JP2007193444A - Medal selector with manual returning function - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a thick fake medal from being fetched in a game machine. <P>SOLUTION: This medal selector with a manual returning function is provided with a thickness regulating means 24, arranged on a medal passage 8 for stopping a medal which is thicker than specific thickness and a returning means for opening a guide cover 2, and for making a stopped medal drop to a return passage. A guide cover 2, for configuring the medal passage 8 at the downstream side of the thickness regulating means 24, is provided with a contact surface 28 formed of a predetermined level in difference, outside a metal guide surface on the upstream side and a cancel plate 25 for projecting the contact surface from a through-hole 26 formed in a base frame to pressurize it, and for opening the guide cover. At a top end 25, brought into contact with the contact surface of the cancel plate, a medal engagement part, having a top end side corner part 25f shaped so as to be projected to the upstream side with a width which is not larger than the difference in level, is formed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a medal selector with a manual return function, in particular a medal selector used in a gaming machine that uses medals, coins or coins such as a pachislot, etc., and has a function of manually returning a medal stopped in the apparatus. It relates to a medal selector with a return function.

  The medal selector is used by being installed inside the medal slot 102 in a gaming machine 100 such as a pachislot whose outline is shown in FIG. This medal selector selects whether a medal inserted into a device such as a pachislot machine is a regular medal or a fake medal, accepts a regular medal, counts the number of the medal, and returns the fake medal from the return port 104. In addition, it is a device that similarly returns medals introduced at that time as a prohibited state in which medal acceptance is prohibited under specific conditions.

  As a medal detection means for counting the number of received medals, there are a plurality of photosensors arranged in parallel in the direction of the medal downstream of the return mechanism that selects the regular medal and the fake medal and returns the fake medal. In general, the number of medals passing through these photosensors is detected.

  The returned fake medals include those having a larger diameter than the regular medals, those having a smaller diameter than the regular medals, and those thicker than the regular medals.

  Among them, the small-diameter fake medals can be sorted and automatically returned by the sorting mechanism, but the large-diameter fake medals and thick fake medals do not pass through the medal passage and stop on the way. Therefore, the player can return it by manually operating a return button provided on the gaming machine.

  As such a medal selector having a manual return function for a fake medal stopped halfway, there is one disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example.

  In the conventional manual return function described in Patent Document 1, when a thick false medal is inserted, it stops because it cannot pass through the plate thickness regulating means provided in a part of the medal passage.

  In that case, when the player presses a return button provided on the gaming machine, the gate plate constituting one side surface of the medal passage is pushed open, and the false medal is dropped out of the medal passage and returned.

  In this medal selector, when the player presses the return button a little, the fake medal is transferred without dropping and taken into the gaming machine. In order to prevent this, the operation of the return button is linked. Thus, a passage blocking means that protrudes into the medal passage downstream from the plate thickness regulating means is provided to prevent the transfer of fake medals.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-334771

  However, the conventional technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 has the following serious problems.

  As described above, even if a thick medal stopped by the plate thickness regulating means is transferred by the player pressing the return button slightly, it is stopped by hitting the downstream medal passage blocking means. If the button is returned, the medal passage blocking means is also withdrawn from the medal passage, so that the stopped medal starts to move again and is eventually taken into the gaming machine.

  Such a phenomenon can be intentionally caused by the player. For example, with a simple operation of inserting a thick fake medal with the return button pressed slightly and releasing the return button after a short while, it is almost certainly possible to play using a fake medal. is there.

  In particular, the pachislot machine has a credit function, so if you perform a credit return operation after increasing the credits by inserting false medals, regular medals will be paid out according to the number of credits, and there are a lot of pachislot machine installers You will suffer damage.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and a medal selector with a manual return function that can prevent fake medals from being taken into a gaming machine even if an illegal return button operation as described above is performed. It is an issue to provide.

  The present invention relates to a medal passage formed between a base frame and a guide cover supported so as to be openable and closable with respect to the base frame, and a thickness regulation that is disposed in the medal passage and stops a medal thicker than a prescribed thickness. In the medal selector with a manual return function, the guide cover constituting the medal passage downstream of the thickness restricting means in the medal selector having a manual return function, and a return means for expanding the guide cover and dropping the stopped medal into the return passage In addition, the contact surface formed with a predetermined step outside the medal guide surface on the upstream side and the corresponding contact surface protrude from the through-hole formed in the base frame and are pressed to cancel the guide cover to expand. And a medal engagement having a shape protruding to the upstream side with a width equal to or less than the level difference at the tip of the cancel plate that contacts the contact surface By There was so formed, it is obtained by solving the above problems.

  According to the present invention, the guide cover constituting the medal passage downstream of the thickness regulating means is provided with a contact surface with a predetermined step outside the guide surface on the upstream side, and the contact surface is provided from the base frame side. Since the guide cover is widened by pressing the tip of the cancel plate, which is narrower than the step and formed with an engaging portion protruding upstream, the thick medal is pushed slightly. Is transferred to the downstream side, the medal tip is stopped in a state where it enters the inside of the engaging portion, so that the cancel plate is restrained at that position, so that it is supplied to the receiving portion. Can be reliably prevented.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  1 is a perspective view from above of the front side showing the whole medal selector of one embodiment according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view thereof, FIG. 3 is a perspective view from below of the back side, and FIG. 4 is a guide cover. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2 and shows a main part of a manual return mechanism described later.

  The medal selector according to the present embodiment is attached to the inside of the gaming machine 100 such as the pachi-slot shown in FIG. 11 downstream of the medal slot 102 provided in the housing through a base frame indicated by reference numeral 1 in the drawing. It is done. When the maintenance is performed by opening the panel of the gaming machine 100, the attachment is performed in such a posture that the front shown in FIGS.

  A guide cover denoted by reference numeral 2 is attached to the base frame 1 so as to be rotatable obliquely upward about a right upper fulcrum shaft 3, and the guide cover 2 is attached to the fulcrum shaft 3. 4 is biased toward the base frame 1 side. The base frame 1 and the guide cover 2 are manufactured by resin molding.

  When the base frame 1 and the guide cover 2 are closed, a part of the inner surface facing each other comes into contact with each other, so that a gap slightly wider than the thickness of the medal 5 is maintained and a passage through which the medal 5 passes is formed. (See FIG. 5).

  At the upper left part of the medal selector, a slot 6 which is an entrance of a medal formed by the base frame 1 and the guide cover 2 is disposed, and an arrow extending downward from the slot 6 constituting the medal path is shown. A vertical passage 7 and an inclined passage 8 indicated by an obliquely downward arrow extending in the right direction at the lower end thereof are formed.

  A medal rolling surface is formed at the lower end of the inclined passage 8, and this medal rolling surface is constituted by a movable guide 11 described later and an inclined rail portion 9 fixed to the base frame 1 on the downstream side thereof.

  A corner guide 10 fixed to the base frame 1 is disposed at the lower end of the vertical path 7, and an arc-shaped medal rolling surface 10 a is formed on the upper surface of the corner guide 10 at the intersection of the vertical path 7 and the inclined path 8. Has been.

  In this medal selector, the regular medal inserted from the insertion slot 6 rolls on the rolling surface of the inclined passage 8 and is supplied to the downstream receiving portion 16, and the fake medal and the reception prohibition medal will be described later. It is discharged to the return passage 23.

  The movable guide 11 is made of a magnetic material having an L-shaped cross section provided above the return passage 23 and between the downstream inclined rail portion 9 constituting the inclined passage 8 and the upstream corner guide 10. And the front-end | tip part protrudes in the inside inclination channel | path 8 from the opening part 12 penetrated and formed in the base frame 1 along the inclination channel | path 8, The upper surface comprises the said guide surface 11a. Yes.

  The upstream end of the guide surface 11 a of the movable guide 11 in the inclined passage 8 substantially coincides with the end of the rolling surface 10 a of the corner guide 10, and the downstream end of the guide surface 11 a is the starting end of the inclined rail portion 9. Almost matches. Therefore, as described above, a series of medal rolling surfaces are formed by the rolling surface 10 a and the guide surface 11 a and the inclined rail portion 9.

  Further, the upper guide 13 that supports the upper side of the medal 5 is integrated with the base frame 1, and the lower guide 14 that supports the lower side of the medal 5 is similarly molded integrally with the base frame 1. .

  In addition, the intermediate guide 15 provided at a height position between the upper guide 13 and the lower guide 14 and facing the guides is integrally formed as a part of the guide cover 2. Yes.

  The medal receiving portion 16 located downstream of the inclined passage 8 is formed by an opening formed integrally with the base frame 1.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a pressing member 17 is provided at a height position between the lower guide 14 and the intermediate guide 15 in the vicinity of the start position of the inclined passage 8, and is pivotally supported by the base frame 1. ing.

  The pressing member 17 can be projected and retracted through the opening 14a with respect to the medal support surface of the lower guide 14, and normally protrudes from the medal support surface of the lower guide 14 by the biasing force of a torsion coil spring (not shown). As shown in the figure, it is urged and pressed in the direction of the intermediate guide 15.

  In addition, a count sensor unit 18 including a light receiving element and a light emitting element (not shown) arranged with the inclined passage 8 interposed therebetween is installed immediately before the receiving unit 16.

  A return passage 23 is formed below the movable guide 11 and is constituted by a sufficient space through which a medal provided between the base frame 1 and the cover guide 2 can pass.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, a thickness restricting portion (thickness restricting means) 24 is formed, which is a convex portion formed by slightly projecting a part of the intermediate guide 15, and this thickness restricting portion. The gap in the thickness direction of the inclined passage 8 at 24 is slightly wider than the thickness of the regular medal. Therefore, when a thick false medal enters the inclined passage 8, it is stopped by the thickness restricting portion 24.

  Reference numeral 25 in the drawing denotes a cancel plate, which is attached to the base frame 1 so as to be rotatable about the fulcrum shaft 3.

  A flat portion 25a is connected to the rear end of the cancel plate 25 on the back side of the base frame 1 (see FIG. 3), and the flat portion 25a pushes the return button 106 shown in FIG. 11 of the gaming machine. At this time, the end of the push bar 29 extending from the return button 106 is in a contact position.

  The front end portion 25b of the cancel plate 25 can protrude from the back side of the base frame 1 through the through hole 26 of the base frame 1 downstream of the thickness regulating portion 24 in the inclined passage 8 and upstream of the count sensor 18. It has become.

  The cancel plate 25 is urged by a torsion coil spring 27 attached to the fulcrum shaft 3, and its distal end portion 25 b is always retracted out of the inclined passage 8.

  When the front end portion 25b of the cancel plate 25 is protruded into the inclined passage 8, the guide cover 2 is pushed and opened by making contact with the guide cover 2 across the inclined passage 8 and further protruding.

  In the guide cover 2, the contact surface 28 with which the distal end portion 25 b of the cancel plate 25 contacts is recessed with respect to the intermediate guide 15 (upstream guide surface), and a step is formed.

  Further, a notch 25c that opens toward the upstream side of the inclined passage 8 is provided at the tip 25b of the cancel plate 25, and the notch 25c is intermediate when the tip 25b is in contact with the contact surface 28. Starting from a position lower than the guide 15, the width is wider than the predicted thickness of the fake medal (see FIGS. 7 to 10 described later).

  Further, the notch 25c has a shape in which the tip side corner portion 25f protrudes upstream from the root side corner portion 25e, and the tip side corner portion 25f serves as a medal engagement portion. The medal engagement portion 25f is formed to have a width (thickness) equal to or less than the step indicated by the dimension A in FIG.

  In the medal selector having the above configuration, an operation when a regular medal is inserted will be described first.

  A regular medal inserted into the gaming machine enters the medal selector from the insertion slot 6, falls on the vertical path 7 and reaches the inclined path 8.

  The medal pressing member 17 acts on the lower end portion of the medal 5 reaching the starting position of the inclined passage 8 to apply a force to push it out of the inclined passage 8. Since the center portion of the medal 5 is supported by the intermediate guide 15, it continues to roll downstream without being pushed out.

  Subsequently, the medal 5 reaches the thickness restricting portion 24, and the gap in the thickness direction of the inclined passage 8 in the thickness restricting portion 24 is slightly wider than the thickness of the regular medal, so it stops here. As shown in FIG. 5, the rolling continues toward the downstream side, and the medal 5 passes the count sensor unit 18 on the downstream side.

  Since the light emitting element and the light receiving element are disposed in the count sensor unit 18 with the inclined passage 8 interposed therebetween, a medal detection signal is generated when the medal 5 passes between them, and the gaming machine receives the medal detection signal. Based on this, it is recognized that a regular medal has been taken into the gaming machine. Thereafter, the medal 5 passes through the receiving unit 16 and falls into a medal storage unit of a gaming machine (not shown).

  Next, an operation when a fake medal thicker than a regular medal is inserted will be described.

  Since the operation up to the thickness restricting portion 24 is the same as that when a regular medal is inserted, the description thereof is omitted.

  Since the gap in the thickness direction of the inclined passage 8 in the thickness restricting portion 24 is slightly wider than the thickness of the regular medal, the thick false medal cannot pass here and stops as shown in FIG.

  Thereafter, when the player presses the return button 106 of the gaming machine, the push bar 29 interlocked with the push bar 29 protrudes into the inclined passage 8 through the flat portion 25a of the cancel plate 25, and the guide cover The guide cover 2 is expanded by abutting against the abutting surface 28 and pushing out.

  As a result, the restriction by the thickness restricting portion 24 is eliminated, and the thick false medal 5 starts to roll toward the downstream again. In this case, when the player operates the return button 106 of the gaming machine normally (presses it fully), there is a sufficient gap between the base frame 1 and the guide cover 2 as shown in FIG. The medal 5 pushed by the medal pressing member 17 falls into the return passage 23 and is returned to the player.

  Even if the medal pressing member 17 does not act effectively and the medal 5 travels downstream, the tip 25b of the cancel plate 25 crosses the inclined passage 8, so that it collides with it and falls to the return passage 23. Therefore, the fake medal can be prevented from being taken into the gaming machine.

  On the other hand, if the player presses the return button 106 of the gaming machine, i.e., the push bar 29 only slightly, the restriction by the thickness restricting portion 24 is eliminated, and the space between the base frame 1 and the guide cover 2 is sufficient. Since no gap is formed, the medal 5 rolls toward the downstream side as shown in FIG. 8 and stops by hitting the tip 25b of the cancel plate 25.

  Thereafter, even if the return button 106 is returned and a fake medal is to be taken in, as shown in FIG. 9, the tip side corner 25f of the cancel plate 25 is located outside the guide surface of the intermediate guide, so that the medal 5 It will be in the state caught on the side. As a result, the cancel plate 25 cannot be retracted from the inclined passage 8, and therefore, the fake medal cannot be taken into the gaming machine.

  In order to return to the game-ready state, the return button 106 may be sufficiently pushed again. By pushing the return button again, the medal 5 that has entered the notch 25c as shown in FIG. 10 is pushed out together with the cancel plate 25, so that it can be dropped into the return passage 23.

  Since the tip 25b of the cancel plate 25 protrudes upstream from the count sensor unit 18, the counter sensor 18 does not detect a false medal returned by the action of the cancel plate 25.

  According to the embodiment described above in detail, even if the player presses the return button slightly or slowly, the thick fake medal that has been stopped is surely returned without being taken into the gaming machine. it can. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the game machine installer from being damaged.

  In addition, the specific structure of this invention is not limited to what was shown to the said embodiment.

  For example, the tip end portion of the cancel plate 25 does not necessarily have the base side corner portion 25e constituting the notch 25c, and may be a simple inclined surface that guides the abutting medal tip portion in the tip direction.

The front side perspective view showing the whole medal selector of one embodiment concerning the present invention. Front view of the entire medal selector of this embodiment Rear side perspective view of the whole medal selector of this embodiment Front perspective view of the entire medal selector of the present embodiment with the guide cover removed Sectional drawing equivalent to the AA cross section of FIG. 2 which shows a mode that a regular medal passes a medal passage. The same cross-sectional view showing a fake medal thicker than a regular medal stopping at a thickness regulating portion in the passage The same sectional view showing a state where a fake medal is returned by pressing a return button of the gaming machine after a fake medal thicker than a regular medal stops at a thickness regulating portion in the passage The same sectional view showing a state where the return button of the gaming machine is slightly pushed after the thick fake medal stops at the thickness regulating portion in the passage. The same sectional view which shows a state when the return button of a gaming machine is returned following FIG. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the fake medal is returned by further pushing the return button of the gaming machine following FIG. Schematic perspective view showing appearance of medal gaming machine

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Base frame 2 ... Guide cover 3 ... Supporting shaft 4 ... Coil spring 5 ... Medal 6 ... Insertion port 7 ... Vertical passage 8 ... Inclination passage 9 ... Inclination rail part 10 ... Corner guide 11 ... Movable guide 11a ... Guide surface 12 ... Opening part 13 ... Upper guide 14 ... Lower guide 15 ... Intermediate guide 16 ... Receiving part 17 ... Pushing member 18 ... Count sensor part 24 ... Thickness restricting part 25 ... Cancel plate 25f ... Tip side corner part 28 ... Contact surface

Claims (1)

A medal passage formed between a base frame and a guide cover supported so as to be openable and closable with respect to the base frame, a thickness regulating means disposed in the medal passage and stopping a medal thicker than a prescribed thickness; In the medal selector with a manual return function, which has a guide means for expanding the guide cover and returning a stopped medal to the return passage.
A contact surface formed with a predetermined step outside the medal guide surface on the upstream side, on the guide cover constituting the medal passage on the downstream side of the thickness regulating means;
The abutting surface is provided with a cancel plate that protrudes and presses through a through hole formed in the base frame, and expands the guide cover.
A medal selector with a manual return function, wherein a medal engagement portion having a shape protruding to the upstream side with a width equal to or smaller than the step is formed at a tip portion of the cancel plate that abuts on the abutment surface.

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