Roulette apparatus and roulette gaming machine

Abstract

A roulette apparatus includes: a roulette wheel having a rolling region where a ball rolls; and a ball reception member provided contiguously to the rolling region to receive the ball. The ball reception member includes: a plurality of reception portions that receives the ball in one of the reception portions; and a plurality of separation walls that separates the reception portions from one another, wherein the ball reception member is formed separately from the roulette wheel and removably attached to the roulette wheel.

1 . A roulette apparatus comprising: 
 a roulette wheel having a rolling region where a ball rolls; and    a ball reception member provided contiguously to the rolling region to receive the ball,    wherein the ball reception member includes:    a plurality of reception portions that receives the ball in one of the reception portions; and    a plurality of separation walls that separates the reception portions from one another,    wherein the ball reception member is formed separately from the roulette wheel and removably attached to the roulette wheel.    
     
     
         2 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the ball reception member is formed to be dividable for each of the reception portions defined by the separation walls.  
     
     
         3 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the reception portions is separately formed from one another and is provided to be removably attached to the roulette wheel.  
     
     
         4 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the ball reception member further includes: 
 a bottom wall that abuts against the roulette wheel when the ball reception member is attached to the roulette wheel, the bottom wall being provided with the separation walls; and    an engagement portion provided on the bottom wall, and    wherein the roulette wheel includes an engaged portion that engages with the engagement portion to detachably attach the ball reception member on the roulette wheel.    
     
     
         5 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the ball reception member is detachably attached to the roulette wheel in vertical direction that is substantially perpendicular to a surface where the ball rolls.  
     
     
         6 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the reception portions is provided with a symbol that identifies each of the reception portions from one another.  
     
     
         7 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the roulette wheel includes: 
 a frame that is fixedly provided; and    a rotary disc that rotates with respect to the frame.    
     
     
         8 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a banked passageway that is provided on an outer circumferential edge of the roulette wheel and on which the ball rolls in a circular orbit; and    a compressor that compresses air;    a launching discharge nozzle that is provided in the ball reception member and discharges the air compressed by the compressor toward the banked passageway;    a first rotating discharge nozzle that is provided in the banked passageway and discharges the air compressed by the compressor in a first direction along a circumferential direction of the banked passageway;    a second rotating discharge nozzle that is provided in the banked passageway and discharges the air compressed by the compressor in a second direction along a circumferential direction of the banked passageway and opposite to the first direction; and    a discharge switching unit that switches the discharge of the air compressed by the compressor between the first rotating discharge nozzle and the second rotating discharge nozzle.    
     
     
         9 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 8  further comprising a game providing unit that provides to a user a roulette game in which one game is performed by allowing the ball to be received in one of the ball reception members after rolling the ball on the roulette wheel for a predetermined time period, and the game is repeatedly performed.  
     
     
         10 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the discharge switching unit switches the discharge of the air between the first rotating discharge nozzle and the second rotating discharge nozzle in accordance with a number of times the games is performed by the game providing unit.  
     
     
         11 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 9  further comprising: 
 an air pressure controlling unit that variably controls air pressure of the air discharged from the first rotating discharge nozzle and the second rotating discharge nozzle; and    a control unit that controls the air pressure controlling unit during the game performed by the game providing unit to variably control a velocity of the ball.    
     
     
         12 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a game providing unit that provides to a user a roulette game in which one game is performed by allowing the ball to be received in one of the ball reception members after rolling the ball on the roulette wheel for a predetermined time period, and the game is repeatedly performed.  
     
     
         13 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 12  further comprising: 
 an illumination unit that illuminates the roulette wheel with a plurality of light emission colors; and    an illumination control unit that controls the illumination unit to turn on and off and to change the light emission colors in accordance with progress of the game performed by the game providing unit.    
     
     
         14 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the roulette wheel is provided with a transparent member that transmits light, and 
 wherein the illumination unit illuminates the roulette wheel through the transparent member.    
     
     
         15 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the transparent member is provided in a bottom surface of the roulette wheel.  
     
     
         16 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the transparent member is provided in an outer periphery of the roulette wheel.  
     
     
         17 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 13  further comprising: 
 a betting unit that allows a player to bet a chip on which of the reception portions the ball is received in each of the game;    a chip payout unit that pays out chips to the player in accordance with a result of the game,    wherein the game providing unit provides a bonus gaming state in which more advantageous condition than that in a base gaming state for the player under predetermined condition, and    wherein the illumination control unit controls the illumination unit to emit light in a mode different from that in the base gaming state when the bonus gaming state occurs.    
     
     
         18 . A roulette apparatus comprising: 
 a roulette wheel having a rolling region where a ball rolls;    a ball reception member provided contiguously to the rolling region to receive the ball and having a plurality of reception portions arranged in circumferential direction of the roulette wheel and receive the ball in one of the reception portions, each of the reception portions being provided with a symbol that identifies each of the reception portions from one another;    a banked passageway that is provided on an outer circumferential edge of the roulette wheel and on which the ball rolls in a circular orbit;    a compressor that compresses air;    a launching discharge nozzle that is provided in the ball reception member and discharges the air compressed by the compressor toward the banked passageway;    a first rotating discharge nozzle that is provided in the banked passageway and discharges the air compressed by the compressor in a first direction along a circumferential direction of the banked passageway;    a second rotating discharge nozzle that is provided in the banked passageway and discharges the air compressed by the compressor in a second direction along a circumferential direction of the banked passageway and opposite to the first direction; and    a discharge switching unit that switches the discharge of the air compressed by the compressor between the first rotating discharge nozzle and the second rotating discharge nozzle.    
     
     
         19 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 18  further comprising a game providing unit that provides to a user a roulette game in which one game is performed by allowing the ball to be received in one of the ball reception members after rolling the ball on the roulette wheel for a predetermined time period, and the game is repeatedly performed.  
     
     
         20 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the discharge switching unit switches the discharge of the air between the first rotating discharge nozzle and the second rotating discharge nozzle in accordance with a number of times the games is performed by the game providing unit.  
     
     
         21 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 19  further comprising: 
 an air pressure controlling unit that variably controls air pressure of the air discharged from the first rotating discharge nozzle and the second rotating discharge nozzle; and    a control unit that controls the air pressure controlling unit during the game performed by the game providing unit to variably control a velocity of the ball.    
     
     
         22 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 18  further comprising a game providing unit that provides to a user a roulette game in which one game is performed by allowing the ball to be received in one of the ball reception members after rolling the ball on the roulette wheel for a predetermined time period, and the game is repeatedly performed.  
     
     
         23 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 22  further comprising: 
 an illumination unit that illuminates the roulette wheel with a plurality of light emission colors; and    an illumination control unit that controls the illumination unit to turn on and off and to change the light emission colors in accordance with progress of the game performed by the game providing unit.    
     
     
         24 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the roulette wheel is provided with a transparent member that transmits light, and 
 wherein the illumination unit illuminates the roulette wheel through the transparent member.    
     
     
         25 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the transparent member is provided in a bottom surface of the roulette wheel.  
     
     
         26 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the transparent member is provided in an outer periphery of the roulette wheel.  
     
     
         27 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 23  further comprising: 
 a betting unit that allows a player to bet a chip on which of the reception portions the ball is received in each of the game;    a chip payout unit that pays out chips to the player in accordance with a result of the game,    wherein the game providing unit provides a bonus gaming state in which more advantageous condition than that in a base gaming state for the player under predetermined condition, and    wherein the illumination control unit controls the illumination unit to emit light in a mode different from that in the base gaming state when the bonus gaming state occurs.    
     
     
         28 . A roulette apparatus comprising: 
 a roulette wheel having a rolling region where a ball rolls;    a ball reception member provided contiguously to the rolling region to receive the ball and having a plurality of reception portions arranged in circumferential direction of the roulette wheel and receive the ball in one of the reception portions, each of the reception portions being provided with a symbol that identifies each of the reception portions from one another;    a game providing unit that provides to a user a roulette game in which one game is performed by allowing the ball to be received in one of the ball reception members after rolling the ball on the roulette wheel for a predetermined time period, and the game is repeatedly performed;    an illumination unit that illuminates the roulette wheel with a plurality of light emission colors; and    an illumination control unit that controls the illumination unit to turn on and off and to change the light emission colors in accordance with progress of the game performed by the game providing unit.    
     
     
         29 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein the roulette wheel is provided with a transparent member that transmits light, and 
 wherein the illumination unit illuminates the roulette wheel through the transparent member.    
     
     
         30 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein the transparent member is provided in a bottom surface of the roulette wheel.  
     
     
         31 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein the transparent member is provided in an outer periphery of the roulette wheel.  
     
     
         32 . The roulette apparatus according to  claim 28  further comprising: 
 a betting unit that allows a player to bet a chip on which of the reception portions the ball is received in each of the game;    a chip payout unit that pays out chips to the player in accordance with a result of the game,    wherein the game providing unit provides a bonus gaming state in which more advantageous condition than that in a base gaming state for the player under predetermined condition, and    wherein the illumination control unit controls the illumination unit to emit light in a mode different from that in the base gaming state when the bonus gaming state occurs.    
     
     
         33 . A roulette gaming machine comprising: 
 a roulette wheel having a rolling region where a ball rolls;    a ball reception member provided contiguously to the rolling region to receive the ball and having a plurality of reception portions arranged in circumferential direction of the roulette wheel and receive the ball in one of the reception portions, each of the reception portions being provided with a symbol that identifies each of the reception portions from one another;    a game providing unit that provides to a user a roulette game in which one game is performed by allowing the ball to be received in one of the ball reception members after rolling the ball on the roulette wheel for a predetermined time period, and the game is repeatedly performed;    an illumination unit that illuminates the roulette wheel with a plurality of light emission colors;    an illumination control unit that controls the illumination unit to turn on and off and to change the light emission colors in accordance with progress of the game performed by the game providing unit;    a betting unit that allows a player to bet a chip on which of the reception portions the ball is received in each of the game;    a chip payout unit that pays out chips to the player in accordance with a result of the game,    wherein the game providing unit provides a bonus gaming state in which more advantageous condition than that in a base gaming state for the player under predetermined condition, and    wherein the illumination control unit controls the illumination unit to emit light in a mode different from that in the base gaming state when the bonus gaming state occurs.