9.

  When a player inserts medals into the insertion slot 11 prior to the start of the game, the medal number display lamps 12 provided in a vertical line on the display panel 5 on the left side of the window 6 are turned on. The display lamp 12 lights up according to the number of inserted medals, and displays the activated pay line 13 to the player. When the player swings (jogs) the start lever 14 following the insertion of the medal, the reels 7 to 9 start to rotate all at once.

  When the rotational speed of the reels 7 to 9 reaches a constant speed after a predetermined time has elapsed, the operation of the stop buttons 2 to 4 becomes effective. The display panel 5 on the right side of the window 6 is provided with a plurality of game status display lamps 15 in a vertical line, and when the operation of the stop buttons 2 to 4 is enabled, the stop lamps of those flashes and the player is informed. Prompt to operate stop buttons 2-4.

  When the player presses the stop buttons 2 to 4 in accordance with the blinking of the stop lamp, the rotation of the reels 7 to 9 stops according to the pressing operation timing. At this time, when the display symbols of the respective rotating reels 7 to 9 stopped on the activated pay line 13 are in a predetermined combination, a winning is obtained, and the number of medals according to the winning type is received on the tray 16. To be paid out.

  When a player plays a game in the slot machine 1, the operation of stopping the rotating reels 7 to 9 by the stop buttons 2 to 4 is a main gaming act, and the timing of this button operation determines the game win or loss. It is a factor. Each game is played every time a medal is inserted, and a series of stop buttons 2 to 4 are pressed for each game. Accordingly, since the number of operations of the stop buttons 2 to 4 becomes enormous, the player usually presses the stop buttons 2 to 4 in a short time to speed up the progress of the game. Such a continuous button operation is generally performed in the direction of operation A indicated by the arrow, that is, from the stop button 2 arranged on the left side to the stop button 4 arranged on the right side, and is sloppy. It is called.

  However, in the conventional stop buttons 2, 3, and 4, the operation sections 2a, 3a, and 4a that are juxtaposed on the surface of the device have a rectangular cross section shown in FIG. For this reason, when the player performs this pouring, the belly of the finger often hits the corner C of each of the operation units 2a, 3a, 4a toward the operation direction A. If the corner of the player hits the corner of the corner C, it will be difficult to smoothly and continuously press each of the stop buttons 2 to 4, and when the game is played for a long time, the player It was easy to get tired because of the difficulty of continuous operation. Also, while pressing each of the stop buttons 2, 3, and 4 many times, the finger hurts, and the entertainment of the game may be offended.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such problems. In the operation buttons of a gaming machine in which a plurality of operation unit heads exposed on the surface of the device are operated by a player to give a signal to the gaming machine, The head of the operation unit gradually increases as the height approaches the center along the operation direction only on the side facing the operation direction from the operation unit disposed at one end to the operation unit disposed at the other end. The cross-sectional shape is a circular arc with a concave shape, and a meat relief portion is formed which becomes narrower after the width expands in the process of approaching the central portion along the operation direction, and a metal member is covered at the central portion of the surface. It is characterized by this.

  By forming the meat escape portion on the side of the operation unit head facing the operation direction in this way, when the player operates the button, the belly of the player's finger hits the corner of the operation unit head. Disappear.

  Further, along with the movement of the finger in the operation direction, the player's finger belly is guided to the flare escape portion and smoothly guided to the center of the operation unit head, and the operation unit head is smoothly moved by this movement of the finger. Is pressed.

  According to the operation button of the gaming machine according to the present invention, when the player operates the button by forming the meat escape portion on the side portion of each operation portion head toward the operation direction as described above, No longer touches the corner of the operation unit head. Further, along with the movement of the finger in the operation direction, the player's finger belly is guided to the flare escape portion and smoothly guided to the center of the operation unit head, and the operation unit head is smoothly moved by this movement of the finger. Is pressed.

  For this reason, each button can be operated smoothly, and even when a game is played for a long time, it becomes difficult to get tired and the fingertips do not hurt, so that the feeling of use of the operation buttons is improved and the interest of the game can be increased.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1A is a front view showing the operation buttons 20 of the slot machine 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The operation button 20 is configured by attaching each of the stop buttons 21 to 23 to the button base 24. Each of the stop buttons 21 to 23 and the button base 24 includes the conventional stop buttons 2 to 4 and buttons shown in FIG. The slot machine 1 is provided in place of the base 10. The rotation of the reels 7 to 9 is stopped by pressing the stop buttons 21 to 23.

  The operation parts 21a to 23a of the stop buttons 21 to 23 are formed by molding a polycarbonate resin, and each of the operation parts 21a to 23a is covered with a chrome-plated zinc metal cap 25. Yes. Further, in each of the operation portions 21a to 23a, meat escape portions 21b to 23b are formed on the side portions in the operation direction A. These meat escape portions 21b to 23b have a sloped cross section as shown in FIG. This slope is inclined with respect to the operation direction A by a predetermined angle θ.

  In addition, cylindrical operation unit main bodies (not shown) are integrally formed on the back surfaces of the operation units 21a to 23a, and these operation unit main bodies are respectively inserted into cylindrical compression coil springs (not shown). Each operation part 21a-23a and the operation part main body are each urged | biased toward the outer side of the apparatus surface by this coil spring, respectively.

  Further, the button base 24 is made of ABS resin, and two grooves 24a are formed on the upper and lower sides along the direction in which the stop buttons 21 to 23 are arranged. These grooves 24 a provide decorativeness to the button base 24.

  In the slot machine 1 having such stop buttons 21 to 23, the button operation at the time of casting is performed as follows.

  FIG. 5B is a side view showing time-sharing operation of the stop button 21 and time is assumed to progress from left to right. Here, the position of the operation portion 21a on the button base 24 does not coincide with that shown in FIG.

  The button operation is started when the player's finger 26 moving in the operation direction A on the button base 24 touches the meat escape portion 21b having a smooth gradient, as shown at the left end of FIG. . When the finger 26 further moves in the operation direction A, the belly of the player's finger 26 is guided by the flesh escape portion 21b and smoothly slides on the button surface. As shown in the center of FIG. Begins to sink into the button base 24 against the internal compression coil spring. When the finger 26 further moves in the operation direction A, the belly of the finger 26 is smoothly guided to the center of the operation unit 21a as shown at the right end of FIG. It will be pressed.

  For the other adjacent stop buttons 22, 23, the same button operation as that of the stop button 21 is performed. Therefore, according to the stop buttons 21 to 23 according to the present embodiment, the player can stop by forming the meat escape portions 21b to 23b on the side portions of the operation portions 21a to 23a toward the operation direction A. When the buttons 21 to 23 are swung, the belly of the player's finger 26 does not hit the corner of the operation unit as in the past.

  For this reason, according to the stop buttons 21 to 23 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to easily press the stop buttons 21 to 23 smoothly and continuously. Therefore, even when the game is played for a long time, the player is less tired by this continuous operation. Also, like a conventional stop button, by continuing the game for a long time, damage to the fingertips from the corners of the operation unit is gradually added and the fingertips hurt, and the game is less likely to be offended. .

  In the description of the above embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the meat escape portion 21b is the slope shape shown in FIG. 5C, but the radius R recessed with respect to the operation direction A shown in FIG. Or an arc with a radius R protruding in the operation direction A shown in FIG. In the meat escape portions 21b to 23b of the operation portions 21a to 23a shown in FIG. 4D, if the radius R is a value close to the swelling of the fingertips, a fit feeling with the meat escape portions 21b to 23b can be obtained at the fingertips. . Further, according to the meat escape portions 21b to 23b of the operation portions 21a to 23a shown in FIG. 5E, the touch becomes smooth and soft.

  Although the case where the present invention is applied to a stand type slot machine has been described in the above embodiment, the present invention can be similarly applied to a slant type slot machine in which a display panel is inclined. Furthermore, the present invention can also be applied to a poker game machine having a stop button or a hold / cancel button in which a plurality of operation units protrude from the device surface. In each of these cases, the same effect as the above embodiment can be obtained.

FIG. 10 is a view showing operation buttons and a modification of the slot machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the slot machine with the conventional operation button. It is a cross-sectional view of the operation part of the conventional stop button.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 ... Operation button 21-23 ... Stop button 21a-23a ... Operation part 21b-23b ... Meat escape part 24 ... Button base 24a ... Groove 25 ... Metal cap 26 ... Finger

Claims (1)

In the operation buttons of the gaming machine in which a plurality of operation unit heads exposed on the equipment surface are operated by the player to give a signal to the gaming machine,
Each of the operation unit heads has a height approaching the central portion along the operation direction only on the side portion facing the operation direction from the operation unit disposed at one end toward the operation unit disposed at the other end. It gradually increases and presents a circular arc with a cross-sectional shape that is narrowed after the width expands in the process of moving toward the center along the operation direction, and a metal member is covered at the center of the surface. An operation button of a gaming machine characterized by

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