JP2022084106A - Prize put-out device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a miniaturizable prize put-out device.SOLUTION: A prize put-out device 1 includes a device body 3 provided with a put-out port 13B of a prize P, a storage part provided in the device body 3, for storing the prize P, multiple delivery parts 42 provided in the device body 3, for delivering the prize P from the storage part, and a common move part 54 to the multiple delivery parts 42. The move part 54 receives each prize P delivered respectively by the multiple delivery parts 42, and moves them up to the put-out port 13B.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

The present invention relates to a prize payout device.

As an example of the prize payout device, Patent Document 1 below discloses a prize payout machine installed in a game store such as a pachinko parlor. The prize payer includes a plurality of storage units arranged in the left-right direction and a box-shaped main body for accommodating these storage units. Each storage unit stores prizes that are exchanged for game media such as pachinko balls. Each storage unit includes a payout unit for paying out prizes and a payout unit on which prizes paid out by the payout unit are placed. The top plate of the main body is provided with a plurality of openings arranged in the left-right direction, and one corresponding storage unit is arranged directly below each opening. In the storage section, when the prize paid out by the payout section is placed on the payout section, the payout section is raised and the prize on the payout section is exposed from the opening corresponding to this storage section. The player can take out the prize from the opening.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2020-25822

Miniaturization of the prize payout device is always desired, and measures for miniaturization are taken even in the article payout machine of Patent Document 1. However, in this article payout machine, there are a plurality of openings on the top surface of the main body for paying out prizes according to each storage section, and a payout section for transporting the delivered prizes to the openings is provided for each storage section. Therefore, there is a limit to miniaturization.

The present invention has been made in such a background, and an object of the present invention is to provide a prize payout device capable of miniaturization.

The present invention has a device main body provided with a prize payout port, a storage unit provided in the device main body for storing prizes, and a plurality of payouts provided in the device main body and paying out prizes from the storage unit. It is a prize payout device including a unit and a moving unit that is common to the plurality of payout units and that receives a prize delivered by each of the plurality of payout units and moves to the payout exit.

Further, in the present invention, the plurality of feeding portions are arranged in the vertical direction, the moving portion can be moved up and down, and after the moving portion receives a prize from each of the plurality of feeding portions, the present invention is performed. It is characterized by rising to the payout exit.

Further, in the present invention, a plurality of the storage units are provided for each of the feeding units, and the feeding unit and the plurality of corresponding storage units form one feeding unit, and the plurality of feeding units are present. However, in each of the feeding units, a plurality of the storage units can be moved around, and the feeding unit is located between the feeding position where the prize is paid out from one storage unit and the retracting position retracted from the feeding position. In the other payout unit, the payout unit is movable until the moving part moves to the payout part of any of the payout units and finishes receiving a prize from the payout unit. The payout outlet moves between the payout position and the retracted position, the plurality of storage portions move around, and the moving portion receives a prize from the payout portion of the other payout unit. It is characterized by rising to.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that the device main body is formed with an opening for pulling out the payout unit, and the prize payout device includes a door to which the moving portion is integrated and opens and closes the opening. do.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that only one payout port is provided.

According to the present invention, in the prize payout device, inside the main body of the device provided with the prize payout outlet, a plurality of payout portions can pay out the prize from the storage portion. Then, a moving unit common to these payout units receives the prize delivered by each payout unit, moves to the payout exit, and pays out the prize to the payout exit. Therefore, by providing a moving unit for each feeding unit, it is possible to reduce the size of the prize payout device as compared with the case where a large number of moving units exist.

Further, according to the present invention, since a plurality of feeding portions are arranged in the vertical direction, it is possible to reduce the size of the prize payout device in the horizontal direction. Then, the moving portion can be raised and lowered, and after receiving a prize from each of the plurality of feeding portions, the moving portion ascends to reach the payout exit, so that the moving locus of the moving portion can be traced in the vertical direction. This makes it possible to further reduce the size of the prize payout device in the horizontal direction.

Further, according to the present invention, the prize payout device has a plurality of payout units corresponding to a plurality of payout units, and each payout unit is composed of a payout unit and a plurality of storage units. In each feeding unit, the feeding section when in the feeding position can pay out prizes from one storage section in a plurality of storage sections, and when the feeding section is in the evacuation position, the plurality of storing sections move around. be able to. Therefore, when the payout part that has paid out the prize from one storage part moves from the payout position to the retracted position, the plurality of storage parts move around, and then the payout part returns to the payout position, the payout part becomes another one. Prizes can be paid out from one storage section.
In such a configuration, in the other feeding unit, the feeding unit is in the feeding position and the retracting position until the moving unit moves to the feeding part of one of the feeding units and finishes receiving the prize from the feeding unit. Moves between and, and multiple storage units move around. Then, after receiving the prize from the payout unit of the other payout unit, the moving unit ascends to the payout exit and pays out the prize received so far to the payout exit. In other words, when paying out prizes from multiple payout units at once, the time until the moving unit moves to the payout unit of the payout unit and finishes receiving the prize from the payout unit is effectively used for other prizes. Since the payout unit prepares for paying out the prize, it is possible to shorten the time until all the prizes are paid out to the payout port.

Further, according to the present invention, the prize payout device includes a door that opens and closes an opening for pulling out the payout unit in the device main body. Since the moving part is integrated in this door, the prize payout device can be further miniaturized.

Further, according to the present invention, since the device main body is provided with only one payout outlet, the prize payout device can be downsized as compared with the case where a plurality of payout outlets are provided.

It is a schematic perspective view of the prize payout device which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the return box used for a prize payout device. It is a schematic right side view of the inside of the device main body of the prize payout device. It is a block diagram which shows the electric structure of a prize payout device. It is a schematic perspective view of the prize payout device with the door open. It is a schematic perspective view of the prize payout device in the state which the storage unit is pulled out for the replenishment process. It is a schematic right side view of the inside of the apparatus main body in the state which the storage unit was pulled out for the replenishment process. It is a schematic right side view of the inside of the apparatus main body at the time of a counting identification process. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a region B surrounded by a two-dot chain line in FIG. It is a schematic right side view of the inside of the apparatus main body at the time of a payout process. It is a schematic right side view of the payout part in the apparatus main body at the time of payout withdrawal processing. It is a schematic right side view of a feeding part. It is a schematic right side view of a feeding part. It is a schematic right side view of the inside of the apparatus main body at the time of a payout process. It is a schematic right side view of the inside of the apparatus main body at the time of a payout process. It is a schematic right side view of the inside of the apparatus main body at the time of a payout process. It is a figure which shows the 1st example of the payout pattern of the prize to be paid out by the payout payout process. It is a figure which shows the 2nd example of the payout pattern of a prize. It is a figure which shows the 3rd example of a prize payout pattern. It is a figure which shows the 4th example of a prize payout pattern. It is a figure which shows the 5th example of a prize payout pattern. It is a figure which shows the sixth example of the payout pattern of a prize. It is a figure which shows the 7th example of a prize payout pattern. It is a figure which shows the 8th example of the payout pattern of a prize. It is a figure which shows the 9th example of a prize payout pattern. It is a conceptual diagram of a game system including a prize payout device. It is a flowchart which shows the process in a game system when a prize is forgotten to be taken.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a prize payout device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The prize payout device 1 is installed in a game store such as a pachinko parlor. The prize payout device 1 includes a terminal unit 2 forming an upper portion thereof and a device main body 3 arranged below the terminal unit 2.

The terminal unit 2 is a POS terminal mainly having a management function for inventory data and the like of a prize P called a special prize. A display operation unit 4 configured by, for example, a liquid crystal touch panel is provided in the front area of the terminal unit 2. The display operation unit 4 may be divided into a display unit and an operation unit. In the front area of the terminal unit 2, a card entrance / exit 2A into which a card issued from a game store to a player is taken in and out, and a receipt issuing port 2B in which a receipt is issued are formed. The card is associated with the number of gaming media such as pachinko balls acquired by the player through the game. The card may also be associated with a prepaid value that is exchanged for the game medium to start or continue the game.

An example of the prize P is a card having a thickness of, for example, about several millimeters. In this embodiment, three types of prizes P, such as a grand prize, a middle prize, and a small prize, appear according to the monetary value, but an oversized prize having a higher monetary value than the grand prize may exist. The color of the surface of the prize P is different for each type of the prize P. As an example, the surface of the grand prize is red, the surface of the middle prize is blue, and the surface of the small prize is green. The prize P is distributed in the market in a state of being housed in the return box 5.

In this embodiment, the prize payout device 1 is a self-type in which the prize payout device 1 is arranged in an unmanned prize exchange corner in a game store, and the procedure for exchanging the prize P is performed by the player himself / herself. In this case, the player inputs the payout instruction of the prize P to the prize payout device 1 by inserting the card into the card doorway 2A of the terminal unit 2 and then operating the display operation unit 4. As a result, the apparatus main body 3 pays out the prize P of the type and the number (“number” in this embodiment) according to the payout instruction, and the terminal unit 2 updates the inventory data of the prize P. The player receives the card returned from the card entrance 2A and the prize P paid out from the device main body 3. In the following explanation, it is assumed that the prize payout device 1 is a self-type, but there is a clerk of a game store around the prize payout device 1, and this clerk once picks up the prize P from the prize payout device 1. After receiving it, it may be handed to the player.

The device main body 3 is a prize payout machine for paying out the prize P, and is also a prize storage machine having a function of storing the prize P. The apparatus main body 3 includes a box-shaped housing 11 forming an outer shell thereof, a plurality of feeding units 12 provided in the housing 11, and a door 13 supported by the housing 11.

The left-right direction of the paper surface of FIG. 1 coincides with the left-right direction X of the apparatus main body 3, and the direction substantially orthogonal to the paper surface of FIG. 1 coincides with the front-back direction Y of the apparatus main body 3, and the top and bottom of the paper surface of FIG. The direction coincides with the vertical direction Z of the apparatus main body 3. The left-right direction X and the front-back direction Y are included in the lateral direction. The left-right direction X includes the left side X1 and the right side X2, and the front-rear direction Y includes the front side Y1 corresponding to the front side of the paper surface of FIG. 1 and the rear side Y2 corresponding to the back side of the paper surface of FIG. The vertical direction Z includes the upper side Z1 and the lower side Z2. In the drawings in which the left-right direction X and the up-down direction Z are not shown in FIGS. 2 and 2, the left-right direction of the figure is the same as the left-right direction X, and the up-down direction of the figure is the same as the up-down direction Z (FIG. 27). Etc.).

The housing 11 is formed in a vertically long box shape. The housing 11 has a top wall 14, a bottom wall 15, a pair of left and right side walls 16, and a rear wall 17. Each of the top wall 14 and the bottom wall 15 has a rectangular plate shape. Each of the pair of side walls 16 has a rectangular plate shape long in the vertical direction Z, the side wall 16 of the left side X1 is erected between the left ends of the top wall 14 and the bottom wall 15, and the side wall 16 of the right side X2 is. It is erected between the right ends of the top wall 14 and the bottom wall 15. The rear wall 17 has a rectangular plate shape that is long in the vertical direction Z, and is erected between the rear ends of the top wall 14 and the bottom wall 15, and is also erected between the rear ends of the pair of side walls 16. An opening 11A bordered by the front ends of the top wall 14, the bottom wall 15, and the pair of side walls 16 is formed on the front surface of the housing 11 (see also FIG. 5). The opening 11A communicates with the internal space 11B of the housing 11.

The payout unit 12 passes through the prize P and stores the entire box 5. In this embodiment, the three feeding units 12 are arranged in the vertical direction Z in the internal space 11B of the housing 11. Each feeding unit 12 is slidably supported in the front-rear direction Y by each side wall 16 in the housing 11. As shown in FIG. 1, each feeding unit 12 in a state of being completely housed in the housing 11 is in a housed position in the front-rear direction Y. Each feeding unit 12 can be pulled out to a drawing position (see FIG. 6) on the front side Y1 from the accommodation position through the opening 11A of the housing 11. The housing 11 is provided with an electric unit lock mechanism 18 (see FIG. 4) that locks and unlocks each feeding unit 12 at the accommodation position. An electromagnetic lock or the like can be used as the unit lock mechanism 18.

Prior to explaining the feeding unit 12 in detail, the return box 5 will be described. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the return box 5. The returnable box 5 is formed in the shape of a box elongated in a predetermined direction, and is made of, for example, resin. The return box 5 integrally includes a pair of side walls 21 arranged to face each other, a plurality of partition walls 22 erected between the pair of side walls 21, and a bottom wall 23.

The pair of side walls 21 are formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape having a length in the longitudinal direction L of the return box 5, and are arranged in parallel so as to face each other along the respective plate thickness directions. The facing direction of the pair of side walls 21 is the lateral direction S orthogonal to the longitudinal direction L in the return box 5. Further, the depth direction D of the return box 5 is orthogonal to both the longitudinal direction L and the lateral direction S.

Six partition walls 22 are provided in this embodiment, and each partition wall 22 is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape having a plate thickness direction corresponding to the longitudinal direction L. A state in which two partition walls 22 are erected on a pair of side walls 21 between one end edge and the other end edge in the longitudinal direction L, and the remaining four partition walls 22 are arranged at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction L. It is erected between the middle portions of the pair of side walls 21. Therefore, in the return box 5, five substantially rectangular parallelepiped storage spaces 24 having the same size are formed side by side at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction L.

The bottom wall 23 has a plate thickness direction corresponding to the depth direction D, and is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape having a length in the longitudinal direction L. The bottom wall 23 is connected to each side wall 21 and each partition wall 22 from one side (lower side in FIG. 2) in the depth direction D, and closes each accommodation space 24 from the one side. In each accommodation space 24, the end portion on the other side (upper side in FIG. 2) in the depth direction D is opened to the other side as a substantially rectangular entrance / exit 25.

The return box 5 includes an opening 26 provided separately from the doorway 25. A pair of openings 26 are provided at the same position as each accommodation space 24 in the longitudinal direction L, and five pairs are provided in this embodiment. That is, the openings 26 are provided side by side at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction L by 5 on both sides of the return box 5 in the lateral direction S. The two openings 26 in each pair are located at the same position in the longitudinal direction L and are configured to be symmetrical with respect to the center of the return box 5 in the lateral direction S. Each opening 26 has a slit shape that exposes the accommodation space 24 to the outside, and while cutting out the end portion of the bottom wall 23 in the lateral direction S, the side wall 21 on the same side as the end portion in the lateral direction S. Is cut out along the depth direction D and extends linearly to the front of the doorway 25.

The posture of the return box 5 when the prize P is stored and distributed is a basic posture in which each entrance / exit 25 faces upward as shown in FIG. The prize P is accommodated in each accommodation space 24 via the doorway 25. Since the sizes of the storage spaces 24 are the same, the prizes P are stored in each storage space 24 by a predetermined number of prizes P, or 20 prizes in this embodiment. Therefore, the entire returnable box 5 can accommodate up to 100 prizes P. The plurality of prizes P are housed in each storage space 24 in a laminated state in a posture in which each plate thickness direction coincides with the lateral direction S and stands up from the bottom wall 23, and each prize P in that state has an entrance / exit. The part on the 25 side protrudes from the doorway 25. Further, in the accommodation space 24 in which the predetermined number of prizes P described above are accommodated (see the accommodation space 24 at the right end in FIG. 2), a part of the prizes P located at both ends of the lateral direction S is in the lateral direction S. It is exposed from the opening 26 on the same side in. The type of the plurality of prizes P accommodated in one return box 5 is any one of a grand prize, a middle prize, and a small prize in this embodiment, but the type of the prize P is different for each accommodation space 24. You may.

Next, the feeding unit 12 will be described in detail. FIG. 3 is a schematic right side view of the inside of the apparatus main body 3. In the following, among the three feeding units 12 arranged in the vertical direction Z, the lowest feeding unit 12 is referred to as "lower unit 12A", the middle feeding unit 12 is referred to as "middle unit 12B", and the highest feeding unit is referred to as "middle unit 12B". 12 is referred to as "upper unit 12C".

With reference to the lower unit 12A, each feeding unit 12 includes a box-shaped housing 31 forming its outer shell. On the upper surface of the housing 31, a substantially rectangular loading port 31A and a substantially rectangular plate-shaped door 31B for opening and closing the loading port 31A are provided. The door 31B is connected to the housing 31 via a hinge 31C provided at its front end, and is opened and closed by rotating around the hinge 31C. An opening 31D that exposes the internal space 31F of the housing 31 to the front side Y1 is formed in almost the entire front surface of the housing 31. A handle 31E is provided in the area of Z1 above the opening 31D on the front surface of the housing 31 (see FIG. 5).

In the internal space 31F of the housing 31 of each feeding unit 12, a pair of left and right transport bodies 32 and a plurality of (here, four) storage portions 33 are provided. Each carrier 32 is composed of an endless chain or belt, and has an annular shape, for example, a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the left-right direction X. By receiving the driving force of a driving unit such as a motor (not shown), the carrier 32 orbits in each of the clockwise and counterclockwise directions when viewed from the left-right direction X. The drive unit and the transport body 32 form a moving mechanism 34.

Each storage portion 33 has a tray shape long in the left-right direction X. The internal space of each storage portion 33 has a size that can just accommodate the returnable box 5 that is long in the left-right direction X. The storage unit 33 in the upward posture (see, for example, the storage unit 33 of the upper side Z1 in the lower unit 12A in FIG. 3) has an entrance / exit 33A whose upper surface is open over the entire area and cutouts on both front and rear walls. A slit-shaped opening (not shown) is formed. The same number of openings are formed in the front wall and the rear wall of the storage portion 33 at positions corresponding to the openings 26 (see FIG. 2) of the returnable box 5, and are arranged side by side in the left-right direction X.

Each storage unit 33 is loaded with one return box 5. As a result, the prize P in the return box 5 is stored in the storage unit 33 and also in the feeding unit 12. In the storage unit 33 loaded with the returnable box 5, the above-mentioned opening and the opening 26 of the returnable box 5 are aligned one by one. Further, in this embodiment, since the same type of prize P is stored in one return box 5, one storage unit 33 is loaded with the same type of prize P, and one feeding unit 12 is charged with the same type of prize P. The same type of prize P is stored. As an example, the lower unit 12A stores only the grand prize, the middle unit 12B stores only the middle prize, and the upper unit 12C stores only the small prize. Of course, in each feeding unit 12, the type of prize P may be different for each storage unit 33.

These storage portions 33 are erected between the transport bodies 32 in a state of being arranged in a ring shape along the circumferential direction R of the pair of left and right transport bodies 32. Therefore, when the left and right transport bodies 32 orbit around due to the operation of the movement mechanism 34, these storage portions 33 orbit around together with the transport body 32. The orbital movement of the carrier 32 and the storage unit 33 may be referred to as "rotary operation". Further, each storage portion 33 is rotatable around a rotation axis (not shown) extending in the left-right direction X at a connecting portion with the transport body 32.

Each feeding unit 12 has a first posture changing mechanism 35 that temporarily tilts the storage portion 33 located near the rear lower corner in the circumferential region of the transport body 32 to the rearward posture, and the circumferential region of the transport body 32. A second posture changing mechanism 36 is provided which temporarily tilts the storage portion 33 located near the lower front corner to the forward posture. Each of the first posture changing mechanism 35 and the second posture changing mechanism 36 is composed of a guide rail or the like. Although each storage unit 33 may be in a backward posture or a forward posture on the way, in principle, it orbits like a gondola while rotating so as to maintain the upward posture.

A detection unit 37 is arranged at the rear end of the internal space 31F of the housing 31 of each feeding unit 12. The detection unit 37 includes a detection unit 38 and a holder 39 that supports the detection unit 38. The detection unit 38 is a so-called color sensor, and is provided on the front surface of the holder 39. The detection unit 37 is supported by the rear wall 31G of the housing 31, and moves up and down by receiving a driving force of a driving unit (not shown) such as a stepping motor. At that time, the detection unit 38 detects the type and the number of prizes P in the returnable box 5 stored in the nearest storage unit 33. Details will be described later.

In the internal space 31F of the housing 31 of each feeding unit 12, a feeding mechanism 41 is provided in a region of Z2 below the transport body 32 and the storage portion 33. The payout mechanism 41 includes a payout unit 42 that pays out the prize P from the storage unit 33. Since there are a plurality of payout units 12 (three in this embodiment), there are also a plurality of payout units 42 in the entire prize payout device 1. Since these feeding units 12 are arranged in the vertical direction Z, a plurality of feeding portions 42 are also arranged in the vertical direction Z. With such a configuration, it is possible to reduce the size of the prize payout device 1 in the horizontal direction. Further, in each feeding unit 12, a plurality of storage units 33 (four in this embodiment) are provided for each feeding unit 42, and the feeding unit 42 and the corresponding four storage units 33 are one feeding unit 12. Consists of. In each feeding unit 12, the feeding portion 42 provided in the feeding mechanism 41 is only one in this embodiment, but a plurality of feeding portions 42 may be provided side by side in the left-right direction X.

The feeding portion 42 includes an endless feeding belt 43 forming an annular shape of a substantially triangular shape when viewed from the left-right direction X, a roller 44 arranged inside the feeding belt 43 at each apex portion of the substantially triangular shape, and, for example, urethane. A feeding roller 45 having an outer peripheral surface made of the above, and an opposing roller 46 facing the feeding roller 45 are included. These rollers are rollers having a central axis extending in the left-right direction X. A claw-shaped extruded piece 43A is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the feeding belt 43 so as to project. Although only one extruded piece 43A is provided in this embodiment, a plurality of extruded pieces 43A may be provided side by side at equal intervals. The feeding belt 43 orbits when at least one of the rollers 44 is driven and rotated by a driving unit such as a motor (a first driving unit 83 described later, see FIG. 12). The feeding roller 45 is driven and rotated by the driving unit. That is, the feeding belt 43 and the feeding roller 45 are interlocked by the driving force of the same driving unit.

The entire feeding mechanism 41 receives a driving force of a driving unit (not shown) such as a motor, so that a rotating shaft (not shown) located directly above the feeding roller 45 between the feeding position and the retracting position. ) It can rotate around. When the feeding mechanism 41 is in the feeding position, the feeding section 42 is also in the feeding position, and when the feeding mechanism 41 is in the retracting position, the feeding section 42 is also in the retracting position. That is, the feeding unit 42 can move between the feeding position and the retracting position according to the rotation of the feeding mechanism 41. In the feeding portion 42 at the feeding position, as shown in FIG. 3, the feeding belt 43 is located on the rear side Y2 of the feeding roller 45 and the opposing roller 46, the two rollers 44 are lined up in the front-rear direction Y, and the remaining 1 The two rollers 44 are located on the lower side Z2 of the two rollers 44, and the flat portion 43B between the two rollers 44 on the feeding belt 43 is horizontal along the front-rear direction Y. Further, the opposing roller 46 faces the feeding roller 45 from the upper side Z1, and the flat portion 43B is at the same height position as between the feeding roller 45 and the facing roller 46. The feeding portion 42 at the feeding position can slide in the left-right direction X by receiving a driving force of a driving unit (not shown) such as a motor.

The feeding mechanism 41 in the standby state is in the feeding position. When the feeding mechanism 41 is rotated clockwise by about 30 degrees or more from the feeding position in the right side view, the feeding mechanism 41 is arranged at a retracted position (see FIG. 7) avoiding the circumferential locus of each storage unit 33 loaded with the returnable box 5. To. When the feeding mechanism 41 is in the retracted position, the feeding portion 42 is also in the retracted position. The retracted position is a position retracted from the feeding position to the front side Y1 or the lower side Z2. In the feeding portion 42 at the retracted position, the feeding belt 43 is located on the lower side Z2 of the feeding roller 45 and the opposing roller 46, and the flat portion 43B of the feeding belt 43 is along the vertical direction Z (specifically, diagonally lower side). The opposing roller 46 faces the feeding roller 45 from the rear side Y2.

The door 13 has a vertically long box shape having a size capable of closing the opening 11A of the housing 11, and is flat in the front-rear direction Y in the closed position (see also FIG. 1) in which the opening 11A is closed as shown in FIG. be. The left end of the door 13 is connected to the housing 11 via a hinge 50 (see FIG. 5) and is rotatable around the hinge 50. When the door 13 in the closed position rotates clockwise in a plan view, it is arranged in the open position and the entire area of the opening 11A is exposed to the front side Y1 (see FIG. 5). Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the description will be made on the premise that the door 13 is in the closed position. The housing 11 is provided with an electric door lock mechanism 51 (see FIG. 4) that locks and unlocks the door 13 in the closed position. An electromagnetic lock or the like can be used as the door lock mechanism 51.

The upper surface 13A of the door 13 is located at substantially the same height as the upper surface of the housing 11, that is, the upper surface of the top wall 14. The upper surface 13A is provided with only one long outlet 13B in the left-right direction X (see also FIG. 5). Therefore, the prize payout device 1 can be downsized as compared with the case where a plurality of payout outlets 13B are provided. The payout port 13B communicates with the internal space 13C of the door 13. The door 13 further includes a single shutter 52 that opens and closes the payout port 13B. The shutter 52 is formed in the shape of a plate long in the left-right direction X. The shutter 52 is located in the front-rear direction between the closed position where the payout port 13B is closed (see also FIG. 1) and the open position where the payout port 13B is opened by retreating to the space directly below the top wall 14 (see FIG. 17). It can slide to Y. The space directly below the top wall 14 is the upper end of the internal space 11B of the housing 11. The shutter 52 is opened and closed by the driving force of a driving unit (not shown) such as a motor provided in the housing 11 or the door 13.

Almost the entire rear surface of the door 13 is open. Therefore, the internal space 13C of the door 13 communicates with the internal space 31F of the housing 31 through the opening 31D on the front surface of the housing 31 of each feeding unit 12 at the accommodation position. The internal space 13C is provided with a payout mechanism 53 that pays out the prize P in each payout unit 12 to the payout outlet 13B. That is, the payout mechanism 53 is integrated with the door 13 that opens and closes the opening 11A of the housing 11. As a result, the prize payout device 1 can be further miniaturized.

The payout mechanism 53 includes a moving unit 54. The moving portion 54 is a rectangular plate-shaped elevator having a plate thickness direction corresponding to the vertical direction Z and long in the horizontal direction X. The moving unit 54 is divided into a plurality of receiving units 55 arranged in the left-right direction X. The moving unit 54 is an integral part in this embodiment, and the boundary between adjacent receiving units 55 is shown by a dotted line (see FIG. 5). The number of receiving units 55 is the same as that of the accommodating spaces 24 of the returnable box 5 (five here). By receiving the driving force of a driving unit (not shown) such as a motor, the moving unit 54 has a standby position set near the lower end of the internal space 13C of the door 13 and a payout set at the upper end of the internal space 13C. Go up and down between positions.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the prize payout device 1. The prize payout device 1 includes a decision unit and a control unit 61 as an example of the payout unit. The control unit 61 is composed of a CPU, ROM, RAM, and the like, and has a built-in timer and the like. The same applies to other control units described later. The control unit 61 is built in, for example, the terminal unit 2. The terminal unit 2 further includes a card processing unit 62 for processing cards and a receipt issuing unit 63. The card processing unit 62 takes in the card inserted in the card entrance / exit 2A (see FIG. 1), reads necessary information from this card, and ejects the read card from the card entrance / exit 2A. The receipt issuing unit 63 is composed of a printer, prints a receipt, and issues it to the receipt issuing port 2B.

Each of the display operation unit 4, the card processing unit 62, and the receipt issuing unit 63 of the terminal unit 2 is electrically connected to the control unit 61. Further, an electric component (the above-mentioned drive unit) related to the shutter 52 of the terminal unit 2 is electrically connected to the control unit 61. The control unit 61 is electrically connected to electrical components (driving units, sensors, etc. described above) related to the moving mechanism 34, the detection unit 38, and the feeding mechanism 41 in each feeding unit 12. Electrical components related to the unit lock mechanism 18 and the door lock mechanism 51 are also electrically connected to the control unit 61.

The control unit 61 has a replenishment process for replenishing the prize P by controlling the operation of these electric components, a counting identification process for counting and identifying the prize P in each delivery unit 12 of the apparatus main body 3, and each delivery. The payout / payout process of paying out the prize P in the unit 12 to the outside of the machine (that is, outside the housing 11) is executed. In connection with these processes, the control unit 61 displays necessary information on the display operation unit 4, receives instructions according to the operation of the display operation unit 4 by the clerk or the player, and receives the player's card. It is processed by the card processing unit 62, or the receipt is issued by the receipt issuing unit 63.

The device main body 3 further includes a storage unit 64. The storage unit 64 is composed of a storage device such as a non-volatile memory or a hard disk drive. The storage unit 64 is electrically connected to the control unit 61. The storage unit 64 stores the type of prize P in the returnable box 5 loaded in each storage unit 33 of each delivery unit 12 and the number of stored items (also referred to as the number of stocks) for each storage space 24. In addition, the storage unit 64 also stores various information such as past abnormality history and prize P payout history.

Hereinafter, the replenishment process, the count identification process, and the payout process will be described in this order. In the case of the replenishment process, the store clerk selects one delivery unit 12 to be the target of the replenishment process by operating the display operation unit 4. Then, the control unit 61 unlocks the selected feeding unit 12 by the unit lock mechanism 18 to allow the selected feeding unit 12 to be pulled out to the drawer position, and the door lock mechanism 51 allows the door 13 to be pulled out. It also unlocks.

Next, when the clerk opens the door 13 to the open position as shown in FIG. 5, grabs the handle 31E of the unlocked feeding unit 12 and pulls it to the front side Y1, the feeding unit 12 is shown in FIG. It is pulled out to the pull-out position (see lower unit 12A in FIG. 6). As described above, only one feeding unit 12 is pulled out at a time.

In the feeding unit 12 pulled out to the drawer position, the door 31B on the upper surface of the housing 31 is arranged on the front side Y1 of the housing 11 of the apparatus main body 3, that is, outside the housing 11. In this state, the clerk opens the door 31B of the feeding unit 12 and opens the loading port 31A to the upper side Z1. Prior to the door 31B opening, the control unit 61 orbits the carrier 32, whereby one empty storage unit 33 is placed directly below the loading port 31A, as shown in FIG. The door. The empty storage unit 33 refers to a storage unit 33 in which the returnable box 5 is not loaded, or a storage unit 33 in which the returnable box 5 in an empty or near empty state is loaded. The storage unit 33 arranged directly below the loading port 31A is in a loading position where the entrance / exit 33A faces the upper side Z1. In the feeding unit 12 in which the transport body 32 is orbiting, the feeding mechanism 41 is arranged at a retracted position so as not to come into contact with the orbiting transport body 32 and the storage unit 33 (see the lower unit 12A). ).

The clerk lowers the return box 5 in the basic posture containing the prize P and passes it through the loading port 31A as shown by the thick arrow in FIG. 7, and makes the upper Z1 at the entrance / exit 33A of the storage unit 33 at the loading position. Insert from. As a result, the return box 5 is loaded into the storage unit 33 at the loading position, and the prize P in the return box 5 is loaded into the feeding unit 12. The positioning ribs (not shown) provided on one of the returnable box 5 and the storage portion 33 are fitted into the positioning grooves (not shown) provided on the other side, whereby the returnable box 5 and the returnable box 5 are fitted. The storage unit 33 in which the box 5 is loaded is positioned with each other. When the door 31B is closed after the return box 5 is loaded in the storage unit 33 at the loading position, the control unit 61 orbits the carrier 32 so that the other empty storage unit 33 is arranged at the loading position. You may.

When the clerk closes the door 31B after the return box 5 is loaded in the storage unit 33, grabs the handle 31E of the feed unit 12 at the drawer position, and returns it to the storage position, the control unit 61 returns the payout unit 12. It is locked at the accommodation position by the unit lock mechanism 18. As a result, the replenishment process for the feeding unit 12 is completed.

By operating the handle 31E provided on the front surface of each feeding unit 12, the clerk can pull out the feeding unit 12 to the drawer position or push it to the accommodation position. The feeding unit 12 may be moved manually by a store clerk, or may be automatically moved by a driving device such as a DC motor or a stepping motor provided in the housing 11.

In the case of the counting identification process, the control unit 61 orbits the carrier 32 with reference to the lower unit 12A in FIG. Then, when the storage unit 33, which is the target of the counting identification process, approaches the detection unit 37 in the feeding unit 12, the entrance / exit 33A tilts to the rearward posture facing the rear side Y2 by the first posture changing mechanism 35. In the storage section 33 in the backward posture, the doorway 33A is not right beside but faces slightly upward in order to prevent the prize P from falling out of the doorway 25 of the set return box 5.

In the lower unit 12A of FIG. 8, the storage portion 33 at the lower end on the rear side is in a rearward posture, and the entrance / exit 33A of the storage portion 33 faces the rear side Y2. Further, the return box 5 loaded in the storage unit 33 is also in a backward posture in which the entrance / exit 25 faces the rear side Y2, and the prize P in the return box 5 is stacked in the vertical direction Z at the entrance / exit. It protrudes from 25 to the rear side Y2, and the rear end surface of the prize P faces the detection unit 37 side (strictly, diagonally upper side).

When the storage unit 33 changes from the upward posture to the sideways posture and approaches the detection unit 37 in this way, the control unit 61 stops the orbital movement of the carrier 32. At this time, in the feeding unit 12, the detection unit 38 in the detection unit 37 is at the same position in the left-right direction X one by one with respect to each accommodation space 24 of the return box 5 loaded in the storage unit 33 in the rearward posture. (See FIG. 9). In this state, the control unit 61 raises the detection unit 37 from, for example, the lower end standby position. At that time, each detection unit 38 rises while facing the accommodation space 24 at the same position in the left-right direction X in the return box 5 from the rear side Y2. The detection unit 38 counts and identifies the prizes P, which are housed in the storage space 24 at the same position in the left-right direction X and stacked in the vertical direction Z, one by one from the lower side Z2 in a non-contact manner.

With reference to FIG. 10, an example of the detection unit 38 is the color sensor described above, which is a light emitting unit 71 configured by an LED, a light receiving unit 72 that receives reflected light of white light emitted by the light emitting unit 71, and a light receiving unit 72. It includes an analysis unit 73 that analyzes the light received by the unit 72. In this case, the light emitting unit 71 irradiates the prize P, which is the object to be detected, with the light H1, and the light receiving unit 72 receives the reflected light H2. The analysis unit 73 converts the reflected light received by the light receiving unit 72 into RGB values and analyzes them, and based on the analysis result, counts the prize P and identifies the authenticity and type of the prize P.

Specifically, the analysis unit 73 includes an analysis unit 73R that detects R data that represents a red component in the RGB value of reflected light, an analysis unit 73G that detects G data that represents a green component in the RGB value, and an RGB value. It includes an analysis unit 73B that detects B data representing a blue component. In FIG. 10, the prize P and the detection unit 38 are shown on the left side, and the detection result of the detection unit 38 is shown on the right side. As the detection unit 38 rises, the detection unit 38 outputs the respective waveforms W1 of the R data, the G data, and the B data as shown on the right side of FIG.

Since each waveform W1 corresponds to the convex shape of the rear end portion of the prize P stacked in the vertical direction Z in the return box 5 traced by the light H1, it substantially coincides with the contours of the plurality of continuous convex shapes. .. Therefore, in each waveform W1, a relatively large valley V1 appears due to a sudden change in data at a portion corresponding to the boundary (gap) of adjacent prizes P. The detection unit 38 selects the waveform W1 in which a significantly large valley V appears from among these waveforms W1, and counts the prize P by counting the number of valleys V1 in the waveform W1. The value obtained by adding 1 to the count value of the valley V1 is the number of prizes P.

When the valley V1 is small in any of the waveforms W1, the detection unit 38 generates a waveform W2 having a total value corresponding to the sum of all the R data, the G data, and the B data. Since a valley V2 larger than the valley V1 of each waveform W1 appears in the portion corresponding to the boundary of the adjacent prizes P in the waveform W2, the detection unit 38 accurately determines the prize P by counting the number of the valleys V2. Can be counted in. The value obtained by adding 1 to the count value of the valley V2 is the number of prizes P.

The detection unit 38 acquires the RGB value for one pulse in the prize P every time it rises by 0.1 mm. Therefore, if the prize P has a thickness of 3 mm, the detection unit 38 acquires RGB values for 30 pulses in one prize P, performs color discrimination based on the RGB values of each pulse, and performs color discrimination. Based on the color discrimination result, the authenticity and type of one prize P are identified. Specifically, if the color discrimination result in a predetermined number or more of the 30 pulses for one prize P is a predetermined color (for example, red), the detection unit 38 sets the type of the prize P to red. Identify as a grand prize. The detection unit 38 having such a high resolution can accurately identify the type of the prize P having a relatively thin thickness of, for example, 1.5 mm, or the prize P having many transparent portions.

When the ascending detection unit 38 completes counting and identification of all prizes P in each storage space 24 of the return box 5 loaded in the storage unit 33 in the backward posture and descends to the standby position, the counting identification process is performed. finish. In this way, one detector 38 can both count and identify the prize P. Therefore, it is possible to save space for the detection unit 38 and improve the processing speed of the counting identification process.

The counting identification process may be executed at once in all the feeding units 12, or may be executed individually in a predetermined feeding unit 12 selected by the operation in the display operation unit 4 by the clerk. Further, the counting identification process may be executed for the returnable boxes 5 loaded in all the storage units 33 in each feeding unit 12, or only for the returnable boxes 5 loaded in the storage units 33 designated by the clerk. It may be executed. In any case, the control unit 61 updates the inventory quantity of the prize P in each storage unit 33 in the apparatus main body 3 every time the counting identification process is performed.

The inventory data (type and number of stocks of the prize P) of the prize P in each storage unit 33 in each delivery unit 12 is collected in a table (not shown) in association with the identification information assigned to each storage unit 33. It is stored in the storage unit 64. In particular, the inventory data of the prize P in each of the storage spaces 24 arranged in the left-right direction X in the return box 5 set in the storage unit 33 is stored in the storage unit 64 as a breakdown of the inventory data of the prize P in each storage unit 33. ing. An IC chip storing the identification information is built in the prize P, and the detection unit 38 may identify the authenticity or type of the prize P by reading the identification information from the IC chip in a non-contact manner.

The payout process will be described with reference to FIG. The payout processing is a payout process in which the prize P is paid out one by one from the return box 5 onto the receiving part 55 of the moving part 54, and the prize P on the moving part 54 paid out by the payout process is sent out from the payout port 13B to the outside of the machine. Includes payout processing. When the player is located on the front side Y1 of the prize payout device 1 and operates the display operation unit 4 of the terminal unit 2 to input a payout instruction, the control unit 61 first performs a payout process. Specifically, with reference to the lower unit 12A, the control unit 61 orbits the carrier 32. As a result, when the storage unit 33, which is the target of the feeding process, approaches the moving unit 54 of the payout mechanism 53, the second posture change mechanism 36 causes the doorway 33A to tilt toward the front side Y1 in a forward posture. In the storage section 33 in the forward posture, the doorway 33A is not right beside but faces slightly diagonally upward in order to prevent the prize P from falling out of the doorway 25 of the set return box 5.

In the lower unit 12A of FIG. 11, the storage unit 33 at the upper end of the front side is in a forward-facing posture, and the entrance / exit 33A of the storage unit 33 faces the front side Y1. Further, the return box 5 loaded in the storage unit 33 is also in a forward-facing posture with the doorway 25 facing the front side Y1, and the prize P in the return box 5 is stacked in the vertical direction Z, and the doorway 25 is stacked. The front end surface of the prize P faces the door 13 side (strictly, diagonally upper side).

As shown in FIG. 11, the lowest prize P in the return box 5 loaded in the storage portion 33 in the forward posture is substantially the same as the flat portion 43B of the feeding belt 43 of the feeding mechanism 41 in the feeding position. At the same height position, the control unit 61 stops the orbital movement of the carrier 32. At this time, the feeding portion 42 at the feeding position is arranged directly below the return box 5.

Next, the control unit 61 raises the moving unit 54 from the standby position, arranges the upper surface of the moving unit 54 at a position substantially the same height as the flat portion 43B of the feeding belt 43, and then circulates the feeding belt 43 in the feeding unit 42. It is moved to rotate the feeding roller 45. At this time, in the feeding mechanism 41, the feeding belt 43 rotates counterclockwise and the feeding roller 45 rotates counterclockwise in the right side view. The extruded piece 43A provided on the feeding belt 43 that moves orbits horizontally moves to the front side Y1 at the flat portion 43B of the feeding belt 43. At that time, the extruded piece 43A enters the opening 26 (see FIG. 2) of the return box 5 loaded in the storage portion 33 in the forward posture, and the lowest prize P in the storage space 24 of the return box 5. And push it out to the front side Y1. In this way, the feeding section 42 in the feeding position pays out the prize P from one storage section 33 in the forward posture.

The prize P delivered to the front side Y1 is pushed out to the moving portion 54 side through between the feeding roller 45 and the opposing roller 46 by coming into contact with the driven and rotated feeding roller 45, and the prize P is pushed out to the moving portion 54 side in the moving portion 54 in the left-right direction X. Places on one receiving unit 55 at the same position. Then, by repeating the circumferential movement of the feeding belt 43 and the rotation of the feeding roller 45, the prize in the storage space 24 located directly above each feeding portion 42 in the return box 5 loaded in the storage portion 33 in the forward posture. Ps are paid out one by one from the prize P of the lower Z2 and are accumulated on the receiving unit 55.

The control unit 61 gradually lowers the moving unit 54 from the standby position each time the prize P is delivered so that the delivered prize P is accumulated in the upper side Z1 in the receiving unit 55. Further, the control unit 61 temporarily raises the storage unit 33 in the forward posture by slightly rotating the transport body 32, and in the meantime, moves the feeding unit 42 in the left-right direction X. After that, if the control unit 61 lowers the storage unit 33 to the original position by orbiting the transport body 32 in the opposite direction, the storage space 24 different from the original storage space 24 in which the prize P has been paid out earlier. Prize P can be paid out by the payout unit 42. In this case, the prize P delivered from the other accommodation space 24 is accumulated in the receiving unit 55 different from the receiving unit 55 in the moving unit 54.

The payout unit 42 will be described in detail. FIG. 12 is a schematic right side view of the feeding unit 42 during the feeding process. Assuming that the feeding section 42 is in the feeding position, the roller 44 closest to the feeding roller 45 among the three rollers 44 arranged inside the feeding belt 43 of the feeding section 42 is called the first roller 44A, and is called the first roller 44A. The roller 44 located on the rear side Y2 of the 1 roller 44A is referred to as a second roller 44B, and the roller 44 located on the lower side Z2 of the first roller 44A and the second roller 44B is referred to as a third roller 44C. The feeding belt 43 and these three rollers 44 form a belt unit 80. The second roller 44B and the feeding roller 45 are connected by an annular transmission belt 81.

The feeding unit 42 further includes a frame 82, a first drive unit 83, a count lever 84, a first sensor 85, a second sensor 86, and a second drive unit 87 attached to the frame 82, and a rack and pinion mechanism 88. include. The frame 82 supports the feeding roller 45, the opposing roller 46, and the belt unit 80. The belt unit 80 can rotate up and down around a rotation shaft (not shown) located on the feeding roller 45 side of the first roller 44A in a state of being supported by the frame 82. The driving force generated by the first driving unit 83 is transmitted to the feeding roller 45 to rotate the feeding roller 45, and is also transmitted to the second roller 44B via the transmission belt 81 to orbit the feeding belt 43. Therefore, as described above, the feeding belt 43 and the feeding roller 45 are interlocked with each other.

The count lever 84 can swing in the front-rear direction Y around an axis extending in the left-right direction X. The tip portion 84A forming the upper end portion of the count lever 84 is arranged in the gate space G between the feeding roller 45 and the opposing roller 46. The first sensor 85 is a light-shielding sensor in which the detection light is shielded by a root portion (not shown) opposite to the tip portion 84A in the count lever 84. The second sensor 86 is a light-shielding sensor in which the detection light is shielded by the extruded piece 43A when it is in the standby position shown by the dotted line.

The second drive unit 87 is configured by, for example, a stepping motor. The rack and pinion mechanism 88 includes a rack 88A extending to the lower side Z2 while curving along the rotation direction of the belt unit 80 as a part of the belt unit 80, and a pinion 88B supported by the frame 82. The rack 88A and the pinion 88B are in mesh with each other. Since the driving force of the second drive unit 87 is transmitted to the pinion 88B via the reduction gear (not shown), the pinion 88B rotates, so that the belt unit 80 rotates up and down in conjunction with the rotation of the pinion 88B. Move. The control unit 61 can change the position of the belt unit 80 by adjusting the number of pulses input to the second drive unit 87. By changing the position of the belt unit 80, the height position of the extruded piece 43A of the feeding belt 43 is adjusted. The belt unit 80 may be slid linearly instead of being rotated around the first roller 44A.

In the feeding process, as described above, the control unit 61 orbits the feeding belt 43 to rotate the feeding roller 45, so that the extrusion piece 43A of the feeding belt 43 departs from the standby position and opens the return box 5. Enter 26, hook the lowest prize P, and push it to the front side Y1. As a result, the prize P is delivered to the receiving unit 55 of the moving unit 54 through the gate space G between the feeding roller 45 and the opposing roller 46.

When the prize P passing through the gate space G pushes down the tip portion 84A of the count lever 84, the count lever 84 swings, and the base portion of the count lever 84 shields the detection light of the first sensor 85. As a result, the first sensor 85 detects that one prize P exists in the gate space G. When the prize P passes through the gate space G, the tip portion 84A cannot be pushed down, so that the count lever 84 swings in the opposite direction, and the base portion of the count lever 84 does not block the detection light of the first sensor 85. As a result, the first sensor 85 detects that one prize P has passed through the gate space G. After that, when the extruded piece 43A returning to the standby position shields the detection light of the second sensor 86, the control unit 61 normally pays out one prize P at the lowest position in the return box 5 and receives the prize P. It is judged that it was handed over to 55.

When the prize P in the return box 5 is horizontal as shown in FIG. 12, the belt unit 80 is in the normal position where the flat portion 43B of the feeding belt 43 is horizontal. Therefore, the extruded piece 43A that has entered the opening 26 of the return box 5, the front and rear ends of the lowest prize P in the return box 5, and the gate space G are at the same height position. Therefore, the extruded piece 43A surely contacts the rear end portion of the prize P and pushes the prize P to the gate space G, and the feeding roller 45 can surely deliver the prize P to the receiving portion 55.

As shown in FIG. 13, a clogging error is assumed in which the lowest prize P1 is clogged in the gate space G and the remaining prize P in the return box 5 is tilted backward. When a clogging error occurs, even if the extrusion piece 43A returns to the standby position due to the orbital movement of the feeding belt 43 to block the detection light of the second sensor 86, the prize P1 stays in the gate space G and the first sensor 85 The detection light of is still shielded. When the detection light of both the first sensor 85 and the second sensor 86 is shielded from light, the control unit 61 determines that a clogging error has occurred.

In order to eliminate the clogging error, it is necessary to make the prize P1 in the gate space G escape to the front side Y1 by rotating the feeding roller 45. However, since the rotation of the feeding roller 45 and the orbital movement of the feeding belt 43 are synchronized, the extrusion piece 43A of the feeding belt 43 pushes the subsequent prize P2 to the front side Y1 before the prize P1 escapes from the gate space G. Then, there is a possibility that a plurality of prizes P will be clogged in the gate space G.

Therefore, the control unit 61 operates the second drive unit 87 to lower the belt unit 80 to the retracted position shown in FIG. Then, even if the feeding belt 43 orbits around in conjunction with the rotation of the feeding roller 45, the extrusion piece 43A does not reach the subsequent prize P2, so that the prize P2 cannot be pushed out to the front side Y1. By idling the feeding belt 43 in this way to pseudo-separate the driving of the feeding roller 45 and the driving of the feeding belt 43, it is possible to give priority to the escape of the prize P1 from the gate space G by the feeding roller 45. can.

When the lowest prize P (see FIG. 12) in the return box 5 is warped so that its rear end is displaced toward the upper side Z1, the extruded piece 43A that has entered the opening 26 of the return box 5 is used. Since the position is lower than the rear end portion of the prize P and the rear end portion of the prize P cannot be contacted, the hooking allowance is eliminated, so that a missed swing error occurs. When a missed swing error occurs, the extrusion piece 43A returns to the standby position due to the orbital movement of the feeding belt 43 without reaching the gate space G, and shields the detection light of the second sensor 86. When the detection light of the second sensor 86 is shielded from the detection light of the first sensor 85 without being shielded, the control unit 61 determines that a missed swing error has occurred.

In order to eliminate the missed swing, it is necessary to arrange the extruded piece 43A at the same height position as the rear end portion of the lowest prize P to secure an appropriate hooking allowance. Therefore, the control unit 61 operates the second drive unit 87 to raise the belt unit 80 to the retry position shown in FIG. Then, when the feeding belt 43 orbits, the extrusion piece 43A comes into contact with the lowest prize P3 and can be pushed out to the front side Y1.

As described above, the control unit 61 pays out the prize P in the return box 5 onto the moving unit 54 while eliminating the clogging error and the missed swing error as necessary. When all the storage spaces 24 in the return box 5 set in the storage unit 33 (see the lower unit 12A in FIG. 11), which has been in the sideways posture until now, are emptied, the control unit 61 controls the unit 61 as shown in FIG. The moving portion 54 is raised to the feeding portion 42 of the feeding mechanism 41 of another feeding unit 12 (middle unit 12B in FIG. 15). In the middle unit 12B, the feeding mechanism 41 is in the feeding position, one storage unit 33 is in a forward-looking posture on the feeding unit 42, and the prize P can be fed out from the return box 5 set in the storage unit 33. Is. Therefore, the control unit 61 pays out the prize P from the return box 5 set in the storage unit 33 onto the moving unit 54.

When the moving unit 54 is moved from the lower unit 12A and the prize P is delivered from the middle unit 12B in this way, the control unit 61 temporarily retracts the feeding mechanism 41 of the lower unit 12A in preparation for feeding the lower unit 12A. After rotating to, the carrier 32 is orbited, and the storage unit 33 loaded with another returnable box 5 is placed in a forward-facing posture. After that, as shown in FIG. 16, the control unit 61 returns the feeding mechanism 41 of the lower unit 12A to the feeding position, and lowers the moving unit 54 to which the prize P from the middle unit 12B is fed. Then, the control unit 61 pays out the prize P from the return box 5 set in the storage unit 33 in the forward posture in the lower unit 12A onto the moving unit 54. In this way, in one feeding unit 12 (lower unit 12A in this description), the prize P is fed out from the plurality of storage portions 33 with the orbital movement of the transport body 32 sandwiched between them, which is referred to as “rotary straddling”.

When it is necessary to straddle the rotary, as described above, before the moving unit 54 moves to the feeding unit 42 of any of the feeding units 12 and finishes receiving the prize P from the feeding unit 42, the other In the feeding unit 12, the feeding unit 42 moves between the feeding position and the retracting position, and the plurality of storage units 33 rotate around. After that, the moving unit 54 receives the prize P from the feeding unit 42 of the other feeding unit 12. In this way, when the prizes P of the plurality of payout units 12 are paid out together, the moving unit 54 moves the moving unit 54 to the payout unit 42 of the payout unit 12 (in this explanation, the middle unit 12B). The other payout unit 12 (lower unit 12A in this description) prepares for paying out the prize P by effectively utilizing the time until the prize P is received from the payout unit 42.

That is, since the control unit 61 executes the payout of the prize P of the middle unit 12B and the payout preparation in the lower unit 12A in parallel, the payout process can be completed in the shortest time, whereby the player can complete the payout process. The transaction time between the prize payout device 1 and the prize payout device 1 can be shortened. Further, if the payout process can be completed in the shortest time in this way, it is possible to store a plurality of types of prizes P together without storing one type of prize P determined in each payout unit 12. Therefore, the type of prize P in each payout unit 12 can be optimized according to the operation of the game store. As a result, the number of replenishment processes can be reduced and the burden on the clerk can be reduced.

When the required number of prizes P are paid out on the moving unit 54, the payout process is completed. Then, the control unit 61 starts the payout process. Specifically, the control unit 61 slides the shutter 52 to the open position shown in FIG. As a result, the payout port 13B on the upper surface 13A of the door 13 is opened to the upper side Z1. Then, the control unit 61 raises the moving unit 54 to the payout position shown in FIG. The moving unit 54 moves to the payout outlet 13B by ascending to the payout position. That is, the moving unit 54 rises to the payout outlet 13B after receiving the prize P in order from each of the feeding units 42 of the plurality of feeding units 12. As a result, the prize P paid out on each moving portion 54 of the moving portion 54 is exposed to the upper side Z1 from the payout port 13B and is paid out to the outside of the machine.

As described above, the moving unit 54 is a moving unit common to the feeding unit 42 of the vertically mounted feeding units 12, and receives the prize P delivered by each of the feeding units 42 of the plurality of feeding units 12. .. Therefore, by providing the moving unit 54 for each feeding unit 42, it is possible to reduce the size of the prize payout device 1 as compared with the case where a large number of moving units 54 exist. Further, if the moving portion 54 can be raised and lowered, its moving locus can be made to follow the vertical direction Z. As a result, the prize payout device 1 in the horizontal direction can be further miniaturized.

Then, when the player directly receives the prize P on the moving unit 54 at the payout exit 13B, the control unit 61 lowers the moving unit 54 to the standby position and slides the shutter 52, which has been in the open position, to the closed position. Let me. As a result, the payout process is completed, and a series of payout process is completed. Since there is only one payout port 13B, it is possible to prevent the player from forgetting to take the prize P and shorten the time required to receive the prize P. Further, since the payout port 13B is provided on the door 13, the payout port 13B is close to the player located on the front side Y1 of the prize payout device 1, so that the prize P paid out to the payout port 13B can be easily received. Can be done. Further, when one moving unit 54 receives the prize P from each feeding unit 12 and transports the prize P to the payout port 13B, the said case is compared with the case where a plurality of members receive the prize P from each feeding unit 12 and transport the prize P. Since the joints generated between the plurality of members can be reduced, it is possible to suppress an error in which the prize P is clogged at the joints.

Each of FIGS. 18 to 26 is a diagram showing an example of a payout pattern of prizes to be paid out by the payout payout process. When the moving unit 54 rises to the payout position, in one payout port 13B, the five receiving units 55 in the moving unit 54 are arranged in the left-right direction X, whereby the payout outlet 13B is arranged in the left-right direction X. It is divided into a plurality of (five in this embodiment) payout compartments 13D.

In the following, each of the five payout sections 13D may be referred to as a payout section 13DA, a payout section 13DB, a payout section 13DC, a payout section 13DD, and a payout section 13DE in order from the left end. Each of these payout compartments 13D corresponds to any one of the five receiving units 55 at the same position in the left-right direction X. The pair of the payout section 13D and the receiving section 55 corresponding to each other are located at the same position in the left-right direction X among the five storage spaces 24 (see FIG. 2) in the return box 5 set in the storage section 33 of each delivery unit 12. Corresponds to any one of the accommodation spaces 24.

In each of FIGS. 18 to 26, the prize P marked "large" refers to the grand prize, the prize P marked "medium" refers to the medium prize, and the prize P marked "small" refers to the small prize. Refers to a prize. In each payout section 13D, the upper limit number of prizes P that can be stacked on the receiving unit 55 is set in consideration of the ease of taking out the prizes P. For example, in the case of a prize P having a thickness of 3 mm, the upper limit is 10. Therefore, a plurality of prizes P can be stacked up to a predetermined upper limit in each payout section 13D.

When a payout instruction is input from the player prior to the payout payout process, the control unit 61 obtains a payout pattern for the type and number of prizes P corresponding to the payout instruction from the inventory data stored in the storage unit 64. decide. This payout pattern relates to the payout destination in which the number of payout sections 13D to which the prize P is to be paid out is the smallest among the five payout sections 13D, and the type and number of prizes P to be paid out to the payout destination. Information. The control unit 61 executes the payout process based on the determined payout pattern. Therefore, in the payout process in the payout process, the receiving unit 55 corresponding to the payout section 13D, which is the payout destination, receives the prize P in the storage section 33 and transports the prize P to the payout section 13D. Therefore, the control unit 61 and the receiving unit 55 function as an example of a payout unit that pays out the prize P in the storage unit 33 to the payout destination. When the payout destination is composed of the minimum payout section 13D in this way, the player can hardly overlook the prize P paid out to the payout destination and can receive the prize P without any trouble. .. Therefore, in the prize payout device 1, it is possible to prevent forgetting to take the prize P and improve the usability. Hereinafter, a specific example will be described.

As shown in FIG. 18, when paying out only one type of prize P in an upper limit or less, the control unit 61 pays out these prizes P in a laminated state to any one payout section 13D. A pattern is determined, and a payout process is executed so that this payout pattern is realized. A plurality of prizes P are paid out in a stacked state in the payout section 13D which is the payout destination. As a result, the player can collectively receive the plurality of prizes P paid out to one payout section 13D, so that the prize payout device 1 can further improve the usability. In this embodiment, the leftmost payout section 13DA is preferentially selected as the payout destination, but another payout section 13DA may be preferentially selected as the payout destination. The same applies to the following specific examples.

When paying out one type of prize P more than the upper limit as shown in FIG. 19, the control unit 61 determines a payout pattern such that these prizes P are paid out in a plurality of payout sections 13D. , The payout process is executed so that this payout pattern is realized. In FIG. 19, the upper limit number of prizes P is paid out in a stacked state to one payout section 13DA, and the surplus fractional prize P is paid out to the adjacent payout section 13DB, but the payout section 13DA and the payout section 13DB are paid out. The prize P may be paid out evenly.

As shown in FIG. 19, it is preferable that the plurality of payout sections 13D to be payout destinations are adjacent to each other. That is, when there are a plurality of payout sections 13D as payout destinations, the control unit 61 determines a payout pattern in which these payout sections 13D are adjacent to each other. In this way, when the payout destination is composed of the minimum payout compartments 13D adjacent to each other, the player can more easily overlook the prize P paid out to the payout destination and receive the prize P more easily. Can be done. Therefore, in the prize payout device 1, it is possible to prevent forgetting to take the prize P and further improve the usability. Depending on the situation, a plurality of payout sections 13D to be payout destinations may be separated from each other without being adjacent to each other. The same applies to the following specific examples.

As shown in FIG. 20, when a plurality of types of prizes P are paid out in a total of not more than the upper limit, the control unit 61 is in a state where these prizes P are separated for each type in any one payout section 13D and are stacked. Determine the payout pattern that will be paid out in the state. At that time, the control unit 61 arranges the prizes P divided for each type in the order of value (the order of the grand prize, the middle prize, the small prize, or vice versa) from the lower Z2. Then, the control unit 61 executes the payout process so that this payout pattern is realized. In this embodiment, the prize P is stored in the lower unit Z2 in the payout section 13D because the grand prize is stored in the lower unit 12A, the middle prize is stored in the middle unit 12B, and the small prize is stored in the upper unit 12C. The grand prize, the middle prize, and the small prize are stacked in this order. The player can easily grasp the breakdown of each type of prize P paid out in the payout section 13D in a stacked state. Therefore, the prize payout device 1 can further improve usability.

As shown in FIG. 21, when a plurality of types of prizes P are paid out in a total amount larger than the upper limit, there are a plurality of payout sections 13D as payout destinations. In this case, the control unit 61 determines a payout pattern in which these prizes P are paid out in a state of being separated for each type and in a laminated state in each of the minimum number of payout sections 13D. At that time, the control unit 61 determines the payout pattern so that the prize P of the same type is not divided into the plurality of payout sections 13D and paid out. If the number of prizes P of the type occupying the majority of the prizes P to be paid out (the grand prize in FIG. 21) is equal to or less than the upper limit, the control unit 61 makes the prizes P of this type group in one payout section 13D. , The remaining types of prizes P (small prizes and middle prizes in FIG. 21) are arranged in order of value in another payout section 13D. Then, the control unit 61 executes the payout process so that this payout pattern is realized. In this case, the player can easily grasp the breakdown of each type of prize P paid out to the plurality of payout sections 13D. Therefore, the prize payout device 1 can further improve usability.

As shown in FIG. 22, when the total number of prizes P of a plurality of types is larger than the upper limit, if the number of prizes P of the types occupying the majority (the grand prize in FIG. 22) is larger than the upper limit, the control unit 61 determines a payout pattern such that the prize P of this type is paid out in a plurality of payout compartments 13D. At that time, the control unit 61 arranges the prizes P for the upper limit number of this type to be collected in one payout section 13D, and the rest of this type of prize P and other types of prizes P (small prizes and prizes in FIG. 22). The middle prize) and the payout section 13D are arranged in order of value. Then, the control unit 61 executes the payout process so that this payout pattern is realized.

If the number of prizes P in stock has decreased and the types and number of prizes in the payout instruction are large, it is assumed that it will be difficult to realize the free payout pattern as described above. In consideration of this, the control unit 61 determines the payout pattern by the following procedure based on the inventory data stored in the storage unit 64. First, the control unit 61 calculates the quality of the first payout pattern (see FIGS. 20 and 23) in which a plurality of types of prizes P are collectively paid out in one payout section 13D. Regarding the quality of the payout pattern, the payout pattern is good (OK) when the moving unit 54 can pay out all the prizes P only once when the moving unit 54 rises to the payout exit 13B during the payout process, and the moving unit during the payout process. The payout pattern is no (NG) when 54 cannot pay out all the prizes P only once ascending to the payout exit 13B.

When the first payout pattern is NG, the control unit 61 divides the prize P into a plurality of payout compartments 13D without dividing the prize P of the same type into a plurality of payout compartments 13D, and pays out the second payout. The quality of the pattern (see FIG. 21) is calculated.

When the second payout pattern is NG, the control unit 61 divides any one type of prize P (for example, a grand prize) into one payout section 13D and another payout section 13D, and pays out the other. The quality of the third payout pattern (see FIG. 24) in which the prize P of the type is paid out to the other payout section 13D is calculated. In the case of the third payout pattern, only the grand prizes are stacked in one payout section 13D, and the remaining grand prizes, all middle prizes, and all small prizes are stacked in this order in another payout section 13D. ..

As described above, when there are a plurality of payout compartments 13D as payout destinations, but the number of these payout compartments 13D is the minimum, the control unit 61 divides the prize P of the same type into a plurality of payout compartments 13D. Determine a third payout pattern that will be paid out. In this case, since the small number of payout sections 13D to be paid out is prioritized over the ease of grasping the breakdown of each type of prize P to be paid out, the player can pay out the prize P to the payout destination. Not only is it hard to overlook, but you can receive the prize P without any hassle. Therefore, in the prize payout device 1, it is possible to prevent forgetting to take the prize P and improve the usability.

When the third payout pattern is NG, the control unit 61 divides each of the two types of prizes P (for example, the grand prize and the middle prize) into one payout section 13D and another payout section 13D and pays out. Then, the quality of the fourth payout pattern (see FIG. 25) in which another type of prize P (small prize) is paid out to the other payout section 13D is calculated. In the case of the fourth payout pattern, the grand prize and the middle prize are stacked in this order in one payout section 13D, and the remaining grand prize, the remaining middle prize, and all the small prizes are placed in another payout section 13D. They are stacked in this order.

When the fourth payout pattern is NG, the control unit 61 divides the prize P in each of the types into one payout section 13D and another payout section 13D, and pays out the fifth payout pattern (FIG. 26). (See) is calculated. In the case of the fifth payout pattern, the grand prize, the middle prize, and the small prize are stacked in this order in each of the plurality of payout sections 13D. When the fifth payout pattern is NG, the control unit 61 increases the payout section 13D as the payout destination by one, and repeats the calculation for the second to fifth payout patterns to obtain the optimum payout pattern. decide. Even if the payout section 13D is increased to 5 (maximum number), if the moving unit 54 cannot pay out all the prizes P only by rising to the payout outlet 13B once, the control unit 61 moves a plurality of times. The optimum payout pattern is determined by repeating the calculation for the first to fifth payout patterns based on the fact that the unit 54 is moved up and down. Then, the control unit 61 executes the payout process based on the finally determined payout pattern.

In this way, the control unit 61 aggregates the prizes P into the smallest possible payout section 13D by determining the payout pattern that minimizes the number of ascending / descending times of the payout section 13D and the moving section 54, which are the payout destinations. Pay out with the minimum number of payouts. In the case of a non-self-type prize payout device, the clerk in charge presents the actual prize P paid out from the prize payout device to the player for each type, and then stacks these prize Ps and hands them to the player. Operation is common. In the prize payout device 1, which is a serp type in which only the player exchanges the prize P, it is not necessary to present the actual prize P to the player for each type, and a plurality of types of prize P are aggregated in the payout section 13D. Since the prize P is paid out in a stacked state, the player can receive the prize P with a small number of movements. As a result, it is possible to minimize the effort of collecting a plurality of types of prizes P and prevent forgetting to take the prize P. The control unit 61 may notify the player by displaying the information of the prize P to be paid out on the display operation unit 4 or the like as a part of the payout payout process.

Further, if the prize P is preferentially paid out from the leftmost or rightmost payout compartment 13D (in this embodiment, the leftmost payout compartment 13DA), the left end or the right end of each return box 5 in each delivery unit 12 is also given. It decreases in order from the prize P of the accommodation space 24. As a result, the accommodation space 24 in which the number of prizes P can be accommodated can be reduced as much as possible, and the clerk can easily visually check the inventory of the prize P in each returnable box 5.

The type of the prize P in the returnable box 5 to be set may be predetermined in each storage unit 33 of each feeding unit 12 and stored in the storage unit 64. In the replenishment process, when the return box 5 containing the prize P of a type different from the designated type is set in the storage unit 33, the control unit 61 in the storage unit 33 in the subsequent counting identification process. The storage unit 64 temporarily stores that the type of the prize P is incorrect. In the subsequent payout process, the control unit 61 may continue the payout process by performing a degenerate operation in which the storage unit 33 having the wrong prize P type is excluded from the payout target. In addition, the correctness of the type of the prize P in each of the storage spaces 24 in the return box 5 may be temporarily stored in the storage unit 64, and in that case, the type of the prize P is wrongly stored in the individual storage units 33. Only the space 24 may be excluded from the payout target, and the prize P of the other accommodation space 24 may be paid out as a normal prize.

As the accommodation space 24 that is not subject to payout, in addition to the accommodation space 24 in which the type of the prize P is incorrect, the number of the prize P accommodated is small (for example, less than 5), which is convenient for accuracy. The accommodation space 24, which could not be counted and identified due to the above, can be mentioned. Further, the accommodation space 24 in which the counting result of the prize P is unknown, and the accommodation space 24 in which the above-mentioned clogging error or missed swing error occurs can also be mentioned. Even if there is such a storage space 24 that is not subject to payout, the prize payout device 1 is degenerately operated without error down, so that the transaction can be continued without waiting for the player. The accommodation space 24, which is not subject to payout, may be dealt with at a vacant timing when there is no transaction of the player.

FIG. 27 is a conceptual diagram of the game system 90 including the prize payout device 1. The game system 90 further includes a server 91, which is a higher-level device for the prize payout device 1. Only one server 91 may exist, or a plurality of servers may be configured. The gaming system 90 may further include a settlement machine 92 for cash settlement of the prepaid value associated with the player's card. The settlement machine 92 includes a card entrance / exit 92A into which cards are inserted / removed by a player, a bill withdrawal port 92B into which banknote settlement money is withdrawn, and a coin withdrawal port 92C into which coin settlement money is withdrawn. Is provided. The checkout machine 92 may be installed near the prize payout device 1. Each of the prize payout device 1 and the checkout machine 92 is communicably connected to the server 91 via a wireless or wired communication network N.

Since both the prize payout device 1 and the settlement machine 92 are devices in which the player makes a self-transaction, the prize payout device 1 may cause the player to forget to take out the prize P or the card. In the settlement machine 92, there is a possibility that the player may forget to take the card or the settlement money. Therefore, each of the prize payout device 1 and the checkout machine 92 has a function of collecting the forgotten item and returning it to the owner later when the forgotten item is forgotten. With this function, it is possible to reduce the burden on the clerk who responds to forgetting to take it.

Regarding forgetting to take out the prize P, the card, and the settlement money (hereinafter collectively referred to as "object"), each of the prize payout device 1 and the settlement machine 92 has a residue sensor 93 for detecting the residue of the object and a residue sensor 93. It includes a motion sensor 94 that detects the presence of a person in the vicinity (see FIG. 4). In the prize payout device 1, when the residual sensor 93 detects the residual object (for example, the prize P at the payout port 13B) even though a predetermined time has elapsed without any operation by the player after the object is ejected, the control unit 61 However, it is determined that the object has been forgotten to be taken. As another example, when the motion sensor 94 does not detect the player in the vicinity but the residual sensor 93 detects the residual object after the object is ejected, the control unit 61 forgets to remove the object. You may judge that.

Further, after the prize P is ejected, when a new card is inserted into the card entrance 2A within an unusually short time after the player takes out the prize P, the control unit 61 forgets to take the prize P. You may judge that. In this case, it is assumed that the next player takes out the prize P that the previous player forgot to take and immediately inserts his / her card into the card entrance 2A. Regarding the above determination of forgetting to take, the control unit 95 provided in the settlement machine 92 may also perform the same processing as the control unit 61.

FIG. 28 is a flowchart showing a process when the prize P is forgotten to be taken. When the control unit 61 of the prize payout device 1 determines that the prize P on the moving unit 54 has been forgotten to be removed in the payout process (step S1), the moving unit 54 is lowered to the standby position and the shutter 52 is moved to the closed position. By sliding the prize P, the prize P is collected in the device main body 3 and the prize payout device 1 is error-down (step S2). At that time, the control unit 61 notifies the clerk of the error down by the display on the display operation unit 4, the buzzer, or the like, and the storage unit 64 is informed that the prize P has been forgotten to be taken in the current payout process. I remember it. The forgotten information is stored in the storage unit 64 in association with the history of the current payout process. Further, the forgotten information is transmitted to the server 91 in association with the history of the current payout process, and is also stored in the server 91 (step S3). The history of the payout process this time also includes information for identifying the player who has forgotten to take the prize P, for example, identification information of the player's card.

The prize P collected in the apparatus main body 3 is still on the moving portion 54. When the player who returns immediately after noticing that he has forgotten to take the prize P inserts the card into the card entrance 2A, the control unit 61 ends the error down and notification, and slides the shutter 52 to the open position again. The prize P is promptly returned to the player from the payout port 13B by raising the moving portion 54 to the payout position. In the forgotten information in this case, it is stored that the prize P has been returned to the player.

The clerk who rushed to receive the notification finishes the error down and notification by operating the display operation unit 4, opens the door 13 to the open position (see FIG. 5), and puts the prize P collected earlier on the moving unit 54. Take out from. Then, the clerk pulls out the payout unit 12 containing the prize P to the drawer position (see FIG. 6), returns the prize P to the return box 5 in the payout unit 12, and returns the payout unit 12. Return to the containment position.

Then, the clerk operates the display operation unit 4 so that the data of the prize P returned this time is managed by the storage unit 64 separately from the inventory data of the prize P. In response to this, the control unit 61 reflects the data of the prize P that was forgotten this time in the forgotten information, and manages it separately from the inventory data in the storage unit 64 (step S4). At this time, the control unit 61 notifies the server 91 to update the forgotten information in the same manner, so that the server 91 that has received the notification updates the forgotten information this time (step S5). In the prize payout device 1 provided with a configuration in which the prize P that has been forgotten to be removed and collected in the device main body 3 is collected in a reject unit (not shown) different from the moving unit 54, an error down occurs. The transaction may be able to continue without it.

When the player who has forgotten to take the prize P inserts the card into the card entrance / exit 2A on the same day or the next day or later, the control unit 61 refers to the history of the payout process associated with this card. Alternatively, when the clerk who receives the return request of the prize P forgotten by the player operates the display operation unit 4, the control unit 61 refers to the history of the payout process associated with the player's card. You may. If the forgotten information associated with the history exists, the control unit 61 executes a payout process based on the data of the forgotten prize P in the forgotten information, and the player pays the prize P from the payout exit 13B. Return to (step S6). At that time, in consideration of the case where the player is not aware that the prize P has been forgotten to be taken, the control unit 61 notifies the player by the display operation unit 4 or the like that the prize P has been forgotten to be taken last time. May be good. The content of this notification may include data (type and number of sheets) of the prize P that has been forgotten to be taken.

Instead of automatically returning the prize P by inserting the card, the clerk who received the return request may open the door 13 to pull out the payout unit 12 and return the prize P in the payout unit 12 to the player by hand. The forgotten information includes an image of the player who has forgotten to take the prize P (photographed data of a surveillance camera or the like), and the prize P may be returned to the player after the person is authenticated by this image. ..

When the return of the forgotten prize P is completed as described above, the control unit 61 reflects that fact in the forgotten information of the prize P in the storage unit 64 (step S7). At this time, the control unit 61 also notifies the server 91 to update the forgotten information, so that the server 91 that has received the notification updates the forgotten information this time as the prize P has returned to the player. (Step S8).

If the card ejected to the card entrance 2A is forgotten, the control unit 61 may execute the same process as in the case of forgetting to remove the prize P. However, the forgotten card may be collected in a reject unit (not shown) provided in the device main body 3. In the settlement machine 92, if the card ejected to the card entrance / exit 92A is forgotten, or if the settlement money ejected to the bill withdrawal port 92B or the coin withdrawal port 92C is forgotten, the control unit 95 May execute the same processing as in the case of forgetting to take out the prize P in the prize payout device 1. However, it is preferable that the forgotten card and the settlement money are collected in the reject unit (not shown) separately provided according to the card and the settlement money in the settlement machine 92.

There is a wholesaler that delivers the prize P to the game store, and the wholesaler (strictly speaking, the staff of the wholesaler) brings the prize P to the game store in a state of being packed in the return box 5. When the wholesaler operates the display operation unit 4 of the prize payout device 1, the lock of the delivery unit 12 arranged at the storage position in the device main body 3 is released, so that the wholesaler opens the door 13 and feeds the storage position. The unit 12 can be pulled out and the prize P can be replenished to the payout unit 12. When the wholesaler who has finished replenishing the prize P returns the payout unit 12 to the drawer position and closes the door 13, the replenishment of the prize P to the prize payout device 1 by the wholesaler is completed.

As described above, in the operation in which the wholesaler replenishes the prize P to the prize payout device 1, it is possible to reduce the work of the clerk who suffers from labor shortage. Here, if the wholesaler is in charge of not only the work of replenishing the prize P but also the work of managing the inventory of the prize P after replenishment, the work of the clerk can be further reduced. In this case, the inventory of the prize P in the prize payout device 1 is still the inventory of the wholesaler (owned by the wholesaler), and the prize P paid out to the player from the prize payout device 1 is delivered to the game store. As a prize P, the amusement store pays the wholesaler. On the other hand, regarding the payout of the prize P from the prize payout device 1, the clerk is still in charge of the work.

When the wholesaler and the amusement shop, which are different organizations from each other, handle the prize P of the prize payout device 1, the prize payout device 1 asks each of the wholesaler and the clerk the display operation unit 4 of the prize payout device 1. It is desirable that the authority for the operation of is set. Specifically, the wholesaler has the first operation of the display operation unit 4 for the replenishment process for replenishing the prize P to the prize payout device 1, and the counting identification process for confirming the inventory of the prize P in the prize payout device 1. The second operation of the display operation unit 4 for clearing the error such as jam of the prize P generated in the prize payout device 1 is recognized as the third operation of the display operation unit 4 for error clearing processing. There is.

On the other hand, in principle, only the fourth operation of the display operation unit 4 for the payout payout process of paying out the prize P in the prize payout device 1 to the player is permitted to the clerk. On the contrary, the wholesaler is not allowed to perform the fourth operation, the clerk is not allowed to perform the first operation and the second operation, and the third operation is allowed on the premise of the restrictions described below. .. The relationship between the authority for the first to fourth operations, the wholesaler ID, and the clerk ID assigned to the clerk is stored in the storage unit 64 of the prize payout device 1. Therefore, the control unit 61 of the prize payout device 1 switches the operation mode according to the wholesaler ID or the clerk ID input by the display operation unit 4.

For example, when a wholesaler arrives to deliver the prize P at a timing before the opening of the amusement store and the wholesaler ID is input by the display operation unit 4 of the prize payout device 1, the control unit 61 of the prize payout device 1 After executing the authentication by the wholesaler ID, the display operation unit 4 displays a guidance screen indicating that the replenishment process, the count identification process, and the error cancellation process are possible. Therefore, when the wholesaler performs the first operation of the display operation unit 4, the control unit 61 unlocks the payout unit 12 by the unit lock mechanism 18, so that the wholesaler releases the payout unit 12 in the accommodation position to the prize payout device 1. The prize P can be replenished to the payout unit 12 by withdrawing from.

When the wholesaler returns the payout unit 12 replenished with the prize P to the accommodation position and then performs the second operation of the display operation unit 4, the control unit 61 performs the counting identification process by the detection unit 38 to give the prize P to the payout unit 12. The number of replenishments is counted, and the counting result is printed by the receipt issuing unit 63 to create an inventory list and issued to the receipt issuing port 2B. The control unit 61 may print an invoice based on the number of replenishments by the receipt issuing unit 63 and issue it to the receipt issuing port 2B. In this way, the billed amount of the prize P may be fixed based on the number of replenishments, or the billed amount may be automatically added each time the prize P is paid out by the subsequent payout processing. The billing amount after automatic addition is the latest billing amount fixed at that time. In this way, the timing at which the billing amount is determined may be set to either the time of replenishment (at the time of warehousing) or the time of withdrawal (at the time of delivery) by an operation by the display operation unit 4. The information on the fixed billing amount may be automatically notified to the wholesaler by the prize payout device 1.

When an error occurs in the prize payout device 1, the wholesaler performs the third operation of the display operation unit 4. As a result, the control unit 61 unlocks the feeding unit 12 by the unit lock mechanism 18, so that the wholesaler can pull out the feeding unit 12 to release the error. The third operation by the clerk may be permitted. The lock of the feeding unit 12 may be released by a remote control from the wholesaler who has been contacted by the game store, instead of the third operation of the display operation unit 4 by the clerk. Alternatively, the lock of the payout unit 12 may be released by the clerk inputting the timed one-time password notified from the wholesaler on the display operation unit 4. In any case, the clerk can pull out the unlocked payout unit 12 to remove and refill the prize P to clear the error.

When the clerk returns the payout unit 12 replenished with the prize P to the accommodation position and then operates the display operation unit 4, the control unit 61 counts the number of stocks of the prize P in the payout unit 12 by executing the counting identification process. do. If the inventory numbers match before and after the occurrence of the error, the prize payout device 1 returns to the normal state, and the prize payout process can be executed after that. On the other hand, if the number of stocks does not match before and after the occurrence of the error, the prize payout device 1 is in the normal state, provided that it is stored in the storage unit 64 as a history or notified to the wholesaler as necessary. Return to. If the stock quantities do not match before and after the error occurs, the prize payout device 1 does not have to return to the normal state until the wholesaler is present.

The present invention is not limited to the contents of the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims. In addition, the various features described above can be combined as appropriate.

For example, in this embodiment, the prize payout device 1 is configured by the terminal unit 2 and the device main body 3 as a set, but the terminal unit 2 is a device provided independently from the device main body 3. May be good.

1 Prize payout device 3 Device body 11A Opening 12 Payout unit 13 Door 13B Payout exit 33 Storage part 42 Payout part 54 Moving part P Prize Z Vertical direction

Claims (5)

The main body of the device with a prize payout outlet,
A storage unit provided in the main body of the device for storing prizes,
A plurality of feeding parts provided in the main body of the device and feeding out prizes from the storage part, and
A prize payout device including a moving unit common to the plurality of payout units, which receives a prize to be paid out by each of the plurality of payout units and moves to the payout exit. The plurality of feeding portions are arranged in the vertical direction.
The moving part can be raised and lowered.
The prize payout device according to claim 1, wherein the moving unit receives a prize from each of the plurality of payout units and then rises to the payout outlet. A plurality of the storage portions are provided for each of the feeding portions.
The feeding unit and the corresponding storage units form one feeding unit.
There are a plurality of the feeding units,
In each of the feeding units, a plurality of the storage units can be moved around, and the feeding unit moves between a feeding position in which a prize is paid out from one storage unit and a retracting position retracted from the feeding position. It is possible and
In the other feeding unit, the feeding unit has the feeding position and the retracting part until the moving unit moves to the feeding part of any of the feeding units and finishes receiving the prize from the feeding unit. It moves to and from the position, and the plurality of storage units move around,
The prize payout device according to claim 2, wherein the moving unit rises to the payout outlet after receiving a prize from the payout unit of the other payout unit. The device body is formed with an opening for pulling out the feeding unit.
The prize payout device according to claim 3, wherein the moving portion is integrated and includes a door that opens and closes the opening. The prize payout device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein only one payout outlet is provided.

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