JP4690862B2 - Game media lending device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a game medium lending device suitable for upward assembly of a gaming machine island formed by arranging a plurality of gaming machines and game medium lending machines, and in particular, when a high-value banknote is inserted, The present invention relates to a device that can be paid out.

  In gaming machines represented by slot machines and pachinko machines, when a player wants to start a game, he must first receive a medal or pachinko ball as a gaming medium. As a means for receiving the loan, a method of directly inserting cash such as coins or banknotes into a game medium lending machine installed adjacent to the game machine is the most convenient and quickest method for the player. I can say that. In particular, a game media lending device that has a function of accepting high-value banknotes and paying out changes can be used by a player to exchange high-value banknotes in advance using a change machine, or to exchange money in the middle of a game. There is no hassle of leaving.

  Patent Document 1 introduces a game hall system that can pay out change. That is, as shown in FIG. 6 reprinted from Patent Document 1, in this game hall system, each game machine 1 has a pedestal machine 2 as a game medium lending machine for lending the game medium of the game machine 1 to a player. In correspondence with each other, an island is configured by arranging a plurality of gaming machines 1 and a plurality of inter-vehicle machines 2 in an aligned state. Each island is provided with a money transport mechanism 70 for transporting the money received and delivered by each inter-vehicle machine 2 to the money collection mechanism 90. Each inter-machine 2 has a change storage unit 40 that stores a thousand yen bill for change, and when the change storage unit 40 runs out of change, it takes in the thousand yen bill from the money transport mechanism 70 and changes the change storage unit. 40. With such a configuration, even a thin pedestal machine can use a high-priced banknote requiring change, and does not frequently cause a change shortage.

  JP 2001-54675 A

  According to Patent Document 1 cited above, the money transport mechanism 70 includes a drive belt 74 stretched between a drive roller 72 and a driven roller 73 disposed at both ends of the island, and each inter-machine 2. And a driven belt 77 stretched between the driven rollers 75 and 76 arranged corresponding to the position of the paper. A bill is sandwiched between the driving belt 74 and each driven belt 77. A conveyance path 71 for conveying the money to the coin collecting mechanism 90 at the island end is formed around. That is, in the relationship between the money collection mechanism 90 and the inter-machine 2, the farthest one needs almost one turn, and is an inefficient form of money conveyance.

  The various rollers used here are arranged horizontally and formed to rotate horizontally. However, in the money transport mechanism 70 configured in this way, the diameter of the driving roller 72 and the driven roller 73 particularly affects the width of the money transport mechanism 70, so that the thickness (depth) of the island is increased. Will be determined.

  Further, in the money transport mechanism 70, a high-priced bill that is inserted and transported to the island-end money collection mechanism 90, and a bill for change that is unloaded from the money collection mechanism 90 and replenished to the intermediary machine 2 are: A single drive belt 74 is mixed and conveyed. Therefore, a passing sensor 81 for detecting the passage of the bill being conveyed and a bill discriminator 82 for discriminating whether the bill that has passed through the sensor is a bill of a change-compatible denomination The problem is solved by checking the denomination of the bills that pass through. Of these, the passage sensor 81 is not particularly problematic because it can be easily mounted with a touch sensor or the like. However, for the banknote discriminator 82, for example, an infrared transmission sensor and an analysis device for analyzing the received transmitted light for data analysis to discriminate the denomination are required, which increases the cost and labor of manufacturing. The problem remains.

  In such a situation, an object of the present invention is to provide a game medium lending device that can cope with change payout. Moreover, the thickness of the gaming machine island is determined so that it can be installed on the upper part of the gaming machine and the game media lending machine, which determines the thickness of the gaming machine island. There is no game media lending device to provide. Another object of the present invention is to provide a game medium lending device that does not require frequent denominations of banknotes as in the above reference.

  The game medium lending apparatus of the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a banknote recognition apparatus that receives banknotes inserted by a player, and a banknote transport apparatus that transports banknotes sent from the banknote identification apparatus. And a safe provided at one end of the banknote transport device for storing the banknotes transported, and in response to a game media lending request, a game medium lending machine that forms a game machine island together with a game machine is provided. In the gaming medium lending apparatus configured to be lent out, a change storage is attached to the opposite end of the safe of the banknote transport apparatus, and denominated banknotes not used as change are stored in the safe. On the other hand, the denomination banknote suitable for change is configured to be transported to and stored in the change storage without staying in the safe. To.

  This is because the banknote transport device is equipped with a safe for storing denominated bills that are not used as change, generally expensive bills such as 5,000 yen bills and 10,000 yen bills, and the other end is a money that is suitable for change. A change storage is provided to store seed bills, usually thousand yen bills. Of the banknotes thrown in by the player, the thousand-yen bill is transported to and stored in the change store, so that the number of change banknotes stored in the change store is compensated for. Is.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the game medium lending device, the bill discriminating device is provided with a change storage portion so as to be able to respond to change payment and stored in the change storage portion. When the number of bills for change falls below a predetermined number, the bill for change is sent out from the change storage and replenished to the change storage unit via the bill transport device. It is characterized by that.

  In this case, when the change needs to be paid, the change is made directly from the change storage unit configured as a part of the banknote identification device so that the waiting time is not given to the player as much as possible. And when the banknote for change stored in the change storage part is almost insufficient, it can be replenished from the change storage. At this time, since the banknote sent out from the change storage is limited to the thousand yen bill, the banknote is not identified again.

  The gaming medium lending device according to claim 3, wherein the banknote transporting device is equipped with a banknote transporting belt extending along the gaming machine island and circulating in the vertical direction, and the banknotes are horizontally positioned by the banknote transporting belt. In addition, the banknotes transported to the safe and the replenishment banknotes sent out from the change storage are transported by the movement of the lower part of the banknote transport belt, and from the safe to the banknote storage. The bill is transported by moving the upper portion of the bill transport belt.

  This describes a specific mechanism of the banknote transport apparatus. By effectively utilizing the movement of the lower part and the movement of the upper part in one circulating banknote transport belt, banknote transport in the banknote transport apparatus is performed without waste.

  The game medium lending device according to claim 4, wherein when a banknote for replenishment is transported from the change storage to the change storage unit of the banknote identification device, the banknote identification apparatus is issuing a replenishment request. Until the conveyance of the banknote is completed, the sending of the newly inserted banknote to the banknote transport apparatus is temporarily stopped for the banknote identification apparatus arranged upstream of the banknote identification apparatus. It is comprised so that it may do.

  This is to avoid a mixed flow in the banknote transport device for a change banknote and a high-value banknote. That is, since the denomination of the newly inserted banknote is not necessarily a change-compatible denomination, it is located upstream of the banknote transport apparatus from the banknote identification apparatus that requires replenishment while the banknote for replenishment is being transported. The acceptance from the banknote identification device is stopped, and a temporary standby state is established. On the other hand, as for the banknote recognition device downstream from the banknote recognition device that requires replenishment, even if the bill for change and the high-value banknote are mixed, the sorting is performed in a safe. No stop action is taken.

  The game medium lending device of the present invention is a device that can cope with change at the time of inserting a large amount of banknotes, and is a single conveyor belt that runs around the gaming machine island along the longitudinal direction and circulates vertically. It was completed by making effective use of both the forward and backward movements. Since it can be provided as a device that does not affect the thickness of the gaming machine island at all, it is not necessary to worry about the installation space of the gaming machine island in the gaming store.

  Banknotes thrown in by a player are stored in a safe if they are high-value banknotes, and are stored together in a change storage if they are thousand yen bills. The number of operations such as replenishment with the help of human resources can be reduced. Since the change is paid directly from the change storage unit provided in the banknote identification device, it is possible to respond quickly when a change is requested by the player. And since the banknote for change is replenished from the change storage to the change storage part, there is no worry that the change storage part falls short of change. When banknotes for replenishment are conveyed from the change storage, banknotes of denominations other than a thousand yen bill do not flow, so there is no need to identify the banknotes each time.

  In addition, if the banknotes for change are fully set in the change storage and the machine is operated before the opening of the game shop business day, all the change storage units attached to the game medium lending device are changed. Can be filled with bills.

  Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front external view of a gaming machine island in which the game medium lending device of the present invention is incorporated, FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view showing an outline of the peripheral portion of the banknote recognition device in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view showing the outline of the peripheral portion of the change storage in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is an example of a conventional game medium lending device. FIG. In addition, the code | symbol described in drawing concerning this invention and the code | symbol described in drawing (FIG. 5) reprinted from the cited reference 1 do not represent the same thing, even if it is the same code | symbol.

  FIG. 1 depicts a slot machine 20 as an example of a gaming machine and a medal sand 30 as an example of a game medium lending machine. The slot machine 20 and the medal sand 30 are alternately installed side by side to form a gaming machine island. Moreover, the banknote conveying apparatus 40 is constructed along the longitudinal direction above the gaming machine island. The banknote transport apparatus 40 includes a banknote identification apparatus 50 disposed corresponding to each medal sand 30. In addition, a safe 60 is disposed at one end of the banknote transport apparatus 40, and a change storage box 70 is disposed at the opposite end. The game medium lending device 10 of the present invention includes the above-described banknote transport device 40 and the game medium lending function of the medal sand 30 and a control device (not shown) for controlling them. In this embodiment, the game medium is a medal.

  On the front of the medal sand 30, a settlement button 31 that is pressed when the player finishes the game and receives the remaining amount as change, and a lending button that is pressed when a bill is inserted and a medal is borrowed as a game medium 32 is attached. Moreover, the display part 33 is provided and various data are displayed. The display unit 33 displays, for example, a data display unit 34 for appropriately displaying the number of medals lent, sales information, abnormality display, etc., and the remaining amount of banknotes inserted by the player when the game is continued. And a remaining amount display unit 35 for reserving the amount of money for this purpose.

  A nozzle chute 36 for discharging a medal for lending is attached to the lower part of the medal sand 30. When the bill inserted into the game medium lending device 10 is a genuine note, the medal can be lent out, and the medal is paid out when the lending button 32 is pressed. At this time, the medal flows down through the nozzle chute 36 to the tray 21 provided at the lower part of the slot machine 20. Even when a large amount of banknotes is inserted and the remaining amount remains, medals are paid out by pressing the lending button 32, and the remaining amount display unit 35 displays the subtracted amount. The game can be started by inserting the medals thus paid out into the medal slot 22 of the slot machine 20.

  The bill conveyor 40 is provided with a driving pulley 41 and a driven pulley 42 at both ends thereof. These pulleys 41 and 42 have a horizontal rotating shaft and are formed to rotate vertically. An endless bill transport belt 43 made of a flat belt is stretched between the drive pulley 41 and the driven pulley 42. The banknote transport belt 43 circulates between the bill pulley 42 and the driven pulley 42 as the drive pulley 41 is rotated by the rotational force of a drive motor (not shown).

  A plurality of guide rollers 44 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the outer periphery of the banknote transport belt 43. The inserted banknotes are conveyed in a forward direction while being held between the guide rollers 44 and the banknote conveying belt 43 that circulates in a horizontal posture. However, at least the lower part of the banknote transport belt 43 and the peripheral parts of the drive pulley 41 and the driven pulley 42 are not guided so as not to cause a problem such that the front end of the banknote hangs down during transport. A guide belt 45 is stretched between the rollers 44 to correctly guide the bills.

  By the way, in the state shown in FIG. 1, if the banknote transport belt 43 rotates counterclockwise, the lower part of the belt moves as indicated by an arrow A. Therefore, the safe 60 is disposed at the right end that is the destination. Moreover, since the upper part of the belt of the banknote transport belt 43 moves as indicated by an arrow B, the change storage 70 is disposed at the left end as the destination. And the banknote identification device 50 is attached to the lower part of the banknote transport belt 43.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, a bill insertion slot 51 a and a change payment outlet 51 b are opened on the bottom surface of the bill identification device 50. Further, banknote guiding paths 46 a and 46 b are attached to the upper surface portion of the banknote recognition apparatus 50. The banknote guiding path 46 a is formed so as to send out the banknote S inserted in communication with the banknote insertion slot 51 a to the banknote transport belt 43. When viewed from the banknote identification device 50, the direction is changed to a right angle in the right direction in the figure, and the direction is changed. Therefore, the banknote S thrown into the banknote insertion slot 51a from below is conveyed with its own posture changed to a horizontal posture.

  Moreover, the banknote guide path 46b takes in the banknote S for change conveyed with the banknote conveyance belt 43, curves in a substantially right angle, and changes the direction to the left of this figure when it sees from the banknote identification device 50. Looks like it is. A switching means 47 that is swung by a solenoid, for example, is attached to the leading end portion, and is configured to be able to switch whether the banknote S being conveyed is passed or taken into the banknote guiding path 46b. .

  The banknote S inserted from the banknote insertion port 51a from the bottom to the top of the banknote recognition device 50 is held between the banknote transport belt 52 and the guide roller 53 that are built in the banknote recognition device 50, and travels toward the back. And drawn. During the conveyance, various data of the banknote S is read by various sensors (not shown), and the denomination and authenticity are determined. If the banknote S is an illegal banknote, the acceptance is rejected, and the banknote is returned to the player's hand through the banknote insertion slot 51a by the reverse rotation of the banknote transport belt 52.

  On the other hand, the banknote S identified as a genuine note is carried further to the banknote identification device 50. After the banknote S has passed, the shutter means 54 provided in the vicinity of the banknote insertion slot 51a protrudes to shut off the transport path, so that the banknote S is pulled back immediately after the apparatus recognizes the insertion of a valid banknote. Fraud is prevented. Thereafter, in accordance with the pressing of the lending button 32 of the medal sand 30, the medal payout is executed.

  A stacker mechanism 55 is incorporated in the bill validator 50. The stacker mechanism 55 is configured to be extendable and contractable by a spring 55a, a link mechanism 55b having a pantograph structure, a solenoid, and the like so that the pressing plate 56 provided at the free end can be translated in the horizontal direction in FIG. It has become. This figure shows a state when the link mechanism 55b is activated and the pressing plate 56 is pulled to the left, and when it is in this state, it is a thousand yen bill from the upper banknote guiding path 46b. The banknote S is taken in. And by the expansion | extension effect | action of the spring 55a, the press plate 56 passes through the support piece 57 projected in the shape of a shelf plate with the banknote S, and remains in a state of being biased toward the right wall surface. In this way, the change bill S is stored in the change storage unit 58.

  When the payment button 31 attached to the medal sand 30 is pressed and change payment is requested, a feeding roller 59 arranged so as to come into contact with the surface of the bill S stored in the change storage unit 58 is moved. By rotating, bills S, which are thousand yen bills, are paid out one by one as change from the change payment outlet 51b. The number of thousand yen bills stored in the change storage portion 58 by the change payout is a predetermined number (for example, the minimum number of coins that can respond to change of 10,000 yen bills) When the number is less than the number of sheets, the stacker mechanism 55 as described above is activated, and the banknote S for replenishment is stored in the change storage unit 58.

  The banknote S sent out from the banknote guiding path 46a is transported to the safe 60 regardless of whether it is a thousand yen bill or a high-price banknote such as a 5,000 yen bill or a 10,000 yen bill. At that time, as shown in FIG. 3, the denomination of the bill S is confirmed again by the identification sensor 61 disposed in the vicinity of the entrance of the safe 60. And the switching means 62 which rock | fluctuates, for example with a solenoid is mounted | worn with the conveyance destination of the banknote S. FIG.

  When the banknote S carried into the safe 60 is a high-priced banknote, the switching means 62 operates to the banknote taking-in side. The bill S is taken into the safe 60 and stored. On the other hand, when the banknote S is a thousand yen bill, the switching means 62 is switched to the side through which the banknote S passes. After the banknote S goes straight, the direction is changed to make a U-turn in the safe 60. And by the movement of the upper part of the banknote conveyance belt 43, it is conveyed to the change storage 70 installed in the opposite end, and is accommodated as a banknote for replenishment.

  FIG. 4 shows a change storage 70. The change storage 70 also incorporates a stacker mechanism 71 that can be expanded and contracted by a spring 71a, a link mechanism 71b, a solenoid, and the like. Then, as shown in the figure, when the stacker mechanism 71 is shortened and the pressing plate 72 provided at the free end is at a low position, the bill S conveyed as shown by the arrow B is received. At this time, the bill S is guided to the inside by the upper surface portion of the guide member 73 provided close to the end portion of the bill transport belt 43.

  When the stacker mechanism 71 is extended, the bills S stored in the change storage 70 are urged against the upper wall surface of the drawing by the spring 71a. A feeding roller 74 is also provided at the upper part, and is formed so as to contact the surface of the urged banknote S. And when the replenishment request | requirement of the banknote for change is issued, the feeding roller 74 rotates and it sends out the banknote S one by one. At this time, since the leading edge of the bill S to be sent is formed so as to face the lower surface portion of the guide member 73, the bill S is transported as indicated by an arrow A after going to the lower part of the bill transport belt 43. Become so.

  If the number of thousand yen bills stored in the bill identification device 50 numbered B3 in FIG. 1 does not reach the predetermined number, the control device A replenishment command to B3 is issued to the storage 70. In response to this, the replenishment thousand yen bill is sent out from the change storage 70 and stored in the banknote storage 58 in B3. At this time, in the banknote recognition apparatus 50 of B1 and B2 installed upstream from B3, even if a new banknote is thrown into the said apparatus, the treatment which waits temporarily without sending out to the banknote conveyance belt 43 It is done. This is so that only the thousand yen bill is replenished without identifying the denomination many times so as not to be mixed with the replenishing banknotes in the middle of conveyance to B3. However, when it is determined that the bills inserted into B1 and B2 are genuine bills, medal lending is executed. This is because consideration is not given to waiting for the player.

  In addition, for the banknote identification devices 50 of B4 (not shown) to Bn, which are downstream of B3, the above-described temporary standby treatment is not taken for the insertion of a new banknote. This is because even if the conveyance is continued in a state where a thousand yen bill and a large amount of bills are mixed, they are sorted by the safe 60.

  1 is a front external view of a gaming machine island in which a game medium lending device of the present invention is incorporated.   It is the enlarged front view which shows the outline | summary of the peripheral part of the banknote identification device in FIG.   It is the front view which expanded the outline | summary of the peripheral part of the safe in FIG.   It is the front view which expanded the outline | summary of the peripheral part of the change storage in FIG.   It is a top view which shows an example of the conventional game media rental apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

10 game media lending device 20 slot machine (game machine)
30 Medal Sand (Game Media Rental Machine)
40 bill transport device 43 bill transport belt 46a, 46b bill guide path 47 switching means 50 bill recognition device 51a bill insertion slot 51b change outlet 55 stacker mechanism 58 change storage portion 59 feeding roller 60 safe 62 switching means 70 change storage 71 stacker Mechanism 74 Feeding roller S Banknote

Claims (4)

A banknote recognition device that accepts banknotes inserted by a player, a banknote transport device that transports banknotes sent from the banknote recognition device, and a safe that is provided at one end of the banknote transport device and stores the transported banknotes In a gaming medium lending apparatus configured to lend gaming media through a gaming medium lending machine that forms a gaming machine island together with gaming machines in response to a gaming media lending request,
A change storage is attached to the opposite end of the safe of the banknote transport device, and banknotes of denominations that are not used as change are stored in the safe, while banknotes of denominations that are compatible with change are stored in the safe. A game medium renting apparatus configured to be transported to and stored in the change storage without being stopped.   The bill recognition device is provided with a change storage unit so as to be able to respond to change change, and the number of change banknotes stored in the change storage unit is less than a predetermined number. 2. The game according to claim 1, wherein a bill for change is sent out from the change storage and is replenished to the change storage unit via the bill transport device. Medium lending device.   The banknote transport device is equipped with a banknote transport belt that extends along the gaming machine island and circulates in the vertical direction. The banknote transport belt transports banknotes in a horizontal posture and is transported to the safe. The banknote and the banknote for replenishment sent out from the change storage are transported by moving the lower part of the banknote transport belt, and the banknote is transported from the safe to the banknote storage by the upper part of the banknote transport belt. 3. The game medium renting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the game medium renting apparatus is configured to be performed by moving a portion.   When a banknote for replenishment is transported from the change storage to the change storage unit of the banknote identification device, the conveyance of the banknote to the banknote identification device issuing a replenishment request is completed. The banknote recognition apparatus disposed upstream of the banknote recognition apparatus is configured to temporarily stop sending a newly inserted banknote to the banknote transport apparatus. The game medium lending device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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