Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Perceptible output or display
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-22
2003-11-04
Mancene, Gene (Department: 3754)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Perceptible output or display
C463S031000, C273S14300R, C273S14200F
Reexamination Certificate
active
06641478
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-146635, filed on May 16, 2001; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the structure of a design display reel that rotates and displays designs in a gaming machine such as a slot machine and more particularly to the structure of designs on a design sheet to be mounted around the outer periphery of the design display reel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, with a slot machine or other such gaming machine
100
, as shown in
FIG. 9
, three design display reels
111
,
112
and
113
are rotated and then halted and the object of the slot game is to make the designs on a plurality of design display reels displayed at display lines p
1
, p
2
and p
3
match up in a specific configuration.
The design display reels
111
,
112
and
113
of the gaming machine
100
are rotated by a built-in motor (not shown) and designs
121
e
,
122
e
,
123
e
and so forth are drawn on design sheets
121
,
122
and
123
mounted around the outer peripheries of the design display reels
111
,
112
and
113
, respectively.
Lamps (not shown) are respectively housed in the design display reels
111
,
112
and
113
and the designs displayed on the design display reels
111
,
112
and
113
are illuminated from within by these lamps, so that the display stands out visually to the player who faces in front of the gaming machine
100
and plays the game.
Base material from which the design sheet
121
is made is a polycarbonate that is transparent and flexible and as can be seen from
FIG. 10A
, which shows the front of the design sheet
121
and
FIG. 10B
, which shows the back of the design sheet
121
, a plurality of designs
121
c
,
121
d
,
121
e
,
121
f
and so on are drawn so as to be visible to the player from in front of the sheet front
121
o.
The design
121
e
drawn on the design sheet
121
is a winning design, with the player winning when the designs displayed on a plurality of design display reels are aligned on the same display line p
1
, p
2
, or p
3
when the design display reel
111
comes to a stop during a slot game and the other designs
121
c
,
121
d
,
121
f
and so on are ordinary designs not set as winning designs.
The ordinary designs
121
c
,
121
d
,
121
f
and so on are drawn in colored, opaque inks of red, yellow, blue, green and so forth.
In contrast, with the winning design
121
e
, the periphery
121
e
2
thereof is drawn using a mirror ink in gold, silver, or another such color having a metallic gloss, as shown in
FIG. 11A
, which is an enlarged view from the sheet front
121
o
and
FIG. 11B
, which is an enlarged view from the sheet back
121
u
, while the center part
121
e
is drawn using transparent, colored crinkle ink or transparent, colored regular ink having a hue of red, blue, or the like. Crinkle ink is used in the example shown here (See
FIG. 11B.
)
The background region
121
H, which is the background of the designs
121
c
,
121
d
,
121
e
,
121
f
and so on of the design sheet
121
, is applied in a strip using white ink.
The design sheets
122
and
123
shown in
FIG. 9
are the same as the design sheet
121
and will therefore not be described.
As discussed above, the ordinary designs are printed in their entirety using colored, opaque ink, whereas the periphery of the winning design is printed using an opaque mirror ink, while the center part is printed using a colored, transparent ink.
Since the designs displayed on the design display reels are illuminated by lamps from inside the reels, the center part of the winning design printed using a colored, transparent ink stands out to the player because of the illuminating light of the lamp, which allows the player to distinguish the winning design from the ordinary designs.
There are also different kinds of winning design, for big, medium and small wins and these must be displayed so that the player can clearly differentiate between big, medium and small wins.
Accordingly, since the center part of a winning design is illuminated by lamp light and therefore stands out to the player, the various winning designs are differentiated by varying the color of the transparent, colored crinkle ink or transparent, colored regular ink used in the center of the designs.
However, because the various winning designs are merely differentiated by varying their color, their presentation is somewhat monotonous and the range of possible designs is limited.
Also, as mentioned above, the periphery of the winning designs is printed using a mirror ink of gold, silver, or another such color having a metallic gloss. However, a design made in mirror ink can sometimes appear lacking in luxurious appearances, or can even look black depending on the angle of the illuminating light.
In addition, the designs applied as above definitely appear to the player to have that “printed” look and there is a desire among persons in this industry to come up with a novel design that affords greater freedom of design and gives the player a different impression in quality from that of printed designs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In light of the above situation, it is an object of the present invention to provide a design display reel for a gaming machine, with which it is possible to display designs that look different from and more elegant than printed designs and are therefore more entertaining, which are readily distinguishable from other designs and which afford greater latitude in design.
In order to achieve the stated object, one aspect of the present invention provide a design display reel for a gaming machine, adapted to mount a design sheet printed with a plurality of types of designs, wherein at least one of the designs is furnished with a design region having a holographic material.
With this configuration, because a holographic material is used for at least part of the region of the designs displayed on the design display reel of a gaming machine, the designs have a three-dimensional look and look more luxurious to the player.
Also, if the holographic material is seen through the transparent portion of a design sheet colored so as to preserve transparency, it is possible to achieve an appearance that combines a flat appearance with a three-dimensional appearance, giving more latitude to the appearance of the designs.
Further, another aspect of the present invention provides a design display reel for a gaming machine, adapted to mount a design sheet printed with a plurality of types of designs, wherein at least one of the designs is furnished with a design region having a design printed portion and a holographic material.
With this configuration, it is possible to achieve an appearance that combines a flat appearance with a three-dimensional appearance by providing a design region having a design printed portion and a holographic material, giving more latitude to the appearance of the designs.
Furthermore, still another aspect of the present invention provides a design display reel for a gaming machine adapted to a design sheet printed with a plurality of types of designs, wherein at least one of the designs is furnished with a design region having a light-blocking design printed portion, a holographic material and a translucent design printed portion.
With this configuration, it is possible to achieve an appearance that combines a flat appearance, a three-dimensional appearance and a highlighted flat appearance by providing a design region having a light-blocking design printed portion, a holographic material and a translucent design printed portion, giving more latitude to the appearance of the designs.
When the design display reel rotates, light appears to the player to sparkle as it is scattered by the hologram part of the designs, which makes the gaming machine more entertaining.
Thus, a design in which a holographic material is used can be di
Konami Corporation
Mancene Gene
Nicolas Frederick
Welsh & Katz Ltd.
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