JP5917954B2 - Game machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine including a push button switch device that is operated by a player and used for production.

2. Description of the Related Art A gaming machine such as a pachinko gaming machine is known that has a liquid crystal display for production and causes the liquid crystal display to display various types of production. Further, there is known a gaming machine in which a push button switch device related to the effect display is provided so that the player can operate it.
This push button switch device has a period during which the operation is valid (hereinafter, valid state, when valid, etc.) and an invalid period during the presentation display set in advance. In an effective state, the contents of the effect display change depending on whether the push button switch device is operated or not.

  That is, a push button effect display that is displayed only when the push button switch device is operated in a state where the operation of the push button switch device is effective is prepared. By operating the push button switch device, this push button effect display is displayed. The player can see it.

  Further, the push button (pressed operation member) in the push button switch device is provided so that light can be transmitted, and a light emitting device including a light emitting element such as an LED is provided on the back side of the pressing portion. The light emitting device is turned on when the operation of the switch device is valid, and the light emitting device is turned off when the operation is invalid. In addition, when a transparent or translucent resin member is illuminated from the back side by a light emitting device, it is possible to make the resin member emit light, for example, it is possible to make the push button shine.

  At this time, for example, when the operation of the push button switch device is enabled, for example, the variable display game displayed on the liquid crystal display is more reachable than when the operation of the push button switch device is disabled. There is a case where the setting is such that there is a high possibility of becoming a big hit or a high possibility of becoming a big hit.

Such a setting is effective when the operation of the push button switch device becomes effective when the variable display game reaches reach or a big hit, and the operation of the push button switch device when the change display game shifts without reaching reach This is done by adjusting the ratio to become.
That is, the push button switch device can perform a notice effect using a light emitting device that indicates a valid or invalid operation state, for example.

  Therefore, it has been proposed to use the push button switch device more actively for game effects.For example, a donut-shaped rotating member is provided around the push button switch, and the rotating member can be illuminated from the back side by the light emitting device. What has been proposed. That is, as the above-described notice effect, the push button is not simply illuminated, but the rotating member around the push button is caused to emit light by the light emitting device and be rotated by the motor (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  When the push button switch device is used for a game effect such as a notice effect, it is possible to enhance the effect by providing not only the light from the light emitting device but also the movement of rotation. Further, the push button of the push button switch device is, for example, arranged on the upper plate for storing the prize ball of the pachinko gaming machine or the vicinity thereof, and at a position where the player can easily touch. Therefore, for example, when a rotary member is provided in a push button switch device that can be touched by a player and an effect by movement and light is performed compared to a movable accessory that performs a game effect by movement inside a glass door, The production will be more realistic.

JP 2011-177394 A

  By the way, on the gaming machine, the glass of the glass door that makes it possible to visually recognize the gaming area, the upper and lower dishes for storing the prize balls, the operation panel for performing the operation of borrowing the gaming balls, and the gaming balls are launched. Therefore, it is difficult to secure a large space in which the push button of the push button switch device is disposed, and the space in which the push button is disposed is limited. Therefore, when the production rotation member is arranged around the push button, the size (diameter) of the push button is reduced, and there is a risk that the operability of the push button and the production effect due to illumination of the push button itself may be sacrificed.

  Therefore, it is conceivable to enhance the effect of the push button by rotating the push button instead of the members around the push button. However, the push button can be moved substantially up and down in response to the pressing operation, and is urged substantially upward by an urging means such as a spring. Also, in order to prevent the push button from coming off due to the biasing force of the spring while being biased by the spring, for example, a flange-like collar portion is provided around the push button, and the collar portion is pressed by an annular regulating member. It is in a state. Note that the push button moves up and down inside the annular regulating member.

A relatively large frictional force acts between the restricting member and the collar based on the biasing force of the spring. In order to rotate the push button, a driving force for rotation larger than the frictional force is required, but even if the driving force is made larger than the frictional force, the pushbutton is always loaded with the frictional force. Is difficult to rotate smoothly. Moreover, the lifetime of a member becomes short by abrasion by friction.
Therefore, it is difficult to rotate the push button itself to enhance the effect.

  In Patent Document 1, a photoelectric switch is used as a switch that opens or closes a contact in response to a pressing operation of a push button. The photoelectric switch includes, for example, a light emitting element (light emitting unit), a light receiving element (light receiving unit), and a light shielding member. The light emitting element and the light receiving element are arranged to face each other, and are movable between a position where the light shielding member blocks light from the light emitting element toward the light receiving element and a position where it does not block the light.

  Further, the light shielding member is interlocked with the push button. For example, when the push button is at the origin position without pressing the push button, the light shielding member is disposed at a position where the light from the light emitting element to the light receiving element is not obstructed. When the push button is pressed, the light shielding member is disposed at a position that blocks light traveling from the light emitting element to the light receiving element. On the contrary, the light may be blocked when the push button is at the origin, and the light may not be blocked when the push button is pressed.

In the portion where the photoelectric switch is disposed, it is preferable that extra light does not enter the light receiving element. Therefore, the member close to the photoelectric switch is preferably a black member that hardly reflects light and does not easily transmit light.
However, the pushbutton of the pushbutton switch device or the member inside the pushbutton switch device may be a member that easily reflects light or a member that easily transmits light in order to enhance the effect effect of light from the light emitting device inside the device. Therefore, there is a high possibility that a white member is used in the push button.

  In this case, reflection of light by a member in the push button may cause malfunction or malfunction of the photoelectric switch. In order to avoid this, it is necessary to blacken the part of the pushbutton or the member in the pushbutton that is close to the photoelectric switch. For example, when a part of one white member is blackened, the cost of the member increases. End up. Note that the push button of the push button switch device may be used roughly, and the occurrence of a failure can be suppressed by using a photoelectric switch that does not have a contact portion when the contact is opened or closed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and enables the push button to be pressed by the push button switch device to be smoothly rotated for the purpose of improving the production effect, and provides an optical effect to the light emitting device. It is advantageous to provide a gaming machine including a push button switch device that can be separated from a member and a member that turns on and off the photoelectric switch to be a separate member.

In order to solve the above problems, a gaming machine of the present invention is used for a game effect, and in a gaming machine including a push button switch device that can be pressed by a player.
The push button switch device includes a base member that is movable in a predetermined direction from an origin position;
An urging means for urging the base member toward the origin position in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction;
A regulating member that regulates the base member biased by the biasing means so as to stop at the origin position;
A switch that operates in conjunction with the movement of the base member in the predetermined direction and opens or closes the contact;
It is provided so as to be movable in the predetermined direction from a position covering the base member at the origin position, and is pressed by the player to push the base member to a position where the switch operates. A pressed operation member to be moved ;
Rotation driving means for rotating the pressed operation member around a central axis along the predetermined direction;
With
When the base member is pressed against the regulating member by the biasing means and is stopped at the origin position, the pressed operation member that is separated from the base member has a biasing force of the biasing means. It is characterized by being able to rotate without being affected .

In the configuration of the present invention, it comprises a light irradiation means for irradiating the pressed operation member with light,
The pressed operation member is
An optical member that is rotatable by the rotation driving unit and that produces an optical effect by transmitting and reflecting light with respect to the light irradiated from the light irradiation unit;
A pressing member that has an optical effect, is arranged side by side with the optical member in the predetermined direction, is exposed to the player side of the optical member, and is pressed;
When the first engaging portion provided on the optical member is engaged with the second engaging portion provided on the pressing member, the pressing member is brought into contact with the optical member when the optical member rotates. Rotate together,
It is preferable that the base member is moved in the predetermined direction from the origin position via the optical member that contacts the base member when the pressing member is pressed .

In the configuration of the present invention, the rotation driving means includes a cylindrical driven gear and a driving gear that meshes with the driven gear and rotates the driven gear.
A part of the pressed operation member is disposed inside the driven gear, engages with the driven gear, can rotate integrally with the driven gear, and is along the predetermined direction with respect to the driven gear. Mobile,
It is preferable that the driven gear is restricted from moving in the predetermined direction .

  According to the present invention, the push button portion that is moved by the pressing operation by the player of the push button switch device is divided into the base member and the pressed operation member. The base member can be moved in a predetermined direction from the origin position by being pressed by the player via the pressed operation member, and is biased to the origin position side by the biasing means.

Further, the base member is regulated so as to stop at the origin position by the regulating member in a state of being biased by the biasing means.
Therefore, the base member is pressed against the regulating member by the biasing force of the biasing means when not pressed. Further, when the base member is pressed and moved in a predetermined direction from the origin position, the switch is operated.

  The pressed operation member operated by the player can move the base member from a position covering the base member at the origin position to a position where the switch is operated. At the position where the pressed operation member covers the base member at the origin position, the base member is held at the origin position by the restricting member, so that the urging force of the urging means does not act on the pressed operation member. ing.

  Therefore, when the pressed operation member is rotated, a slight frictional force is generated between the pressed operation member and the base member based on the weight of the pressed operation member. Friction based on the urging force of the urging means is not generated, and the pressed operation member covering the base member can be easily rotated.

  In addition, since the base member that operates the switch and the pressed operation member are separate members, the member on the pressed operation member side is a bright member, and the base member is a dark member, When the switch is a photoelectric switch, it is possible to prevent malfunction due to reflected light of the photoelectric switch by making the base member a dark color such as black, without providing a white part and a black part with one member. be able to. Also, by providing a member having an optical function to reflect or transmit the light irradiated by the light irradiation means on the pressed operation member side, an optical effect effect is obtained without adversely affecting the photoelectric switch. Can be increased.

1 is a perspective view showing a gaming machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the said gaming machine which opened the glass door and opened the front frame for a while. It is a top view which shows the pushbutton switch apparatus of the said gaming machine. It is a side view which shows the said pushbutton switch apparatus. It is a side view which shows the said pushbutton switch apparatus. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 3. It is CC sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the said pushbutton switch apparatus.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 2, a pachinko gaming machine includes a vertically-long rectangular machine frame 1 installed in an island facility of a game store, and a front frame 2 attached to the machine frame 1 so as to be openable and closable in a door shape. And a game board 3 (shown in FIG. 2) housed in the front frame 2 and a glass door 4 attached to the front surface of the front frame 2 so as to be openable and closable and having a large opening 4a at the center. Prepare.

The machine frame 1 is a part serving as a base of the pachinko gaming machine, and is fixed to the pachinko gaming machine installation position of the island facility.
The front frame 2 is attached to the machine frame 1 so that the left side edge thereof is freely rotatable, and maintenance of the back side can be performed with the machine frame 1 installed on the island facility. A game board 3 is housed and fixed inside the front frame 2, and a launching device for launching a game ball to a game area 3a provided on the front surface of the game board 3, and a game ball payout device as a prize ball Etc. are provided.

  The game board 3 includes the above-described game area 3a in which a game ball flows down on the front side thereof, and a winning port through which a game ball can be won, a discharge port for discharging a game ball that has not won, and the like are provided. In addition, on the back side, there are a discharge ball path for discharging game balls flowing into the prize opening and discharge port to the island facility side, a path for supplying game balls from the island facility side to the above-mentioned prize ball payout device, A control device is provided.

  The glass door 4 is provided with an opening 4a having a size corresponding to the game area 3a of the game board 3 described above, and the glass unit 5 is fitted into the opening 4a and is detachably attached. The glass unit 5 includes glass plates (two transparent plates) that are arranged in a double manner with a gap therebetween.

  Below the opening 4a of the glass door 4, the paid out game ball (prize ball) flows, and the game ball can be thrown into the game ball launching device of the present gaming machine. An upper plate 6 for storing game balls so as to be supplied to the apparatus and a lower plate 7 for storing game balls overflowing from the upper plate 6, and an upper plate 6 and a lower plate 7 of the glass door 4 on the right side in FIG. And a firing operation handle 8 provided. On the right side of the upper plate 6 of the glass door 4, an operation unit 9 is provided for the player to perform a rental payout operation. Further, a push button switch device 10 as an effect button that enables an effect of a game based on a player's operation is provided at a substantially center of the upper plate 6. Further, the glass door 4 is provided with a speaker 11 and a lamp (LED) for production. In addition to the speaker 11 described above, the curtain 12 provided in the machine casing 1 is also provided with a speaker 12.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 9, the push button switch device 10 includes a fixing member 14 that is attached and fixed to the gaming machine body, and a light that is attached to the bottom of the fixing member 14 and has a plurality of LED elements 13 mounted thereon. An LED mounting board 15 as an irradiating means, a rotation drive device 17 for rotating a pressed operation member (push button main body) 16 of a push button 20 described later, and a drive gear (drive) attached to a drive shaft 18 of the rotation drive device 17 Side gear) 19, a coil spring (biasing means) 22 for biasing a base member 21 of a push button 20 described later, and a predetermined direction from the origin position by a player's pressing operation in a state of being biased by the coil spring 22. A movable base member 21, a driven gear 23 which meshes with the drive gear 19 and rotates a pressed operation member 16 which will be described later, and an LED element of the LED mounting board 15. An optical member 24 that expresses optical functions such as light transmission and light reflection when irradiated with light, a pressing member 25 that is exposed to the player and pressed by the player, and a push button. When the cover 26 that covers the other parts of the push button switch device 10 except for the main part of the push member 25 and the pressed operation member 16 rotate, the periphery of the exposed portion of the switch device 10 is moved up and down. And a movable effect member 27.

Further, the push button switch device 10 is provided with a photoelectric switch (switch) 28 at a portion protruding from the outer periphery of the LED mounting board 15.
The pressed operation member (push button main body) 16 includes a pressing member 25 and an optical member 24 that is integrally fixed to the pressing member 25. The push button 20 includes a base member 21 and the above-described pressed operation member 16 that is a separate member from the base member 21.
Further, the rotational drive unit 17, the drive gear 19, and the driven gear 23 constitute a rotational drive unit that rotates the pressed operation member 16. The drive gear 19 and the driven gear 23 constitute a gear train as a transmission mechanism.

  The fixing member 14 includes a cylindrical outer wall portion 30 that forms an outer peripheral portion of the fixing member, a cylindrical inner wall portion 31 that is provided on the inner side of the cylindrical outer wall portion 30 and coaxially with the cylindrical outer wall portion 30, A cylindrical outer wall portion 30 and a central cylindrical portion 32 provided coaxially with the cylindrical inner wall portion 31 inside the cylindrical inner wall portion 31, and a flange portion provided in a bowl shape around the upper end portion of the cylindrical outer wall portion 30 33, a drive device mounting portion 34 provided so as to protrude radially outward from the cylindrical outer wall portion 30 with the flange portion 33 partially cut away, and a bottom side of the cylindrical outer wall portion 30. And a bottom plate portion 36 having an opening 35 that allows the light of the LED element 13 of the LED mounting substrate 15 to be irradiated upward from the lower end portion of the fixing member 14.

The cylindrical outer wall portion 30, the cylindrical inner wall portion 31, and the central cylindrical portion 32 are formed in a substantially cylindrical shape.
The cylindrical inner wall 31 is provided with four openings 38 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.
An upper edge portion of the cylindrical inner wall portion 31 that is above the openings 38 is engaged with a later-described locking piece 40 of the base member 21 so that the base member 21 resists the biasing force of the coil spring 22. A restricting portion (regulating member) 39 that holds the base member 21 at the origin position is used.

The central cylinder part 32 is a member that guides the vertical movement while restricting the rotation of the movable effect member 27, and is provided with a slit 41 for restricting the rotation of the movable effect member 27.
The bottom plate portion 36 is formed with openings 35 through which light from the LED elements 13 passes between the cylindrical inner wall portion 31 and the central cylindrical portion 32 and inside the central cylindrical portion 32. Further, on the bottom surface side of the bottom plate portion 36, a recess into which the LED mounting substrate 15 is fitted is formed with a depth substantially the same as the thickness of the LED mounting substrate 15.

  The diameter of the coil spring 22 is slightly smaller than that of the cylindrical inner wall portion 31, and is arranged along the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical inner wall portion 31. The lower end of the coil spring 22 is supported by a portion immediately inside the cylindrical inner wall portion 31 of the bottom plate portion 36. Further, the upper end of the coil spring 22 is in contact with a step surface 44 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the base member 21 as described later.

  The base member 21 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and has an outer diameter and an inner diameter that are different between the upper part and the lower part. The upper part has an outer diameter and an inner diameter that are larger than the lower part. The outer diameter of the upper part is made slightly smaller than the cylindrical inner wall part 31 of the fixing member 14. Therefore, a step surface 44 facing downward is formed between the upper portion and the lower portion on the outer peripheral surface of the base member 21, and a step surface 45 facing upward is formed between the upper portion and the lower portion on the inner peripheral surface. Yes.

  The coil spring 22 is disposed in a compressed state between the step surface 44 facing the lower side of the base member 21 and the bottom plate portion 36 immediately inside the cylindrical inner wall portion 31 of the fixing member 14. 22 is a state in which the base member 21 is biased upward. The coil spring 22 is disposed between the outer peripheral surface of the small-diameter portion at the bottom of the base member 21 and the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical inner wall portion 31.

  On the outer peripheral surface of the upper large-diameter portion of the base member 21, four locking pieces 40 are provided as protrusions protruding outward at equal intervals along the circumferential direction, and the opening of the cylindrical inner wall portion 31 is provided. The part 38 is in a state of entering. As a result, the locking piece 40 of the base member 21 biased by the coil spring 22 is pressed against the regulating portion 39 which is the upper side edge portion of the opening portion 38 of the cylindrical inner wall portion 31 and more. , Movement up is restricted. The position where the locking piece 40 is in contact with the restricting portion 39 is the origin position of the base member 21.

The base member 21 can move in a predetermined direction (in this example, it may be inclined with respect to the vertical direction) in a predetermined direction against the urging force of the coil spring 22 from the origin position. At this time, the base member 21 is configured such that a large-diameter portion at the upper portion thereof is guided to the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical inner wall portion 31.
Therefore, the predetermined direction is the substantially axial direction of the cylindrical inner wall portion 31 and the base member 21.

  Further, the width along the circumferential direction of the locking piece 40 is substantially the same (slightly narrow) as the width along the circumferential direction of the opening 38 of the cylindrical inner wall portion 31, and the cylindrical inner wall portion 31. The rotation of the base member 21 including the locking piece 40 with respect to the cylindrical inner wall portion 31 is restricted in a state in which the locking piece 40 enters the opening 38. Therefore, the base member 21 cannot rotate around its axis. Further, the opening 38 can guide the movement of the base member 21 having the locking piece 40 in the axial direction.

At the position of the above-described photoelectric switch 28 at the lower end of the base member 21, a shielding plate (not shown) of the photoelectric switch 28 that moves along the vertical direction (the axial direction of the base member 21) integrally with the base member 21 is provided. Yes.
Here, in the photoelectric switch 28, the light emitting element and the light receiving element are arranged close to each other and face each other. In the photoelectric switch 28, a shielding plate (not shown) can move up and down between the light emitting element and the light receiving element described above at a lower position where light irradiation from the light emitting element to the light receiving element is blocked and an upper position where the light is not blocked. It has become.
The shielding plate (not shown) is provided on the base member 21 as described above and moves integrally with the base member 21. When the base member 21 is at the origin position described above, the position of the shielding plate is It is in the upper position, and the position of the shielding plate becomes the lower position when moving in a predetermined direction from the origin position.
The photoelectric switch 28 is turned on / off by the movement of the base member 21. In practice, a control unit is provided that opens and closes the contact point depending on whether the output level of the light receiving element of the photoelectric switch 28 is higher than a threshold value or lower than the threshold value.
Moreover, it is preferable that the base member 21 and the fixing member 14 have a dark color such as black so that extra reflected light does not enter the photoelectric switch 28.

  The rotation drive device 17 is, for example, an actuator in which a transmission (reduction gear) is attached to a motor, and a drive shaft (output shaft) 18 of a transmission driven by the motor is provided so as to protrude. A drive gear 19 is attached to the drive shaft 18. The drive gear 19 is smaller in diameter than the driven gear 23 and has a smaller number of teeth.

  The driven gear 23 is provided in a cylindrical shape 48 having an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical outer wall portion 30 of the fixing member 14, and a bowl shape that extends outward from the cylindrical portion 48 on the outer periphery of the upper end portion of the cylindrical portion 48. A gear body 49.

The cylindrical portion 48 is disposed between the cylindrical outer wall portion 30 and the cylindrical inner wall portion 31 of the fixing member 14, and is guided by the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical inner wall portion 31 to be rotatable.
As shown in FIG. 6, the gear main body 49 meshes with the drive gear 19, and the driven gear 23 is rotationally driven by the rotary drive device 17. The cylindrical portion 48 of the driven gear 23 is provided with four notches (engaged portions) 50 that are opened to the lower end side of the cylindrical portion 48 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. In this cutout portion 50, a protrusion (engagement portion) 51 of the optical member 24 enters.

Although the width along the circumferential direction of the protrusion 51 is slightly smaller than the width along the circumferential direction of the notch 50, the width is substantially the same.
Thereby, the optical member 24 can be moved up and down (movable in the axial direction) with respect to the driven gear 23, and cannot be rotated (movable in the circumferential direction). In other words, the driven gear 23 and the optical member 24 are integrally rotatable.

  The notch 50 is wide in the circumferential direction, but the width of the protrusion 51 that engages with the notch 50 is increased. The vertical width of the protrusion 51 (width along the axial direction of the optical member 24) is narrower than the vertical width of the notch 50 (width along the axial direction of the driven gear 23). Therefore, the cutout portion 50 is in a state of extending relatively long in the above-described axial direction (predetermined direction) relative to the protrusion 51, and the protrusion 51 is largely moved in the predetermined direction with respect to the cutout portion 50. It is possible.

  The notch 50 may be an opening in which the lower side is closed without opening, and the notch 50 has a slit shape with a narrow width in the circumferential direction and a long extension in the axial direction. Also good. In this case, the protrusion 51 that engages with the slit as the engaged portion may be a protrusion (locking piece) having a narrow width in the circumferential direction. In this case, as long as the protrusion is not movable in the circumferential direction and can be engaged so as to be movable in the axial direction, the engaged portion with which the protrusion as the engaging portion engages may be a groove instead of a slit. .

  The optical member 24 is coaxial with the outer peripheral cylindrical portion 53 on the inner side of the outer peripheral cylindrical portion 53, the outer peripheral cylindrical portion 53 provided at the outer peripheral portion, the lid portion 54 provided so as to close the upper opening of the outer peripheral cylindrical portion 53. The inner peripheral cylinder part 55 is provided, and the inner peripheral cylinder part 55 is provided with a support cylinder part 56 provided coaxially with the inner peripheral cylinder part 55.

  The outer peripheral cylindrical portion 53 is disposed between the cylindrical portion 48 of the driven gear 23 and the cylindrical inner wall portion 31 of the fixing member 14. That is, the outer peripheral cylindrical portion 53 is formed in a cylindrical shape having an outer diameter that is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 48 and an inner diameter that is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical inner wall portion 31.

The above-mentioned protrusion 51 is provided in the outer periphery cylinder part 53 at equal intervals along the circumferential direction.
Further, an engaging protrusion 58 that engages with a lower inner peripheral portion of a retaining member 57 (described later) of the pressing member 25 is formed at the upper end portion of the outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral cylindrical portion 53. The optical member 24 and the pressing member 25 are fixed so as to be rotatable integrally with the engaging protrusion 58.
The engaging protrusion 58 is formed along the circumferential direction at the upper end portion of the outer peripheral cylindrical portion 53. The engaging protrusions 58 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and correspond to the four retaining members 57 of the pressing member 25.

  The lid portion 54 is a disk-like member having substantially the same diameter as the outer peripheral cylindrical portion 53 and closes the upper side of the outer peripheral cylindrical portion 53. An opening 60 having a diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the support cylinder 56 is provided at the center of the lid 54 so as to open the upper end of the support cylinder 56.

The inner peripheral cylinder part 55 has an upper part formed in a cylindrical shape having an inverted truncated cone shape, and a lower part formed in a cylindrical shape.
The lower part of the inner peripheral cylinder part 55 has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the base member 21, and is disposed inside the base member. Further, on the upper side of the boundary between the upper portion and the lower portion of the inner peripheral cylindrical portion 55, an annular ridge 61 that protrudes in an annular shape outward from the outer peripheral surface of the inverted truncated cone shape is provided.

  The annular ridge 61 includes a bottom surface that is a surface orthogonal to the axial direction and an outer peripheral surface that is a surface parallel to the axial direction. Further, the outer diameter of the annular ridge 61 has an outer diameter that is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the large-diameter portion at the top of the base member 21, and the annular ridge 61 is located inside the large-diameter portion of the base member 21. It is arranged on the step surface 45 on the inner peripheral side. At this time, the lower surface of the annular protrusion 61 and the step surface 45 of the base member 21 are in contact with each other.

  As described above, the base member 21 is movable downward along the axial direction while being biased toward the origin position by the coil spring 22. On the other hand, the pressing member 25 and the optical member 24 integral with the pressing member 25 are arranged on the base member 21 at the origin position as the pressed operation member 16. Here, when the pressing member 25 is pressed by a player or the like, the optical member 24 as a part of the pressed operation member 16 is integrated with the pressing member 25 in a predetermined direction (up and down, along the axial direction from the origin position). In this case, the annular protrusion 61 depresses the step surface 45 of the base member 21 and the base member 21 moves in a predetermined direction. As described above, in the photoelectric switch 28 The light shielding element and the light receiving element are blocked by the shielding member.

  The support cylinder portion 56 has a movable effect member 27 disposed therein so as to be movable in the axial direction. Moreover, the outer diameter of the upper part is made smaller than the outer diameter of the lower part of the movable effect member 27. The inner diameter of the support cylinder part 56 is made slightly larger than the outer diameter of the lower part as the large diameter part of the movable effect member 27. Further, the inner diameter of the opening portion 60 of the lid portion 54 is smaller than the outer diameter of the lower portion of the movable effect member 27 and larger than the outer diameter of the upper portion, and the upper portion of the movable effect member 27 extends from the opening portion 60 of the lid portion 54. It can be projected upward.

  A drive unit 63 having an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the lower part of the movable effect member 27 is provided at the lower part of the inner peripheral surface of the support cylinder part 56. That is, the diameter of the cylindrical lower end portion of the movable effect member 27 and the diameter of the cylindrical drive portion 63 are substantially the same. The cylindrical lower end surface of the movable effect member 27 is placed substantially coaxially on the cylindrical upper end surface of the drive unit 63. The drive part 63 has a cylindrical shape along the inner peripheral surface of the support cylinder part 56, and has a mountain whose upper end surface protrudes along the axial direction and a valley which is recessed along the axial direction. It is made into the wave shape which repeats alternately along. Further, the lower end surface of the movable effect member 27 is formed in a wave shape in which peaks and valleys are alternately repeated along the circumferential direction in the same manner as the upper end surface of the drive unit 63.

The shape of the upper end surface of the drive unit 63 in the support cylinder portion 56 and the shape of the lower end surface of the movable effect member 27 are substantially the same wave shape except that they are upside down.
That is, the wave-like wavelength and amplitude provided on the upper end surface of the cylindrical drive unit 63 in the support cylinder 56 and the wave-like wavelength and amplitude provided on the lower end surface of the cylindrical movable effect member 27 Are almost the same. Further, the number of peaks and valleys in the wave shape of the drive unit 63 and the number of peaks and valleys in the movable effect member 27 are the same.

  In a state where the lower end surface of the movable effect member 27 is placed on the cylindrical upper end surface of the drive unit 63, the mountain of the movable effect member 27 enters the valley of the support cylinder portion 56, and the support tube enters the valley of the movable effect member 27. The mountain of the part 56 can enter. That is, the mountain and the valley can be engaged with each other between the upper end surface of the drive unit 63 and the lower end surface of the movable effect member 27. Further, while the optical member 24 is rotated by the rotation driving device 17, the movable effect member 27 is in a state of covering the central cylindrical portion 32 of the fixed member 14 so as not to rotate. That is, the rib of the movable effect member 27 is inserted into the slit 41 along the axial direction of the central cylindrical portion 32, and the rotation of the movable effect member 27 is restricted.

  Therefore, when the pressed operation member 16 having the optical member 24 is rotated, the driving portion 63 of the support cylinder portion 56 of the optical member 24 rotates, whereas the movable effect member 27 does not rotate. On the cylindrical upper end surface of the portion 63, peaks and valleys move along the circumferential direction, whereas on the lower end surface of the movable effect member 27 mounted on the cylindrical upper end surface of the drive unit 63, The valleys do not move in the circumferential direction, and the arrangement of the mountains and valleys in the circumferential direction is fixed.

In such a state, with respect to, for example, the peak of the peak protruding downward on the lower end surface of the movable effect member 27, the peak protruding above the upper end surface of the drive unit 63 and the valley recessed downward move in the circumferential direction. become. In this case, for example, the peak of the mountain on the lower end surface of the movable effect member 27 climbs the slope of the valley from the bottom of the valley on the upper end surface of the drive unit 63, and further climbs the slope of the mountain to reach the peak of the mountain. It goes down the slope of the mountain, then down the slope of the valley and reaches the bottom of the valley again. Thereby, each vertex of the crest on the lower end surface of the movable effect member 27 is repeatedly moved up and down along the crest and trough on the upper end surface of the drive unit 63. Thereby, the movable effect member 27 moves in the vertical direction (axial direction) when the pressed operation member 16 rotates.
At this time, the LED element 13 of the LED mounting substrate 15 irradiates light to the movable effect member 27 to enhance the effect.

  The optical member 24 is formed of, for example, a translucent white resin, and the LED element 13 of the LED mounting substrate 15 is attached to the player except for the portion of the support cylinder portion 56 where the above-described movable effect member 27 is disposed. Covered and hidden. Therefore, the player cannot directly see the LED element 13 but sees the light of the LED element 13 that has passed through the optical member 24 or the movable effect member 27. In the optical member 24, for example, the light of the LED element 13 is transmitted while being irregularly reflected by particles of the white pigment inside. Since the light is irregularly reflected inside the optical member 24, the optical member 24 appears to be shining to a player who cannot directly see the LED element 13.

The pressing member 25 is fixed on the lid portion 54 of the optical member 24 as described above, and is movable in the axial direction integrally with the optical member 24 while covering the optical member 24. Further, the pressing member 25 is made of a colored transparent resin, and the player views the optical member 24 that looks shining through the pressing member 25 as described above.
Further, on the outer periphery of the pressing member 25, grooves along the small axial direction are arranged along the circumferential direction, whereby the outer peripheral surface of the pressing member 25 is formed in a wave shape that repeats small irregularities, and these irregularities are prisms. The direction of the light transmitted through the outer peripheral surface of the pressing member 25 is changed, and the effect effect by the light is enhanced.
Therefore, not only the optical member 24 but also the pressing member 25 has an optical function.

  Further, retaining members 57 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction below the outer peripheral surface of the pressing member 25. The retaining member 57 is restrained by the cover 26 and prevents the pressing member 25 from coming off, and prevents the pressing member 25 from tilting. Further, the retaining member 57 regulates the movement range of the pressing member 25, and the origin position where the upper end of the retaining member 57 contacts the upper surface cover portion 66 described later of the cover 26 and the lower end of the retaining member 57. Is movable between the photoelectric switch shielding position in contact with the gear main body 49 of the driven gear 23.

The cover 26 includes an outer peripheral cover portion 68 that covers the outer periphery of the pressing member 25, a drive gear cover portion 69 that covers the driving gear 19, and an upper surface cover portion 66 that covers the upper surface of the retaining member 57 of the pressing member 25. Prepare.
The outer peripheral cover portion 68 has an outer diameter that is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the retaining member 57 and has an outer diameter that is substantially the same as the flange portion 33 of the fixing member 14, and the lower end of the outer peripheral cover portion 68 on the flange portion 33. The cover 26 is attached to the flange portion 33 by the locking claws of the portion.

In such a pushbutton switch of a gaming machine, the pushbutton 20 includes a pressed member 25 that is formed of a pressing member 25 that is exposed to the player side like a pushbutton and an optical member 24 that is fixed below the pressing member 25. The base member 21 is provided below the optical member 24.
In addition, the pressed operation member 16 and the base member 21 are not fixed to each other but are separated and separated.

  Moreover, the base member 21 is urged | biased by the origin position side by the coil spring 22 as an urging | biasing means as mentioned above. The base member 21 is the upper edge of the opening 38 in a state in which the locking piece 40 enters the opening 38 of the cylindrical inner wall 31 of the fixing member 14 and is biased by the coil spring 22. By being engaged with the restricting portion 39, it is held at the origin position.

  A shielding member capable of shielding between the light emitting element and the light receiving element of the photoelectric switch 28 is attached to the base member 21, and the base member 21 resists the biasing force of the coil spring 22 and is predetermined from the origin position. As a direction, when the base member 21, the cylindrical inner wall portion 31, the outer peripheral cylindrical portion 53 and the inner peripheral cylindrical portion 55 are moved in the direction away from the origin position along the axial direction of the cylindrical member, In the switch 28, the light emission from the light emitting element to the light receiving element is shielded, and the signal output from the light receiving element changes from high to low, and based on this, the switch contact is opened or closed. Then, a signal indicating that a push operation has been performed by a player or the like with the push button switch device 10 is input to the internal control device of the gaming machine.

In this case, the player pushes the base member via the pressed operation member 16 by pressing the pressing member 25 of the pressed operation member 16 exposed.
The optical member 24 and the base member 21 of the pressed operation member 16 are not fixed, but the inner peripheral cylinder portion 55 of the optical member 24 is formed on the upper and lower step surfaces 45 on the inner periphery of the base member 21. An annular ridge 61 provided on the inverted truncated cone portion side of the boundary portion between the inverted truncated cone portion and the cylindrical portion is in contact.

  Thus, when the pressed operation member 16 is pressed, the portion of the annular ridge 61 presses the step surface 45 on the inner peripheral side of the base member 21, and the position at which the base member 21 operates the photoelectric switch 28 from the limited position. Will be moved to. Further, the biasing force of the coil spring 22 acts on the pressed operation member 16 that has been pressed and moved in a predetermined direction. When the pressed operation member 16 placed on the base member 21 at the origin position is at the origin position of the pressed operation member 16, the coil spring 22 is attached to the pressed operation member 16 moved in a predetermined direction from the origin position. The force acts on the pressed creation member 16 via the base member 21 to return the pressed operation member 16 to the origin position.

  Further, the outer peripheral cylindrical portion 53 of the optical member 24 and the cylindrical portion 48 of the driven gear 23 are cylindrical portions in a donut-shaped space between the cylindrical outer wall portion 30 and the cylindrical inner wall portion 31 of the fixing member 14. In a state where the outer peripheral cylindrical portion 53 is arranged inside 48, it is rotatable.

  Further, the driven gear that meshes with the drive gear 19 driven by the rotary drive device 17 by engaging the protrusion of the outer peripheral cylindrical portion 53 with the cutout portion 50 of the cylindrical portion 48 so as to freely move up and down (impossible to move in the circumferential direction). When 23 is rotated by the driving force of the rotation driving device 17, the rotation is transmitted from the cylindrical portion 48 of the driven gear 23 to the outer peripheral cylindrical portion 53 on the pressed operation member 16 side, and the pressed operation member 16 including the optical member 24. Rotates.

  At this time, when the player is not operating the push button switch device 10, the base member 21 biased by the coil spring 22 is held at the origin position as described above. The biasing force of the coil spring 22 does not act on the pressed operation member 16 side, and the pressed operation member 16 is placed on the base member 21. Therefore, when the pressed operation member 16 rotates as described above, the biasing force of the coil spring 22 does not hinder the rotation of the pressed operation member 16 (the frictional force does not increase due to the biasing force). ) When the pressed operation member 16 is operated, the pressed operation member 16 can be smoothly rotated even if there is a spring that returns the pressed operation member 16.

  When the player performs a pressing operation while the pressed operation member 16 is rotating, the base member 21 biased by the coil spring 22 is reversed by the player's force against the biasing direction of the coil spring 22. As a result, the player's force and the force of the coil spring 22 act on the pressed operation member 16, and the rotation of the pressed operation member 16 is stopped.

In addition, when the pressed operation member 16 rotates, the LED element 13 of the LED mounting substrate 15 basically emits light, and the optical member 24 is irradiated with light, and the optical member 24 is irradiated by reflection and transmission of light. It is in a state of shining in the color of light.
In addition, the movable effect member 27 is moved up and down as described above.

  Further, when the protrusion 51 of the pressed operation member 16 is engaged with the notch 50 of the driven gear 23, the pressed operation member 16 rotates integrally with the driven gear 23. Since the strip 51 is movable downward along the axial direction of the driven gear 23 and the pressed operation member 16, the pressed operation member 16 moves along the axial direction by the pressing operation of the player or the like. Even so, the driven gear 23 does not move in the axial direction. Further, the driven gear 23 is rotatably supported in a state where the gear main body 49 is placed on the flange portion (rotation support portion) 33 of the fixing member 14, and the driven gear 23 is supported by the flange portion 33. The downward movement along the axial direction is restricted. Therefore, even if the pressed operation member 16 moves downward along the axial direction, the driven gear 23 cannot move downward.

  Therefore, the driven gear 23 is always held in a state where it is meshed with the drive gear 19, and the driven gear 23 does not disengage from the drive gear 19 by moving along the axial direction. The driven gear 19 can rotate the driven gear 23 at any time. However, the case where it is pressed is excluded.

Further, since the base member 21 that is disposed in the vicinity of the photoelectric switch 28 and operates directly with the photoelectric switch 28 and the pressed operation member 16 including the optical member 24 are separate members, the base member 21 and the optical member 24 can be set to different colors.
In this case, the optical member 24 is preferably white or a relatively light color, that is, a color close to white, in order to reflect or transmit the light of the LED element 13. The base member is preferably black or a color close to black so that unnecessary reflected light is not input to the photoelectric switch 28.

  Therefore, for example, the optical member 14 can be white and the base member 21 can be black. In this case, since one member is not divided into two colors, but the two members are each in a predetermined color, the cost can be reduced more than in the case where the position member is in two colors.

  As described above, in this gaming machine, even if the push button of the push button switch device is configured to rotate, the push button cannot be smoothly rotated by the spring that urges the push button, or transmission for driving the push button to rotate. There is no problem with the meshing of the gears of the mechanism, and the push button can be rotated smoothly.

  In this case, when the operation of the push button switch device is shown to be effective, there are two effects, that is, when the LED element 13 emits light and when the LED element emits light and the pressed operation member 16 rotates. It becomes possible. Therefore, when the possibility of being a big hit is not so high, only the pressed operation member 16 is lit, and when the possibility of being a big hit is high, not only the pressed operation member 16 is lit but also rotated. The production effect can be enhanced. Moreover, it is good also as what rotates the to-be-pressed operation member 16 as a part of production | presentation irrespective of the effectiveness of the operation of a pushbutton switch apparatus.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment which applied the invention made by this inventor was described, this invention is not limited by the description and drawing which make a part of indication of this invention by this embodiment. That is, it should be added that other embodiments, examples, operation techniques, and the like made by those skilled in the art based on this embodiment are all included in the scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Pushbutton switch apparatus 13 LED element 15 LED mounting board (light irradiation means)
16 Pressed operation member 17 Rotation drive device (rotation drive means)
19 Drive gear 21 Base member 22 Coil spring (biasing means)
24 Optical member 25 Push-down member 28 Photoelectric switch (switch)
39 Restriction part (regulation member)
40 Locking piece
57 Retaining member (first or second engaging portion)
58 engaging protrusion (second or first engaging portion)

Claims (3)

In a gaming machine having a push button switch device that can be used to produce a game and can be pressed by a player,
The push button switch device includes a base member that is movable in a predetermined direction from an origin position;
An urging means for urging the base member toward the origin position in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction;
A regulating member that regulates the base member biased by the biasing means so as to stop at the origin position;
A switch that operates in conjunction with the movement of the base member in the predetermined direction and opens or closes the contact;
It is provided so as to be movable in the predetermined direction from a position covering the base member at the origin position, and is pressed by the player to push the base member to a position where the switch operates. A pressed operation member to be moved ;
Rotation driving means for rotating the pressed operation member around a central axis along the predetermined direction;
With
When the base member is pressed against the regulating member by the biasing means and is stopped at the origin position, the pressed operation member that is separated from the base member has a biasing force of the biasing means. A gaming machine characterized by being rotatable without being affected . A light irradiation means for irradiating the pressed operation member with light;
The pressed operation member is
An optical member that is rotatable by the rotation driving unit and that produces an optical effect by transmitting and reflecting light with respect to the light irradiated from the light irradiation unit;
A pressing member that has an optical effect, is arranged side by side with the optical member in the predetermined direction, is exposed to the player side of the optical member, and is pressed;
When the first engaging portion provided on the optical member is engaged with the second engaging portion provided on the pressing member, the pressing member is brought into contact with the optical member when the optical member rotates. Rotate together,
2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein when the pressing member is pressed, the base member is moved in the predetermined direction from the origin position via the optical member that contacts the base member. . The rotation driving means includes a cylindrical driven gear and a driving gear that meshes with the driven gear and rotates the driven gear.
A part of the pressed operation member is disposed inside the driven gear, engages with the driven gear, can rotate integrally with the driven gear, and is along the predetermined direction with respect to the driven gear. Mobile,
The gaming machine according to claim 1 , wherein movement of the driven gear in the predetermined direction is restricted .

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