Reel apparatus for game machine

Disposed in front of the lastly stopping center reel 12B of three reels 12A, 12B, and 12C is a cover member 16 which is movable between the position of a display apparatus 108a and a shelter position thereabove and is formed with a picture Fo. When the reel 12B is stopped with its picture Fo placed at the display window 108a, in the case where each of the other two reels 12A and 12C is stopped with the picture Fo placed at the display window 108a (in the case of a jackpot), the cover member 16 is moved from the shelter position to the position of the display window 108a and minutely vibrates at the position of the display window 108a before being stopped, whereby the picture Fo' formed in the cover member 16 appears in an unusual mode. Accordingly, the player's impression when winning a jackpot in a game machine equipped with thus configured reel apparatus can be fully enhanced, thus allowing enjoyability thereof to improve.

RELATED APPLICATIONS 
This application claims the priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 
9-181805 filed on Jun. 23, 1997, which is incorporated herein by 
reference. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a reel apparatus installed in a game 
machine such as a slot machine. The present invention can widely be used 
for improving enjoyability of various kinds of amusement machines. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
In a slot machine (reel rotation automatic stop type), a slot section of a 
pachinko (Japanese upright pinball) machine, or the like, there is 
provided a reel apparatus which has a plurality of reels and automatically 
stops rotation of each reel after a predetermined lapse of time from the 
start of rotation. In general, this reel apparatus has the following 
configuration. 
Namely, the plurality of reels are adapted to rotate independently from 
each other around a single axis, whereas a plurality of pictures are 
formed in series on the peripheral surface of each reel along its 
circumferential direction. Upon a starting operation by a player or the 
like, these reels simultaneously start rotating. Thereafter, the reels 
automatically stop in sequence, each placing one of the plurality of 
pictures at a display window in front of the reel. 
In such a so-called automatic stop type reel apparatus, however, a prize 
would be won only when a combination of pictures appearing in the display 
windows in front of the reels coincides with a specific picture pattern. 
Accordingly, the player winning a prize may not always be impressed 
sufficiently, thus lacking enjoyability. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of such circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to 
provide a reel apparatus for a game machine, which can sufficiently 
enhance the player's impression when winning a prize, thereby enhancing 
enjoyability. 
In the reel apparatus for a game machine in accordance with the present 
invention, in order to enhance the impression of winning a prize, a cover 
member formed with a predetermined picture is turned up in an unusual mode 
when the lastly stopping reel is stopped so as to yield a prize winning 
state, thereby achieving the above-mentioned object. 
Namely, the present invention provides a reel apparatus for a game machine, 
comprising a plurality of reels which rotate around a single axis, each 
having a plurality of pictures formed in series on a peripheral surface 
thereof along a circumferential direction thereof, the reels being rotated 
independently from each other and automatically stopped in sequence while 
each placing one of the plurality of pictures at a preset angle position; 
wherein a cover member formed with a predetermined picture and movable 
between the preset angle position and a shelter position other than the 
preset angle position is disposed in front of a lastly stopping reel of 
the plurality of reels; and 
wherein, when the lastly stopping reel is stopped so as to place a 
predetermined picture at the preset angle position, in the case where 
another reel is stopped so that a specific picture is placed at the preset 
angle position in combination with the predetermined picture, the cover 
member moves from the shelter position to the preset angle position and 
minutely vibrates at the preset angle position before being stopped. 
The "predetermined picture" formed in the cover member may be the same as 
or different from the "predetermined picture" formed in each of the reels. 
As long as the "cover member" is movable between the preset angle position 
and the shelter position, its mode of movement is not restricted in 
particular, i.e., it may be either linear movement or pivotal movement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
In the following, embodiments of the present invention will be explained 
with reference to the accompanying drawings. To begin with, a first 
embodiment of the present invention will be explained. 
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a reel apparatus of a game machine in 
accordance with this embodiment; whereas FIG. 2 is a perspective view 
showing a slot machine (game machine) in which this reel apparatus is 
incorporated. 
As shown in FIG. 1, this reel apparatus 10 comprises three reels 12A, 12B, 
and 12C. The three reels 12A, 12B, and 12C are supported by a reel 
supporting bracket 14 so as to be rotatable independently from each other. 
Their axis of rotation Ax1 is set on a single axis. On the peripheral 
surface of each of the reels 12A, 12B, and 12C, a plurality of pictures F 
are formed in series along its circumferential direction. 
As shown in FIG. 2, the above-mentioned slot machine 100 is a reel 
automatic stop type slot machine. When a handle lever 106 is pushed down 
on the front side (or a spin button 112 is pushed) while cash is inserted 
in a coin entry 102 or a bill entry 104, the reel apparatus 10 is 
actuated, so that the three reels 12A, 12B, and 12C start rotating at the 
same time. Thereafter, the left-side reel 12A, the right-side reel 12C, 
and the center reel 12B, in this order, automatically stop rotating. 
Here, the reels 12A, 12B, and 12C stop rotating while each of which places 
one of the plurality of pictures F at its corresponding one of three 
display windows 108a formed in a reel glass plate 108. 
In the case where the combination of pictures F shown in the three display 
windows 108a when the reels 12A, 12B, and 12C are stopped coincides with a 
predetermined prize winning pattern, the number of coins corresponding to 
the prize winning pattern flows out into a coin tray 110. 
In each of the reels 12A, 12B, and 12C, the part formed with each picture F 
is constituted by a semitransparent member having a diffuse transmission 
characteristic. The picture F positioned at the display window 108a is 
brightly illuminated from its rear side with an illuminating means (not 
depicted) disposed within a space on the inner periphery side of each of 
the reels 12A, 12B, and 12C. Among the plurality of pictures F, the one 
indicated by Fo has a pair of slanted eyes e, each of which is constituted 
by a transparent member having a straight transmission characteristic (or 
through-hole). 
In the case where the reels 12A, 12B, and 12C are stopped so that the 
picture Fo is shown in each of the three display windows 108a (in the 
state shown in FIG. 1), as a jackpot winning pattern, a large amount of 
coins flow out into the coin tray 110. 
A player winning such a jackpot is impressed thereby. Here, it is 
preferable to produce a certain effect for enhancing the player's 
impression, in addition to simply causing a larger amount of coins to flow 
out into the coin tray 110. 
From such a viewpoint, this embodiment is provided with a jackpot effecting 
structure as follows. 
The instant at which the player gets an impression of a jackpot is when, of 
the three reels 12A, 12B, and 12C, the lastly stopping center reel 12B is 
stopped such that its picture Fo is placed at the display window 108a. 
Therefore, in this embodiment, at this instant, a hobgoblin picture Fo' 
shown in FIG. 1 appears in the display window 108a in front of the center 
reel 12B from thereabove, and is minutely vibrated before being stopped. 
The picture Fo' is formed in the cover member 16. In the cover member 16, 
the part corresponding to the picture Fo' is constituted by a 
semitransparent member having a diffuse transmission characteristic, 
whereas the part corresponding to each of a pair of round eyes e' in this 
picture Fo' is constituted by a transparent member having a straight 
transmission characteristic (or through-hole). The pair of eyes e' are 
formed with the same lateral pitches as those of the pair of eyes e in the 
picture Fo of the reel 12B, so as to be positioned at substantially the 
same level as the pair of eyes e when the picture Fo' is stopped at the 
display window 108a. 
The cover member 16 is constituted by a substantially rectangular 
plate-like member having an arc-shaped side cross section, and is 
configured such that it can be placed, in front of the center reel 12B, at 
the position of the display window 108a (preset angle position) and a 
shelter position thereabove. In order to realize this configuration, the 
cover member 16 is secured to a tip portion of each of a pair of pivotal 
levers 18 on the right and left end sides thereof. 
As shown in FIG. 3, the base end portion of each pivotal lever 18 is 
connected to a motor 20 which is secured to the reel supporting bracket 14 
in the vicinity of the center reel 12B on its rear side. As the rotor 20 
is driven, each of the pivotal levers 18 pivots about a pivotal axis Ax2 
positioned in the vicinity of the center reel on its rear side, thereby 
moving the cover member 16, which is secured to the tip portion thereof, 
between the position of the display window (position indicated by solid 
lines) and the shelter position (position indicated by chain double-dashed 
line). 
In each of the pivotal levers 18, its base end portion is constituted by a 
V-shaped resin member 18A, while its tip portion is made of a pair of 
upper and lower stainless steel members 18B. The resin member 18A has a 
rectangular cross section, whereas each stainless steel member 18B is 
formed like a plate. These members are integrally formed by insert 
molding. In each pivotal lever 18, with respect to the load about the 
pivotal axis Ax2, the resin member 18A functions as a rigid body, whereas 
the stainless steel member 18B functions as an elastic body. Consequently, 
when each pivotal lever 18 is pivoted about the pivotal axis Ax2 so as to 
move the cover member 16 from the shelter position 16 to the position of 
the display window 108a and is stopped at the latter position, the 
stainless steel member 18B is elastically deformed due to an inertial 
force, whereby the cover member 16 minutely vibrates as indicated by chain 
double-dashed lines. As this minute vibration gradually attenuates, the 
cover member 16 stops at the position indicated by solid lines. 
In FIG. 3, in the vicinity of the peripheral surface of the center reel 12B 
within the space on the inner periphery side thereof, a pair of right and 
left LEDs 22 are disposed. As shown in FIG. 4, the pair of LEDs 22 are 
disposed, with the same lateral pitches as those of the pair of eyes e of 
the picture Fo and those of the pair of eyes e' of the picture Fo', so as 
to be respectively positioned on lines L connecting the pair of eyes e and 
their corresponding pair of the eyes e' when the pictures Fo and Fo' are 
stopped at the same display window 108a. 
As explained in detail in the foregoing, in the reel apparatus 10 for a 
game machine in accordance with this embodiment, in front of the lastly 
stopping center reel 12B among the three reels 12A, 12B, and 12C, there is 
disposed the cover member 16, which is formed with the picture Fo' and 
movable between the position of the display window 108a and the shelter 
position thereabove. When the reel 12B is stopped such that its picture Fo 
is placed at the display window 108a, in the case where each of the other 
two reels 12A and 12C is stopped with the picture Fo placed at its 
corresponding display window 108a (i.e., in the case of a jackpot), the 
cover member 16 moves from its shelter position to the position of the 
display window 108a, and minutely vibrates at the position of the display 
window 108a before being stopped. Consequently, the picture Fo' formed in 
the cover member 16 appears in an unusual manner, so as to sufficiently 
enhance the player's impression when winning a jackpot, thus allowing 
enjoyability to improve. 
Also, in this embodiment, the cover member 16 is supported by the tip 
portion of the pivotal lever 18 rotatably disposed about the pivotal axis 
Ax2, whereas the pivotal lever 18 is pivoted by the motor 20 connected to 
the base end portion of the pivotal lever 18 so that the cover member 16 
can be placed at the position of the display window 108a and the shelter 
position. Since the tip portion of the pivotal lever 18 is constituted by 
the stainless steel member 18B, and the cover member 16 is caused to 
minutely vibrate as mentioned above due to the elastic deformation of the 
stainless steel member 18B, the above-mentioned effect can be realized by 
a simple configuration. 
Further, in this embodiment, pairs of right and left eyes e and e' are 
respectively formed in the picture Fo of the reel 12B and the picture of 
Fo' of the cover member 16 each as a light-transmitting portion, whereas a 
pair of LEDs 22 are disposed within the space on the inner periphery side 
of the reel 12B. When the reel 12B is stopped such that the picture Fo is 
placed at the display window 108a, while the cover member 16 is stopped at 
the position of the display window 108a, each LED 22 and its corresponding 
eyes e and e' are positioned on the single line L, whereby light beams 
from the pair of LEDs 22 are transmitted through the pair of eyes e and 
the pair of eyes e' so as to advance ahead of the reel 12B upon winning a 
jackpot. As a result of this effect, the player's impression can be 
further enhanced. 
In this embodiment, when the lastly stopping center reel 12B is stopped 
such that the picture Fo is placed at the display window 108a, the case 
where each of the two other reels 12A and 12C is stopped with the 
identical pictures Fo placed at the display window 108a, i.e., the case 
where all the three pictures are the identical pictures Fo, is defined as 
a jackpot, at which the effect of the cover member 16 is produced. Without 
being restricted thereto, however, when the lastly stopping center reel 
12B is stopped, the effect of the cover member 16 may be produced also in 
the case where the other two reels 12A and 12C are stopped with specific 
pictures which yield a jackpot in combination with a picture with which 
the center reel 12B is supposed to stop. 
In the following, a second embodiment of the present invention will be 
explained. 
FIG. 5 is a side view showing a main part of the reel apparatus for a game 
machine in accordance with this embodiment. 
While the reel apparatus 10 of this embodiment is similar to that of the 
first embodiment in terms of the configurations of three reels 12A, 12B, 
and 12C and cover member 16, they differ from each other in the 
configuration of the pivotal lever 18 and the method of driving and 
controlling the motor 20. 
Namely, while a pair of pivotal levers 18 are respectively disposed on both 
sides of the center reel 12B, each pivotal lever 18 is made of a rigid 
resin member, and its pivotal axis Ax2 is set on the same axis as the 
rotating axis Ax1 of the reels 12A, 12B, and 12C. 
As in the case of the first embodiment, each pivotal lever 18 is driven by 
the motor 20 so as to pivot about the pivotal axis Ax2. Here, when the 
motor 20 drives and controls each pivotal lever 18 so as to move the cover 
member 16 from the shelter position indicated by chain double-dashed lines 
to the position of the display window 108a, the cover member 16 is stopped 
at the latter position after being minutely vibrated there for a 
predetermined period of time. 
In order to enable such driving control, one pivotal lever 18 of the pair 
of the pivotal levers 18 is provided with a protrusion 26 for detecting a 
pivotal angle position. This protrusion 26 and a photosensor (not 
depicted) detect that each pivotal lever 18 reaches the position indicated 
by solid lines. Based on the resulting detection signal, when each pivotal 
lever 18 pivots from the shelter position to the position of the display 
window 108a, the motor 20 causes each pivotal lever 18 to pivot, as it is, 
to a position indicated by chain double-dashed lines (slightly below the 
position indicated by solid lines) and then, in the opposite direction, to 
a position indicated by chain double-dashed lines (slightly above the 
position indicated by solid lines). Then, after being reciprocated several 
times between the positions indicated by chain double-dashed lines, each 
pivotal lever 18 is stopped at the position indicated by solid lines. 
Thus, also in this embodiment, the cover member 16 is stopped at the 
position indicated by solid line after being minutely vibrated. 
Accordingly, the picture Fo' formed in the cover member 16 appears in an 
unusual mode. As a result of this effect, the player's impression when 
winning a jackpot can be sufficiently enhanced, thereby allowing 
enjoyability to improve. 
In particular, in this embodiment, since such an effect can be obtained by 
the driving control of the motor 20, each pivotal lever 18 can be 
constituted by a rigid body alone, whereby its configuration can be 
simplified. 
The reel apparatus for a game machine in accordance with the present 
invention comprises a plurality of reels which rotate around a single 
axis, each having a plurality of pictures formed in series on a peripheral 
surface thereof along a circumferential direction thereof, the reels being 
rotated independently from each other and automatically stopped in 
sequence while each placing one of the plurality of pictures at a preset 
angle position. A cover member formed with a predetermined picture and 
movable between the preset angle position and a shelter position other 
than the preset angle position is disposed in front of the lastly stopping 
reel of the plurality of reels. When the lastly stopping reel is stopped 
so as to place a predetermined picture at the preset angle position, in 
the case where another reel is stopped so that a specific picture is 
placed at the preset angle position in combination with the predetermined 
picture, the cover member moves from the shelter position to the preset 
angle position and minutely vibrates at the preset angle position before 
being stopped. Accordingly, the predetermined picture formed in the cover 
member appears in an unusual mode, whereby the player's impression when 
winning a prize is fully enhanced, thus allowing enjoyability to improve.