Amusement devices: games – Chance devices – Rotating disk
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-20
2004-03-16
Layno, Benjamin H. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Chance devices
Rotating disk
C273S138200, C463S020000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06705611
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a game machine having a main display unit in which a plurality of rotary devices are disposed side by side, the devices spinning rotary members, on whose circumferential surfaces reel strips are retained, as well as to a display device.
Slot machines and pachinko machines have hitherto been known as this type of game machine. In each of the game machines, a plurality of reels are disposed side by side, the reels being rotary devices for successively displaying, in a predetermined sequence, a plurality of symbols, such as “PLUM,” “BELL,” “WATERMELON,” “CHERRY,” “7,” and “BAR.” Each reel retains, on a circumferential surface of a reel framework, a reel tape, which is a reel strip having a plurality of symbols printed thereon. The symbols are successively displayed by means of spinning the reel frameworks serving as rotary members. In a display area which is provided in a game machine main unit and enables display of about three to four symbols on each of the reels, symbols printed on the respective reels appear and then disappear from the upstream side to the downstream side in the spinning direction of the reel.
A reel unit, which serves as a main display unit and in which a plurality of reels are provided side by side, is provided with winning lines such that the lines extend across the reels. To the extent possible, the spinning reels are brought to a standstill at a timing of establishment of a combination of symbols corresponding to a result of sampling operation performed by sampling unit, which selects a winning mode such as a “big win” through sampling. When a predetermined combination of symbols is established along a winning line, a predetermined award, such as provision of a bonus game very advantageous to acquisition of a win, is afforded to a player.
The inventor has built a prototype game machine of such a configuration and carried out a test run, which resulted in an anomaly. Specifically, in spite of failure to establish a “winning combination” along a winning line, a win arose. A survey on a cause of the anomaly shows that the anomaly is attributable to erroneous labeling of the reel tapes.
As shown in
FIG. 20
, a reel
100
employed in a game machine has a reel framework
101
serving as a rotary member, a reel drive motor
28
, a backlight device
102
, and a reel tape
106
. Formed in the reel framework
101
are five spoke sections and a circular ladder section. The five spoke sections extend radially from a shaft section which is connected to the reel drive motor
28
. A sensing plate
103
is provided on one of the five spoke sections so as to project toward the inside of the framework. The reel tape
106
, on which a plurality of symbols (not shown) are printed, is wrapped around the circular ladder section of the reel framework
101
. The backlight device
102
is stationarily provided so as not to move together with the reel framework
101
. The backlight device
102
is for illuminating, from the inside, respective symbols provided on the reel tape
106
wrapped around the reel framework
101
. A reel position sensor
25
for detecting the sensing plate
103
provided on the reel framework
101
is provided on the side surface of the backlight device
102
. When the reel framework
101
spins through a predetermined rotational angle, the reel position sensor
25
detects the sensing plate
103
. On the basis of a result of sensing operation performed by the reel position sensor
25
, the reel drive motor
28
in operation is stopped, thereby aligning symbols corresponding to a result of sampling along an unillustrated winning line. In the prototype machine, the reels are arranged side by side so as to assume a left position, a center position, and a right position, thereby constituting a single reel unit.
As shown in
FIG. 21
, the reel tape
106
is formed by printing a plurality of symbols on a plastic film. An overlap margin
106
a
is provided at the lower end of the reel tape
106
, and the leading end of the reel tape is superimposed on the overlap margin
106
a
, whereby the reel tape
106
is wrapped around the reel framework
101
. A reference mark
107
is printed on the overlap margin
106
a
and represents a reference position for wrapping the reel tape
106
around the reel framework
101
shown in
FIG. 20. A
small protrusion
105
is provided on the circular ladder portion of the reel framework
101
in the manner as shown in FIG.
20
. The reel tape
106
is wrapped such that the protrusion
105
is aligned with the reference mark
107
, whereby the reel tape
106
is fixed at a regular position of the reel framework
101
.
The reel tape
106
fixed at the regular position places a symbol printed at, e.g., the extremity (i.e., the top shown in
FIG. 21
) of the reel tape, on an unillustrated winning line at the moment the reel position sensor
25
has detected the sensing plate
103
. Seven types of symbols; “RED 7,” “BLUE 7,” “BAR,” “WATERMELON,” “BELL,” “CHERRY,” and “PLUM”; that is, a total number of 21 symbols, are printed on the reel tape
106
shown in FIG.
21
. This reel tape
106
is dedicated to the left reel. Custom-designed reel tapes
106
, each having seven types of symbols; that is, 21 symbols, printed thereon, are used for the remaining center and right reels. These reel tapes totally differ from the reel tape for the left reel in terms of arrangement of symbols.
As mentioned above, at the moment the reel position sensor
25
has detected the sensing plate
103
, the symbol printed at, e.g., the extremity of the reel tape
106
is situated at a winning line. The symbols on the reel tape
106
are printed at given pitches. Each time a period of X msec lapses from that moment, subsequent symbols sequentially come to the winning line. In each of the reel tape
106
for the left reel, that for the center reel, and that for the right reel, “BELL” is assumed to be printed at the third, seventh, and twelfth frames from the extremity position. If the reels are sequentially stopped after lapse of 3×, 7× and 12× msec from the moment, a “BELL winning combination” consisting of three “BELL” symbols can be established along a winning line. Here, the reel tape
106
for the left reel is assumed to have been erroneously labeled to the center reel. If “PLUM” is located at the seventh frame from the extremity position of this reel tape
106
, a “failure symbol combination”; that is, “BELL-PLUM-BELL,” is displayed along a winning line. Nevertheless, the game machine deems a “BELL winning combination” as having been established along a winning line, thereby effecting a rewarding operation; e.g., payment of a predetermined number of medals. In this way, the foregoing anomaly arises.
In this way, labeling of a reel tape
106
on a reel of inappropriate type results in occurrence of an anomaly. Even when the reel tape
106
is labeled on an appropriate reel, if a reel is placed at an incorrect position; such as the left reel being placed at the position for the right reel, an analogous anomaly arises. Explanation has been given of an example of a slot machine serving as a game machine. However, analogous anomalies arise in a display device which does not have any function of offering games and has only the function of displaying a combination of symbols through use of a main display unit, such as a reel unit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention has been conceived in light of the foregoing background and aims at providing a game machine and a display device which inhibit occurrence of at least either shipment of a game machine while symbols of inappropriate types are fixed on rotary members or shipment of a game machine while rotary members are mounted at erroneous positions.
In order to solve the aforesaid object, the invention is characterized by having the following arrangement.
(1) A game machine comprising:
a main display in which a plurality of reels, rotatable in a spinning direction, are disposed side by side, each of the plurality of reels including,
a refere
Konami Corporation
Layno Benjamin H.
LandOfFree
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