Gaming machine

• US 8,353,766 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2003
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Inventors: Okada, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hsu, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US10/697,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20040209668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,364 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/16, 463 20- 22, 463 30- 34, 2731381- 2, 273/139, 273/143.R, 345 4- 6
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means

Abstract

During a slot machine game, game effects are also displayed on a liquid crystal panel 39d provided in a reel display window unit 39, and thus the liquid crystal panel 39d serves as a new machine component for performing game effects. Therefore, new effects for the game can be performed on the liquid crystal panel 39d, which facilitates maintaining the novelty of game effects. Furthermore, the diffusion sheet 39f and the light guiding plate 39g are formed with openings 5a, 6a and 7a and openings 5b, 6b and 7b respectively for allowing the symbols variably displayed on the reels to be observed. As a result, there are decreased obstacles, interposed, in such a way as to prevent the light from passing through, between the transparent acryl plate 39a and the reels 2-4 on which the light is variably displayed. Therefore, the visibility of the symbols variably displayed on the reels 2-4 is increased.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a variable display device for variably displaying symbols associated with an award;

a front display device disposed in front of the variable display device, the front display device including;

a display window for displaying the symbols of the variable display device;

a transparent liquid crystal display panel for displaying an image for effect while transparently displaying the symbols of the variable display device;

a light guiding plate disposed between the transparent liquid crystal display panel and the variable display device, the light guiding plate for guiding light from a lateral of the light guiding plate to a rear side of the transparent display panel, the light having been emitted from a light source;

a rear holder for holding the transparent liquid crystal display panel and the light guiding plate;

a diffusion sheet disposed between the transparent liquid crystal display panel and the light guiding plate, the diffusion sheet for diffusing the light from the light guiding plate so as to equalize the light to be emitted from behind the transparent liquid crystal display panel; and

an illumination part disposed at a rear side of the rear holder,

and wherein;

the light guiding plate, the diffusion sheet, and the rear holder are provided with openings, respectively, at a position corresponding to the display window of the front display device, the openings for transparently displaying the symbols of the variable display device within the display window of the front display device;

the illumination part illuminates the display window of the front display device through the openings of the light guiding plate and the rear holder, and illuminates the symbols variably displayed on the variable display device;

the front display device displays the image for effect on a portion other than the display window, the image being displayed on the transparent liquid crystal display panel; and

the front display device displays the image for effect and variably displays the symbols within the display window by illumination of the illumination part, the image for effect being displayed on the transparent liquid crystal display panel, the symbols being displayed on the variable display device.

2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein:

the illumination part includes a first light source for illuminating the symbols from a rear side, the first light source being disposed at the variable display device and a second light source for illuminating the symbols from a front side, the second light source being disposed at a periphery portion of a rear surface side of the opening of the rear holder; and

the first light source and the second light source illuminate the display window of the front display device through the openings of the light guiding plate and the rear holder.

3. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein:

the rear holder has a function of reflecting on the transparent liquid crystal display panel, the light emitted from the light source to the lateral of the light guiding plate.

4. A gaming machine comprising:

a variable display device including a plurality of symbol-bearing reels for displaying symbols associated with a game outcome of a wagering game;

a front display device disposed in front of the variable display device, the front display device including a liquid crystal panel, a diffusion layer, a light guiding layer, and a reflection layer, wherein the liquid crystal panel, the diffusion layer, the light guiding layer, and the reflection layer are arranged in a facially opposed sequential manner such that the diffusion layer is disposed between the liquid crystal panel and the light guiding layer, the light guiding layer is disposed between the diffusion layer and the reflection layer, and the reflection layer is disposed between the light guiding layer and the variable display device, wherein the diffusion layer, the light guiding layer, and the reflection layer each include a respective plurality of discrete viewing areas aligned with respective ones of the reels to permit viewing thereof; and

a light source positioned to emit light into the light guiding layer, the diffusion layer diffusing the light guided by the light guiding layer to equalize the light that illuminates the liquid crystal panel, the reflection layer reflecting the light guided by the light guiding layer toward the liquid crystal panel.

5. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the plurality of discrete viewing areas are openings.

6. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein each discrete viewing area is generally rectangular in shape.

7. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the liquid crystal panel displays game effects of the wagering game.

8. A gaming machine comprising:

a variable display device including a symbol-bearing reel for displaying symbols associated with a game outcome of a wagering game; and

a front display device disposed in front of the variable display device, the front display device including a liquid crystal panel, a diffusion layer, a light guiding layer, and a reflection layer, wherein the liquid crystal panel, the diffusion layer, the light guiding layer, and the reflection layer are arranged in a facially opposed sequential manner such that the diffusion layer is disposed between the liquid crystal panel and the light guiding layer, the light guiding layer is disposed between the diffusion layer and the reflection layer, and the reflection layer is disposed between the light guiding layer and the variable display device, wherein the diffusion layer, the light guiding layer, and the reflection layer each include a respective discrete viewing area aligned with the reel to permit viewing thereof; and

wherein the diffusion layer diffuses the light guided by the light guiding layer to equalize the light that illuminates the liquid crystal panel, the reflection layer reflecting the light guided by the light guiding layer toward the liquid crystal panel.

9. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein each discrete viewing area is an opening.

10. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein each discrete viewing area is generally rectangular in shape.

11. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the liquid crystal panel displays game effects of the wagering game.

12. The gaming machine of claim 8, further including a light source positioned to emit the light into the light guiding layer.

13. A gaming machine comprising:

a variable display device for displaying symbols associated with a game outcome of a wagering game; and

a front display device disposed in front of the variable display device, the front display device including a liquid crystal panel, a diffusion layer, and a light guiding layer, wherein the liquid crystal panel, the diffusion layer, and the light guiding layer are arranged in a facially opposed sequential manner such that the diffusion layer is disposed between the liquid crystal panel and the light guiding layer and such that the light guiding layer is disposed between the diffusion layer and the variable display device; and

wherein the diffusion layer diffuses light guided by the light guiding layer to equalize the light that illuminates the liquid crystal panel, the diffusion layer including discrete viewing areas for viewing the symbols of the variable display device.

14. The gaming machine of claim 13, wherein the light guiding layer includes second discrete viewing areas, aligned with the discrete viewing areas in the diffusion layer, for viewing the symbols of the variable display device.

15. The gaming machine of claim 13, further including a reflection layer disposed between the light guiding layer and the variable display device, the reflection layer reflecting the light guided by the light guiding layer toward the liquid crystal panel, the reflection layer including second discrete viewing areas, aligned with the discrete viewing areas in the diffusion layer, for viewing the symbols of the variable display device.

16. The gaming machine of claim 15, wherein the light guiding layer includes third discrete viewing areas, aligned with the discrete viewing areas in the diffusion layer and the second discrete viewing areas in the reflection layer, for viewing the symbols of the variable display device.

17. The gaming machine of claim 13, wherein the discrete viewing areas are openings in the diffusion layer.

18. The gaming machine of claim 13, wherein each discrete viewing area is generally rectangular in shape.

19. The gaming machine of claim 13, wherein the variable display device includes a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, the discrete viewing areas in the diffusion layer being aligned with respective ones of the reels.

20. The gaming machine of claim 19, further including a reflection layer disposed between the light guiding layer and the variable display device, the reflection layer reflecting the light guided by the light guiding layer toward the liquid crystal panel, the reflection layer including second discrete viewing areas aligned with the discrete viewing areas in the diffusion layer and with the respective ones of the reels.

21. The gaming machine of claim 13, further including a light source positioned to emit the light into the light guiding layer.

22. The gaming machine of claim 13, wherein the liquid crystal panel displays game effects of the wagering game.