JP2009082622A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve maintainability by permitting whether or not game mediums are appropriately accepted by a game medium screening device to be easily inspected and to mitigate a player's act of putting extra game mediums, so-called reinserting returned game mediums. <P>SOLUTION: The game machine detects medals from a token outlet 509b as a first outlet discharging the tokens in a prescribed direction when the tokens are accepted by a token sensor 513, reproduces a situation similar to the condition where the tokens are detected in the token sensor 513 by an inspection element 516 in the vicinity of the token sensor 513, determines whether or not the detection by the token sensor 513 is appropriate in accordance with the reproduction of the inspection element 516 by the token sensor control section as control means. When the medal detection is determined to be not appropriate, error processing is performed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine suitable for checking whether or not, for example, a medal that is a gaming medium in a selector that is a gaming medium sorting device mounted on a gaming machine is properly received.

  One type of gaming machine is a spinning machine, for example, a slot machine. The slot machine includes a plurality of reels as rotating bodies with a plurality of symbols attached thereto, and each reel starts rotating when a player inserts a medal and operates a start lever. After each reel starts rotating, each reel is sequentially stopped by operating a stop button or elapse of a predetermined time.

  By the way, the medal inserted from the medal insertion unit is determined to be legitimate or foreign by a selector which is a game medium sorting device provided in the vicinity of the medal insertion unit and behind the front door. The regular ones are distributed to the hopper device side provided in the housing, and the foreign ones are distributed to the medal discharge port side provided below the front side of the front door.

  However, even if the medals inserted from the medal insertion part are regular ones, they are all distributed to the medal outlet side during the game. That is, regular medals are not distributed to the hopper device side unless the game is on standby.

  Here, the medal inserted from the medal insertion unit during the game standby is detected by a medal detection sensor provided in the selector, and the number of detected medals is stored near the stop button of the front door. It is displayed on the number display. In other words, when a regular medal is distributed to the hopper device side, the medal detection sensor detects the medal and accepts the medal.

  As such a medal inserted from the medal insertion unit, in Patent Document 1, a medal selection device that selects an appropriate medal from among inserted medals and discharges an inappropriate medal. A medal passage formed so that the medal can pass by its own weight, and a photosensor having a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion for detecting the medal passing through the medal passage, and the light emitting portion modulates the oscillation of light. Proposing a gaming machine in which a light-receiving unit detects a medal passing through a medal path by receiving and demodulating light emitted from the light-emitting unit in synchronization with light emission of the light-emitting unit. ing.

JP 2006-034944 A

  Thus, in the gaming machine shown in Patent Document 1 described above, the light emitting part of the photo sensor of the medal sorting device modulates the light oscillation to emit light, and the light receiving part synchronizes with the light emission of the light emitting part, Since the medals passing through the medal path are detected by receiving and demodulating the light emitted by the light emitting unit, whether the medals inserted from the medal insertion unit are appropriate or inappropriate For example, a fraudulent act in which a light emitting element inserted from a medal insertion unit forcibly gives the light receiving unit the same light as the light emitted from the light emitting unit to cause the medal to be recognized illegally. It is to be prevented.

  However, in a medal detection sensor that is a photo sensor of a selector that is such a medal sorting device, as the time passes, the light emitting surface and / or the light receiving surface of the light receiving unit and / or the detection surface has surrounding dust or the like. It is conceivable that the detection accuracy of the medal detection sensor deteriorates due to adhesion of dust, dust or the like adhering to the medal, or the life of the medal detection sensor itself.

  As described above, if the detection accuracy of the medal detection sensor deteriorates, an error occurs in the number of detected medals. Therefore, the store side periodically checks whether or not the medals are properly received. Need to be done.

  In this case, in the current slot machine, when medals are continuously inserted from the medal insertion unit, for example, the first three medals detected by the medal detection sensor are displayed on the main effect unit of the front door, for example, Since the amount exceeding the limit is displayed on the storage number display that displays the number of credits (memorizing the number of medals) with a maximum of 50 on the front door, medal detection can be performed by confirming the displayed contents It is possible to check whether or not the medal detection by the sensor is appropriate.

  However, in such a method of checking the medal detection sensor, since it is not possible to check whether or not the medal detection by the medal detection sensor is appropriate unless a medal is inserted from the medal insertion unit, a plurality of slot machines are used. When checking the medal detection sensor, it is necessary to carry a large amount of medals or to open the front door of the slot machine and take out the medals stored in the hopper device.

  Moreover, after continuously inserting medals from the medal insertion section, the medals for the credit displayed on the stored number display unit can be paid out by operating the payout button provided on the front door, or displayed on the stored number display unit. It will be necessary to reset the number of credits.

  In this way, the inspection of the medal detection sensor of the selector is extremely complicated because it requires operations such as the insertion of medals from the medal insertion unit and the refunding of medals inserted and credited. There has been a demand for the development of an apparatus that can easily check whether or not a medal is properly received, which is an actual operation status of a selector in a store.

  If the detection accuracy of the medal detection sensor deteriorates, the medal inserted by the player cannot be read accurately, and the medal is returned. In this case, the player has to insert the returned medal again and there is a problem that the game is not performed smoothly, so it is easy to check whether or not the medal is properly received. It has been desired to develop an apparatus that can be used in the future.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and it is easy to check whether or not a game medium is properly received, which is an actual operation state of a game medium sorting device in a store. A game that can improve maintainability and can reduce an unnecessary act of inserting a game medium for a player who has to re-insert the returned game medium. The purpose is to provide a machine.

  The gaming machine of the present invention has a first outlet for discharging the gaming medium in a predetermined direction when accepting the gaming medium, and a second outlet for discharging the gaming medium in a direction different from the first outlet when the gaming medium cannot be received. A gaming machine equipped with a game medium sorting device having an exit, the game medium detecting means for detecting the game medium discharged from the first outlet, and provided in the vicinity of the game medium detecting means, A situation reproduction unit that reproduces a situation similar to a state in which the game medium is detected by the medium detection unit, and whether or not the detection situation by the game medium detection unit is appropriate according to the reproduction by the situation reproduction unit. It is characterized by comprising control means for executing error processing when it is determined that it is not appropriate.

  Further, the game medium detection means is a detection sensor having a light emitting part and a light receiving part, the situation reproduction means is an inspection element that emits light according to a predetermined light emission pattern, and the control means is a sensor of the detection sensor. You may make it judge whether the light reception pattern by a light-receiving part is the same as the said light emission pattern.

  In the gaming machine of the present invention, the game medium detection means detects the game medium from the first outlet that discharges the game medium in a predetermined direction when the game medium is received, and is provided in the vicinity of the game medium detection means The reproduction unit reproduces a situation similar to the state in which the game medium detection unit performs the detection of the game medium, and the control unit determines whether the detection state by the game medium detection unit is appropriate according to the reproduction by the situation reproduction unit. If it is determined that it is not appropriate, an error process is executed, so whether or not the game medium is properly received, which is the actual operation status of the game medium selection device in the store. Can be checked easily.

  According to the gaming machine of the present invention, since it is possible to easily check whether or not the reception of the game medium is properly performed, which is the actual operation status of the game medium selection device in the store, The maintainability can be improved, and an unnecessary act of throwing in game media to the player, such as having to throw in the returned game media again, can be reduced.

  In the present embodiment, the game medium detection means detects the game medium from the first outlet that discharges the game medium in a predetermined direction when the game medium is received, and the situation reproduction means provided in the vicinity of the game medium detection means Thus, the situation similar to the state in which the game medium is detected by the game medium detection means is reproduced, and the control means determines whether the detection situation by the game medium detection means is appropriate according to the reproduction by the situation reproduction means. When it is judged that it is not appropriate, error processing is executed.

  Here, the game medium detection means is a detection sensor having a light emitting part and a light receiving part, the situation reproduction means is an inspection element that emits light according to a predetermined light emission pattern, and the light receiving pattern by the light receiving part of the detection sensor is controlled by the control means. Can be configured to determine whether or not is the same as the light emission pattern.

  Further, the game medium detecting means is a detection sensor having a light emitting part and a light receiving part, the situation reproducing means is a shutter that blocks between the light emitting part and the light receiving part at a predetermined interval, and the light receiving part of the detection sensor is controlled by the control means. It can be configured to determine whether or not the light received by is in accordance with the interval blocked by the shutter.

  Further, the game medium detecting means is a detection sensor having a light emitting part and a light receiving part, the situation reproducing means is a photo sensor that emits and receives light according to a predetermined light emission pattern, and the control means is based on the light receiving part of the detection sensor. It can be set as the structure which judges whether a light reception pattern is the same as the light emission pattern of a photosensor.

  By adopting such a configuration, as in the past, the actual game media selection at the store is not accompanied by the operation of inserting medals or paying out medals as the game media when checking the medal detection sensor. It is possible to easily check whether or not the game medium is properly received, which is the operation status of the apparatus, and the maintainability can be improved.

  Details of the embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a front view showing an example of a spinning-type gaming apparatus which is a gaming machine of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view showing the inside of the spinning-type gaming apparatus of FIG.

  As shown in these drawings, the slot machine 1 that is a spinning-reel game machine has an opening of a housing 2 that faces a player, and that has a front door 3 that constitutes a so-called front mask, which is a substantially rectangular box. A hinge mechanism 2a is attached to the side so that the left end can be opened and closed. The front door 3 is roughly divided into an upper panel portion 3A, a middle panel portion 3B, an operation console portion 3C, and a lower panel portion 3D, which are integrally formed of a hard plastic designed to enhance visual effects as a decorative board. ing.

  Inside the housing 2 are a main control board 300 that performs overall control of the operation of the entire slot machine 1, a spinning device 520 that includes three cylindrical main reels 521, 522, and 523, and each part of the slot machine 1. Power supply device 530 for supplying electric power, a hopper device 600 having a medal discharge slit 601 for paying out medals as a game medium in accordance with winning of a game, and auxiliary storage for storing medals overflowing from the hopper device 600 Part 540 and the like.

  Here, the spinning device 520 rotates and stops rotation of the main reels 521, 522, and 523 by a later-described spinning device substrate 420 that receives a rotation drive start control signal, a rotation drive stop control signal, and the like from the main control substrate 300. Is to be controlled. Further, the rotating device 520 is placed so that it can be pulled out and pushed back with respect to a base 524 attached to the inside of the housing 2.

  The hopper device 600 also includes a drive signal for rotating the rotary disk 640 from the main control board 300 and a payout signal for rotating the rotary disk 640 in a direction in which the medal can be paid out when the medal is paid out. When the power is output to the power supply control board 430, the rotating disk 640 is rotated by receiving driving power from the power supply control board 430.

  Further, a power supply device control board 430 described later corresponding to a so-called switchboard is provided on, for example, a side surface of the power supply device 530 provided in the housing 2. The power supply device control board 430 is formed with a power distribution circuit that distributes various power supply voltages generated by the power supply device 530 to various places such as the rotating device 520 and the hopper device 600. System power necessary for operation is supplied.

  In addition, the front door 3 is locked by a locking device (not shown) having a key hole 4 provided in the console portion 3C at a position where the opening of the housing 2 is closed. When performing maintenance work including confirmation of the state of electronic elements, etc., or ball management work associated with changes in setting values, etc., the front door 3 is opened by inserting a dedicated key into the keyhole 4 of the front door 3 and releasing the lock. It has come to be.

  On the upper panel 3A of the front door 3, an effect display unit 100 that performs an effect accompanying the game is attached. The effect display unit 100 is provided with a display unit 101 that displays, for example, a moving image according to the progress of the game, and a display panel 102 that covers the display unit 101. The display panel 102 has a substantially rectangular transparent window 103 that allows the display unit 101 to be visually recognized at the center, and the periphery of the transparent window 103 is formed of a liquid crystal panel that can display an image. In addition, the effect display unit 100 emits a plurality of effect lamps 104 to 108 that are designed and designed with shapes, colors, patterns, patterns, and the like that appeal to the visual sense of the player, and sound effects for the effect. Sound emitting units 109 and 110 having speakers 109a and 110a are provided.

  Then, in response to a control signal related to the game from the main control board 300, a sub-control board 400 provided on the back surface of the upper panel portion 3A of the front door 3 displays a moving image or the like on the display unit 101, and an effect lamp The effect by blinking or lighting by 104-108 and the effect by the sound effect from the sound emission parts 109 and 110 are performed.

  The middle panel portion 3B of the front door 3 is provided with a main effect portion 200 including a panel 202 having a confirmation window 201 that allows confirmation of the main reels 521, 522, and 523 of the spinning device 520. Also, below the main effect section 200, a stored number display 210, a game progress display 220, and a payout number display 230 are provided. The stored number display 210, the game progress display 220, and the payout number display 230 have 7 segment LEDs and can display 10 types from 0 to 9.

  The stored number indicator 210 is a number up to 50 when crediting medal (stored the number of game media) for medals continuously inserted or paid out medals during game standby from the medal insertion unit 6 described later. It is displayed.

  When a special game state (big bonus, regular bonus, etc.) advantageous to the player occurs, the game progress indicator 220 displays the number of remaining games, the number of payouts, etc. in the special game state numerically. ing.

  The number-of-payout display 230 displays the number of medals to be paid out according to the symbols arranged on the effective line as the main reels 521, 522, 523 of the spinning device 520 stop. It has become. In addition, the payout number display unit 230 is also used as a display for setting values for determining, for example, a payout rate (medal payout rate) in the slot machine 1.

  Further, side lamps 5a and 5b incorporating high-intensity light emitting diodes are arranged on both sides of the middle panel portion 3B. These side lamps 5a and 5b are turned on or blinked at the time of a reach production or a big win winning prize, etc., and perform an effect appealing to the player's vision.

  The console 3C of the front door 3 has a start having a medal insertion part 6 having an insertion slot for inserting medals used in the game, a bet button 7 for betting a medal, and an operation knob 8a for instructing the operation of the game. The lever 8 and stop buttons 9a, 9b, 9c for stopping the main reels 521, 522, 523 of the effect display unit 100 are provided.

  Here, in the current slot machine 1, there are, for example, three medals required for one game, and when more than three medals are continuously inserted from the medal insertion unit 6, up to 50 medals are inserted. In addition to being credited, the number of medals credited is displayed on the above-mentioned stored number display 210.

  The bet button 7 is a push-type operation switch for presenting the number of medals bet on the game of the slot machine 1 and is called a MAX bet button. That is, when the medals are credited, if the bet button 7 is operated at the start of the game, three of the credited medals are bet. At this time, the number displayed on the stored number display 210 is subtracted by three according to the operation of the bet button 7 and displayed.

  The start lever 8 is a lever switch for instructing rotation of main reels 521, 522, and 523 (described later) of the effect display unit 100, and a spherical operation knob 8a provided at the tip is moved up, down, left, or right. When it is tilted in this direction, it is turned on, and when it is released from its operation knob 8a, it is automatically returned to its original position and turned off by the biasing force of the spring.

  The stop buttons 9a, 9b, and 9c are pressing switches for individually instructing to stop the rotation of the main reels 521, 522, and 523 of the spinning device 520, and correspond to the arrangement of the main reels 521, 522, and 523. And they are arranged side by side.

  Further, a central display control in which various main switches such as a bet button 7, a start lever 8, stop buttons 9a, 9b, and 9c of the console 3C are electrically connected to the back of the console 3C of the front door 3. A board 410 is provided, and output signals of these switches are transferred from the central display control board 410 to a main control board 300 described later.

  The central display control board 410 is provided with a setting button 411 that is covered with an openable / closable cover (not shown). The setting button 411 is operated when changing a setting value for determining the payout rate (medal payout rate) of the slot machine 1. The payout number display is displayed according to the operation of the setting button 411. The set value is displayed on the device 230.

  The lower panel 3D of the front door 3 is provided with a panel 10 for displaying, for example, a picture of an appearing character so that the player can recognize the model type of the slot machine 1 and the like.

  Below the lower panel portion 3D, there is a saucer unit 11 having a medal discharge port 12 for discharging medals at the time of winning or the like, and speakers 13a and 14a, which produce effect sound that produces effect sound according to the progress of the game. The parts 13 and 14 and the ashtray 15 are disposed.

  In addition, on the rear surface of the lower panel portion 3D of the front door 3, a selector 500 which is a game medium sorting device that discriminates and sorts whether an input material inserted from the medal insertion portion 6 is a regular medal or a foreign material, and the selector 500 , A hopper guide member 501 for guiding the medals distributed in the housing 2 to the hopper device 600 provided in the housing 2, a guide member 502 for guiding the foreign materials distributed by the selector 500 to the medal discharge port 12, and the hopper device 600. A payout guide member 503 for guiding the medals discharged from the medals discharge slit 601 to the medal discharge port 12 side of the tray unit 11 is provided.

  Note that the selector 500 is inserted from the medal insertion unit 6 when the main reels 521, 522, and 523 of the spinning device 520 in the slot machine 1 are rotating or when medals cannot be received during replay winning, for example. The medals are distributed to the guide member 502 side. The medals distributed to the guide member 502 side are discharged from the medal discharge port 12 side.

  Further, medals inserted from the medal insertion unit 6 during the game standby are detected by a medal detection sensor 513 including two sensors 513a and 513b described later provided in the selector 500, and the number of detected medals. Is displayed on the above-mentioned stored number indicator 210. That is, when a regular medal is distributed to the hopper device 600 side, the medal detection sensor 513 detects the medal, and the medal is accepted. Further, whether or not a medal is properly received is inspected by an inspection element 516 to be described later, details of which will be described later.

  3-7 is a figure for demonstrating the detail of the selector 500 mentioned above. Here, FIG. 3 is a front view showing the internal structure of the selector 500 with the front cover omitted, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the selector 500 in FIG. 3 along the line AA. 6 is a sectional view showing the selector 500 of FIG. 3 along the line BB, and FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an outline of a control system of the selector 500 of FIG.

  As shown in these drawings, the selector 500 includes a rectangular case 504a integrally formed of a synthetic resin such as hard plastic, and a substantially upper half of the case 504a attached to the case 504a so as to be openable and closable. A base plate 504b formed of a metal plate to be covered and a front cover (not shown) that covers the substantially lower half of the case 504a so as to be opened and closed are configured.

  The base plate 504b is pivotally supported by the case 504a at the right end when viewed from the front, and is always urged in a closing direction toward the case 504a by a torsion spring 504c wound around the shaft. The base plate 504b has a pair of outer diameter restricting claws 505a and 505b that are separated by the maximum diameter of the medal so as to restrict the insertion of a medal having a prescribed diameter or more, and a notch 505c ( 4) and speed limiting means 506 for limiting the falling speed of the inserted medal.

  The speed limiting means 506 is formed of a swing bar 506a that is pivotally supported in a predetermined stroke range, and a spring member 506b that urges the swing bar 506a in the rotation direction and applies a drag force to the falling medal. ing. Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the base plate 504b includes a gate member 507 that is pivotally supported so as to open and close the notch 505c. The gate member 507 is always urged by a torsion spring 507a toward the side where the notch 505c is closed.

  Below the cutout portion 505c, an inclined linear lower end portion of the base plate 504b is bent into an L shape on the case 504a side so that the outer peripheral surface of the medal is placed and rolled downward by its own weight. 508 is formed. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, a cut-and-raised portion 508 a that is inclined at a predetermined angle toward the front side of the drawing (the side that opens with respect to the movement direction of the medal) is formed on the upper wall of the inclined rail portion 508. .

  The wall surface on the front side of the case 504a occupies a substantially upper half region of the case 504a, and a flat surface portion 508b in which a guide groove for reducing frictional resistance with a transferred medal is formed, and the flat surface portion 508b. And an inclined surface portion 508d that refracts in a lateral direction at a predetermined angle with a refracting portion 508c, which is an oblique edge below the boundary, as a boundary line. Here, the base plate 504b faces the flat surface portion 508b of the case 504a with a predetermined distance, so that a medal guide passage 509 is formed in the gap from the medal inlet 509a to the medal outlet 509b at the lower right.

  Here, the medal outlet 509 b communicates with a hopper guide member 501 for guiding the above-described medal to the hopper device 600 provided in the housing 2.

  In addition, in a state where the base plate 504b faces the case 504a, the inclined rail portion 508 is parallel to the refracting portion 508c of the case 504a and is positioned slightly below the refracting portion 508c. A gap between the inclined rail portion 508 and the inclined surface portion 508d generated as a result is a medal removal port 509c for dropping and removing an inappropriate medal.

  Further, in the vicinity of the medal entrance 509a of the case 504a, a thickness screw 510a that protrudes toward the base plate 504b is provided in order to exclude medals having a thickness greater than a specified thickness. A synthetic resin pressing lever 510b that is pivotally supported is provided below the thickness screw 510a. The pressing lever 510b is biased by a compressed coil spring 510c (see FIG. 4) provided behind the case 504a so as to protrude from the flat surface portion 508b to the medal guide passage 509 side through an opening 508e formed in the case 504a. ing.

  Also, a blocker mechanism 511 for transferring the medal to the medal outlet 509b side or dropping it to the medal exclusion port 509c is formed at a substantially middle position of the medal guide passage 509 of the case 504a. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the blocker mechanism 511 is mainly formed from a gate member 507, a metal blocker plate 512a provided in the case 504a, and a blocker solenoid 512 for operating the blocker plate 512a. Yes.

  The blocker plate 512a is pivotally supported at its rear end on the back side of the case 504a so as to be swingable, and is biased so that the blocker claw 512c at the tip protrudes toward the medal guide passage 509 by the pulling force of the coil spring 512b. . The blocker solenoid 512 is provided behind the blocker plate 512a. As shown in FIG. 6, when the blocker solenoid 512 is energized and turned on, the blocker plate 512a is attracted by the magnetic force, and the blocker claw 512c is guided to the medal. It is disposed so as to be retracted from the passage 509.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, in the vicinity of the medal outlet 509b, a reflection type comprising two sensors 513a and 513b for detecting a medal moving from the medal outlet 509b to the hopper guide member 501 described above. A medal detection sensor 513 is provided. Here, these sensors 513a and 513b each have a light emitting part and a light receiving part. The number of medals detected by the medal detection sensor 513 is displayed on the above-described stored number display 210.

  Further, an inspection element 516 for checking whether or not the medal detection by the medal detection sensor 513 is properly performed is provided near the medal outlet 509b and at a position facing the sensors 513a and 513b. It has been. The inspection element 516 emits light with a constant light emission pattern, for example, during inspection of the medal detection sensor 513 or during a game (that is, when the blocker solenoid 512 is not in operation).

  Here, the constant light emission pattern by the inspection element 516 is given, for example, by the light emitting element inserted from the medal insertion unit 6 and the light receiving unit forcibly emits light equivalent to the light emitted from the light emitting unit to recognize the medal. It needs to be effective in preventing fraudulent acts that can be done illegally. In this case, for example, a predetermined light emission pattern by the inspection element 516 is registered in the control system 515 related to medal reception of the selector 500 described later, and the sensors 513a and 513b of the respective sensors 513a and 513b are registered by the medal detection sensor control unit 515a described later. If it is determined whether or not the pattern received by the light receiving unit matches the registered pattern, it is effective in preventing an illegal act that causes the medal to be recognized illegally.

  The light emitted from the inspection element 516 is received by the light receiving portions of the sensors 513a and 513b, so that a medal is detected, that is, a medal that passes near the medal detection sensor 513 is detected. A similar situation will be reproduced. In this case, if light reception by the light receiving portions of the sensors 513a and 513b is not performed according to a certain light emission pattern by the inspection element 516, an error notification is performed.

  In this error notification, for example, error display by the display unit 101 by the sub-control board 400 controlled by the main control board 300, or error notification by blinking or lighting by any one of the effect lamps 104 to 108, Furthermore, it can be performed by an error sound notification or the like by one of the sound emitting units 109 and 110. In addition, when light reception by the light receiving portions of the sensors 513a and 513b is performed according to a constant light emission pattern by the inspection element 516, appropriate display on the display portion 101 or any one of the effect lamps 104 to 104 is performed. Appropriate notification by blinking or lighting by 108, or by proper sound notification by one of the sound emitting units 109 and 110, can be performed.

  In this way, the medal detection sensor 513 is inspected by reproducing the situation similar to the state where the medal passing through the vicinity of the medal detection sensor 513 is detected by the light emission of the inspection element 516.

  As shown in FIG. 7, a control system 515 related to medal reception of the selector 500 is provided, for example, inside the case 504a, and includes a medal detection sensor control unit 515a, a ROM 515b, a RAM 515c, a medal detection sensor driving unit 515d, An inspection element driving unit 515e and a CPU 515f are provided. The medal detection sensor control unit 515a, ROM 515b, RAM 515c, medal detection sensor driving unit 515d, inspection element driving unit 515e, and CPU 515f are connected via a bus 515g.

  For example, when an inspection button (not shown) provided in the vicinity of the selector 500 is operated, the medal detection sensor control unit 515a controls the inspection element 516 via the inspection element driving unit 515e under the control of the CPU 515f. Emits light with a light emission pattern. The light from the inspection element 516 is received by the light receiving portions of the sensors 513a and 513b of the medal detection sensor 513 as described above. Here, the inspection button is not limited to the vicinity of the selector 500, and may be provided at any location inside the front door 3. This is because if a check button is provided on the front side of the front door 3, the player will be operated unnecessarily. This is because the medal detection sensor 513 can be operated during inspection.

  In addition, the medal detection sensor control unit 515a receives a fixed light emission pattern by the inspection element 516 registered in the RAM 515c, for example, and the light reception of the respective sensors 513a and 513b of the medal detection sensor 513 other than when the medal detection sensor 513 is inspected. It is determined whether or not the pattern received by the unit matches, and if it does not match, it can be determined that there is an illegal act that causes the medal to be recognized illegally.

  In this case, for example, an error is displayed on the display unit 101 by the sub control board 400 controlled by the main control board 300, or an error is notified by blinking or lighting by any one of the effect lamps 104 to 108. By making the error sound notification or the like by the sound emitting units 109 and 110, it is effective in preventing an illegal act that causes the medal to be recognized illegally.

  The ROM 515b stores a predetermined control program and the like necessary for the control of the CPU 515f. The RAM 515c is normally used as a work area for operations related to the control operation of the CPU 515f. In the RAM 515c, for example, light reception at the light receiving portions of the sensors 513a and 513b is performed according to a constant light emission pattern by the inspection element 516. Error information when it has not been written may be written. Further, for example, a certain light emission pattern for light emission by the inspection element 516 may be written in the RAM 515c.

  Here, the RAM 515c is preferably a writable nonvolatile memory. This is to prevent the stored contents from being erased even when the driving power to the RAM 515c is lost. Of course, if the control system 515 is equipped with a backup power source such as a capacitor, the RAM 515c may be a volatile memory.

  As described above, the medal detection sensor driving unit 515d is provided in the vicinity of the medal outlet 509b of the selector 500. The medal detection for detecting a medal that moves from the medal outlet 509b to the hopper guide member 501 described above. The sensor 513 detects medals. Here, when a medal is detected by the medal detection sensor 513, the medal is accepted, and the detected number of medals is displayed on the above-mentioned stored number display unit 210.

  The inspection element driving unit 515e causes the inspection element 516 to emit light, for example, in a certain light emission pattern under the control of the medal detection sensor control unit 515a.

  The CPU 515f reads a predetermined control program stored in the ROM 515b and controls the operation of each unit.

  That is, as the main control by the CPU 515f, when the medal detection sensor 513 is inspected, the light emitted by the inspection element 516, for example, having a constant light emission pattern, is constant by the light receiving portions of the sensors 513a and 513b of the medal detection sensor 513. If the light is not received in accordance with the light emission pattern, an error is displayed by the display unit 101 on the sub-control board 400 controlled by the main control board 300, or an error caused by blinking or lighting by any of the lamps 104 to 108 for presentation. Notification is performed, and error sound notification or the like is performed by one of the sound emission units 109 and 110 (error processing).

  In addition, as main control by the CPU 515f, when the light receiving portions of the sensors 513a and 513b of the medal detection sensor 513 are performed according to a constant light emission pattern by the inspection element 516, the sub control board 400 On the other hand, appropriate display by the display unit 101, proper notification by blinking or lighting by any one of the lamps 104 to 108, and proper sound notification by any of the sound emitting units 109 and 110 are performed. May be.

  Here, the error processing described above by the CPU 515f may be performed via the main control board 300, or may be executed by directly controlling the sub control board 400. In addition, main control by the CPU 515f can be performed by a CPU 301 described later of the main control board 300.

  Next, the operation of the selector 500 having such a configuration will be described. First, the medal M0 inserted from the medal insertion unit 6 and guided to the inside from the medal inlet 509a passes through a pair of outer diameter regulating claws 505a, 505b and the thickness screw 510a shown in FIGS. Only the medal M1 having the outer diameter and the thickness falls to the inclined rail portion 508 side. At this time, the tip of the swing bar 506a of the speed limiting means 506 rotates while contacting the medal M1, thereby limiting the speed of the falling medal M1.

  Here, when a regular medal is inserted, as shown in FIG. 4A, the height from the inclined rail portion 508 of the base plate 504b to the upper edge of the notch 505c is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the regular medal. Since it is formed short, the medal M2 having a regular outer diameter rolls and falls on the inclined rail portion 508 with its own weight while being sandwiched between the upper edges of the pressing lever 510b and the notch portion 505c.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4B, the medal M3 having an outer diameter smaller than that of the regular medal passes through the notch portion 505c by the pressing lever 510b and falls down to the cut-and-raised portion 508a. Drop off from 508. As a result, the medal M3 is eliminated downward through the medal exclusion port 509c.

  The regular medal M2 thus selected and passed rolls down on the inclined rail portion 508 and moves to the blocker mechanism portion 511. A blocker driving means (not shown) provided in the main control board 300 supplies an excitation current to the blocker solenoid 512 only when the slot machine 1 can accept the insertion of medals (for example, during game standby).

  That is, as shown in FIG. 6, when the blocker solenoid 512 is turned on (excited) when a medal can be accepted, the blocker plate 512a is attracted by the magnetic force, and the blocker claw 512c at the tip of the blocker plate 512a is retracted from the medal guide passage 509. ing. At the same time, the gate member 507 is urged in a direction to close the base plate 504b by the torsion spring 507a. However, the stopper pin 507b of the gate member 507 comes into contact with the flat surface portion 508b of the case 504a, so that it is substantially parallel to the base plate 504b. It is stationary at the rotating position.

  That is, in the state where the medal can be received, the notch portion of the base plate 504b is substantially closed by the gate member 507, so that the medal M4 that has entered the blocker mechanism portion 511 is in contact with the flat surface portion 508b of the case 504a as shown in FIG. It passes the medal detection sensor 513 at the next stage through the gap with the gate member 507. At this time, when the medal detection sensor 513 detects the medal M4, the detection signal is output to the main control board 300.

  Further, the medal M4 detected by the medal detection sensor 513 moves from the medal outlet 509b shown in FIG. 3 to the hopper guide member 501 side and is guided to the hopper device 600 side.

  On the other hand, when the slot machine 1 is in a state of prohibiting medal insertion acceptance (when medal acceptance is not possible), no current is supplied to the blocker solenoid 512 and the blocker solenoid 512 is turned off. In this state, as shown in FIG. 5, the blocker plate 512a is rotated by the pulling force of the coil spring 512b, and the blocker claw 512c at the tip is held at a position where it protrudes into the medal guide passage 509. At this time, the blocker plate 512a pushes up the pressing pin 507c of the gate member 507 against the urging force of the torsion spring 507a, and thereby stops the gate member 507 at the rotational position where the notch portion of the base plate 504b is opened.

  For this reason, the medal M5 moving in the medal guide passage 509 collides with the protruding blocker claw 512c and falls down toward the opened cut-and-raised portion 508a of the base plate 504b. Then, the medal M5 drops from the inclined rail portion 508 and moves to the guide member 502 side communicating with the medal discharge port 12 described above.

  FIG. 8 is a block diagram for explaining a control system provided in the slot machine 1. The control system mainly includes a main control board 300, a sub control board 400, a spinning device board 420, a central display control board 410, a power supply device control board 430, and an external concentrated terminal board 440, which are connected by a wiring cable. .

  The main control board 300 includes a CPU 301, a ROM 302 which is a semiconductor memory, a RAM 303, and the like.

  The CPU 301 of the main control board 300 reads a system program stored in the ROM 302, a program for a slot machine game, and the like, and in accordance with the progress of the game, the sub control board 400, the spinning device board 420, the central display control board. 410, distributed control is performed on the power supply control board 430 and the like.

  Here, as the main control by the CPU 301, a lottery is performed on condition that a medal is inserted (or the next game at the time of betting and replay winning by the bet button 7) and the start lever 8 is operated, and the lottery result is a win. In addition, through the power supply control board 430, a predetermined number of medals are paid out on the condition that a symbol related to the winning combination is won by operating the stop buttons 9a, 9b, 9c on a preset active line. It is to control the hopper device 600. In this case, as described above, the drive signal for rotating the rotary disk 640 and the payout signal for rotating the rotary disk 640 in the direction in which the medal can be paid out (for example, clockwise) are transmitted to the power supply device control board 430. Alternatively, a signal indicating the stored display of the stored number display unit 210 when the paid-out medal is credited is output.

  Further, the main control by the CPU 301 is to give the sub-control board 400 information such as the internal lottery and the game state as the game progresses. In this case, an effect corresponding to the role is performed by the sub control board 400 via the effect lamps 104 to 108, the side lamps 5a and 5b, the speakers 13a, 14a, 109a, and 110a, and the display unit 101.

  Connected to the central display control board 410 are the above-described bet button 7, start lever 8, stop buttons 9a, 9b, 9c, selector 500, and the like. The central display control board 410 functions as a relay board that transfers output signals from the bet button 7, start lever 8, and stop buttons 9 a, 9 b, 9 c to the main control board 300. In addition, the central display control board 410 transfers an output signal from the above-described medal detection sensor 513 provided in the selector 500 to the main control board 300, and informs the number of medals inserted into the above-described medal insertion unit 6. Detects and notifies of foreign matter input and clogging. In addition, the central display control board 410 displays the number of medals according to the result of medal detection by the medal detection sensor 513 on the above-described stored number display unit 210 when the medal is received.

  The external concentrated terminal board 440 is a terminal board for transmitting a status signal of the slot machine 1 output from the main control board 300 or a signal indicating the progress of the game to a hall computer (not shown).

  Next, a normal operation of the selector 500 in the slot machine 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, as shown in FIG. 9, the CPU 301 of the main control board 300 performs a lottery on the condition that medals are inserted (or the next game at the time of betting and replay winning by the bet button 7) and the start lever 8 is operated, When the lottery result is winning and a predetermined number of medals are paid out on condition that a symbol related to the winning combination is won by operating the stop buttons 9a, 9b, 9c on a preset active line, A payout command (payout signal and drive signal) is output from the control board 300 to the power supply device control board 430. In this case, for example, when there is a payout exceeding the maximum stored number of credits, the drive signal and the payout signal are output as signals that are paid out by an amount exceeding the maximum stored number.

  At this time, driving power is supplied from the power supply device control board 430 to the hopper device 600, whereby a hopper motor (not shown) is driven, and a rotating disk (not shown) rotates in a direction in which medals can be paid out (for example, clockwise). A predetermined number of medals are discharged to the medal discharge port 12 provided in the tray unit 11 described above.

  Here, during the game, that is, for example, when each of the main reels 521, 522, and 523 of the spinning device 520 is rotating, as described above, the slot machine 1 prohibits medal insertion acceptance (medal acceptance is not possible). (Step S1: YES), no current is supplied to the blocker solenoid 512, and the blocker solenoid 512 is turned off.

  In this state, as described above, even if a medal is inserted from the medal insertion unit 6, the medal collides with the blocker claw 512c of the blocker plate 512a, falls off the inclined rail unit 508, and passes through the guide member 502 to receive the medal. It is returned to the discharge port 12 (step S2).

  On the other hand, during the game standby, as described above, the slot machine 1 is in a state of permitting medal insertion acceptance (at the time of medal acceptance) (step S3: YES), and current supply to the blocker solenoid 512 is performed. When the blocker solenoid 512 is turned on (excited) (step S4), the blocker plate 512a is attracted by the magnetic force, and the blocker claw 512c at the tip of the blocker plate 512a is retracted from the medal guide passage 509.

  At the same time, the gate member 507 is urged in a direction to close the base plate 504b by the torsion spring 507a. However, the stopper pin 507b of the gate member 507 comes into contact with the flat surface portion 508b of the case 504a, so that it is substantially parallel to the base plate 504b. It is stationary at the rotating position.

  That is, in the state where the medal can be received, the notch portion of the base plate 504b described above is substantially closed by the gate member 507, so that the medal inserted from the medal insertion portion 6 is formed between the flat surface portion 508b of the case 504a and the gate member 507. It passes through the inclined rail portion 508 in the gap (step S5) and passes through the medal detection sensor 513 in the next stage. At this time, if a medal is detected by the medal detection sensor 513 (step S6: YES), the detection signal is output to the main control board 300.

  Here, as described above, in the current slot machine 1, for example, there are three medals required for one game, so three medals inserted from the medal insertion unit 6 are detected by the medal detection sensor 513. If detected (step S7: NO), the next game is started by operating the start lever 8.

  Here, if more than three medals are continuously inserted from the medal insertion unit 6 (step S7: YES), the medal detection sensor 513 similarly detects the medal, and the stored number display 210 shows the maximum. Numbers for up to 50 credits (store the number of game media) are sequentially displayed in increments (step S8).

  Then, when the number of the stored number indicator 210 becomes 50, the supply of current to the blocker solenoid 512 is stopped, and the blocker solenoid 512 is turned off. Time).

  Next, an inspection method of the medal detection sensor 513 of the selector 500 in the slot machine 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, the front door 3 of the slot machine 1 is opened and, for example, an inspection button (not shown) provided in the vicinity of the selector 500 is operated (step S9). At this time, under the control of the medal detection sensor control unit 515a described above, the inspection element 516 emits light with, for example, a constant light emission pattern via the inspection element driving unit 515e (step S10).

  The light from the inspection element 516 is received by the light receiving portions of the sensors 513a and 513b of the medal detection sensor 513 as described above. At this time, the medal detection sensor control unit 515a determines whether or not light reception by the light receiving units of the sensors 513a and 513b is performed according to a fixed light emission pattern by the inspection element 516 (step S11).

  Here, when it is determined that the light received by the light receiving portions of the sensors 513a and 513b is not performed in accordance with a fixed light emission pattern by the inspection element 516 (step S11: NO), an error notification is performed (step S11). S12).

  In addition, when light reception by the light receiving portions of the sensors 513a and 513b is performed according to a constant light emission pattern by the inspection element 516, appropriate display on the display portion 101 or any one of the effect lamps 104 to 104 is performed. Appropriate notification by blinking or lighting by 108, or by proper sound notification by one of the sound emitting units 109 and 110, can be performed.

  As described above, the medal detection sensor 513 is inspected by reproducing the situation similar to the state in which the medal passing through the vicinity of the medal detection sensor 513 is detected by the light emission of the inspection element 516. As described above, since it is not necessary to check whether or not the medal detection sensor 513 detects the medal properly by inserting the medal from the conventional medal insertion unit 6, it is possible to carry a large number of medals, or the slot machine 1. The operation | work etc. which take out the medal currently stored in the hopper apparatus 600 by opening the front door 3 become unnecessary.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the medal detection sensor 513 serving as the game medium detecting means detects a medal from the medal exit 509b serving as the first exit for discharging the medal in a predetermined direction when the medal serving as the game medium is received. Then, a situation similar to the state where the medal detection is performed in the medal detection sensor 513 is reproduced by the inspection element 516 provided as a situation reproduction means provided in the vicinity of the medal detection sensor 513, and the medal detection sensor as the control means The control unit 515a determines whether or not the detection state by the medal detection sensor 513 is appropriate according to the reproduction by the inspection element 516, and when it is determined that the detection state is not appropriate, error processing is executed.

  Specifically, light having a predetermined light emission pattern is emitted by the inspection element 516, and it is determined whether or not the light reception pattern by the light receiving portion of the medal detection sensor 513 as a detection sensor is the same as the light emission pattern.

  By adopting such a configuration, as in the past, the actual operation in the store can be performed without the insertion of medals from the medal insertion unit 6 and the operation of paying out medals when the medal detection sensor 513 is inspected. It is possible to easily check whether or not the medal acceptance is properly performed, which is the operating status of the game medium sorting device, and the maintainability can be improved.

  In addition, if the detection accuracy of the medal detection sensor 513 deteriorates, the medal inserted by the player cannot be read accurately, and the medal is returned, so that the player must insert the returned medal again. Although it was necessary to check whether or not the medals were properly accepted, it was possible to perform an extra medal insertion act to the player, such as having to insert the returned medals again. It can also be reduced.

  In this embodiment, the inspection element 516 emits light with a predetermined light emission pattern, and it is determined whether the light reception pattern by the light receiving portion of the medal detection sensor 513 as a detection sensor is the same as the light emission pattern. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and the inspection element 516 may be replaced with a shutter.

  In this case, the medal detection sensor 513 is a transmission type, and the shutter is shielded between the light emitting part and the light receiving part at a predetermined interval, and the light reception by the light receiving part is in accordance with the interval blocked by the shutter. Try to determine if it exists.

  When the medal detection sensor 513 is a reflection type as shown in FIG. 3, for example, a reflection surface is provided on the shutter, or the shutter is like a pseudo medal, and each of the sensors 513a and 513b is provided. The light from the light emitting unit is reflected by the shutter at a predetermined interval, and it is determined whether or not the light received by the light receiving unit is in accordance with the interval reflected by the shutter.

  By doing in this way, it can be checked whether light reception by each light receiving part of sensors 513a and 513b is performed appropriately.

  Further, the inspection element 516 may be replaced with a photosensor that receives light from the light emitting portions of the sensors 513a and 513b. In this case, it is possible to check whether or not the light emission by each light emitting unit of the sensors 513a and 513b is appropriately performed by receiving light from the light emitting unit of each of the sensors 513a and 513b by the photo sensor. .

  The present invention is not limited to slot machines, and can be applied to game machines using other medals such as pachinko machines, pinball game machines, arrange ball game machines, and sparrow ball game machines.

It is a front view which shows an example of the turn type game device which is a game machine of this invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an internal configuration of the spinning cylinder gaming device of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a front view showing the internal structure of the selector of FIG. 2 with the front cover omitted. It is sectional drawing which shows the selector of FIG. 3 along the AA line. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the selector of FIG. 3 along the line BB. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the selector of FIG. 3 along the line BB. It is a block diagram which shows the outline | summary of the control system of the selector of FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining a control system provided in the slot machine of FIG. 1. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a normal operation of a selector in the slot machine of FIG. 1. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a method for checking a selector of the slot machine of FIG. 1.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Slot machine 2 Case 3 Front door 3A Upper panel part 3B Middle panel part 3C Console part 3D Lower panel part 4 Key hole 5a, 5b Side lamp 6 Medal insertion part 7 Bet button 8 Start lever 8a Operation knob 9a, 9b, 9c Stop button 11 Receptacle unit 12 Medal outlet 100 Effect display unit 101 Display units 104 to 108 Effect lamps 109, 110 Sound emission unit 109a, 110a Speaker 200 Main effect unit 210 Stored number display unit 220 Game progress display unit 230 300 Main control board 400 Sub-control board 410 Central display control board 411 Setting button 420 Cylinder device board 430 Power supply device control board 440 External concentration terminal board 500 Selector 501 Hopper guide member 502 Guide member 503 Discharge guide member 504a Case 504b Base plate 507 Gate member 508 Inclined rail portion 509 Medal guide passage 509a Medal entrance 509b Medal exit 509c Medal exclusion port 511 Blocker mechanism 512 Blocker solenoid 512a Blocker plate 513 Medal detection sensor 513a, 513b Sensor 515 Control system 516 Inspection element 515a Medal Detection sensor control unit 505b ROM
505c RAM
515d Medal detection sensor driving unit 515e Inspection element driving unit 515f CPU
515 g Bus 520 Revolving device 521, 522, 523 Main reel 530 Power supply device 540 Auxiliary storage unit 600 Hopper device 601 Medal discharge slit

Claims (2)

A game media sorter having a first exit for discharging the game media in a predetermined direction when accepting the game media and a second exit for ejecting the game media in a direction different from the first exit when the game media cannot be accepted A gaming machine equipped with a device,
Game medium detecting means for detecting the game medium discharged from the first outlet;
A situation reproduction means that is provided in the vicinity of the game medium detection means and reproduces a situation similar to a state in which the game medium is detected in the game medium detection means;
Control means for determining whether or not the detection status by the game medium detection means is appropriate according to reproduction by the status reproduction means, and executing error processing when it is determined that the detection status is not appropriate Gaming machine. The game medium detection means is a detection sensor having a light emitting part and a light receiving part,
The situation reproduction means is an inspection element that emits light according to a predetermined light emission pattern,
The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines whether a light receiving pattern by a light receiving unit of the detection sensor is the same as the light emitting pattern.

Images