JP2013236712A - Token counter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a load on a motor while achieving automatic completion of counting tokens.SOLUTION: A counter 3 of each machine, when a period after a discharge detection sensor 64 detects the last token reaches a second prescribed period, stops drive of a motor 60 that discharges tokens to a discharge passage 61 and automatically ends the counting of tokens. Meantime, when a period after the start of the drive of the motor 60 reaches a first prescribed period, even when the period after the discharge detection sensor 64 detects the last token is before reaching the second prescribed period, the drive of the motor 60 is stopped, application of an excessive load to the motor 60 is suppressed.

Description

  The present invention includes a sending unit that sends inserted medals one by one to the discharge path, a drive unit that drives the sending unit, and a detection unit that detects medals passing through the discharge path, The present invention relates to a medal counting device that counts medals detected by a section.

  Conventionally, in game halls, game media acquired by a player are counted by a counting device, and exchange transactions with prizes according to the counted value are performed. In a counting device that counts medals as game media, a driving unit that drives medals inserted into a slot into a discharge path one by one is driven by a drive unit, and medals that pass through the discharge path are detected by a detection unit. Count medals. In addition, when the sending unit is driven by the driving unit in response to button operation or medal insertion detection and the medal counting is once started, the driving is continued until the time after the last medal detection in the discharge path reaches a predetermined time. The driving of the driving unit is continued and the driving of the driving unit is terminated when the time reaches a predetermined time (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2008-220951 A

  However, such a specification is convenient in that the counting of medals is automatically terminated, but if the counting of medals takes a long time, the driving unit will continue to be driven for a long time. Excessive load may be applied, causing a fire or failure.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a medal counting device capable of reducing the load applied to the driving unit while realizing automatic end of counting of medals. is there.

  The invention described in claim 1 is a detection unit that detects a medal that passes through the discharge path, a sending unit that sends the medals inserted into the insertion slot one by one to the discharge path, a drive unit that drives the sending unit. A counting start means for starting the driving of the driving unit in response to satisfaction of a predetermined counting start condition, and the driving unit is driven by a medal counting device that counts medals detected by the detecting unit Measured by a first period measuring means for measuring a period from the start of the recording, a second period measuring means for measuring a period since the detection unit last detected a medal, and a second period measuring means. When the period measured by the first period measuring means reaches the first predetermined period, the count ending means for stopping the driving of the driving unit on the condition that the predetermined period has reached the second predetermined period, By the second period measuring means Measured time period is characterized by comprising, a counting stop means for stopping the driving of the driving unit even before reaching the second predetermined period.

  The invention described in claim 2 includes third period measuring means for measuring a period after stopping when the counting stopping means stops driving of the driving unit, and the counting starting means includes the third counting means. The driving of the driving unit is resumed by establishing that the predetermined counting start condition is met when the period measured by the period measuring unit reaches the third predetermined period.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the detection unit that detects the medal passing through the discharge path reaches the second predetermined period after the last detection of the medal, the drive unit that drives the sending unit Since the driving is stopped, the medal counting can be automatically terminated. On the other hand, when the period after the drive unit starts driving reaches the first predetermined period, the drive unit even if the period after the detection unit finally detects the medal is before the second predetermined period. Since the driving is stopped, it is possible to suppress an excessive load on the driving unit. In particular, each counter counting device provided between the tables corresponding to each gaming machine is generally inferior in performance to an island edge counting device provided on a gaming island composed of a plurality of gaming machines. Since there is a high possibility that a person will continue to insert medals over a long period of time, a remarkable effect can be obtained.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the drive of the drive unit is stopped, when the period after the stop reaches the third predetermined period, the drive of the drive unit is resumed. It is possible to efficiently count medals while suppressing an excessive load.

The whole block diagram including each stand counter which shows one embodiment of the present invention Front view (a) of each counter, vertical side view (b), and plan view (c) of the rotating disk body Functional block diagram of each counter Flow chart showing motor drive control processing

  Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the medal counting device according to the present invention is applied to each counting device provided corresponding to a gaming machine will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 schematically shows the overall configuration of a game hall management system 1. In the amusement hall, each counter device 3 and a display device 4 are installed corresponding to the slot machine 2 as a gaming machine. The two slot machines 2, the two counter devices 3, and the two display devices 4 are connected to one relay device 5, and the relay device 5 is connected to the management device 7 via the LAN 6. Yes. The management device 7 is installed in, for example, a management room in a game hall, and is configured by combining a main device 8, a mouse 9 and a keyboard 10 operated by a game hall manager, a monitor 11, a printer (not shown), and the like. Has been. Although omitted in FIG. 1, several hundred slot machines 2 are managed by the management device 7. In the present embodiment, since the gaming machine is the slot machine 2 as described above, the gaming value (game medium) is a medal. If the gaming machine is a pachinko machine, the gaming value is a pachinko ball.

  The slot machine 2 includes a display window 12 through which a player can visually recognize a reel, an effective line display unit 13 indicating an activated pay line, a display panel 14, a credit button 15 for inserting a credit medal, and a credit medal settlement. A settlement button 16 to perform, a medal slot 17 for inserting medals, a start lever 18, a left stop button 19, a middle stop button 20, a right stop button 21, a tray 22 and the like are provided. The tray 22 can store “600 to 800” medals (medals equivalent to “12000 to 16000 yen” if the rental unit price is “20 yen”).

  When the start lever 18 is operated with a medal inserted (when a game start operation is performed), the slot machine 2 starts (rotates) each reel and extracts one random number from the generated random numbers. The internal lottery is executed, and if there is an internal winning combination, a flag corresponding to the internal winning combination is established, and when each of the stop buttons 19 to 21 is operated in this state, the corresponding reel is rotated. Stop. Subsequently, based on a stop table (not shown) for determining the stop position of each reel according to the flag of the internal winning combination, stop control including so-called pull-in control (slip control) (the type of the internal winning combination flag for each reel) Control to stop display with a winning symbol or a lost symbol according to the game). The pull-in control is a control capable of pulling a symbol in a predetermined pull-in range (up to four symbols at the maximum) from the time point when the operation of each of the stop buttons 19 to 21 is detected and stopping it. When the symbol corresponding to the internal winning combination flag does not exist within the drawing range, the symbol cannot be drawn on the winning line and stopped, so that no winning occurs and so-called losing is made.

The slot machine 2 outputs game signals shown below.
“Out signal”: a use signal that can specify the number of game values (number of use, out) used in the game. Since the number of medals in the BET state (3 or 1) is pulsed in response to the game start operation, the number of out signals × 1 is specified as out. The corresponding amount is also output when the replay winning combination is won.
“Safe signal”: a grant signal that can specify the number of game values (given number, safe) given to a player (acquired by the player). Since one pulse is output every time one medal is paid out, the number of safe signals × 1 is specified as safe. Even when the replay winning combination is won, the medals used in the game are output.

“BB signal”: a signal that can specify a BB (big bonus) state. Since the level is output during the BB state, the input of the BB signal is specified as being in the BB state. A jackpot signal that can identify the occurrence of a jackpot state.
“RB signal”: a signal that can specify an RB (regular bonus) state. Since the level is output during the RB state, the RB signal being input is identified as being in the RB state. Similar to the BB signal, it is a jackpot signal that can specify the occurrence of a jackpot state.

  The display device 4 displays various game information (the number of occurrences of the BB state and the RB state, the number of start times, the number of occurrences of ART, the average number of acquisitions, etc.), a game when calling an employee of the game hall From an operation remote control (not shown) possessed by an operation unit 24 including a call button pressed by the player, a switching button pressed by the player when the game information displayed by the information display unit 23 is switched, and the like. It has a light receiving unit 25 and the like for receiving the transmitted remote control signal. The display device 4 inputs / outputs various signals to / from the control unit constituted by a microcomputer having a CPU, ROM, RAM, and I / O, the slot machine 2, each counter counting device 3, and the management device 7. It has an input / output unit.

  The display device 4 executes a control program stored in advance by the control unit, inputs a game signal (out signal, safe signal, BB signal, RB signal) from the slot machine 2, or the player operates the operation unit 24. By performing operation or receiving a remote control signal from the operation remote controller by the light receiving unit 25, processing such as displaying various game information on the information display unit 23 is performed. In addition, when the display device 4 receives the remote control signal by the light receiving unit 25, the display device 4 outputs a signal capable of specifying the received remote control signal to each counter device 3.

  The management device 7 inputs and outputs various signals to and from the control unit constituted by a microcomputer having a CPU, ROM, RAM, and I / O, and the slot machine 2, each counter device 3, and the display device 4. Part. The management device 7 executes a control program stored in advance by the control unit, game signals (out signal, safe signal, BB signal, RB signal) input from the slot machine 2 and lending input from each counter device 3 Based on the signal or the like, the game information (out, safe, difference medal, number of BBs, number of RBs, etc.) of the slot machine 2 is counted, or lending information (sales information) is calculated.

  As shown in FIG. 2, each table counting device 3 has a state display lamp 27 indicating the operation state of each table counting device 3 on the front surface 26 a side of the housing 26, and a banknote for a player to insert a banknote. An insertion slot 28, a card insertion slot 29 for a player to insert a membership card or a coin card, or a new coin card, a password input button group 30 including a numeric keypad, a loan button 31 or a count button 32 And the operation unit 35 including the payout button 33 and the issue button 34, the remaining credit number display unit 36 for displaying the remaining credit number, the number of possessed balls (the number of possessed balls to be described later, from the count value counted by the counting unit 41) The number of holding balls 37 for displaying the number of holding balls obtained by subtracting the payout value paid out by the paying-out unit 40, the outlet 38 for the player to take out medals, the insertion port 39 for the player to insert medals, etc. .

  Inside the housing 26, a payout unit 40 for paying out medals and a counting unit 41 for counting medals are provided. On the back surface 26 b side of the housing 26, a supply path 42 for supplying medals to each counter counting device 3 and a recovery path 43 for recovering medals from each counter counting device 3 are provided.

  The payout unit 40 includes a storage container 44 for storing medals, a rotating disk main body 46 having a rotating disk 45, a motor 47 for rotating the rotating disk 45, and a discharge path 48 for discharging the medals from the rotating disk main body 46 to the outlet 38 described above. Etc. The storage container 44 is integrally formed with a discharge path 49 for discharging medals to the rotating disk main body 46, and a replenishment detection sensor 50 is provided in the middle of the discharge path 49. In addition, a payout detection sensor 51 is provided in a midway portion of the discharge path 48 connected to the take-out port 38 from the rotary disk main body 46.

  In the payout unit 40, when medals are replenished from the replenishment path 42 through the opening 52 on the back surface 26 b of the housing 26, the replenished medals are stored in the storage container 44 and the replenishment detection sensor of the discharge path 49. 50 is discharged to the rotating disk main body 46. Of the five holes 54 formed in the rotating plate 45, the medals discharged to the rotating plate body 46 are rotated counterclockwise, for example, counterclockwise around the rotating shaft 53 by the motor 47 by the motor 47. When it is rotated to a predetermined position in a state where it is inserted into any one of the two, it is sent to the discharge path 48 by the guide pin 55. The medal sent to the discharge path 48 passes through the payout detection sensor 51 and is then discharged to the outlet 38 through the opening 56 on the front surface 26a of the housing 26.

  The counting unit 41 basically has the same structure as that of the payout unit 40 described above. The counting unit 41 includes a storage container 57 for storing medals, a rotating disk main body 59 having a rotating disk 58 (corresponding to a sending part), a motor 60 (corresponding to a driving part) for rotating the rotating disk 58, The collection path 43 has a discharge path 61 for discharging medals. The storage container 57 is integrally formed with a discharge path 62 for discharging medals to the rotating disk main body 59, and a loading detection sensor 63 is provided in the middle of the discharge path 62. In addition, a discharge detection sensor 64 (corresponding to a detection unit) is provided at an intermediate portion of the discharge path 61 connected to the recovery path 43 from the rotating disk main body 59.

  In the counting unit 41, when a player inserts a medal into the insertion port 39, the inserted medal is stored in the storage container 57 through the opening portion 65 of the front surface 26 a of the housing 26 and detection of the discharge path 62 being input. It passes through the sensor 63 and is discharged to the turntable body 59. Of the five holes 67 formed in the rotating disk 58, the medal discharged to the rotating disk body 59 is rotated counterclockwise, for example, counterclockwise around the rotating shaft 66 by the motor 60 by the motor 60. When it is rotated to a predetermined position in a state where it is inserted into any one of the two, it is sent to the discharge path 61 by the guide pin 68. The medal sent to the discharge path 61 passes through the discharge detection sensor 64 and is then discharged to the collection path 43 through the opening 69 on the back surface 26b of the housing 26. The medals discharged to the collection path 43 are discharged by the belt conveyor 70.

  FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing the electrical configuration of each counter unit 3. The control unit 71 (corresponding to counting start means, first period measuring means, second period measuring means, counting end means, counting stop means, and third period measuring means) is a micro having CPU 71a, ROM 71b, RAM 71c, and I / O 71d. It is configured by a computer and processes the bills inserted into the status display lamp 27, the operation unit 35, the remaining credit number display unit 36, the number of possessed balls display unit 37, and the bill insertion slot 28 (determines the type, number of sheets, and the like). ) The bill processing unit 72, the member ID and the number of balls stored in the member card inserted in the card insertion slot 29 are read out and updated, and the count recorded in the coin card inserted in the card insertion slot 29 A card processing unit 73, a payout unit 40, and a counting unit 41 are connected to read out and update the number of possessed balls and record the counted number of retained balls on a newly issued coin card. . In addition, other functional blocks including the control unit 71 (the banknote processing unit 72, the card processing unit 73, and the like) are housed inside the housing 26 together with the above-described dispensing unit 40 and counting unit 41. Specifically, although only the control unit 71 is shown in FIG. 2, the bill processing unit 72 is installed behind the bill insertion slot 28, and the card processing unit 73 is installed behind the card insertion slot 29.

  The controller 71 rents or pays out medals by outputting a drive command signal to the motor 47 of the payout unit 40. At this time, the replenishment detection sensor 50 outputs a detection signal to the control unit 71 every time a medal passes, and the control unit 71 inputs a detection signal from the replenishment detection sensor 50 to detect the lending or paying out of medals. To do. The payout detection sensor 51 outputs a detection signal to the control unit 71 every time a medal passes, and the control unit 71 receives the detection signal from the payout detection sensor 51 to be lent out or paid out. Detect the number of medals.

  Similarly, the control unit 71 counts medals inserted by the player by outputting a drive command signal to the motor 60 of the counting unit 41. At this time, the insertion detection sensor 63 outputs a detection signal to the control unit 71 every time a medal passes, and the control unit 71 detects the insertion of the medal by inputting the detection signal from the insertion detection sensor 63. The discharge detection sensor 64 outputs a detection signal to the control unit 71 every time a medal passes, and the control unit 71 detects the number of inserted medals by inputting the detection signal from the discharge detection sensor 64. To do.

Each unit counting device 3 executes the control program stored in advance by the control unit 71 to rent medals, count medals, pay out medals, and issue coin tickets.
(1) Lending of medals Four types of banknotes “Thousand-yen bills”, “2,000-yen bills”, “5,000-yen bills”, and “10,000-yen bills” can be accepted at the bill insertion slot 28. When the banknote is received at the banknote insertion slot 28, 50 medals are lent out by the payout unit 40. That is, for example, if the medal lending unit price is 20 yen, medals corresponding to 1000 yen are lent out. In this case, if a bill of “thousand-yen bills” is received at the bill insertion slot 28, 50 medals equivalent to 1000 yen are lent and the remaining credit number (amount not converted into medals) is 0 yen. If a bill of “5,000 yen bill” is received at the bill insertion slot 28, 50 medals corresponding to 1000 yen are lent out and the remaining credit number is stored as 4000 yen. A lending signal is output in one pulse every time five medals are lent. That is, when lending 50 medals corresponding to 1000 yen, a lending signal is output with 10 pulses. The number of lending signals × 5 corresponds to the number of rented medals, and a value obtained by multiplying the number of rented medals by the lending unit price corresponds to the sales amount. In a state where there is a remaining credit amount, every time the player presses the lending button 31, a 1000-yen medal is lent out by the payout unit 40, and the remaining credit number is updated.

(2) Counting of medals When the insertion detection sensor 63 detects a medal in response to the player inserting a medal into the insertion slot 39, the counting section 41 counts medals discharged from the insertion slot 39 to the counting section 41. (The rotating disk 58 is rotated to discharge the medal to the discharge detection sensor 64, and the discharged medal is detected). In response to the detection of the medal by the discharge detection sensor 64, the counted number of held balls obtained by subtracting the payout value paid out by the payout unit 40 from the count value counted by the counting unit 41 is counted up. The time after the discharge detection sensor 64 detects the last medal is measured, and when that time reaches 5 seconds, the turntable 58 is rotated in the reverse direction for 1 second, and further the turntable 58 is moved in the forward direction for 5 seconds. Rotate. Meanwhile, if the discharge detection sensor 64 does not detect a medal, the counting is finished. The reason why the turntable 58 is rotated in the reverse direction is to eliminate a clogged medal.

  The time from the start of counting (after the insertion detection sensor 63 first detects a medal) is measured, and when the time reaches 5 minutes, the counting is stopped. Thereafter, the time since the counting is stopped is measured, and when the time reaches 1 minute, the counting is restarted. Normally, the counting button 32 is lit in green, but the counting button 32 is lit in red during the period when counting is stopped. In addition, the condition for stopping the count is not limited to the above-described time, and a count value may be used. In other words, the counting may be stopped when the count value after the count starts reaches a predetermined value. Also, the time and the count value may be used together, and the condition that either the time reaches 5 minutes after the count starts or the count value after the count starts reaches a predetermined value. Once established, counting may be stopped. As described above, the counting is basically started automatically. However, if the medal is jammed (the rotation of the rotary disk 58 is stopped) or the insertion detection sensor 63 does not detect the medal, the player Starts counting when the count button 32 is pressed.

(3) Medal payout When the player presses the payout button 33, if the counted number of held balls is 50 or more, the payout unit 40 pays out medals in units of 50 within that range, and the counted number of held balls Is less than 50, all the medals less than 50 are paid out by the payout unit 40.

(4) Issuance of coin-ball ticket When the player presses the issuance button 34, the number of coins that have been counted is recorded on the coin-card, and the coin-card that records the number of coins that have been counted is issued from the card insertion slot 29. At the same time, a signal in which an ID unique to the issued coin-to-ball ticket (motivated ticket ID) is associated with the counted number of coins is output to the management device 7. However, if the counted number of possessed balls is less than a predetermined issuance lower limit number (a set value on the game hall side, for example, 50), no coin is issued. If the player presses the issue button 34 with a member card inserted, the stored ball information (the number of stored balls on the day) corresponding to the ID of the member card is updated regardless of the counted number of held balls. After that, a membership card is issued from the card insertion slot 29.

  Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing motor drive control processing performed by the control unit 71 in relation to the present invention in each of the counters 3. The control unit 71 periodically executes the motor drive control process at a predetermined period in a state where the power is supplied to each counter device 3.

  When starting the motor drive control process, the control unit 71 determines whether or not the insertion detection sensor 63 has detected a medal (a predetermined counting start condition is satisfied) and whether the discharge detection sensor 64 has detected a medal. It is determined whether or not (S1: S2). When the detection unit 63 receives a detection signal from the insertion detection sensor 63 and determines that the insertion detection sensor 63 has detected a medal (S1: YES), the control unit 71 outputs a drive command signal to the motor 60 of the counting unit 41. Is started (S3). In this case, the control unit 71 rotates the rotating disk 58 in the forward direction (for example, counterclockwise direction) by rotating the rotating shaft of the motor 60 in the forward direction. And the control part 71 starts an operation | movement of the 1st timer for measuring the time after the motor 60 starts a drive (S4). Further, when the control unit 71 inputs a detection signal from the discharge detection sensor 64 in response to the start of driving of the motor 60 and determines that the discharge detection sensor 64 has detected a medal (S2: YES), the control unit 71 discharges. A second timer for measuring the time since the detection sensor 64 last detected a medal is started (S5).

  When the controller 71 determines that the time measured by the second timer has reached 5 seconds after starting the operation of the second timer (S6: YES), the time measured by the second timer is 6 seconds. The rotating disc 58 is rotated in the reverse direction (for example, clockwise direction) by rotating the rotating shaft of the motor 60 in the reverse direction until it reaches (S7). Next, when the control unit 71 determines that the time measured by the second timer has reached 6 seconds (S8: YES), the rotation of the motor 60 is continued until the time measured by the second timer reaches 11 seconds. By rotating the shaft in the forward direction, the turntable 58 is rotated in the forward direction again (S9). That is, each counter device 3 rotates the turntable 58 in the forward direction for 5 seconds, rotates the turntable 58 in the reverse direction for 1 second, and rotates the turntable 58 in the forward direction for 5 seconds.

  If the controller 71 determines that the time measured by the second timer has reached 11 seconds (corresponding to the second predetermined period) (S10: YES), it stops outputting the drive command signal to the motor 60. Then, the driving of the motor 60 is stopped (S11).

  If the controller 71 determines that the time measured by the first timer has reached 5 minutes (corresponding to the first predetermined period) after starting the operation of the first timer (S12: YES), the drive command signal Output to the motor 60 is stopped, the driving of the motor 60 is stopped (S13), and the third timer for measuring the time after the motor 60 stops driving is started (S14). When the control unit 71 determines that the time measured by the third timer has reached 1 minute (corresponding to the third predetermined period) after starting the operation of the third timer (S15: YES), the drive command signal The output to the motor 60 is resumed, and the drive of the motor 60 is resumed (S16).

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in each counter device 3, when the period after the discharge detection sensor 64 last detects a medal reaches 11 seconds, which is the second predetermined period, the motor 60. Since the driving of the medals is stopped, the medal counting can be automatically terminated. On the other hand, when the period after starting the driving of the motor 60 reaches 5 minutes which is the first predetermined period,
Since the drive of the motor 60 is stopped even before the discharge detection sensor 64 reaches the second predetermined period of 11 seconds since the last detection of the medal, the motor 60 is overloaded. This can be suppressed. In particular, as shown in this embodiment, each of the counters 3 provided for each slot machine 2 is generally inferior in performance to the island edge counter, and the player can win a medal for a long time. Since there is a high possibility that the charging will continue over time, a remarkable effect can be obtained.

  In addition, when the driving of the motor 60 is stopped, the driving of the motor 60 is restarted when the period after the stop reaches the third predetermined period of 1 minute, so that an excessive load is applied to the motor 60. It is possible to efficiently count medals while suppressing the above.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be modified or expanded as follows.
The first predetermined period, the second predetermined period, and the third predetermined period may be values other than the exemplified 5 minutes, 11 seconds, and 1 minute. In addition, these periods may be, for example, times set as initial values by a manufacturer that manufactures each vehicle counter device 3, or may be times that can be arbitrarily set by a game hall manager. Moreover, the time which can be automatically changed according to the time zone of the same business day may be used. For example, in a time zone close to the closing time, for example, the player is highly likely to count medals. In this case, if the driving of the motor 60 is frequently stopped despite counting medals, Since it takes time to finish counting and the exit from the game hall is delayed, the first predetermined period, which is the period until the driving of the motor 60 is stopped, is normal (time period excluding the time period close to the closing time) The setting may be changed for a longer period of time, or the third predetermined period, which is a period until the driving of the motor 60 is restarted, may be changed to a setting shorter than usual (a time period excluding the time period close to the closing time) . Further, in consideration of the service life of the motor 60, the setting may be changed stepwise in accordance with the usage period of each counter 3 (the usage frequency of the motor 60, the number of working days since it was installed in the game hall, etc.). . That is, if the usage period of each counter device 3 is short, the first predetermined period is set to be long, while if the usage period of each counter device 3 is long, the first predetermined period is set to be short. good.

Although a mechanism for lending medals by accepting banknotes inserted by a player and a mechanism for paying medals by pressing a payout button 33 by a player have been exemplified as a payout unit 40, The structure provided separately may be sufficient.
The configuration in which the payout unit 40 and the counting unit 41 are accommodated in the same housing 26 is illustrated, but if the payout unit 40 and the counting unit 41 are provided for each slot machine 2, they are in separate housings. The structure accommodated may be sufficient.
The present invention may be applied not only to each counter device 3 provided for each slot machine 2 but also to an island edge counter device provided on a game island.
For example, a part of information processing performed by each counter device 3 may be performed by another device, such as the relay device 5 or the management device 7 measuring time using a timer. In other words, the medal counting device referred to in the present invention may include a broad concept including not only each counter counting device 3 but also the relay device 5 and the management device 7.

  In the drawings, 3 is a counter for each stand (medal counting device), 39 is a slot, 58 is a rotating disk (sending part), 60 is a motor (driving part), 61 is a discharge path, and 64 is a discharge detection sensor (detection part). , 71 is a control unit (count start means, first period measurement means, second period measurement means, count end means, count stop means, third period measurement means).

Claims (2)

A detection unit that detects a medal that passes through the discharge path, a driving unit that drives the transmission unit, and a detection unit that transmits the medals inserted into the insertion slot one by one to the discharge path; In the medal counting device for counting medals detected by the
Counting start means for starting driving of the drive unit in response to establishment of a predetermined counting start condition;
First period measuring means for measuring a period after the driving unit starts driving;
A second period measuring means for measuring a period since the detection unit last detected a medal;
Counting end means for stopping the driving of the drive unit on condition that the period measured by the second period measuring means has reached a second predetermined period;
When the period measured by the first period measuring unit reaches the first predetermined period, the driving unit is driven even before the period measured by the second period measuring unit reaches the second predetermined period. A medal counting device, comprising: a counting canceling means for canceling the counting. A third period measuring unit that measures a period after the stop when the counting stop unit stops driving the drive unit;
The counting start means restarts the driving of the drive unit when the predetermined counting start condition is satisfied when the period measured by the third period measuring means reaches a third predetermined period. Item 4. A medal counting device according to item 1.

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