JP2003144615A - Coin paying out method, device therefor, and game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve convenience for a player and to increase the sales of a game saloon by providing a coin paying out method, a device therefor and a game machine, by which medals can collectively be fed and a stuff can simply remove foreign matters for restoring the game machine in a short period even when the foreign matter is fed into the machine. SOLUTION: The coin paying out method has a coin storage part which has a tilted cylindrical inner surface and has at least the lower parts of both of its ends closed with at least a part openable and closable, a coin receiving port formed at the coin storage part, a rotating piece which rotates along the inner lateral side of the medal collecting part for press-moving tilted coins, and a coin paying out port formed at the specific part of the coin storage part for paying out the press-moved coins.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to, for example, a coin payout method and an apparatus for paying out a plurality of coins (medals) inserted at a time, one by one, and a gaming machine provided with the apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a gaming machine such as a slot machine that uses medals, which are game moving objects, a player wins one medal.
The games are played by inserting them one by one into the medal insertion slot.

However, the method of inserting medals one by one is inconvenient for the player, and since it takes a long time to insert the medals, the number of plays per unit time is reduced, which is not preferable for the manager of the playground.

[0004]

As a solution to the above-mentioned problems, for example, if a game machine capable of directly inserting a handful of medals into the medal slot is invented, it will be satisfactory to players and playground managers. It is possible to provide a high-performance gaming machine.

In order to enable such a game machine, a medal insertion port having a relatively wide mouth that can be inserted all at once is provided on the operation surface of the game machine housing, and whether the inserted medals are genuine products or not. A medal payout device for separating a plurality of medals received from the insertion slot into individual medals is required between the medal identification device for identifying whether or not the medals insertion opening.

Further, in recent years, the processing speed of the medal identification device has been increased, and in response to this, a medal payout device capable of high-speed processing is required.

Furthermore, since there is a mischief in which a foreign object is inserted into the medal insertion slot where only one medal can be inserted even at a game hall using a conventional gaming machine, a medal insertion slot with a relatively wide mouth is provided. In addition to the conventional mischief that throws in foreign matter, it is expected that the amount of foreign matter that is not intended by the player will increase and foreign matter is clogged inside the device, which will cause a problem in medal payout. You also need to do it.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems and enables the medals to be inserted all at once, and the clerk can easily remove the foreign matter even when the foreign matter is thrown in, and the game machine can be restored in a short time. By providing a possible coin payout method, its device, and a game machine, the convenience of the player is improved, and
It aims to increase the sales of the playground.

[0009]

According to the present invention, there is provided a coin accommodating portion having a tilted cylindrical inner surface, at least lower portions of both ends of which are closed, and at least a part of which can be opened and closed. A plurality of coins are received from the provided coin receiving slot, the tilted coins are pushed by a rotating piece that rotates along the inner side surface of the coin storing section, and the pushed coins are provided in a specific section of the coin storing section. And a coin payout method or an apparatus therefor.

The opening and closing of at least a part of the coin storing part includes opening and closing a part of the upper part, the front part, the side part and the like of the coin storing part by a method such as butterfly movement, sliding or attachment / detachment. The coin having the above structure includes coin-shaped bodies such as medals and coins. The tilting degree of the cylindrical inner surface includes horizontal or oblique. The coin payout opening may be formed in a side surface portion of the coin storage portion. The rotating piece may be linear or curved.

With the above construction, a plurality of received coins can be paid out one by one at a high speed, and the coin payout device can be miniaturized and installed in a small space.
Further, the rotating piece pushes a coin along the inner surface of the coin storing portion, stirs other coins to flatten the inside of the coin storing portion, and the standing shape in a radial direction of the coin storing portion. Prevent becoming. Furthermore, by opening and closing the coin storage portion, it is possible to easily remove the foreign matter and the coin when the foreign matter is mixed or the coin is jammed.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment, the coin payout device may be configured such that an upper portion of the coin storage portion can be opened and closed. As a result, foreign matter mixed in the coin storage section can be easily removed without spilling, and even when the coin selectors for discriminating the authenticity of coins are adjacent to each other, the coin selectors can be opened and closed without interfering with the coin selectors. can do.

The present invention is a gaming machine which allows a game based on the value of inserted coins, and which is provided with the coin payout device for paying out a plurality of coins inserted at a time one by one. Can be This allows
The player can insert coins all at once, and the time and effort required for coin insertion can be reduced.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, the convenience of the player can be improved and the sales of the amusement park can be increased.
Even if foreign matter such as dust or coins are clogged in the coin storage unit, the coin storage unit can be easily checked and removed in a short game interruption time.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, with reference to the perspective view shown in FIG. 1 and the front view shown in FIG. 2, the appearance and configuration of the slot machine 1 installed in the game hall will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the slot machine 1 has three operation switches 5b arranged side by side in the center of the front face, and a drive lever 5a on the left side thereof.

At the center right side of the front of the slot machine 1, there is provided an insertion slot 2 for receiving approximately 30 coin-shaped medals M, which are game moving bodies, all at once, and a return button 3 is provided on the right side thereof. Adjacent to each other. A return port 7 is provided at the center of the lower part of the slot machine 1. For example, when the player presses the return button 3, the medal M is returned from the return port 7.

FIG. 2 shows the state of the inner surface of the front door 1a of the slot machine 1 which is opened in a single-opening manner. The upper part of the opened slot machine body 1b is provided with a reel 16 for rotating and playing a game. A hopper 17 for taking in medals, a medal return passage (not shown), and a power supply device 8 are provided in the lower portion.

On the inner surface side of the front door 1a, from the upper part, a reel cover 15 which visibly covers the reel 16, a proper size of the medal is selected and a medal of a proper size is taken into the inside. A medal selector 19 for returning medals to an external return port 7 and a return port 7 for returning medals M are provided. On the left side of the medal selector 19, there is provided a medal payout device 30 which communicates with the above-mentioned insertion slot 2 and takes out the medals M that have been collectively put in one by one. With the above configuration, the medal selector 1 is used to select a plurality of medals that have been inserted at one time from the insertion slot 2 by the medal feeding device 30.
It sends to 9 and recognizes a regular size medal, and allows the game by operating the drive lever 5a and the operation switch 5b.

Next, the structure of the slot machine 1 will be described with reference to the circuit block diagram of the slot machine 1 shown in FIG. The control unit 20 includes a CPU 21 that executes arithmetic processing and control processing, a non-rewritable non-volatile ROM 22 that stores a control program for performing each processing, a volatile RAM 23 that records data necessary for operation, a management A communication interface 24 that allows transmission / reception with a device (not shown) and a machine-to-machine (not shown) is configured.

The power supply device 8 is connected to the control unit 20.
A game drive device 4 which is a drive system of the reel 16 (FIG. 2), a game operation device 5 which is a game operation system, a medal counting device 6,
A rotation start sensor 9 and a motor 34, which are a drive system of the medal payout device 30, are provided. The operation of each device will be described. The power supply device 8 converts power supplied from the outside into operating power and supplies the power to each device. The game drive device 4 drives the reel 16 under the control of the control unit 20.

The game operating device 5 outputs a game signal such as rotation start or rotation stop of the reel 16 to the control section 20 when a player operates the drive lever 5a and the operation switch 5b. The medal counting device 6 counts the regular size medals M selected by the medal selector 19 and outputs the counting signal to the control unit 20.

The rotation start sensor 9 has a medal M in the insertion slot 2.
When it is turned on, its passage is detected and a detection signal is output to the control unit 20.

The motor 34 receives the rotation control signal from the control section 20 and rotates in the forward and reverse directions. When the medal M is inserted, the motor 34 is rotated in the normal direction to take out the medal M from the medal payout device 30 and jam the medal M. If it does, reverse the rotation to eliminate the jammed condition.

With the above-described structure and each operation, the slot machine 1 detects the passage of the medals M collectively inserted into the slot 2 by the rotation start sensor 9 to start the rotation of the motor 34, and the motor 34. The medals M are paid out one by one from the medal payout device 30 by the rotating force of the medals M, and the medals M of the regular size selected by the medal selector 19 among the medals M are counted by the medal counting device 6, and the control unit is operated according to the counted value. 20 is controlled to drive the reel 16 by the game drive device 4 and stop the reel 16 by the game operating device 5 to allow the game. If all the medals M have been delivered and the medals M have not been carried into the medal selector 19 for a certain period of time, the control unit 20 stops the rotation of the motor 34.

Next, details of the structure of the medal payout device 30 will be described with reference to the side view shown in FIG. 4 and the perspective views shown in FIGS. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged front view (partially sectional view) of the slot machine 1 and shows the vicinity of the medal payout device 30.

The receiving port 32 of the medal payout device 30 is connected directly below the insertion port 2, and the medal M inserted from the insertion port 2 enters the medal storage unit 31 from the receiving port 32. Configure to flow.

The medal payout device 30 includes a medal storage portion 31 having a tilted, substantially cylindrical inner surface, a receiving opening 32 provided on the upper left side surface thereof, and a motor 34 provided directly below the medal storage portion 31. The motor 34 and the power transmission portion 33 provided on the right side surface of the medal storage portion 31, and the rotating body 35 (described later) provided inside the medal storage portion 31.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the medal storage portion 31 has a groove-shaped delivery port 36 for delivering the medals M in the medal storage portion 31 one by one on the inner side of the left side surface.
A hinge pin 3 which is composed of two parts, an upper part 31a and a lower part 31b, and which has the upper part 31a and the lower part 31b on the front surface.
The upper part 31a is formed so as to be openable and closable by using a hinge 1c as an axis.

The inner side of the medal storing portion 31 has a locking side 31e for locking the medal M on the inner side of the medal M.
Forming a feeding portion 31d for feeding the
The inner surface of 1d is connected to the delivery port 36.

Inside the medal storage portion 31, there are provided four blades 35a, and the blade 35a is provided with a rotating body 35 which rotates along the inner surface of the medal storage portion 31.

The rotary body 35 has its shaft core fixed to a pulley 33a (FIG. 4) on the outside of the right side surface of the medal storage portion 31, and the rotational force of the pulley 33b fixed to the rotary shaft of the motor 34 is passed through the belt 33c. Is transmitted to the pulley 33a, and is rotated in the forward and reverse directions by the rotational force.

With the structure described above, as shown in the explanatory view (partially exploded view) of FIG.
Is pushed clockwise by the wing 35a of the rotating body 35 in the left side view, and is pushed to the left by the resultant force sandwiched between the locking side 31e and the wing 35a, one by one from the delivery port 36 to the left. Be paid out.

When two or more medals M are pushed by the wing 35a and two or more medals M are about to be paid out from the payout opening 36, the inner medals M are engaged by the escape prevention side 31f. It is stopped and returned into the medal storage unit 31. As a result, one medal M is reliably delivered from the delivery port 36.

The upper portion 31a of the medal storage portion 31 is
Since the hinge pin 31c is opened and closed around the center, even if a foreign matter enters the medal storage portion 31 through the receiving port 32, it can be easily taken out and cleaned.

Next, the structure of the medal payout device 30 will be described with reference to the circuit block diagram of FIG. Medal storage section 3
The motor 34 attached to the power supply unit 8 (FIG. 5) is
Power is supplied from the switch unit 41 through the switching device 41, and a normal or reverse rotation motion is executed.

The switching device 41 is a device for switching the positive / negative of the power supplied from the power supply device 8, and switches the positive / negative of the power supplied to the motor 34 according to the control signal of the control unit 20. The current detection device 42 monitors the current of the motor 34 and sends a detection signal to the control unit 20 when detecting an overcurrent. The alarm lamp 43 lights up to give an alarm when in a clogging state.

The open / close detection sensor 44 has an upper portion 31a (FIG. 6).
Outputs a detection signal when is opened.

The power supply unit 8 and the control unit 20 are shown in FIG.
Since the operation is the same as that described above, detailed description will be omitted.

With the above structure, the motor 34 receives the power supply from the power supply device 8 and executes the rotary motion to rotate the rotor 35.
(FIG. 6) is rotated in the normal direction, the medal M is pushed by the wing 35a, and the medal M is guided from above by the locking side 31e to move the medal M.
It is delivered from the delivery port 36 by the resultant force.

If the medal M is jammed in the medal payout device 30 or if the player accidentally mixes foreign matter such as dust with the medal M, the rotating body 35 cannot rotate and the motor 34 is overloaded. Therefore, an overcurrent is supplied to the motor 34.

This overcurrent state is detected by the current detection device 42, and based on the detection signal, the control unit 20 switches the switching device 41 to the reverse rotation control, reversely rotates the motor 34 for a predetermined time, and then switches the switching device 41 to the normal state. The feed control is continued by switching to the roll control.

When the current detection device 42 detects the overcurrent state for the motor 34 in the above-described reverse rotation control, the control unit 20 determines that the clogging cannot be automatically cleared by the reverse rotation control, and the switching device. 41 is switched to stop control, the motor 34 is stopped, the alarm lamp 43 is controlled to be turned on, and the player and the clerk are informed of the clogging state. Based on this alarm, the store clerk opens the front door 1a (FIG. 2) to open the upper portion 31a of the medal storage unit 31, removes the stuck medals M and foreign matters, and restores the slot machine 1.

Next, another embodiment of the medal payout device 30 will be described with reference to the perspective views seen from the left rear side shown in FIGS. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, instead of the feeding portion 31d of the previous embodiment, a tapered roller 31g that rotates in forward and reverse directions by obtaining an appropriate driving force is provided.

A hinge pin 3 is attached to the central axis of the roller 31g.
1c through the hinge pin 31c as a center.
The upper part 31a is formed so as to open and close in a butterfly motion as shown in FIG.

At the portion of the lower portion 31b of the medal storage portion 31 where the roller 31g is pivotally attached, a groove-shaped feeding port 3 for feeding the coin M downward along the inside of the roller 31g.
6 is formed, and the coin M is paid out from the bottom surface of the medal storage portion 31 by the payout opening 36 as shown in FIG.

With the above structure, the medals M in the medal storage portion 31 are pushed clockwise by the wing 35a of the rotating body 35 (FIG. 10) in the left side view, and the roller 31g also rotates clockwise in the left side view. Depending on, it pulls out one by one as if pulling it down.

The upper portion 31a of the medal storage portion 31 is
Since the hinge pin 31c opens and closes more largely than in the previous embodiment, when foreign matter enters the medal storage portion 31 through the receiving port 32, the foreign matter can be removed and cleaned more easily than in the previous embodiment. .

In each of the above-described embodiments, the receiving port 32 is provided on the left side surface of the upper portion 31a, but not limited to this, it may be provided on the left side surface of the lower portion 31b, for example. Further, the delivery port 36 is not limited to the back side portion, but may be provided in the lower portion of the medal storage portion 31, for example.

The upper portion 31a of the medal storage portion 31 is
Instead of opening and closing by butterfly movement, it may be formed detachably, or the medal storage portion 31 may be formed so as to be detachable from the medal payout device 30.

The medal payout device 30 is not limited to a slot machine, and may be provided in a gaming machine such as a bingo game or a horse racing game in which medals are inserted to play a game.
It may be provided in a counting device that counts coin-shaped objects such as medals and coins to be inserted.

In the correspondence between the configuration of the present invention and the above-described embodiment, the gaming machine of the present invention corresponds to the slot machine 1 of the embodiment, and hereinafter, the coin payout device corresponds to the medal payout device 30. The coin storage portion corresponds to the medal storage portion 31, and the upper portion of the coin storage portion is the upper portion 31a.
The coin receiving opening corresponds to the receiving opening 32, the rotary piece corresponds to the wing 35a, and the coin payout opening is the payout opening 36.
Corresponding to, the coin corresponds to the medal M, but the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, and many embodiments can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a slot machine.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the inside of the slot machine.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control circuit of a slot machine.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged front view (partially sectional view) of the slot machine.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a medal payout device.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a medal payout device.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the medal payout device.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a control circuit of the medal payout device.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a medal payout device according to another embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a medal payout device according to another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Slot machine 30 ... Medal feeding device 31 ... Medal storage section 31a ... the upper part 32 ... Entrance 35a ... feather 36 ... Delivery port M ... Medal

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Tetsuya Fukuya             97-1 Miyagoshi Nishimachi, Chiryu-shi, Aichi Sunny Howe             Sumiyagoshi No. 203

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A coin accommodating portion having a tilted cylindrical inner surface, at least lower portions of both ends of which are closed and at least a part of which can be opened and closed, and a plurality of coin receiving ports provided in the coin accommodating portion are provided. Accepting coins, pushing tilted coins with a rotating piece that rotates along the inner surface of the coin storage unit, and delivering the pushed coins from a coin delivery port provided in a specific portion of the coin storage unit. Method. 2. A coin storage part having a tilted cylindrical inner surface, at least lower parts of both ends of which are closed, and at least a part of which can be opened and closed, and a coin receiving port provided in the coin storage part. A coin payout device having a rotating piece that rotates along the inner side surface of the coin storing part and pushes the tilted coin, and a coin payout opening provided in a specific part of the coin storing part for paying out the pushed coin . 3. The coin payout device according to claim 2, wherein an upper portion of the coin storage portion is formed to be openable and closable. 4. A coin payout device according to claim 2 or 3, which is a gaming machine that allows a game to be played based on the value of the inserted coins, and pays out a plurality of coins that have been inserted at a time, one by one. A game machine equipped.