JP2005218846A - Slot machine and game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a slot machine into which a token can be fed by a token guide nozzle as well as being fed manually, which has a token slot only allowing a player to manually slot the token when the medal guide nozzle is not used. <P>SOLUTION: The slot machine 10 comprises a manual token slot 11 to which a game player manually slots tokens 30 and an automatic token slot 12 to which the tokens 30 dispensed from an inter-unit token dispensing machine 20 are automatically slotted through the token guide nozzle 27 provided on the inter-unit token dispensing machine 20. The distal end of the token guide nozzle 27 is formed in a manner to be movable to the position of the automatic token slot 12. At the same time, the slot machine 10 is equipped with a sensing means sensing that the distal end of the token guide nozzle 27 of the inter-unit token dispensing machine 20 is at the position of the automatic token slot 12, and an opening/closing means 14 which opens the automatic token slot 12 at the time when the sensing means 13 senses the distal end, and closes it at the time when the sensing means does not sense the distal end. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine such as a slot machine capable of supplying a gaming medium such as a medal from a gaming medium lending machine such as an inter-unit medal lending machine.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in game halls where slot machines are installed, medal lending machines are installed between the slots of the machine, and medals that have become insufficient during the game are replenished.
As for the inter-unit medal lending machine, there is disclosed a machine equipped with a medal guide nozzle for guiding a medal to a medal insertion slot of a slot machine as in Patent Document 1 below.
JP 2003-210820 A

Normally, medals rented from the inter-unit medal lending machine are paid out to a tray provided in the lower part of the machine or a medal tray located in the lower part of the gaming machine, and the player takes a medal necessary for the game from either of them. It was necessary to manually insert medals one by one into the slot machine medal slot.
On the other hand, in the prior art described in Patent Document 1, since the medal is directly guided to the medal insertion slot by the medal guide nozzle, the trouble of manually inserting one by one is eliminated. However, even in such a situation where medals are supplied by the medal guide nozzles, there are some players who want to insert medals one by one by hand. However, in the conventional technique described in Patent Document 1, since the tip of the medal guide nozzle completely covers the medal slot, the medal supply from the inter-unit medal lending machine is performed one by one by hand. It cannot be thrown in.

In the prior art described in Patent Document 1, the medal guide nozzle can be moved from the medal slot as necessary. At this time, the medal slot remains open, and a large number of medals are inserted. Can be put in at once, which may cause excessive gambling and management of the number of stored medals.
The above problem also applies to a so-called parrot game machine in which a game similar to a slot machine is played using a game ball such as a pachinko ball.
Therefore, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention enables both the medal supply by the medal guide nozzle and the medal insertion by hand, and only the medal insertion by hand is possible when the medal guide nozzle is not used. An object of the present invention is to provide a slot machine having a medal slot.

In addition to the object of the invention of the first aspect, the invention of the second aspect of the present invention can manage the number of stored medal by making it possible to restrict the supply of medals from the medal guide nozzle as necessary. The purpose is to make it easier.
Further, the invention according to claim 3 of the present invention collectively determines the authenticity of the medal supplied from the medal guide nozzle and the medal inserted by hand in addition to the object of the invention according to claim 1 or 2. The purpose is to make the selector structure as simple as possible by providing selectors to be performed.
In addition to the object of the invention of claim 3, the invention of claim 4 of the present invention prevents medal storage from the medal slot to the selector in a state where the so-called credit has reached the upper limit. Therefore, the purpose is to facilitate the management of the number of stored medal.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the game medium supply by the game medium guide nozzle and the insertion of the game medium by hand can be used in combination, and when the game medium guide nozzle is not used, the game by the hand is performed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a gaming machine having a game medium slot that allows only medium insertion.

(1) Invention of Claim 1 In view of the above object, the invention described in Claim 1 of the present invention includes a manual medal slot 11 through which a player manually inserts a medal 30, and an inter-medal lending machine. A slot machine 10 in which a medal 30 lent out from 20 is arranged in parallel with an automatic medal slot 12 that is automatically inserted through a medal guide nozzle 27 provided in the inter-unit medal lending machine 20, The medal guide nozzle 27 is formed such that its tip is movable with respect to the position of the automatic medal slot 12 and the tip of the medal guide nozzle 27 of the inter-unit medal lending machine 20 is the automatic medal slot 12. It is characterized by comprising detection means 13 for detecting the position, and opening / closing means 14 for opening the automatic medal slot 12 when detected by the detection means 13 and closing when not detected.

The “automatic medal slot 12” refers to a medal slot that is open to the outside and corresponds to the supply of medals 30 from the inter-unit medal lending machine 20. The automatic medal slot 12 is formed to be openable / closable by “opening / closing means 14” using a solenoid, for example.
The “detecting means 13” can be realized, for example, as a structure that detects that the tip of the medal guide nozzle 27 is in the vicinity of the automatic medal slot 12 using a transmission type optical sensor.
(2) Invention of Claim 2 Of the present inventions, in addition to the object of the invention of Claim 1, the invention of Claim 2 is characterized in that the opening / closing means 14 is not detected by the detection means 13. The automatic medal slot 12 is configured to be closed even when predetermined requirements other than the above are satisfied.

The “predetermined condition” here is, for example, when an error occurs, when the credit reaches the upper limit, when the game is currently continuing, when the credit becomes zero, or when the credit is less than 3. There are cases.
(3) Invention of Claim 3 Furthermore, in addition to the object of the invention of Claim 1 or 2, the invention of Claim 3 is the manual medal slot 11 and the automatic medal slot. A medal selector 15 for determining the authenticity of the medals 30 inserted from both sides is provided.
The “medal selector 15” is a device that determines the authenticity based on the shape and weight of the medal 30. Various medal selectors 15 are known and can be used in the present invention.

In other words, the medal flow path from the manual medal insertion slot 11 and the medal flow path from the automatic medal insertion slot 12 merge in the middle and form a medal flow path extending from here to the medal selector 15. Then, the medal 30 determined to be authentic by the medal selector 15 is stored in the slot machine 10 and used for the game. On the other hand, the medal 30 determined not to be authentic is returned to the payout port 17 or the return port.
(4) Further, among the present inventions, the invention described in claim 4 includes, in addition to the features of the invention described in claim 3, a credit means that can hold the payout right of the medal 30 up to a predetermined number, and the manual operation The medals 30 inserted from both the medal insertion slot 11 and the automatic medal insertion slot 12 and the medal selector 15 are returned to the player when the number of suspendable cards by the credit means reaches the upper limit. It is characterized by being.

The “credit means” means means for storing and managing so-called “credits” which are the number of medals held in the slot machine 10 and can be paid out by the player's selection. Note that the number of medals held by the credit means is normally displayed in numbers on the credit display unit 18 provided on the display panel on the entire surface of the slot machine 10.
For example, a medal flow path to the return path is provided in the middle of the medal flow path from the manual medal insertion slot 11 and the automatic medal insertion slot 12 to the medal selector 15, and the flow path to both of these can be switched as appropriate. When the number of holdable sheets by the credit means reaches the upper limit, it can be realized by switching to the return path without reaching the medal selector 15. Then, when the credit reaches the upper limit, the medal 30 that has already been inserted from the manual medal slot 11 or the automatic medal slot 12 is returned to the player from the return path while being transported to the medal selector 15. It is possible to

  (5) Further, among the present inventions, the invention according to claim 5 is that the game medium lent out from the manual game medium input port through which the player manually inputs the game medium and the inter-game game lending machine A gaming machine in which an automatic gaming medium insertion port that is automatically inserted through a gaming medium guide nozzle provided in a gaming medium rental machine is provided in parallel, and the leading edge of the gaming medium guide nozzle is the above-mentioned Detection means 13 configured to be movable with respect to the automatic game medium slot position, and detecting that the tip of the game medium guide nozzle of the inter-game game medium lending machine is at the automatic game medium slot position And an opening / closing means 14 that opens the automatic game medium insertion slot when detected by the 13th detecting hand and closes when not detected.

Here, “game media” includes game balls such as medals, coins, and pachinko balls.
The “automatic game medium input port” refers to a game medium input port that is open to the outside and corresponds to the supply of game media from the inter-game game lending machine. This automatic game medium slot is formed so as to be openable and closable by “opening / closing means 14” using a solenoid, for example.
The “detecting means 13” can be realized, for example, as a structure that detects that the tip of the game medium guide nozzle is in the vicinity of the automatic game medium insertion port by using a transmission type optical sensor.
By the way, the opening / closing means 14 can be formed so as to close the automatic game medium slot even when a predetermined requirement other than the non-detection by the detecting means 13 is satisfied.

In addition, it is possible to provide a game medium discriminating device for determining the authenticity of the game medium input from both the manual game medium input port and the automatic game medium input port.
And a credit means capable of holding up a predetermined number of game media payout rights, and is inserted from both the manual game media slot and the automatic game media slot, and between the game media discrimination device The game medium may be formed so as to be returned to the player when the number of suspendable cards by the credit means reaches the upper limit.

Since this invention is comprised as mentioned above, there exist the following effects.
That is, according to the description of the invention, the medal supply by the medal guide nozzle and the medal insertion by hand can be used in combination, and when the medal guide nozzle is not used, the medal by hand It is possible to provide a slot machine having a medal slot that can only be inserted.
Further, according to the description of the invention described in claim 2 of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 1, the medal storage is made possible by restricting the medal supply from the medal guide nozzle as necessary. The number of sheets can be easily managed.

Furthermore, according to the description of the invention described in claim 3 of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 1 or 2, the authenticity of the medal supplied from the medal guide nozzle and the medal inserted by hand is determined. By providing a selector that is performed collectively, it is possible to make the selector structure as simple as possible.
According to the description of the invention described in claim 4 of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 3, in the state where the so-called credit reaches the upper limit, the medal storage from the medal slot to the selector is performed. By preventing this, it becomes possible to easily manage the number of stored medal tokens.
According to the description of the invention described in claim 5 of the present invention, it is possible to use both the supply of the game medium by the game medium guide nozzle and the insertion of the game medium by hand, and when the game medium guide nozzle is not used. Thus, it is possible to provide a gaming machine having a game medium slot that allows only the game medium to be inserted by hand.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the following description is an illustration to the last, and it cannot be overemphasized that the scope of the present invention is not limited thereby.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a slot machine 10 and an inter-unit medal lending machine 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a medal slot of the slot machine 10 according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 schematically shows a state where the automatic medal slot 12 is opened in the slot machine 10 according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 schematically shows a state in which the automatic medal slot 12 is closed in the slot machine 10 according to the embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the inter-unit medal lending machine 20 includes a frame body 21, a bill identifying and storing unit 22, and a medal paying unit 25. The inter-unit medal lending machine 20 is arranged between the slot machines 10 arranged as islands, and corresponds to the slot machine 10 arranged on the left side in the figure. A bill identifying device 24 is provided inside the bill identifying and storing unit 22, and it is identified whether or not the bill inserted from the bill insertion slot 23 is an appropriate bill and whether or not it has been properly inserted. When the bill insertion method and the inserted bill are appropriate, the inserted bill is stored in the bill recognition device 24. A known hopper device 26 is provided inside the medal payout unit 25. When the inserted bill is recognized as appropriate by the bill recognition device 24, the hopper device 26 is driven for a predetermined time. By driving the hopper device 26, the medal 30 is supplied to the medal guide nozzle 27.

In addition, a medal guide nozzle 27 is provided on the front surface of the medal payout portion 25. The medal guide nozzle 27 is formed so as to bend toward the slot machine 10, and is attached to the medal payout portion 25 so that an upstream portion thereof is rotatable in a direction indicated by an arrow in the drawing. As shown in FIG. 3, the medal guide nozzle 27 is positioned above the medal slot of the slot machine 10.
As shown in FIG. 2, the medal slot of the slot machine 10 has two openings, a manual medal slot 11 located on the front side and an automatic medal slot 12 located on the back side. As shown in FIG. 3, detection means 13 using an optical sensor is provided at the edge of the automatic medal slot 12 on the back side. In addition, an opening / closing means 14 that can be opened and closed by the operation of a solenoid is provided at the opening of the automatic medal slot 12. This detection means 13 detects whether or not the tip of the medal guide nozzle 27 is in the vicinity. If not, as shown in FIG. 4, the opening / closing means 14 protrudes forward and the automatic medal slot 12 is closed. On the other hand, when the detection means 13 detects the medal guide nozzle 27, as shown in FIG. 3, the opening / closing means 14 is pulled backward, and the automatic medal slot 12 is opened. The medal 30 supplied from the medal guide nozzle 27 can be inserted from the automatic medal slot 12.

Even when the medal guide nozzle 27 is in the vicinity, the opening / closing means 14 is closed until the game is once started. The opening / closing means 14 configured in this way restricts the opening of the automatic medal slot 12, and also has the effect of preventing entry of foreign matter or the like.
As described above, the medals 30 inserted from the automatic medal slot 12 are similar to the medals 30 manually inserted one by one from the manual medal slot 11 by the transport belt 16 shown in FIG. (See FIG. 1). The medal selector 15 determines the authenticity of the conveyed medal 30, and if it is authentic, causes the credit means to add credit. On the other hand, if it is not genuine, it is returned to the payout port 17 and cannot be used for games.

As shown in FIG. 1, a credit display unit 18 using a 7-segment LED is provided on the front surface of the slot machine 10. The credit display unit 18 is a part for displaying the number of credits grasped by the credit means. The opening / closing means 14 closes the automatic medal slot 12 even when the display of the credit display unit 18 reaches the upper limit “50”. At this time, medals 30 that have already been inserted from the automatic medal slot 12 but have not yet been transported to the medal selector 15 are to be returned to the payout opening 17.
The embodiment of the present invention has been described above by taking the slot machine as an example of the gaming machine, but the present invention can also be applied to gaming machines other than the slot machine. For example, the present invention can be used in a parrot gaming machine that uses a gaming ball such as a pachinko ball as a gaming medium to perform a game similar to a slot machine.

  Although the parrot gaming machine is not particularly illustrated, a symbol display window is formed on the front surface of the casing so that the symbol of the rotating reel can be visually recognized. The parrot game machine has a start switch below the symbol display window. And an operation unit provided with operation means such as a stop switch. In the upper part of the operation section, a ball discharge port from which game balls are paid out and an upper plate for temporarily storing the paid-out game balls are provided. A ball throwing portion communicating with the inside of the gaming machine is formed at the bottom of the upper plate, and when a start switch or a predetermined throwing switch is operated, a game ball in the upper plate is thrown from the ball throwing portion. ing. In other words, the upper plate also serves as a game medium slot. In addition, a lower plate is provided at the lower part of the housing for dropping and storing the game balls stored in the upper plate.

  In addition, on the upper side of the ball throwing portion of the upper plate, a manual ball throwing port for manually throwing a game ball and a game ball lent from an adjacent ball lending machine are automatically thrown through a guide nozzle. An automatic ball insertion port is provided, and the automatic ball insertion port is provided with opening / closing means formed in the same manner as described in the above embodiment. The opening / closing means can be opened when the guide nozzle is moved above the upper plate, and the opening / closing means can be closed when the guide nozzle is moved away.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a slot machine and an inter-unit medal lending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of a medal slot of a slot machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the slot machine which concerns on one embodiment of this invention, a mode that the automatic medal insertion slot is open | released is shown typically. In the slot machine which concerns on the same embodiment of 1 of this invention, a mode that the automatic medal slot is closed is shown typically.

Explanation of symbols

10 slot machine 11 manual medal slot
12 Automatic medal slot 13 Detection method
14 Opening / closing means 15 Medal selector (game media discrimination device)
16 Conveyor belt 17 Discharge outlet
18 Credit display section 20-unit medal lending machine
21 Frame 22 Bill identification storage
23 Bill insertion slot 24 Bill recognition device
25 Medal dispensing part 26 Hopper device
27 Medals guide nozzle 30 Medals

Claims (5)

A manual medal slot through which a player manually inserts a medal, and an automatic medal insertion in which a medal lent out from an inter-unit medal lending machine is automatically inserted through a medal guide nozzle provided in the inter-unit medal lending machine A slot machine with a mouth,
The medal guide nozzle is formed such that its tip is movable with respect to the automatic medal slot position,
Detecting means for detecting that a tip of a medal guide nozzle of the inter-unit medal lending machine is at the automatic medal slot position;
A slot machine comprising: opening and closing means that opens the automatic medal slot when detecting by the detecting means and closes when not detecting.   2. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein the opening / closing means is formed so as to close the automatic medal slot even when a predetermined requirement other than the non-detection by the detecting means is satisfied.   3. The slot machine according to claim 1, further comprising a medal selector for determining the authenticity of medals inserted from both the manual medal slot and the automatic medal slot. A credit means that can hold up to a predetermined number of medals payout rights,
The medals inserted from both the manual medal slot and the automatic medal slot and returned to the medal selector are returned to the player when the number of suspendable cards by the credit means reaches the upper limit. The slot machine according to claim 3. A manual game medium slot through which a player manually inserts a game medium, and a game medium lent out from the inter-game game medium lending machine automatically through a game medium guide nozzle provided in the inter-game game medium lending machine A gaming machine in which an automatic gaming medium slot to be thrown in is juxtaposed,
The game medium guide nozzle is formed such that a tip thereof is movable with respect to the automatic game medium insertion port position,
Detecting means for detecting that a tip of a game medium guide nozzle of the inter-game game medium lending machine is at the automatic game medium insertion port position;
A gaming machine comprising: an opening / closing means that opens the automatic game medium slot when detecting by the detecting means and closes when the detecting means does not detect.

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