Abstract:
A gaming machine includes a door housing, a belly door, which constitutes a part of the door housing, having a front panel, a first hinge, connecting the door housing with the belly door so as to pivot the belly door, a back-lighting member, which illuminates a member provided on the front panel and a second hinge, connecting the belly door with the back-lighting member so as to pivot the back-lighting member.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention relates to a gaming machine, such as a slot machine, having belly door on which a back-lighting member is pivotably supported by a hinge.  
           [0002]    A related gaming machine having belly door is described by reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. As shown in FIG. 7, a belly door  114  is reclosably provided on a door housing  120  disposed at a lower position on a front face of a housing  112  of a gaming machine  100 , by a hinge  116  provided at a lower position on the belly door  114 . A display panel  118  is provided on the front face of the belly door  114 . The display panel  118  is a rectangular plate material formed from transparent material, such as glass or acryl.  
           [0003]    As shown in FIG. 8, a back-lighting box  126  is provided on the belly door  114 . The back-lighting box  126  includes a fluorescent lamp container having a fluorescent lamp, a fluorescent lamp holder, and a reflector. Wiring  128  extending from a power supply unit (not shown) disposed in the door housing  120  is connected to the back-lighting box  126  for supplying power to the fluorescent lamp. Various information items, such as the title of or explanations about a game to be played on the gaming machine  100  are drawn on a plate. The plate and the display panel  118  are held in the back-lighting box  126 , and the back-lighting box  126  is fastened to the belly door  114  by screws  134 . The plate is a translucence plate such as glass or plastic. The back-lighting box  126  radiates illumination light onto the display panel  118  so as to decorate the plate having various information items written thereon.  
           [0004]    When a game to be played on the gaming machine  100  is changed to a new game, ROM stored a game program therein is replaced to a ROM stored a new game program therein on the related gaming machine  100 . At this time, there arises a necessity for replacing, with another plate, a plate on which information about the game displayed on the display panel  118  is drawn.  
           [0005]    Procedures for replacing the plate having game information drawn thereon with another plate will be described below. First, the belly door  114  is opened. A worker holds the belly door  114  in an opened state. Next, the wiring  128  extending from an electrical equipment box provided in an unillustrated housing is detached from the back-lighting box  126 . The screws  134  fastening the back-lighting box  126  to the belly door  114  are removed, whereby the back-lighting box  126  is removed from the belly door  114 . After the thus-removed back-lighting box  126  is placed in another workplace, the plate having game information drawn thereon on the display panel  18  is replaced.  
           [0006]    Even when the display panel  118  or the fluorescent lamp contained in the back-lighting box  126  is checked or replaced, the back-lighting box  126  is removed from the belly door  114  in the same manner. Then, the back-lighting box  126  is placed in another workplace, and the display panel  118  is replaced with another panel, or the fluorescent lamp contained in the back-lighting box  126  is replaced.  
           [0007]    During the above-described operations relating to the belly door  114  of the related gaming machine  100 , all the screws  134  used for fastening the back-lighting box  126  to the belly door  114  must be removed. In order to remove the back-lighting box  126  from the belly door  114 , the wiring  128  extending from the electrical equipment box must be detached from the back-lighting box  126 . Further, the work place is a necessity for placing the thus-removed back-lighting box  126 . Since the back-lighting box  126  is removed from the belly door  114 , there is a chance of a fluorescent lamp being broken, as a result of the back-lighting box  126  dropping to the ground. In this way, replacement of the plate or display panel  118  having game information drawn thereon is complicated and involves low working efficiency.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a gaming machine capable of improving the efficiency of an operation for replacement or inspection of a plate on which game information to be displayed through a display panel is drawn.  
           [0009]    In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a gaming machine comprising:  
           [0010]    a door housing;  
           [0011]    a belly door, which constitutes a part of the door housing, having a front panel;  
           [0012]    a first hinge, connecting the door housing and the belly door so as to pivot the belly door;  
           [0013]    a back-lighting member, which illuminates a member provided on the front panel; and  
           [0014]    a second hinge, connecting the belly door and the back-lighting member so as to pivot the back-lighting member.  
           [0015]    In this configuration, in the case of replacement of the member provided on the front panel or replacement or inspection of the front panel or an illumination member of the back-lighting member, the back-lighting member is pivoted with respect to the belly door by the second hinge. As a result, replacement or inspection of the member provided on the front panel, the front panel, or the illumination member can be performed without removal of the back-lighting member from the belly door. Consequently, the ease of such an operation can be improved.  
           [0016]    Preferably, the pivotal direction of the first hinge is a first direction.  
           [0017]    Here it is preferable that the first direction is a vertical direction.  
           [0018]    Here it is preferable that the first direction is a horizontal direction.  
           [0019]    Here it is preferable that a pivotal direction of the second hinge is a direction parallel to the first direction.  
           [0020]    Here it is preferable that the pivotal direction of the second hinge is a direction perpendicular to the first direction.  
           [0021]    In the configurations, the first hinge connects the belly door with the door housing so that the belly door can pivot in the first direction. Further, the second hinge connects the belly door with the back-lighting member so that the back-lighting member can pivot in a direction parallel to or perpendicular to the first direction.  
           [0022]    By pivoting the back-lighting member in a direction parallel or perpendicular to the first direction, a member provided on the front panel, the front panel, or the illumination member can be replaced or inspected without removal of the back-lighting member by the belly door. Consequently, the ease of operation can be improved.  
           [0023]    Preferably, the door housing has a wire for connecting the door housing with the belly door so as to regulate a pivotal angle of the belly door.  
           [0024]    In the configuration, the belly door can be fixed in an opened condition by the wire, thereby improving workability.  
           [0025]    Preferably, the belly door has a boss member for regulating a pivotal angle of the belly door.  
           [0026]    Preferably, the door housing has a boss member for regulating a pivotal angle of the belly door.  
           [0027]    In the configurations, the boss member provided on the belly door or the door housing enables fixing of the belly door in an open state, thus improving workability.  
           [0028]    Here it is preferable that an engage member is provided for engaging the back-lighting member and the door housing together when the belly door is open.  
           [0029]    In the configuration, the back-lighting member and the door housing can be engaged together by the engage member so that the front panel can be replaced while the belly door is open with respect to the door housing, thereby improving workability.  
           [0030]    Preferably, the back-lighting member pivots so as to expose the member provided on the front panel via the second hinge.  
           [0031]    In the configuration, in the case of replacement of the member provided on the front panel or replacement or inspection of the front panel or an illumination member of the back-lighting member, the back-lighting member is pivoted so as to expose the member provided on the front panel via the second hinge. As a result, replacement or inspection of the member provided on the front panel, the front panel, or the illumination member can be performed without removal of the back-lighting member from the belly door. Consequently, the ease of such an operation can be improved. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0032]    The problem and advantages of the invention will become more definite by illustration of preferred embodiments of the invention by reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a gaming machine having a belly door according to a first embodiment of the invention;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an open state of the belly door;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an open state of a back-lighting box of the belly door;  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 4A is a block diagram showing a boss member for regulating a pivotal angle of the belly door, which boss member is provided on the belly door;  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 4B is a block diagram showing a boss member for regulating a pivotal angle of the belly door, which boss member is provided on a housing;  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 5A is a block diagram showing the belly door of the first embodiment, in which a second hinge is provided on the left side of the belly door,  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 5B is a block diagram showing the belly door of the first embodiment, in which a second hinge is provided on the right side of the belly door;  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 5C is a block diagram showing the belly door of the first embodiment, in which a second hinge is provided on a side opposing the side on which the first hinge is provided;  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 6A is a block diagram showing the belly door of a second embodiment, in which a first hinge is provided on the left side of the belly door;  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 6B is a block diagram showing the belly door of the second embodiment, in which a second hinge is provided on the left side of the belly door;  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 6C is a block diagram showing the belly door of the second embodiment, in which the second hinge is provided on the right side of the belly door,  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 6D is a block diagram showing the belly door of the second embodiment, in which the second hinge is provided on the upper side of the belly door;  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a related gaming machine having a belly door; and  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing that a belly door of the related gaming machine is opened. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0047]    An embodiment of a gaming machine having a belly door according to the invention will be described in detail by reference to the drawings.  
         [0048]    As shown in FIG. 1, a gaming machine  10  is constituted by attaching various components, such as a monitor, a control member, an electrical equipment box, and a power supply to the outside and inside of a portrait-oriented housing  12 . A door housing  20  is attached to a lower portion of a front face of the housing  12 . A belly door  14  is provided so as to constitute a portion of the door housing  20 . The belly door  14  is reclosably attached to the door housing  20  by a first hinge  16  provided at a lower side of the belly door  14 .  
         [0049]    A display panel  18  is attached to the front face of the belly door  14 . The display panel  18  is a rectangular plate member formed from a transparent material, such as glass or acryl.  
         [0050]    As shown in FIG. 2, a pair of bars  22  are disposed such that one bar  22  is attached to a side face of the belly door  14  and the other  22  is attached to an interior wall face of the door housing  20 . A steel wire  24  is fixed at one end to one bar  22  and at the other end to the other bar  22 , thus regulating an open angle of the belly door  14  to a range of 80° to 180°.  
         [0051]    Next, a back-lighting box  26  will be described by reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The back-lighting box  26  acting as a back-lighting member radiates illumination light onto the display panel  18 , thereby decorating a plate  36  having various information items drawn thereon. The plate  36  is a translucent flat plate, such as glass or plastic. As shown in FIG. 3, the back-lighting box  26  has a fluorescent lamp housing section comprising a fluorescent lamp serving as illumination equipment, a fluorescent lamp holder, and a reflector. A wire  28  extending from an unillustrated power supply disposed in the door housing  20  is connected to a fluorescent lamp of the back-lighting box  26 . Each of the back-lighting box  26  and the door housing  20  is equipped with an engage member  30  for engaging the back-lighting box  26  and the door housing  20  together. As shown in FIG. 3, the engage member  30  engages the back-lighting box  26  onto the door housing  20  while the back-lighting box  26  is open.  
         [0052]    The back-lighting box  26  is pivotably attached to the belly door  14  by a second hinge  32  provided on a side of the back-lighting box  26 . A side of the back-lighting box  26  opposing the side thereof provided with the second hinge  32  is fastened to the belly door  14  with screws  34 . The plate  36 , on which are described various information items such as the title of a gaming machine or descriptions of a game, and the display panel  18  are sandwiched between the back-lighting box  26  and the belly door  14 .  
         [0053]    Next, there will be described an operation for replacing the plate  36  which is sandwiched between the display panel  18  and the back-lighting box  26  and on which various information items about the gaming machine are written, by the belly door  14  of the gaming machine  10  according to the embodiment.  
         [0054]    First, the belly door  14  is opened. At this time, an open angle of the belly door  14  is regulated to a range of 80° to 180° by the wire  24  and the bars  22  stretched between the bars  22 . Next, the screws  34  that fasten the reflector  26  to the belly door  14  are removed. The back-lighting box  26  is raised toward the door housing  20  while the second hinge  32  is taken as a pivotal center. The back-lighting box  26  is engaged to the door housing  20  while being raised by the engage member  30 . Then, the plate  36 —which is placed on the display panel  18  and on which are written various information items pertaining to a gaming machine—is then replaced.  
         [0055]    As mentioned above, the back-lighting box  26  is pivoted toward the belly door  14  by the second hinge  32 . As a result, the plate  36  which is provided on the display panel  18  and has various information items about the gaming machine, without removal of the back-lighting box  26  from the belly door  14 . Therefore, workability of replacement and inspection operations can be improved.  
         [0056]    Further, there is obviated a necessity for removing the belly door  14  from the back-lighting box  26 . Hence, the wire  28  extending from the power supply does not need to be detached from the back-lighting box  26 . The belly door  14  and the door housing  20  are fixed by the wire  24  and the bars  22 . Hence, there is eliminated a complicated operation of a worker replacing the plate while manually retaining the belly door  14 .  
         [0057]    In the embodiment, there has been described an operation for replacing the plate  36  having various information items pertaining to a gaming machine drawn thereon. Even in the case of replacement or inspection of the display panel  18  or a fluorescent lamp contained in the back-lighting box  26 , there is required a substantially same operation. Hence, their explanations are omitted.  
         [0058]    In the embodiment, the open angle of the belly door  14  is regulated by the wire  24  and the pair of bars  22  connected to the wire  24 . A pair of hooks may be employed in place of the pair of bars  22  for extending the wire  24 . As shown in FIG. 4A, boss members  38  for regulating the open angle of the belly door  14  may be provided on the door housing  20  at a position of in the vicinity of the belly door  14  in place of the wire  24  and the bars  22 . Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4B, boss members  38 ′ for regulating the open angle of the belly door  14  may be disposed on an exterior face of the belly door  14  in place of the wire  24  and the bars  22 .  
         [0059]    An effect yielded by the wire  24 , the pair of hooks, and the boss members  38 ,  38 ′ is the same as that yielded by the wire  24  and the pair of bars  22 .  
         [0060]    As shown in FIGS. 1 through 4B, the first embodiment has described the belly door  14  in which the first hinge  16  is disposed along a lower side of the door housing  20  and in which the second hinge  32  which is provided along one side of the belly door  14  and in close proximity to the first hinge  16  pivotally supporting the belly door  14  and the back-lighting box  26 . As shown in FIGS. 5A through 5C, when the second hinge  32  is attached to the left side of the belly door  14  or when the second hinge  32  is attached to the right side of the belly door  14 , the back-lighting box  26  pivots with respect to the belly door  14  in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the belly door  14  is pivoted with reference to the door housing  20 . When the second hinge  32  is provided along a side opposing the side of the belly door  14  along which is disposed the first hinge  16 , the back-lighting box  26  is pivoted toward the belly door  14  in a direction parallel to the direction in which the belly door  14  is pivoted with respect to the door housing  20 . Those constituent elements and effects which are the same as those described in connection with the first embodiment are adopted and yielded by a belly door shown in FIGS. 5A through 5C, except that the engage member  30  is not provided.  
         [0061]    The first embodiment has described the belly door  14 , in which the first hinge  16  is provided along a lower side of the door housing  20 . Next, a belly door according to a second embodiment of the invention will be described by reference to FIGS. 6A through 6D. In relation to a belly door  44  of the second embodiment, the first hinge  16  is disposed along the left side of the door housing  20 . Accordingly, the belly door  44  is pivoted in a horizontal direction of the gaming machine  10 . From among constituent elements shown in FIGS. 6A through 6D, those which are substantially the same as the constituent elements employed in the first embodiment are assigned the same reference numerals, and their explanations are omitted.  
         [0062]    In the belly door  44  of the second embodiment, the first hinge  16  is provided along the left side of the door housing  20 . The belly door  44  is opened and closed in the horizontal direction of the gaming machine  10 . Hence, the belly door  44  of the second embodiment is substantially identical with that of the first embodiment, except that the wire  24  and the pair of bars  22 , which regulate an open angle of the belly door  44 , are unnecessary. FIGS. 6A through 6D illustrate the belly door  44  in which the first hinge  16  is provided along the left side of the door housing  20 . Specifically, the drawings show a case where the second hinge  32  is attached to a lower side of the belly door  44 ; a case where the second hinge  32  is attached to a right side of the same; a case where the second hinge  32  is attached to a left side of the same; and a case where the second hinge  32  is attached to an upper side of the same.  
         [0063]    As shown in FIG. 6D, when the first hinge  16  and the second hinge  32  are provided in parallel with and close to each other. In this case, the back-lighting box  26  and the door housing  20  are provided with the engage member  30  for engaging the back-lighting box  26  to the door housing  20 .  
         [0064]    The second embodiment has referred to the belly door  44  in which the first hinge  16  is attached to the left side of the door housing  20 . The constituent elements and effect employed in and yielded by the first embodiment can also be applied to the belly door in which the first hinge  16  is attached to the right side of the door housing  20 . The same also applies to a belly door in which the first hinge  16  is attached to an upper side of the door housing  20 .  
         [0065]    Although the invention has been illustrated and described by reference to specific preferred embodiments, it is evident for a person skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible to amendments or modifications, in view of the teaching of the invention. Further, as defined by the scope of the appended claims, such modifications and alterations evidently fall within the scope, range, or intention of the invention.