JP6089334B2 - game machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a game machine in which a player enters and plays inside a casing, and more particularly to the structure of the entrance.

  In the field of game machines developed for business use, it is common practice to make various improvements to the physical configuration of game machines in order to differentiate them from home-use video game machines and portable game machines. It has been broken. For example, a game machine that employs a configuration in which a player enters and plays inside a casing is known (see Patent Document 1). There is also known a game machine in which a screen is arranged around a player and an image is projected by a plurality of projectors (see Patent Document 2).

JP 2011-622256 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-313983

  The game machine adopting the above-described configuration can attract the player's consciousness to the image of the game displayed on the screen and immerse the player in the game world. However, if the inside of the housing is not properly partitioned from the outside real world, the effect is naturally impaired. On the other hand, if the entrance / exit of the housing is closed and the space inside the housing is completely closed from the outside, there is a risk that the player will feel more clogged and feel insecure.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a game machine having a reasonable entrance / exit structure.

  The game machine (1) of the present invention has a hollow structure (5) into which a player can enter, and a screen (7) so as to surround the player on the inner surface of the partition wall (5a) of the hollow structure. And a projection device (71A to 71F) for projecting a game image onto the screen, and an internal player is provided on the partition by the player. The player's doorway (6) is provided so as to be positioned on the back side of the player when facing the central portion of the player, and the doorway is provided with a door member (21) that can be opened and closed vertically. The movable range of the door member is set so that an opening remains below the door member without closing the doorway at the door member when the door member is lowered most.

  According to the game machine of the present invention, even when the door member is lowered most, the doorway is not closed and the opening remains below the door member. It is possible to relieve the feeling. On the other hand, by lowering the door member, the inside of the hollow structure of the housing can be appropriately partitioned from the outside of the housing. In addition, when the player faces the center of the screen, the entrance is located on the back side of the player, so the opening below the entrance is difficult to enter the player's field of view. Therefore, the player's consciousness can be strongly attracted to the game image projected on the screen, and the player can be deeply immersed in the game world.

  In the present invention, at least a part of the door member may be made of a transparent material. According to this, it is possible to appropriately view the screen and the player from the outside of the housing, attract the interest of other players to the game machine, or improve the safety.

  In the present invention, a seat (50) for seating the player with the entrance / exit on the back side may be provided inside the hollow structure. According to this, when the player sits on the seat and plays the game, the entrance / exit can be more reliably excluded from the player's field of view.

  Furthermore, when the door member is lowered most, the lower end of the door member may be positioned below the headrest portion (50d) of the seat. According to this, since the door member can be lowered to the player's head, more specifically below the eye level, the opening left below the door member becomes less conspicuous, and the player's consciousness is imaged in the game. Can attract more strongly.

  Further, the sheet may be slidable in a direction in which the sheet can approach and separate from the entrance / exit. According to this, the gap between the side edge portion of the frame defining the doorway and the side portion of the sheet is enlarged by sliding the sheet away from the doorway (that is, the direction approaching the center of the screen). The player can easily enter and exit. Therefore, the width of the entrance / exit can be set relatively narrow, and the opening left below the door member can be made less noticeable. On the other hand, when the game is played, the player can fully look over the screen by sliding the seat to the entrance / exit side.

  In the present invention, one end of the band-like or string-like connecting member (29) wound around the rotating body (30) is connected to the door member, and the other end is connected to the weight (28). A counterweight mechanism (31) that reduces the force required to open and close the door member may be further provided. According to this, it becomes possible to open and close the door member with a relatively small force, and it is possible to reduce the burden associated with the installation of the door member.

  Further, the counterweight mechanism includes a brake device (32) that brakes the rotation of the rotating body when the door member is lowered, and does not brake the rotation of the rotating body when the rotating body rotates in the reverse direction. Also good. According to this, while eliminating the possibility that the door member will drop suddenly, it is possible to avoid an increase in the burden when opening the door member.

  In addition, in the above description, in order to make an understanding of this invention easy, the reference sign of the accompanying drawing was attached in parenthesis, but this invention is not limited to the form of illustration by it.

  As described above, according to the game machine of the present invention, even when the door member is lowered most, the entrance is not closed, and the opening remains below the door member. While reducing the feeling of blockage that may be felt by the player, the inside of the hollow structure of the housing can be appropriately partitioned from the outside of the housing by lowering the door member. In addition, when the player faces the center of the screen, the doorway is located on the back side of the player, so the doorway is difficult to enter the player's field of view. Therefore, the player's consciousness can be strongly attracted to the game image projected on the screen, and the player can be deeply immersed in the game world.

The perspective view which shows the external appearance structure of the game machine which concerns on one form of this invention. The perspective view which showed the game machine from the direction different from FIG. The front view of a game machine. The right view of a game machine. The perspective view which showed the game machine from the direction further different from FIG.1 and FIG.2. FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the game machine taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 3. FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the game machine taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 4. The vertical sectional view which showed the game machine in the state which removed the seat unit from the same direction as FIG. The perspective view which shows the relationship between the housing | casing of a game machine, and a seat unit. The perspective view which shows the state which assembled the partition in the main body of a housing | casing substantially. The perspective view which shows the state which assembled | attached the frame structure on the base of the main body. The perspective view of the base of a main body. The perspective view which shows the structure of a frame structure. The perspective view which shows the state in the middle of assembling a frame structure. The perspective view which shows the state which combined the inner panel which should be attached to the inner surface side of a frame structure. The perspective view which shows the state in the middle of attaching an inner panel to the inner surface side of a frame structure. The perspective view which shows the state which assembled | attached all the inner panels on the inner surface side of the frame structure. The perspective view which shows a mode that an outer panel is assembled | attached to the outer surface side of a frame structure. Sectional drawing of the guide mechanism with respect to a door panel, and a counterweight mechanism. The perspective view of a seat unit. The side view of a seat unit. Sectional drawing of a sheet unit. The figure which shows the state which projects an image in the area | region of the lower side of a screen from one projector of a housing | casing upper part. The figure which shows the state which projects an image in the other area | region below the screen from one other projector of the upper part of a housing | casing. The block diagram which shows the structure of the principal part of the control system for projecting the image of a game.

  Hereinafter, a game machine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the game machine 1 includes a housing 2 and a seat unit 3 arranged inside the housing 2. The housing 2 includes a base 4 and a main body 5 supported by the base 4. In the following description, the arrow X direction in FIG. 1 is the front-rear direction of the game machine 1, the arrow Y direction is the left-right direction of the game machine 1, and the arrow Z direction is the up-down direction of the game machine 1. Is defined as the front side of the game machine 1 and the opposite side as the back side of the game machine 1.

  As is apparent from FIGS. 6 to 8, the main body 5 of the housing 2 is a hollow structure including a substantially spherical partition wall 5 a. On the front side of the main body 5, an entrance 6 is formed for a player to enter and exit the housing 2 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). The entrance / exit 6 is provided so as to cut out the partition wall 5a from the top to the bottom of the main body 5 with a substantially constant width. The seat unit 3 is inserted into the main body 5 from the entrance 6 and fixed to the base 4 (see also FIG. 9). The inner surface of the main body 5 is formed as a substantially spherical screen 7. A game player enters the inside of the housing 2 through the doorway 6, sits on the seat 50 of the seat unit 3, and plays the game while viewing the game images displayed on almost the entire area of the screen 7.

  As shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, the base 4 of the housing 2 includes a pedestal portion 10 and a pair of leg portions 11 that are arranged on the left and right sides of the pedestal portion 10 and extend in the front-rear direction of the game machine 1. It has. The pedestal portion 10 is a box-like structure formed by bending a plate material, and extended portions 10 a that extend outward from the partition wall 5 a at the bottom of the main body 5 are provided on the left and right ends and the rear end side. The expansion portion 10a spreads outward, so that the stability of the housing 2 is ensured and various electrical components necessary for operating the game machine 1 outside the spherical main body 5, such as a control device, Space for mounting a power supply device or the like can be secured. On the upper surface of the pedestal portion 10, a frame attachment portion 10b extending so as to draw an arc along a horizontal plane is formed. The leg portion 11 is positioned so as to sandwich the entrance / exit 6. The leg portion 11 is provided so as to protrude before and after the base portion 10 in order to further improve the stability of the game machine 1. The upper portion of the leg portion 11 is rounded so as to draw an arc along the outer shape of the main body 5. Thereby, the height of the leg portion 11 is increased to increase the rigidity of the leg portion 11, thereby increasing the effect of the leg portion 11 on improving the stability of the housing 2, and the main body 5 is disposed at a relatively low position. Thus, the overall height of the housing 2 can be suppressed.

  As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the main body 5 includes a frame structure 12 assembled in a substantially spherical shape and a plurality of inner members attached to the frame structure 12 so as to cover the inner surface side of the frame structure 12. The panel 14 and a plurality of outer panels 15 attached to the frame structure 12 so as to cover the outer surface side of the frame structure 12 are provided. As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the frame structure 12 is configured by combining a plurality of frame parts 16. Each frame component 16 includes an upper frame 16a disposed at the upper end, a lower frame 16b disposed at the lower end, and a plurality of vertical frames 16c passed between the upper and lower frames 16a and 16b. The division position of the frame structure 12, in other words, the coupling position of the frame components 16 is a position where the frame structure 12 is divided at the center in the vertical direction (vertical division position), and the frame structure along the vertical division position. 12 is set at a position (circumferential division position) that divides 12 into four in the circumferential direction.

  The frame structure 12 is assembled in the following procedure. First, the lower frame 16b of the frame component 16 to be disposed on the lower side is sequentially fixed to the frame mounting portion 10b of the pedestal portion 10 using a coupling member (for example, a bolt and a nut). Next, the lower frame 16b of the frame component 16 to be disposed on the upper side and the upper frame 16a of the lower frame component 16 are coupled to each other using a coupling member. Thereby, the frame structure 12 is completed. Thus, by sequentially assembling the frame components 16 on the base portion 10 of the base 4, it is possible to ensure the stability during the assembly work and increase the work efficiency. Note that, on the front side of the frame structure 12, an opening 12 a is provided from the top to the bottom of the frame structure 12 corresponding to the doorway 6 (see FIG. 1) of the housing 2. The opening 12a is formed with a constant width from the upper end to the lower end. The vertical frame 16c of the frame component 16 positioned on the left and right of the opening 12a is extended in the vertical direction along the curved shape of the housing 2, so that the side edge portion in the horizontal direction of the frame defining the entrance 6 is formed. Functions as a skeleton.

  As shown in FIG. 15, the inner panel 14 is integrally provided on the outer peripheral surface of the curved plate 14 a curved in a spherical shape along the inner surface of the frame structure 12 and extends in the vertical direction. And a rib 14b. The curved plate 14a is formed in a shape corresponding to any of 12 regions obtained by dividing the inner surface of the main body 5 at the center position in the vertical direction and dividing it into six in the circumferential direction. That is, by combining the twelve inner panels 14, the inner surface of the frame structure 12 is entirely covered with the inner panel 14 except for the opening 12a. Thereby, a substantially spherical screen 7 is formed on the inner surface of the main body 5 of the housing 2. As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, each inner panel 14 is disposed inside the frame structure 12 such that the rib 14 b is abutted with the side surface of the vertical frame 16 c of the frame part 16. The rib 14b is fixed to the vertical frame 16c of the frame structure 12 using a coupling member such as a bolt. As shown in FIG. 18, after the inner panel 14 is attached, the outer panel 15 is appropriately attached to the outside of the frame structure 12. Thereby, the frame structure 12 is hidden and the partition wall 5a of the main body 5 is completed. Then, as shown in FIGS. 1-5, decorative parts, such as a ring-shaped decoration cover 18, are attached suitably, and the main body 5 of the housing | casing 2 is completed.

  As described above, the casing 2 is divided into the base 4 and the main body 5, and the frame structure 12 for forming the partition wall 5a of the main body 5 is an assembly structure of a plurality of frame parts 16, and the frame structure. Since the inner panel 14 and the outer panel 15 to be attached to the inside and outside of the body 12 are also divided, it is possible to easily carry in and out the game machine 1 at the place where it is installed. Further, the frame structure 12 can give the partition wall 5a sufficient rigidity. By projecting the rib 14b from the inner panel 14, the inner panel 14 is secured with sufficient rigidity. Since the rib 14 b is located on the outer surface side of the inner panel 14, the joint portion between the inner panel 14 and the frame part 16 can be completely hidden from the inside of the main body 5. Thereby, a joint location is not exposed to the screen 7, and the sense of unity and continuity of the screen 7 can be enhanced.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 5, a door device 8 is provided at the entrance / exit 6 of the housing 2. The door device 8 is a door member that can be opened and closed in a vertical direction between a state in which the doorway 6 is raised so as to expand (FIG. 5) and a state in which the door device 8 is lowered so as to narrow the doorway 6 (FIGS. 1 and 3). And a guide mechanism 22 for guiding the door panel 21 in the vertical direction. By raising the door panel 21, the doorway 6 opens greatly. Thereby, the player can easily go in and out of the inside of the main body 5. On the other hand, when the door panel 21 is lowered, the doorway 6 is narrowed.

  The door panel 21 includes a panel body 23 that is curved along the left and right edges of the entrance 6 and a grip 24 that is attached to the panel body 23. The grip 24 is provided at the center of the lower end of the door panel 21 so that it can be operated by gripping from either the outside or the inside of the housing 2. As shown in detail in FIG. 19, the guide mechanism 22 includes a pair of rails 25 arranged along the vertical frame 16 c as left and right border members of the entrance 6. Rollers 26 are attached to the upper and lower ends of the panel body 23. Each roller 26 is attached to the panel body 23 so as to roll along the rail 25. Thereby, the door panel 21 can slide up and down while being guided by the rail 25. A stopper 27 a is attached to the rail 25, and a block 27 b that can contact the stopper 27 a is attached to the panel body 23. When the door panel 21 is lowered, the lowering operation of the door panel 21 is restricted by the block 27b hitting the stopper 27a. Thereby, a lower end position (a position where the door panel 21 is moved down) of the movable range of the door panel 21 is defined. When the door panel 21 is lowered most, the entrance / exit 6 is not completely closed, and an opening is left below the door panel 21. Therefore, it is possible to give an appropriate feeling of security to the player inside the housing 2 and relieve the feeling of occlusion that the player may feel. On the other hand, the opening left below the door panel 21 is located on the back side and below the player sitting on the seat unit 3 and looking at the center of the screen 7. Therefore, even if an opening remains below the door panel 21, the opening is difficult to enter the player's field of view. Therefore, the player's consciousness can be strongly attracted to the game image projected on the screen 7, and the player can be deeply immersed in the game world.

  At least a part of the panel main body 23 is configured by using a transparent material so that the inside of the main body 5 of the housing 2 can be appropriately viewed. For example, a translucent acrylic panel colored in dark gray is used as a material for at least a part of the panel body 23. As a result, it is possible to appropriately view the screen 7 and the player's actions from the outside of the housing 2. Thereby, the interest of other players with respect to the game machine 1 can be attracted, or the state of the players can be confirmed to improve safety.

  A weight 28 is disposed further inside the rail 25. A belt 29 as a connecting member is attached to the panel body 23. However, instead of the belt-like connecting member such as the belt 29, a string-like connecting member may be used. The belt 29 is drawn upward from the panel main body 23, wound around a pulley 30 as a rotating body disposed in the vicinity of the upper end of the rail 25, folded back downward, and connected to the weight 28. Thereby, the counterweight mechanism 31 with respect to the door panel 21 is comprised. According to the counterweight mechanism 31, the weight of the door panel 21 and the weight of the weight 28 are offset, and the force required to open and close the door panel 21 is reduced. However, since the downward force is applied to the door panel 21 to hold the door panel 21 at the lower end position, the weight 28 is set to be slightly lighter than the door panel 21. Furthermore, the rotation shaft of the pulley 30 moderately brakes the rotation of the pulley 30 when the door panel 21 descends, and the pulley 30 rotates when the pulley 30 rotates in the opposite direction (that is, when the door panel 21 rises). The rotation is connected to a brake device 32 that does not brake. Therefore, even if a downward force is applied to the door panel 21, there is no possibility that the door panel 21 will suddenly fall by its own weight due to the braking action of the brake device 32.

  20 to 22 show details of the sheet unit 3. The sheet unit 3 includes a stage 40, a sheet part 41 supported by the stage 40, an operation part 42 provided at the front end part (left end part in FIGS. 21 and 22) of the stage 40, and a management part 43. ing. Regarding the front-rear direction of the seat unit 3, the back side of the game machine 1 may be referred to as the front side and the front side of the game machine 1 may be referred to as the back side with reference to the player seated on the seat unit 41. The stage 40 is a bottom structure that provides a floor surface 40 a on which the player should ride within the housing 2. A position where the player sits on the seat portion 41 (or the seat 50) on the floor surface 40 a of the stage 40 is a play position of the player in the game machine 1. The area above the floor surface 40a is a play area for the player in the game machine 1. The play area can be regarded as an area where a player may exist inside the housing 2. The stage 40 includes a base body 44 formed in a box shape and a plurality of casters 45 that support the base body 44. The entire sheet unit 3 can be easily moved by the casters 45. As shown in FIG. 9, the base main body 44 is inserted between the leg portions 11 of the base 4 of the housing 2 from the front side of the housing 2 and fixed to the pedestal portion 10. Since the seat unit 3 as the bottom structure is configured as a structure different from the main body 5 and is attached to the main body 5 from the entrance 6, the configuration of the main body 5 as the hollow structure is simplified so as to be suitable for division. can do. There is also an advantage that the seat unit 3 can be carried separately from the components of the main body 5. At the rear end of the base main body 44 fixed to the pedestal 10, a step pedestal 46 is provided for the player to get on the upper surface of the stage 40. The step platform 46 is separable from the base body 44.

  The seat portion 41 includes a seat 50 and a slide mechanism 51 interposed between the seat 50 and the base body 44. The seat 50 includes a leg portion 50a, a seat portion 50b provided on the leg portion 50a, a back portion 50c located on the back side of the seat portion 50b, and a headrest portion 50d located on the upper end of the back portion 50c. Have. As is clear from FIG. 6, when the door panel 21 described above is lowered most, the lower end of the door panel 21 is positioned below the headrest portion 50d. Accordingly, the door panel 21 can be lowered below the eye level of the player seated on the seat 50, so that the opening left below the door panel 21 is less noticeable, and the player's consciousness is determined by the game image. It can be strongly attracted.

  The slide mechanism 51 is connected to the base body 44 in a state in which the seat 50 is slidable in the front-rear direction (left-right direction in FIGS. 21 and 22). The slide mechanism 51 includes a lock mechanism that selectively restrains the seat 50 at any one of a plurality of stop positions in the front-rear direction. Lock release levers 52 and 53 for releasing the restraint of the seat 50 by the slide mechanism 51 protrude from the front side and the rear side of the leg portion 50a of the seat 50. When the front lock release lever 52 is pulled up or the rear lock release lever 53 is depressed, the restraint by the lock mechanism is released and the seat 50 can be slid in the front-rear direction. The slide mechanism 51 may have the same configuration as that of a slide mechanism used for a car seat or the like.

  Since the seat 50 is slidably provided as described above, when the player enters the inside of the housing 2, the lock release lever 53 is depressed with the door panel 21 raised to release the restraint of the seat 50. By pushing 50 into the front side (the back side of the game machine 1), the gap (the portion indicated by the imaginary line C in FIG. 3) between the left side of the seat 50 and the left edge of the doorway 6 can be enlarged. The player can easily enter the inside of the housing 2. A player who has entered the case 2 can sit on the seat 50 and raise the lock release lever 52 to slide the seat 50 back and forth, thereby positioning the seat 50 at a position suitable for the operation of the operation unit 42. When the player exits the housing 2, the clearance between the left side of the seat 50 and the left edge of the entrance 6 is enlarged by lifting the front unlock lever 52 and sliding the seat 50 forward, contrary to the above. can do. As described above, in the game machine 1, the gap between the seat 50 and the edge of the entrance / exit 6 is enlarged by moving the seat 50 to the heel side (that is, the back side of the game machine 1) rather than the entrance / exit 6 of the housing 2. It is possible to make it. Therefore, even if the width dimension of the entrance / exit 6 is set to a relatively small value (for example, about 1 m), the player can easily enter and exit the housing 2.

  As shown in FIG. 20, the operation unit 42 of the seat unit 3 includes a pair of console towers 55, 56 disposed in front of the seat 50 and on the left and right sides, and a monitor device disposed between the console towers 55, 56. 57. At the upper ends of the console towers 55 and 56, operation members 59 and 60 such as game sticks are provided. Front speakers 61L and 61R are provided at the ends of the operation members 59 and 60, respectively. Exciters 62 are provided on the back surface of the back portion 50c of the seat 50, and rear speakers 63L and 63R are provided on the left and right sides of the headrest portion 50d. The console tower 56 is also provided with a monitor device 66. The configuration of the operation unit 42 and the arrangement of speakers around the seat 50 may be appropriately changed according to the content of the game provided by the game machine 1.

  The management unit 43 is provided with a cabinet 64. The cabinet 64 is fixed to the stage 40. In the cabinet 64, various kinds of games necessary for game management, such as a play fee collection device that collects coins, medals and the like corresponding to the play fee from the player, or an authentication device that authenticates the player using a storage medium such as a card. The device is built-in. Since the cabinet 64 closes the right side of the seat 50, the passage when the player enters and exits is limited to the left range of the seat 50.

  Further, as apparent from FIGS. 1 and 6, a motion detection device 65 that detects the motion of the player seated on the seat 50 is provided on the back side of the housing 2. The motion detection device 65 identifies a player in the play area by combining a camera that captures the play area, a depth sensor that detects the distance to the object in the play area, and detects the position of the player, the direction in which the player is facing, and the like. It is a detection device. The motion detection device 65 is attached on the back side of the housing 2 so as to be embedded in the outer panel 15. The attachment position substantially coincides with the central portion of the screen 7. The inner panel 14 of the housing 2 is appropriately provided with openings 14c (see FIG. 7) for exposing various detection units of the motion detection device 65 to the inside of the main body 5.

  Various electrical components to be provided on the stage 40, for example, operation members 59 and 60 of the operation unit 42, speakers 61L, 61R, 63L and 63R, a vibrator 62, a monitor 66, and various devices in the cabinet 64 The wirings connecting the electrical components mounted on the extended portion 10a of the base 4 are routed through the stage 40 and the inside of the pedestal portion 10 so as not to be seen as much as possible from the player at the play position. Further, the wiring for the motion detection device 65 is routed along the outside of the outer panel 15. The wiring for the ventilation unit 74 is the same. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the possibility that the world of the game displayed on the screen 7 will be damaged by the exposure of the wiring to those interior parts, or to greatly reduce the possibility. Therefore, the player's consciousness can be more strongly attracted by the game image, and the player can be deeply immersed in the game world.

  Next, the configuration of the projection system for displaying the game image on the screen 7 will be described. As described above, the game machine 1 has the screen 7 curved in a substantially spherical shape. As apparent from FIG. 6, the screen 7 has an end portion in the circumferential direction when viewed from the left and right direction of the game machine 1 when the seat 50 is closest to the entrance / exit 6 side than the back portion 50 c of the seat 50. However, it is provided so as to go around to the back side (that is, the front side of the game machine 1). That is, the screen 7 is provided so that when the player sitting on the seat 50 faces the center portion of the screen 7, the circumferential end portion of the screen 7 turns to the back side rather than just beside the player. Therefore, when the player sits on the seat 50 and looks at the center of the screen 7, it is possible to give the player a feeling that the periphery is surrounded by the game image.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the screen 7 divides the screen 7 into two uniaxial directions when the vertical direction of the housing 2 is the uniaxial direction of the screen 7, and the circumferential direction with respect to the uniaxial direction. Are virtually divided into first to sixth regions Sa to Sf (which may be represented by the reference symbol S) obtained by dividing into three. Here, when viewed from the player seated on the seat 50, the upper front side is referred to as a first area Sa, the left side is referred to as a second area Sb, and the right side is referred to as a third area Sc. 4 region Sd, the left side thereof is called the fifth region Se, and the right side is called the sixth region Sf. One region S is formed by the inner surfaces of two inner panels 14 adjacent in the circumferential direction.

  In order to project an image onto each of the regions S described above, the projection system 70 of the game machine 1 may be represented by six projectors 71A to 71F (reference numeral 71) associated with the region S on a one-to-one basis. ) As a projection device. Each projector 71 projects an image on one corresponding region S. By connecting the images projected by the six projectors 71, one game screen is displayed on the entire screen 7. However, the periphery of the image projected from each projector 71 may be partially overlapped. As shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, the lower part (bottom part) of the casing 2, that is, the pedestal part 10 of the base 4 has projectors on the left side, right side, and rear side of the game machine 1 with the center part of the casing 2 in between Accommodating portions 72A to 72C are provided. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, projector housings 72 </ b> D to 72 </ b> F are provided on the left side, the right side, and the back side of the game machine 1 on the upper surface side of the housing 2 with the center portion of the housing 2 interposed therebetween. ing. The lower projector accommodating portions 72A to 72C accommodate first to third projectors 71A to 71C, and the upper projector accommodating portions 72D to 72F accommodate fourth to sixth projectors 71D to 71F. In addition, the projector accommodating units 72A to 72F may be represented by the reference numeral 72.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, each projector accommodating portion 72 is located outside the partition wall 5 a in the main body 5 of the housing 2. Thereby, when viewed from the inside of the housing 2, the projector 71 is hidden outside the partition wall 5 a. Therefore. When the player sits on the seat 50 and looks at the center of the screen 7, the projectors 71A to 71F cannot be seen from the player. In addition, each projector 71 is attached to the projector accommodating portion 72 such that the projection portion (lens portion) 71a on the front side faces the center portion of the housing 2. That is, the first projector 71A located on the back side of the lower part of the housing 2 and the fourth projector 71D located on the back side of the upper part (top) of the housing 2 have their projection parts 71a connected to the game machine 1. The second projector 71B and the fifth projector 71E on the left side are arranged with the projection unit 71a facing the right side of the game machine 1, and the third projector 71C and the sixth projector on the right side are arranged. 71F is arranged with the projection unit 71a facing the left side of the game machine 1. The light emitted from the projector 71 is introduced into the main body 5 from the opening 5 b provided in the partition wall 5 a of the main body 5 in the housing 2.

  An exhaust port is provided on the back side of each projector 71 (the side opposite to the projection unit 71a). Therefore, the exhaust direction of each projector 71 is directed away from the opening 5 b of the main body 5. A ventilation port 72v for ventilating the inside of the projector housing 72 and the outside of the housing 2 is provided at the outer end of the projector housing 72. Therefore, the heat discharged from the exhaust port of the projector 71 is sequentially discharged from the ventilation port 72v to the outside of the housing 2 without being trapped inside the housing 2.

  Further, a ventilation unit 74 is provided at the upper center of the housing 2. The ventilation unit 74 sucks the air inside the main body 5 from the intake port leading to the inside of the main body 5 of the housing 2 and exhausts it above the housing 2. Thereby, ventilation inside the housing 2 is promoted, and heat accumulation in the upper space in the housing 2 is surely prevented. Since the ventilation unit 74 is disposed at the upper center of the main body 5 of the housing 2, the ventilation unit 74 enters the blind spot from the player sitting on the seat 50 even if the air inlet is exposed in the main body 5. I can't see. Further, the wirings for the ventilation unit 74 are routed to the outer surface side of the partition wall 5a and connected to the electrical components of the pedestal 10. Therefore, there is no possibility that the world of the game displayed on the screen 7 will be damaged by the presence of the ventilation unit 74.

  In order to guide the image projected by the projector 71 to the screen 7 along the partition wall 5a, mirrors 75A to 75F (reference numeral 75) are provided inside the main body 5 of the housing 2 so as to face the projection unit 71a of the projector 71. May be represented.) Is provided. The reflection surface of the mirror 75 is planar. The mirror 75 is positioned so that light emitted from each projector 71 enters the region S of the corresponding screen 7. The lower mirrors 75A to 75C are disposed obliquely along the front end of the stage 40 of the seat unit 3, that is, the left and right and front end surfaces of the portion of the operation unit 42 to which the console towers 55 and 56 are attached. It is in a position lower than the floor surface 40a of 40. Therefore, the mirrors 75 </ b> A to 75 </ b> C cannot enter the blind spot from the player seated on the seat 50. Further, since the player is on the floor surface 40a of the stage 40, the player does not step on the mirrors 75A to 75C. Further, the upper mirrors 75D to 75F of the housing 2 are disposed obliquely along the left and right and back sides of the ventilation unit 74. Therefore, these mirrors 75D to 75F also enter the blind spot of the player and are not visible to the player. The arrangement of the upper mirrors 75D to 75F is symmetrical with the lower mirrors 75A to 75C in the vertical direction. Since the projection unit 71a can be provided at an appropriate distance from the mirrors 75A to 75F, it is possible to eliminate or reduce the possibility that the exhaust heat of the projectors 71A to 71F may enter the inside of the main body 5 from the opening 5b. Can do.

  Light emitted from each projector 71 is guided by the mirror 75 as follows. The light from the first projector 71A disposed in the lower part of the housing 2 is in the first area Sa, the light from the second projector 71B is in the second area Sb, and the light from the third projector 71C is the third area Sa. The light of the fourth projector 71D guided to the area Sc and disposed on the upper part of the housing 2 is in the fourth area Sd, the light of the fifth projector 71E is in the fifth area Se, and the sixth projector. The light of 71F is guided to the sixth region Sf. In other words, the projector 71 and the area S of the screen 7 are associated with the same position in the circumferential direction of the housing 2, while the lower projectors 71A to 71C are associated with the lower areas Sa to Sc in the vertical direction. The upper projectors 71D to 71F are associated with the lower areas Sd to Sf.

  FIG. 23 shows the light LF when the image from the fourth projector 71D is folded obliquely downward by the mirror 75 and projected onto the region Sd, and FIG. 24 shows the image from the fifth projector 71E as a mirror. The light LF when hatched downward at 75 and projected onto the region Se is indicated by hatching. As is clear from FIG. 23, the light emitted from the fourth projector 71D and incident on the upper end of the mirror 75D is connected to the upper end of the mirror 75D and the vertical joint of the screen 7 (that is, the upper and lower areas Sa, The light incident on the lower end of the mirror 75D travels along the inner optical path Lin descending in the vertical direction from the lower end of the mirror 75D. The inner optical path Lin is set so as to substantially coincide with the front end (right end in FIG. 23) of the stage 40 and not to overlap with the console towers 55 and 56 of the operation unit 42 provided on the stage 40. 24, the light emitted from the fifth projector 71E and incident on the upper end of the mirror 75E is a joint between the upper end of the mirror 75E and the screen 7 in the vertical direction (that is, the upper and lower areas of the screen 7). The light that travels along the outer optical path Lout connecting the boundary between Sa and Sd and enters the lower end of the mirror 75E travels along the inner optical path Lin that descends vertically from the lower end of the mirror 75E. In this case, the inner optical path Lin is located somewhat outside the left end surface (left end surface in FIG. 24) of the stage 40 and does not overlap the stage 40. The optical path of the light from the sixth projector 71F is set symmetrically with respect to FIG. The optical paths of the light from the lower projectors 71A to 71C of the casing 2 are symmetrical with respect to the optical paths of the upper projectors 71D to 71F in the vertical direction. Therefore, unless the player gets out of the play area above the floor surface 40a of the stage 40, the light LF from each projector 71 toward the screen 7 is not likely to be blocked by the player.

  In the projection system 70 of the game machine 1, the correspondence between the projector 71 and the area S of the screen 7 is set as described above because the projector 71 and the area S are limited in a limited space in the main body 5 of the housing 2. Is to increase the optical path length between them as much as possible. For example, when the images of the lower projectors 71A to 71C are reflected by the mirrors 75D to 75F toward the regions Sd to Sf, the optical path length is short and the projection range of the image is limited, and the comparison surrounds the player. It is difficult to project an image on the entire large screen 7. On the other hand, if the correspondence between the projector 71 and the region S is set as described above, it is possible to increase the optical path length and expand the projection range of the image. In addition, since the light LF is reflected along the inner surface of the partition wall 5a using the mirror 75, the light LF crosses the play area on the floor surface 40a of the stage 40, and the shadow of the player or the like becomes an image of the game. There is no risk of it occurring.

  Further, according to the above configuration, a change in the optical path length between one unit 71 and each part (the center part, the peripheral part, etc.) in the corresponding region S is suppressed, and thereby the image is projected from the projector 71. There is also an advantage that the geometry correction in the power image can be performed more easily. That is, the projector 71 is configured to project a rectangular two-dimensional image onto the flat screen. If such an image is projected onto the spherical screen 7 as it is, geometric distortion occurs in the image. For this reason, when the spherical screen 7 is used, a distortion called geometry correction or the like is caused in accordance with a change in the optical path length between the plane that is the original projection surface and the spherical surface that is the actual projection surface. Correction processing needs to be performed on the original image. If the images of the lower projectors 71A to 71C are projected onto the lower screen areas Sd to Sf, respectively, and the images of the upper projectors 71D to 71F are projected onto the upper screen areas Sa to Sc, respectively, The ratio between the optical path Lout and the inner optical path Lin is increased, the distortion generated in the image is increased, and the difficulty in correcting the geometry is increased. On the other hand, as described above, the images of the lower projectors 71A to 71C are projected onto the upper screen areas Sa to Sc, respectively, and the images of the upper projectors 71D to 71F are projected onto the lower screen areas Sd to Sf, respectively. In this case, the ratio between the outer optical path Lout and the inner optical path Lin is reduced, and distortion generated in the image is also relatively reduced. Thereby, geometry correction can be easily performed.

  Next, a configuration of a control system for displaying a game screen by connecting the images of the projector 71 of the projection system 70 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 25, the game machine 1 is provided with a control unit 100. The control unit 100 is a computer unit including a CPU and a main storage device necessary for its operation. The control unit 100 is provided with a game calculation unit 101, an image generation unit 102, an image division unit 103, and an image correction unit 104 as logical devices related to display of the game screen. These logical devices are devices realized by a combination of hardware resources of the control unit 100 and computer software (computer program) recorded in an external storage device (for example, a hard disk storage device) for the control unit 100. .

  The game calculation unit 101 executes various calculation processes necessary for game progress control while referring to user operation information input from the operation unit 42 and user operation information input from the motion detection device 65. . The image generation unit 102 arranges game objects or the like in a virtual three-dimensional space according to the calculation result of the game calculation unit 101, and image data of a game screen obtained by photographing the virtual three-dimensional space from a predetermined viewpoint at a predetermined viewing angle. Is generated. The image data generated here is original image data to be displayed on the entire screen 7. The image division unit 103 divides the original image data generated by the image generation unit 102 into six image data corresponding to the six regions Sa to Sf of the screen 7. The image correcting unit 104 performs geometry correction or the like on each image data divided by the image dividing unit 103 to generate divided image data to be projected by each projector 71.

  The control unit 100 is further provided with video signal generation units 105A to 105F (represented by reference numeral 105). The video signal generation unit 105 is provided in one-to-one correspondence with each of the six projectors 71A to 71F. The image data corrected by the image correction unit 104 is output to the corresponding video signal generation unit 105. The video signal generation unit 105 generates a video signal to be output to the projector 71 according to the image data input from the image correction unit 104, and outputs the video signal to the projector 71 at a predetermined timing. Outputs of video signals from the video signal generators 105A to 105F are synchronized with each other, and the projectors 71A to 71F project images according to these signals, whereby one game screen is displayed on the screen 7. The video signal generation unit 105 may be a logical device or a physical device configured by a hardware control circuit.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described form, and appropriate changes and modifications are possible. For example, the hollow structure of the housing is not limited to a configuration having a spherical partition. As long as the screen can be provided so as to surround the player, the shape of the hollow structure may be formed in various shapes such as a cylindrical shape, a polyhedral shape, and an oval shape. Therefore, the screen is not limited to the example curved in a spherical shape, and a screen curved in a cylindrical surface, a polygonal screen, or the like may be provided. The game machine is not limited to the configuration in which the player sits on the seat in the housing and plays, but may be configured so that the player stands and plays. The game machine may be configured such that a plurality of players enter the inside of the hollow structure and play a game at the same time. Even when the sheet is provided, the configuration is not limited to the example having the back portion. If a simple seat having only a seating surface is provided, etc., and the seat is fixed, there is no problem for the player to go in and out, the seat sliding mechanism may be omitted.

  In the present invention, a configuration in which a plurality of projection devices are provided on each of the top and bottom of the housing is not necessarily required. Depending on the size and shape of the screen, one or a plurality of projection devices may be provided outside the partition wall of the hollow structure, or the projection device may be arranged inside the hollow structure. At least a part of the door member may be made of a flexible material. The counterweight mechanism may be omitted.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Game machine 2 Case 3 Seat unit 4 Case base 5 Case body (hollow structure)
5a Bulkhead 5b Opening 6 Entrance / Exit 7 Screen 8 Door device 10 Base part 10a Expansion part 11 Leg part 12 Frame structure 14 Inner panel 14b Rib 15 Outer panel 16 Frame component 21 Door panel (door member)
22 Guide Mechanism 26 Roller 28 Weight 29 Belt 30 Pulley (Rotating Body)
31 Counterweight mechanism 32 Brake device 40 Stage (bottom structure)
40a Floor 41 Seat part 42 Operation part 43 Management part 44 Base body 45 Casters 46 Step stand 50 Seat 50c Seat back part 50d Headrest part 51 Slide mechanism 52, 53 Unlock lever 55, 56 Console tower 57 Monitor device 59, 60 operation Member 61L, 61R Front speaker 62 Exciter 63L, 63R Rear speaker 65 Motion detection device 70 Projection system 71A-71F Projector (projection device)
71a Projector 72A to 72F Projector housing 72v Ventilation port 74 Ventilation unit 75A to 75F Mirror 100 Control unit Sa to Sf Screen area

Claims (7)

A hollow structure that allows a player to enter, a housing provided with a screen so as to surround the player on an inner surface of a partition wall of the hollow structure, and a game image is projected onto the screen A game machine comprising a projection device,
The partition is provided with an entrance of the player so that the player inside is located on the back side of the player when facing the center of the screen.
The doorway is provided with a door member that can be opened and closed vertically.
A game machine in which a movable range of the door member is set so that an opening remains below the door member without closing the doorway when the door member is lowered most.   The game machine according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the door member is made of a transparent material.   The game machine according to claim 1, wherein a seat is provided inside the hollow structure to seat the player so that the entrance is on the back side.   The game machine according to claim 3, wherein when the door member is lowered most, a lower end of the door member is positioned below a headrest portion of the seat.   The game machine according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the seat is slidable in a direction in which the seat can approach and separate from the doorway.   A counterweight mechanism that reduces the force required to open and close the door member by connecting one end of a belt-like or string-like connecting member wound around a rotating body to the door member and the other end to a weight. The game machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising:   The counterweight mechanism further includes a brake device that brakes the rotation of the rotating body when the door member is lowered and does not brake the rotation of the rotating body when the rotating body rotates in the reverse direction. The game machine as described in.

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