JP2005143866A - Token dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a token dispenser with a feeding transfer means which enables the maintenance of the convenience during the game without blocking the replenishing work of the medals and eliminates the trouble of clogging with tokens in the course of the transference of the tokens and at the connection part with the medal put-out device, even along with a simpler structure. <P>SOLUTION: A medal feeder (32) is formed being rotatable relative to the body (20) of the dispenser and the feeding transfer means (40) is fixed on the medal feeder (32). The medal feeder (32) is rotatable in cooperation with the feeding transfer means (40) and the feeding transfer means (40) is made freely movable to the position at which it comes off the front of the game machine. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a medal lending machine installed adjacent to a gaming machine using medals as a game medium, for example, a medal lending machine for gaming medals used in a slot machine.

Conventionally, when a game is played on a gaming machine such as a slot machine, a medal lending machine is used. This medal lending machine is provided with a medal payout device such as a disk rotary hopper, and when a bill or the like is inserted, the medal payout device is driven to pay out a predetermined number of medals. Such a medal lending machine is usually provided with a medal tray, and game medals discharged from the medal payout device are paid out to the medal tray.
A medal lending machine provided with a guide nozzle has been devised in order to reduce the time and effort for a player to move a game medal from a medal lending machine to a tray of a slot machine. Among such medal lending machines, there is one in which a game medal paid out from a medal paying device is directly guided to a medal tray or a medal slot of a slot machine (see Patent Document 1). In such a medal lending machine, in particular, in a slot machine that is configured so that a predetermined number of game medals can be inserted as credits in advance, the player moves the game medals from the medal lending machine or inserts medals at the start of the game. Since it is possible to omit the work of manually putting it into the mouth, it is possible to play the game efficiently and to prevent dirt on the hand caused by the insertion of the medal. Such a system has a great merit for both operators because the profit increases as the game time becomes more efficient.

On the other hand, the current slot machines are usually provided with a medal storage tank for storing inserted game medals and payout game medals. In the progress of the game, there are medals to be paid out by winning a prize rather than the inserted game medals. When the number increases, it is necessary to supply medals to the medal storage tank. This replenishment operation is performed by opening and closing the front door of the slot machine. However, in the medal lending machine having the above-described guide nozzle, the guide nozzle itself obstructs the opening and closing of the front door. In order to solve such a problem, there is a medal lending machine in which the guide nozzle itself is formed so as to be extendable and retractable (see Patent Document 2) or foldable.
JP 2003-265845 A Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-230257 (FIG. 2)

  However, in the structure of the guide nozzle of Patent Document 2 described above, the guide nozzle must be formed by a plurality of parts, and when the guide nozzle is formed to be foldable, the structure is complicated to bend. There are many cases. For this reason, there may occur a phenomenon that medals are clogged in a joint part when a plurality of parts are joined together or a bent part when the part is bent using a hinge or the like, and this phenomenon hinders the progress of the game. Even if the guide nozzle itself is detachably formed, if there is a problem in the connection between the discharge port of the medal payout device and the guide nozzle, there is a possibility that a medal clogging may occur. Further, in the manufacturing process, there has been a concern about cost problems due to an increase in the number of parts.

  Accordingly, each invention described in each claim has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the purpose thereof is to maintain convenience during the game without interfering with the medal replenishment work. It is another object of the present invention to provide a medal lending machine that has a simple structure of insertion and transfer means that eliminates the trouble of clogging medals in the middle of medal transfer and in the connection portion with the medal payout device.

The present invention has been made to achieve each of the above-described objects, and features of the present invention will be described below using the embodiments of the invention shown in the drawings.
In addition, the code | symbol in parenthesis shows the code | symbol used in embodiment of this invention, and does not limit the technical scope of this invention.
(Claim 1)
(Feature point)
The invention according to claim 1 is a medal lending machine arranged adjacent to a gaming machine, and has at least a medal feeding device (32) for feeding a game medal out of the lending machine body (20). (30) and a medal lending machine (2) provided with at least a transfer means (40) serving as a transfer path for guiding the game medals sent out from the medal feeder (32) to the gaming machine.

Here, as the “gaming machine”, a gaming machine using medals as gaming media, preferably a gaming machine having a medal slot on the front side, such as a slot machine, is suitable.
The medal lending machine (2) according to the present invention includes, in addition to the medal payout device (30), a slot for inserting banknotes, coins, prepaid cards, etc., a payout switch, a banknote counter (22), etc. You may have. The game medals paid out from the medal payout device (30) may be supplied from the storage tank (31) provided inside the medal lending machine (2), or the medal supply device provided outside. May be supplied to the payout device (30).

The medal payout device (30) may have a device other than the medal feeding device (32), for example, a storage tank (31). The medal feeding device (32) is capable of feeding game medals preferably one by one. Specifically, the medal feeding device (32) can be a disk rotating hopper or a belt-type medal feeding device.
The insertion transfer means (40) is for transferring a game medal from the medal payout device (30) to an adjacent game machine, for example, a game passage such as a tubular or bowl-shaped transfer passage. In addition to the medal moving by its own weight, it may have a device for moving the game medal using driving means such as a conveyor belt. Note that “transfer to a gaming machine” includes transferring to a predetermined place of the gaming machine, such as a medal slot (10) or a payout medal tray (7) of the gaming machine.

In the present invention, at least the medal feeding device (32) of the medal payout device (30) is formed so as to be rotatable with respect to the lending machine body (20), and the charging and transferring means (40) is provided with the medal Fixed to the feeding device (32), the medal feeding device (32) can be rotated integrally with the loading transfer means (40), the loading transfer means (40) to a position where it is disengaged from the front of the gaming machine It is formed to be movable.
Here, “at least the medal feeding device (32) is rotatable” means that among the components of the medal payout device (30), members other than the medal feeding device (32) (for example, a storage tank ( 31)) and that the entire medal payout device (30) is rotatable. The insertion transfer means (40) is fixed at a position where the game medals discharged from the medal feeder (32) can be received.

In addition, the medal feeding device (32) and the insertion transfer means (40) are `` rotatable together '' means that when the insertion transfer means (40) is rotated, the medal feeding device (32) is also rotated simultaneously. In this case, not only the case where both rotation axes coincide with each other but also the case where they are common are included.
Further, here, the input transfer means (40) is `` a position where it is removed from the front of the gaming machine '' when the input transfer means (40) is not overlapped with the front of the gaming machine when viewed from the front. That is, when the gaming machine has the front door (5) in the front, it means a position where the input and transfer means (40) does not hinder the opening and closing of the front door (5).
The moving direction of the loading / transfer means (40) may be any of up / down / left / right and diagonal directions, but it is assumed that the medal feeding device (32) has a form (disk rotary hopper or belt-type medal feeding device). In view of the above, it is preferable that the left-right direction is set so that the player can operate while sitting in front of the gaming machine. That is, it is preferable to form the rotary shaft of the input / transfer means (40) so as to be substantially perpendicular to the installation surface of the gaming machine.

(Function)
In the present invention, when it is desired to transfer a game medal from the medal lending machine (2) to, for example, a medal insertion slot (10) of the gaming machine, the insertion transfer means (40) is moved to the gaming machine side to directly pay out the payout medal. Can be inserted into the gaming machine, and after the medal transfer or during the game, the input transfer means (40) can be moved to a position where it does not contact the gaming machine or to a position where it does not interfere with the opening and closing of the front door (5). . That is, when a force is applied to the input transfer means (40) in a predetermined direction, the force applied to the input transfer means (40) is transmitted to the medal feeder (32) as a rotational force, and the input transfer means (40) and the medal advance It rotates integrally with the device (32) in the same direction. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a bent portion or a connecting portion for allowing movement in the input and transfer means (40), and the input and transfer means (40) and the medal feeder (32) are relatively kept at the same position. Since the rotational movement is performed while the game medal is sent from the medal feeding device (32) to the insertion transfer means (40), the movement of the medal is not shifted by the movement, and troubles such as clogging of medals can be prevented.

Note that the rotation of the medal feeder (32) can be automatic rotation by motor control or the like in addition to the manual rotation as described above. In the case of automatic rotation, the input and transfer means (40) can be reliably arranged at an appropriate position according to the state.
In addition, a lock means for restricting manual rotation or automatic rotation movement is provided, and when the front door of the gaming machine is opened, the medal feeding device (32) can be rotated by releasing the restriction as necessary. It may be. In this way, it is possible to suppress the risk that the throwing and transferring means (40) may be mischievously moved to an inappropriate position or damaged.
(Claim 2)
(Feature point)
The invention described in claim 2 is characterized by the following points in addition to the features of the invention described in claim 1 described above.

That is, in the invention according to claim 2, the medal payout device (30) is provided with a storage tank (31) capable of storing game medals, and the storage tank (31) is provided with the medal feeding device (32). And is formed so as to be rotatable integrally therewith.
In the present invention, the medal feeder (32) and the storage tank (31) may be integrally formed. Further, the storage tank (31) needs to have a certain size, but if it is formed in a cylindrical shape, it is suitable for rotating inside the medal lending machine (2).
(Claim 3)
(Feature point)
The invention described in claim 3 is characterized by the following points in addition to the characteristics of the invention described in claim 1 or 2.

That is, in the invention described in claim 3, the medal feeding device (32) has a plurality of medal holes (34a) into which game medals are inserted, and the game medals inserted into the medal holes (34a) are transferred to the outside. A delivery disk (34) to be delivered and a drive motor (37) for rotating the delivery disk (34) are provided, coaxial with the rotation axis of the delivery disk (34) rotated by the drive motor (37). The lending machine main body (20) is formed to be rotatable.
In the present invention, the medal feeding device (32) is limited to a so-called disk rotary hopper.
Here, “can rotate coaxially with the rotation axis of the feeding disk (34)” means that the medal feeding device (32) rotates with respect to the lending machine body (20) and the feeding disk (34). This means that the rotation center of the feed disc (34) is not necessarily coaxial with the rotation shaft (36) of the drive motor (37).

(Function)
In the present invention, the loading / transfer means (40) fixed to the medal feeding device (32) can be rotated coaxially with the feeding disk (34). For this reason, the medal discharge part (35) of the delivery disk (34) and the input transfer means (40) can be fixed so as to be directly connected, and the medal discharge part (35) and the input transfer means (40) There is no such thing as a game medal being caught at the seam of the game, causing medal clogging.
(Claim 4)
(Feature point)
The invention described in claim 4 is characterized by the following points in addition to the features of the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 3.

That is, the invention according to claim 4 is arranged such that the medal feeding port (medal discharging unit (35)) of the medal feeding device (32) is positioned higher than the medal insertion port (10) of the gaming machine. The insertion transfer means (40) is a communication path that continues from the medal delivery port of the medal feeder (32) to the medal insertion port (10) of the gaming machine.
Here, `` continuous communication path '' means that the communication path from the medal delivery port of the medal feeder (32) to the medal insertion port (10) of the gaming machine has no seam, and the input transfer means (40) itself May not necessarily be integrally molded.
(Function)
According to the present invention, the game medals discharged from the medal feeder (32) are dropped or transferred by their own weight toward the medal discharge side below the transfer passage. Since the transfer passage is seamless, game medals are not clogged in the middle, and a medal transfer structure is not required separately.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to maintain the convenience during the game without interfering with the replenishment work of medals, eliminate the trouble of clogging medals in the middle of the medal transfer and the connection part with the medal payout device, and have a simple structure It is possible to provide a medal lending machine having an input / transfer means.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, taking a slot machine medal lending machine as an example.
(Explanation of drawings)
1 to 14 show an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view showing the installation state of the slot machine and the medal lending machine, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the medal lending machine, and FIGS. 3 to 7 are views showing the rotation of the guide nozzle. 8 to 12 are views showing a medal slot, FIG. 13 is a schematic view showing another example of the medal feeding device, and FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing another example of the medal payout device.

As shown in FIG. 1, the medal lending machine 2 in the present embodiment is installed adjacent to the slot machine 1 and is provided so as to correspond to one slot machine one by one.
(Slot machine 1)
As shown in FIG. 1, the slot machine 1 is formed of a casing and a front door 5 attached to the front side of the casing, and a symbol display window on which a symbol of a rotating reel (not shown) is visible on the front side. 6 is formed. Under the symbol display window 6 and in the approximate center of the slot machine 1 is an operation unit provided with operation means (not shown) such as a start switch and a stop switch, and the right end of the operation unit. Is provided with a medal slot 10 for inserting game medals. Further, at the lower part of the slot machine 1, a payout medal tray 7 capable of storing the payout medals is provided. Then, a game medal is inserted from the medal slot 10, the rotating reel is rotated by operating the start switch, and the rotating reel is stopped by operating the stop switch. At this time, when the symbols displayed on the plurality of rotating reels are stopped in a predetermined position mode, a winning is made and a predetermined number of medals are paid out.

(Medal slot 10)
Here, as shown in FIG. 8, the medal slot 10 is configured such that the slot body 12 is installed above the medal drop hole 11 provided on the upper surface of the operation portion of the front door 5. The insertion slot body 12 includes an insertion slit 12a in which game medals can be dropped one by one from above, a medal guide groove 12b capable of guiding game medals into the insertion slit 12a, and a game medal transferred from a guide nozzle 41 described later. Is provided with a side slit 12c for guiding to the insertion slit 12a.
When game medals are manually inserted into the medal slot 10, if the game medals are placed side by side in the medal guide groove 12b and pushed from the front side, one slot at a time from the first row of game medals is inserted sequentially. (See FIG. 11A). The dropped game medal passes through the medal drop hole 11 and is stored in the slot machine 1 through a medal selector (not shown).

On the other hand, when a game medal paid out from the medal lending machine 2 is directly inserted into the medal slot 10, the medal outlet 44 of the guide nozzle 41 is aligned with the side slit 12c and transferred by the guide nozzle 41. The game medal is guided to the insertion slit 12a.
(Medal lending machine 2)
The medal lending machine 2 is a box-type device installed adjacent to the side of the slot machine 1 and lends medals in exchange for money, and automatically rents the lent medals to the medal of the slot machine 1. This is a device for loading into the loading port 10. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the medal lending machine 2 includes a medal payout device 30, a bill counter 24, and a control device (not shown) for controlling the operation thereof in the outer box 20. On the front surface of the outer box 20, a medal replenishment port 22 and a bill insertion port 23 are formed. Further, a guide nozzle 41 as the input and transfer means 40 protrudes from the inside of the outer box 20 toward the front side of the outer box 20, and the tip portion 42 of this guide nozzle 41 is a medal slot of the adjacent slot machine 1. It is extended to 10.

The medal replenishing port 22 normally has a lid closed as shown in FIG. 1, but when a medal is replenished, as shown in FIG. Specifically, it can be put into a storage tank 31) described later.
The bill counter 24 is for reading a bill inserted from the bill insertion slot 23 and causing the medal lending machine 2 to pay out a predetermined number of medals. The medal lending machine 2 may have a coin insertion slot, a coin counter, a change dispensing slot, and the like in addition to the banknote insertion slot 23 and the banknote counter 24. Moreover, you may have a prepaid card slot and a card reader.

In addition to the bill counter 24, the control device is provided with a sensor for counting payout medals, a timing sensor for measuring the discharge timing of medals, and the like. When a predetermined number of game medals are paid out, the operation of the medal payout device 30 is performed. Stop.
(Medal payout device 30)
The medal payout device 30 includes a storage tank 31 that is fixed inside the outer box 20 and stores game medals, and a medal feeding device 32 that discharges medals stored in the storage tank 31 one by one. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the medal feeding device 32 is supported by a plate-like base 33 and a base 33 so as to be rotatable, and a plurality of game medals are inserted one by one from above, in this case five pieces. A delivery disk 34 having a medal hole 34a and a drive motor 37 that rotates the delivery disk 34 via a rotation shaft 36 are provided. Above the base 33, a cylindrical medal guiding portion 38 for sending out an appropriate amount of game medals stored in the storage tank 31 and supplying them to the disc 34 is provided.

Here, the base 33 and the delivery disk 34 are laterally inclined with respect to the medal guiding portion 38 (in the illustrated example, the upper surface of the delivery disk 34 is inclined slightly to the left of the floor relative to the horizontal). Attached). The main body of the drive motor 37 is fixed to the bottom of the base 33.
The medal guiding portion 38 is rotatably attached to the bottom portion of the storage tank 31. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5 which represents a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 4, a cylindrical rib is formed at the bottom opening of the storage tank 31, and at the lower end of this rib, An overhanging flange-shaped convex piece 31a is provided. On the other hand, a flange-like convex piece 38a is formed at the upper end of the medal guiding portion 38 so as to project to the inside of the cylinder. The medal guiding portion 38 is attached to the lower side of the storage tank 31 by engaging the projecting piece 38a from above the outer side of the projecting piece portion 31a, and the projecting piece 38a is guided by the projecting piece 31a. The part 38 can rotate with respect to the storage tank 31. That is, the medal feeding device 32 is attached below the storage tank 31 so as to hang. In order to smoothly rotate the medal guiding portion 38, it is preferable to provide a bearing or the like between the convex piece 38a and the convex piece 31a.

Then, the delivery disk 34 rotates around the rotation shaft 36 by the driving force of the drive motor 37, and the game medal inserted in the medal hole 34a of the delivery disk 34 faces the bottom surface of the delivery disk 34 of the base 33. A blocker pin (not shown) projecting upward from the surface is placed to change the course, and is formed to be discharged from the medal discharge portion 35 to the outside one by one as the feed disk 34 rotates.
Further, a guide nozzle 41 as the input / transfer means 40 is fixed to the base 33, and the medal feeder 32 is formed so as to be rotatable integrally with the guide nozzle 41. It will be described later.

The medal payout device 30 is attached so that the medal feeding device 32 is installed at a position higher than the medal slot 10 of the adjacent slot machine 1.
(Guide nozzle 41)
The guide nozzle 41 is for guiding the game medals discharged from the medal discharge unit 35 of the medal feeder 32 to the medal slot 10 of the slot machine 1. Specifically, the guide nozzle 41 protrudes from the opening 20A formed on the front surface of the outer box 20 as shown in FIG. 2 to the front side, and reaches the medal slot 10 as shown in FIG. It has a tubular passage 41a (see FIG. 5) that extends in a curved manner and allows game medals paid out from the medal payout device 30 to fall or be transferred by its own weight.

Here, as described above, since the delivery disk 34 is attached to be inclined to the side, the game medals discharged from the medal discharge unit 35 are also in a side oblique state. The guide nozzle 41 is standing in the horizontal direction until the game medals discharged in this side oblique state reach the medal slot 10 (the game medals stand up so that the front and back surfaces of the game medals face the front side. It is formed in a substantially plane J shape with a twist in the vertical direction.
As shown in FIG. 7, a medal discharge port 44 through which game medals can be discharged in a standing state is formed at the distal end portion 43 of the guide nozzle 41. The position of the guide nozzle 41 is adjusted so that the medal discharge port 44 coincides with the position of the side slit 12c of the medal insertion port 10 when the medal is paid out.

As shown in FIG. 5, the base portion 42 of the guide nozzle 41 is fixed to the base 33 so that the medal receiving side of the passage 41a communicates with the medal discharge portion 35. The guide nozzle 41 and the base 33 may be integrally formed. That is, the guide nozzle 41 does not rotate when the rotation shaft 36 is rotated by the drive motor 37, but can rotate when a rotational force is applied to the guide nozzle 41 from the outside. In other words, when the guide nozzle 41 is rotated, the medal feeder 32 is also rotated integrally.
This structure will be further described in detail. First, when the guide nozzle 41 is in a position where the game medal can be transferred to the medal slot 10, when the medal feeding device 32 is viewed from the plane side, as shown in FIG. The axis C2 is orthogonal to the central axis C3 in the width direction of the base portion 42 of the guide nozzle 41. Let P be the intersection of these two central axes C2, C3. Further, when viewed from the front side, as shown in FIG. 7, the central axis C1 in the vertical direction of the medal guiding portion 38 coincides with the intersection point P, and the central axes C1, C2, C3 are the medal discharging portion 35. It is designed to intersect at the center.

Next, when the guide nozzle 41 is pushed in the direction of the white arrow in FIGS. 4 and 7, the base 33 fixed to the guide nozzle 41, the drive motor 37 fixed to the base 33, and the medal guiding portion 38 are This reaches a rotational force centered on the intersection P. Then, the medal guiding portion 38 rotates in the horizontal direction around the central axis C1 along the cylindrical rib below the storage tank 31, and the drive motor 37 and the base 33 (and the internal delivery disk 34) are shown in FIG. As shown by a two-dot chain line, the rotation is made by the same angle as the rotation angle of the guide nozzle 41 around the intersection P. When this is viewed from the front side, it is shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG.
As described above, the guide nozzle 41 is fixed to the base 33 and formed so that the intersections of the central axes C1, C2, and C3 coincide with each other. Therefore, the lateral force applied to the guide nozzle 41 is medal. It is transmitted to the feeding device 32 as a rotational force without waste.

  By the way, the angle at which the guide nozzle 41 can rotate, that is, the rotation angle is such that the distal end portion 43 of the guide nozzle 41 enters the side slit 12c of the inlet main body 12 as shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b). The angle is such that the guide nozzle 41 moves from the contact position to a position where the tip 43 is disengaged from the front of the slot machine 1, that is, a position where the guide nozzle 41 does not interfere when the front door 5 of the slot machine 1 is opened. This rotation angle restriction can be adjusted so that the guide nozzle 41 does not rotate any more when the guide nozzles 41 come into contact with both end portions of the opening 20A formed in the outer box 20 of the medal lending machine 2. In addition, a predetermined rotation stopper may be provided at an engagement portion between the storage tank 31 and the medal guiding portion 38 to adjust the rotation angle.

(Insertion of game medals and rotation of guide nozzle 41)
Next, the supply of game medals to the slot machine 1 and the rotation of the guide nozzle 41 when the front door 5 is opened and closed in the medal lending machine 2 having the above-described configuration will be described.
First, as shown in FIG. 1, the guide nozzle 41 is set in the medal insertion slot 10 so that the medal can be lent out. At this time, the medal discharge port 44 of the guide nozzle 41 coincides with the position of the side slit 12c of the medal insertion port 10 as shown in FIG. When the player inserts a bill into the bill insertion slot 23, in the medal lending machine 2, the bill counter 24 detects the insertion of the bill and transmits a medal discharge signal to the medal dispensing device 30. When the medal payout device 30 receives a predetermined number (for example, 50) of medal discharge signals, the drive motor 37 starts driving, and the game medals stored in the storage tank 31 are sent out and the medal discharge is performed by the rotation of the disk 34. One sheet is discharged to the outlet 35 at a time.

The discharged game medals move one by one in the passage 41a of the guide nozzle 41 communicating with the medal discharge port 35. Since the guide nozzle 41 communicates toward the medal insertion port 10 disposed below the medal discharge port 35, the movement is smoothly performed by the weight of the game medal. Further, since the guide nozzle 41 has no seam, there is no trouble that the game medal is caught on the step on the way.
The medals that have moved through the passage 41a are inserted one by one into the side slits 12c of the medal insertion slot 10. When the insertion of 50 cards is completed, the slot machine 1 can start playing (betting possible). Here, when the guide nozzle 41 interferes with the game, it can be moved to the medal lending machine 2 side as shown in FIG. When borrowing a medal again, the guide nozzle 41 is set in the medal insertion slot 10 and returned to a medal rentable state.

In addition, the opening and closing operation of the front door 5 that is performed relatively frequently even during business hours such as when a medal is replenished in the slot machine 1 and when an error occurs, or during the setting change and replacement work of the slot machine 1 that is normally performed after the business hours However, it is possible to move the guide nozzle 41 so as not to interfere with the work.
Thus, according to the present embodiment, the guide nozzle 41 can be easily moved according to the situation. In addition, since the guide nozzle 41 is rotated and moved in position, the guide nozzle 41 can be configured as an unjoint nozzle without a joint portion. Thereby, clogging of medals and the number of parts of the guide nozzle 41 in the manufacturing process can be reduced, which is effective for cost reduction. Further, since the medal feeding device 32 and the guide nozzle 41 can be rotated integrally, the medal discharging portion 35 of the medal feeding device 32 and the medal receiving port of the guide nozzle 41 can be fixed, and the positional deviation or It can also prevent medal transfer troubles and rattling due to improper fixing.

Note that the medal feeder 32 may be formed so as to rotate by motor control, and the guide nozzle 41 may be automatically moved. The medal lending machine 2 is provided with a switch for moving the guide nozzle 41. When the guide nozzle 41 is desired to be moved, the switch is operated to drive the motor to rotate the medal feeder 32. be able to. When formed in this way, the guide nozzle 41 can be surely arranged at an appropriate position according to the state, and it is easier than moving the guide nozzle 41 manually.
In addition, the medal feeder 32 and the guide nozzle 41 can be rotated by releasing the restriction as necessary, such as when opening the front door 5 of the slot machine by providing a locking means for restricting manual rotation or automatic rotation. You may make it become. In this way, it is possible to suppress the risk that the guide nozzle 41 may be mischievously moved to an inappropriate position or damaged.

(Other forms of medal payout device 30)
Note that the storage tank 31 of the medal payout device 30 in the above-described embodiment is a fixed type fixed to the medal lending machine 2, but as shown in FIG. You may form so that rotation with respect to the machine 2 is possible.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 14, a storage tank 31 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a base 33, a delivery disk 34, and a drive motor 37 are attached to the bottom thereof. The guide nozzle 41 can be fixed to the base 33, and the upper end of the storage tank 31 can be rotatably attached to a support plate (not shown) provided in the medal lending machine 2.

The medal payout device 30 rotates around the vertical center axis of the storage tank 31 integrally with the guide nozzle 41 by rotating the guide nozzle 41.
If formed in this way, the entire medal payout device 30 can be manufactured integrally, the manufacturing process can be simplified, and the cost merit is excellent.
Further, as the medal feeder, a belt-type device as shown in FIG. 13 may be used. In this case, the medal feeder 50 is fixed to the lower part of the cylindrical storage tank 31, and the medal receiving portion of the guide nozzle 41 is fixed to the medal discharge portion 53 of the case 51 so that the guide nozzle 41 rotates. At the same time, the medal feeder 50 and the storage tank 31 may be formed so as to rotate integrally.

(Other forms of medal slot 10)
Note that the medal slot 10 may be formed as shown in FIGS. 9 and 11 show that the insertion port main body 12 is formed to be openable and closable by the hinge 13 on the front side. FIG. 12 shows the insertion port body 12 formed by the guide means 14 so as to be slidable in the lateral direction or the front-rear direction. In these cases, the medal discharge port 44 is provided below the tip 44 of the guide nozzle 41, and when the guide nozzle 41 is at the medal insertion position, the game medals discharged from the medal discharge port 44 are directly connected to the medal drop hole 11. Form to fall on. If formed in this way, the side slit 12c and the medal discharge port 44 do not need to be strictly aligned so that the game medal can be smoothly transferred, and the guide nozzle 41 and the medal insertion port 10 can be easily aligned. Can be.

  In this case, it is preferable that a medal feeding device 50 for transferring the inserted game medals one by one to the medal selector is provided below the medal drop hole 11. As shown in FIG. 13, the medal feeder 50 includes a box-shaped case 51, a drive motor 54, two rollers 56 and a reverse roller 57 that are rotated by the drive motor 54, and a belt stretched over the roller 56. 55 is a belt-type medal feeder. The game medals thrown from the medal drop hole 11 fall on the belt 55 from the medal receiving part 52, are separated one by one by the movement of the belt 55 and the reverse rotation roller 57, and are discharged one by one from the medal discharge part 53 It has come to be. If formed in this way, even if game medals are not placed one by one in the medal drop hole 11, they can be transferred one by one to the medal selector, so the insertion slot body 12 is moved to open the medal drop hole 11. In this state, the game medals paid out to the payout medal tray 7 of the slot machine 1 by winning can be randomly thrown into the medal drop hole 11.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing an installation state of the slot machine and the medal lending machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is an embodiment of the present invention, and is a perspective view showing an internal structure of a medal lending machine. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the slot machine and the medal lending machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a top view of a medal feeder and a guide nozzle. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention, taken along line AA in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a front view of the slot machine and the medal lending machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a front view of a medal feeder and a guide nozzle. FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing a medal slot and a guide nozzle according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is other embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a partial expansion perspective view which shows a medal insertion slot and a guide nozzle. It is other embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a top view which shows a medal insertion slot and a guide nozzle. It is other embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a medal insertion slot. It is other embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a top view of a medal slot. It is other embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is the schematic which shows a medal feeder. It is other embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a perspective view of a medal payout apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

1 slot machine 2 medal lending machine 5 front door 6 symbol display window 7 payout medal tray
10 Medal slot 11 Medal drop hole
12 Input port body 12a Input slit
12b Medal guide groove 12c Side slit
13 Hinge 14 Guide means
20 Outer box 22 Medals supply port
23 bill insertion slot 24 bill counter
30 Medal dispensing device 31 Storage tank
32 Medals feeder 33 Base
34 Feeding disk 35 Medal discharge section
36 Rotating shaft 37 Drive motor
38 Medal guide
40 Input and transfer means 41 Guide nozzle
42 Base 43 Tip
44 Medal outlet
50 Medal feeder 51 Case
52 Medal receiving part 53 Medal discharging part
54 Drive motor 55 Belt
56 Roller 57 Reverse roller C Center axis P Intersection

Claims (4)

A medal lending machine arranged adjacent to a gaming machine,
A medal payout device having at least a medal feeding device for sending out game medals to the outside of the lending machine main body, and input transfer means serving as a transfer path for guiding the game medals sent from the medal feeding device to the gaming machine. At least in the medal lending machine
At least the medal feeding device among the medal payout devices is formed to be rotatable with respect to the lending machine body,
Fixing the insertion transfer means to the medal feeder;
The medal lending machine is characterized in that the medal feeding device can rotate integrally with the throwing and transferring means, and the throwing and transferring means is formed so as to be movable to a position disengaged from the front surface of the gaming machine. The medal payout device is provided with a storage tank capable of storing game medals,
The medal lending machine according to claim 1, wherein the storage tank is formed to be rotatable integrally with the medal feeder. The medal feeding device has a plurality of medal holes into which game medals are inserted, a feeding disk for feeding game medals inserted into the medal holes to the outside, and a drive motor for rotating the feeding disk. ,
The medal lending machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the medal lending machine is coaxial with a rotation axis of a feeding disk rotated by the drive motor and is rotatable with respect to a lending machine body. The medal delivery port of the medal feeding device is arranged to be higher than the medal insertion port of the gaming machine,
The medal lending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the insertion transfer means is a continuous passage that continues from a medal delivery port of the medal feeding device to a medal insertion port of the gaming machine. .

Images