DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0046] Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0047] FIG. 1 shows an illumination unit according to a first embodiment of the invention. The illumination unit has a transparent frame member 10 placed in the rear side of a symbol display window (not shown) of a slot machine and in front of a plurality of reels 14 each with a plurality of symbols provided on the peripheral surface.

[0048] The transparent frame member 10 has a front face 10 a and a rear face 10 b as main faces and side end faces 10 c connecting them. It is formed with through holes 10 d as many as the number of the reels so as to penetrate the frame member 10 from the front face 10 a to the rear face 10 b . The through holes 10 d are positioned in the front side of the reels 14 , as shown in FIG. 2 .

[0049] The size of a front face 10 a side opening of each through hole 10 d is formed larger than that of a rear face 10 b side opening, whereby an inner end face 10 e of each through hole 10 d connecting both the openings is a slope widening toward the front face 10 a , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 . The surface of each inner end face 10 e is a light scatter face like frosted glass.

[0050] Light 15 emitted from a light source 11 is incident on the side end faces 10 e of the transparent frame member 10 and propagates inside the frame member 10 . At this time, each end face 10 e formed as the light scatter face behaves as an exit of the propagating light (light director). A part of the incidence light 15 goes directly toward the light director 10 e as indicated by the solid line in FIG. 2 and another part goes toward the light director 10 e while it is totally reflected on the inner face of the frame member, as indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 2 . The player situated in front of the display window visually recognizes only the emitted light from the light directors 10 e and sees as each reel is surrounded by a light frame.

[0051] The inclination angle of the light director 10 e can be set appropriately in the range in which it can guide the incidence light 15 to the outside of the display window.

[0052] As the light source 11 , various known light sources of a LED, a fluorescent lamp, etc., can be adopted. The light source 11 may be a single-color light source for emitting a predetermined color (or a combination of a white color source and a filter for providing a predetermined color), but preferably an RGB light source unit that can emit red light, green light, and blue right at the same time and enables the emitted light strength to be adjusted appropriately. The light amount ratio of red, green, and blue of the primary colors of light is set appropriately, whereby light of any desired color can be provided For example, a light condenser for condensing emitted light of each color and making the light incident on the side end face 10 c of the frame member 10 can be combined with a light source unit having LEDs or fluorescent lamps of the primary colors.

[0053] When each color light incident from the side end face 10 c propagates inside the frame member 10 and is emitted from the light director 10 e , the colors can be mixed by the effect of the light scatter faces to provide any desired color.

[0054] A controller 12 controls the color of light emitted from the light source 11 and the operation of lighting, blinking, flashing, etc., in response to the situation of game activation, normal gaming, transition to a bonus game, etc. For example, at the transition time to a bonus game, the light amount ratio of red, green, and blue making up the light illuminating the surroundings of the reels at the normal game time is changed to another light amount ratio for changing the color and way of illumination is performed, whereby the stage effects responsive to the situation change of the game can be produced.

[0055] Thus, according to the embodiment, the colorful illumination stage effects for the reels of the slot machine can be provided by a very inexpensive configuration.

[0056] A second embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 3 . In the first embodiment, the inner end face 10 e of the through hole 10 d forming the light director is a slope having a straight coss-sectional shape. However, in a frame member 20 in the second embodiment, a slope 20 e having a curved cross-sectional shape is adopted as the inner end face 10 e . The curvature radius of the cross section can be set appropriately in the range in which it can direct incidence light from a light source to the outside of a display window. According to the configuration, if a comparatively inexpensive light source is used, uniform illumination can also be provided.

[0057] A third embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 4 . In the embodiment, a plurality of light sources 31 , 32 , and 33 are provided for a single frame member 30 and are totally controlled by a controller 34 . The light sources 31 , 32 , and 33 may be implemented as a plurality of single-color light sources or a plurality of RGB light source units.

[0058] The principle and the configuration to provide illumination for the surrounding portions of reels are the same as those previously described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 in the first embodiment and therefore will not be discussed again in detail. The controller 34 operates at least one light source in response to the game state. For example, if each light source is implemented as a single-color light source, colors of light from the plurality of light sources are mixed in the frame member 30 , so that the colorful illumination stage effects responsive to the game state can be provided. Since the controller 34 only switches the light sources to be operated, a simpler configuration can be adopted.

[0059] Of course, the light sources 31 , 32 , and 33 may be implemented as RGB light source units and the controller 34 may be made to appropriately set the RGB light amount ratio responsive to the game state. In this configuration, more colorful illumination stage effects can be provided.

[0060] The configuration in the embodiment can be applied to the frame member 20 in the second embodiment previously described with reference to FIG. 3 .

[0061] A fourth embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 5 . In the embodiment, frame members 40 , 41 , and 42 are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of reels of a slot machine. The configuration of through holes made in the frame members is the same as that previously described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 in the first embodiment and therefore will not be discussed again. The shape of the through hole previously described with reference to FIG. 3 in the second embodiment can be applied.

[0062] Light sources 44 , 45 , and 46 are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the frame members 40 , 41 , and 42 . The configuration of the light source is the same as that in the above-described embodiment and therefore will not be discussed again. A controller 43 can totally control the operation of each light source and the color of emitted light in response to the game state. In the fourth embodiment, the frame members 40 , 41 , and 42 are spaced from each other as separate members. However, for example, an opaque spacer can also be inserted between the frame members without placing the space therebetween.

[0063] According to the configuration, the illumination color and state of the surrounding portion of each reel can be changed for each reel, and more colorful illumination stage effects than those in the above-described embodiment can be provided.

[0064] A fifth embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6 . In the fourth embodiment, the light sources are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the frame members provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the reels. However, as in the fifth embodiment, a plurality of light sources 51 , 52 , and 53 may be provided for each frame member 50 and may be totally controlled by a controller 54 . The operation principle is substantially the same as that previously described with reference to FIG. 4 in the third embodiment and therefore will not be discussed again.

[0065] In the above-described embodiment, through holes penetrating the frame member from the front face to the rear face are made and the end face forming a part of the through hole is uses as the light director. However, the light director can be provided without making the through hole as in a sixth embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 .

[0066] In the sixth embodiment, a frame member 60 is formed on a rear face 60 b with a groove 60 e of a predetermined depth matching the shape of the surrounding portion of a reel. Light 65 from a light source 61 , incident on a side end face 60 c is reflected on the bottom of the groove 60 e serving as a light scatter face, as shown in FIG. 8 , is emitted from a front face 60 a , and is visually recognized by the player positioned in front of a display window. The player sees as each reel is surrounded by a light frame.

[0067] The cross-sectional shape of the groove 60 e can be set appropriately in the range so as to direct the incidence light 65 to the outside of the display window.

[0068] In the embodiment, the groove 60 e as the light director is formed so that one reel corresponds to one frame member 60 . However, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 in the first embodiment and the third embodiment, one frame member may be formed with a plurality of light directors so as to correspond to a plurality of reels.

[0069] In the sixth embodiment, one light source corresponds to one frame member. However, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 in the third embodiment and the fifth embodiment, a plurality of light sources may be provided for a single frame member.

[0070] A seventh embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 9 . In the embodiment, a first frame member 70 having a first through hole 70 d formed with a first light director 70 e , a second frame member 71 having a second through hole 71 d formed with a second light director 71 e , and a third frame member 72 having a third through hole 72 d formed with a third light director 72 e are laminated. The shape of each light director is the same as that previously described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 in the first embodiment and therefore will not be discussed again in detail.

[0071] Light sources 73 , 74 , and 75 are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the frame members 70 , 71 , 72 and are totally controlled by a controller 76 . Light from the light source 73 , 74 , 75 , incident on an end face 70 c , 71 c , 72 c of each frame member propagates inside each frame member, arrives at the light director 70 e , 71 e , 72 e , and Is directed to the outside of a display window as emitted light. The player positioned in front of the display window sees as a light frame of the color provided by mixing the colors of the emitted light surrounds each reel.

[0072] The controller 76 changes the operation state of each light source and the color of the emitted light in response to the game state, whereby colorful illumination stage effects similar to those in the above-described embodiment can be provided.

[0073] The shape of the light director can also be replaced with that previously described with reference to FIG. 3 in the second embodiment or FIG. 7 in the sixth embodiment.

[0074] Each frame member may be formed with through holes as many as the number of the reels, as previously described with reference to FIG. 1 in the first embodiment.

[0075] A plurality of light sources may be provided for each frame member as previously described with reference to FIG. 4 in the third embodiment.

[0076] An eighth embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 . The basic configuration in the embodiment is substantially the same as that previously described with reference to FIG. 9 in the seventh embodiment. The shapes and positions of light directors 80 e , 81 e , 82 e of frame members 80 , 81 , 82 are defined so that the light directors do not overlap each other in a plan view. Therefore, light incident on a side end face SO c , 81 c , 82 c from a light source 83 , 84 , 85 and guided to the outside of a display window through the light director 80 e, 81 e, 82 e is visually recognized by the player as a light frame triply surrounding the reel.

[0077] A controller 86 changes the operation state of each light source and the color of the emitted light in response to the game state, whereby the number of illumination method options is further increased and more colorful illumination stage effects can be provided.

[0078] The shape of the light director can also be replaced with that previously described with reference to FIG. 3 in the second embodiment or FIG. 7 in the sixth embodiment.

[0079] Each frame member may be formed with through holes as many as the number of the reels, as previously described with reference to FIG. 1 in the first embodiment.

[0080] A plurality of light sources may be provided for each frame member as previously described with reference to FIG. 4 in the third embodiment.

[0081] A ninth embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 12 . In the above-described embodiment, the light emitted from the light source is made incident on the side end face of the transparent frame member. In the ninth embodiment, a through hole 90 f is made in a part of a frame member 90 and a light source 91 is placed in the through hole 90 f . As the shapes, the number, placement, etc., of light directors, those shown in the above-described embodiments can be selected in combination appropriately. The invention is not limited to the mode wherein the light sources are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the frame members.

[0082] The configuration can contribute to more miniaturization of the apparatus and space saving as compared with the case where the light source is placed outside the frame member. If the light source is covered appropriately with the frame of a display window, etc., so that the player does not visually recognize the light source itself, the player visually recognizes only the light frame surrounding each reel as in the above-described embodiments.

[0083] Although the preferred embodiments have been described, it is understood that the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention, needless to say. For example, the shape of the through hole (light director) of the transparent frame member is not limited to a rectangle as in the above-described embodiments and can be set appropriately in response to any desired stage effect method. The transparent fame member is not limited to an acrylic plate and the acrylic plate may be replaced with a glass plate.