JP2010057592A - Game medium storage system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent game media discharged from a game medium using machine from being stored on a recovery means when the game media can not be recovered to a game medium storage device body. <P>SOLUTION: A conveyor 14 recovers tokens discharged from a plurality of slot machines 6 arranged side by side in a bank 4 of game machines and token lending machines 8 to a token replenishing device 2 provided on one end part side of it. The conveyor 14 can be switched in forward and reverse directions, and when recovery to the token replenishing device 2 is impossible, the conveyor 14 is reversely rotated and the tokens are recovered to a mobile tank 60 provided on the other end part of the conveyor 14. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a game medium for collecting and storing game media such as medals and pachinko balls discharged from a plurality of slot machines, medal lending machines, pachinko machines, ball lending machines such as pachinko balls. It relates to a storage system.

  Conventionally, there exist some which are indicated by patent documents 1, 2 in the above game media storage systems. The technique of Patent Document 1 collects medals discharged from the slot machine with a recovery conveyor and supplies it to a bucket-type recovery lifter. When the bucket is full, the recovery conveyor is reversely rotated to return to the bucket. The medal supply is immediately stopped. This prevents medals from overflowing from the full bucket and clogging between the bucket and the machine frame and causing a failure such as a lifter stop.

  In the technique of Patent Document 2, the medals discharged from the slot machine are collected by a collection conveyor and supplied to the collection lifter. The collection conveyor is swung horizontally due to a failure of the collection lifter at the tip of the collection conveyor. A flapper flapper is provided, and medals branched from the collection conveyor are collected in a transport type secondary collection box. This prevents medals from overflowing from the collection lifter.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No.6-2715 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-31483

  In the technique of Patent Document 1, in order to immediately stop the supply of medals to the recovery lifter, the recovery conveyor is temporarily rotated reversely with the stop of the recovery conveyor. The time for reverse rotation is only during the operation of the recovery conveyor for a predetermined distance or for a predetermined time. When the recovery conveyor becomes unrecoverable, the recovery conveyor is substantially stopped. Since the medals continue to be discharged from the slot machine while the collection conveyor is stopped, the discharge medals are accumulated on the stopped collection conveyor, which is inconvenient.

  In the technique of Patent Document 2, this point is improved, and even when medals cannot be supplied to the collection lift, the collected medals are collected in the sub collection box by the flapper on the collection conveyor without stopping the operation of the collection conveyor. Can do. However, a flapper and its drive mechanism are newly required. In addition, since a flapper that swings horizontally on the recovery conveyor is used, it is difficult to keep the gap between the flapper and the recovery conveyor below the thickness of one medal. It may not be possible to stop. Also, medals overflowing the slot machine are discharged to the collection conveyor, but it is not possible to grasp or control the overflow timing or the amount of medals, so when the flapper is operated, the flapper and the collection conveyor In some cases, a medal may be caught between the upper surface or between the flapper and the side wall of the recovery conveyor. Even in such a case, the supply of medals to the collection lift cannot be stopped completely. Such a problem is the same when the flapper is made up and down. In addition, the medals collected in the sub collection box must be processed separately by the staff, and there is a problem that the labor of the staff increases.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a game medium collection system that can collect game media even when the game media cannot be supplied to the collection lift and that does not bite the game media.

  The game medium collection system of one aspect of the present invention has conveyor means. The conveyor means collects game media discharged from a plurality of game media use machines arranged side by side on the game island. The storage device main body includes first storage means for receiving and storing the game medium discharged from one end of the conveyor means. The conveyor means can be switched in forward and reverse directions. Second storage means for receiving and storing game media discharged from the other end of the conveyor means is provided.

  When the first storage means can accept the game medium discharged from the conveyor means, the conveyor means can be driven to the first storage means side. When the first storage means cannot accept the game medium discharged from the conveyor means, and the second storage means can accept the game medium discharged from the conveyor means. The conveyor means is driven to the second storage means side.

  Further, in the above two aspects, the storage device main body includes: a cleaning unit that cleans the game medium; and a supply unit that supplies the game medium stored in the first storage unit to the game medium use machine. At least one of them may be provided.

  In any of the above aspects, the second storage means may include return means for returning the stored game media to the conveyor means.

  Furthermore, a storage amount detection means for detecting the game medium storage amount of the second storage means can be provided. In this case, the return unit is driven and controlled based on the detection result of the storage amount detection unit.

  As described above, according to the game medium storage system of the present invention, when the game medium cannot be collected into the game medium storage device main body including the first storage means, a mechanism such as a flapper is used. In addition, it is possible to completely stop the game medium collection to the game medium storage device main body, and to reverse the collection means to collect the game medium to the second storage means, so that the game discharged from the game medium use machine There is no problem that the medium is accumulated on the collecting means. In addition, when the game medium storage device main body can be collected, the game medium collected in the second storage means can be automatically transferred to the game medium storage device main body, thereby reducing the work load on the staff. can do.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the game medium storage system according to the first embodiment of the present invention has a game medium storage device body, for example, a medal replenishment device 2. The medal supply device 2 is installed on the game island 4. The game island 4 is a game media use machine, for example, a slot machine 6 in which a plurality of machines are arranged in the horizontal direction. Beside these slot machines 6, a game medium using machine, for example, a medal lending machine 8 is provided. The game island 4 has a form called “Ryoshima” in which the slot machine 6 and the medal lending machine 8 are arranged on both sides, and a form called “Katashima” in which the slot machine 6 and the medal lending machine 8 are arranged only on one side. There is. Any form of amusement island is selected as necessary.

  In the slot machine 6 or the medal lending machine 8, when the amount of game media stored inside, for example, the amount of medals is smaller than a predetermined amount, a sensor (not shown) provided for them is provided. Generates a replenishment request signal, for example, an empty signal. This is supplied to the medal replenishing device 2, and the medal replenishing device 2 replenishes the slot machine 6 or medal lending machine 8 that has generated the empty signal.

  The medal supply device 2 is provided at one end of the game island 4. As shown in FIG. 1, the medal replenishing device 2 has a mounting table including a mounting table 12 for mounting a part of the collecting means, for example, the medal counter 10.

  On the amusement island 4, below the slot machine 6 and the medal lending machine 8, along these arrangement directions, conveyor means, for example, a collection conveyor 14 is provided substantially horizontally. The collection conveyor 14 is disposed from one end to the other end of the game island 4 and supports and conveys medals on the upper surface thereof. The collection conveyor 14 can be rotated forward and backward, and by rotating forward, the medals discharged from the slot machine 6 and the medal lending machine 8 are conveyed leftward in FIG. It is stored in. The medals stored in the bucket 16 are stored in the island transfer conveyor 32 or the supply tank 36 that is passed over to the medal supply device of another game island by the intermediate conveyor 18, the cleaning unit 22, the main lift 24, and the distribution chute 26. Is done. Medals that overflow the replenishment tank 36 are stored in the upper tank 42. The bucket 16, the cleaning unit 22, the supply tank 36, and the upper tank 42 form a first storage unit of the medal supply device 2.

  A moving tank 60 as a second storage means is installed below the end of the game island 4 on the side opposite to the medal supply device 2. The other end (the right end in FIG. 1) of the collection conveyor 14 is disposed above the moving tank 60.

  When the collection conveyor 14 is reversed, medals discharged from the slot machine 6 and the medal lending machine 8 are transported in the right direction in FIG. 1 and stored in the moving tank 60. A storage amount detecting means, for example, a full sensor 62 is provided above the moving tank 60. The full sensor 62 is a continuity sensor that utilizes the fact that the medal is made of metal. When the medal is almost fully stored in the moving tank 60, the full sensor 62 comes into contact with the medal and detects that the moving tank 60 is full. To do. The moving tank 60 is a medal storage tank with casters, and can be pulled out of the island through an opening (not shown) provided on the end plate or waist plate of the game island. A tank pull-out sensor 64 that detects that the moving tank 60 has been pulled out of the island is provided in the game island 4. The tank drawer sensor 64 can be, for example, a micro switch that contacts the side surface of the moving tank 60. A display 66 is installed at the upper end of the island, and it is notified by light emission that the moving tank 60 is full or that the moving tank 60 has been pulled out.

  Also, as a result of the player's game, medals that are paid out from the slot machine 6 are thrown into the lower tank 20 in the medal replenishing device 2 via the counter 10 on the counter 12. The medals thrown into the lower tank 20 are also thrown into the washing unit 22 and washed, and then lifted upward by the main lift 24 and can be put into the replenishment tank 36 via the distribution chute 28. Washed medals conveyed from other medal supply devices can be put into the supply tank 36 by the branch unit 28.

  The cleaned medals replenished to the replenishment tank 36 are conveyed almost horizontally above the slot machine 6 and the medal lending machine 8 onto a replenishment conveyor 38 extending from the main body, and generate an empty signal. 6. The medal lending machine 8 is replenished by the branch unit 40. The medals that have not been replenished to the slot machine 6 or the medal lending machine 8 are transported to the other end of the replenishment conveyor 38 and then transferred to the collection conveyor 14 via a return chute indicated by an arrow.

  Washed medals stored in the upper tank 42 are paid out by a discharging means provided at the lower part of the upper tank 42, for example, a belt conveyor type discharging means 44. The cleaned medal paid out by the discharging means 44 is put into the mug 46. Washed medals that have been spilled out without being inserted into the mug 46 are supplied to the main lift 24 via the chute 48.

  Further, unwashed medals conveyed by the island transfer conveyor 34 are put into the lower tank 20 through the branch unit 30.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 70 is provided in the medal supply device 2. The control unit 70 controls the collection and replenishment of medals from the slot machine 6, the medal lending machine 8 and the medal counting machine 10 on the own island, the cleaning of medals by the cleaning unit 22, and the replenishment of medals to other medal replenishing devices. The control unit 70 includes a CPU, a memory, a timer, and the like. A data input / output device 72 is connected to the control unit 70. The control unit 70 includes a drive means group 74 including drive means for the recovery conveyor 14, the intermediate conveyor 18, the cleaning unit 22, the main lift 24, the upper tank 42, the supply tank 36, the island transfer conveyors 32 and 34, the supply conveyor 38, and the like. Control is performed by receiving a signal from a sensor group 76 composed of sensors provided in these. A touch panel 54 is connected to the control unit 70, and various conditions are set and an error message is displayed.

  Further, the control unit 70 performs bi-directional communication with a plurality of relay control units 50 installed on the supply conveyor 38, and performs medal supply control to each slot machine 6 and the medal lending machine 8. Further, the full sensor 62, the tank drawer sensor 64, and the display 66 are directly connected to the relay control unit 50 installed at the right end of each relay control device 50. The full sensor 62 and the tank withdrawal sensor 64 transmit a signal to the control unit 70 of the medal replenishing device body 2 via the relay control unit 50, and the display unit 66 passes through the relay control unit 50. A control signal is received from the control unit 70 of the medal replenishing device body 2 and light emission is controlled. A plurality of game islands 4 are provided, and the control unit 70 of the medal replenishing device 2 on each amusement island 4 performs two-way communication with each other and shares data such as a medal storage amount. It is determined to which medal supply device the medals are transported from the supply device.

  In the game medium storage system including the recovery conveyor 14 and the moving tank 60, the recovery conveyor 14 is always driven in the forward direction (left direction in FIG. 1) during normal operation. The collection conveyor 14 collects the medals discharged from the slot machine 6 and the medals returned from the end of the replenishment conveyor 38, continues to the normal collection process of transporting to the medal replenishing device 2 and storing it.

  When the medal cannot be collected by the medal replenishing device 2, an abnormal collection process for collecting the medal in the moving tank 60 is executed. The process will be described with reference to the operation flow of FIG.

  During normal operation, the control unit 70 monitors whether the first storage means, that is, the bucket 16, the cleaning unit 22, the replenishment tank 36, and the upper tank 42 of the medal replenishing device 2 can accept medals (step S <b> 1). The state where a medal cannot be accepted is, for example, the following state.

(A) A state in which the medals in the bucket 16 cannot be discharged due to an abnormality in the intermediate conveyor 18.
(B) A state in which the cleaning unit 22 stops due to an abnormality, the intermediate conveyor 18 on the upstream side also stops, and the medals in the bucket 16 cannot be discharged.
(C) A state in which the main lift 24 stops due to an abnormality, the cleaning unit 22 and the intermediate conveyor 18 on the upstream side also stop, and the medals in the bucket 16 cannot be discharged.
(D) The storage amount of the first storage means (bucket 16, cleaning unit 22, replenishment tank 36, upper tank 42) is full.

  When any of the above conditions is met, the first storage means is determined to be in a state where it cannot accept medals, and in step S2, the second storage means is determined to be acceptable. The state in which the moving tank 60 as the second storage means cannot accept medals is as follows.

(E) A state in which the full sensor 62 determines that the storage amount of the moving tank 60 is full.
(F) A state in which the tank drawer sensor 64 detects that the moving tank 60 has been pulled out and it is determined that the moving dunk 60 is not installed at a position where medals can be collected.

  When any of the above conditions (e) and (f) is met, the moving tank 60 also cannot accept medals, so the recovery conveyor 14 is stopped in step S3.

  When the moving tank 60 can accept medals, the recovery conveyor 14 is reversed in step S4, and an abnormal recovery process for recovering the medals discharged onto the recovery conveyor 14 to the moving tank 60 is started.

  The condition (d) in which the first storage means cannot accept medals is assumed to be when the storage amount of the first storage means is full. For example, the storage amount of the upper tank 42 is 80% or more. In this case, it may be determined that it cannot be accepted, and the condition of the storage amount can be set as appropriate.

  The monitoring process during the abnormal recovery process that reverses the recovery conveyor 14 will be described with reference to the operation flow of FIG. During the abnormality recovery process, it is constantly monitored in step S11 whether the first storage means has returned to a state where it can accept medals. In the case of returning, in step S12, the recovery conveyor 14 is returned to driving in the normal rotation direction and returned to the normal recovery process.

  If the first storage means has not returned to a state where medals can be received, it is checked whether the moving tank 60 is full. When the moving tank 60 is full, the abnormal recovery process cannot be continued, and the recovery conveyor 14 is stopped in step S14. At this time, the display device 66 emits light. Based on this, the clerk replaces the moving tank 60 with a new empty one. This exchange makes it possible to collect medals to a new moving tank 60.

  A game medium storage system according to the second embodiment is shown in FIGS. In this game medium storage system, instead of the moving tank 60 of the game medium storage system in FIG. 1, return means for returning the recovered and stored medals to the recovery conveyor 14 is added. Parts having the same configurations as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

  A sub tank unit 80 as a second storage means is installed in contact with the end plate on the opposite side of the medal supply device 2. The sub tank unit 80 is a box-shaped housing, and also has a function as a mounting table on which the medal counter 10 is mounted. Further, a door (not shown) for pulling out a tank 82 described later is provided on the right side wall of the sub tank unit 80 in the drawing.

  Inside the sub tank unit 80, a tank 82 for storing recovered medals is provided. The collection conveyor 14 extends through the end plate to the inside of the sub tank unit 80. The medals that have been collected and conveyed by the collection conveyor 14 are lifted by a lifting means, for example, a sub tank lift 86 and put into the tank 82. A lift chute 84 provided below the sub tank lift 86 collects medals discharged from the right end of the recovery conveyor 14 at the entrance of the sub tank lift 86. Further, the medals counted and discharged by the counter 10 are also thrown into the tank 82 through the drop opening 88.

  A discharge port 90 is formed on the bottom surface of the tank 82, and is inclined from the middle of the tank 82 in the vertical direction toward the discharge port 90. Below the discharge port 90, a conveying means, for example, a horizontal conveyor 92 is provided horizontally. In the stopped state, the horizontal conveyor 92 dams medals falling from the discharge port, but discharges medals by being driven in the left direction in the figure.

  The medals discharged from the tank 82 by the horizontal conveyor 92 are slightly lifted by the lifting means, for example, the inclined conveyor 96 and returned to the collection conveyor 14. A chute 94 may be provided at the lower end of the inclined conveyor 96 for delivery of medals between the horizontal conveyor 92 and the inclined conveyor 96, and the right end of the collection conveyor 14 for delivery of medals between the inclined conveyor 96 and the collection conveyor 14. You may provide the chute | shoot 98 in the upper part of a part.

  The horizontal conveyor 92 and the inclined conveyor 96 constitute return means for returning the medals stored in the sub tank unit 80 to the collection conveyor 14.

  As another embodiment of the return means, the inclined conveyor 96 may be placed close to the lower side of the discharge port 90, and the medals discharged from the tank 82 may be returned to the collection conveyor 14 only by the inclined conveyor 96. When the discharge port 90 is above the conveyor 14, the return means may be constituted by only the horizontal conveyor 92.

  In the tank 82, sensors 100a, 100b, and 100c for detecting the amount of stored medal are provided at different height positions. These sensors 100a, 100b, and 100c may be known sensors such as proximity sensors and pressure sensors in addition to continuity sensors that utilize the conductivity of metal medals.

  A slide rail 102 is horizontally disposed in the vicinity of the middle of the upper and lower side walls of the sub tank unit 80. On the upper part of the slide rail 102, an arm portion (not shown) formed near the upper and lower middles of the outer side walls of the tank 82 is placed. The tank 82 slides along the slide rail 102, and from the sub tank unit 80. The tank 82 can be pulled out. A tank drawer sensor 104 is provided at the back of the slide rail 102. The sensor 104 detects whether or not the tank 80 is present at a predetermined position of the sub tank unit 80. In addition to the micro switch that is turned on and off by contacting and separating from the side wall of the tank 82, the tank 82 is also provided. A known sensor capable of detecting the presence of the can be used.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a display 106 that displays the storage state of the tank 82, the driving state of the sub-tank lift 86, the horizontal conveyor 92, and the inclined conveyor 96 is fixedly installed on the end plate at a position higher than the counter 10. Yes.

  The abnormality recovery process when the sub tank unit 80 is provided as the second storage means is basically the same as the process when the moving tank 60 is provided. The difference is that at the start of the abnormal recovery process, a process of driving the sub tank lift 86 before reversing the recovery conveyor 14 and a process of stopping the sub tank lift 86 at the end of the abnormal recovery process are added. Therefore, the detailed description is omitted.

  In the sub tank unit 80, medals recovered from the recovery conveyor 14 by the abnormal recovery process and medals inserted from the counter 10 are accommodated. Since these medals cannot be used as replenishment medals as they are, the sub tank unit 80 is provided with a return means, and the medals stored in the sub tank unit 80 are returned to the collection conveyor 14 and recollected to the medal replenishing device 2 for replenishment It can be used as a medal. FIG. 7 shows an overview of the return process.

In this process, the storage amount of the second storage means is monitored in step S21. Specifically, the outputs of the storage sensors 100a, 100b, and 100c of the tank 82 are monitored, and for example, when the storage sensor 100a is turned on, it is determined that the storage amount is a predetermined amount or more.
If it is determined that there are more than a predetermined number of medals, it is next determined in step S22 whether the recovery conveyor 14 is in normal rotation (during normal recovery processing).

  If more than a predetermined amount of medals are stored in the tank 82 and the collection conveyor 14 is driven forward, the return means is driven in step S23 and the return process is started. Specifically, the return means is driven in the order of the inclined conveyor 96 and the horizontal conveyor 92, and the medals in the tank 82 are discharged to the collection conveyor 14.

  In this return process, it is determined in step S24 that the second storage means is empty (storage sensor 100c is OFF), or in step S25, the recovery conveyor 14 is determined not to be normally driven (reverse or stop). It is continuously executed until it is made, and if it is determined as one of the above, the return means is stopped in step S26.

  Through the above return processing, the medals collected in the second storage means through the abnormality collection process or the counter 10 are returned to the medal replenishing device 2, washed, and used as medals for replenishment to the own island, or other islands. Can be used as a medal for inter-island transportation.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a game medium storage system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram of the game medium storage system of FIG. It is an operation | movement flowchart of the abnormality collection process of the game media storage system of FIG. It is an operation | movement flowchart of the monitoring process in the abnormality collection process of the game media storage system of FIG. It is a schematic block diagram of the game media storage system of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a detailed block diagram of the sub tank unit with which the game medium storage system of FIG. 5 is provided. It is an operation | movement flowchart of the return process of a game media storage system.

Explanation of symbols

2 medal supply device (main body of storage device)
4 amusement islands 6 slot machines (game media machine)
8 Medal rental machine (game media use machine)
14 Collection conveyor (conveyor means)
16 bucket (first storage means)
18 Intermediate conveyor (first storage means)
22 Cleaning unit (first storage means)
36 Supply tank (first storage means)
42 Upper tank (first storage means)
60 Moving tank (second storage means)

Claims (5)

Conveyor means for collecting game media discharged from a plurality of game media use machines arranged side by side on the game island;
A storage device main body including first storage means for receiving and storing the game medium discharged from one end of the conveyor means;
A game media storage system comprising:
The conveyor means can be switched and driven in forward and reverse directions,
A game medium storage system provided with second storage means for receiving and storing game media discharged from the other end of the conveyor means. The game medium storage system according to claim 1,
When the first storage means can accept the game medium discharged from the conveyor means, the conveyor means is driven to the first storage means side,
When the first storage means cannot accept the game media discharged from the conveyor means, and the second storage means can receive the game media discharged from the conveyor means. Is a game medium storage system for driving the conveyor means to the second storage means side. The game medium storage system according to claim 1 or 2,
The storage device main body includes at least one of a cleaning unit for cleaning the game medium and a supply unit for supplying the game medium stored in the first storage unit to the game medium use machine. . The game medium storage system according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The second storage means is a game medium storage system having return means for returning the stored game media to the conveyor means. The game medium storage system according to claim 4,
A storage amount detection means for detecting a game medium storage amount of the second storage means;
A game medium storage system that drives and controls the return means based on the detection result of the storage amount detection means.

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