JP2006230740A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To remove stains of game media and to prevent foreign matter mix-in and fraudulent actions to a putout device. <P>SOLUTION: On the front surface of a hopper device 35, a discharge path 40, a pair of first and second wiping members 41 and 42 and a moving mechanism 43 are provided. The moving mechanism 43 is composed of a solenoid 46 and a connecting member 47 and moves the first wiping member 41. The second wiping member 42 is fixed to the discharge path 40. At normal time, the first wiping member 41 is abutted to the second wiping member 42 and closes the discharge path 40. When tokens 30 are to be put out from the hopper device 35, the moving mechanism 43 is operated to move the first wiping member 41 to a wiping position, and the surface of the token 30 put out from the hopper device 35 is wiped. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine such as a slot machine that is installed and used in a game hall such as a pachinko parlor.

  Slot machines that are installed and used in amusement halls such as pachinko parlors are called pachislot machines. In the case of such a pachislot machine, it is possible to play a game by inserting a predetermined number of medals as game media when playing the game. When a prize is obtained by playing a game, a hopper device provided inside the pachislot machine is driven, and a medal corresponding to the number of payouts for the prize is discharged from the discharge port of the hopper device, and the discharged medal is It is paid out to a tray from a payout opening provided in the housing.

  As described in Patent Document 1, for example, a hopper device incorporated in the slot machine includes a storage box provided at an upper portion thereof, a rotary disk that distributes medals stored in the storage box, and the rotary disk. When the distributed medals move to the payout port, a counter arm is provided that rotates with the medals to be paid out, and the operation of the counter arm is detected by a sensor. Then, when the count number matches the number of medals paid out, the driving of the hopper device is stopped. Thereby, the payout of medals is completed.

  By the way, the slot machine outlet and the discharge passage leading to the outlet of the hopper device as described above are always open, so that foreign matter such as a wire can be removed from the outlet through the hopper device when the medal is not paid out. There is a problem that a larger number of medals are paid out by performing the act of inserting the medals illegally by inserting the counter arm until the counter arm is reached and causing the counter arm to malfunction.

  In order to prevent the act of illegally paying out medals to such a hopper device, various countermeasures have been considered. For example, a movable member that is movable between a closed position that closes the payout opening and an open position that opens the payout opening is provided, and the payout opening is closed except when paying out. .

  On the other hand, medals paid out from the hopper device are released to the outside while being pressed or bounced by the rotation of the rotary disk. Furthermore, medals rub against each other even when stored in a storage box. As a result, dust or the like adheres to the surface of the medal used in the slot machine, and is in a very dirty state.

Therefore, in order to remove the dirt of the medals discharged from the hopper device as described above, a wiping member is provided in the vicinity of the payout port, and when the wiping member is discharged from the payout port to the tray, the surface of the medal is It has been considered to remove dirt and remove dirt such as dust (for example, Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-49652

  However, in addition to the wiping member, in addition to the wiping member, it is also considered to provide a movable member that closes the dispensing port to prevent fraud as described above. It is very difficult to provide both in the vicinity of the payout opening in consideration of the installation space of the hopper device, and when both are provided, the mechanism becomes complicated and low cost is prevented.

  In addition, if the release speed of the medals paid out from the payout opening is too high, the medals will jump out of the tray or fly away, but the means for adjusting the discharge speed from the payout opening is a conventional hopper device or It is not considered much in gaming machines, and it is dealt with by adjusting the rotational speed of the rotary disk of the hopper device. However, it is difficult to properly adjust the medal discharge speed by such means.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and removes dirt on a game medium, prevents foreign matter from being mixed into the payout device and illegal acts, and adjusts the release speed of medals from the payout opening. The purpose is to provide a low-cost gaming machine that can be used.

  In order to achieve the above object, a gaming machine according to the present invention includes a payout device for paying out game media, and a payout port for releasing the game media paid out from the payout device to the outside. A pair of wiping members disposed near the payout opening and disposed so as to wipe the surface of the game medium, and the wiping surfaces thereof are opposed to each other; A moving position for moving at least one of the wiping members between a closed position for closing the wiping member, and a wiping position for opening the payout outlet and wiping the surface of the game medium discharged from the payout device by the wiping member; When the payout device pays out the game medium, the wiping member is moved to the wiping position, and when the payout device does not pay out the game medium, the wiping member is moved to the closed position. Characterized by comprising a movement control means for controlling said moving means so as to move to.

  Note that the game medium required for the game in the present invention is a medal having a diameter of 25 to 30 mm and a thickness of about 1.2 mm, or a diameter of 11 mm, which is converted into cash and used to advance a predetermined game by the gaming machine. This is a value medium for a gaming machine in which a predetermined game is progressed by a value medium as a spherical pachinko ball of a certain degree. The wiping member may be any member that can wipe the surface of the medal such as a brush, cloth, or sponge.

  The gaming machine of the present invention is composed of the above-described essential components, but it is established even when the components are specifically as follows.

  Moreover, it is preferable that the game machine of this invention is provided with the adjustment means which can adjust the space | interval of a pair of said wiping member. Furthermore, the moving means is provided so as to be able to move the wiping member along a slide direction substantially perpendicular to the discharge direction in which the game medium is discharged from the payout outlet, and controls the moving means. It is preferable to adjust the distance between the pair of wiping members.

  According to the present invention, a pair of wiping members disposed near the payout outlet and disposed so as to wipe the surface of the game medium and attached so that the wiping surfaces thereof face each other, and the wiping member includes A moving position for moving at least one of the wiping members between a closed position for closing the payout opening, and a wiping position for opening the payout opening and wiping the surface of the game medium discharged from the payout device by the wiping member; The movement moves the wiping member to the wiping position when the device pays out the game medium, and moves the wiping member to the closed position when the payout device does not pay out the game medium. And a movement control means for controlling the means, it is possible to prevent foreign matter contamination and fraud by closing the outlet with the wiping member. It is possible to remove stains of game media by wood.

  Furthermore, since the adjustment means which can adjust the space | interval of a pair of said wiping member is provided, the discharge | release speed | rate of the game medium from a payout port is adjusted by adjusting the space | interval of a wiping member with this adjustment means. be able to.

  Alternatively, the moving means is provided so as to be able to move the wiping member along a slide direction substantially orthogonal to the discharge direction in which the game medium is discharged from the payout outlet, and controls the moving means. Since the interval between the pair of wiping members is adjusted, the interval between the wiping members can be easily adjusted, and the release speed of the game medium from the payout port can be adjusted.

  FIG. 1 shows an appearance of a slot machine 2 which is an embodiment of a gaming machine to which the present invention is applied. The slot machine 2 has a housing 5 formed of a storage box 3 and two front doors (hereinafter referred to as an upper front door 4a and a lower front door 4b) provided on the front surface of the storage box 3. First to third reels 7a to 7c, a hopper device 35, a power supply device, and the like are provided.

  A display window 6 is provided in the upper front door 4a, and a first reel 7a, a second reel 7b, and a third reel 7c are disposed at the back of the display window 6. As is well known, various symbols are arranged at a constant pitch on the outer periphery of the first to third reels 7a to 7c, and three symbols per reel are observed through the corresponding display window 6 when the reels are stopped. The As a result, a total of five straight winning lines, each of which has a combination of the symbols of each reel, are set, with three horizontal lines and two diagonal lines. A liquid crystal display device 8 is provided on the side of the first to third reels 7a to 7c, and performs an effect using, for example, animation display. The number of display windows 6 need not be limited to one. For example, a display window may be provided for each reel.

  Various operation buttons such as a single bet button 10, a MAX bet button 11, and a payout button 12 that are operated at the start of the game are provided on the upper portion of the lower front door 4b. Since the functions of these operation buttons are well known, details thereof are omitted. Also, below these operation buttons, there are provided a start lever 15 that is operated after the medal bet is placed, first to third stop buttons 16 to 18 that stop the reel that is rotated by the operation of the start lever 15, and the like. It is done.

  The lower front door 4b is provided with a medal slot 20 for inserting a medal 30 (see FIG. 2) when playing a game. A selector 21 is incorporated in the medal path from the medal insertion slot 20, and if the inserted medal is an inappropriate medal, it is discharged to the medal tray 23 via the medal payout slot (payout port) 22. In addition, the selector 21 selects the inserted medal 30 when the medal 30 is inserted at an inappropriate timing, for example, when it is inserted in the middle of a game or while various operation buttons are pressed. It is discharged to the medal tray 23. In addition, since the number of medals 30 to be inserted prior to the start of the game is limited to 1 to 3, when the credit function is not used or when the upper limit number in the credit function has been reached, the fourth and subsequent medals The inserted medal 30 is discharged to the medal tray 23.

  On the other hand, when the credit function is in the on state, medals 30 inserted after the fourth sheet are detected by a medal sensor (not shown) and stored in the slot machine 2 up to 50 sheets. The number of stored medals 30 is digitally displayed on the credit number display unit 25. When this credit function is used, a signal for inserting a medal 30 corresponding to the operation of the one-bet button 10 or the MAX bet button 11 described above is generated, and the bet number is sequentially subtracted from the credit number. Further, as a result of the game, the symbols constituting the winning combination are stopped, and when a winning is obtained, the medal 30 as a payout is also credited until the upper limit number in the credit function is reached, and is credited when the payout button 12 is operated. The existing medal 30 is paid out to the medal tray 23.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the vicinity of a hopper device 35 which is a payout device provided in the slot machine 2. A storage tank 36 for storing the payout medal 30 is provided on the upper portion of the hopper device 35. In the storage tank 36, the medal 30 inserted from the medal insertion port 27 is stored. A disc-shaped rotary disk (not shown) is provided inside the hopper device 35, and a storage hole for storing medals is formed on the surface of the rotary disk. When the rotating disk rotates, the medal stored in the storage hole is sent out, and a counter arm (not shown) is provided at the position where the medal sent out by the rotating disk hits. Is detected. The rotating disk is activated when a game is obtained in the slot machine 2 and a winning is obtained, and the payout number of medals 30 corresponding to the winning is continuously paid out to the medal tray 23. The overflow storage box 32 stores the medals 30 discharged from the storage tank 36 when the medals 30 stored in the storage tank 36 of the hopper device 35 exceed a predetermined amount.

  The configuration of the discharge passage 40 is shown in FIGS. FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the vicinity of the lower front door 5 and the discharge passage 40 as viewed from the right side of the slot machine 2, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration in the vicinity of the discharge passage 40 and the hopper device 35. is there. On the front surface of the hopper device 35, a discharge passage 40, a pair of first and second wiping members 41 and 42, and a moving mechanism (moving means) 43 are provided. The discharge passage 40 is integrally provided continuously from the discharge port 44 through which the medals 30 are discharged by the rotating disk described above. When the lower front door 4b is closed, the position of the medal payout port 22 is the position of the discharge passage 40. The medal 30 is paid out from the medal payout port 22 through the discharge passage 40.

  The first and second wiping members 41 and 42 are located in the vicinity of the medal payout opening 22. The first and second wiping members 41 and 42 are disposed so as to wipe the surface of the medal 30 paid out from the discharge passage 40, and the wiping surfaces 41a and 42a face each other. It is attached to the front wall 40a. Of the first and second wiping members 41, 42, the second wiping member 42 positioned below is fixed to the discharge passage 40 by screws.

  Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the first wiping member 41 uses a brush-like member composed of a thin plate-like substrate member 41b and a hair body 41c planted in the substrate member 41b. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any member that can wipe the surface of the medal 30 such as cloth or sponge may be used. Furthermore, the second wiping member 42 is also composed of the substrate 42b and the hair 42c, like the first wiping member 41, but is not limited thereto.

  The moving mechanism (moving means) 43 includes a solenoid 46 and a connecting member 47. The solenoid 46 includes a bobbin 46a and a drive iron core 46b that is slidably held with respect to the bobbin 46a. The driving iron core 46b has a protruding position that protrudes from the bobbin 46a along a vertical direction B perpendicular to the discharge direction A from which the medal 30 is discharged from the medal payout opening 22, and a retracted position that is drawn into the bobbin 46a. Move between. A connecting member 47 is integrally provided at the tip of the driving iron core 46b. The connecting member 47 is exposed from the opening 40b provided in the front wall 40a of the discharge passage 40, and the first wiping member 41 is provided. Is detachably attached by screwing. As a result, the first wiping member 41 moves along the vertical direction B along with the movement of the drive iron core 46 b via the connecting member 47.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the first wiping member 41 is formed with an adjustment long hole 41d extending along the vertical direction of the substrate 41b, and the screw 45 is screwed into the connecting member 47 through the long hole 41d. It is possible. Thereby, it is possible to move the position of the 1st wiping member 41 along the slide direction parallel to an up-down direction, the space | interval of the 1st wiping member 41 and the 2nd wiping member 42 is adjusted, and it is set as a predetermined space | interval. After that, the first wiping member 41 can be fixed to the connecting member 47 by screwing.

  The solenoid 46 is switched between an energized state and a non-energized state of the bobbin 46a according to its operating condition, and the driving iron core 46b moves. When the bobbin 46a is in a non-energized state, the driving iron core 46b is in the projecting position, and the first wiping member 41 interlocked with the bobbin 46a is in contact with the second wiping member 42 and the wiping surfaces 41a and 42a. 22 is closed. When the bobbin 46a is in an energized state, the driving iron core 46b is sucked by the bobbin 46a and moves from the protruding position to the retracted position, and the first wiping member 41 interlocked therewith is separated from the second wiping member 42. The medal payout port 22 is opened, and the medal 30 is moved to a wiping position where the surface of the medal 30 can be wiped.

  The operation of the above configuration will be described. In the normal state of the slot machine 2, as shown in FIG. 6A, the first wiping member 41 is in a closed position where the second wiping member 42 and the wiping surfaces 41a and 41b abut against each other to close the discharge passage 40. It is in. Thus, when the 1st wiping member 41 exists in a closed position, the approach of the foreign material from the exterior to the discharge passage 40 can be blocked | prevented, and an improper act can be prevented.

  When a game is played in the slot machine 2 and the result is a win, the control device (movement control means) 50 operates the moving mechanism 43 by energizing the solenoid 46 before operating the hopper device 35. Then, the first wiping member 41 is moved from the closed position to the wiping position shown in FIG. As a result, the discharge passage 40 is opened, and the medals 30 discharged from the hopper device 35 can be paid out to the medal tray 23 through the discharge passage 40 and the medal payout port 22. Further, when the medal 30 is paid out from the hopper device 35 through the discharge passage 40 and the medal payout port 22, the wiping member 42 is in the wiping position, so that dust or the like attached to the surface of the medal 30 is wiped off. , 42, the medal 30 can be cleaned. And after completion | finish of discharge, the solenoid 46 is again made into a non-energized state, and the 1st wiping member 41 is returned to a closed position.

  In this way, it is possible to prevent illegal acts on the hopper device 35 and to remove the dirt of the medals when the medals are paid out. Further, the wiping members 41 and 42 open and close the discharge passage 40. Since it also serves as a movable member, the number of components can be increased and the efficiency of component placement can be increased, so that the cost can be reduced.

  Moreover, since the 1st wiping member 41 is provided so that a movement along the long hole 41d is possible as mentioned above, it is possible to adjust the space | interval of the wiping members 41 and 42. FIG. Then, by adjusting the interval between the wiping members 41 and 42, the discharge speed when the medal 30 is discharged from the discharge passage 40 can be adjusted.

  In the above embodiment, the solenoid 46 is used as a driving device for moving the wiping member 41. However, any appropriate driving device may be used as long as the wiping member 41 can be moved between the closed position and the wiping position.

  In the embodiment described above, the wiping member 41 is adjusted by the adjusting means that allows the first wiping member 41 to be attached to and detached from the moving mechanism 43 and that can be moved along the long hole 41 d provided in the first wiping member 41. 42, the interval between the wiping members can be adjusted by a moving mechanism that automatically moves the wiping member as shown in FIG. 7 instead of such manual adjustment means. It is good. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the first and second wiping members 61 and 62 are attached to the discharge passage 40, and the first wiping member 61 can be moved by the moving mechanism 63. In FIG. 7, parts and members that are the same as in the above embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof are omitted. Further, the wiping members 61 and 62 are members capable of wiping the medal 30 similarly to the wiping members 41 and 42 of the above embodiment, and the discharge passage 40 is the same as the discharge passage 40 of the above embodiment. It is formed continuously from the discharge port 44. The moving mechanism 63 includes a connecting member 64 to which the first wiping member 61 is attached, a cam plate 65, an urging spring 66, a pulse motor 67, a line sensor 68, and the like. The cam plate 65 is attached so as to be rotatable around a rotation shaft 65 a disposed along the horizontal direction, and an outer peripheral surface thereof is in contact with the connecting member 64. Thereby, when the cam plate 65 rotates, the connecting member 64 moves up and down with the rotation angle. The biasing spring 66 biases the connecting member 64 toward the cam plate 65. The pulse motor 67 is connected to a gear 65 b provided coaxially with the cam plate 65 and is controlled by the control device 70 via a driver 69. The control device 70 can adjust the position of the connecting member 64 by changing the rotation angle of the cam plate 65 by controlling the rotation of the pulse motor 67.

  The line sensor 68 is formed by arranging a large number of photosensors 68 a in the vertical direction, and reads the position of the protrusion 64 a provided on the connecting member 64. The line sensor 68 is controlled by the control device 70 via the driver 71, and the control device 70 detects the position of the first wiping member 41 from the position of the protrusion 64 a read by the line sensor 68. The configuration is not limited to the configuration including the line sensor 68 and the protrusion 64 a provided on the connecting member 64, and any configuration that detects the position of the wiping member 61 may be used.

  The control device 70 is provided with an input device 75, and the position of the first wiping member 61 can be input by operating the input device 75. In addition, as an input device, what can input the position of the 1st wiping member 61 set in multiple steps, such as a dial switch and a switch consisting of a plurality of push buttons, may be used.

  In such a configuration, the user first operates the input device 75 to input the position of the first wiping member 41 when the wiping position and the closed position are reached. The control device 70 determines the position of the protrusion 64a according to the input value. When the moving mechanism 63 is activated, the line sensor 67 reads the position of the protrusion 64a, and when the position is in accordance with the input value described above, the pulse motor 67 is stopped, and the first wiping member 61 is closed or Stop at the wiping position. Thus, the 1st wiping member 61 stops at the wiping position according to an input value, and a closed position, respectively. When the user determines that the interval between the wiping members 61 and 62 is not appropriate, for example, when the medal release speed at the time of payout is too fast or too slow, the input value of the wiping position is changed, Further, when the wiping members 61 and 62 are not in contact with each other in a normal state and there is a gap between them, the input value of the closing position is changed to change the position of the first wiping member 61. Can be adjusted respectively.

It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of a slot machine. It is a perspective view which shows the inside of the lower part of a slot machine. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the structure of a discharge passage, a wiping member, and a moving mechanism. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of a wiping member and a moving mechanism. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of a wiping member. It is explanatory drawing which shows the operation state of a moving mechanism. It is sectional drawing which shows the modification of 1st Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

2 Slot machines (game machines)
22 Medal payout slot
31 Hopper device (dispensing device)
40 Discharge passage 41, 42, 61, 62 Wiping member 43 Moving mechanism (moving means)
50 Control device (movement control means)

Claims (3)

In a gaming machine comprising a payout device for paying out game media, and a payout outlet for releasing the game media paid out from the payout device to the outside,
A pair of wiping members disposed near the payout opening and disposed so as to wipe the surface of the game medium, and attached so that the wiping surfaces thereof face each other, and the wiping member closes the payout opening A moving means for moving at least one of the wiping members between a closed position where the wiping member is opened, and a wiping position where the wiping member wipes the surface of the game medium paid out from the payout device The movement moves the wiping member to the wiping position when the device pays out the game medium, and moves the wiping member to the closed position when the payout device does not pay out the game medium. A gaming machine comprising movement control means for controlling the means.   The gaming machine according to claim 1, further comprising an adjusting unit that can adjust an interval between the pair of wiping members. The moving means is provided so as to be able to move the wiping member along a sliding direction substantially perpendicular to a discharge direction in which the game medium is discharged from the payout port, and the moving means is controlled to control the pair of wiping members. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein an interval between the wiping members is adjusted.

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