JP2007215563A - Sandwiched machine for game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sandwiched machine for game machine which can easily and surely solve the clogging of tokens in a passage which guides tokens from the inter-unit machine to a game machine. <P>SOLUTION: The front wall section 71 of a transfer passage 65 is supported in a manner to be slidable in the vertical direction within a nozzle section 60, and at the same time, has an opening section 72 of which at least the lateral width is formed to be larger than the diameter of the game medal. A dropping opening 720 is formed in such a manner that by the upward movement of the opening section 72 accompanying the upward sliding of the front wall section 71, the dropping opening 720 through which the game token can fall downward by passing through the opening section 72 from the transfer passage 65 may be generated at a higher side from the bottom surface section 622 of the transfer passage 65. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine platform machine installed adjacent to a medal gaming machine such as a slot machine.

Conventionally, in a gaming machine that uses medals such as slot machines as game media, the front of the main unit is requested based on a request to play an efficient game or to play a game without touching the game medals as much as possible. A gaming machine pedestal machine (medal lending machine) has been devised in which a collective throwing mechanism is attached to the machine so that gaming medals can be directly supplied to gaming machines (see Patent Document 1). A gaming machine (slot machine) installed adjacent to this gaming machine inter-machine is provided with a side transfer passage at the medal slot, and game medals that are batch-loaded from the batch slot of the batch slot mechanism, A rental medal to be paid out from the medal lending machine is formed so as to be thrown into the slot machine through a transfer passage (nozzle).
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-192721 (FIG. 1)

  In the gaming machine platform machine having the above-described batch insertion mechanism, how to easily and surely release the clogging of medals at the nozzle portion becomes a problem. In order to solve this problem, the nozzle portion is composed of a fixing member (base member) and a cover member, and by moving the cover member (including rotation and removal), a medal jammed in the medal passage inside the nozzle is removed. It is conceivable to form it so that it can be taken out or the inside can be maintained. Here, if the player opens / closes the cover member, it may cause an unexpected accident due to an error or intentional opening of the cover. In such a case, the store clerk uses a key or the like to open / close the cover member. It is reasonable to do so.

However, if the nozzle is clogged with medals, you want to clear the clogging as soon as possible, but if the player can easily release the clogging by hand, it is convenient because you do not have to call the store clerk. It is. Further, not only in the case of clogging up medals, but when it is desired to stop the insertion of medals into the gaming machine during the operation of the batch insertion mechanism, it is preferable that the insertion medals can be canceled without leaving any medals inside the batch insertion mechanism.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of such problems, and the object of the present invention is to easily and surely eliminate clogging of medals in a passage for guiding medals from a pedestrian machine to a gaming machine. It is an object of the present invention to provide a gaming machine platform machine that can easily cancel medals.

Each invention described in each claim has been made to achieve each of the above-mentioned objects, and features of each invention will be described below using embodiments of the invention shown in the drawings. .
In addition, the surface number to a nest and the code | symbol in a parenthesis show the number and code | symbol used in embodiment of invention, and do not limit the technical scope of this invention.
(Claim 1)
(Feature point)
The invention described in claim 1 is characterized by the following points.
That is, the invention described in claim 1 is installed adjacent to a gaming machine (slot machine 1) having a medal slot (10) having a side transfer passage (12) capable of receiving a game medal from the side. , A batch insertion opening (31) through which game medals can be batch-loaded, a medal feeding device (40) for separating and feeding the game medals that have been batch-launched one by one, and a game medal sent from the medal feeding device (40) This relates to a gaming machine pedestal machine (medal renting machine 2) including at least a charging introduction path (nozzle portion 60) for guiding the machine to the side transfer passage (12) of the gaming machine (1).

Here, the “game machine” is a game machine in which game medals are thrown in as a game medium, and is installed in parallel in the game hall with the inter-game machine machine (2) interposed therebetween. The medal insertion slot (10) is a portion for inserting a game medal into the gaming machine, and includes a passage and a recess for guiding the game medal to the opening in addition to an opening such as a hole for dropping the game medal. For example, the side transfer path (12) may be communicated with an upper insertion opening (11) that is a slit into which a game medal can be inserted from above.
In addition, the “gaming machine inter-machine” can be, for example, a medal lending machine (2), and in addition to the above configuration, a payout device (lending medal payout device 23) for paying out medals, A bill counter (22) may be provided.

Here, “batch insertion” of game medals means that a plurality of game medals grabbed by the hand are randomly thrown into the insertion opening instead of throwing medals in the same direction or throwing them one by one. It is a case that says.
The medal feeding device (40) can be a belt-type medal feeding device using a transport belt (53) or a disk-type medal feeding device using a feeding disc, and can collect a plurality of game medals placed in a batch. Any configuration may be used as long as it is a device that can send out one sheet at a time to the loading introduction path (60).
In the gaming machine platform machine (2) according to the present invention, the input introduction path (60) includes a base portion (base member 62) fixed to the front side of the gaming machine platform machine, and a base portion. The cover portion (cover member 61) located on the front side of (62) is provided with a drop opening (medal drop opening 69) through which a game medal can be dropped. Further, a medal receiving port (67) capable of receiving a game medal from above and a medal discharge port (66) capable of discharging a game medal from the side are provided between the base part (62) and the cover part (61). A transfer passage (medal transfer path 65) is formed, and the transfer path (65) is located on the front side of the introduction introduction path (60) and faces the front surface of the game medal moving in the path. The back facing the back of the game medal that moves in the passage with a gap of the thickness of about one game medal between the (front wall 71) and the front wall (71) It includes at least a wall portion (620) and a bottom surface portion (medal transfer surface 622) that supports the circumferential surface of the game medal from below.

The front wall portion (71) is supported in the nozzle portion (60) to be slidable in the vertical direction, and has an opening (72) formed with at least a lateral width larger than the diameter of the game medal. And the upward movement of the opening (72) accompanying the upward sliding of the front wall portion (71), the game medal is transferred to the transfer passage (65) above the bottom surface portion (622) of the transfer passage (65). 65), a drop-off opening (720) that can drop downward through the opening (72) is formed.
Here, the introduction introduction path (60) is a block member having a transfer path (65) through which game medals can pass one by one, and the `` base part '' and the `` cover part '' are separate members. Alternatively, it may be an integral member. Further, the drop opening (69) may be one in which the entire bottom part of the charging introduction path (60) is open (for example, over the entire length), or a specific part of the bottom part of the charging introduction path (60). May be provided with an opening. The drop opening (69) may be formed in the base part (62), the cover part (61), or formed between the base part (62) and the cover part (61). It may be a gap.

The transfer passage (65) is a space formed by at least two opposing wall portions (the front wall portion 71 and the back wall portion 620) and the bottom surface portion (622) through which game medals can pass one by one. Yes, it may have a ceiling. The bottom surface portion (622) is an inclined portion (medal transfer surface 622) on which a game medal can roll on its upper surface, and a game medal transferred from above abuts to change the transfer direction to the side. A contact portion (medal contact surface 621) is included.
The front wall portion (71) can be a plate member that is slidably supported in the vertical direction, for example, by engaging the side surface portion with the guide rail (73). The sliding upward of the front wall portion (71) may push up the lower end portion of the front wall portion (71) from below, or the cover portion (61 provided on the front side of the front wall portion (71) may be provided. The front wall portion (71) may be pulled up by a “knob” protruding from the top. The downward sliding of the front wall portion (71) may be caused to fall by the weight of the front wall portion (71), or may be biased in a downward or downward direction by a spring or the like.

Further, the entire front wall portion (71) may be slidable up and down, or a part thereof may be slidable up and down. For example, the front wall portion (71) may be composed of a fixed portion (71B) fixed to the front side of the transfer passage (65) and a slide portion (71A) that can slide up and down.
The opening (72) is formed to have a dimension that allows at least a game medal to pass through, and its horizontal width is larger than the diameter of the game medal, but the vertical dimension is not necessarily larger than the diameter of the game medal. When the front wall (71) is positioned below the opening (72), the game medals passing through the transfer passage (65) are not spilled from the opening (72), and the front wall (71 It is only necessary to have such a position and size that the dropout opening (720) can be generated when it is moved upward.

(Function)
In the transfer passage (65) in the present invention, when the front wall portion (71) does not move upward, the opening (72) does not overlap the transfer passage (65) or may overlap. It is in a position that does not have a gap through which medals can pass. Therefore, the game medal received from the medal receiving port (67) passes between the front wall portion (71) and the back wall portion (620) and is transferred to the medal discharging port (66) while being supported by the bottom surface portion (622). Is done.
On the other hand, when the front wall (71) is slid upward, the opening (72) is also moved upward, and the dropout opening (720) is generated overlapping the transfer passage (65). Then, game medals inside the transfer passage (65), in particular, game medals that are not supported from below by the bottom surface portion (622) and game medals falling from the medal receiving port (67) are supported by the front wall portion (71). , And naturally falls downward from the drop-off opening (720) so as to pass through the opening (72). That is, in the present invention, the “game medals inside the transfer passage (65)” falling from the gap is not limited to the game medals on the bottom surface portion (622).

  By the way, in the present invention, the game medal received through the transfer passage (65) from the medal receiving port (67) passes between the front wall portion (71) and the back wall portion (620) substantially vertically. At least a falling vertical drop part (65A) and an inclined transfer part (65B) in which a game medal that has fallen on the vertical drop part (65A) rolls on the bottom part and is transferred to the medal outlet The front wall (71) is formed as a slide part (71A) that covers the front side of the vertical drop part (65A) and is movable up and down, and a fixed part that covers the front side of the inclined transfer part (65B). The game medal staying in the vertical drop part (65A) is dropped from the drop-off opening (720) by dividing the slide part (71B) and sliding the slide part (71A) upward. Can be formed.

That is, the transfer passage (65) is formed in a substantially L shape when viewed from the front, and a part of the front wall portion (71) is moved upward, so that the game medals jammed in the vertical drop portion (65A) can be dropped. (69) is discharged. This is because the game medal is most easily clogged in the bent part of the transfer passage (65) below the vertical drop part (65A), and the game medal clogged here is effectively removed. The transfer passage (65) connects the vertical drop part (65A) and the inclined transfer part (65B), and the traveling direction of the game medals falling on the vertical drop part (65A) is the direction of the inclined transfer part (65B). You may have the direction change part (medal contact surface 621) for changing.
When formed in this way, if the slide portion (71A) of the front wall portion (71) is not in the raised position, the game medal received from the medal receiving port (67) moves the vertical drop portion (65A). It falls and is transferred to the medal discharge port (66) through the inclined transfer part (65B) while being supported by the bottom face part (622). Then, in the case where medals are clogged in the vertical drop part (65A), when the slide part (71A) is slid upward, the game medals staying overlapping in the vertical drop part (65A) are opened. It falls from the drop-off opening (720) generated by the part (72). The game medals in the tilt transfer unit (65B) are transferred to the medal discharge port (66) as they are.

(Claim 2)
(Feature point)
The invention described in claim 2 is characterized by the following points in addition to the features of the invention described in claim 1 described above.
That is, the invention according to claim 2 is capable of fixing the position of the front wall portion (71) in a state in which the dropout opening (720) is generated, and the front wall portion (71) fixed in position. Further, the front wall portion (71) can be released from being fixed by further moving up, and a front wall portion temporary locking device is provided.

The present invention is configured such that the front wall portion (71) can be fixed while being slid and moved in the medal canceled state, and can be released by pushing up or pulling up from the fixed state.
As a specific configuration of the present invention, for example, a well-known technique such as engagement between a pin and a reciprocating groove as shown in FIG. 10 can be used.
According to the present invention, it is convenient not only for canceling clogging of medals, but also for canceling medals transferred from the medal feeding device (40) to the gaming machine.
(Claim 3)
(Feature point)
The invention described in claim 3 has the following features in addition to the features of the invention described in claim 2 described above.

That is, the invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that a front wall opening notification part (notification part) for notifying that the front wall part is fixed by the front wall part temporary locking device is provided. To do.
The `` front wall opening notification section '' can be a lamp or the like provided at a position visible from the front side of the gaming machine platform machine (2), and the front wall section (71) is fixed upward. It is possible to prevent the medal feeding device (40) from being operated in the canceled state by lighting up and notifying when it is in the medal canceled state.

  Since the present invention is configured as described above, it is possible for a gaming machine that can easily and surely eliminate clogging of medals in a passage for guiding medals from a pedestrian to a gaming machine and can easily cancel inserted medals. A pedestal machine can be provided.

The best embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, taking a slot machine as a gaming machine and a medal lending machine as an inter-game machine for gaming machines.
(Explanation of drawings)
1 to 10 show an embodiment of the present invention.
1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the batch loading mechanism 3, FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the slot machine 1 and the medal lending machine 2, FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the batch loading mechanism 3 and the medal slot 10, and FIG. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the discharge device 80 and the medal removal tray 90, FIGS. 6 to 9 are diagrams showing a nozzle portion, and FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing an example of a front wall portion temporary locking device. is there.

The medal lending machine 2 in the present embodiment is installed adjacent to the slot machine 1 and is provided so as to correspond to each slot machine.
(Slot machine 1)
As shown in FIG. 2, the slot machine 1 has a front door 13 attached to the front side of the housing, and a symbol display window 14 through which a symbol of a rotating reel (not shown) can be visually recognized is located on the front side. Is formed. Further, below the symbol display window 14 and in the approximate center of the slot machine 1 is an operation unit 16 provided with operation means such as a start switch and a stop switch. A medal slot 10 for inserting game medals is provided at the right front end of the operation unit 16. Although not particularly shown, a medal selector for determining the authenticity of the game medal and counting the inserted medals is provided below the medal insertion slot 10. Further, a lower plate 15 capable of storing a payout medal is provided at the lower part of the slot machine 1.

Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the medal insertion slot 10 includes an upper insertion opening 11 through which game medals can be inserted one by one from above, and a side transfer passage 12 communicating with the side of the upper insertion opening 11. Have. This side transfer passage 12 is a bowl-shaped passage extending from the upper insertion opening 11 to the front right side (medal lending machine 2 side), and accepts game medals sent from a nozzle part 60 described later. It is for transferring to the input opening 11.
Then, a game medal is inserted from the medal slot 10, the rotating reel is rotated by operating the start switch, and the rotating reel is stopped by operating the stop switch. At this time, the symbols displayed on the plurality of rotating reels are predetermined. When the position mode is stopped, a prize is awarded, and a predetermined number of medals are paid out.

(Medal lending machine 2)
The medal lending machine 2 is a box-type device installed adjacent to the side surface of the slot machine 1, renting out game medals in exchange for money, and renting medals and medals to be inserted by the players. Is to be inserted into the medal slot 10 of That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the medal lending machine 2 includes a bill counter 22 and a lending medal payout device 23 built in the outer box 20, and a batch insertion mechanism 3 attached to the front side. It is.
The bill counter 22 is for reading a bill inserted from a bill insertion slot 21 provided at the lower front of the outer box 20 and causing the lending medal dispensing device 23 to pay out a predetermined number of game medals. The medal lending machine may have a coin insertion slot, a coin counter, a change dispensing slot, etc. in addition to the banknote insertion slot 21 and the banknote counter 22. Moreover, you may have a prepaid card slot and a card reader. Further, the bill insertion slot 21 may be located above the front of the outer box 20, and the bill counter 22 may be provided outside the medal lending machine 2 (for example, island facilities).

  The rental medal payout device 23 is a so-called hopper device for paying out game medals, and although not particularly shown, a tank for storing game medals and a game medal stored in the tank are discharged one by one. It has a possible delivery disk. The feed disc is rotatably fixed to the drive motor and has a hole into which a game medal can be inserted. The game medals that have entered the hole are discharged one by one out of the device as they rotate. The rental medal payout device 23 is provided with a sensor for counting discharged medals, and is configured to stop the drive motor when a predetermined number of game medals are paid out.

(Batch input mechanism 3)
The batch insertion mechanism 3 is a mechanism for batch-inserting game medals paid out from the lending medal payout device 23 and game medals inserted by the player into the medal slot 10 of the slot machine 1.
Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the batch loading mechanism 3 is roughly divided into a main body cover 30 attached to the front surface of the outer box 20 of the medal lending machine 2, and an inside of the main body cover 30. The medal feeder 40 is provided, and a nozzle portion 60 attached to the front side of the main body cover 30.

(Main unit cover 30)
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the main body cover 30 protrudes from the front center of the outer case 20 of the medal lending machine 2 to the front side (the front side when the slot machine 1 is viewed from the front, the same applies hereinafter). This is a box-shaped member having a top plate 32, a bottom plate 33, a front plate 34, a back plate 35, and two left and right side plates 36. In the main body cover 30, a medal feeding device 40 including a transport device 50 is accommodated.
The upper surface plate 32 is formed with a batch loading opening 31 that opens upward, and a counter-like overhanging portion is formed on the front side of the batch loading opening 31. Here, although not particularly illustrated, a touch sensor for activating and deactivating the transport device 50 is provided. When the hand touches the touch sensor, the drive motor 55 of the transport device 50 is driven, and when the hand touching the touch sensor is released, the drive motor 55 of the transport device 50 stops driving. ing. Note that means for operating the transport device 50 is not limited to a touch sensor, and a button-type switch or other operation means may be provided. Further, a switch for starting the drive of the drive motor 55 and a switch for stopping the drive may be provided separately.

In addition, standing walls 37 that protrude upward from the upper surface plate 32 are formed on both sides of the collective charging opening 31. This is to prevent the medals from spilling when the game medals are inserted into the collective insertion slot 31.
A bottom opening 38 for dropping foreign matter discharged from the medal feeding device 40 or a cancel medal is formed on the back side of the bottom plate 33. Below the bottom opening 38, a cancel medal and other drops are dropped. A medal removal tray 90 for receiving an object is formed.
Further, a cover member 61 of the nozzle portion 60 is provided below the front plate 34, and a back opening 39 is formed in the back plate 35. A rear portion of the medal feeder 40 protrudes from the rear opening 39 so that the medal feeder 40 can slide in the front-rear direction.

(Medal feeder 40)
The medal feeding device 40 is a device for feeding out medals. As shown in FIG. 1, the medal feeding device 40 is provided with a transport device 50 inside a box-shaped main body base 41 housed in the main body cover 30, and the transport device 50. It is the structure which provided the discharge apparatus 80 in the back | inner side lower side.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the main body base 41 has a receiving opening 48 that opens upward at a substantially central portion in the length direction, and opens upward on the back side of the receiving opening 48. A payout passage 42 communicating with the receiving opening 48 is provided. Further, a flat portion 46 is formed on the front side of the receiving opening 48, so that a capacity of a medal storage portion 45 described later is secured. A transport device 50 is built in the lower front part of the main body block 41, and the front side of the main body block 41 has a medal discharge portion 47 for discharging the medals sent out by the transport device 50 to the nozzle portion 60 one by one. It has become. As shown in FIG. 1, a discharge device 80 is provided at the bottom of the inner wall forming the payout passage 42.

  Here, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the discharge device 80 moves the substantially cylindrical movable shaft 83 projecting upward and downward in accordance with a predetermined operation command signal (opening operation signal, closing operation signal). A solenoid 81 to be moved, and an opening / closing plate 82 supported at one end by the movable shaft 83 and swingable in the vertical direction with a fixed shaft 84 fixed to the body block 41 as a fulcrum. Yes. When the movable shaft 83 is located below, the opening / closing plate 82 is closed (see FIG. 1), and when the movable shaft 83 is located above, the opening / closing plate 82 is opened (see FIG. 5). It is formed so that. Then, by opening the opening / closing plate 82 by the operation of the solenoid 81, medals, foreign objects, etc. inside the medal feeder 40 can be discharged from the cancel opening 49 formed on the bottom surface of the main body block 41. Yes. The discharge device 80 is formed so that the opening / closing plate 82 opens in a predetermined case.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the receiving opening 48 is an opening for receiving game medals inserted from the collective inserting opening 31, and extends laterally slightly behind the center of the opening width. A partition bar 100 is provided. This is to align the inserted game medals in the same direction as much as possible. In other words, the presence of the partition rod 100 prevents the game medals from being inserted vertically in the receiving opening 48 (the orientation in which the front and back surfaces of the medals are in the horizontal direction). Is dropped sideways (the direction in which the front and back sides of the medal are in the front-rear direction). In this case, since the medals are aligned, the medal storage unit 44, which is a space located below the receiving opening 48, can store the game medals so that they can be stacked and transported. The device 50 makes it easier to carry.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, at the front side end portion of the receiving opening 48, an upper space of the transport device 50 is arranged in front of the medal storing portion 44 and a medal storage portion 44 positioned below the receiving opening 48. The movement adjusting valve 43 is attached to the medal return portion 45 located at the position. The movement adjustment valve 43 prevents the movement of medals from the medal storage unit 44 to the medal return unit 45, and allows the movement of medals from the medal return unit 45 to the medal storage unit 44 as appropriate, thereby allowing the transport device 50 to transfer medals. This is to make it smooth.
The payout passage 42 is for accepting game medals lent from the rented medal payout device 23 of the medal renting machine 2 and guiding them to the medal storage unit 44. The bottom surface of the payout passage 42 is inclined downward from the back side toward the front side, and the front end portion of the inclination is formed so as to be openable and closable by an opening / closing plate 82. When the open / close plate 82 is closed, game medals are stored in the medal storage unit 44, and when the open / close plate 82 is opened, foreign matter such as dust on the medal storage unit 44 or the transport belt 53 of the transport device 50 or The game medals fall from the cancellation opening 49. It should be noted that foreign matter and game medals that have dropped from the cancel opening 49 are stored in the medal removal tray 90 through the bottom opening 38 of the main body cover 30.

(Medal removal tray 90)
As shown in FIG. 5, the medal removal tray 90 is attached so as to be rotatable forward and backward via a hinge 92 provided on the back plate 35 of the main body cover 30. The medal removal tray 90 is a tray having a recess 91 formed by a dish bottom having an upward slope curved toward the front side and a side plate whose height from the dish bottom increases in the depth direction, The medals and the like discharged from the bottom opening 38 are prevented from jumping out of the plate with a momentum of dropping, and the medals and the like stored in the plate are easily taken out. It is preferable to lay an elastic member such as rubber in the recess 91.

  Further, the medal removal tray 90 is normally in a state in which the concave portion 91 faces upward as shown by a solid line in FIG. 1, and can receive a discharged medal or the like as shown in FIG. It has become. Then, by lifting the front bottom portion, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1, the front bottom portion rotates about the hinge 92 and moves to a position where the front end contacts the bottom plate 33 of the main body cover 30. By moving the medal removal tray 90 in this manner, the space below the main body cover 30 is widened, and the lower doors of other slot machines installed next to the slot machine 1 are opened with the medal lending machine 2 interposed therebetween. Sometimes, the lower door and the medal removal tray 90 do not interfere with each other.

(Transfer device 50)
The transfer device 50 is built in the lower front part of the main body block 41, and game medals inserted or paid out in the medal reservoir 44 are placed one by one in a horizontal state (a state where the front and back surfaces of the game medals are up and down). , For feeding to the nozzle part 60. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the conveying device 50 includes a pair of rollers 51 (51A, 51B), a conveying belt 53 stretched between the rollers 51A, 51B, and a front upper side of the conveying belt 53. A reverse rotation roller 52 installed with a delivery gap 54, a drive motor 55 for rotating the rollers 51, 52, and a transmission means for transmitting the rotation of the motor shaft of the drive motor 55 to the rollers 51, 52 (see FIG. Not shown).

The rollers 51 are provided in parallel in the front-rear direction as viewed from the front side. The conveyor belt 53 is a flat belt that is stretched between two rollers 51A and 51B, and the surface thereof is covered with rubber or the like so as to increase the frictional resistance with the game medal. As shown in FIG. 1, the front roller 51A is attached at a slightly higher position than the rear roller 51B, so that the upper surface of the conveyor belt 53 is slightly upwardly inclined toward the front. By rotating the roller 51 in the direction of the black arrow shown in FIG. 1, the upper surface of the conveyor belt 53 is moved to the front side.
The roller 51 and the reverse rotation roller 52 are rotated simultaneously by the transmission means. The transmission means is a drive shaft of the drive motor 55, a gear provided on each of the roller 51A and the reverse rotation roller 52, and a belt connecting these gears. The reverse rotation roller 52 rotates in the same direction as the roller 41. The traveling direction of the upper surface of the conveyor belt 53 and the moving direction of the lower surface of the reverse rotation roller 52 are reversed. Further, due to the difference in diameter between the roller 51 and the reverse roller 52, the linear speed of the reverse roller 52 (moving speed of the roller surface) is formed to be faster than the linear speed of the roller 51.

As shown in FIG. 1, a delivery gap 54 between the lower end of the reverse rotation roller 52 and the upper surface of the conveyor belt 53 is larger than the thickness of one game medal and smaller than the thickness of two game medals. Is formed. Thereby, the game medals on the upper surface of the transport belt 53 are sent one by one to the front side, and the game medals above the transport belt 53 and behind the reverse rotation roller 42 are kicked out to the medal return section 45. It is like that.
The reversing roller 52 is formed with a stirring groove having a substantially trapezoidal cross section along the axial direction. The stirring groove plays a role of effectively kicking up the game medals stacked above the conveyor belt 53 so that the game medals are hooked at the end of the groove.

The front side of the conveyor belt 53 is close to a medal receiving port 67 of the nozzle unit 60, which will be described later. It is carried to the receiving port 67.
(Nozzle part 60)
The nozzle unit 60 is for transferring the game medals sent out from the transfer device 50 to the medal slot 10 of the slot machine 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the nozzle portion 60 includes a base member 62 attached to the lower front portion of the main body cover 30 and a hinge 63 provided on the bottom plate 33 of the main body cover 30 on the front side of the main body cover 30. A cover member 61 that is pivotably mounted in the front-rear direction through the cover member 61. The cover member 61 covers the base member 62 from the front side, that is, the cover member 61 is closed, and the front plate of the main body cover 30 is closed. The opening formed below 34 is closed.

(Base member 62)
As shown in FIG. 6, the base member 62 is positioned on the front side of the base body 62A and has a base portion 62A in which a curved portion 620a that curves in the back direction from the bottom to the top is formed at the upper end portion, and in the vertical direction. It has a front wall 71 that is movably supported. A medal receiving port 67 communicating with the medal discharge unit 47 of the medal feeder 40 is formed on the curved portion 620a and the upper portion of the front wall portion 71 of the base body 62A. Note that the front wall portion 71 constitutes a clogging release mechanism 70 described later, and details thereof will be described later.
Further, a medal transfer path 65 having a thickness slightly larger than the thickness of one game medal and a width slightly larger than the diameter of the game medal is formed between the base body 62A and the front wall portion 71. It has become. When viewed from the front, the medal transfer path 65 is formed in an inverted L shape including a vertical drop part 65A and an inclined transfer part 65B, as shown in FIG. The medal discharge port 66 is bent at the end thereof (see FIG. 3). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the base member 62A of the base member 62 has an inverted L-shaped back wall portion 620 having the curved portion 620a formed at the upper end portion, and the back wall. A medal abutment surface 621 and a medal transfer surface 622 are provided at the lower end portion of the portion 620 and projecting from the back wall portion 620 to the near side with a depth substantially equal to the thickness of one game medal. A medal transfer path 65 is formed between the back wall portion 620, the medal abutment surface 621, the medal transfer surface 622, and the back surface of the front wall portion 71 (see FIG. 6).

  The medal abutment surface 621 is an inclined surface for guiding the game medal received from the medal receiving port 67 to the medal transfer surface 622, and the medal transfer surface 622 is a medal for transferring the game medal to the medal discharge port 66. The inclined surface is gentler than the contact surface 621. Then, the game medals discharged from the medal discharge unit 47 of the medal feeder 40 are received from the medal receiving port 67 along the curved portion 620a of the back wall portion 620, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, the game medals falling and moving in the direction change the traveling direction by approximately 90 degrees by abutting on the medal abutment surface 621, and then roll on the medal transfer surface 622 to obtain the medal discharge port 66. It has come to reach.

The base member 62 is provided with a medal detection sensor 64 for detecting game medals passing through the medal transfer path 65. The medal detection sensor 64 is a proximity sensor provided on the base body 62A, and detects the passage of the game medal by detecting a change in the magnetic field. The medal detection sensor 64 detects the game medal while the medal feeding device 40 sends out the game medal. The medal detection sensor 64 is not limited to the proximity sensor, and may be a photo sensor.
(Cover member 61)
The cover member 61 is a case-shaped lid that is open on the back side and the left side (slot machine side) and can cover the base member 62. And as shown in FIG. 3, the knob 72 as the clogging release mechanism 70 protrudes toward the near side from the hole formed in the front center part. In addition, a medal drop opening 69 for dropping a medal that is canceled by the operation of a clog release mechanism 70 described later is provided at a bottom portion of the cover member 61 and below the medal receiving hole 67 of the base member 62. Is formed.

  Note that an engagement piece 68 having a flange at the tip protrudes from the back side of the cover member 61 toward the back side (see FIG. 1), and this engagement piece 68 is formed when the cover member 61 is closed. The hook portion at the tip is adapted to engage with a locking claw provided on the back surface side of the front plate 34 of the main body cover 30. Then, by disengaging the engagement piece 68 from the main body cover 30, the cover member 61 can be rotated forward about the hinge 63, and the front surface of the nozzle portion 60 can be opened. ing. The engagement between the engagement piece 68 and the main body cover 30 is not particularly shown, but the front end of the key (for example, the key of the medal lending machine 2) is inserted from the key hole provided on the front side of the cover member 61. The collar piece is removed from the locking claw by elastically deforming the combined piece 68 downward. The cover member 61 can be opened when a medal is jammed or during maintenance.

(Clogging release mechanism 70)
The clog release mechanism 70 is a mechanism for discharging medals clogged in the middle of the medal transfer path 65 to the outside of the apparatus without opening the cover member 61, and is attached to the base member 62 as shown in FIG. The front wall portion 71 includes a slide portion 71A and a fixed portion 71B, and a guide rail 73 that supports the slide portion 71A so as to be movable up and down.
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the front wall portion 71 is a plate member that covers the medal transfer path 65 from the front side, and a slide portion 71A located on the front side of the vertical drop portion 65A of the medal transfer path 65; It is divided into a fixed portion 71B located on the front side of the inclined transfer portion 65B. The slide portion 71A is supported to be slidable in the vertical direction by engaging both left and right end portions with a guide rail 73 provided on the base body 62A. Further, a rectangular opening 72 having a lateral width larger than the diameter of the medal is formed slightly below the center portion in the height direction of the slide portion 71A. The vertical dimension of the opening 72 is not necessarily required to be larger than the diameter of the medal, as long as the front and back surfaces of the medal can pass forward or rearwardly. When positioned downward, medals that pass through the vertical drop portion 65A cannot pass through the opening 72, and when the slide portion 71A is pushed upward, medals can pass under the vertical drop portion 65A. The size of the opening 720 (see FIGS. 7 and 9) is sufficiently large to form a detachable opening 720.

  The guide rail 73 is formed in a U-shaped cross section, sandwiches a side end portion of the slide portion 71A, and has a vertically long groove portion 730 formed above the side surface portion. The groove portion may be a recess provided inside the guide rail 73 or a slit (long hole) penetrating the side surface portion of the guide rail 73. On the other hand, a protrusion 710 that protrudes in the left-right direction and engages with the groove is provided on the side end of the slide portion 71A. Then, the slide portion 71A engages the protrusion 710 with the groove portion 730, so that the upper end of the slide portion 71A is moved from the position where the protrusion 710 contacts the lower end portion of the groove portion 730 (see FIG. 8; hereinafter referred to as the lowered position). The guide rail 73 is slidable up and down to a position that is substantially the same height as the upper end of the guide rail 73 (see FIGS. 7 and 9; hereinafter referred to as a raised position).

  The slide portion 71A is normally in a lowered position as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, and its lower end protrudes downward from the medal drop opening 69. At this time, the opening 72 is at a height at which it hardly overlaps with the vertical dropping portion 65A. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 6, the back surface of the slide portion 71A and the protruding portion of the medal abutment surface 621 and medal transfer surface 622 of the base 62A are in close contact with each other, and the medal passing through the medal transfer path 65 is in contact with the base 62A. It is sandwiched between the slide parts 71A so that it can pass without falling. In other words, in the vertical drop portion 65A (see FIG. 8) of the medal transfer path 65, the game medals transferred from the back side of the curved portion 620a to the near side at the medal receiving port 67 fall in a direction to jump out to the near side. Although it tries to move, the slide part 71A prevents it from the front side. The game medal that collided with the back surface of the slide portion 71A is in a standing state, abuts against the medal abutment surface 621, changes the course, and rolls the medal transfer surface 622 toward the medal discharge port 66. .

On the other hand, when the lower end portion of the slide portion 71A protruding from the medal drop opening 69 is pushed up from below, the slide portion 71A moves upward while being guided by the guide rail 73. Then, when moved to the raised position shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 9, the opening 72 substantially overlaps with the lower side of the vertical drop part 65A, and the front wall 71 disappears in this part of the medal transfer path 65, A drop-off opening 720 is formed. If the hand that pushes up the slide part 71A is released, the slide part 71A returns to its original position under its own weight. Although not particularly illustrated, a spring may be provided between the upper end portion of the slide portion 71A and the ceiling surface of the cover member 61 so that the slide portion 71A is always urged downward. .
Here, the medal is most easily clogged in the medal transfer path 65 in the vicinity of the medal receiving port 67 where the opening thickness is wide because the curved part 620a is formed, and the medal transfer path 65 is the vertical drop part. It is a part that bends from 65A to the inclined transfer part 65B. When a medal is jammed in such a part, the slide part 71A is pushed up to form the dropout opening 720 in the vicinity of the direction changing part 621. As a result, among the medals jammed in the vertical drop part 65A of the medal transfer path 65, medals whose front and back surfaces are not in contact with the back wall part 620 (that is, medals clogged overlapping the front side) are placed on the slide part 71A. The support by the back surface is lost, and it falls downward from the drop-off opening 720 so as to pass through the opening 72 (see FIG. 7). Since the dropped medal is discharged from the medal drop opening 69 to the outside of the apparatus, it may be received by a palm or the like. In addition, the medal that is stopped moving between the medal on the near side and the back wall portion 620 of the vertical dropping portion 65A becomes free to move when the medal on the near side falls and disappears, and the medal abutment surface 621 and It is transferred to the medal discharge port 66 through the medal transfer surface 622.

In the present embodiment, the slide portion 71A is formed so as to be pushed up from the lower side of the medal drop opening 69, but a knob protruding forward from the cover member 61 is provided on the front side of the slide portion 71A. The slide portion 71A may be slid upward by pulling up the knob.
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the front wall portion 71 is formed in an inverted L shape in accordance with the shape of the medal transfer path 65, and only the slide member 71A is slid. 71 may not necessarily be an inverted L shape, and the entire front wall 71 may be formed to be slidable. For example, the front wall 71 may be formed as a square plate member that can cover the medal transfer path 65 from the front side, and the front wall 71 may be slidable as a whole. In this case, the opening 72 may be provided so as to overlap only at the position of the vertical drop part 65A, or the opening 72 having a size overlapping the vertical drop part 65A and the inclined transfer part 65B is provided, and the front wall part is provided. The medals on the medal transfer surface 622 may also be formed so as to fall down through the opening 72 by pushing up 71. In the latter case, the medal drop opening 69 may be formed over the entire lateral width of the medal transfer path 65.

(Front wall temporary locking device)
By the way, in the above configuration, the slide portion 71A moves upward and the slide portion 71A is fixed at a position where the medal in the medal transfer path 65 can be discharged from the opening 72, and the fixed slide portion 71A is further pushed up. Accordingly, a front wall portion temporary locking device may be provided in which the fixing is released and the slide portion 71A returns to the original position.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 10, a substantially heart-shaped reciprocating groove may be provided above the groove portion 730 provided in the guide rail 73. The reciprocating groove is composed of an outward path 731 and a return path 732, and a locking portion 733 is formed between the forward path 721 and the return path 732 to which the protrusion 710 of the slide portion 71A is locked, and at the end of the return path 732 Is formed with a return portion 734 positioned above the locking portion 733. Further, a step 735 is formed at the boundary between the forward path 731 and the locking part 733, and a step 736 is formed at the boundary between the forward path 721 and the return path 732, and the locking part 733 is lower (deeper) than the forward path 731. The return path 732 is formed to be higher (shallow) than the forward path 731. Further, the return path 732 has an inclination that becomes higher from the locking portion 733 toward the lower side. On the other hand, the protrusion 710 of the slide portion 71A is urged by a spring so as to be able to protrude and retract in the width direction (direction of the groove portion 730).

  When the slide portion 71A is pushed up, the protrusion 710 moves upward along the groove 730, and does not proceed to the return path 732 that is higher by the step 736 at the boundary between the forward path 731 and the return path 732, but enters the forward path 731. As the slide portion 71A rises, the protrusion 710 that has moved up the forward path 731 gets over the step 735 and is locked to the locking portion 523. Since the locking portion 733 is located at a position lower than the forward path 731, the protrusion 710 protrudes outward in the width direction of the slide portion 71A by the force of the spring when positioned at the locking portion 733. As a result, the position of the slide portion 71A is fixed. Next, when the slide portion 71A is slightly pushed up in this state, the protrusion 710 is obstructed by the step 735 and does not move to the forward path 731, but moves from the locking portion 733 to the return portion 734. Thereby, the fixing of the slide portion 71A is released, and when the hand supporting the slide portion 71A is released, the slide portion 71A moves downward by its own weight or by the force of the spring. The protrusion 710 is gradually pushed into the slide portion 71A in accordance with the inclination of the depth of the forward path 732, and at the boundary between the forward path 731 and the return path 732, the return path 732 is higher, so it gets over the step 736. It descends and projects in the width direction again. Then, when the protrusion 710 contacts the lower end of the groove 730, the descent of the slide portion 71A stops.

By providing the front wall portion temporary locking device in this way, the medal cancellation state can be maintained even if the hand is released from the slide portion 71A. There is a merit that it can be canceled easily without operation of 80.
In addition, the structure of the front wall part temporary locking device is not restricted to what was mentioned above. Any known means may be used as long as the mechanism fixed by the push-up operation is released by further pressing.
Furthermore, an informing unit may be provided for informing when the slide plate 71A is moved upward (medal canceled state) by the front wall portion temporary locking device. Although not particularly shown, this can be, for example, a notification lamp attached to the surface of the main body cover 30 or the nozzle portion 60. The lamp is off during normal times (when not in the medal cancellation state), and the slide plate 71A is fixed at the raised position and energized when in the medal cancellation state, so that the lamp is turned on. . By attaching this notification unit, it is possible to know the open / closed state of the rotating plate 71 that cannot be seen from the outside, and to prevent the medal feeder 40 from being operated in the canceled state. .

(Transfer of game medals)
Next, the process of transferring game medals in the batch insertion mechanism 3 having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS.
First, when game medals are inserted from the collective insertion opening 31, the game medals fall so as to be stacked on the upper surface of the rear portion of the transport belt 53 and the upper surface of the opening / closing plate 82, and are stored in the medal storage unit 44. Further, when a bill is inserted into the medal lending machine 2, the game medal is paid out from the lending medal payout device 23 and is stored in the medal storage unit 44 through the payout passage 42. Next, when the upper surface plate 32 of the batch loading mechanism 3 is touched by hand, the touch sensor reacts and the transport device 50 starts operating. That is, the drive motor 55 is driven, the roller 51 is rotated, and the transport belt 53 starts to move forward.

When the transport belt 53 starts moving, the game medals riding on the upper surface of the rear part of the transport belt 53 move forward, and the medals stored above the drag medals are also dragged, dive below the movement adjustment valve 43 and return to the medals. Move to section 45. Here, since the movement adjustment valve 43 does not rotate forward (toward the medal return part), it prevents the medal stored in the upper part of the medal storage part 44 from falling into the medal return part 45 at once. Can do.
Of the game medals transferred forward by the conveyor belt 53, the game medals riding on the upper surface of the conveyor belt 53 pass through the delivery gap 54 between the conveyor belt 53 and the lower surface of the reverse rotation roller 52 one by one. Then, it is transferred to the medal discharge unit 47. On the other hand, the game medals overlying the transport belt 53 come into contact with the reverse rotation roller 52 and are caught by the stirring groove provided in the reverse rotation roller 52 and kicked back by the medal return portion 45 at the upper rear part. Since the reverse rotation roller 52 rotates faster than the roller 51, the medal can be kicked out efficiently.

Here, if the amount of medals staying in the medal return portion 45 is large, it may hinder kicking backward by the reverse rotation roller 52, and the clogging of the medals may occur in the sending gap 54. However, since the movement adjustment valve 43 is pivotably attached to the rear (medal storage part side), the medals staying in the medal return part 45 flow backward to the medal storage part 44 and above the medal return part 45. A space is formed. As a result, the kicking-out of medals by the reverse rotation roller 52 is performed smoothly.
The game medals sent out from the transport device 50 are discharged from the medal discharge portion 47, enter the medal receiving port 67 while being guided by the curved portion 620a of the nozzle portion 60, and are discharged from the medal discharge port 66 through the medal transfer path 65. The Since the medal discharge port 66 is aligned with the side transfer passage 12 of the medal insertion port 10 of the slot machine 1, the game medal is inserted into the upper insertion opening 11 through the side transfer passage 12.

  By the way, when the operation of the medal feeding device 50 is stopped before all the inserted game medals are transferred (when the hand is released from the touch sensor), the game is placed on the upper surface of the transport belt 53 or the medal storage unit 33. The medal remains. In this case, a predetermined reset switch (not shown) is operated when it is not desired to insert the remaining game medals into the slot machine 1 by ending the game. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the solenoid 81 of the discharge device 80 is activated to open the opening / closing plate 82, and the drive motor 55 of the medal feeder 50 is driven in reverse. As a result, the game medals on the upper surface of the transport belt 53 move rearward, and when the opening / closing plate 82 is opened, the game medals fall downward from the cancel opening 39 opened at the bottom of the medal storage part 33. The game medals stored in the medal storage unit 33 also fall from the cancel opening 39 in the same manner.

The game medals discharged from the medal feeding device 40 in this way are stored in the medal removal tray 90, so that the medals may be taken out from the recess 91. Needless to say, even when foreign matter such as dust is mixed in the batch loading mechanism 3, it can be taken out in the same manner as described above.
Note that, when the occurrence of a clogged medal is detected during the operation of the transport device 50, a predetermined alarm is issued and the drive of the drive motor 55 is stopped. A clogged medal can be recognized by a rotation detection sensor provided on the drive motor 55 and the roller 51. Specifically, the rotation detection sensor may be provided with a protrusion having a D-shaped cross section on the rotation shaft of the roller 51, for example, and a photo sensor provided between the protrusions to detect the rotation of the rotation shaft. For example, when the rotation of the roller 51 is not detected for a certain period of time despite the drive motor 55 being driven, it can be determined that a token is jammed inside the transport device 50. Incidentally, when the medal detection sensor 64 remains detecting a medal, it can be determined that a medal clogging has occurred inside the nozzle portion 60.

  According to the present embodiment, the game medals lent out from the medal lending machine 2 do not have to be moved to the slot machine 1 in hand, or the medals paid out from the slot machine 1 by winning are handed one by one. Therefore, even if the token is not inserted into the medal slot 10, the batch slot mechanism 3 can be inserted into the medal slot 10 and the game can be performed efficiently. Also, when a clogged medal occurs at the nozzle part 60, the clogging can be released by simply pushing up the slide part 71A without opening the cover member 61. Clogging can be eliminated. Furthermore, if the front wall portion temporary locking device is provided in the clogging release mechanism 70, the medal can be easily canceled at the nozzle portion 60, and the medal can be inserted into the slot machine 1 without stopping the operation of the medal feeding device 40. Can be canceled.

It is embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is sectional drawing of a batch injection | throwing-in mechanism. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the slot machine and the medal lending machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is an embodiment of the present invention, and is an enlarged perspective view of a medal slot and a batch slot mechanism. 1 is a perspective view of a medal feeding device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a fragmentary sectional view of a batch loading mechanism. It is embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is sectional drawing of a nozzle part. It is embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is sectional drawing of a nozzle part. It is embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a front view of a nozzle part. It is embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a front view of a nozzle part. It is an embodiment of the present invention and is a schematic diagram showing an example of a front wall portion temporary locking device.

Explanation of symbols

1 slot machine (game machine)
10 Medal slot 11 Upper slot
12 Side transfer passage 13 Front door
14 Symbol display window 15 Lower plate
16 Operation section 2 Medal lending machine (between machines for gaming machines)
20 Outer box 21 Bill slot
22 Bill counter 23 Lending medal dispensing device 3 Collective loading mechanism
30 Main unit cover 31 Collective opening
32 Top plate 33 Bottom plate
34 Front plate 35 Back plate
36 Side plate 37 Standing wall
38 Bottom opening 39 Rear opening
40 Medal feeder 41 Base
42 Discharge passage 43 Movement adjustment valve
44 Medal storage 45 Medal return
46 Flat part 47 Medal discharge part
48 Receiving opening 49 Cancel opening
50 Conveyor 51 Roller
52 Reverse roller 53 Conveyor belt
54 Delivery gap 55 Drive motor
60 Nozzle (input introduction path) 61 Cover member
62 Base member 62A Base
620 Back wall 620a Curved part
621 Medal contact surface 622 Medal transfer surface (bottom surface)
63 Hinge 64 Medal detection sensor
65 Medal transfer path 65A Vertical drop part
65B Tilt transfer section 66 Medal outlet
67 Medal socket 68 Engagement piece
69 Medal drop opening (drop opening)
70 Clogging release mechanism 71 Front wall
71A Fixed part 71B Slide part
72 Opening 73 Guide rail
710 Protrusion 720 Dropout opening
730 groove
80 Ejector 81 Solenoid
82 Open / close plate 83 Movable shaft
84 Fixed shaft
90 Medal tray 91 Recess
92 Hinge
100 Divider

Claims (3)

Installed adjacent to a gaming machine equipped with a medal slot having a side transfer passage that can accept game medals from the side, and a batch slot that allows batch loading of gaming medals, In a gaming machine pedestal machine comprising at least a medal feeding device that feeds them separated one by one and a charging introduction path that guides the gaming medals sent from the medal feeding device to a side transfer passage of the gaming machine,
The introduction introduction path is composed of a base portion fixed to the front side of the gaming machine interim machine and a cover portion located on the front side of the base portion, and a bottom opening is provided with a drop opening through which gaming medals can drop. And
Between the base portion and the cover portion, a transfer passage having a medal receiving port capable of receiving a game medal from above and a medal discharge port capable of discharging a game medal from the side is formed,
This transfer passage is located on the front side of the introduction introduction path, and a front wall portion facing the surface of the game medal moving in the passage, and a gap of the thickness of about one game medal between the front wall portion. At least a back wall portion facing the back surface of the game medal that is open and located in the back side and moves in the passage, and a bottom surface portion that supports the circumferential surface of the game medal from below,
The front wall portion is supported in the nozzle portion so as to be slidable in the vertical direction, and has an opening formed with at least a lateral width larger than the diameter of the game medal,
Due to the upward movement of the opening accompanying the upward sliding of the front wall portion, a dropout opening is provided above the bottom surface of the transfer passage so that a game medal can pass through the opening from the transfer passage and drop downward. It is formed so that it may occur.   The front wall can fix the position of the front wall in a state where the drop-off opening is generated, and can release the fixing of the front wall by further moving the position of the front wall fixed. The inter-machine for a gaming machine according to claim 1, further comprising a temporary part locking device.   The inter-machine for a gaming machine according to claim 2, further comprising a front wall part opening notifying part for notifying that the front wall part is fixed by the front wall part temporary locking device.

Images