Patents by Inventor Shiro Majima

Shiro Majima has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7850519
    Abstract: The present invention includes: a reel display module that changingly displays multiple types of symbols in multiple regions and also statically displays these changingly displayed symbols in these regions; measuring modules for measuring or storing modules for storing the number of times a special symbol, which is a symbol selected out of these symbols, is displayed in a changing manner and/or a static manner; and a game points evaluation module determining game points to be awarded to the player. The present invention increases a player's curiosity and anticipation for a game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Konami Gaming Incorporated
    Inventors: Shiro Majima, Keiri Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 7624985
    Abstract: A reel assembly of the invention includes a first elastic member capable of axial and circumferential deformation at the joint between a motor shaft and a reel. A motor exerts torque on the reel through circumferential deformation of the first elastic member, which absorbs circumferential vibrations of the reel at a stop position. A fastening member coupled to the shaft includes a second elastic member capable of axial deformation. The fastening member presses the second elastic member against the reel in the axial direction to secure the reel on the shaft and compress the first elastic member. The second elastic member absorbs axial vibrations of the reel at a stop position. When the first elastic member is made of elastomer, its circumferential elasticity varies with axial compressions, and accordingly, the circumferential elasticity is easy to optimize in order to absorb the circumferential vibrations of a reel of whatever size and weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Konami Gaming Incorporated
    Inventors: Shiro Majima, Masayuki Seto
  • Publication number: 20080128542
    Abstract: A reel assembly of the invention includes a first elastic member capable of axial and circumferential deformation at the joint between a motor shaft and a reel. A motor exerts torque on the reel through circumferential deformation of the first elastic member, which absorbs circumferential vibrations of the reel at a stop position. A fastening member coupled to the shaft includes a second elastic member capable of axial deformation. The fastening member presses the second elastic member against the reel in the axial direction to secure the reel on the shaft and compress the first elastic member. The second elastic member absorbs axial vibrations of the reel at a stop position. When the first elastic member is made of elastomer, its circumferential elasticity varies with axial compressions, and accordingly, the circumferential elasticity is easy to optimize in order to absorb the circumferential vibrations of a reel of whatever size and weight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: KONAMI GAMING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Shiro MAJIMA, Masayuki SETO
  • Publication number: 20070167215
    Abstract: A gaming machine having bonus games which start depending upon game outcomes of a normal game, the gaming machine comprises a display control unit for displaying visual information including plural symbols on a display monitor, an array determination unit for determining symbol arrays to be displayed on the display monitor by a lottery at the time of stationary reel display, a judgment unit for judging the game outcomes to compare determined symbol arrays with predetermined judgment data, a bonus game number determination unit for determining the total number of the bonus games to be output when the determined game outcomes give a trigger to start the bonus games and a bonus game number allocation unit for dividing the determined total number of the bonus games and allocating the number of the bonus games every divided unit respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Applicant: Konami Gaming, Incorporated
    Inventors: Shiro Majima, Toshiyuki Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20040072606
    Abstract: The present invention includes: a reel display module that changingly displays multiple types of symbols in multiple regions and also statically displays these changingly displayed symbols in these regions; measuring modules for measuring or storing modules for storing the number of times a special symbol, which is a symbol selected out of these symbols, is displayed in a changing manner and/or a static manner; and a game points evaluation module determining game points to be awarded to the player. The present invention increases a player's curiosity and anticipation for a game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Applicant: Konami Corporation
    Inventors: Shiro Majima, Keiri Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 6231446
    Abstract: In a panel mounting apparatus for mounting a light-transmittable panel to an opening of a top box of a game machine containing a fluorescent lamp, a pair of retainer frames for retaining a pair of parallel ends of the panel are formed on the periphery of the opening. One of the retainer frames is provided with a movable member for changing the shape of the retainer frames between a state of preventing the removal of the panel and a state of allowing the attachment and detachment of the panel. Disclosed also is a game machine using the panel mounting apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shiro Majima, Hachitaro Sato
  • Patent number: 6201703
    Abstract: A security cage which is installed in a housing of a game machine so as to accommodate various types of electric components. The security cage includes: a cage main body having an opening provided at the front thereof; a partition wall for dividing the inside of the cage main body into an inaccessible region and an accessible region each communicating with the opening; a front wall which is provided so as to close the inaccessible region, and which has an openable-and-closable lid provided at least at a part thereof; screws which are hidden within the inaccessible region when the lid is closed, and which connects the front wall and the cage main body at positions where the screws can be operated from the outside of the cage main body when the lid is opened; and a lock for restricting the opening and closing of the lid. Disclosed also is a game machine using the security cage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norifumi Yamada, Shiro Majima, Naoto Shirai, Kazuhiro Kusuda
  • Patent number: 6173594
    Abstract: A locking apparatus of a game machine has the following components: a locking bar provided with a plurality of first engaging portions; engaging members having second engaging portions engageable with the first engaging portions; and a locking bar actuating member for actuating the locking bar from an engaging position where the first engaging portions engage with the second engaging portions to a disengaged position where the first engaging portions are out of engagement with the second engaging portions. A locking device performs, in accordance with operation of a key, a change-over between an unlocked state which permits the actuation of the locking bar into a disengaged position by the locking bar actuating member and a locked state which prohibits the actuation of the locking bar into the disengaged position by the locking bar actuating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shiro Majima
  • Patent number: 5993317
    Abstract: A holding apparatus incorporated in the housing of a game machine holds a slip verification unit which includes a slip checkup device and a stacker disposed under the slip checkup device and combined therewith through a pair of mating connectors. The holding apparatus includes a stacker-receiving unit capable of receiving the stacker therein and having a front side closed by a door which when opened permits access to the interior of the stacker-receiving unit, a checkup-device carrier unit capable of carrying the checkup device and movable relative to the stacker-receiving unit so as to being the connectors into and out of engagement with each other, and an interconnecting mechanism which operatively interconnects the door of the stacker-receiving unit and the checkup-device carrier unit such that the connectors are disengaged from each other when the door of the stacker-receiving unit is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shiro Majima
  • Patent number: 5755619
    Abstract: A bingo game machine, in which a plurality of randomly selected special signs are compared with signs on a bingo card and a winner of a game is decided in accordance with correspondence of the signs, includes: a display unit which displays a bingo card image including squares arranged in a matrix and allotted with different signs; and a changer which changes the sign in a predetermined square of the bingo card image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kusuo Matsumoto, Shiro Majima
  • Patent number: 5639089
    Abstract: A bingo game machine in which signs on bingo cards are compared with a plurality of randomly selected specific signs to decide the winner of a game in accordance with the correspondence of the signs. The bingo game machine includes a chance device for randomly selecting the specific signs. The chance device includes a plurality of objects, and a vertically mounted roulette unit which rotates about a horizontal axis. The roulette unit has a catching portion including a plurality of containers arranged in the form of a circle on the rotating roulette unit. Each container is affixed with a specific sign, and each container is adapted for catching an object. A supply unit supplies objects to the top of the rotating roulette unit, the objects then fall to the lower portion of the rotating roulette unit. At the lower portion, the objects are caught by the containers, one object per container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kusuo Matsumoto, Shiro Majima