Patent Application
20060066233
This invention relates to a display device for game machines, which installed into the game machines including slot machines and pachinko machines.
The patent reference 1 (Japanese published unexamined application No. 7-114347) discloses the display device of a flexible EL (Electro Luminescence) element which has only one curved surface part. One kind of pixel pattern (display part for showing a symbol) is indicated by the above-mentioned curved surface part. However, since the display device is flexible in this patent reference 1, there is a problem that it cannot attach easily to the wide window part positioned the front of the game machine. Moreover, since it is one kind of pixel pattern, there is a problem that the contents of the display cannot be appealed with fun.
For the invention disclosed in the patent reference 2 (Japanese published unexamined application No. 2001-252393), there is a problem for a viewpoint of the efficiency of attachment and reduction of manufacturing cost since the display device is provided for every rotation reel on either side. For the invention disclosed in the patent reference 3 (Japanese published unexamined application No. 2004-105379), there is the same problem as the patent reference 2 since the organic EL display which is formed in the shape of a belt is wound around the outer circumferential surface of the rotation reel respectively.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a display device for the game machines that can take out a cubic effect when a symbol is displayed on a display part and does not change the shape easily. It is another object of the present invention to provide a display device for the game machines that can attach easily to a wide window part positioned the front of a game machine (efficiency of attachment work). It is still another object of the present invention to provide a display device for the game machines which can use in order to display the different kind of information. It is further object of the present invention to provide a display device for the game machines that can reduce the manufacturing cost by arranging two or more first display parts which can display two or more rotation reels along with the winning-a-prize line of a symbol for example in the direction of a vertical section.
The display device for the game machines with the shape of a plate of this invention includes a flexible EL element sheet and at least one or more curved surface portions which allows the inner and outer shape-support plates bind and suport the flexible EL element sheet give the function as a display part.
In the above-mentioned composition, a shape-support plate is formed of a resin plate having a flat portion and a curved surface portion which provided continuously. Moreover, a plurality of the curved surface portions is formed in the shape-support plate. These curved surface portions, having the same curvature, are formed continuously in the direction of a vertical section, and the flat portion is formed into the curved surface portion positioned at the end portion thereof.
Moreover, the EL element sheet includes a first display part, which is formed in the shape of a cross-sectional arc, allowing a plurality of rotation reels give pseudo displaying and a second display part for displaying different contents from a rotation reel on a flat part thereof.
Moreover, the shape-support plate has a cover part which is formed in the shape of a “steamed fish paste”, which looks like a shape which is cut the hollow cylinder in half, and the first display part formed in the EL element sheet is covered by the cover part.
Moreover, the flat portion formed in the shape-support plate covers the second display part formed in the EL element sheet. Furthermore, the attachment portion which projects in the extended direction comparing with the size of the EL element sheet is formed in the both ends of the shape-support plate. In addition, the outer shape-support plate is transparent at least.
In this invention, “Display device” includes an EL element with a panel shape, EL element with a sheet shape, EL element with a film shape, organic EL display, etc. Moreover, “Bind” means to sandwich, wrap integrally and the like. Moreover, “Flat portion” means to position at a level state, inclination state and vertical state according to the position to the game machine. Therefore, the display device can also be used in the state that it is rotated at 90 degrees so that two or more curved surface portions are located in a line to the vertical direction.
The present invention is understood to encompass embodiments which include all or only a portion of the above objects, features and advantages which, unless recited in claims defining the invention, are understood not to limit interpretation of such claims. The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements.
It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.
FIGS. 1 to 10 illustrate the explanation view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Preferred embodiment (the first embodiment) of the present invention is described in more detail below referring to FIGS. 1 to 10.
(1) Basic Composition Member
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a display device X for the game machines is comprised of a flexible EL element sheet 1 having a curved surface portion and support plates 2, 3, which are formed in the shape of a plate, covering inner side and outside of the EL element sheet 1 as a whole.
In addition, the EL element sheet 1 is preferably made of transparent resin material (film using the transparent resin material of a high polymer), being wrapped in the sticking-by-pressure state as a whole. Moreover, the outer shape-support plate 3 is transparent at least in order to demonstrate the function as a display part.
(2) Structure of EL Element Sheet
First, the structure of EL element sheet 1 is explained in reference with
The reference numeral 6 designates a first electrode covered by the inner sealing film 4, and the first electrode 6 is transparent. The reference numeral 7 designates an electro luminescent layer which has the insulated layer 8 thereinto, and the electro luminescent layer 7 defines a luminescence layer. Therefore, the insulated layer 8 defines as a portion of non-emitting light. The reference numeral 9 designate a second electrode which faces to the first electrode 6, and the second electrode 9 defines as a dielectric layer. The reference numeral 10 designates a pattern film which is covered by the outer sealing film 5. The pattern film 10 has a conductor 11. In addition, the transparent printing layer, the adhesion layer, the barrier layer which intercepts steam, the printed circuit board which has a lead terminal which are not illustrated are suitably provided in the EL element sheet 1.
(3) EL Element Sheet 1 as an Information Display Part
The EL element sheet 1 designates the information display part which can display information at the whole part thereof by the arranging pattern of the image element when it connects to the control means which is not illustrated. That is, the EL element sheet 1 allows the luminous layer eliminate according to the image pattern by impressing an electric field of alternating current between the first electrode and second electrode via lead terminal. In specially, the EL element sheet in this embodiment includes a first display part which is formed in the shape of a cross-sectional arc, allowing a plurality of rotation reels give pseudo displaying and a second display part for displaying different contents from the rotation reels on a flat part thereof.
In
One of the information display parts designates the first display part 15 with a curved surface. This first display part 15 can display two or more rotation reels along with the winning-a-prize line of the symbol, which is not illustrated, provided at the EL element sheet 1, shape-support plate and the like. Of course, the winning-a-prize line can also be displayed on the first display part 15 by a luminosity means. It depends on a display control means to process the data and the data of a memory part which connects with a control means electrically when the luminosity means is operated during winning a prize.
In this first embodiment, based on
The short vertical portion 16 designates a third display part used in order to display the different information about colors, patterns, etc that differ from the first and second display parts 15, 17. The third display part 16 exists in the elongate shape respectively between the upper first display part 15a and lower first display part 15c, based on the oblong-like first display part 15b, which is formed in the shape of a long sideways, which is positioned at the central part as shown in
Another information display part designates the second display part 17. This second display part 17 includes the flat portion which connects to the upper end portion of the first display part 15a and the flat portion which connects to the lower end portion of the first display part 15c in this embodiment (two pieces in total).
By the way, in this embodiment, the information display part has at least two or more kinds of pixel patterns. Therefore, as shown in
On the other hand, the end pixel pattern 19 of the second display part 17 is defined by the pattern with a horizontal series, as shown in
The first display part 15 is formed in the shape of a “steamed fish paste”, which looks like a shape which is cut the hollow cylinder in half so that it fits between the shape-support plates 2, 3 (so as not to produce wrinkle) as shown in
(4) Shape-Support Plate
The inner and outer shape-support plates 2, 3 are formed of transparent resin plates which cover the flexible EL element sheet 1 as a whole. As shown in
That is, the first display part 15 of the EL element sheet 1 is installed into the curved surface portions 2b, 3b of the shape-support plats 2, 3, on the other hand, the second display part 17 of the EL element sheet 1 is installed into the flat portions 2a, 3a of the shape-support plats 2, 3.
Furthermore, the shape-support plates 2, 3 in this embodiment includes the attachment portions 2c, 3c which project outwardly from the position of the information display parts 15, 16 and 17 the EL element sheet. A display device X is installed fixedly in a window part 21 of the game machine Y via the attachment portions 2c, 3c.
(5) Applicable Example
The display device X for the game machines is applicable to the slot machine Y which is an example of the game machine as shown in FIGS. 8 to 10. The slot machine Y has nine mechanical rotation reels 22 in total which are arranged in the shape of a matrix to the window part 21 which is positioned in front thereof. As shown in
As mentioned above, since the display device X can demonstrate a display function by itself, it is not essentials that the slot machine Y is equipped with the rotation reel 22.
However, as shown in
In the display device X in the first embodiment, for the vertical cross-sectional shape of the EL element sheet 1 and the shape-support plates 2, 3 as shown in
However, as mentioned above, the vertical cross-sectional shape of the shape-support plates 2, 3 corresponds to the curvature of the curved surface part as the first display part of the EL element sheet 1, and it may change in the possible range maintaining the form of the EL element sheet 1.
For example,
As mentioned above, the cross-sectional shape of the curved surface (arc) portion changes by the case that it corresponds individually to each rotation reel of the slot machine (first embodiment) or it corresponds on the whole to each rotation reel (second embodiment). Moreover, the sectional length of the curved surface (arc) portion changes with the radius of the rotation reel, position, number, etc.
Therefore, even though the skilled person changes the design for the curved surface (arc) portion suitably, it is an equivalent matter as long as the purpose of this invention can be reached.
As set forth above, the advantages of the invention are as follows:
(1) Since the display device, which is formed in the shape of a plate, includes one or more curved surface portions, capable of bringing the flexible EL element sheet and the inner and outer support plates which sandwiches the flexible EL element sheet as a function for displaying into action, a cubic effect comes out when a symbol is displayed on the display part of the display device, and the form of the display device does not change easily. Moreover, both of the EL element sheet and inner and outer shape-support plate have the curved parts so that “wrinkle” does not occur on the surface of the EL element sheet.
(2) Since the flexible EL element sheet is supported by the inner and outer shape-support plate, it can be attached easily to the window part of the game machine. Therefore, the attachment can be carried out in efficiency. Since the attachment part is attached to the both ends of the shape-support plate, especially invention described in claim 7, it can be set easily to the window part of the game machine using an adherence implement or adhesives.
(3) In the invention disclosed in claim 3, 5 and 6, the form of each display device is provided adequate strength.
(4) For the invention disclosed in claim 4, the control means which is not illustrated accesses the memory part and gets information, and the three-dimensional symbol (number, pattern) is displayed in the first display part as the curved surface portion. In addition, other information other than the symbol (information about the game, news information, etc.) is displayed in the second display part of the flat portion. Therefore, since the contents that are displayed are vary widely, it can double amusingness. Moreover, since the plurality of the first display parts, capable of displaying the rotation reels along with the winning-a-prize line of the symbol, are set up to the sectional direction, it is different from manufacturing the first display part individually, and it can be reduced its cost because the first display parts are formed in one step.
