JP2003281594A - Medal selection device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To deal with medals having multiple kinds of outer shapes, in a medal selection device for selecting an authentic medal. <P>SOLUTION: By superimposing a cover plate 18 on a device body 12, a medal passage 20 is formed between them. The width of the medal passage is restricted by width restriction guides 22, 24 and 124. For a small-diameter medal, the width direction is restricted by the guides 22 and 24, and a medal having a larger diameter is stopped from entering. By using another cover plate without having the restriction guide 24 installed for the large-diameter medal, the width direction is restricted by the guides 22 and 124. The thickness of the medal passage is restricted by thickness restriction ribs 26 and 28, and a cover plate having ribs different in height is used for a medal different in thickness. Thereby, the multiple kinds of medals can be dealt with by sharing the base side and by changing only the cover plate side. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medal selecting device for judging authenticity of a game medal or the like and selecting an authentic medal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A game machine installed in a game center or the like is provided with a medal selecting device for judging the authenticity of medals inserted from a medal insertion slot, eliminating false ones, and selecting only authentic ones. There is. This medal selecting device includes a device main body having a medal passage adapted to the size of the inserted medal. The medal passage has diagonally arranged portions, and the medals pass through the diagonal passage while rolling. The medal passage has a passage width that matches the diameter of a true medal and a passage thickness that matches the thickness of the medal passage. When a medal larger than these dimensions is inserted, the medal passage is blocked. Further, it has an exclusion window for excluding medals having a diameter smaller than that of a genuine medal to the outside of the passage in the passage thickness direction.

Further, a plurality of medal sensors for detecting passage of medals rolling in the passage are provided. By providing a plurality of sensors, it is determined whether or not the token is a genuine token based on the passage timing of the token detected by each sensor.

[0004]

There are a plurality of types of outer dimensions for medals used in the above-mentioned gaming machine. Even if there is only one type of medal used in one gaming machine, there is a demand to share a gaming machine that uses other types of medals and a medal selecting device as much as possible. That is, it is required to share more parts and reduce the number of parts used according to the type of medal.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and an object thereof is to share a larger number of parts in dealing with a plurality of types of medals.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the medal selecting apparatus according to the present invention is a genuine meridian that cooperates between a base and a cover plate which are arranged in an overlapping manner. A medal passage through which medals pass is formed, and the cover plate is exchanged so as to correspond to the type of medal. In the base, in at least a part of the medal passage, the width of the medal passage is restricted to a width corresponding to a genuine medal of the kind with the largest diameter,
A pair of width regulation guides is provided. On the other hand, the cover plate is prepared for a plurality of types, and the one corresponding to the type having the largest diameter among them does not have a structure for regulating the width of the medal passage. That is, in this case, the diameter of the medal is selected by the pair of width regulation guides provided on the base. Cover plates corresponding to other types of medals, along with one of the pair of width regulation guides provided on the base, the medal passage, at least in part,
It has a cover side regulation guide that regulates to a width corresponding to the diameter of the other type of medal.

Both the base and the cover plate are provided with a pair of positioning bosses that engage with each other in order to position them in the in-plane direction when they are stacked. One of the pair of positioning bosses has a substantially conical shape at its tip, and the other has a shape that engages with the substantially conical shape. The shape of the other boss may be, for example, a mortar shape in which irregularities complement the above-mentioned substantially conical shape, and the tip portion is cylindrical and the inner periphery of the mouth portion of the cylinder is substantially conical. The shape may be such that it contacts the side surface of the shape. Due to these shapes, when the base and the cover plate overlap each other, their relative positions are regulated to regular positions. In order to fully exercise this function, components associated with both the base and cover plate other than the locating bosses preferably associate them with play.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a medal selecting device having the following base. The base of the medal selecting device forms a medal passage, through which the medals pass, in cooperation with the cover plate when the base is arranged so as to overlap with the cover plate. Width restriction guides for restricting the medal passage to a width corresponding to the diameter of the first type of medals are provided on both sides of at least a part of the medal passage on the base. One of the width regulation guides is used only when selecting the medals of the first type. The other width regulation guide is used when selecting the first type of medals, and corresponds to a second type of medals having a diameter smaller than that of the first type of medals. With the cover side width regulation guide provided on the cover plate, it is used to regulate the medal passage to a width corresponding to the diameter of the second type of medal.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, the following medal selecting device is provided. This medal selecting device has a base and a cover plate that cooperate to form a medal passage through which medals pass between each other when they are arranged in an overlapping manner. Further, a pair of width regulation guides for regulating the medal passage to a width corresponding to the diameter of a genuine medal at least in a part thereof,
One width regulation guide is provided on the base, and the other width regulation guide is provided on the cover plate. If a cover plate in which the position of the width regulation guide is changed for each type of medal is prepared, the change of the type of medal can be dealt with by replacing the cover plate.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described below with reference to the drawings. This embodiment can be applied to a gaming machine that uses a medal of a first diameter (hereinafter referred to as a large-diameter medal) and a gaming machine that uses a medal of a second diameter smaller than the first diameter (hereinafter referred to as a small-diameter medal). It is a simple medal selection device. The two types of medals have different thicknesses, and the large-diameter medals are formed thicker than the small-diameter medals.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are diagrams showing the main construction of a medal selecting device for small-diameter medals. 1 is a perspective view and FIG. 2 is a front view, both of which are drawn with the cover plate open and the medal passage visible. In actual use, the cover plate is closed.

A medal selecting device 10 for small-diameter medals.
Is a device main body 12 including a portion for mechanically selecting the medal diameter, thickness, etc. in order to select an authentic medal.
Is included. The apparatus main body 12 includes a base 16 and a cover plate 18, and the cover plate 18 is shown in an open state in the drawing. In use, the cover plate 18 is superposed on the base 16 and a medal passage 20 through which medals pass is formed in these gaps. In the vicinity of the entrance 14, the medal passage 20 has a portion where the medal vertically descends (hereinafter, this portion is referred to as a vertical portion) and a portion that is obliquely inclined (hereinafter, this portion is referred to as an inclined portion). The medals, which are held in the direction of arrow A, are turned obliquely and sent out to the exit 21.

The vertical portion of the medal passage 20 is provided with width regulation guides 22 and 24 for regulating the passage width to a width corresponding to the diameter of the small diameter medal. One width regulation guide 22
Is provided on the base 16 (see FIG. 2), which is also used when dealing with a large-diameter medal, which will be described later.
Hereinafter, when it is necessary to distinguish and explain this, it is referred to as a common width regulation guide 22. The other width regulation guide 24 is provided on the cover plate 18 (see FIG. 1), and this is used only when it corresponds to a small diameter medal. Hereinafter, when it is necessary to distinguish and describe this, it is referred to as a small diameter width regulating rib.

Further, thickness control ribs 26 and 28 are provided on both the base 16 and the cover plate 18 to control the thickness of the medal passage 20 to a value corresponding to the thickness of a large-diameter medal over substantially the entire length of the medal passage 20. . Thickness control ribs 26, 2
Regarding 8 as well, similar to the width regulation guide, the thickness regulation rib 26 provided on the side of the base 16 is a common thickness regulation rib 26 used when corresponding to both small-diameter and large-diameter medals types. . The thickness regulating rib 28 is a small diameter thickness regulating rib 28 corresponding to only a small diameter.

These width regulation guides 24, 26 and thickness regulation ribs 26, 28 determine the width and thickness of the medal passage 20 when the cover plate 18 is closed, and those having a size larger than that of the small diameter medal pass through. Prevent not to.

A slope 30 is formed on the inclined portion of the medal passage 20.
Are provided, and the medal rolls and moves on the slope 30. An exclusion window 32 is provided on the cover plate 18 at a position corresponding to the inclined portion. Exclusion window 32
Is an elongated hole extending along the inclined portion of the medal passage 20, and its width is slightly smaller than the diameter of the small-diameter medal. More specifically, when the cover plate 18 is closed, the distance between the slope 30 and the upper side of the exclusion window 32 extending in parallel with the slope 30 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the small diameter medal. As a result, a genuine medal is displayed on the cover plate 18
The medals having a diameter smaller than the small-diameter medals, more specifically, a diameter smaller than the distance between the slope 30 and the upper side of the exclusion window 32 are regulated by the cover plate. It is not regulated by 18, and is excluded through the exclusion window 32. In order to eject medals smaller than the specified diameter through the exclusion window 32, an exclusion claw 34 that is urged from the back side to the front side is arranged. If it is a genuine small-diameter medal, even if it receives the biasing force of the exclusion claw 34, it is supported by the cover plate 18 and rolls toward the exit 21. On the other hand, in the case of a small medal, the upper end thereof is not supported by the cover plate 18 and is ejected to the front side by the exclusion window 32.

Two medal sensors 36 and 38 for detecting passage of medals are arranged near the exit 21 of the medal passage 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the medal sensor 36,
38 is a substantially U-shape, and outputs a signal when a medal is present in the opening of the U-shape. The signal output timing of each sensor is determined by the passing speed of the medal and the diameter of the medal. On the other hand, if the token is a genuine medal, a signal is output at a fixed timing, and based on this, the control device (not shown) can determine the authenticity of the medal. Also, the number of medals that have passed can be counted.

The cover plate 18 shifts from the open state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to the closed state as shown in FIG. 3 so as to overlap the base 16 in use. However, FIG. 3 shows a device corresponding to a large diameter medal. The cover plate 18 rotates around the opening / closing shaft 40 to perform the opening / closing operation, and is biased by the coil spring 42 in the closing direction. The width regulation guides 22 and 24 are inserted when a medal having a diameter or thickness larger than that of a genuine medal is inserted.
Alternatively, when the thickness regulating ribs 26 and 28 are prevented from entering, the cover plate 18 is pushed up in the opening direction by a push-up piece (not shown). As a result, the regulation of the medal passage 20 is released, and the ungenuine medal falls from the vicinity of the entrance 14 directly below it and is eliminated. The regulation plate 44
Regulates the width of the medal passage by changing its mounting position or replacing the plate itself.

In the medal selecting device 10, as described above, the base 16 and the cover plate 18 cooperate to form the medal passage 20 to discriminate an authentic medal. Therefore, unless the relative positions of the base 16 and the cover plate 18 are properly maintained, accurate medal selection cannot be performed. Further, as described above, the cover plate 18 must be opened and closed and returned to the proper closed position each time in order to eliminate medals larger than the true medals that are stuck in the medal passage 20. Therefore, two pairs of positioning bosses 4 for determining their relative positions are provided on both the base 16 and the cover plate 18 of this embodiment.
6, 47, 48 and 49 are provided.

The cover plate 18 is provided with positioning male bosses 46 and 47 whose tips are substantially conical, and the base 16 is provided with positioning male bosses 46 and 47 which engage with the tip shapes of the male bosses 46 and 47 for positioning. Female bosses 48 (see FIG. 1) and 49 (see FIG. 2) are provided. The bosses 46 and 48 as well as the bosses 47 and 49 form a pair, and when the base 16 and the cover plate 18 are closed and overlap each other,
Engage. Female bosses 48, 49 provided on the base 16
Is a shape adapted to the tip shape of the male bosses 46 and 47 as described above. Specifically, the shape is such that a mortar-shaped conical hole is provided at the tip, a cylinder, or an open end surface of the cylinder. It has a chamfered circumference. With this shape, the positioning in the in-plane direction of the overlapping, that is, the in-plane direction of the paper surface of FIG. 3 is performed. Further, the distance when the base 16 and the cover plate 18 overlap each other is also defined by the contact between the positioning bosses. Since the positioning is performed by the boss, the opening / closing shaft 40
There is some play in the connection between the base 16 and the cover plate 18.

The male and female positioning bosses can be reversed. That is, the cover plate side can be a female boss and the base side can be a male boss, and two pairs of positioning bosses can be provided differently.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the structure of a medal selecting device 110 for large medals. The device main body 112 of the medal selecting device 110 includes the above-mentioned base 16 and a cover plate 118 for accommodating large-diameter medals. The base 16 is the same as the above-mentioned base, and the components already described including the base 16 are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

The base 16 is exactly the same as the base corresponding to the small diameter medal described above. The base 16 has a width regulation guide 12 provided only for large-diameter medals.
4, that is, a large diameter width regulation guide 124 is provided. The large diameter width regulation guide 124 is also shown in FIG. 1. The large diameter width regulating guide 124 regulates the width of the medal passage 20 to the diameter of the large diameter medal together with the common width regulating guide 22 described above. On the other hand, cover plate 1
No guide corresponding to the width regulation guide 24 provided on the cover plate 18 is provided on the plate 18. The small-diameter width regulation guide 24 is located inside the medal passage 20 with respect to the large-diameter width regulation guide 124, and is adapted to accommodate small-diameter medals.

The medal passage 20 of the cover plate 118
A large-diameter thickness regulating rib 128 corresponding to the thickness of the large-diameter medal is provided in the portion that forms the groove, particularly near the entrance of the medal. The large-diameter thickness regulating rib 128 regulates the thickness of the medal passage 20 together with the thickness regulating rib 26 on the base side to prevent a medal thicker than a genuine medal from entering.
Further, the large diameter thickness regulating rib 128 is lower in height than the small diameter thickness regulating rib 28 in correspondence with the thickness of the large diameter medal.

The cover plate 118 includes an exclusion window 132.
Are provided, and those having a diameter smaller than that of a true medal are excluded in the same manner as the exclusion window 32 described above. That is, with the easy cover plate 118 shown in FIG. 3 closed, the exclusion window 132 opens along the medal passage 20 with a predetermined width. Therefore, a medal or the like having a diameter smaller than the width corresponding to this width passes through the exclusion window 132 and is eliminated on the front side of the paper surface in FIG. The width of the exclusion window 132 is also set according to the diameter of the large-diameter medal.

Further, the cover plate 118 is provided with positioning bosses 46 and 47 similar to those of the cover plate 18 to position the cover plate 118 and the base 16.

Further, the medal sensor 36 arranged on the upper side of the medal passage 20 is replaced and the position thereof is changed corresponding to the large-diameter medal. The attachment of the medal sensor 36 will be described. To change the mounting position of the medal sensor 36, the medal sensor 36 and the bracket 54 are replaced. 5 and 6 are views for explaining this replacement, FIG. 5 shows a mode corresponding to a large diameter medal, and FIG. 6 shows a mode corresponding to a small diameter medal. The bracket 54 includes a bracket base 66 to which the sensor 36 is attached, and an L-shaped engagement piece 68 protruding from the bracket base 66.

In case of dealing with a large-diameter medal (FIG. 5), the medal sensor 36 is attached to the surface of the bracket base 66 on which the L-shaped engaging piece 68 is provided (a). The state of mounting is shown in (b). When it corresponds to a small diameter medal (FIG. 6), the medal sensor 36 is attached to the surface of the bracket base 66 on which the L-shaped engagement piece 68 is not provided (a). The attached state is shown in (b) and (c).

On the other hand, the base 16 has a medal sensor 36.
There are three attachment guides. That is, the first, second and third mounting guides 70, 72, 74
Is. FIG. 7 schematically shows the attachment state of the medal sensor 36. (A) is an attached state corresponding to a large diameter medal, and shows the case of FIG. (B)
Indicates a mounting state corresponding to a small diameter medal, and shows the case of FIG. When dealing with large medals (a),
The edge of the bracket base 66 is engaged with the first and second attachment guides 70 and 72, and the L-shaped engagement piece 68 is engaged with the third attachment guide 74. When it corresponds to a small diameter medal (b), one edge of the bracket base 66 is engaged with the third attachment guide 74, and the L-shaped engagement piece 68 is engaged with the first attachment guide 70. By performing the rearrangement and replacement according to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7,
The position of the medal sensor 36 can be shifted by the dimension d shown in FIG. This makes it possible to deal with medals of two different diameters.

As described above, the medal selecting devices 10 and 11
For 0, by replacing the cover plates 18 and 118 corresponding to the small diameter medal and the large diameter medal with respect to the common base 16, the medal passage 20 corresponding to the small diameter medal and the large diameter medal can be formed. Also, the mounting position of the medal sensor that electrically detects the passage of medals,
It can be changed by changing the same parts.

Further, in the present embodiment, the case of supporting two types of medals has been described, but it is also possible to support many types of medals. That is, similar to the cover plate 18 corresponding to the small diameter medal of this embodiment,
This can be dealt with by creating a cover plate in which the position of the width regulation guide 24, the width of the exclusion window 32, the height of the thickness regulation rib 28, etc. are adapted to other types of medals.

In the above description, the detection target is a medal used in a game machine such as a game machine.
It is also possible to target objects having other disk shapes, such as coins.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, the number of parts to be replaced can be reduced according to the type of medal used.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a medal selecting device of the present embodiment corresponding to a small diameter medal.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a configuration corresponding to a small diameter medal of the medal selecting device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a state where the cover plate of the medal selecting device of the present embodiment is closed.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a structure corresponding to a large-diameter medal of the medal selecting device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram relating to the attachment of the medal sensor 36 to the bracket 54, and is a diagram particularly for a case of a large-diameter medal.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram related to the attachment of the medal sensor 36 to the bracket 54, and is a diagram particularly for a case of a small diameter medal.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram when the first medal sensor 44 and its bracket 54 are replaced according to the type of medal.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 medal sorter, 16 base, 18 cover plate, 20 medal passage, 22, 24, 124 width regulation guide, 26, 28, 128 thickness regulation rib, 32,
132 exclusion window, 36 medal sensor, 46, 47, 4
8,49 Positioning boss.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A medal selecting device for selecting a genuine medal from the inserted medals, wherein a medal passage through which a medal passes is provided between the medal selecting device and the cover plate when the medal selecting device is arranged so as to overlap with the cover plate. A base formed in cooperation with the cover plate, wherein the base has a width regulating guide for regulating the medal passage to a width corresponding to a diameter of a medal of the first type. The width regulation guides are provided on both sides of at least a part of the medal passage, and one of the width regulation guides is used only when the medals of the first type are selected, and the other of the width regulation guides is the first type. Cover side provided on the cover plate corresponding to a second-type medal having a diameter smaller than that of the first-type medal. With regulating guide, the width corresponding to the diameter of the second type of medals, regulate medal passage, further to the base, positioning bosses are provided which form a positioning boss and pair provided on the cover plate,
One of the pair of positioning bosses has a substantially conical shape at one end, and the other positioning boss engages with the substantially conical shape when the base and the cover plate are overlapped with each other and the base and A medal selecting device having a positioning boss for positioning the cover plate in the in-plane direction. 2. It is possible to support a plurality of kinds of genuine medals,
A medal selecting device for selecting a corresponding genuine medal from the inserted medals, the base being prepared corresponding to each kind of the medal, and being arranged in a state of being overlapped with the base, And a cover plate that forms a medal passage through which medals pass in cooperation with the base, and a pair that is provided on both the base and the cover plate and that engages when these are stacked. Of the positioning bosses, one of the paired positioning bosses has a substantially conical tip, and the other positioning boss engages with the substantially conical shape to position the base and the cover plate in the in-plane direction. The base has a width corresponding to at least a part of the medal passage corresponding to a medal having the largest diameter. It has a pair of width regulation guides for regulating the width of the medal passage, and the cover plate is not provided with a guide for regulating the width of the medal passage when it corresponds to a medal having the largest diameter. If one is used and other types of medals are to be used, the cover side that regulates the medal passage along with one of the paired regulation guides of the base to a width corresponding to the diameter of the medal of that type A medal selecting device having a regulation guide is used, which corresponds to a plurality of types of the medals by sharing the base and replacing the cover plate. 3. A medal selecting device for selecting genuine medals from inserted medals, wherein medals pass between the base and the base when the medals are placed so as to overlap each other. A cover plate that forms a passage in cooperation with the base, and a pair of width regulation guides that regulates the medal passage at least in part to a width corresponding to the diameter of a true medal. One of the width regulation guides is provided on the base, and the other width regulation guide is provided on the cover plate, and is provided on both the base and the cover plate. A pair of positioning bosses that are paired with each other, one of the pair of positioning bosses has a substantially conical tip, and the other positioning boss engages with the substantially conical shape and Token selecting device having a positioning boss paired for positioning the plane direction of the base and the cover plate. 4. The medal selecting device according to claim 2, wherein the cover plate is rotatably provided on the base, and the medal passage is formed by rotating the cover plate from the overlapping arrangement. A medal selection device that opens.