JP4011351B2 - Medals lending machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a medal lending machine that is installed between, for example, a slot machine and pays out medals stored by inserting a value-added medium such as banknotes every predetermined number.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The medal lending machine is installed between the slot machine and the inside of the medal lending machine by inserting a value-added medium such as a thousand-yen bill from the banknote slot that is the top of the value-added medium slot. A predetermined number (for example, 50) is paid out from medals stored in the card. This medal lending machine includes a type that pays out a paid medal to a tray, and a type that pays out a medal tray provided on the front surface of the slot machine via a nozzle. Among them, a medal lending machine has been devised in which a medal to be paid out can be paid out directly to a slot insertion slot of a slot machine through a nozzle. In this case, it is possible for a player to play a game immediately by inserting a bill or the like, which is convenient for a player.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the case of the medal lending machine as described above, the only banknote that can be inserted is a thousand-yen bill, and depending on the skill of the player, the number of medals that have been paid out will be consumed immediately, so the medals that have been paid out Every time you digest, you have to throw in a thousand yen bill. In addition, the maximum number of medals that can be credited inside the slot machine is limited to 50, and if a large number of medals are inserted at the start of the game and replaced with a large number of medals, there will be no medals exceeding the maximum number of credits , It is inconvenient to pay out to the slot machine medal tray.
[0004]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a medal lending machine that can divide and pay out a large amount of medals at once.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the medal lending machine according to the present invention drives a hopper device provided in the medals corresponding to the value-added medium in response to the addition of the value-added medium. A medal sent out from the hopper device, temporarily storing a medal sent out from the hopper device, a medal delivery port for sending out the stored medal , a storage tank having a lower surface formed therein , and the medal sending out It is swingable about a rotation shaft disposed substantially parallel to the mouth and in the center of the medal delivery port, and is closed when the medal delivery port is closed, and tilted from this closed state to send the medal. A shielding plate that opens to open the mouth, an operation member that is operated when paying out a predetermined number of medals out of medals stored in the storage tank, and response to an operation of the operation member And a motor for dropping the predetermined number of medals with the shielding plate in the open state, and a medal that has been dropped from the medal delivery port, and is guided one by one to the nozzle. And a nozzle rotating part. Note that the value-added medium is a value medium necessary for receiving medal purchase or medal lending, such as banknotes, coins, prepaid cards, IC cards, and credit cards.
[0006]
The nozzle rotating unit includes an inclined surface that receives a medal that has dropped from the medal delivery port, a medal groove that guides the medal that has dropped onto the inclined surface, and a medal that has dropped onto the inclined surface one by one. An opening for entering and standing up in the medal groove, a shutter movable between an open position for opening the opening and a blocking position for blocking, and a medal provided downstream and in the vicinity of the shutter and passing through the medal groove And a slide mechanism that moves the shutter to the blocking position when the count value of the counter reaches the upper limit value of medals to be paid out.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a medal lending machine embodying the present invention. In the present embodiment, a case where the value-added medium is a bill (thousand-yen bill) will be described. The medal lending machine 2 includes a bill identifying unit 4 for inserting a bill 3 and a medal dispensing unit for paying out a medal 48 (see FIG. 5) corresponding to the bill 3 when a bill is inserted. 5.
[0008]
On the front face of the banknote recognition unit 4, a banknote insertion slot 6 for inserting the banknote 3 and a display panel 7 for displaying the number of medals paid out by inserting the banknote 3 and whether or not medals can be lent are provided. The bill recognition unit 4 includes a control device 8 and a bill storage box 9 for storing the inserted bill 3.
[0009]
The medal payout unit 5 includes a medal storage box 10 and a hopper device 11. The medal payout unit 5 pays out a predetermined number of medals when the bill 3 is inserted from the bill insertion slot 6. A nozzle 15 that rotates within a predetermined range about the longitudinal direction of the medal lending machine 2 is provided on the front surface of the medal payout unit 5. Through this nozzle 15, a predetermined number of medals sent out from the medal payout unit 5 are paid out. Reference numeral 16 denotes a medal replenishment port, which is provided for replenishing the medal 48 to the medal storage box 10.
[0010]
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the medal lending machine 2. The control device 8 is provided to perform electrical control of the medal lending machine 2. The bill withdrawal device 20 is provided integrally with the bill storage box 9 and draws the bill 3 fed from the bill insertion slot 6 into the bill storage box 9. The identification sensor 21 is incorporated in the inside of the banknote storage box 9 similarly to the banknote retracting apparatus 20, and is provided to identify whether the banknote 3 inserted from the banknote insertion slot 6 is a corresponding banknote. . When it is identified that the bill 3 drawn by the identification sensor 21 is a corresponding bill, the bill 3 is drawn into the bill storage box 9 as it is by the bill drawing device 20. On the other hand, when the drawn banknote 3 is a banknote that does not correspond, the withdrawal of the banknote 3 by the banknote withdrawal device 20 is stopped and sent out to the banknote insertion slot 6.
[0011]
The hopper device 11 is driven in response to a payout signal from the control device 8 and stored in the medal storage box 10 when the bill 3 inserted from the bill insertion slot 6 is determined to be a corresponding bill by the identification sensor 21. The awarded medal 48 is paid out to the storage tank 30 (see FIG. 3). In this embodiment, description will be made assuming that the number of medals paid out to the storage tank 30 by the hopper device 11 when the banknote 3 (thousand-yen bill) is inserted is 50.
[0012]
The medal payout button 25 is provided on the front surface of the medal payout unit 5 and is provided for paying out, for example, 50 medals 48 from medals temporarily stored in the storage tank 30. By pressing the medal payout button 25, for example, 50 medals are paid out through the nozzle 15.
[0013]
As shown in FIG. 3, the storage tank 30 is provided above the nozzle rotating portion 35. The upper surface of the storage tank 30 is open, and the medal 48 from the hopper device 11 is sent from the upper surface of the storage tank 30. An inclined portion 30a is provided on the inner wall of the storage tank 30, and the medal 48 fed from the upper surface of the storage tank 30 falls along the inclined surface 30a. In the lower part of the storage tank 30, a medal delivery port 31 is formed continuously to the inclined portion 30a. The medal delivery port 31 is normally shielded by the shielding plate 32, and the medal 48 delivered from the hopper device 11 is temporarily stored in the storage tank 30. The storage tank 30 is preferably formed of a transparent material so that the remaining amount of medals in the tank can be visually observed.
[0014]
The shielding plate 32 is attached to a motor 34 via a rotary shaft 33, and swings when driven by this motor. Thereby, the medal delivery port 31 is opened, and the medal 48 temporarily stored in the storage tank 30 is dropped little by little.
[0015]
In the lower part of the storage tank 30, a nozzle rotation unit 35 that is integrally attached to the nozzle 15 in order to rotate the nozzle 15 is disposed. The upper surface of the nozzle rotation unit 35 is open, and a medal that has dropped from the medal delivery port 31 falls into the nozzle rotation unit 35 . The inside of the nozzle rotating portion 35 has an inclined surface 35a, and a medal groove 36 is formed continuously with the inclined surface 35a. A substantially rectangular opening 37 is formed between the medal groove 36 and the inclined surface 35 a, and the opening 37 is shielded by the shutter 40. The shutter 40 is slidable between a closed position where the opening 37 is blocked by the slide mechanism 41 and an open position where the opening 37 is opened. The width of the opening 37 is formed with a thickness equal to or less than two medals, and each medal passes through the opening 37.
[0016]
A medal sensor 42 made of, for example, a magnetic sensor is attached to the side wall of the medal groove 36 to detect the medal 48 passing through the opening 7. In response to the output from the medal sensor 42, the payout number counter 43 counts the number of medals 48 paid out. When the count value reaches 50, the control device 8 drives the slide mechanism 41 to slide the shutter 40 to the closed position, and shields the medal delivery port 31 by the shielding plate 32. The motor 34 is driven. The medal 48 that has fallen into the medal groove 36 from the opening 37 rolls on a medal passage 45 provided in the nozzle 15 and is paid out to a medal receiving portion of a slot machine such as a medal tray.
[0017]
Next, the operation of the medal lending machine 2 configured as described above will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. When the player inserts the bill 3 from the bill insertion slot 6, the bill drawing device 20 is driven to draw the bill 3 into the medal lending machine 2. At the same time that the banknote 3 is pulled in, the banknote 3 is identified by the identification sensor 21. When the banknote 3 that has been pulled in is a corresponding banknote (thousand-yen bill), the control device 8 drives the hopper device 11. All 50 medals 48 paid out by driving the hopper device 11 are temporarily stored in the storage tank 30. In addition, when the banknote 3 thrown in from the banknote insertion slot 6 is not a corresponding banknote, the banknote 3 is withdrawn from the banknote insertion slot 6 by the banknote drawing device 20.
[0018]
When the bill 3 is continuously inserted after the 50 medals 48 are paid out to the storage tank 30, the 50 medals 48 are temporarily stored in the storage tank 30 in the same manner. Then, when the medal payout button 25 on the front face of the medal payout portion 5 is pressed, a pressing signal is output to the control device 8 and the payout of the medal 48 is started.
[0019]
As shown in FIG. 5, when the medal payout button 25 is pressed, the control device 8 first drives the motor 34 to swing the shielding plate 32 disposed at the medal delivery port 31 of the storage tank 30. By swinging the shielding plate 32, the medal delivery port 31 is opened within a predetermined range, and the medal 48 stored below falls from the medal delivery port 31. The medal 48 dropped from the medal delivery port 31 reaches the opening 37 through the inclined portion 35 a inside the nozzle rotating portion 35. In the control device 8, the slide mechanism 41 is driven and the shutter 40 is moved to the open position simultaneously with the driving of the motor 34, so that the medal 48 falls into the medal groove 36 and stands. Thus, the temporarily stored medal 48 is paid out without clogging.
[0020]
When the medal 48 falls into the medal groove 36, the medal 48 is detected by the medal sensor 42. The detection signal is output to the payout number counter 43 via the control device 21, and the count value is up-counted. When the count value reaches 50 sheets, the control device 21 drives the slide mechanism 41 to move the shutter 40 to the closed position. At the same time, the motor 34 is driven so as to shield the medal delivery port 31 by the shielding plate 32. Thereby, the temporary payout of the medal 48 from the storage tank 30 is completed. The medal 48 that has passed through the medal groove 36 rolls in the medal passage 45 of the nozzle 15 and is paid out to a medal slot, a medal tray, or the like of the slot machine.
[0021]
When the medals 48 run out during the slot machine game, when the payout button 25 of the medal lending machine 2 is pressed, the medals are paid out from the storage tank 30 in the same manner. Thereby, even if it is exchanged for a large number of medals in advance at the start of the game, it can be stored in the medal lending machine 2, so that every time there are no medals during the game, the banknote 3 is inserted into the medal lending machine 2. There is no need.
[0022]
Further, when the medal 48 is paid out without causing the bill 3 to be inserted once, the medal payout button 25 is pressed after the bill 3 is inserted, and the medal 48 is paid out. Thereby, it is also possible to exchange medals similarly to the conventional medal lending machine.
[0023]
In the present embodiment, a banknote is taken as an example, but it is not necessary to limit to this, and a prepaid card or the like can also be applied. Further, although the bill is a thousand yen bill, a 10,000 yen bill or a 5,000 yen bill may be inserted.
[0024]
In this embodiment, the number of medals to be paid out when the medal payout button is pressed is 50. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a payout number selection button is provided on the front part of the medal lending machine to select a player. After the number of payouts is determined by, medals may be paid out.
[0025]
A medal remaining number counter that counts the remaining number of medals stored in the storage tank may be provided. This remaining medal counter counts the number of medals sent out from the hopper device and counts the remaining number of medals by subtracting the count value of the payout number counter. At this time, it is desirable to display the remaining number of medals in the storage tank on a display panel or the like.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the medal lending machine of the present invention, when the player has decided the amount of money to invest , even if the player has exchanged the medal in advance, the medal receiving part of the gaming machine is not paid out. Medals can be temporarily stored in the storage tank. In addition, when there are no medals, a predetermined number of medals can be paid out from the storage tank, so there is no need to insert a value-added medium every time the medals are consumed, so the time for paying out medals is minimized. Can be suppressed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a medal lending machine embodying the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the medal lending machine shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a storage tank and a nozzle rotating portion.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of medal lending.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a storage tank and a nozzle rotating portion when a medal is paid out.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Medal lending machine 5 Medal paying unit 8 Control device 11 Hopper device 15 Nozzle 25 Medal payout button 30 Storage tank 31 Medal delivery port 32 Shield plate 40 Shutter 41 Slide mechanism 42 Medal sensor 43 Payout counter 45 Medal passage

Claims (2)

In a medal lending machine that, in response to the addition of the value-added medium, pays out the number of medals corresponding to the value-added medium through a nozzle by driving a hopper device provided therein,
A storage tank in which medals sent out from the hopper device are temporarily stored, and a medal delivery port for sending out the stored medals is formed on the lower surface ;
It is swingable about a rotation shaft disposed substantially parallel to the medal delivery port and at the center of the medal delivery port, and is closed and closed from the closed state. A shielding plate that opens to open the medal delivery port;
An operation member operated when paying out a predetermined number of medals out of medals stored in the storage tank;
A motor that opens the shielding plate in the open state in response to an operation of the operation member and drops a predetermined number of medals;
A medal lending machine, comprising: a nozzle rotating portion that is disposed below the medal delivery port and raises medals dropped from the medal delivery port and guides them one by one to the nozzle . The nozzle rotating unit includes an inclined surface that receives a medal that has dropped from the medal delivery port, a medal groove that guides the medal that has dropped onto the inclined surface, and a medal that has dropped onto the inclined surface one by one. An opening for entering and standing up in the medal groove, a shutter movable between an open position for opening the opening and a blocking position for blocking, and a medal provided downstream and in the vicinity of the shutter and passing through the medal groove The counter according to claim 1 , further comprising a slide mechanism that moves the shutter to the blocking position when a count value of the counter reaches an upper limit value of medals to be paid out. Medal lending machine.

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