Operating apparatus for game machine

• US 8,439,753 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2008
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Bandai Namco Games, Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Wakitani, Noboru, Takamoto, Junji, Nagareda, Takeshi, Ito, Kuniaki, Nagata, Hideo, Igarashi, Hiroshi, Onda, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Bumgarner, Melba
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOWARAH, GEORGE L
• Application Number:
  US12/149,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20080242412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,840 Days
• Field of Search: 463 1- 37
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/424 involving acoustic input signals, e.g. by using the results of pitch or rhythm extraction or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/90 Constructional details or arrangements of video game devices not provided for in groups A63F13/20 or A63F13/25, e.g. housing, wiring, connections or cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6072 of an input signal, e.g. pitch and rhythm extraction, voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8047 Music games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32

Abstract

An operating apparatus for game machine includes a depressing member, and a main body of the depressing member is provided with three engaging protrusions and two depressing protrusions that downwardly protrude. For example, the two depressing protrusions are provided between the three engaging protrusions. In response to a beating operation by a player, the right side of the depressing member is depressed, and then, an engaging portion of the engaging protrusion at the left side is engaged with a rear surface of an upper surface panel. Accordingly, the depressing member is sure to be depressed at the right side without being upwardly actuated, and a rubber switch depressed by the depressing protrusion is brought into contact with a board. At this time, a contact provided on the board and a contact provided on the rubber switch are brought into contact with each other, and an operation signal according to the beating operation is output to the game machine.

Claims

1. A game machine having an operating apparatus connected thereto, the operating apparatus comprising:

a housing provided with a plurality of holes on its surface;

an operation input portion that is provided on an upper surface of said housing and is elastically changed in response to a percussion operation by an operator;

a depressing member that is placed between said housing and said operation input portion, provided with a plurality of engaging protrusions that engage an inside wall of said housing through said holes of said housing at both ends thereof in such a manner as to protrude downwardly, and provided with a plurality of depressing protrusions in such a manner as to protrude downwardly between said plurality of engaging protrusions;

a board housed within said housing;

at least one elastic member that is housed within said housing such that its surface is exposed through said holes of said housing, arranged at a position opposed to said depressing protrusions, and having a rear surface thereof being opposed to said board;

a first contact that formed on the rear surface of said at least one elastic member;

a second contact formed in a manner so as to be opposed to said first contact on said board, wherein

said depressing member is depressed in response to a percussion operation by said operator, said at least one elastic member is depressed by said depressing protrusions, said first contact is brought into contact with said second contact, and whereby, an operation signal is output.

2. A game machine according to claim 1, wherein said operating apparatus further comprises:

a cable that is connected to the inside of said housing at one end and has a connector to be connected to said game machine at the other end;

a first housing concave portion formed on the other main surface of said housing which houses said cable and said connector, wherein

said first housing concave portion is provided with a plurality of pinch protrusions for pinching both sides of said cable at a position where said cable is housed.

3. A game machine according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of pinch protrusions are formed in such a manner as to be shifted from each other on both side surfaces of said first housing concave portion.

4. A game machine according to claim 2, wherein:

said operation input portion has a first operation input portion and a second operation input portion,

said housing includes a first housing provided with said first operation input portion, a second housing provided with said second operation input portion and having approximately the same size as said first housing, and a third housing to be coupled with said first housing and said second housing and being smaller than said first housing and said second housing, wherein

said first housing concave portion is formed on at least one of said first housing and said second housing,

said second housing concave portion is formed due to a difference between a size of said first housing and said second housing and a size of said third housing,

said cable extends from said third housing,

said cable is wrapped around said third housing so as to be housed within said second housing concave portion, and said connector and a part of said cable are fitted into said first concave portion, and whereby, said cable and said connector are housed and held.

5. A game machine according to claim 4, wherein said first operation input portion and said second operation input portion are respectively provided on the upper surfaces of said first housing and said second housing, and said first housing concave portion is formed on the bottom surface of at least one of said first housing and said second housing.

6. A game machine according to claim 4, wherein said operating apparatus further comprises:

a first connector formed on said third housing; and

a second connector detachably connected to said first connector and formed on said second housing, wherein

when said first connector and said second connector are directly connected with each other, said first housing and said second housing can be used as one operating apparatus for a game machine, and when said first connector and said second connector are indirectly connected, said first housing and said second housing can be used separately as two operating apparatuses for a game machine.

7. A game machine according to claim 6, wherein said first housing and said second housing are used separately as two operating apparatuses for a game machine, a connecting cable for connecting to said first connector is detachably connected to said second connector.

8. A game machine according to claim 4, wherein said operating apparatus further comprises a sound input portion provided on an upper surface of said third housing for inputting a sound to be generated by said operator, and

wherein an operation signal according to a sound input by said sound input portion is output.

9. A game-playing system having an operating apparatus connected thereto, the operating apparatus comprising:

a housing provided with a plurality of holes on its surface;

an operation input portion that is provided on an upper surface of said housing and is elastically changed in response to a percussion operation by an operator;

a depressible member that is placed between said housing and said operation input portion, provided with a plurality of engaging protrusions that engage an inside wall of said housing through said holes of said housing at both ends thereof in such a manner as to protrude downwardly, and provided with a plurality of depressing protrusions in such a manner as to protrude downwardly between said plurality of engaging protrusions;

a board housed within said housing;

at least one elastic member that is housed within said housing such that its surface is exposed through said holes of said housing, arranged at a position opposed to said depressing protrusions, and having a rear surface thereof being opposed to said board;

a first contact that formed on the rear surface of said at least one elastic member;

a second contact formed in a manner so as to be opposed to said first contact on said board, wherein

an operation signal is to be output when said depressible member is depressed in response to a percussion operation by said operator, said at least one elastic member is depressed by said depressing protrusions, and said first contact is brought into contact with said second contact.

10. A game-playing system according to claim 9, wherein said operating apparatus further comprises:

a cable that is connected to the inside of said housing at one end and has a connector to be connected to said game game-playing system at the other end;

a first housing concave portion formed on the other main surface of said housing which houses said cable and said connector, wherein

said first housing concave portion is provided with a plurality of pinch protrusions for pinching both sides of said cable at a position where said cable is housed.

11. A game-playing system according to claim 10, wherein said plurality of pinch protrusions are formed in such a manner as to be shifted from each other on both side surfaces of said first housing concave portion.

12. A game-playing system according to claim 10, wherein:

said operation input portion has a first operation input portion and a second operation input portion,

said housing includes a first housing provided with said first operation input portion, a second housing provided with said second operation input portion and having approximately the same size as said first housing, and a third housing to be coupled with said first housing and said second housing and being smaller than said first housing and said second housing, wherein

said first housing concave portion is formed on at least one of said first housing and said second housing,

said second housing concave portion is formed due to a difference between a size of said first housing and said second housing and a size of said third housing,

said cable extends from said third housing,

said cable is wrapped around said third housing so as to be housed within said second housing concave portion, and said connector and a part of said cable are fitted into said first concave portion, and whereby, said cable and said connector are housed and held.

13. A game-playing system according to claim 12, wherein said first operation input portion and said second operation input portion are respectively provided on the upper surfaces of said first housing and said second housing, and said first housing concave portion is formed on the bottom surface of at least one of said first housing and said second housing.

14. A game-playing system according to claim 12, wherein said operating apparatus further comprises:

a first connector formed on said third housing; and

a second connector detachably connected to said first connector and formed on said second housing, wherein

when said first connector and said second connector are directly connected with each other, said first housing and said second housing can be used as one operating apparatus for the game-playing system, and when said first connector and said second connector are indirectly connected, said first housing and said second housing can be used separately as two operating apparatuses for the game-playing system.

15. A game-playing system according to claim 14, wherein said first housing and said second housing are used separately as two operating apparatuses for the game-playing system, a connecting cable for connecting to said first connector is detachably connected to said second connector.

16. A game-playing system according to claim 12, wherein said operating apparatus further comprises a sound input portion provided on an upper surface of said third housing for inputting a sound to be generated by said operator, and

wherein an operation signal according to a sound input by said sound input portion is output.