JP6326226B2 - Game media container - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a game medium container for handling game media used in a gaming machine, and in particular, for scooping medals (game media) stored in a storage tray (storage unit) provided below a slot machine (game machine). It relates to a game media container.

  Conventionally, when a prize is won in a game in a gaming machine, award medals and prize balls are paid out to a storage tray (so-called “dish”) provided below the gaming machine. When taking out medals and game balls in the storage tray and transferring them to a counting machine, etc., they were usually taken out by hand, but especially in the case of medals, they are sleeping along the bottom plane of the storage tray. In some cases, it was difficult to pick and it was very troublesome to pick it up by hand. In addition, there is a possibility that hands are dirty, dirt is attached to medals and game balls, and fingertips are injured.

  In order to solve such problems, a slot machine medal delivery device shown in Patent Document 1 has been proposed as a slot machine for efficiently awarding award medals paid out to a storage tray. According to this, it is possible to efficiently collect a predetermined number of medals stored in the storage tray and insert them into the medal slot of the gaming machine. Here, the part where the medal is directly picked up or inserted into the gaming machine is not deformed by a hard material such as a metal material, and the shape is an arc-shaped cross-section slightly larger than the outer diameter of the medal in order to align the medal. there were.

As for pachinko machines, pachinko ball scooping cups such as those shown in Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3 have been proposed for efficiently scooping up award balls paid out to a storage tray.
In Patent Document 2, since the cup is inserted so as to cut into the game ball group, it is necessary to increase the overall rigidity, and it is made of a transparent material such as a plastic material that does not deform or break even if it is strongly gripped by hand. It is formed. Moreover, the opening edge part of the cup was formed in the shape of a knife edge by gradually reducing the wall thickness over the entire circumference.

  Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a vertically long box-shaped container integrally formed with an inclined plate that is bent at a predetermined angle inward from the upper end of the one-side straight outer peripheral wall surface at the upper opening of the container. It is disclosed. Such a container is used to scoop out the game balls in the storage tray with the inclined plate running parallel to the bottom plane of the ball box. Therefore, it is necessary for the container to have a high overall rigidity. For example, a polypropylene resin having excellent strength is optimal.

JP-A-11-216223 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-33825 Utility Model Registration No. 3150811

  However, the slot machine medal delivery device described in Patent Document 1 described above can efficiently scoop up when the amount of medals stored in the storage tray is large, but the number of medals in the storage tray is limited. There was a problem that it was not possible to crawl when it became a sheet. That is, since the portion for directly picking up medals has a hard arcuate cross-sectional shape, it was not possible to pick up medals in the state of lying along the bottom plane of the storage tray.

  Moreover, in the cup of patent document 2, the opening edge part of the cup is formed in the shape of a knife edge, and it can be easily scooped up with respect to a game ball that is a sphere, The knife-edge-like part is easily caught on the edge of the medal, and there was a problem in scooping up the medal.

  Moreover, it is made of a material having high rigidity as a whole including the opening edge of the cup, and as described above, when the medal is caught or dropped on the floor, the opening edge of the cup is lost. There is a fear. There was also a problem that the player could be injured at the chipped portion, the piece could be mixed into the game machine, and especially in the case of a pachinko machine, if the piece entered the ball passage to be sent to the launcher, there was a problem.

  Further, in the container described in Patent Document 3, when using the inclined plate in the upper opening along the bottom plane of the ball box with the vertically long box-shaped container facing downward, There is no problem if there is room for space, but when used to win medals in a slot machine storage tray, there is generally no space for handling a vertical box-like container on the storage tray, and its use is extremely limited. There was a problem that it was.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and can easily and efficiently scoop even medals lying on the bottom plane of the storage section. It is an object of the present invention to provide a game medium container that does not require a space in the taking operation and can be used without problems even in a narrow place.

The gist of the present invention for achieving the object described above resides in the inventions of the following items.
[1] In a game media container (10) for handling game media used in the gaming machine (1),
A container body (11) having a bottomed cylindrical shape capable of receiving a predetermined amount of game media and having an open end,
At the bottom wall (12) on the opposite side to the hand gripping side of the circumferential wall of the waist of the container body (11), at least the other edge around the opening at the edge that forms the bottom of the opening A part extends forward of the opening to form a take-in side (20) for scooping up the game medium,
When the take-in side (20) is along the bottom plane of the storage section (6) in which game media is stored, regardless of the angle of the opening of the container body (11) with respect to the bottom plane, Ri deformable der in abutment along,
When the force is applied to the inside of the container from both sides of the peripheral wall of the container main body (11), the bottom wall portion (12) and the intake side (20) of the container main body (11) are respectively directed downward from the vicinity of the center line toward the outside of the container. A game medium container (10) characterized by having flexibility to bend and elasticity that can be restored to a normal flat shape when no force is applied .

[2] A state in which the intake side (20) is communicated with an opening (2) of the game medium in the gaming machine (1) other than the edge where the take-in side (20) is located at the opening of the container body (11) A feeding side (30) is formed for dropping game media one by one to the insertion port (2) when facing each other,
When the feeding side (30) is connected to the wall part of the circumferential wall of the container main body (11) in the longitudinal direction toward the feeding side (30) and the sending side (30) is inclined downward, As described in [1] above, an alignment guide portion (31) is provided, in which game media in the container body (11) are aligned in a front-and-rear direction and are sequentially guided to the delivery side (30). Game media container (10).

The present invention operates as follows.
According to the game medium container (10) described in [1] above, the game medium is scooped on the edge that forms the bottom of the opening on the front end side of the bottom wall portion (12) of the container body (11). There is a take-in side (20), and when the take-in side (20) is placed along the bottom plane of the storage part (6) for game media, the angle of the opening of the container body (11) with respect to the bottom plane is determined. And deformed into a contact state along the bottom plane.

  Such an intake side (20) extends at least partially from the other edge around the opening toward the front of the opening, and can be deformed along the bottom plane of the reservoir (6). For this reason, the container body (11) is laid down so that the opening is inclined downward, and the opening is moved forward so as to press against the bottom of the storage section (6). Even a game medium is easily picked up on the take-in side (20) and received as it is in the container body (11). At this time, since the container main body (11) is used while being laid down, a space as large as the entire length of the container main body (11) is not required on the storage section (6).

Before Symbol bottom wall of the container body (11) (12) and uptake edge (20) when a force is applied to the container inside the peripheral wall on both sides of the container body (11), downwardly into the vessel outside of the vicinity of each center line Has the flexibility to bend. Thus, when the game medium of the container body (11) is transferred from the take-in side (20) to the input port (9) of the counter (7) or the like, the game medium does not spill over the entire width of the take-in side (20). The game media can be gathered and delivered to a portion curved downward.

  If no force is particularly applied to the container body (11), the take-in side (20) and the like are restored to a normal flat shape, and in this state, the game medium in the storage part (6) is scooped as described above. Can be taken. In addition, since it is provided with flexibility, safety and durability can be improved without being damaged by some impact or the like.

According to the game medium container (10) described in [2] , not only is the game medium received in the container body (11) delivered to the counter (7) or the like, but in particular to the game machine (1). It can also be delivered from a container body (11) as it is to a certain game medium slot (2). When the game medium in the container main body (11) is sent to the input port (2) of the gaming machine (1), the delivery side (30) at the opening of the container main body (11) is in communication with the input port (2). Make them face each other. From this delivery side (30), it is possible to drop the game media one by one to the slot (2).

  The wall portion where the delivery side (30) continues has an alignment guide portion (31) continuous in the longitudinal direction toward the delivery side (30). When the delivery side (30) is tilted downward, the inside of the container body (11) is provided. The game media are aligned in the front-rear direction by the alignment guide portion (31), and are sequentially guided to the delivery side (30) by their own weight as they are, and one by one from the delivery side (30) to the insertion port (2). Will fall. Thereby, it is possible to efficiently and easily send the game medium directly from the game medium container (10) to the slot (2) of the game machine (1) without directly grasping the game medium.

According to the game medium container of the present invention, even medals lying on the bottom plane of the storage portion can be easily and efficiently scooped, and there is no need for a space in this scooping operation, and a narrow portion But it can be used without problems.
In addition, the game medium can be directly fed from the game medium container to the input port of the gaming machine without directly grasping the game medium, and the operation of inserting the game medium into the gaming machine can be performed efficiently and easily.

It is a perspective view which shows the game media container which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows the game media container which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the game media container which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the game media container which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the use condition of the game media container which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which expands and shows the principal part in the use condition of the game media container which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the slot machine which uses the game media container which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the game media container which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows the game media container which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the game media container which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the game media container which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the use condition of the game media container which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the game media container which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows the game media container which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the game media container which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the game media container which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the game media container which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the game media container which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention from another angle. It is a side view which shows the game media container which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the game media container which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the game media container which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows the game media container which concerns on 5th Embodiment of this invention upside down. It is a front view which shows the game media container which concerns on 5th Embodiment of this invention upside down. It is explanatory drawing which shows the use condition which turned the game media container which concerns on 5th Embodiment of this invention upside down. It is explanatory drawing which shows the detail of the medal insertion slot in the slot machine which uses the game media container which concerns on 5th Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, various embodiments representing the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 to 7 show a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a game medium container 10, and FIG. 2 is a side view showing the game medium container 10. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the game medium container 10, and FIG. 4 is a front view showing the game medium container 10. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a usage state of the game medium container 10, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing an enlarged main part in the use state of the game medium container 10. FIG. 7 is a front view showing the slot machine 1 that uses the game medium container 10.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the game medium container 10 is for handling the game medium used in the gaming machine 1, and has a bottomed cylindrical shape that can receive a predetermined amount of game medium, and has an open end. A container body 11 is provided. The container body 11 is a horizontally long box shape having a rectangular cross section and is a size that can be grasped with one hand, and is integrally formed of an elastically deformable synthetic resin (for example, polypropylene). It should be noted that the specific size of the container body 11 and the thickness of each part may be appropriately set to dimensions that can maintain the strength.

  In the container main body 11, a substantially rectangular plate-like surface on the side opposite to the side gripped by the hand of the waist wall is the bottom wall portion 12. Both sides of the bottom wall portion 12 are connected to a substantially rectangular and plate-like side wall portion 13, and the plate-like surface is the upper wall portion 14 on the upper side grasped by hand. Further, the bottom 15 opposite to the opening of the container main body 11 is formed in a flat shape, and the container main body 11 is placed vertically with the bottom 15 standing on a horizontal surface and containing game media. Can do. Hereinafter, the slot machine 1 as a gaming machine will be described as handling a medal that is the gaming medium.

  At the bottom wall portion 12 of the container main body 11, at least a part of the edge that forms the bottom of the opening extends forward from the other edge around the opening, and a take-up edge 20 for scooping medals. Is formed. The take-in side 20 is continuous with the bottom wall portion 12 on the same plane, but in the present embodiment, a portion closer to the center becomes a protruding portion 21 extending in a tongue shape from the other end edge to the front of the opening. ing.

  When the take-in side 20 (mainly the protruding portion 21) is along the bottom plane of the storage tray 6 in which medals are stored in the slot machine 1, the bottom plane regardless of the opening angle of the container body 11 with respect to the bottom plane. It can be deformed to a contact state along. Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the slot machine 1 rotates the reels inside the display window 4 by operating the start lever 3 after inserting medals into the medal slot 2 opened in the middle. The game machine is configured to stop the rotation of each reel by pressing the stop button 5 and to pay out a prize medal to the player according to the display mode on the front of each reel at the time of the stop.

  A storage tray 6 serving as a storage unit for storing the paid-out medals is provided at the lower stage of such a slot machine 1. The storage tray 6 is horizontally long and has a flat bottom, and the medal in the storage tray 6 can be picked up by the game medium container 10. Further, on the side of the slot machine 1, a medal lending machine 7 also serving as a medal counting machine is provided side by side.

  The medal lending machine 7 lends a predetermined number of medals according to the valuable value of cash and cards, puts them into the storage tray 6 through the nozzle 8, and counts medals thrown into the medal slot 9 The count result is output. As will be described later, medals can be transferred by the game medium container 10 to the medal slot 9 in the medal lending machine 7 and further to the medal slot 2 of the slot machine 1 itself.

  The deformation of the take-in side 20 (mainly the protruding portion 21) is due to elastic deformation of the material, and the planar protruding portion 21 is pressed against the bottom plane of the storage tray 6 so as to be along the bottom plane. Easy to bend up and down to maintain. Further, when the container body 11 is moved forward while the outer edge 22 of the protruding portion 21 is in contact with the bottom plane of the storage tray 6, the bottom edge of the medal is not affected by the medal state on the bottom plane. It is formed to have a thickness that sinks into.

  That is, the outer end edge 22 of the protruding portion 21 is determined to be thin enough to sink under the edge of the medal without pushing the edge of the medal as it is when it hits the edge of the medal lying on the bottom plane. And good. Specifically, as shown in the drawing, the outer end edge 22 of the protruding portion 21 may be formed in a tapered shape so that the tip end gradually becomes thinner. The taper angle here may be an acute angle or an obtuse angle, and may be a gentle inclination that curves toward the tip. Of course, you may design so that the whole protrusion part 21 may become thin so that it may sink under a medal.

  The protruding portion 21 of the taking-in side 20 has the outer edge 22 of the protruding portion 21 at the bottom in a state where the bottom portion 15 side of the container body 11 that is opposite to the opening is floated from the bottom plane of the storage tray 6. When pressed against a flat surface, the outer end edge 22 of the projecting portion 21 is flexible so that it can be bent so as to be substantially parallel to the bottom flat surface, and has resilience. In addition, the specific shape of the protrusion 21 is not limited to the shape of a tongue piece extending from a portion closer to the center of the take-in side 20 as shown in the figure, but may be other shapes or divided into a plurality of shapes. It may be provided.

Next, the operation of the game medium container 10 of the first embodiment will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the game medium container 10 has a size that allows the container main body 11 to be easily grasped with one hand, and an intake edge 20 is formed at the edge that forms the bottom of the opening in the bottom wall portion 12 of the container main body 11. Therefore, the upper and lower directions can be easily distinguished when grasping the container body 11. If the container body 11 is grasped and the bottom wall 12 is moved sideways toward the bottom of the storage tray 6, the medal in the storage tray 6 can be picked up. In this way, the medal can be moved from the storage tray 6 to another place efficiently and easily without touching the medal with bare hands. Moreover, if the container main body 11 is filled with medals, the number can be easily estimated to be a predetermined amount (for example, 100).

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the take-in side 20 in the container main body 11 has a protruding portion 21 extending forward from the other edge around the opening of the container main body 11, and this protruding portion 21 is stored. When along the bottom plane of the dish 6, it is elastically deformed into a contact state along the bottom plane regardless of the opening angle of the container body 11 with respect to the bottom plane. That is, when the container body 11 is laid sideways so that the opening is inclined downward, and the protruding portion 21 connected to the opening is pressed against the bottom plane of the storage tray 6, the bottom 15 of the container body 11 is more than the bottom plane of the storage tray 6. In FIG. 5, it becomes a sideways shape that floats by the height of the arrow a.

  At this time, as long as the protrusion 21 is pressed against the bottom plane even if the height of the arrow a in FIG. 5 changes according to the angle of the opening of the container body 11 with respect to the bottom plane of the storage tray 6, FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the protrusion 21 is elastically deformed and extends in parallel with the bottom plane and is kept in close contact. In this state, even if a small number of medals lying on the bottom plane are simply moved forward by moving the container body 11 forward in the right direction in FIG. It is received in the container body 11.

  Thus, the protruding portion 21 of the take-in side 20 has a flexibility to bend so that the outer end edge 22 of the protruding portion 21 is substantially parallel to the bottom plane when the outer end edge 22 is pressed against the bottom plane. Since it has resilience that can be restored, it is possible to scoop even a medal that lies on the bottom plane of the storage tray 6 more reliably by this take-in side 20. Moreover, since the protrusion part 21 protrudes ahead of opening, the medal in the corner of the storage tray 6 can also be picked up easily. Furthermore, since the container main body 11 is used in a sideways manner, a space as large as the entire length of the container main body 11 is not required on the storage tray 6.

  In particular, when the container body 11 is moved forward while the outer edge 22 of the projecting portion 21 is in contact with the bottom plane of the storage tray 6, the bottom edge of the medal is below the medal regardless of the state of the medal on the bottom plane. It is formed to have a thickness that sinks into. Specifically, in the present embodiment, since the outer end edge 22 of the protruding portion 21 is formed in a tapered shape so as to gradually become thinner toward the tip, even a medal lying on the bottom plane of the storage tray 6 can be used. It is possible to easily dive under the edge without hitting the edge and simply pushing.

  As described above, according to the game medium container 10, medals sleeping on the bottom plane of the storage tray 6 in the slot machine 1 can be easily and efficiently picked up. Further, it is possible to easily and quickly insert a medal that has been scooped up into the medal slot 9 in the medal lending machine 7 provided in the slot machine 1.

  8 to 12 show a game medium container 10A according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the game medium container 10A, and FIG. 9 is a side view showing the game medium container 10A. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the game medium container 10A, and FIG. 11 is a front view showing the game medium container 10A. Moreover, FIG. 12 is explanatory drawing which shows the use condition of 10 A of game media containers.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 to 11, the game medium container 10 </ b> A has basically the same configuration as the game medium container 10 of the first embodiment described above, but the shape of the container main body 11 </ b> A is the container main body 11. Is different. The container main body 11A is also in a horizontally long box shape with a rectangular cross section and is a size that can be grasped with one hand, a horizontally long flat bottom wall portion 12A, side wall portions 13A, 13A, an upper wall portion 14A, and a planar shape. However, the shape of the side wall 13A is different from that of the side wall 13 in particular.

  The opening of the container body 11A is such that the bottom that is the edge of the bottom wall 12A extends forward more greatly than the top that is the edge of the upper wall 14A, and the side that is the edge of both side walls 13A and 13A. The side is inclined downward from the upper side edge of the upper wall part 14A to the bottom side edge of the bottom wall part 12A. The front end portion 16 of the side wall portion 13A including the inclined side portion (the right triangle portion shown in light ink color in FIG. 8) supports both sides of the intake side 20A formed at the end edge of the bottom wall portion 12A. So that they are connected together.

  The take-in side 20A extends from the upper side of the upper wall portion 14A to the front of the opening over the entire width of the straight shape. It extends to the front of the opening. The entire width of the taking-in side 20A corresponds to the protruding portion 21A, and the outer end edge 22A of the protruding portion 21A is formed in a tapered shape so that the tip end gradually becomes thinner. Therefore, even a medal lying on the bottom plane of the storage tray 6 can be easily sunk under the edge without being pushed while hitting the edge.

  Even in such a game medium container 10A, when the take-in side 20A (projecting portion 21A) is along the bottom plane of the storage tray 6, the intake side 20A is not along the bottom plane regardless of the angle of the opening of the container body 11A with respect to the bottom plane. It is elastically deformed to the contact state. In particular, since both sides of the taking-in side 20A (projecting part 21A) are supported by the front end part 16 of the side wall part 13A, the material including the front end part 16 can be more easily elastically deformed (for example, vinyl chloride). Etc.).

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 12, in the game medium container 10A, when the bottom wall portion 12A and the taking-in side 20A of the container body 11A apply force to the inside of the container from the side wall portions 13A and 13A of the container body 11A, It has the flexibility to curve downward from the vicinity of the line to the outside of the container and the elasticity that can be restored to a normal flat shape when no force is applied. As a result, when the medal in the container body 11A is moved from the take-in side 20A to the medal slot 9 (see FIG. 7) of the medal lending machine 7, the medal is not spilled over the entire width of the take-in side 20A and is curved downward. The medals can be collected and handed over to the place where it was.

  For example, when the medal insertion slot 9 is small, the container main body 11A is strongly crushed from both sides, and the flat bottom wall portion 12A and the straight take-in side 20A are curved in a U shape to guide the medal. be able to. Here, the curvature for bending the bottom wall portion 12A and the like can be appropriately adjusted by adjusting the force of pushing the container body 11A, and can be matched to the medal slot 9 of various sizes. Further, it is not necessary to take a posture in which the medal in the container main body 11A is dropped from the four corners of the container main body 11A, and it is possible to eliminate the burden on the wrist and elbow that has been imposed when maintaining such a posture.

  If no force is particularly applied to the container main body 11A, the bottom wall portion 12A and the like are restored to a normal flat shape, and the medal in the storage tray 6 can be picked up in this state as described above. Further, by providing such excellent flexibility, safety and durability can be improved without being damaged when the opening is missing due to some impact or the like. The excellent flexibility and recoverable elasticity of the game medium container 10A can be applied to the game medium container 10 described above or other embodiments described below.

  13 to 16 show a game medium container 10B according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the game medium container 10B, and FIG. 14 is a side view showing the game medium container 10B. FIG. 15 is a plan view showing the game medium container 10B, and FIG. 16 is a front view showing the game medium container 10B.

  As shown in FIGS. 13 to 16, the game medium container 10 </ b> B has basically the same configuration as the game medium container 10 of the first embodiment described above, but the shape of the container main body 11 </ b> B is the container main body 11. Is different. The container main body 11B is also sized to be grasped with one hand, and includes a horizontally long flat bottom wall portion 12B, a semicircular arc-shaped outer peripheral wall portion 17 and a flat bottom portion 15B. The whole has a kamaboko (semi-circular) cross-sectional shape.

  As described above, the shape of the peripheral wall of the container main body 11B may be anything other than the bottom wall portion 12B, which is usually flat, as long as it can be easily grasped with one hand. Although the peripheral wall of the third embodiment has a semi-cylindrical shape (semicircular shape), it can be formed into various shapes such as a triangle, a square, a polygon more than a square, a trapezoid, or an ellipse.

  Further, the take-in side 20B formed at the edge of the bottom wall portion 12B extends in the form of a base-shaped (mountain-shaped) tongue piece forward from the opening edge of the outer peripheral wall portion 17 over its entire width. The whole forms the protruding portion 21B. As described above, the specific shape of the protruding portion 21B can be various shapes such as a V shape, a W shape, and a saw shape in addition to the base shape (mountain shape) and the rectangle described above. Note that the outer end edge 22B of the protruding portion 21B is also formed in a tapered shape so that the tip end gradually becomes thinner.

  Next, FIGS. 17 to 21 show a game medium container 10C according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing the game medium container 10C, and FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing the game medium container 10C from another angle. FIG. 19 is a side view showing the game medium container 10C, and FIG. 20 is a plan view showing the game medium container 10C. FIG. 21 is a front view showing the game medium container 10C.

  As shown in FIGS. 17 to 21, the game medium container 10C has basically the same configuration as the game medium container 10B of the third embodiment described above, but the shape of the container main body 11C is the container main body 11B. Is different. The container main body 11C is also sized to be grasped with one hand, and includes a horizontally long flat bottom wall portion 12C, an outer wall 18 having an elliptical cross section that is slightly rectangular and square, and a flat bottom portion 15C. As a whole, the cross-sectional shape is somewhat flat and kamaboko.

  Further, the opening of the container main body 11C is not a surface orthogonal to the center line (axial core) of the entire container main body 11C as in the other embodiments, but a surface that obliquely intersects the center line in the left-right direction. It is formed as follows. That is, the length of the both side edges of the bottom wall portion 12C is different, and the opening edge on one end side that is in contact with the longer length is within a range narrower than the full width of the bottom wall portion 12C. It can be an outlet for pouring medals to the outside.

  As described above, the end edge of the bottom wall portion 12C is inclined obliquely, and the take-in side 20C is formed so as to be parallel thereto. That is, the take-in side 20C extends forward in the shape of a parallelogram-shaped tongue with rounded corners over the entire width of the oblique end edge of the bottom wall portion 12C, and the whole forms a protruding portion 21C. The intake side 20C is formed as a separate body that can be attached to and detached from the edge of the bottom wall portion 12C of the container body 11C. Here, the specific structure for attaching and detaching is that the base end of the taking-in side 20C is inserted into the narrow groove at the end edge of the bottom wall portion 12C, the concave and convex shapes of each other are engaged, or pasted with an adhesive. The details of the configuration are not limited.

  As described above, the intake side 20C (including the protruding portion 21C) is a separate body that can be attached to and detached from the edge of the bottom wall portion 12C of the container main body 11C. In the case of damage, it becomes possible to newly replace only that part. Note that the configuration in which the take-in side 20C is detachable is applicable to the other embodiments described above. Here, when only the part of the taking-in side 20 is extended and used as the protruding part 21 as in the first embodiment, not the whole taking-in side 20 including the protruding part 21 but the part of the protruding part 21. It is good also as a detachable separate body.

  22 to 25 show a game medium container 10D according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 22 is a side view showing the game medium container 10D upside down, and FIG. 23 is a front view showing the game medium container 10D upside down. FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram showing a usage state in which the game medium container 10D is turned upside down. FIG. 25 is an explanatory diagram showing details of the medal slot 2 in the slot machine 1 that uses the game medium container 10D.

  As shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, the game medium container 10D is different from the other embodiments in the shape of the container main body 11D. The container body 11D is also sized to be grasped with one hand, and includes a horizontally long flat bottom wall portion 12D, side wall portions 13D and 13D, an upper wall portion 14D, and a flat bottom portion 15D. . When opening the container body 11D to the other edge other than the edge having the take-in side 20D, when facing the medal slot 2 in the slot machine 1, the medals are inserted one by one. A feed-out side 30 for dropping to 9 is formed.

  In the present embodiment, the bottom wall portion 12D of the container body 11D has an intake side 20D formed at the edge that forms the bottom side of the opening, and the top wall portion 14D that faces this forms the top side of the opening. The delivery side 30 is formed at the end edge. Here, the capturing edge 20D is configured in the same manner as the capturing edges 20, 20B, etc. of the other embodiments. Further, the end edge (upper side) of the upper wall portion 14D extends forward of the opening from the end edge (bottom side) of the bottom wall portion 12D, and the end edge of the opening is the upper bottom wall when turned upside down. Inclined forward from the edge of the portion 12D to the edge of the lower upper wall portion 14D.

  An alignment guide portion 31 is provided on the upper wall portion 14 </ b> D where the delivery sides 30 are continuous. The alignment guide portion 31 is formed so as to be continuous with the longitudinal direction of the upper wall portion 14D toward the delivery side 30, and when the delivery side 30 is tilted downward, the medals in the container main body 11D are arranged in the front-rear direction. And are sequentially guided to the delivery side 30.

  The upper wall portion 14D is not a flat plate-like cross-sectional shape like the bottom wall portion 12D, but a cross-sectional shape provided with a dent curved in an arc shape having a curvature slightly larger than the outer diameter of the medal as shown in FIG. There is an indentation portion 31 that can be aligned with the medals standing in a row. Further, the delivery side 30 that is the leading edge of the alignment guide portion 31 is a medal that overlaps with the alignment guide portion 31 in the front-rear direction when the oblique opening of the container body 11D is brought into contact with the medal insertion port 9 described below. In order to drop only one of them, it is formed as a notch having a size that allows one medal to pass through.

  In FIG. 25 showing the medal slot 2 in the slot machine 1, FIG. 25A is a plan view of the medal slot 2 seen from the side, and FIG. It is the top view seen from. FIG. 4C is a side view of the medal slot 2, FIG. 4D is a front view of the medal slot 2, and FIG. FIG. As shown in FIG. 25, the medal slot 2 is opened on the base 2a (in the middle of the slot machine 1).

  A receiving portion 2b curved in a semicircular arc shape is formed on the upper surface side of the base 2a, and a medal insertion slot 2 can pass one medal at the back of the receiving portion 2b. It is established in a narrow groove shape. A rear wall portion 2c that extends vertically is provided as a part of the base stand 2a immediately behind the medal slot 2. The medals can be placed on the receiving portion 2b so that the medals are addressed to the rear wall 2c, and can be inserted one by one from the medal insertion slot 2. A plurality of ribs extending in the depth direction for improving the slipping of medals are arranged in parallel on the inner surface of the receiving portion 2b.

  In FIG. 24, as shown in FIG. 24A, after scooping up a medal into the container main body 11D of the game medium container 10D, the bottom wall portion 12D of the container main body 11D is placed upward, When the container body 11D is lightly shaken while being gripped upside down, the medals are overlapped and aligned in the alignment guide portion 31. In this state, as shown in FIG. 24 (b), the delivery side 30 at the tip of the alignment guide portion 31 is brought close to the medal insertion slot 2.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 24C, the opening of the container body 11 is brought into contact with the front wall of the slot machine 1 while the notch that is the delivery side 30 is matched with the rear wall 2c. Tilt down. Then, as shown in FIG. 24 (d), the feeding side 30 comes into contact with the medal slot 2. At this time, all the medals sleeping in the alignment guide portion 31 stand up, and the medals that overlap in the front and rear in the alignment guide portion 31 move downward by their own weight, while the medals are inserted one by one from the feeding side 30. It falls continuously in 9.

  Thus, the medal picked up by the container main body 11D of the game medium container 10D is not only inserted into the medal slot 9 of the medal lending machine 7 described above, but also from the game medium container 10 as it is as the medal slot of the slot machine 1 2 can be sent quickly and efficiently without touching the medal, and the medal insertion operation to the slot machine 1 can be performed very easily. The delivery side 30 and the alignment guide portion 31 are not limited to the upper wall portion 14D facing the bottom wall portion 12D, and may be formed on any of the side wall portions 13D.

  As described above, the medal insertion slot 2 of the slot machine 1 cannot insert a medal unless the medal is raised due to its structural characteristics. Therefore, in order to send medals into the medal slot 2 of the slot machine 1, the minimum required structure of the game medium container 10D is that the alignment guide portion 31 is provided on the other wall surface except the bottom wall portion 12D of the container body 11D. Thus, there are dents that can be aligned in a state where medals stand in a line.

  Here, for example, in addition to the game medium container 10D, when the flat bottom wall portion 12A is deformed into an arc shape like the game medium container 10A according to the second embodiment, the arc-shaped portion thereof It is also possible to feed the medal into the medal slot 2 of the slot machine 1 with the leading edge corresponding to the feeding side.

  The embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention can be modified or added without departing from the scope of the present invention. included. For example, the storage unit 6 for picking up medals with the game medium container 10 or the like is not limited to a storage dish provided in the game machine itself, but may be a portable ball box or the like.

  In the above embodiment, the slot machine 1 is shown as a gaming machine, and a medal that is a gaming medium is handled in the gaming medium container 10 or the like. However, the gaming machine can be used for a pachinko machine as a gaming machine. It is also possible to handle a certain game ball. In this case, a function for inserting medals into the medal insertion slot 2 of the slot machine 1 is not necessary, but it may be used as both a medal and a game ball.

  The game media container according to the present invention can be used as an accessory for a gaming machine for the convenience of a player in a gaming store, and also for a gaming store, an accessory for a gaming machine for operating the gaming machine efficiently. It becomes.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Slot machine 2 ... Medal insertion slot 6 ... Storage tray 7 ... Medal lending machine 9 ... Medal insertion slot 10 ... Game media container 11 ... Container main body 12 ... Bottom wall part 13 ... Side wall part 14 ... Upper wall part 15 ... Bottom part 16 ... Front end 17 ... Outer peripheral wall 18 ... Outer peripheral wall 20 ... Intake side 21 ... Protruding part 22 ... Outer edge 30 ... Send-out side 31 ... Alignment guide part

Claims (2)

In a game media container for handling game media used in a gaming machine,
A container body having a bottomed cylindrical shape that can receive a predetermined amount of game media and having an open end,
At the bottom wall portion on the opposite side to the hand-gripping side of the circumferential wall of the container body, at least a part of the bottom edge of the opening is forward of the opening from the other edge around the opening. An extension side is formed to extend and scoop out the game media,
The intake side can be deformed into a contact state along the bottom plane regardless of the angle of the opening of the container main body with respect to the bottom plane when the storage side stores the game medium. Oh it is,
When a force is applied to the inside of the container from both sides of the peripheral wall of the container body, the bottom wall portion and the take-in side of the container body are flexible to bend downward from the vicinity of the center line to the outside of the container, and when no force is applied. A game medium container comprising elasticity that can be restored to a normal flat shape . When the container body is opposed to the other edge other than the edge having the take-in side at the opening of the container body so as to communicate with the state where the game medium is provided in the gaming machine, one game medium is placed in the inlet A feeding edge is formed for dropping to
A state in which the game media in the container main body are arranged in the front-rear direction when connected to the wall portion of the circumferential wall of the container main body in the longitudinal direction toward the delivery side and inclined in the downward direction. 2. The game medium container according to claim 1 , further comprising an alignment guide portion that is aligned with each other and is sequentially guided to the delivery side.

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