Gaming machine

• US 8,123,609 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2005
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Inventors: Sekiguchi, Hirofumi, Tanimura, Tatsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Bumgarner, Melba
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lim, Seng H
• Application Number:
  US11/144,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20050282617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,461 Days
• Field of Search: 463/20
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members

Abstract

A gaming machine and associated methodology are provided, including a slot machine having a variable display device providing a plurality of variable displays, and a liquid crystal display device having transmission areas for a surface reflection light reflected at a surface of the variable display device. The variable display device includes a rotary body that is subjected to surface treatment available to suppress a luster and described with a plurality of symbols.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a variable display device configured to display a plurality of symbols associated with an outcome of a wagering game; and

a display device disposed in front of the variable display device, the display device having a first light emitting device and transmission areas, the transmission areas being configured to transmit light emitted from the first light emitting device and reflected off a surface of the variable display device, the display device including;

a liquid crystal panel having the transmission areas,

a light guide plate disposed on a rear side of the liquid crystal panel, the light guide plate having transmission regions formed in positions corresponding to the transmission areas of the liquid crystal panel, and

a reflection member disposed on a rear side of the light guide plate, the reflection member having non-reflection areas disposed in positions corresponding to the transmission regions of the light guide plate,

the variable display device including;

a rotary body,

a second light emitting device disposed inside the rotary body, and

a translucent reel sheet having the plurality of symbols thereon, the reel sheet having a surface treatment configured to suppress light luster,

wherein the reel sheet is attached on an outer periphery of the rotary body to scatter light emitted from the first light emitting device on the reel sheet and transmit light emitted from the second light emitting device through a surface of the reel sheet opposed to the second light emitting device.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein:

the first light emitting device includes a first light source located proximate the liquid crystal panel and the reflection member, and adjacent at least one of upper and lower areas of the light guide plate;

a first portion of light emitted from the first light source is reflected off a reflection area on a front surface of the reflection member after which the first portion of the light transmits through the light guide plate to form a light source for the liquid crystal panel; and

a second portion of the light emitted from the first light source passing through the non-reflection areas is illuminated onto the surface of the reel sheet disposed on the rotary body, after which the light illuminated onto the surface of the reel sheet is reflected toward the liquid crystal panel, whereby an effect displayed on the liquid crystal panel and the plurality of symbols on the reel sheet appear to a viewer to be in an overlapped relationship.

3. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the transmission openings of the light guide plate have inner end surfaces that are subjected to light scattering treatment.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the first light emitting device includes:

a first light source disposed proximate at least one of upper and lower positions of the light guide plate; and

a second light source mounted to the reflection member and emitting light toward the rotary body;

a first portion of light emitted from the first light source is reflected off a reflection area on a front surface of the reflection member, after which the first portion of the light transmits through the light guide plate to form a light source for the liquid crystal panel; and

a second portion of the light emitted from the second light source is illuminated onto a surface of the reel sheet disposed on the rotary body after which the light illuminated onto the surface of the reel is reflected toward the liquid crystal panel to subsequently pass through the non-reflection areas, whereby an effect displayed on the liquid crystal panel and the plurality of symbols disposed on the reel sheet appear to a viewer to be in an overlapped relationship.

5. A gaming machine comprising:

a variable display device configured to display a plurality of symbols associated with an outcome of a wagering game; and

a display device disposed in front of the variable display device, the display device having a first light emitting device and transmission areas, the transmission areas being configured to transmit light emitted from the first light emitting device and reflected off a surface of the variable display device, the display device including;

a liquid crystal panel having the transmission areas,

a light guide plate adjacent the liquid crystal panel, the light guide plate having transmission regions formed in positions corresponding to the transmission areas of the liquid crystal panel, and

a reflection member adjacent the light guide plate, the reflection member having non-reflection areas disposed in positions corresponding to the transmission regions of the light guide plate,

the variable display device including;

a rotary body,

a second light emitting device disposed inside the rotary body, and

a translucent reel sheet having a surface treatment configured to suppress a luster and including the plurality of symbols thereon,

wherein the reel sheet is attached on an outer periphery of the rotary body to scatter light emitted from the first light emitting device on the reel sheet and transmit light emitted from the second light emitting device through the reel sheet.

6. The gaming machine of claim 5, wherein the surface treatment is by at least one of the group consisting of emboss and matte.

7. A gaming machine comprising:

a variable display device configured to display a plurality of symbols; and

a display device disposed in front of the variable display device, the display device having a first light emitting device and transmission areas, the transmission areas being configured to transmit light emitted from the first light emitting device and reflected at a surface of the variable display device;

wherein the variable display device includes;

a rotary body,

a second light emitting device disposed proximate the rotary body, and

a translucent reel sheet having a surface treatment to suppress a luster and including the plurality of symbols thereon, the reel sheet being attached on an outer periphery of the rotary body to scatter light emitted from the first light emitting device on the reel sheet, the reel sheet directing light emitted from the second light emitting device through the reel sheet;

wherein the display device includes;

a liquid crystal panel having the transmission areas,

a light guide plate disposed on a rear side of the liquid crystal panel, the light guide plate having transmission openings formed in positions corresponding to the transmission areas of the liquid crystal panel,

a reflection member disposed on a rear side of the light guide plate, the reflection member having non-reflection areas disposed in positions corresponding to the transmission openings of the light guide plate, and

the first light emitting device including a first light source disposed in at least one of upper and lower positions of the light guide plate.

8. A gaming machine comprising;

a variable display device configured to display a plurality of symbols; and

a front display device disposed in front of the variable display device, the front display device having a first light emitting device and transmission areas, the transmission areas being configured to transmit light emitted from the first light emitting device and reflected at a surface of the variable display device;

wherein the variable display device includes;

a rotary body,

a second light emitting device disposed inside the rotary body, and

a translucent reel sheet having a surface treatment to suppress a luster and including the plurality of symbols thereon, the reel sheet being attached on an outer periphery of the rotary body to scatter light emitted from the first light emitting device on the reel sheet and transmit light emitted from the second light emitting device through the reel sheet;

wherein the front display device includes,

a liquid crystal panel having the transmission areas,

a light guide plate disposed on a rear side of the liquid crystal panel, the light guide plate having transmission openings formed in positions corresponding to the transmission areas of the liquid crystal panel, and

a reflection member disposed on a rear side of the light guide plate, the reflection member having non-reflection areas disposed in positions corresponding to the transmission openings of the light guide plate;

wherein the first light emitting device includes a first light source located proximate the liquid crystal panel and the reflection member on at least one of upper and lower areas of the light guide plate,

a first portion of light emitted from the first light source is reflected at a reflection area on a front surface of the reflection member after which the first portion of the light transmits through the light guide plate to form a light source for the liquid crystal panel, and

a second portion of the light emitted from the first light source passing through the nonreflection areas is illuminated onto a surface of the reel sheet disposed on the rotary body, after which the light illuminated onto the surface of the reel sheet is reflected toward the liquid crystal panel, whereby an effect displayed on the liquid crystal panel and the plurality of symbols on the reel sheet appear to a viewer to be in an overlapped relationship.

9. A gaming machine for displaying one or more outcomes of a wagering game, the outcomes being randomly determined from a plurality of wagering game outcomes, the gaming machine comprising:

a first display device including a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, each of the symbol-bearing reels having an interior light emitting device, a rotatable body, and a reel sheet disposed around an outer periphery of the rotatable body, the reel sheet bearing a plurality of symbols associated with the outcomes of the wagering game; and

a second display device adjacent the first display device, the second display device having a peripheral light emitting device and light transmission areas, the light transmission areas being configured to transmit light emitted from the peripheral light emitting device, the second display device including;

a liquid crystal panel having the transmission areas,

a light guide plate adjacent the liquid crystal panel, the light guide plate defining transmission regions in positions corresponding to the transmission areas of the liquid crystal panel, and

a reflection member adjacent the light guide plate, the reflection member having non-reflection areas in positions corresponding to the transmission regions of the light guide plate,

wherein the reel sheet has a surface treatment configured to scatter light emitted from the peripheral light emitting device, and a surface transparency configured to transmit light emitted from the interior light emitting device through a surface of the reel sheet opposed to the interior light emitting device.

10. The gaming machine of claim 9, wherein;

a first portion of light emitted by the peripheral light emitting device is reflected off the reflection member and transmitted through the light guide plate to the liquid crystal panel, whereby an effect, displayed over the liquid crystal panel, is viewed through the display plate as a first image, and

a second portion of light emitted by the peripheral light emitting device is illuminated onto the reel sheet of the rotary body and then reflected toward the liquid crystal panel to pass through the non-reflection areas, whereby the plurality of symbols are viewed through the display plate as a second image such that ihe first and second images are viewed in an overlapped relationship.

11. The gaming machine of claim 9, wherein ihe peripheral lighl emitting device includes:

a first light source disposed proximate at least one of upper and lower positions of the light guide plate; and

a second light source mounted to the reflection member and emitting light toward the rotary body.

12. The gaming machine of claim 9, wherein the reel sheet is subjected to a surface treatment configured to permit a reflected light to be substantially and uniformly diffused in all directions so as not to cause the reflected light to have directional characteristics.

13. The gaming machine of claim 12, wherein the surface treatment forms a convexo-concave pattern.

14. The gaming machine of claim 9, wherein the second light emitting device includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) each disposed inside a respective one of the rotary bodies.

15. The gaming machine of claim 9, wherein the surface treatment is provided by at least one of embossing and matting.

16. A gaming machine for displaying one or more outcomes of a wagering game, the outcomes being randomly determined from a plurality of wagering game outcomes, the gaming machine comprising:

a first display device including a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, each of the symbol-bearing reels having an interior light emitting device, a rotatable body, and a reel sheet disposed around an outer periphery of the rotatable body, the reel sheet bearing a plurality of symbols associated with the outcomes of the wagering game; and

a second display device adjacent the first display device and having a light emitting device, the second display device including a liquid crystal panel having transmission areas, a light guide plate adjacent the liquid crystal panel, the light guide plate defining transmission regions in positions corresponding to the transmission areas of the liquid crystal panel, and a reflection member adjacent the light guide plate, the reflection member having non-reflection areas in positions corresponding to the transmission regions of the light guide plate,

wherein the reel sheet has a surface treatment configured to scatter light emitted from the light emitting device and reflect a portion of the light emitted from the light emitting device toward transmission areas of the second display device, and

wherein the reel sheet has a surface transparency configured to transmit light emitted from the interior light emitting device through a surface of the reel sheet opposed to the second display device and toward the transmission areas of the second display device.