Patent Publication Number: US-8123609-B2

Title: Gaming machine

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-167696, filed on Jun. 4, 2004 in the Japanese Patent Office; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a gaming machine equipped with a display device in front of a variable display device that is capable of showing a plurality of symbols. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Heretofore, a gaming machine has been proposed which includes a variable display device (First Display Device) that is capable of showing a plurality of symbols, another display device (Second Display Device: Front Display Device) disposed in front of the variable display device, wherein the symbols on the first display device can be seen through the second display device together with the contents shown on the second display device, during the gaming. For instance, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-252394 discloses a gaming machine that includes a reel display device and a front display device, which is comprised of a transmission type liquid crystal display device or a transmission EL panel. The gaming machine further includes an illumination device disposed on the front display device at a rear side thereof for illuminating the front display device, and a semi-transmission reflection plate. A light, emitted from the illumination device and reflected at the semi-transmission reflection plate, reaches to an area in front of the front display device to be viewable by a player. 
     With the gaming machine set forth above, the semi-transmission reflection plate has an area, through which the reel display device can be viewed from a front side of the front display device. Therefore, a portion of the light, emitted from the illumination device, forms a leaked light that transmits through the semi-transmission reflection plate to reach outer peripheries of reels of the reel display device whereby reflections, resulting from the leaked light, appear on the outer peripheries of the reels. For this reason, when viewing the outer peripheries of the reels from the front side of the front display device, such reflections become cumbersome with the resultant issue of a difficulty in viewing the symbols. 
     In recent years, with the gaming machine of such a type, for increasing a diversity and freedom on effects, it is frequently probable for the front display device to execute the effects of gaming, and the front display device getting play an important role in these days. Further, there is a request for the front display to be largely sized. However, in order for a screen size of the front display device to be largely sized, a need arises for an intensity of a light, emitted from the illumination device, to be increased so as to increase the light intensity arriving at the front area and, when attempting to increase the screen size, the above-described reflections result in a further marked issue. 
     SUMMARY OF INFORMATION 
     Thus, the present invention has been completed to address the above issue and has an object to provide a gaming machine in which second display device is disposed in front of a variable display device (first display device), which is able to show a various symbols, to allow displays of both the display devices to be viewable in an overlapped relationship during a gaming and wherein reflections of lights on outer peripheries of reel are minimized to provide the ease of viewing the symbols on the variable display device. 
     To address the above issue, there is provided a gaming machine comprising: a variable display device variably displaying a plurality of symbols; and a display device disposed in front of the variable display device and having transmission areas for transmitting a surface reflection light reflected at a surface of the variable display device, wherein the variable display device includes a rotary body on which the plurality of symbols are provided and is subjected to surface treatment available to suppress a luster. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an overall structure of a slot machine of a first embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view showing a lower display of the slot machine shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a view showing structures of reels. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing one of the reels shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing a schematic structure of a liquid crystal display device as viewed from a rear side of a cabinet of the slot machine of a first embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view showing a portion of the liquid crystal display device. 
         FIG. 7  is a block diagram for illustrating an internal structure of the slot machine. 
         FIG. 8  is a block diagram showing an image control circuit. 
         FIG. 9  is a flowchart showing an operational sequence of main operations between a start and end of the slot machine. 
         FIG. 10  is a side view showing the reel. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing a portion of a reel sheet. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view illustrating a schematic structure of another liquid crystal display device as viewed at the rear side of a cabinet of a slot machine of a second embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention is described. Also, the same component parts bear like reference numerals to omit redundant description. 
     The presently filed embodiment will be described below with reference to a case wherein the present invention is applied to a slot machine  1  with a variable display device that is able to show a various symbols. 
     (Overall Structure of Slot Machine) 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , the slot machine  1  is comprised of a variable display device serving (a first display device) for showing a plurality of symbols, and an image display device (a second display device) disposed in front of the variable display device. The slot machine  1  is configured to enable a slot game using the plurality of symbols that are variably displayed. 
     The slot machine  1  includes an upper display  4  and a lower display  5  that are placed in front of a cabinet  2 , respectively. The lower display  5  is disposed in a substantially central area between a top and a bottom of the cabinet  2 . Disposed in an inside of the cabinet  2  in association with the lower display  5  are three mechanical reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R that rotatably provided along the left side through the right side of the cabinet  2 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the symbols displayed on the respective reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R are enabled to be viewable from an outside through symbol display areas  21 L,  21 C,  21 R, which is described below, of the lower display  5 . The respective reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R, which serve as the variable display devices and will be described below, are configured such that rotating the respective reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R allow the viewable symbols to be variably displayed through the associated symbol display areas  21 L,  21 C,  21 R. Also, the respective reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R rotate at respective fixed speeds (for instance, 80 rpm). 
     A horizontally extending payline (straight line) L 1  is disposed so that the payline across the symbol display areas  21 L,  21 C,  21 R, respectively. Also, another straight paylines may be disposed in upper and lower areas of the payline L 1 , respectively, and two oblique paylines may be further disposed. When providing the plural paylines, it may be structured such that the number of paylines to be activated varies depending on the amount of inserted coins. That is, the respective paylines are configured to be activated depending on the number of inserted coins and operations of BET switches  9 ,  10 , respectively. The payline, which is made effective, is referred to as an activated-line. Meanwhile, although only tree symbols (“Cherry”, “Bar”, “Joker”) are shown on one payline L 1  in  FIG. 2 , nine symbols can be shown in  21 L,  21 C,  21 R. 
     Further, the slot machine  1  is provided with a substantially horizontal base portion  11  in a lower area of the lower display  5 . Provided on the base portion  11  are a coin insertion slot  6 , a bill insertion slot  7 , a spin switch  8 , a 1-BET switch  9  and a maximum BET switch  10 . 
     The coin insertion slot  6 , provided for a player to insert a coin for using a game, has an inserted-coin sensor  6   a  (see  FIG. 7 ) that outputs a signal indicative of coins being inserted. Further, the bill insertion slot  7 , provided for the player to insert a bill, has an inserted-bill sensor  7   a  (see  FIG. 7 ) that outputs a signal indicating of a bill being inserted. By pushing down the spin switch  8 , the reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R are started to rotate whereby a plurality of the symbols can be seen in the symbol displaying areas  21 L,  2 C,  21 R. The 1-BET switch  9  is provided for setting a command to allow one coin to be used for one game. The maximum BET switch  10  is provided for setting a command to allow the maximum number of coins to be wagered for one game. 
     Further, with the slot machine  1 , the cabinet  2  has a bottom portion provided with a coin payout opening  13  and a coin receiving portion  14  configured to receive paid-out coins. In addition, speakers  12 L,  12 R are provided on both sides of the coin payout opening  13 . 
     (Description about Display Devices) 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the lower display  5  is comprised of the symbol display areas  21 L,  21 C,  21 R, window frame areas  22 L,  22 C,  22 R, and an effect display area  5   a . The contents shown on the lower display  5  is changed depend on the combination of the symbols, the state of a stop mode, and a working mode of a liquid display device that will be described below. Also, although the lower display  5  is provided with other component parts such as a BET number display portion  16 , a payout display portion  18  and a credit display portion  19 , these component parts are omitted from  FIG. 2 . 
     The upper display  4  has a liquid crystal display device  101  and is configured to show various contents by the liquid crystal display device  101 . 
     The symbol display areas  21 L,  21 C,  21 R are provided in positions associated with the respective reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R of the lower display  5  and serves as areas available for the symbols on the respective reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R, to be viewable. With the symbol display areas  21 L,  21 C,  21 R, the player is able to see the reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R and the symbols, respectively. 
     The window frame areas  22 L,  22 C,  22 R are formed so that surround the associated symbol display areas  21 L,  21 C,  21 R, respectively, and serve as display windows for the symbols on the respective reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R. 
     Further, the effect display area  5   a  is adapted to show various visual effects to enhance an entertaining and provide useful information about the game to the player. 
     The upper display  4  is adapted to show a various visual effect based on the operation mode of the liquid crystal display device  101  which will be described below. 
     (Structures of Reels and LEDs) 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R is rotatably mounted one by one from left to right to be rotatably mounted, respectively, and have identical structures. Hereunder, the reel  3 L is described as an example. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the reel  3 L includes a cylindrical frame that is comprised of a pair of annular frames  25 ,  26 , formed in an identical structure, which are connected to each other by means of a plurality of connecting members  27 . The reel  3 L further includes a spoke  28 , by which a driving force generated by a stepping motor M 1 , located at a central area of the cylindrical frames  25 ,  26 , is transferred to the annular frames  25 ,  26 , and a strip-shaped translucent reel sheet  23 , shown in  FIG. 11 , is attached onto outer peripheries of the annular frames  25 ,  26  to cover the spokes  27 . Thus, a rotor R is comprised of the annular frames  25 ,  26 , the connecting members  27  and the spoke  28 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 11 , a plurality of symbols, such as symbols  23   a ,  23   b ,  23   c , are provided on the reel sheet  23 . The reel sheet  23  is subjected to surface treatment available to suppress the glazing upon permitting a reflected light to be substantially and uniformly diffused in all directions so as not to cause the reflected light to have directional characteristics. Examples of a process for executing surface treatment may include matte (delustering) processing work and embossing work by which a surface is formed with a convexo-concave pattern or embossed pattern. 
     Further, the reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R include circuit boards  24 , each for accommodating the LEDs  29 , which are disposed in areas rearward of the symbols in a matrix of three pieces in a vertical row and three pieces in a horizontal row (with a sum of nine pieces) to appear in the symbol display areas  21 L,  21 C,  21 R when the rotations of the reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R stop. Each circuit board  24  has three LED receiving portions, juxtaposed along a direction in which each of the reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R rotates, in each of which a plurality of LEDs  29  are arranged in a matrix pattern as shown in  FIG. 4 . For the reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R shown in  FIG. 3 , the LED receiving portions are illustrated in three rows and the receiving portions bear reference symbols Z 1 , Z 2 , Z 3 , reference symbols Z 4 , Z 5 , Z 6  and reference symbols Z 7 , Z 8 , Z 9  for a top row, a central row and a bottom row, respectively, in such an order from the left side. Thus, the respective LEDs serve as a light emitting device by which white lights are irradiated onto the reel sheets  23 , respectively, mounted to the reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R on the outer peripheries thereof, at respective rear sides. The white lights, irradiated from the LEDs  29 , transmit through the reel sheets  23  to arrive at front areas (in front of the player) to be illuminated onto the liquid crystal display device  41 . 
     Furthermore, a sheet member  200 , formed with a plurality of convex-lens-like protrusions (omitted in  FIG. 10 ), is attached to a surface of the reel sheet  23  as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
     (Description of Image Display) 
     Next, the liquid crystal display device  41 , forming the lower display  5 , is described with reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
     The liquid crystal display device  41  is located in front (on a side closer to the player) of the reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R with a given distance therefrom, thereby forming an image display device. 
     The liquid crystal display device  41  is comprised of a protector glass  42 , a display plate  43 , a liquid crystal panel  44  and a light guide plate  45  and, a reflector film (reflecting member)  46 , cold cathode tubes (first light source)  47   a ,  47   b  disposed substantially directly below (directly above) the light guide plate  45  to serve as white light sources, lamp holders  49   a ,  49   b ,  49   g ,  49   h , and a flexible circuit substrate (not shown) connected to terminal portions of the liquid crystal panel  44  and including a table carrier package (TCP) on which a driver IC (not shown) for the liquid crystal panel  44  is mounted. 
     The protector glass  42  and the display plate  43  have a translucency. The protector glass  42  is provided mainly for protecting the liquid crystal display panel  44 . A predetermined image is provided on the display panel  43 . 
     The liquid crystal panel  44  is constructed of first transparent substrate plate, such as a glass plate formed with a thin film transistor, and second transparent substrate plate opposed to the first transparent substrate plate, and liquid crystal is sealed between the first and second transparent substrate plate. The liquid crystal panel  44  further includes light transmission areas  44 L,  44 C and  44 R, of the present invention, formed in compliance with the symbol display areas  21 L,  21 C,  21 R to transmit a light from a rear surface. The liquid crystal panel  44  is configured to have a normally white mode, i.e., a light from the back side thereof is able to transmit towards the front side thereof so that the player can see the reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R, at the null voltage state. That is, by using such liquid crystal panel  44 , the symbols on the respective reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R can be viewable through the symbol display areas  21 L,  21 C,  21 R to enable the player to perform a game even if the sealed liquid crystal cannot be driven. Meanwhile, the light transmission areas  44 L,  44 C,  44 R are may be comprised of an opening, respectively. 
     The light guide plate  45  has a translucency and is disposed on a rear side of the liquid crystal panel  44  to guide a light emitted from the cold cathode tubes  47   a ,  47   b  to the liquid crystal panel  44 . 
     The light guide plate  45  is formed of a translucent member, such as an acrylic resin having a light guide property, with a thickness of approximately 2.0 cm. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the light guide plate  45  is formed with transmission openings  45 L,  45 C,  45 R associated with the light transmission areas  44 L,  44 C,  44 R. Further, the light guide plate  45  has a rear side formed with an optical deflection pattern (not shown) and the light transmission openings  45 L,  45 C,  45 R have inner end surfaces  45 LX,  45 CX,  45 RX subjected to light scattering treatment (such as, for instance, a processing to cause a surface to have a refined coarse surface using blast treatment and sand paper). Upon executing the light scattering treatment, if a light is irradiated onto the inner end surfaces  45 LX,  45 CX,  45 RX, the incoming light is scattered such that a player is able to view like the inner end surfaces  45 LX,  45 CX,  45 RX are emitting a light. Also, since this light is also irradiated to the respective reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R, the light is able to serve as an illumination to illuminate the reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R. Meanwhile, the player sees the symbols on the respective reel  3 L,  3 C,  3 R along a direction indicated by an arrow “F” in  FIG. 6 . 
     A reflection film  46  is provided for reflecting the light, guided to the light guide plate  45 , to a front surface of the light plate  45  and made of a white colored polyester film and an aluminum thin film coated with an evaporated silver film. The reflection film  46  includes a reflection area  46 A and non-reflection areas  46 BL,  46 BC,  46 BR. The non-reflection areas  46 BL,  46 BC,  46 BR are made of transparent material and perform as a light transmission portion by which an incident light, incoming from the front side, is transmitted without reflection. Further, the non-reflection areas  46 BL,  46 BC,  46 BR are formed in positions associated with the transmission areas  44 L,  44 C,  44 R and placed in front of the symbols in vertical three pieces appearing when the reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R come to a halt. The reflection area  46 A serves to reflects the incident light incoming from the front side and serves as an illumination unit for areas mainly associated with the window frame areas  22 L,  22 C,  22 R and the effect display areas  5   a  among the areas of the liquid crystal panel  44 . 
     The cold cathode tubes  47   a ,  47   b  are located at an upper end and lower end area of the light guide plate  45 , respectively, in group of three pieces (a total of 6 pieces) and have both ends supported by lamp holders  49   a ,  49   b ,  49   g ,  49   h , respectively, (with the cold cathode tubes  47   a ,  47   b  being shown in one piece, respectively, in  FIG. 5  for the sake of convenience). The cold cathode tubes  47   a ,  47   b  emit lights to be guided to the light guide plate  45  and serve as an illumination unit for the areas associated with the window frame areas  22 L,  22 C,  22 R and the effect display areas  5   a  and emit the lights to the rear side via the transmission openings  45 L,  45 C,  45 R. 
     With the slot machine  1 , for the purpose of enabling the lights, emitted from the cold cathode tubes  47   a ,  47   b , to reach the front side of the liquid crystal display device  41 , the cold cathode tubes  47   a ,  47   b  are disposed in group of three pieces on the upper and lower areas of the guide plate  45 , respectively, to increase light intensities of the lights to be guided to the light guide plate  45 . However, in cases where single pieces of the cold cathode tubes  47   a ,  47   b  are able to allow the lights to surely reach the front side of the liquid crystal display device  41 , the number of the cold cathode tubes  47   a ,  47   b  may be less than three pieces and in case where the light intensity per one piece has a less value, a larger number of cold cathode tubes  47   a ,  47   b  than three pieces may be preferably employed. 
     Further, the cold cathode tubes  47   a ,  47   b  are disposed in lamp cover  48   a ,  48   b  with insides formed with curved reflecting surfaces, respectively. The presence of the lamp cover  48   a ,  48   b  allows the lights, emitted from the cold cathode tubes  47   a ,  47   b  toward an outside of the light guide plate  45 , to be guided to the light guide plate  45  without emitting to the outside. 
     The liquid crystal display device  101  differs from the liquid crystal display device  41  in that the liquid crystal display device  101  does not include the non-reflection areas  46 BL,  46 BC,  46 BR and the transmission areas  44 L,  44 C,  44 R, a touch panel  56 , which is described below, is not disposed on the front side and the reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R are located on the rear side. And the other structures of the liquid crystal display  101  are similar to those of the liquid crystal display device  41 . 
     (Internal Structure of Slot Machine) 
     With reference to  FIG. 7 , the slot machine  1  is comprised of a control circuit board  71  including a microcomputer  31 , a random number generator  35 , a sampling circuit  36 , a clock pulse generator  37  and a frequency divider  38 , a hopper drive circuit  63 , a payout complete signal circuit  65 , a display driver circuit  67 , a sound source  78 , a power amplifier  79 , an image control circuit and a light emitting driving circuit  91 . 
     The microcomputer  31  includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit)  32 , a RAM (Random Access Memory)  33  and a ROM (Read Only Memory)  34 . The CPU  32  operates in accordance with programs stored in the ROM  34  while sending signals with the other component parts for thereby achieving control operations of the slot machine  1  as a whole. The RAM  33  stores therein data and programs, to be used for the CPU  32  to operate, which includes, for instance, random numbers subjected to sampling by the sampling circuit  36  (described below) and temporarily stored after a game has been started, code numbers of the reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R and symbol numbers. Also, the ROM  34  stores therein programs to be executed by the CPU  32 , and lasting data. 
     The random number generator  35  operates in accordance with a command from the CPU  32  to generate random numbers within a certain definite range. The sampling circuit  36  responds to the command from the CPU  32  to extract an arbitrary random number from among the random numbers generated by the random number generator  35 , thereafter the extracted random number is inputted to the CPU  32 . The clock pulse generator  37  generates reference clock pulses, for operating the CPU  32 , which are divided by the frequency divider  38  at a fixed frequency to provide a signal that is inputted to the CPU  32 . 
     Further, connected to the control circuit board  71  is a reel drive circuit  50 . The reel drive circuit  50  is comprised of a reel position detecting circuit  51  that detects respective positions of the reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R, and a motor driving circuit  52  from which drive signals are applied to motors M 1 , M 2 , M 3  by which the reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R are rotated, respectively. Upon receipt of the drive signals delivered from the motor driving circuit  52 , the motors M 1 , M 2 , M 3  are operated thereby rotating the reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R. In addition, a spin switch  8 , a 1-BET switch  9 , a maximum BET switch  10 , an inserted coin sensor  6   a  and an inserted bill sensor  7   a  are connected to the control circuit board  71  to receive signals therefrom, respectively. 
     The hopper drive circuit  63  drives a hopper  64  in accordance with the control of the CPU  32  to allow the hopper  64  to execute payout operation such that the coins are paid out from a payout opening  13 . The payout complete signal circuit  65  is applied with coin count data from the associated coin detector  66  and when a coin count value reaches a preset coin count value, the payout completion signal circuit  65  applies the CPU  32  with a signal giving notification that the payout of coins has been completed. The coin detector  66  measures a number of coins paid out through the hopper  64 , with measured coin count data being inputted to the payout complete signal circuit  65 . The display driver circuit  67  inputs data to the payout completion signal circuit  65 . The display driver circuit  67  controls display operations of respective display devices (a BET number display device  16 , a payout display device  18  and a credit display device  19 ). 
     Further, upon the sound source  78  receives a command from the CPU  32 , the sound source  78  produces a sound control signal with a sound effect to control the speaker  12 L,  12 R to outputs the sound effect. That is, upon receipt of the sound control signal with the sound effect from the sound source  78 , the power amplifier  79  amplifies the sound effect so that the sound effect is produced from the speakers  12 L,  12 R. By these configurations, various sound effects stored in the sound source are able to output from the speakers  12 L,  12 R, and with such sound effects with the visual effects, a various sound-visual rich game can be obtained. 
     Furthermore, connected to the CPU  32  is a touch panel  56 . The touch panel  56  is provided to cover a surface of the protection glass  42  in front of the lower display  5 . 
     The image control circuit  81  controls the liquid crystal display devices  41 ,  101 , respectively. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the image control circuit  81  is comprised of an image control CPU  81   a , a working memory (RAM)  81   b , a program ROM  81   c , an image ROM  81   d , a video RAM  81   e  and a VDP (Video Display Processor)  81   f . The image control CPU  81   a  determines images in accordance with an image control program, which is preliminarily stored in the program ROM  81   c , for display on the liquid crystal display devices  41 ,  101  based on parameters preset in the microcomputer  31 . Meanwhile, the image control program is provided for liquid crystal display devices  41 ,  101 , respectively. The working memory  81   b  is configured as a temporary storage device that is operative when the image control program is executed by the image control CPU  81   a.    
     The program ROM  81   c  stores the image control program and a variety of selection tables. The image ROM  81   d  stores dot data by which the images are formed. The video RAM  81   e  is configured as a temporary storage device that is operative when the image is generated by the VDP  81   f . The VDP  81   f  has a control RAM  81   g  that produces images depending on display contents of the respective liquid crystal display devices  41 ,  101  determined by the image control CPU  81   a , with the respective images being outputted to the liquid crystal display devices  41 ,  101  for display. 
     The light emitting driving circuit  91  outputs drive signals depending on commands from the CPU  32  to turn on the LED  29  and the cathode ray tubes  47   a ,  47   b  for emitting lights. 
     (Operational of Slot Machine) 
     Next, operations of the slot machine  1  with such a structure are described with reference to a flowchart shown in  FIG. 9 . The slot machine  1 , of the presently filed embodiment, is configured to execute a normal gaming state and a special gaming state. With the normal gaming state, a normal game is played and when the gaming state is shifted to the special gaming state, a bonus game is executed with an advantage for the player. 
       FIG. 9  shows a basic operational sequence in parts of main operations to be executed by the slot machine  1  during a period between a start and end of the game. Also, in the  FIG. 9 , a “step” is abbreviated as “S”. 
     With the main operation started as shown in  FIG. 9 , in starting a game, the slot machine  1  performs a start accepting process (step  1 ) controlled by the CPU  32  and thereafter a sampling process is executed (step  2 ). Next, in step  3 , normal gaming process is executed with the gaming state remaining in the normal gaming state in step  3  upon which the process proceeds to step  4 . In step  4 , upon receipt of a result of the sampling process in step  2 , the CPU  32  discriminates whether or not a gaming state change condition is established for the operation to be shifted to the bonus game. Here, if the gaming state change is established, the process goes to step  5  and if not, the main process is completed. As the process goes to step  5 , the CPU  32  shifts the gaming state to the spatial gaming state by which the bonus game is implemented. Thereafter, the main process is terminated. 
     With the structure of the slot machine  1  configured in such a manner described above, the light emitting driving circuit  91  turns on the cathode ray tubes  47   a ,  47   b  in accordance with the command from the CPU  32  in a series of processes described above. Then, lights emitted from the cathode ray tubes  47   a ,  47   b  are guided to the light guide plate  45  upon which a portion of the lights is directed toward the rear side through the light guide plate  45  to form leaked lights that transmit through the non-reflection areas  46 BL,  46 BC,  46 BR (whereas the lights arrived at the reflection area  46   a  is emitted to the front area). In this moment, since the light guide plate  45  has the transmission openings  45 L,  45 C,  45 R, the lights pass through the transmission openings  45 L,  45 C,  45 R into the rear side. Originally, while the cathode ray tubes  47   a ,  47   b  produce the lights for mainly illuminating the liquid crystal panel  44  at the front side thereof, the presence of the reflection film  46 , placed on the rear side, which is formed with the non-reflection areas  46 BL,  46 BC,  46 BR allows the portion of the lights to pass through the transmission openings  45 L,  45 C,  45 R with the resultant creation of leaked lights. 
     Then, the leaked lights arrive at peripheries of the respective reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R upon which the leaked lights are reflected back on the reel sheets  23 , thereby forming a surface reflection light. The surface reflection light sequentially transmits through the non-reflection areas  46 BL,  46 BC,  46 BR on the rear side and pass through the transmission openings  45 L,  45 C,  45 R, the transmission areas  44 L,  44 C,  44 R of the liquid crystal display panel  44 , the display panel  43  and the protection glass  42  to be incident onto the front side of the liquid crystal display device  41 . In such a way, the surface reflection light is made visible for the player and, hence, the player is enabled to view the symbols provided on the outer peripheries of the respective reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R. 
     In such a case, with the slot machine  1 , since the reel sheets  23 , adhered onto the outer peripheries of the respective reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R, are subjected to surface treatments available to have controlled luster, the surface reflected lights, reflected on the surfaces of the reel sheets  23 , are reflected in all directions in a substantially equalized fashion, causing reduction in intensity of the lights emitted to the front side. Therefore, even if the surface reflected lights are viewed by the player at a position in front of the liquid crystal device  41 , adverse affect resulting from the lights emitted from the cathode ray tubes  47   a ,  47   b  are alleviated and the reflection of lights in the eyes of the player become unnoticed. Accordingly, even in the presence of the reflection of the leaked lights caused by the lights emitted from the cathode ray tubes  47   a ,  47   b , no light is cumbersome for the player to view the symbols, providing the ease of viewing the symbols. 
     Also, since the slot machine  1  has the respective reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R inwardly provided with LEDs  29  and the reel sheets  23  has translucency, the presence of light emitted from the LEDs  29  transmits through the reel sheet  23  to reach the front side thereof to be viewed by the player. Therefore, upon lighting up of the LEDs  29 , the symbols are illuminated in a lighted-up state, thereby providing a further ease of viewing capability of the symbols. 
     In such configuration, since the slot machine  1  is configured to allow the symbols on respective reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R to be clearly viewable, the symbols also can be clearly viewable when the visual contents are displayed on the liquid crystal display device  41 . By shown both symbols on the reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R and the visual contents on the liquid crystal display device  41 , a visual rich game can be obtained. 
     Further, sheet members  200  are adhered onto the outer peripheries of the respective reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R and each of the sheet members  200  is formed with a plurality of convex lens-shaped protrusions. Therefore, when the LEDs  29  are lighted up, the player is enabled to view the symbols in three dimensions. Also, an example of this kind of sheet member may include a decoration sheet, disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-39583, in which patterns, developed in three dimensions, vary. 
     Also, while the presently filed embodiment has been described with reference to an exemplary structure of the slot machine  1  having the mechanical type reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R, of course, the present invention may have another application such as a pachi-slot machine (a Japanese slot-machine) having the mechanical type reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R. 
     Further, although the slot machine  1  is provided with the liquid crystal display device  41 , a transparent EL panel may be employed in place of the liquid crystal display device  41 . The transparent EL panel per se emits a light and, so, the use of such a transparent EL panel enables reduction in a light intensity of a light source to be located on the rear side of the liquid crystal display device  41 . 
     Moreover, the slot machine  1  may have a structure (multi-layered structure) wherein another liquid crystal display device is positioned between the front side of the liquid crystal display device, set forth above, and a transparent acrylic plate to allow the two liquid crystal display devices to be disposed in a multi-layered configuration in a direction along a viewing direction of the payer. With such a multi-layered structure, the lower display  5  is enabled to provide a display of an image with a perspective in a three-dimensional appearance. 
     Also, although the slot machine  1  has been described with reference to a structure wherein the respective three reels are juxtaposed along a row in a horizontal direction, the number of reels is not limited to three. For instance, five or nine reels may be employed. 
     Although the slot machine  1  is the gaming machine of the coin insertion type that needs the coins to be inserted for a start of the game, the present invention may be applicable to a gaming machine that needs the use of credit such as the coins for the start of the game or the use of pecuniary information stored in a prepaid card. 
     (Second Embodiment) 
     The liquid crystal display device (image display device), conformed to the present invention, may be configured in structure as shown in  FIG. 12 . The liquid crystal display device  411  takes the form of a structure that includes cathode ray tubes (second light source)  148   a ,  148   b  and a light guide plate  451  of the presently filed embodiment differs from the above-described light guide plate  45  in that no transmission openings  45 L,  45 C,  45 R are provided (single pieces of cathode ray tubes (first light source)  47   a ,  47   b  are provided). 
     The cathode ray tubes (second light source)  148   a ,  148   b  are located in upper and lower areas on the rear side of the reflection film  46  and held by lamp holders  49   c ,  49   d ,  49   e ,  49   f  to emit lights toward the respective reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R to illuminate the lights onto the respective reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R at outer sides thereof. The lights, emitted from the cathode ray tubes  148   a ,  148   b , reflect at the surfaces of the respective reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R and are incident on the non-reflection areas  46 BL,  46 BC,  46 BR to cause the lights to reach the liquid crystal panel  44 . Thus, the cathode ray tubes  148   a ,  148   b  illuminate the lights onto the symbols on the reel sheets located on the respective reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R so as to illuminate the lights onto the non-reflection areas  46 BL,  46 BC,  46 BR. 
     In case of the liquid crystal display device  411 , the lights emitted from the cathode ray tubes  148   a ,  148   b  are illuminated onto the respective reels  3 L,  3 C,  3 R but the reflected lights are reduced. 
     As set forth above, according to the present invention, with the gaming machine equipped with the display device disposed in front of the variable display device that variably display the symbols, no light reflected onto the reel outer peripheries is present and the symbols can be easily viewable in the variable display device.