JP2004113570A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance workability in replenishing medals. <P>SOLUTION: A panel unit 27 arranged under the operation panel 15 of a front surface door 4 in a game machine is turnably attached to the front surface door 4. When the panel unit 27 is turned, a feeding passage connected to the panel unit 27 starts to move, and also an opening 26a for feeding the medals, which is disposed in the frame of the panel unit 27, is exposed to an outer part. When the panel unit 27 is turned and fully opened, one end of the feeding passage is positioned in the rear part of the opening 26a for replenishing the medals, so that the medals are feeded to a medal storage box 31. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a gaming machine such as a slot machine used in a game arcade such as a pachinko parlor.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A slot machine installed and used in a game room such as a pachinko parlor is called a pachislot machine, and a certain value is given to a medal serving as a game medium, and a medal obtained by playing a game (game) is obtained. It can be exchanged for various prizes. This pachislot machine pays out medals, which are game media, in a number corresponding to a prize when a prize is obtained, in addition to a reel, a reel unit incorporating a motor for rotating or stopping the reel, and the like. Device, a housing incorporating a medal storage box for supplying medals to the hopper device, and the like, and a front door rotatably mounted on the front surface of the housing.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the case of such a pachislot machine, there is a case where it is installed together with an automatic medal replenishing machine in a game arcade. In this case, if a predetermined amount of medals are paid out when playing the game, medals are supplied from the automatic medal replenishing machine to the medal storage box, so that there is no need for the clerk at the game hall to supply medals, which is convenient. However, the automatic medal replenishing machine is expensive, and is not installed in all game arcades. For this reason, in the case of a game arcade where no automatic medal replenishing machine is installed, when there is no medal in the medal storage box, a clerk at the game arcade opens the front door of the pachislot machine and replenishes medals. In this case, when opening the front door, there is a problem that a player playing the game with the pachi-slot machine becomes an obstacle, and the front door needs to be opened to almost fully open, resulting in poor workability.
[0004]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above background, and has as its object to provide a gaming machine capable of improving the workability of medal supply.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a gaming machine of the present invention is provided with a hopper device for paying out a game medium to a predetermined payout unit and a game medium storage box for supplying the game medium to the hopper device. A front door including a housing, at least an operation panel operated in performing a game, and a panel unit provided at a lower portion of the operation panel and including a decorative panel and a frame for holding the panel. Wherein the front surface of the panel unit is rotatable between a first position located on the front surface of the front door and a second position for supplying the game medium. Attached to the door, and linked to the rotation of the panel unit, a supply for supplying the game medium to the game medium storage box by exposing one end side when the panel unit is turned to the second position. It is provided with a passage.
[0006]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the slot machine of the present invention. The slot machine 2 includes a housing 3 provided with a reel unit, a power supply device, and the like, and a front door 4 rotatably provided on a front surface of the housing. A display window 5 is provided on the front door, and a first reel 9a, a second reel 9b, and a third reel 9c are rotatably incorporated behind each display window. As is well known, various pictures are arranged at a constant pitch on the outer periphery of the first to third reels 9a to 9c. When the reels are stopped, three pictures per reel are observed through the corresponding display windows. It has become so. An LCD panel 10 is arranged beside the display windows 5 to 7. The LCD panel 10 is provided for performing an effect by displaying an effect image or a moving image during a game.
[0007]
An operation panel 15 is provided below the display window 5 and the LCD panel 10. The operation panel 15 is provided with various operation buttons such as a stop button 18 to 20, a start lever 21, and a payout button 22 in addition to the MAX bet button 16 and the bet button 17. Since the functions of the operation buttons and the start lever 21 are well known, the details will be omitted. On the side of the operation panel 15, a medal insertion slot 23 is provided.
[0008]
A panel unit 27 including a decorative panel 25 and a frame 26 is provided below the operation panel 15. The panel unit 27 is connected to the front door 4 via a hinge portion 28, and exposes a first position held on the front surface of the front door 4 and an opening 26a provided on the upper surface of the frame body 26. It is rotatable between the second position (see FIG. 5). The opening 26a serves as a supply opening for medal supply. When the panel unit 27 is at the first position, it is held at the first position by a holding mechanism (not shown). On the rear side of the panel unit 27, a hopper device 30 for paying out medals when a prize is obtained in the game of the slot machine 2 and a medal storage box 31 for supplying medals to the hopper device 30 (FIG. 2) is provided. When the panel unit 27 is rotated to the second position, one end of a supply passage 40 described later coincides with an opening 26a formed in the panel unit 27, and medals pass through the opening 26a and the supply passage 40. Can be supplied to the medal storage box 31. Reference numeral 32 denotes a keyhole. By inserting a medal supply key (not shown) into the keyhole 32 and rotating the key in a predetermined direction, the holding of the panel unit 27 with respect to the front door 4 is released, and the panel unit 27 is moved to the first position. It is possible to rotate from the position to the second position.
[0009]
As shown in FIG. 2, the supply passage 40 includes a first supply passage 41 and a second supply passage 42, and these supply passages are connected via a hinge 43. A locking hook 41 a that is locked to a locking rod 45 provided on the rear surface of the panel unit 27 is formed on the bottom surface on one end side of the first supply passage 41. Guide pins 41b are provided on the left and right outer wall surfaces of the first supply passage 41. The guide pin 41b is inserted into a long hole 46a of the holding member 46 provided on the front door 4. Thereby, the supply passage 40 is held by the front door 4 via the holding member 46, and one end of the first supply passage is moved so as to coincide with the opening 26a in conjunction with the rotation of the panel unit. Thus, the panel unit 27 and the elongated hole 46a of the holding member 46 function as a moving mechanism.
[0010]
The second supply passage 42 is connected to the first supply passage 41 via the hinge 43 as described above. A rotation preventing piece 50 is formed in the second supply passage 42, and when the panel unit 27 moves to the second position, it comes into contact with the bottom surface of the first supply passage 41 and the second supply passage 42 Prevent rotation. The second supply passage 42 is formed to have a smaller passage width than the first supply passage 41, and when the panel unit 27 is at the first position held on the front surface of the front door 4, the first supply passage 42 is provided. The passage 41 and the second supply passage 42 are held at a predetermined position in a folded state.
[0011]
Next, the operation of the gaming machine thus formed will be described. When there is no medal in the medal storage box 31 during playing the game, when the operator of the game arcade inserts the medal replenishment key into the keyhole 32 and rotates it in a predetermined direction, the holding of the panel unit 27 with respect to the front door 4 Is released, and the panel unit 27 can be rotated to the front side. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, the first supply passage 41 and the second supply passage 42 forming the supply passage 40 are held in a folded state. Then, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, when the panel unit 27 is rotated to the front side, the guide pins 41 b attached to the side surfaces of the first supply passage 41 slide in the elongated holes 46 a of the holding member 46. , The first supply passage 41 starts moving. In accordance with the movement of the first supply passage 41, the hinge portion 43 connecting the first supply passage 41 and the second supply passage 42 rises. When the hinge 43 is raised, the other end of the second supply passage 42 is in contact with the medal storage box 31.
[0012]
When the panel unit 27 is rotated to the second position, the guide pin 41b of the first supply passage 41 comes into contact with the other end of the long hole 46a of the holding member 46, and the movement of the first supply passage 41 is prohibited. At the same time, one end of the first supply passage 41 coincides with the opening 26a formed in the panel unit 27. On the other hand, the second supply passage 42 rotates about the hinge 43 as the hinge 43 rises when the panel unit 27 rotates. When the panel unit 27 rotates to the second position, the other end of the second supply passage 42 separates from the medal storage box 31, and the rotation preventing piece 50 contacts the bottom surface of the first supply passage 41, and the second supply passage The rotation of 42 is prohibited. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 5, medals can be supplied to the medal storage box 31 through the opening 26a of the panel unit 27.
[0013]
When the supply of medals to the medal storage box 31 is completed, the panel unit 27 is rotated from the second position to the first position. When the panel unit 27 rotates toward the first position, the guide pin 41b is guided by the elongated hole 46a and descends, and the hinge part 43 descends, and the other end of the second supply passage 42 is moved to the medal storage box 31. Abut Then, the first supply passage 41 and the second supply passage 42 are bent around the hinge portion 43, and the first supply passage 41 and the second supply passage 42 are held in a folded state at the first position. . When the key is locked with the medal replenishment key, the panel unit 27 is held on the front surface of the front door 4 and the medal supply operation is completed. Thereby, the medal can be supplied to the medal storage box 31 by rotating only the panel unit 27, so that the workability at the time of medal supply is improved, and the medal is supplied without being obstructed by the player. It can be carried out. Also, by providing a medal replenishment key separately from the front door key, a clerk at a game hall or the like only needs to carry out the medal replenishment work by holding the medal replenishment key alone. Only the setting of each slot machine can be changed.
[0014]
In the present embodiment, an example of a slot machine having one front door has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can be applied to a slot machine having two upper and lower front doors. .
[0015]
In the present embodiment, the supply passage is composed of two members. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The supply passage may be composed of one member, and may be interlocked when the panel unit rotates.
[0016]
In the present embodiment, the panel unit is rotated by connecting the panel unit and the front door by a hinge portion.However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the panel unit is turned to the front side using a slide hinge. You may make it slide and rotate. As a result, it is possible to secure a larger work area when supplying medals. Further, an elastic member such as a spring for urging the panel unit toward the front door may be provided near the hinge portion connecting the panel unit and the front door. By providing this elastic member, for example, when the panel unit is released after supplying medals, the panel unit is automatically closed by the urging of the elastic member, so that the workability can be improved.
[0017]
In the present embodiment, the panel unit and the supply passage are connected to each other, and the supply passage slides and rotates when the panel unit is rotated.However, the present invention is not limited to this. A switch that is turned off by contact with the unit and a moving mechanism for moving the supply passage are provided. When the switch is turned on (when the front door is turned), the supply mechanism is slid by the moving mechanism. May be performed. This makes it possible to separately incorporate the panel unit and the supply passage into the slot machine, thereby improving workability during production.
[0018]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the gaming machine of the present invention, the panel unit is rotatable between the first position located on the front surface of the front door and the second position for supplying the game medium. So that it is attached to the front door and interlocks with the rotation of the panel unit to expose one end when the panel unit is rotated to the second position to supply the game medium to the game medium storage box. Since the supply passage is provided, medals can be replenished only by rotating the panel unit, so that workability during medal replenishment can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a slot machine embodying the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a panel unit and a supply passage.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state of a supply passage when a panel unit is rotated.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state of a supply passage when the panel unit is rotated to a second position.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the slot machine when the panel unit is rotated to a second position.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Slot machine 15 Operation panel 27 Panel unit 40 Supply passage 46 Holding member

Claims (1)

A housing provided with a hopper device for paying out game media to a predetermined payout unit and a game media storage box for supplying the game media to the hopper device;
Gaming machine provided with a front door having at least an operation panel operated for playing a game, and a panel unit provided below the operation panel and composed of a decorative panel and a frame for holding the panel At
Attaching the panel unit to the front door so as to be rotatable between a first position located on the front surface of the front door and a second position for supplying the game medium,
A supply path is provided for interlocking with the rotation of the panel unit and exposing one end of the panel unit when the panel unit is rotated to the second position to supply the game medium to the game medium storage box. A gaming machine characterized by the following.

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