JP2002172203A - Input medal selecting device for game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an input medal selecting device for game machine allowing the tare weight of medals to effectively act and capable of efficiently select the medals in size by inclining a passage not only in the conveying direction but also to the side. SOLUTION: This input metal selecting device for the game machine is provided with a selection function for selecting the medals inserted into an input port 12 in size, accepting the medals M having an adequate size to the inside, and conveying the medals M1 having inadequate sizes to an external return port 13. The input medal selecting device is also provided with the passage 23 communicated with the input port 12, allowing the medals to roll and pass in it, and inclined in the medal thickness direction, a discharge port 30 provided on a wall face on the inclination lower side of the passage 23 to discharge unapplicable medals, and a moving guide plate 26 forming part of the passage 23 and movably switched to a medal accepting guide position where the medals having the adequate size are conveyed and guided and a medal acceptance regulating position where the medals having inadequate sizes are discharged to the discharge port.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medal selection device for a game machine such as a slot machine used as one of popular entertainment, and more particularly to a medal class such as a small-diameter medal or a circulation coin which is not applicable. The present invention relates to an inserted medal selection device for a gaming machine that efficiently returns with a simple configuration when a game is inserted.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, this type of medal (coin) selection device is, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H8-24434, a medal rolling device which communicates with the inside of a slot and is inclined obliquely downward from a vertical direction. A dynamic passage is provided, and during the passage of the medals, while being rolled under their own weight and conveyed, the medals are sorted according to the size of the medals, and a loading process and a returning process are performed.

In this case, a detection lever (protrusion member) for detecting the passage of medals, which can freely come and go from one side, is provided in the medal rolling passage.
Is projected, and when a medal of an appropriate size is inserted, the medal is taken in along the passage while pushing down the detection lever.

[0004] On the other hand, when an inappropriate medal with a small diameter is inserted, only the lower part of the medal standing in the rolling path is guided because of the small diameter, and the upper part is not guided in a free state, so that it projects from one side. The medals having a smaller diameter are dropped and ejected from the ejection opening which is greatly opened to correspond to the other side and pushed out to the other side when the corresponding detection lever is pushed. Returned to return port.

[0005]

However, in order to provide an elimination mechanism for eliminating such small-diameter inappropriate medals at the time of insertion, a detection lever which is finely adjusted and moves with high sensitivity, and a spring for maintaining the lever in and out are provided. In addition, the number of parts and the number of assembling steps are increased due to the necessity of a sensor device for detecting the operation thereof, which has contributed to an increase in cost.

Furthermore, since medals are frequently inserted one by one into the slot of the gaming machine, the detection lever is liable to deteriorate and the detection performance is apt to deteriorate. If the operation of the detection lever that moves with high sensitivity deteriorates, and the movement of this detection lever deteriorates, the resistance at the time of passing the medals increases, which may cause clogging of the medals or may cause the small-diameter medals to be eliminated to pass incorrectly. there were.

In addition, this type of medal selection device includes mechanical selection means for performing selection processing according to the size of medals, and material detection means for electronically selecting the medal substance and having a medal thread hanging prevention mechanism. Because of this configuration, it took time for the selected medals to exit the medal selection device.

For this reason, after the medals are inserted into the slot machine, it takes time for all the medals to be counted, and a game start operation may be performed by the player before all the medals are counted. For example, erroneous counting occurs due to a phenomenon in which only one medal is counted even if two medals are started (medal swallowing phenomenon). Therefore, the player may be disadvantaged, and the size of the apparatus itself is increased, and there is a problem that a mounting space inside the machine is increased.

Therefore, the present invention not only tilts the whole passage downwardly in the rolling and conveying direction of the medals, but also inclines the medals in the thickness direction on the side of the passage.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a gaming machine inserted medal selection device capable of efficiently selecting medals of different sizes by effectively utilizing the own weight of the medals.

[0010]

According to the present invention, the size of medals inserted into an insertion slot is selected, medals of an appropriate size are taken in, and medals of an inappropriate size are returned to an external return port. A medal selection device for a gaming machine having a selection function of transporting a medal to a medal, wherein the medal is rolled and passed inward through the insertion port, and a medal thickness direction is provided. A discharge port for discharging inapplicable medals is provided on the lower wall surface, a part of the passage is formed, and a medal reception guide position for guiding a medal of an appropriate size and a medal of an inappropriate size are provided. And a movable guide plate which is movably switched to a medal acceptance restriction position for causing the discharge port to perform a discharging operation.

As a result, when a medal of an appropriate size is inserted, the medal is rolled and guided in a normal take-in direction along its inclined path by its own weight. On the other hand, when an inappropriate medal with a small diameter is inserted, since the upper side of the medal that stands up at the time of rolling passes is not guided in a free state because of the small diameter, the path that is inclined in the direction of the thickness of the medal is shifted downward from the path inclined in the thickness direction of the medal. It is naturally dropped and discharged by its own weight to the discharge port opposite to.

As described above, by combining the self-weight action of the medals that are rolled and conveyed upright with the passage inclined surface in the direction of the thickness of the medals, the inclination of the passage itself serves as a medal elimination function. When an inappropriate medal with a small diameter is inserted into the insertion slot, it falls naturally and can be efficiently removed. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the number of parts, reduce the number of assembling steps, and reduce the cost, thereby realizing an input medal selection device.

Further, even if medals are frequently inserted into the slot and the inside of the passage is soiled or the inside of the passage is scraped and resin dust is generated, the resin dust is not affected and the medal is clogged. Stable conveyance guide performance can be maintained without being adversely affected.

Further, in this case, since there is no member such as a detection lever which moves with high sensitivity by touching the medals in the passage, sliding resistance such as temporary pressing of the medals against the opposing wall surface at this portion is eliminated. , The passing speed of the medals is increased. Therefore, the counting speed is also increased, which is effective for solving the medal swallowing phenomenon.

When the game machine itself is not ready for operation, the movable guide plate forming a part of the passage may be set to the medal acceptance restricting position. Can be easily managed on the gaming machine side.

When returning medals, the inclined lower wall surface can be provided so as to be openable and closable in the slope direction. If the openable and closed wall surface is provided in conjunction with an external return button, the player (game) The user) can reliably perform the return operation by operating the button.

Further, on the inner surface of the passage communicating with the charging port,
A rib for avoiding contact resistance with the outer surface of the medal can be formed in the direction of the passage. In this case, the outer surface of the inserted medal is taken in contact with only some of the ribs, so that the contact area with the medal is small. In other words, the passage resistance of medals is reduced, and in addition to a smooth conveyance guide action, high-speed fetching of medals can be promoted.

Further, the insertion port and the inwardly inclined passage can be provided with an inclined connection. In this case, a contact resistance can be given when the medal passes through the inclined connection portion. For this reason, a constant load can be applied to the medals inserted in this portion to control the medals to a stable insertion speed.

Here, the insertion slot has an opening for one insertion for accepting a medal of an appropriate size, and a larger-diameter medal and an extra-thick medal can be inserted in this insertion slot. Input is regulated by the part.

The above-mentioned medal of an appropriate size has a disk shape of a fixed size provided exclusively for use of a game, and an unsuitable medal has a smaller diameter than a medal of a regular size. Coins and counterfeit medals.

The inclination of the passage in the direction of the thickness of the medals is suitably an inclination angle of about 10 ° at which the tumbling action of the medals rolling on the passage is naturally performed by its own weight.
At this time, if the inclination angle is too small, a sufficient overturning effect cannot be obtained. If the inclination angle is too large, the rolling load on an appropriate medal increases, leading to a rolling obstacle.

[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. The drawing shows a slotted medal selection device of a slot machine installed in a game hall. In FIG. 1, a slot machine 11 opens a slot 12 for receiving medals M one by one on a front surface, and is inserted into the slot 12. The medals are checked for suitability, medals of the correct size are taken inside, and medals of an inappropriate size are returned to the external return port 1.
It has a built-in sorting function to return to 3. Also, a return button 14 is provided adjacent to the external insertion slot 12, and the medal M is returned to the return slot 13 even when the player presses the return button 14 to stop the game.

FIG. 2 shows the inner surface of the slot machine 11 in which the front door 15 is opened in a one-sided manner. The slot machine body 11a has a reel 16 on the upper side and a medal on the lower side. It has a take-in hopper 17, a medal return passage (not shown), and a power supply 18.

On the other hand, on the inner side of the front door 15, a reel cover 19, an inserted medal selection device (medal selector) 20, and a return port 13 are arranged in this order from above.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the inserted medal selecting device 20.
In the inserted medal selecting device 20, a U-shaped substrate 21 and an opening / closing plate 22 are integrally combined to form a medal passage 23 for inserted medal selection.

The above-mentioned medal passage 23 is connected to the upper slot 1
A vertical path 23a between an inlet 24 and a lower outlet 25 corresponding to the connection 2 and a sloping path 23b inclined more gently than the vertical path 23a.
And are connected to each other.

A movable guide plate 26 that forms the upper side of the medal passage 23 is provided above the medal passage 23 in parallel with the inclined path 23b. It is guided by the guide plate 26. Also,
Immediately before the exit 25 of the ramp 23b, a pair of passage detection sensors S1 and S2 are provided.
The number of medals M passed in S2 is counted.

On the other hand, below the medal passage 23, an opening / closing plate 22, which will be described later,
Has a guide structure forming the lower side of

The above-mentioned opening / closing plate 22 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 28 which can be attached to and detached from a bearing 27 of the U-shaped substrate 21.
Are biased to abut.

Further, when the opening / closing plate 22 is mounted on the U-shaped inner surface of the U-shaped substrate 21, as shown in FIG.
Oval outlet 30 opening along the ramp 23b of No. 3
Is opened largely at the center of the opening / closing plate 22. The discharge port 30 discharges from the discharge port 30 when a medal M1 not applicable (small diameter) is inserted.

As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of first ribs 31 are formed on the inner surface of the open / close plate 22 in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the U-shaped substrate 21 facing the vertical path 23a. A plurality of second ribs 32 are formed in the inclined direction on the surface of the shaped substrate 21 facing the inclined path 23b.

By providing these ribs 31, 32,..., The inserted medal M is taken in contact with only some of the ribs 31, 32 having an uneven surface on the outer surface of the medal in the inserted space. Contact area with
Reduces the passing resistance of inserted medals and promotes high-speed and smooth transport. The rib may be formed not only on the opening / closing plate 22 side but also on the U-shaped substrate 21 side, and the shape of the rib is set to a shape that reduces the medal passing resistance.

Next, the inclination of the medal passage 23 will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, the medal passage 23 has a passage space for one roll that allows the medal M to roll and pass in the upright state, and is inclined at about 10 ° with respect to the thickness direction of the upright medal. Provided.

The inclination angle is set such that the opening / closing plate 22 is inclined downward, and the medals M rolled and conveyed in the medal passage 23 are inclined and conveyed to the inclined opening / closing plate 22 side. As a result, when an inappropriate medal with a small diameter is inserted, the small-diameter medal standing in the medal passage 23 at the time of rolling does not contact the movable guide plate 26 because the upper side has a small diameter.
Rolls without being guided. For this reason, the medals are tilted downward by their own weight, fall down to the discharge port 30 of the opening / closing plate 22, and are discharged.

As described above, by selecting the medal M by giving its own weight action and the tilt angle in the thickness direction of the medal that exerts its own weight action, no mechanical sorting function is required.
The sorting process can be easily performed by performing the sorting operation naturally. Therefore, the inclination of the passage itself serves as a small-diameter medal elimination function. Even if a small-diameter medal that is not applicable is inserted into the insertion port 12, the medal is discharged from the discharge port 30 opening inward of the insertion port 12. It falls naturally under its own weight and is efficiently eliminated.

On the other hand, when a regular-sized medal is inserted, the medal rolls along the path while being guided up and down, and is taken in the regular taking-in direction (exit 25).

The above-mentioned inclination ratio in the thickness direction of the medal is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, a tilt angle of about 10 ° is suitable, in which the medals rolling on the passage are naturally inclined by their own weight. In this case, if the inclination angle is too small, a sufficient overturning effect cannot be obtained, and if the inclination angle is too large, the rolling load on a regular medal increases, leading to a rolling obstacle. Therefore, a tilt angle of about 10 ° is suitable. .

Also, the player can operate the player to return the inserted medals or discharge the clogged foreign matter. In this return operation, when the player presses the return button 14, the return button 14, which is pressed down against the urging force of a spring (not shown) inside the return button 14, is rotatably supported by the lower side. The moving cam 33 is rotated, and the tip of the rotating cam 33 moves so as to push up the opening / closing plate 22, and in conjunction with this, the opening / closing plate 22 rotates about the shaft 28 to face the U-shaped substrate 21. Since the gap between the surfaces is greatly widened, clogged medals and foreign matter can be eliminated in the exclusion direction.

In addition, the space between the vertical coin receiving passage of the insertion slot 12 and the inwardly inclined passage is smoothly curved so that the vertically inserted medals do not receive a large contact resistance at the inclined portion. To make an inclined connection. Further, at the time of the inclined connection, an arbitrary contact resistance can be given when passing the medal by adjusting the degree of curvature of the inclined connection portion 23c. For this reason, it is possible to apply a certain load to the medals inserted in this portion, and control and manage the medals into a desired stable insertion speed that is neither too fast nor too slow.

Further, when the preparation of the gaming hall is not completed or the slot machine is not in operation, even if the inserted medals are regular medals, acceptance is rejected and the return port 1 is not accepted.
3 has a built-in reception control mechanism 34.

As shown in FIG. 8, the reception restricting mechanism 34 includes a shaft support 35 for rotatably supporting the movable guide plate 26 described above, and a wall surface of the U-shaped substrate 21 opposite to the medal passage 23. An L-shaped restricting lever 36 is provided at the rear and protrudes from the movable guide plate 26 so as to extend below the movable guide plate 26 by using the shaft supporting portion 35 as a common rotation fulcrum. The medal passage 23 is allowed to come and go freely through the window 37.

When the solenoid 38 disposed on the wall of the U-shaped substrate 21 on the side opposite to the medal passage 23 is excited, the movable guide plate 26 connected to the solenoid 38 is attracted and moved, thereby receiving the medal. The state is switched from the state to the medal acceptance restricted state.

FIG. 8 shows a medal receiving state in which when the solenoid 38 is turned off, the regulating lever 36 is retracted behind the medal passage 23 and the regulation is released, and the medal passage 23 in this accepting state has a lower part connected to the opening / closing plate 22. A concave groove for passing the medals is formed between the opposing surfaces of the shaped substrate 21 and the bottom plate 39 made of a metal material having excellent wear resistance positioned therebetween.
The upper part forms a groove for rolling the medals between the opposing surfaces of the movable guide plate 26 and the U-shaped substrate 21.

FIG. 9 shows a medal acceptance regulating state in which the regulating lever 36 protrudes into the medal passage 23, and the solenoid 38
Is turned on, the exciting action works, the movable guide plate 26 is pulled backward, and pivots around the pivot 35, and at this time, one side of the upper concave groove forming the medal passage 23 is opened and The passage is opened, and in synchronization with this, the tip of the regulating lever 36 projects into the medal passage 23 to restrict the passage of the medals that have reached the medal passage.

The selection processing operation of the inserted medal selection device 20 configured as described above will be described below. Slot machine 1
When the player inserts a medal M into the insertion slot 12 while the player 1 is in a movable state capable of accepting the medal M, the inserted medal M is guided to the inner medal passage 23 by its own weight, and is shifted from the vertical road 23a to the inclined road. It is taken in while being rolled up to 23b while standing.

At this time, when a regular-sized medal M is inserted, the medal M is received as it is and taken inward one by one. The number of the taken images is the passing detection sensor S near the exit.
1 and S2, and the counted value is transmitted to and managed by a control unit (not shown).

Further, the two passage detection sensors S1, S2
Are sequentially arranged along a ramp 23b near the exit 25 of the medal passage 23, and the ON / OFF state of each of the sensors S1 and S2.
Since an abnormal operation can be accurately detected by an OFF sequence or a change in time, an illegal act using a thread hanging medal or the like can be prevented.

On the other hand, when a medal M1 which is not applicable, such as a small-diameter circulation coin, is incorrectly inserted, as shown in FIG. Since the upper side of the medal M1 is not guided, and the medal passage 23 itself is not only inclined in the transport direction but also inclined about 10 ° in the thickness direction of the medal, the discharge opening which is largely opened to the side of the medal M1. Exit 3
At the time corresponding to 0, the sheet falls down and naturally falls to the discharge port 30 by its own weight and is discharged as shown by the imaginary line in FIG.

As described above, when a medal of an appropriate size is inserted, it rolls under its own weight and is guided in the normal take-in direction. On the other hand, when an inappropriate small-diameter medal is inserted, the medal is naturally dropped from the passage inclined in the thickness direction of the medal to the discharge port on the lower side of the medal due to the small diameter, and is discharged.

In particular, the selection of medals can be solved only by the inclined path in the thickness direction of the medals, which can be naturally dropped, instead of mechanical means, so that the number of parts and the number of assembling steps can be reduced, and the medals operate with high sensitivity. Since no detection lever is required,
This is effective in solving the medal swallowing phenomenon by enabling the medal to be taken in at a high speed.

In the correspondence between the present invention and the configuration of the above-described embodiment, the passage of the present invention corresponds to the medal passage 23 of the embodiment. Correspondingly, the present invention can be applied based on the technical idea shown in the claims, and is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment.

[0052]

According to the present invention, by combining the self-weight action of a medal that is rolled and conveyed upright with the inclined surface in the thickness direction of the medal that exerts the self-weight action, the inclination of the passage itself is reduced. In the case where a small-diameter medal is inserted, the small-sized medal is naturally dropped and efficiently eliminated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a slot machine.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing an inner surface state of a front door of the inserted medal sorting device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a main part showing the inserted medal selection device.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the inserted medal selection device.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state in which a rib of the opening / closing plate is formed.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a medal passage.

FIG. 7 is a side view on the exit side showing a medal passage.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a standby state of the reception control mechanism.

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a reception restriction state of the reception restriction mechanism.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Slot machine 12 ... Input port 13 ... Return port 20 ... Input medal sorting apparatus 21 ... U-shaped board 22 ... Opening / closing plate 23 ... Medal path 23c ... Inclined connection part 26 ... Movable guide plate 30 ... Discharge ports 31, 32 ... Rib M: Medal M1: Medal not applicable

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A sorting function for selecting the size of a medal inserted into a slot, taking in a medal of an appropriate size into the inside, and transporting medals of an inappropriate size to an external return port. A medal selection device for a gaming machine, wherein the medal rolls and passes inward through the insertion slot, and a passage is provided in which the medal thickness direction is inclined. A discharge port for discharging medals is provided, a part of the passage is formed, and a medal receiving guide position for conveying and guiding medals of an appropriate size, and an operation of discharging medals of an inappropriate size to the discharge port are performed. A medal selection device for gaming machines equipped with a movable guide plate that is movably switched to a medal acceptance restricted position. 2. The inserted medal selection device for a gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein said inclined lower wall surface is provided so as to be openable and closable in a slope direction. 3. The inserted medal selection device for a gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein a rib for avoiding contact resistance with the outer surface of the medal is formed on the inner surface of the passage communicating with the insertion port in the direction of the passage. 4. The insertion medal selection device for a gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the insertion opening and the passage inside the insertion opening are inclinedly provided.