JP2018068580A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine capable of preventing malfunction caused by impact of a contact-type switch.SOLUTION: The game machine includes a passage through which inserted game media pass, and a lever switch 17 that is rotatable about a rotational shaft 22. The lever switch 17 includes: a contact part 171 with which a game medium passing through the passage comes into contact; a detection object part 172 that displaces according to rotational turning of the lever switch 17 in association with the contact of the game medium with the contact part 171 and, the displacement of which is detected by detection means 23; and suppression means that, in a non-contact state where the game medium does not come into contact with the contact part 171, suppresses such an event that the lever switch 17 having received an impact from the outside rotationally turns and causes the detection object part 172 to displace. The suppression means includes a weight addition part 173 to which a weight is added, at a prescribed position for increasing a moment of inertia of the rotational member in the non-contact state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine that uses a game medium to play a game.

An example of this type of gaming machine is a slot machine.
The slot machine includes a game medium detection device such as a medal selector capable of detecting a medal as a game medium (see Patent Documents 1 and 2), and detects a medal inserted from the medal slot by the game medium detection device. The slot machine game can be played.

JP 2001-338320 A JP 2007-185343 A

  However, the gaming machine provided with such a conventional game medium detecting device has room for improvement.

  In order to achieve the above object, a gaming machine according to the present invention is a gaming machine provided with a detecting means for detecting an inserted gaming medium, and has a flow path through which the inserted gaming medium passes and a predetermined rotation axis. A pivoting member that is pivotable as a center, the pivoting member being in contact with a game medium that passes through the flow path, and the game medium that comes into contact with the contact part In a non-contact state in which the detected portion is displaced according to the rotation of the rotation member and the displacement is detected by the detection means and the game medium is not in contact with the contact portion, an external impact is applied. And a restraining means that restrains the pivoting member from rotating and the detected portion from being displaced. The restraining means is for increasing the moment of inertia in the non-contact state of the pivoting member. Includes a weight adding unit to which a weight is added at a predetermined position.

It is a schematic perspective view which shows the external appearance of a gaming machine. It is a schematic perspective view which shows the internal structure of a game machine. It is a block diagram which shows the control structure of a gaming machine. It is a figure which shows the external appearance of a medal selector, (a) is a whole perspective view when a cover member is closed, (b) is a whole perspective view when a cover member is open | released, (c) is a rear view. It is the perspective view of the medal selector main body which removed the cover member, (a) is the perspective view seen from the left diagonal, (b) is the perspective view seen from the right diagonal. It is a front view of a medal selector main part which shows a mode that a blocker displaces, (a) is a figure when a blocker is displaced to the prohibition form which prohibits passage of a medal, (b) is permission which a blocker allows passage of a medal The figure when displaced to form, (c) is an enlarged view of the step. It is a perspective view which shows a mode that a stopper displaces, (a) is a figure when displaced to the permissive form which permits passage of a medal, (b) is a figure when displaced to the prevention form which prevents passage of a medal. is there. It is a figure which shows a mode that a stopper displaces, (a) is a left view of the stopper which shows an allowable form, (b) is a left view of the stopper which shows a blocking form, (c) is AA of (a). Sectional drawing, (d) is an AA sectional view of (b). It is a left view when a stopper pinches | interposes a medal, (a) The figure of the stopper after improvement, (b) is the figure of the stopper before improvement. It is a perspective view which shows a mode that a lever switch is displaced, (a) is a figure which shows the form at the time of medal not passing, (b) is a figure which shows the form at the time of medal passage, (c) is pushed down by passage of a medal. FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of a lever switch, (a) is a figure after improvement, (b) is a figure before improvement. It is a figure which shows the positional relationship of a lever switch and a detection means, (a) is a figure which shows the state which the detection means has not detected the displacement of a to-be-detected part, (b) is a figure by which the detection means shows the displacement of a to-be-detected part. It is a figure which shows the detected state. It is a figure which shows the positional relationship of a lever switch and a control part, (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a front view. It is a figure which shows a mode that a lever switch is displaced, (a) is a figure before medal passage, (b) is a figure during medal passage.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a gaming machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  There are various types of gaming machines such as slot machines and pachinko machines. The case where the present invention is applied to a slot machine will be described with reference to FIGS.

[Slot machine body]
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the slot machine 1 according to the present embodiment includes a housing 1 b that includes a plurality of reels 41 a, 41 b, 41 c that are pivotally supported and is open on the front side, and a housing 1 b. The front door 1a covers the front side of the main body 7 so as to be openable and closable. Inside the main control unit 7 and the main control unit 7 are constituted by a microcomputer or the like, and a display 9a, a speaker 9b, and a lamp 9c. The sub-control unit 8 for controlling the notification means such as the above and necessary machines and devices are housed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the front door 1 a is a door body that is attached to the casing 1 b of the slot machine 1 through a hinge or the like so that it can be opened and closed, and the front door 1 a is provided with a plurality of operation sections related to game operations. Thus, the front portion of the slot machine 1 is configured.

  As the operation unit, for example, a medal slot 2 into which a medal, which is a disc-shaped game medium, is inserted, a bet button 2a for throwing a medal stored as credits in the machine into the game, and each reel 41a, 41b, 41c A start lever 3 for starting rotation and three stop buttons 5a, 5b, 5c for stopping the rotating reels 41a, 41b, 41c are provided.

Furthermore, the front door 1a is provided with a display window 2b on the upper side of each operation unit so that the symbols displayed on the reels 41a, 41b and 41c can be visually recognized.
Further, a display 9a such as a liquid crystal TV, a speaker 9b, and a lamp 9c such as an LED are provided on the front door 1a.

In the center of the housing 1b, a drum unit 4 including reels 41a, 41b, and 41c, a motor (not shown) that rotates each of the reels 41a, 41b, and 41c, a sensor that detects a rotation position, and the like is provided.
In addition, a medal payout device 6 for storing and paying out medals is provided at the lower part of the housing 1b. The medal payout device 6 is provided with a hopper 61 that functions as a storage unit for storing medals. The medal inserted through the medal slot 2 is detected by the medal selector 10 and guided to the hopper 61. It has become.

[Main control section]
The main control unit 7 includes a main board on which a control chip in which a main CPU, main ROM, main RAM, and the like are integrated, a board case that accommodates the main board, and the like. Based on the signal from the medal selector 10, the following slot machine game is advanced by controlling each device such as the drum unit 4 and the medal payout device 6.

Specifically, when a player inserts a medal from the medal insertion slot 2, the medal is detected by the medal selector 10 and a detection signal is input to the main control unit 7. Further, when the bet button 2 a is operated, the operation signal is input to the main control unit 7. The main control unit 7 monitors the number of medals that can be played based on whether or not these signals are input, and also monitors the operation of the start lever 3.
When the start lever 3 is operated when the number of medals is such that the game can be started, the main control unit 7 drives the drum unit 4 to perform control to rotate the reels 41a, 41b, and 41c.

  Further, the main control unit 7 selects from among a plurality of winning combinations (including a lost game combination) such as a bonus combination, a small combination, and a re-playing combination that are start combinations that shift to a bonus game when the start lever 3 is operated. An internal lottery is performed in which the game lottery result is determined in advance before the reel 41 is stopped, and the game is stopped with a combination of symbols corresponding to the lottery result based on the timing of pressing the stop buttons 5a, 5b, 5c. Then, stop control of the rotating reels 41a, 41b, 41c is performed.

  Further, the main control unit 7 determines a combination of symbols that are stopped and displayed on the reels 41a, 41b, and 41c, and controls to pay out a predetermined number of medals to the medal payout device 6 when the combination is a predetermined symbol. To pay out medals from the medal payout exit 6a.

  Further, in the slot machine 1, in the slot machine game as described above, the main control unit 7 performs a predetermined control signal at a predetermined game timing (for example, start lever operation, stop button operation, bonus game start, bonus winning selection, etc.). Is output to the sub-control unit 8, the sub-control unit 8 controls the notification means such as the display 9 a, the speaker 9 b, and the lamp 9 c based on the pre-stored effect program according to this control signal, It is designed to play games.

  The control signal output from the main control unit 7 to the sub control unit 8 is won as a result of the internal lottery in addition to the control signal indicating the progress of the game such as start lever operation, stop button operation, and bonus game start. There is a winning target signal indicating the lottery target (for example, a signal indicating the type of bonus combination [Big Bonus, Regular Bonus], the type of selected small role, the replaying role, the loser, etc.).

[Sub-control section]
The sub-control unit 8 is configured as a computer similarly to the main control unit 7, and performs predetermined display effects and sound effects by controlling the display 9a, the speaker 9b, the lamp 9c, and the like.
The sub-control unit 8 includes a sub-board on which an effect chip such as a sub CPU, sub-ROM, and sub-RAM is mounted, a board case for housing the sub-chip, and the sub CPU executes a program stored in the sub-ROM. By doing so, the display 9a is caused to perform a display effect in a predetermined display mode, predetermined sound data is output from the speaker 9b, and further, lighting control of the lamp 9c is performed.

The sub control unit 8 operates as follows based on a control signal from the main control unit 7.
For example, when the control signal indicating the winning of the bonus combination is received as the winning target signal indicating the lottery target that has been won as a result of the internal lottery from the main control unit 7, the display 9a is controlled to perform the display effect related to the bonus winning. . Further, after the transition to the bonus game, the lamp 9c blinks at a predetermined timing, and a predetermined sound effect such as a fanfare sound is output from the speaker 9b.

  The slot machine 1 of the present embodiment has the following characteristic configuration in the medal selector 10 that detects medals inserted from the medal slot 2 in addition to the configuration of such a normal slot machine. .

[Medal selector]
As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the medal selector 10 includes a main body 10a and a cover member 10b attached to the main body 10a so as to be openable and closable, and has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole. ing.
A medal inlet 19 a communicating with the medal insertion slot 2 is provided at the upper part of the medal selector 10, and medals inserted from the medal insertion slot 2 are taken into the medal selector 10 from the medal inlet 19 a.
Further, on the right side surface of the medal selector 10, a medal outlet 19b serving as an outlet for medals taken into the medal selector 10 is provided. The medal outlet 19b communicates with the medal inlet 19a in the medal selector 10, and the medals flowing in from the medal inlet 19a flow out of the medal outlet 19b through the medal selector 10. The medal that has flowed out from the medal outlet 19b is guided to the hopper 61 while being guided by a predetermined guiding path.
Further, the cover member 10b can be displaced between the closed state (FIG. 4A) and the open state (FIG. 4B) with the shaft 21 as a fulcrum. In the open state, a medal can be passed from the medal inlet 19a to the medal outlet 19b, and in the open state, the medal jammed in the medal selector 10 is discharged from below (Y direction in FIG. 6A). Forming an opening.

Here, a medal passage route in the medal selector 10 will be described with reference to FIGS.
The medal that flows in from the medal inlet 19a reaches the medal outlet 19b through the channel 111, the channel 112, the blocker 13, and the channel 113 in this order.
The flow path 111 is formed as a route through which the medals flow down substantially along the vertical direction, and the flow paths 112 and 113 and the blocker 13 are formed as routes through which the medals flow down along the slope.
The blocker 13 functions as a bridge spanned between the flow path 112 and the flow path 113, and supports medals passing therethrough from below.

However, the blocker 13 is controlled by a solenoid 12 provided on the back surface of the main body 10a (see FIG. 4C), and has a configuration in which the lower peripheral surface of the medal protrudes from the flow path so as to support the lower peripheral surface of the medal, and the lower peripheral surface of the medal. It is configured to be displaceable in such a manner that it cannot be supported and retracts into the flow path.
5 and 6 (b) show the form of the blocker 13 when the lower peripheral surface of the medal protrudes from the flow path so that the lower peripheral surface can be supported. FIG. 6 (a) shows the flow of the lower peripheral surface of the medal so that the lower peripheral surface cannot be supported. The form of the blocker 13 when retreating into the road is shown.
Due to such a displacement, in the state shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6B, the blocker 13 functions as a bridge that spans between the flow path 112 and the flow path 113, thereby flowing from the medal inlet 19 a. The medal can reach the medal outlet 19b. In the state shown in FIG. 6A, the medal is not supported by the blocker 13, that is, the inclined surface (rolling surface) is lost. It falls in the Y direction and is released from the medal selector 10 to the outside. The released medals are discharged out of the machine from the medal payout opening 6a.
In the following description, the form of the blocker 13 that protrudes from the flow path so as to be able to support the lower peripheral surface of the medal is an “allowable form” that allows the passage of the medal, and the lower peripheral surface of the medal cannot be supported in the flow path. The form of the blocker 13 that has moved backward is referred to as a “prohibited form” that prohibits passage of medals.

On such a medal passage route, there are provided a detecting means for detecting a medal flowing in from the medal entrance 19a, a selecting means for selecting the true / false of the medal based on the difference in size.
As detection means, there are provided footboard switches 14, 15 provided on the upstream side and the downstream side, an optical sensor 16, and a lever switch 17, respectively.
The tread board switches 14 and 15 and the lever switch 17 are contact type detection means for detecting the passage of medals when the medals directly contact them. The optical sensor 16 (photo interrupter) is, for example, from a light-transmitting state. This is a non-contact type detecting means for detecting the passage of medals based on a change to a light shielding state.
For example, when the passage of medals is detected in the order of the foot switch 14, the foot switch 15, the optical sensor 16, and the lever switch 17, these detection means are determined by the main control unit 7 to insert one medal, When the passage of medals is detected without following this order, it is determined that the medal is not inserted, but is determined to be abnormal.

As the selection means, a blocker 13, a guide plate 20, and a recess 20a are provided.
The guide plate 20 is configured to be able to support the upper peripheral side surface of the medal that is supported by the blocker 13 in the allowable form. However, the medals that can be supported are medals having a diameter larger than the diameter d1 shown in FIG. 6B, and medals having a diameter smaller than this and less than the prescribed size are not supported.
In addition, a recess 20 a formed as a depression is provided at the lower portion of the guide plate 20. Further, on the surface of the cover member 10b that faces the recess 20a, a biasing member (stepping plate) that biases the medal toward the recess 20a is provided (not shown).
With such a configuration, a medal that is not supported by the guide plate 20 is tilted toward the main body 10a side, that is, toward the recess 20a, thereby losing the support by the blocker 13, and dropping toward the Y direction. The medal selector 10 then discharges the outside to the detection means such as the foot switch 15 located downstream of the blocker 13.
In this way, the sorting means discharges medals having a diameter smaller than the diameter d1 from the medal selector 10, and only medals having a diameter larger than the diameter d1 can pass through the passage route. However, medals having a diameter larger than the diameter d1 also have an upper limit, and medals having a diameter larger than the opening width of the medal insertion slot 2 cannot be inserted into the medal insertion slot 2.

  Furthermore, on the medal passage route, in addition to the detection means and the selection means, the following characteristic configuration is provided.

[Step]
On the upstream side of the sorting means, a step d2 is provided for allowing the medals passing through the flow path 112 to fall freely.
As shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C, the step d2 is formed between the downstream end 112a of the flow path 112 and the blocker 13 in the allowable form. About 1 mm is provided.
If a smooth flow of medals is desired, it is preferable that there is no step, but it is provided for the following reasons.

If there is no level difference, the medal flowing down in the vicinity of the guide plate 20 flows down while the medal lower peripheral surface is in contact with the flow path 112 and the blocker 13 in the allowable form.
The medal is urged toward the concave portion 20a by the aforementioned urging member (not shown), but the medal lower peripheral surface is supported by the blocker 13, so that the medal flows down in a relatively stable posture. Become.
Such a medal reaches the flow path 113 before the balance is lost until it is tilted toward the concave portion 20a. Then, even though the diameter is smaller than the diameter d1, there is a medal that is not selected by the selecting means. The inconvenience of appearing will occur.
In order to prevent such inconvenience, in addition to urging the concave portion 20a by the urging member, it is necessary to further destabilize the posture of the medals that are flowing down and break the posture of the medals.
Therefore, in the present embodiment, the step d2 is provided on the upstream side of the sorting unit. Due to such a level difference d2, the flowing medal freely falls from the downstream end 112a of the flow path 112 to the blocker 13 in the allowable form.
During this free fall, i.e., in the state of floating in the air, the medal lower peripheral surface is not supported by the blocker 13, so that only the urging force toward the concave portion 20a by the urging member other than gravity is provided. It acts on the medal, and it is possible to forcibly generate the fall of the medal toward the concave portion 20a.
As a result, the function of selecting medals by the selecting means is effectively exhibited, and medals that are less than the prescribed size (diameter d1) are excluded from the medal selector 10.

Further, due to such a free fall, the medal that landed on the blocker 13 bounces due to the impact and loses its posture.
Also by this, the function of selecting medals is effectively exhibited, and medals less than a prescribed size (diameter d1) are excluded from the medal selector 10.

[S-shaped channel]
As shown in FIG. 6, the flow path 111 located upstream of the step d <b> 2 has a protrusion 111 a that protrudes toward the flow path so as to narrow the flow path, and retreats so as to widen the flow path downstream from this. An escape portion 111b is provided. Due to the combination of the projecting portion 111a and the escape portion 111b located on the downstream side, the medal flowing down the flow path 111 flows down along a substantially S-shaped trajectory.
Accordingly, the momentum of the medals flowing down the flow path 111 can be reduced until reaching the step d2, and the stability of the medals' posture is further impaired, so that the function of the selecting means is easily exhibited.

[stopper]
A stopper 18 is provided between the blocker 13 and the flow path 113.
The stopper 18 operates as a blocking means that can block the flow of medals passing through the flow paths 111 and 112 and the blocker 13 in the allowable form to the hopper 61.
Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the stopper 18 has a permissible configuration (FIG. 7A and FIG. 8A) that allows the medal to flow down to the hopper 61, and the medal hopper 61. It can be displaced into a blocking form (FIG. 7B, FIG. 8B) that can prevent the flow down to the bottom.

  Such a displacement of the stopper 18 is interlocked with the operation of the blocker 13, and when the blocker 13 is in an allowable form, that is, in a form in which the blocker 13 protrudes from the flow path so as to support the lower peripheral surface of the medal, FIG. As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8A, the stopper 18 is displaced into an allowable form in which the flow of the medal to the hopper 61 can be allowed, and the blocker 13 is in the prohibited form, that is, the blocker 13 is the lower peripheral surface of the medal. 7 (b) and FIG. 8 (b), the stopper 18 is displaced to a blocking configuration that can prevent the medal from flowing down to the hopper 61.

If such a stopper 18 is in an allowable form, the blocker 13 is also in an allowable form. Therefore, a medal that flows in from the medal inlet 19a passes through the flow path 111, the flow path 112, the blocker 13, the stopper 18, and the flow path 113. It is possible to arrive at the medal exit 19b through this order.
At this time, the passage of medals is sequentially detected in the order of the footboard switch 14, the footboard switch 15, the optical sensor 16, and the lever switch 17.
On the other hand, if the stopper 18 is in the blocking form, the blocker 13 is in the prohibited form, so that the medal that has flowed in from the medal inlet 19a cannot pass through the blocker 13 and falls in the Y direction. Is released from the medal selector 10 to the outside. At this time, the medal dropped in the Y direction cannot reach at least the lever switch 17, and therefore, it is not determined whether the medal has been inserted.

However, there are cases where medals exist on the blocker 13 while the blocker 13 is displaced from the permitted form to the prohibited form. Such a medal flows as it is due to the inertia of the flow even if the blocker 13 is no longer supported. Trying to move towards the road 113.
Such timing occurs when medals are continuously inserted from the medal slot 2.

For example, since the upper limit of credit medals is 50 medals, the 50th and 51st medals are inserted in succession, and the passage of the 50th medal is detected by, for example, the lever switch 17 (FIG. 14). (See (b)), the blocker 13 is controlled so as to be displaced from the allowed form to the prohibited form. At this timing, the 51st medal may be present on the blocker 13.
Thus, in the middle of the displacement of the blocker 13 from the permitted form to the prohibited form, there may be a medal on the blocker 13, and even if such a medal is no longer supported by the blocker 13, It tries to move toward the channel 113 as it is.

Further, in the middle of the displacement of the blocker 13 from the permitted form to the prohibited form, the main control unit 7 determines that the blocker 13 has already been displaced to the prohibited form, and the tread board switch 15, the optical sensor 16, and the lever switch 17 are used. Control to ignore medal detection.
Then, the 51st medal reaches the medal outlet 19b without being judged to be inserted, and is stored in the hopper 61. As a result, the player suffers a loss. .

In order to avoid such an event, a stopper 18 is provided on the downstream side of the blocker 13 and on the upstream side of the lever switch 17.
By providing the stopper 18 at this position, while the blocker 13 is displaced from the permitted form to the prohibited form, the medals present on the blocker 13 try to move toward the flow path 113 as they are. When the stopper 18 is displaced to the blocking form, the movement to the flow path 113 is blocked and the medal outlet 19b cannot be reached. As a result, the medal drops in the Y direction and is released to the outside from the medal selector 10 and at least until the lever switch 17 is reached, and is returned to the player from the medal payout opening 6b. No longer suffers from

By providing the stopper 18 in this way, a medal (51 that exists on the blocker 13) while the blocker 13 is displaced from the permitted form to the prohibited form (for example, the lever switch 17 is displaced after detecting the 50th medal). The first medal) can be discharged from the medal selector 10 to the outside. However, some medals with a slow flow-down speed (the 50th medal) may not pass through the stopper 18 (see FIG. 14B).
At such timing, the stopper 18 is in the process of being displaced from the allowable form shown in FIG. 8A to the blocking form shown in FIG. 8B, and is displaced from the allowable form to the blocking form while narrowing the channel width. Therefore, at that time, as shown in FIG. 9, the stopper 18 may pinch the medal M (the 50th medal) between the tread plate 15.
If such pinching occurs, the medal M stops on the spot and a “medal clogging” occurs, which may hinder the progress of the slot machine game.
Therefore, even if such pinching occurs, the following characteristic configuration is provided so that the medal M is released from pinching due to the inertia and its own weight during the flow.

In the stopper 18, a facing surface 181 that faces the sandwiched medal is a part that abuts the medal. The shape of the facing surface 181 is characteristic.
FIG. 9B shows the stopper 18 before the shape of the facing surface 181 is improved. In this stopper 18, the upper end portion 181a of the facing surface 181 is a portion that comes into contact with the medal.
On the other hand, FIG. 9A shows the stopper 18 after the shape of the facing surface 181 is improved. In this stopper 18, the lower end portion 181b of the facing surface 181 is a portion that abuts against the medal.
That is, the stopper 18 has a different contact position in the medal before and after the improvement, and the shape of the stopper 18 is closer to the center of the medal before the improvement. The shape has been improved to touch.
As described below, this improvement is achieved by causing the medal to flow down by inertia and its own weight without completely stopping the inertia of the medal that is about to flow down while being sandwiched between the stoppers 18, and at least the stopper This is to prevent the occurrence of “medal clogging” due to 18 pinching.

This is because if the force by which the stopper 18 sandwiches the medal is a braking force for stopping the medal, if the braking force is the same, it is applied to the peripheral portion of the medal rather than to the central portion of the medal. However, this is because the effect as a braking force is low.
In other words, if the point of action of the braking force is set near the center of gravity of the medal, that force will act on the entire medal, effectively acting as a force to stop the medal, This is because, when set as a point, the force does not act on the entire medal, so that the effect as a braking force is weakened rather than acting on the center of gravity.
That is, the medal sandwiched by the stopper 18 is an event that occurs very rarely, such as when there are some medals with a slow flow-down speed while the blocker 13 is being displaced from the allowed form to the prohibited form. The improved stopper 18 does not deteriorate the original function as a blocking means, but applies a minimum braking force to the medal so that this pinching does not develop into “medal clogging”.

Furthermore, in order to prevent the pinching by the stopper 18, as described above, not only the shape of the facing surface 181 is improved, but also an inclined surface (rolling surface) where medals flow has the following characteristics.
FIG. 8C is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the stopper 18 in the allowable form. As can be seen from FIG. 8C, the gap between the blocker 13 (first flow path) and the flow path 113 in the allowable form is shown. , The inclination (gradient) of the flow path is changed.
In particular, the top surface 180 of the stopper 18 functions as a rolling surface of a medal, that is, a game medium (medal) passage portion (a part of the second flow path) through which the medal passes. Starting from the end portion 180a, the rolling surface has a steep slope (steep slope) by an angle α.
Further, the top surface 240 of the fixing member 24 on the downstream side of the stopper 18 and between the stopper 18 and the lever switch 17 is also a rolling surface of the medal, that is, a game medium (medal) passing portion through which the medal passes. However, the top surface 240 is also located on the extended line of the top surface 180 and has the same gradient as the top surface 180 (see FIGS. 10A and 10B).
That is, the rolling surface formed by the top surface 180 and the top surface 240 is steeper than the blocker 13 in the allowable form. That is, the top surface 180 and the top surface 240 (second flow path) are steeper than the blocker 13 (first flow path), and the stopper 18 has a flow path (second flow) on the side with a steep slope. And is located at the changing point of the gradient.

With such a configuration, since the medal acceleration increases from the change point of the gradient and the passing medal gains momentum, it becomes difficult for the stopper 18 to pinch the medal, and pinching can be effectively prevented.
Even if the stopper 18 is sandwiched, the top surface 180 of the stopper 18 is positioned on the slope change point. Therefore, the sandwiched medal is not satisfactorily and lacks stability. Will be promoted.
In the present embodiment, the stopper 18 is disposed at the change point of the gradient. However, the stopper 18 may be provided in the flow path (second flow path) on the downstream side of the change point. Thereby, when passing the stopper 18, the acceleration of the passing medal increases and the passing medal gains momentum, so that it is possible to prevent the jamming.
In order to prevent the pinching, in addition to the improvement in the shape of the facing surface 181 and the change in the gradient, it is preferable to make adjustments such as reducing the constant of the spring for biasing the stopper 18 toward the blocking form.

[Lever switch]
The detection means provided on the most downstream side among the foot switch 14, the foot switch 15, the optical sensor 16, and the lever switch 17 is the lever switch 17.
The lever switch 17 is displaced in the form as shown in FIG.
FIG. 10A shows a form of the lever switch 17 in a no-load state. At this time, the lever switch 17 protrudes upward from the flow path 113 to block the passage of medals.
FIG. 10B shows a form when the medal M is pushed down by the peripheral surface and receives the weight of the medal M, as shown in FIG. The medal is allowed to pass through.
Then, the passage of the medal is detected by the displacement of the lever switch 17 from the configuration shown in FIG. 10A to the configuration shown in FIG. Here, the mechanism of medal passage detection by the lever switch 17 will be described.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the lever switch 17, and FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the positional relationship between the lever switch 17 and the detection means.
The lever switch 17 is an example of a rotating member, and a bearing 170 that is pivotally supported by the rotating shaft 22, a contact portion 171 that contacts the passing medal and is pushed down by the passing medal, and according to the rotation of the lever switch 17. And a detected portion 172 whose displacement is detected by the optical sensor 23.
FIG. 11 shows the lever switch 17 in a no-load state. The lever switch 17 is rotated in the A direction when the contact portion 171 is pushed down by the passing medal. In addition, although not particularly illustrated, the lever switch 17 is urged by a biasing means such as a spring, and when released from the weight due to the passing medal, the lever switch 17 is restored to the unloaded posture.

The optical sensor 23 is a photointerrupter having a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit that receives light from the light emitting unit. When the light from the light emitting unit is blocked by the detected unit 172, the lever switch 17 is in an unloaded state. When the detected part 172 is displaced to a position where the light receiving part can detect light from the light emitting part, the contact part 171 is pushed down in the A direction by the passing medal. Is detected (FIG. 12B).
That is, the optical sensor 23 detects the passage of medals from a change from light blocking to light passing.

The lever switch 17 for detecting a passing medal with such a configuration has the following disadvantages due to its structural characteristics.
Specifically, when an impact or vibration is applied to the medal selector 10 directly or indirectly from the outside, the lever switch 17 is displaced in the A direction, and the medal is not passed though the medal has not actually passed. There was a case where a malfunction of detecting the passage of the camera occurred.
As an example of an act of giving such an impact or vibration, for example, an action in which a player strikes the slot machine 1 to apply an impact, or an unauthorized person invades a foreign object through a gap between the front door 1a and the housing 1b. There is an act of directly vibrating the medal selector 10.
As a countermeasure against such a malfunction, although an improvement is expected by changing the constant of the spring for biasing the lever switch 17 to the no-load state, if the spring constant is increased too much, the lever switch 17 in the no-load state Since the form is such that the passage of medals is blocked, there is a possibility that new adverse effects such as clogging of medals may occur.
Therefore, the following characteristic configuration is provided so that the lever switch 17 does not rotate in the A direction even when an impact or vibration is applied from the outside.

The lever switch 17 is displaced from an unloaded state to a form pushed down by receiving the weight of the passing medal, that is, displaced in the A direction, and thus performs a so-called seesaw-like operation.
Therefore, an improvement was made to adjust the position of the center of gravity of the lever switch 17 so as to increase the moment of inertia in the unloaded state.

FIG. 11 (b) shows the lever switch 17 before improvement, and FIG. 11 (a) shows the lever switch 17 after improvement.
Comparing these, it can be seen that the improved lever switch 17 includes a weight adding portion 173 that does not exist before the improvement.
This weight adding portion 173 operates as an example of a restraining means, and is the lowermost end portion in the gravity direction of the lever switch 17, and holds the bearing 170 so as to maintain a weight balance with the contact portion 171. It is provided on the opposite side of the contact portion 171.
That is, in the lever switch 17 after improvement, the position of the center of gravity of the lever switch 17 is brought closer to the bearing 170 side than before the improvement, and is brought closer to the lower side of the bearing 170 along the action direction of gravity.

The reason for this improvement is that the lever switch 17 operates in the same manner as a so-called pendulum, in which the lever switch 17 rotates along the vertical direction, so that the center of gravity is located further downward along the vertical direction from the bearing 170. This is because the moment of inertia in the no-load state increases, and it becomes difficult to rotate even if it receives an impact from the outside, and tries to maintain a stationary state.
As a result, the lever switch 17 is not displaced in the A direction due to an impact or vibration from the outside, and the medals are not actually passing (the contact portion 171 is in a non-contact state). A malfunction of detecting passage of medals is prevented.

  Further, not only the position of the center of gravity is adjusted so that the lever switch 17 does not rotate in the direction A even when an impact is applied from the outside, but instead of or in addition to this, the lever switch 17 is pushed down by the impact. It is preferable to provide a restricting portion for restricting

FIG. 13 is a view showing the periphery of the lever switch 17, and as can be seen, a convex portion 113 a is provided on the wall portion on the channel 113 side located on the right side of the lever switch 17.
This convex portion 113a operates as a restricting portion which is an example of a restraining means, and protrudes from the wall portion on the flow path 113 side toward the lever switch 17 so as to prevent the lever switch 17 from rotating in the A direction ( It is protruding).
In the case of the medal selector 10 according to the present embodiment, the lever switch 17 tends to move in the X direction shown in FIG. The convex portion 113a is provided on the wall portion.

By providing such a convex portion 113a, even if the medal selector 10 receives an impact from the outside and the lever switch 17 tries to rotate in the A direction, it moves in the X direction by this impact. Therefore, the rotation in the A direction is restricted.
As a result, the lever switch 17 is not displaced in the A direction due to an impact or vibration from the outside, and the medals are not actually passing (the contact portion 171 is in a non-contact state). A malfunction of detecting the passage of medals is prevented.
Further, even when an illegal act of intruding a foreign object such as a wire from the medal slot 2 toward the flow path 113 is performed, the lever switch 17 is pushed in the X direction by such a foreign object. Even if the switch 17 is to be rotated in the A direction, the rotation in the A direction is restricted by the convex portion 113a.

It should be noted that the lever switch 17 is minimally moved in the X direction when it is pushed down due to the actual passing of the medal, that is, when it is displaced from the no-load state shown in FIG. 14A to the pushed state shown in FIG. Therefore, the rotation in the A direction is not restricted by the convex portion 113a.
In the case of the medal selector 10 according to the present embodiment, the lever switch 17 tends to move in the X direction when an impact is applied from the outside. Therefore, the wall portion on the channel 113 side located on the right side of the lever switch 17. However, when the lever switch 17 tends to move in the direction opposite to the X direction, the convex portion 113a is provided on the wall portion on the blocker 13 side located on the left side of the lever switch 17. Is preferred.

As described above, the slot machine 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention exhibits the following effects.
For example, the blocker 13 and the flow path (top surfaces 180 and 240) with a steeper slope than this are provided, and the stopper 18 is provided in the flow path (top surfaces 180 and 240). Since the acceleration of the passing medal increases from the (top surfaces 180 and 240) and gains momentum, the medal is prevented from being caught by the stopper 18.
Further, by providing the stopper 18 at the boundary between the blocker 13 and the flow path (top surfaces 180 and 240), the stability of the medal located on the stopper 18 can be impaired, so that the medal of the medal by the stopper 18 is suppressed. Is done.

Even if an impact or vibration is applied to the medal selector 10 directly or indirectly from the outside, the rotation is hindered by the moment of inertia of the lever switch 17, so that no medal actually passes. Nevertheless, the malfunction of detecting the passage of medals is prevented.
Further, by providing a restricting portion for restricting rotation at a position corresponding to the behavior of the lever switch 17 due to impact, vibration, intrusion of foreign matter, etc., malfunction is effectively prevented.

  On the other hand, for example, the gaming machine described in Patent Document 1 is provided with a stopper for preventing the swallowing of medals flowing after the 50th credit, which is the upper limit of the credit. After detecting the medal, if the stopper is displaced to the blocking form after the medal has passed through the flow path, the 51st medal cannot be prevented from flowing down by the stopper, and the 51st medal is swallowed. There was a risk of being lost. Therefore, it is conceivable that the stopper starts to be displaced to the blocking form immediately after the 50th medal is detected, but then the stopper and the 50th medal come into contact with each other, hindering the flow of the 50th medal and blocking the medal. Could occur.

  For example, a gaming machine described in Patent Document 2 discloses a medal storage detection lever that is pushed down by a medal and detects the passage of a medal, like the lever switch 17 of the present embodiment. It is desirable for such a medal storage detection lever to reduce the pressing resistance so that the medal does not stay at the time of medal detection. However, if the pressing resistance is reduced, the impact, vibration, etc. of the player hitting the gaming machine are easily transmitted to the medal storage detection lever, and the rotating member constituting the medal storage detection lever rotates and malfunctions. There was a risk of it.

  According to the slot machine 1 of the present embodiment, it is possible to solve all or part of such problems that the conventional gaming machine should improve.

  The preferred embodiment of the gaming machine of the present invention has been described above, but the gaming machine according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. Needless to say.

  For example, the stopper 18 of the present embodiment is displaced so as to fall down from the cover member 10b side toward the footplate switch 15 side when displaced from the allowable form to the blocking form, but on the contrary, on the footboard switch 15 side. It is also possible to change the configuration of the stopper 18 so as to be displaced so as to fall down toward the cover member 10b.

Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9A, the lower end 181b of the facing surface 181 contacts the peripheral edge of the medal at the stopper 18, but the contact position is further below the medal. It can also be adjusted so that it touches the edge or corner of the medal.
Further, when executing the displacement control from the allowable form of the stopper 18 to the blocking form, the displacement control is executed in the interrupt process of the next step in which the passage of the 50th medal is detected in the control program. It is preferable to minimize the idle time between processes.
In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to a slot machine, but can also be applied to a pachinko machine. A medal is used as a game medium, but a game ball may be used as a game medium.

1 slot machine (game machine)
6 Medal dispensing device 61 Hopper (storage part)
10 medal selector 111-113 channel 113a convex part (suppression means)
13 Blocker (sorting means, first flow path)
17 Lever switch (rotating member)
171 Contact part 172 Detected part 173 Weight addition part (suppression means)
18 Stopper (blocking means)
180 Top surface (second flow path, medal passage)
20 Guide plate (sorting means)
20a Concave part (sorting means)
22 Rotating shaft

Claims (5)

In a gaming machine provided with a detecting means for detecting an inserted gaming medium,
A flow path through which the inserted game medium passes;
A rotation member that can rotate around a predetermined rotation axis;
With
The rotating member is
A contact portion with which the game medium passing through the flow path contacts;
A detected portion that is displaced according to the rotation of the rotating member accompanying the contact of the game medium with the contact portion, and the displacement is detected by the detecting means;
In a non-contact state in which the game medium is not in contact with the contact portion, a suppressing means for suppressing the rotation of the rotating member due to an external impact and displacement of the detected portion;
With
The gaming machine is characterized in that the suppressing means includes a weight adding portion to which a weight is added at a predetermined position in order to increase the moment of inertia in the non-contact state of the rotating member. In a gaming machine provided with a detecting means for detecting an inserted gaming medium,
A flow path through which the inserted game medium passes;
A rotation member that can rotate around a predetermined rotation axis;
With
The rotating member is
A contact portion with which the game medium passing through the flow path contacts;
A detected portion that is displaced according to the rotation of the rotating member accompanying the contact of the game medium with the contact portion, and the displacement is detected by the detecting means;
In a non-contact state in which the game medium is not in contact with the contact portion, a suppressing means for suppressing the rotation of the rotating member due to an external impact and displacement of the detected portion;
With
The suppressing means includes a restricting portion that protrudes from a wall portion located on a side of the turning member and restricts turning of the turning member in a predetermined direction. To play. In a gaming machine provided with a detecting means for detecting an inserted gaming medium,
A flow path through which the inserted game medium passes;
A rotation member that can rotate around a predetermined rotation axis;
With
The rotating member is
A contact portion with which the game medium passing through the flow path contacts;
A detected portion that is displaced according to the rotation of the rotating member accompanying the contact of the game medium with the contact portion, and the displacement is detected by the detecting means;
In a non-contact state in which the game medium is not in contact with the contact portion, a suppressing means for suppressing the rotation of the rotating member due to an external impact and displacement of the detected portion;
With
The suppression means is
A weight adding portion to which a weight is added at a predetermined position in order to increase the moment of inertia in the non-contact state of the rotating member;
A game machine characterized by including a restricting portion that protrudes from a wall portion located on a side of the turning member and restricts turning of the turning member in a predetermined direction. . The said regulation part regulates the rotation performed with the movement along the said rotation axis which goes to the said wall part of the said rotation member which received the impact from the outside. Game machines. Sorting means for sorting the true / false of game media passing through the flow path based on the difference in size, and for guiding game media less than a prescribed size to the outside of the flow path before reaching the contact portion Prepared,
The gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the flow path includes a step for allowing the game medium passing through the flow path to freely fall on the upstream side of the sorting unit. .

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