JPH10263194A - Game medium counter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game medium counter which does not need holes for installation on the top plate, the game medium counter can easily be rotated to a position where not disturbing work without having to remove the counter from the top plate when the game medium is replaced, and the game medium counter can securely and rigidly be supported to a position corresponding to each game machine of the game machine island. SOLUTION: On a top plate 1, a fixed pipe shaft 11 which is fixed corresponding to a PACHINKO machine 2 is provided and a counter 20 which is pivotally supported by the fixed pipe shaft 11 so that the counter can be rotated in the approximately horizontal direction on the top plate 1 is provided, at the base side of the counter 20, a bearing part 21 is formed which is directly engaged with the fixed pipe shaft 11, an outlet port 2 from which counted balls are elected is provided at the bearing part 21, an inlet port which receives balls and is connected to the outlet port 2 is provided at one side of the fixed pipe shaft 11, and a ball collecting path 17 which extends to the inside of the game machine island through the communication space 38 of a ball supply machine 3 is connected to the other side of the fixed pipe shaft 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a game medium counter provided on a game machine island in which a plurality of game machines and game medium lending machines are alternately arranged in a row. About. Here, the gaming machine mainly relates to a pachinko machine using a pachinko ball as a game medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, in a gaming machine island, a prize ball counter provided for each pachinko machine is usually fixed directly on a top plate of the gaming machine island. In such a prize ball counter, since it is fixed on the top plate so as not to move, it is operationally stable. However, in order to fix the prize ball counter to the top plate, a hole must be made in the top plate, and the construction of the gaming machine island has been troublesome and time-consuming.

When the pachinko machine is opened or closed or the pachinko machine itself is replaced due to a trouble of the pachinko machine or the like, the prize ball counting machine hinders the work. The counter must be removed from the top plate, and there is an inconvenience that the attaching and detaching work of the counter is very troublesome.

[0004] In order to solve such inconvenience, there has been proposed a system in which the prize ball counter is not fixed on the top plate, but is merely placed, but a signal line connecting the counter and the inside of the island is disconnected. Due to mischief and mischief, it was not practical.

[0005] The applicant of the present invention has also disclosed Japanese Patent Application No. 5-33847.
No. 8 proposes a counting device which solves the above-mentioned disadvantages. In this device, a pachinko ball counting device is configured by attaching a pachinko ball counter to a table ball lending machine via a hinge so as to be rotatable above a top plate.

[0006]

In the counting device proposed by the present applicant, it is not necessary to make a hole in the top plate.
In addition, when opening and closing the glass door and replacing the pachinko machine, the counter body hinged to the table ball rental machine can be easily rotated from the normal position along the pachinko machine front to the position where it does not interfere. Thus, the above-described disadvantage can be solved.

However, the main body of the counter is supported only by the inter-ball rental machine. In particular, when the counter body is rotated forward of the pachinko machine, the load of the entire counter is reduced by the inter-ball rental machine. It was delicate and fragile structurally because it hangs directly.
Therefore, there is a great possibility that an excessive load is applied to the counting device itself and the inter-ball lending machine.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and it is not necessary to make a hole for installing a counter on a top plate, and it is also necessary to replace a gaming machine at the time of replacement. ,
Without removing the counter body from the top plate, it can be easily rotated to a position where it does not interfere with work, and the counter body is securely and securely positioned at the position corresponding to each gaming machine on the gaming machine island It is an object of the present invention to provide a game medium counter that can be firmly supported.

[0009]

The gist of the present invention to achieve the above-mentioned object lies in the following items. 1. A plurality of gaming machines (2) and gaming media lending machines (30) are provided on a gaming machine island which is arranged in a row so as to be alternately arranged,
In the gaming medium counter (10) corresponding to each gaming machine (2), each gaming machine (2) is placed on a top plate (1) extending substantially horizontally toward the front of the gaming machine (2) row on the gaming machine island. 2) A fixed pipe shaft (11) fixed vertically corresponding to each case, a use position for accepting and counting game media along the front of the gaming machine (2), and avoiding a lateral deviation from the front of the gaming machine (2). And a counter body (2) supported by the fixed pipe shaft (11) so as to be rotatable in a substantially horizontal direction on the top plate (1).
0), and a bearing portion (2) directly fitted to the fixed pipe shaft (11) is provided on the base end side of the counter body (20).
1) is formed, and a discharge port (22) of the counted game media is opened in the bearing portion (21), while a discharge port (22) is formed in one side of the fixed pipe shaft (11). A slot (12) for receiving the game media is opened in the inside, and the other side of the fixed pipe shaft (11) is passed through the lower portion of the game media lending machine (30), and the inside of the game machine island is opened. A game medium counter (10), characterized in that an inlet (18) of a game medium collecting passage (17) communicating with the game medium collecting passage (17) is connected so as to communicate therewith.

[0010] 2. The mounting base (14) provided at a closed lower end portion of the fixed pipe shaft (11) so as to protrude outward from the entire periphery thereof and to contact the upper surface of the top plate (1). Game media counter (10).

3. The game medium counter (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fixed pipe shaft (11) and the game medium collection passage (17) are integrally formed.

4. The outer diameter of the fixed pipe shaft (11) is
The width of the game media lending machine (30) is set smaller than the width of the game media lending machine (30), and each fixed pipe shaft (11) is disposed in front of the game media lending machine (30) in the row of the gaming machines (2). The bearing portion (21) of the main body (20) is set to a size that is not located in front of the corresponding gaming machine (2) when the counter main body (20) is in the avoidance position. The game medium counter (10) according to claim 2 or 3.

5. On the lower surface of the counter body (20),
5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a contact member for reducing a frictional resistance with respect to an upper surface of the top plate and keeping the counter body substantially horizontal. Game media counter (10).

6. When the counter body (20) is in the avoidance position, the contact member (16) is provided at least at a predetermined portion of a lower surface portion that still remains on the top plate (1), except for the bearing portion (21). Game machine (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that:

Next, the operation based on the above-mentioned solution will be described. According to the game medium counter (10) according to the item (1), the counter body (20) is rotatable via the fixed pipe shaft (11) fixed on the top plate (1), Is supported at a use position along the front of the gaming machine (2). At this time, the game media paid out to the player by the prize or the like from the gaming machine (2) is received by the counter body (20) and counted on the spot. As a result, the player can use the game media,
You don't have to carry it to another place.

When the glass door of the gaming machine (2) is opened and closed or when the gaming machine (2) itself is replaced, the counter body (20) is disengaged from the use position to the side of the front of the gaming machine (2). As a result, it is possible to easily rotate to the avoidance position that does not hinder the work. Thereby, the trouble of removing the counter body (20) from the top plate (1) can be omitted.

The counter body (20) is not engaged with the game medium lending machine (30) at all by the fixed pipe shaft (11) fixed on the top plate (1), but is placed on the top plate (1). Since it is directly supported on the shaft, high mounting strength can be obtained. Therefore, even if a load is applied to the counter body (20) to some extent,
The gaming machine lending machine (30) and the gaming machine (2) are not subjected to excessive force, can reliably and firmly support the counter body (20), and have the counter body (20) and the gaming medium lending machine ( 3
The stable operation of 0) can be realized.

The game media counted by the counter body (20) is supplied from an outlet (22) of the bearing portion (21) to one of the fixed pipe shafts (11) so as to match the outlet (22). It is taken into the inside of the fixed pipe shaft (11) through the intake (12) in the side part. Subsequently, the game medium is communicated and connected to the other side of the fixed pipe shaft (11), and passes through the lower portion of the game medium lending machine (30) in the game medium collection passage (1).
7), it is introduced into the gaming machine island.

Here, the game medium collecting passage (17) does not engage with the game medium lending machine (30) so as to transmit a load, and is separated from the game medium lending machine (30). Also, the game medium collection passage (17) does not penetrate the top plate (1), and therefore the top plate (1) is connected to the top plate (1) in connection with the attachment of the game medium counter (10). There is no need to open a hole at all.

According to the game medium counter (10) according to the item (2), since the lower end of the fixed pipe shaft (11) is provided with the mounting base (14) projecting outward from the entire circumference thereof,
The fixed pipe shaft (11) can be more firmly fixed to the top plate (1), and the counter body (20) can be reliably supported. Here, the mounting base (14)
May be integrally formed with the fixed pipe shaft (11) or may be combined later as a separate body.

According to the game medium counter (10) according to the item (3), the fixed pipe shaft (11) and the game medium collection passage (1)
Since 7) is integrally formed, the connection strength of these members can be increased.

According to the game medium counting machine (10), the outer diameter of the fixed pipe shaft (11) is smaller than the width of the game medium lending machine (30), and the fixed pipe shaft (11)
Is arranged in front of the game media lending machine (30), and
When the counter body (20) is in the avoidance position, its bearing (21) is not located in front of the corresponding gaming machine (2).

Thus, when the glass door of the gaming machine (2) is opened or closed, or when the gaming machine (2) itself is replaced, any part of the gaming medium counter (10) is located in front of the gaming machine (2). Work such as replacement of the gaming machine (2) can be performed smoothly.

According to the game medium counter (10) according to the item (5), since the contact member (16) is provided on the lower surface of the counter body (20), the top plate (1) of the counter body (20) is provided. The frictional resistance against the upper surface is reduced, and the counter body (20) can be easily rotated. The counter body (20) is kept substantially horizontal on the top plate (1) by the contact member (16), and its bearing portion (21) and the fixed pipe shaft (1).
Concentration of load on 1) can be prevented.

According to the game medium counting machine (10) according to the item (6), when the counter body (20) is at the avoidance position, the counter member (16) is still in a position other than the bearing portion (21). Since there is at least a predetermined portion of the lower surface portion remaining on the plate (1), the load applied to the counter body (20) is dispersed to some extent, and no excessive force is applied to the fixed pipe shaft (11).

[0026]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 to 6 show one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, a game machine island equipped with a prize ball counter (game medium counter) 10 generally has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped support frame as a framework, and a substantially horizontal center frame extending in the middle thereof. A top board 1 is fixedly provided, and a plurality of pachinko machines (game machines) 2 and ball rental machines (game media rental machines) 30 are arranged on the top board 1 so as to be alternately arranged. The front edge of the top plate 1 extends substantially horizontally toward the front of the pachinko machine train.

Although not shown, a collecting gutter for collecting pachinko balls reduced from each of the pachinko machines 2 and flowing them down in a certain direction, and a ball storage tank are provided inside the lower stage of the gaming machine island. . The pachinko machine 2 launches a ball on the gauge board surface by rotating a handle 3 provided at the lower right end of the machine body, and enjoys winning of the hit ball.

At the lower part of the machine of the pachinko machine 2, there is provided a receiving tray 4 for holding balls and prize balls for use in games, and a spare plate 5 for receiving balls overflowing from the receiving tray 4. The spare plate 5 has a ball release lever 5 for dropping the stored pachinko balls downward.
a is provided. The operation of the ball pulling lever 5a allows the player to drop the slingshot ball at any time.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a prize ball counter 1
0 is a fixed pipe shaft 11 fixed vertically on the top plate 1
And a counter main body 20 which is rotatably supported on the top plate 1 by a fixed pipe shaft 11 in a substantially horizontal direction.
The prize ball counter 10 includes a ball receiving portion 2 of the counter main body 20.
The number of balls falling to 3 is counted at random, and the counting result is output to a control device 50 described later.

The fixed pipe shaft 11 is fixed on the top board 1 so as to correspond to each pachinko machine 2. The counting machine body 20 is in a use position (shown by a solid line in FIG. 1) along the front of the pachinko machine 2 for receiving a ball falling from the spare plate 5.
And the avoidance position (see FIG. 1)
(Indicated by an imaginary line in the drawing)), it is possible to rotate on the top plate 1 in a substantially horizontal direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, the outer diameter of the fixed pipe shaft 11 is set to be smaller than the lateral width of the ball lending machine 30, and each fixed pipe shaft 11 is connected to each ball lending machine 30 in the pachinko machine train. Are arranged directly in front of each other. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 4, an intake port 12 for receiving a ball therein is provided on one side surface of the fixed pipe shaft 11 so as to match a discharge port 22 of a counter body 20 described later. .

On the other side of the fixed pipe shaft 11,
An entrance 18 of a ball collection passage (game medium collection passage) 17 communicating with the inside of the gaming machine island is connected through the lower part of the ball rental machine 30. As shown in FIG.
Is formed integrally with the fixed pipe shaft 11 so as to branch off from the middle of the fixed pipe shaft 11.

The lower part of the ball lending machine 30 has a relatively large space, and a communication space 38 for inserting the ball collection passage 17 is formed in advance in the lower part as shown in FIG. The ball collection passage 17 extends through the communication space 38 to the inside of the game machine island, and the outlet 16 of the ball collection passage 17 is connected to a collection gutter (not shown) provided inside the game machine island. It is arranged to face. Therefore, in the present embodiment, it is not necessary to make a hole for inserting the sphere collection passage 17 in the top plate 1 as well as a hole for mounting the premium ball counter 10.

The lower end of the fixed pipe shaft 11 is closed, and the lower end is provided with a mounting base portion 14 projecting outward from the entire periphery thereof and in contact with the upper surface of the top plate 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the top plate 1 is attached to the mounting base portion 14.
A screw hole 15 is provided to fix the screw hole to the hole.

The counter body 20 is formed in a cubic shape, and has an arm portion 21a extending from the base end thereof. The arm portion 21a is directly fitted to the fixed pipe shaft 11 at the tip end of the arm portion 21a. A bearing 21 is formed. Bearing 21
Has a cylindrical shape that is closely fitted to the fixed pipe shaft 11 from directly above. The bearing 21 is provided in the counter body 20.
Is set to an outside diameter (size) that is not located in front of the corresponding pachinko machine 2 when it is in the avoidance position indicated by the imaginary line in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG.
1, a discharge port 22 for discharging the counted pachinko balls to the fixed pipe shaft 11 side is provided in conformity with the intake port 12 of the fixed pipe shaft 11 described above. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, the bearing portion 21 is provided with a guide groove 21b for guiding the ball collection passage 17 relatively movably when the bearing portion 21 rotates.

On the upper surface side of the counting machine body 20, a ball receiving portion 23 for receiving a ball falling from the spare plate 5 of the corresponding pachinko machine 2 is formed. As shown in FIG. 3, below the ball receiving portion 23, a first damper plate 24 and a second damper plate 2 for reducing the momentum of the pachinko balls falling from the spare plate 5 are provided.
5, and a third damper plate 26 are provided above and below. A ball counting and aligning unit 27 is provided at the leading edge of the third damper plate 26.
Are provided so as to be continuous.

The ball counting and aligning section 27 is located at the bottom of the counting machine body 20. The ball counting and aligning section 27 moves from the starting end connected to the third damper plate 26, through the inside of the arm section 21a, to the terminal end just before the bearing section 21. It inclines so that it may be lowered downward so that it flows naturally. More specifically, the ball counting and aligning unit 27
It has two alignment rails 28 a separated by a ball sorting guide 28.

The alignment rails 28a are used to arrange the pachinko balls in a line and send them to the bearing 21 on the downstream side. At the downstream ends of the two alignment rails 28a, a pair of counting sensors 29 that are vertically separated from each other are attached. The counting sensor 29 is composed of a photoelectric switch including a light receiving unit and a light emitting unit, and can reliably count the pachinko balls passing through the respective alignment rails 28a one by one.
The count signal from the counting sensor 29 is processed by the control device 50 shown in FIG. 6, and is used for displaying the number of balls.

As shown in FIG. 3, on the lower surface of the counter body 20, contact members 16 and 1 for reducing frictional resistance against the upper surface of the top plate 1 and keeping the counter body 20 substantially horizontal.
6 are provided. The contact member 16 is specifically made of, for example, a small ball bearing. However, the contact member 16 is not limited to a ball bearing, and may be, for example, a semicircular convex portion formed of Teflon resin or the like.

As shown in FIG. 5, a bill slot 31, a coin slot 32, a payout switch 3 are provided in front of the ball lending machine 30.
3, a settlement switch 34, a ball number display 35, a ball payout nozzle 36, and a card entrance 37 are provided. Also,
A bill validator 41, a coin validator 42, a ball dispenser 43, and a lead writer 44 are provided inside the ball lending machine 30.

The ball number display 35 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display, and based on a command from the control device 50, includes the number of balls held by the player (including the result of counting the prize balls counted by the premium ball counter 10). ) Is displayed in real time so that it can be viewed. The ball payout nozzle 36 is configured to sequentially send the pachinko balls counted by the ball payout device 43 to the tray 4 of the pachinko machine 2 based on the operation of the payout switch 33.

The payout switch 33 returns the ball from the ball payout nozzle 36 to the player within a range of the number of held balls displayed on the ball number display 35 by a predetermined number each time the switch is pressed, for example. Command. The returned ball number is naturally set to be subtracted from the ball number display 35. The settlement switch 34 outputs a settlement signal to the control device 50 when pressed and turned on.

The bill validator 41 accepts a bill inserted from the bill insertion slot 31, identifies the authenticity and the amount of the bill, and outputs an identification signal to the controller 50. The coin discriminator 42 discriminates the authenticity or the type of the coin inserted from the coin insertion slot 32, and outputs the result of the identification to the control device 50.

The ball payout device 43 is a counter for paying out a predetermined number of pachinko balls. The ball payout device 43 divides the pachinko balls supplied from the inside of the gaming machine island into a predetermined number based on a payout command from the control device 50. It pays out via the payout nozzle 36.

The read writer 44 is, for example, a device for writing and reading a magnetic card as a recording medium. The read writer 44 reads the data of the magnetic card inserted from the card entrance 37, operates appropriately by exchanging data or signals with the control device 50, and inputs data such as the number of balls held and date at the time of settlement. It is newly written on a magnetic card and paid out.

The reader / writer 44 has a storage section for storing a magnetic card in a non-recording state therein, and a payout mechanism for paying out the card from the storage section. When the game is started only with cash without inserting the magnetic card, the game also has a function of writing and paying out data such as the number of balls held in the magnetic card in the storage section. As a data recording mode, a method of printing numbers or characters on the card surface or a method of printing with a barcode may be used in addition to registration as magnetic data.

The control device 50 is specifically composed of, for example, a microcomputer. As shown in FIG. 6, as control elements, a payout control unit 51, an amount calculation registration unit 52, and a ball count calculation registration unit 53 are used. , A settlement controller 54 and a display controller 55. The storage means 57 stores the control device 50
Is a so-called RAM that stores various data such as the number of held balls under the control of. The control device 50 and the storage means 57 are unitized, and are disposed at appropriate positions inside the ball lending machine 30.

When the payout switch 33 is operated in a state in which the number of balls held is stored in the storage means 57, the payout controller 51 pays out pachinko balls in an amount corresponding to the inserted amount and the number of balls held. A command is issued to the dispenser 43. The amount calculation registration unit 52 stores the bill validator 41 and the coin validator 42.
When the input of cash is detected, the number of pachinko balls corresponding to the inserted amount is calculated, and the calculation result is added to the storage means 57 as the number of held balls and registered.

The ball number calculation registration unit 53 includes a read writer 44
When the insertion of a card is detected by the above, or when the number of pachinko balls is counted by the prize ball counter 10, the number of held balls registered in this card or the number of winning balls counted by the prize ball counter 10 is counted. The result is added to the storage means 57 and registered. Further, based on the operation of the payout switch 33, when the pachinko ball is paid out by the ball payout device 43, the ball count calculation registering unit 53 subtracts the payout ball number from the held ball number and sets the subtraction result as a new ball held ball. It has a function of updating and registering the number in the storage means 57.

When the number of held balls is registered in the storage means 57, the settlement controller 54 sets the settlement switch 34
Is operated, the re-registration of the number of balls held in the storage means 57 at this time and the issuance of the card are instructed to the reader / writer 44, and the number of balls held in the storage means 57 is reset to zero. Things. The display control unit 55
Is for displaying the number of balls held at that time on the ball number display 35 based on the registration data in the storage means 57.

Next, the operation will be described. As shown in FIG.
The counter body 20 is rotatable via a fixed pipe shaft 11 fixedly mounted on the top plate 1.
At a use position (shown by a solid line in FIG. 5) along the front surface of the. At this time, the balls dropped from the spare plate 5 by the operation of the ball removing lever 5a are directly received by the ball receiving portion 23 of the counter body 20, and are counted on the spot. As a result, the player does not have to carry the pachinko ball to another place to count the pachinko balls.

The main body 20 of the counting machine is manually and easily rotated around the fixed pipe shaft 11 to an avoidance position (shown by imaginary lines in FIG. 5) which is displaced to the side in front of the pachinko machine 2. Can be. Thus, when the glass door of the pachinko machine 2 is opened and closed, or when the pachinko machine 2 is replaced, the counter body 20 is simply rotated to the avoidance position, and does not hinder any work. The trouble of removing the main body 20 from the top plate 2 can be omitted.

Here, the counter main body 20 is supported directly on the top plate 2 by a fixed pipe shaft 11 fixed on the top plate 2 without engaging with the ball lending machine 30 at all. In particular, there is a mounting base 14 at the lower end of the fixed pipe shaft 11. By screwing the mounting base 14 in contact with the pachinko machine 2, the portion of the fulcrum where the load is most applied is firmly fixed. Can be fixed.

Further, since the contact member 16 is provided on the lower surface of the counter body 20, the frictional resistance of the counter body 20 against the upper surface of the top plate 1 is reduced, and the counter body 20 can be easily rotated. . Further, the counter body 20 is provided with the contact member 1.
6 allows the load to be kept substantially horizontal on the top plate 1, so that the load can be prevented from being concentrated on the bearing portion 21 and the fixed pipe shaft 11.

Even when the counter body 20 is in the avoidance position, the load applied to the counter body 20 is dispersed to some extent by the contacting member 16 which is closer to the bearing portion 21, so that the fixed pipe shaft 11 is unreasonable. No power is added. As described above, even if a certain amount of load is applied to the counter main body 20, no excessive force is applied to the ball rental machine 30 or the pachinko machine 2 side, and the counter main body 20 can be reliably and firmly supported. The stable operation of the counter body 20 and the ball rental machine 30 can be realized.

In the present embodiment, the outer diameter of the fixed pipe shaft 11 is smaller than the lateral width of the ball lending machine 30, and the fixed pipe shaft 11 is disposed in front of the ball lending machine 30. Moreover, when the counter body 20 is at the avoidance position, the bearing 21 is not located in front of the corresponding pachinko machine 2.
Therefore, when the glass door of the pachinko machine 2 is opened or closed, or when the pachinko machine 2 itself is replaced, any part of the prize ball counter 10 is not located in front of the pachinko machine 2 and the pachinko machine 2
Work such as replacement can be performed smoothly.

The player inserts cash or a card into the ball lending machine 30 to obtain a predetermined amount of balls, and then enjoys the game with the pachinko machine 2. In the ball lending machine 30, first, the presence or absence of insertion of a card and insertion of cash is detected. Once the insertion of a true bill or coin is detected by the bill validator 41 or the coin validator 42, once the amount calculation register 5
By the control of 2, the input amount is registered in the storage means 57,
The number of pachinko balls corresponding to the amount is displayed on the ball number display 35 as the number of held balls.

When a card is inserted into the card entrance 37, the number of held balls recorded on the card is checked, and this time the number of held balls is stored under the control of the ball number calculation registration unit 53.
7 and the number is displayed on the ball number display 35. When the player operates the ball number display 35, the ball payout unit 43 is operated under the control of the payout control unit 51, and a predetermined payout is performed within the range of the number of held balls displayed on the ball number display 35. Pachinko balls for a unit will be paid out. At this time, the number of balls to be paid out is subtracted from the original number of balls held by the control of the number-of-balls registering unit 53, and the result is updated and registered in the storage means 57 as a new number of held balls. Will be displayed.

During the game in the pachinko machine 2, the winning ball is first discharged to the tray 4, and the ball overflowing from the tray 4 is received in the spare plate 5. When the player operates the ball removing lever 5a to drop the pachinko ball from the spare plate 5, the ball is transferred as it is to the ball receiving portion 23 of the counter body 20 at the use position. The ball that has fallen into the ball receiving portion 23 flows down from the first damper plate 24 to the second damper plate 25 and flows into the third damper plate 2.
6, the ball is sorted by the ball sorting guide 28 in the ball counting and aligning section 27, and the two alignment rails 2
Align and flow down one row every 8a.

The balls flowing down to the end of the ball counting and aligning section 27 are counted by upper and lower counting sensors 29 provided for each of the alignment rails 28a. The count value counted here is added and registered in the storage means 57 as the number of held balls under the control of the ball number calculation registration unit 53, and is added and displayed on the ball number display 35 under the control of the display control unit 55. Is done.

The spheres counted by the counting sensor 29 are supplied from the discharge port 22 in the bearing 21 to the intake port 1 on the side of the fixed pipe shaft 11 so as to match the discharge port 22.
2 and is taken into the fixed pipe shaft 11.
Subsequently, the ball passes through a ball collection passage 17 connected to the other side surface of the fixed pipe shaft 11 and is transferred to a collection gutter (not shown) inside the gaming machine island.

As shown in FIG. 4, the ball collection passage 17 extends to the inside of the game machine island through the communication space 38 formed in advance in the lower part of the ball rental machine 30.
There is no need to make holes in the top board 1 to insert the ball collection passage 17 as well as holes for mounting the premium ball counter 10. That is, the prize ball counter 10 can be extremely easily and firmly attached to the top plate 1 without performing special construction on the top plate of the conventional island.

When the ball in the saucer 4 runs out during the game, the player operates the payout switch 33 so that the ball count is displayed within the range of the number of balls displayed on the ball number display 35. A predetermined number of pachinko balls can be dispensed from the ball dispensing nozzle 36 into the tray 4. At this time, the number of balls to be paid out is subtracted from the original number of balls held by the control of the number-of-balls registering unit 53, and the result is updated and registered in the storage means 57 as a new number of held balls. Is subtracted.

In order to end the game, the balance switch 34 may be operated after the balls of the receiving tray 4 and the spare tray 5 are dropped into the counter body 20. Then, under the control of the settlement controller 54, at this point in time, the number of balls held by the player is counted by the counter main body 20. publish. At this time, if a card has already been inserted, the number of held balls is newly registered and paid out to the inserted card.

As described above, the player can easily borrow a ball and pay out a card by operating the payout switch 33 or the like at a position where the player can reach it while sitting in front of the pachinko machine 2, such as the front of the ball lending machine 30. It is very convenient for players. After the game is over, the player simply takes the card paid out by operating the checkout switch 34 to a prize exchange counter or the like, so that the payment process and prize exchange can be performed.

The shape and configuration of the game medium counter according to the present invention are not limited to those specifically shown in the above embodiments. For example, although an example in which the present invention is applied to a pachinko machine has been described, it is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to a gaming machine using a medal or a coin as a game medium, such as a slot machine.

While the counter body is counting balls, the control device transmits a lock signal to a lock mechanism using, for example, a solenoid to lock the counter body so that it cannot rotate. You may comprise.

[0069]

According to the game medium counter according to the present invention,
There is no need to make any holes for installing the counter on the top plate, and it is extremely easy to mount it on the top plate of the previous gaming machine island, and the counter body is fixed on the top plate The game medium that can be rotated through the pipe shaft and is paid out from the game machine is received by the counter body at the use position,
Since the counting is performed on the spot, the player does not have to carry the game medium to another place. On the other hand, when the gaming machine itself is replaced, the counting machine main body can be easily rotated to the avoidance position which does not hinder the work, and the trouble of removing the counting machine main body from the top plate can be omitted.

Moreover, the counter body is supported by the fixed pipe shaft fixedly mounted on the top plate and is directly supported on the top plate without engaging with the game media lending machine at all. Can be. Therefore, even if a certain amount of load is applied to the counter body, no excessive force is applied to the game medium lending machine or the gaming machine side, and the counter body can be securely and firmly supported, and the counter body and the game medium lending machine are supported. Stable operation can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a state in which a game medium counter according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted on a top board of a game machine island.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a game medium counter according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which the game medium counter according to the embodiment of the present invention is attached to the top plate of the game machine island.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram including a game medium counter according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Top plate 2 ... Pachinko machine 3 ... Handle 4 ... Receiving tray 5 ... Spare plate 5a ... Ball removal lever 10 ... Premium ball counter 11 ... Fixed pipe shaft 12 ... Intake port 14 ... Mounting base part 16 ... Contact member 17 ... Ball collection passage 20 ... Counter body 21 ... Bearing part 21a ... Arm part 23 ... Ball receiving part 24 ... First damper plate 25 ... Second damper plate 26 ... Third damper plate 27 ... Ball counting and alignment part 28 ... Ball sorting Guide 28a ... Alignment rail 29 ... Counter sensor 30 ... Bill lending machine 31 ... Bill slot 32 ... Coin slot 33 ... Payout switch 34 ... Checkout switch 35 ... Ball count display 36 ... Ball payout nozzle 37 ... Card entrance 38 ... Communication Space 41: bill validator 42: coin validator 43: ball dispenser 44: lead writer 50: controller 53: ball count calculation register 55: display controller 57: storage means

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A game medium counter provided on a game machine island in which a plurality of game machines and game media lending machines are alternately arranged in a row, and each game machine is provided with a game medium island. A fixed pipe shaft fixed vertically corresponding to each gaming machine on a top plate extending substantially horizontally toward the front of the gaming machine row, a use position for receiving and counting gaming media along the front of the gaming machine, A counter body pivotally supported by the fixed pipe shaft so as to be rotatable in a substantially horizontal direction on a top plate, at an avoidance position deviating laterally from the front of the gaming machine, and a base end of the counter machine body. On the side, a bearing portion that directly fits into the fixed pipe shaft is formed, and in the bearing portion, a discharge port of the counted game media is opened, while on one side surface portion of the fixed pipe shaft, the discharge port is formed. Open the intake for receiving the game media in line with the fixed pie A game medium counter connected to the other side of the shaft through a lower portion of the game medium lending machine and to an inlet of a game medium collection passage communicating with the inside of the game machine island. . 2. A closed lower end of the fixed pipe shaft,
2. The game medium counter according to claim 1, further comprising an attachment base projecting outward from an entire circumference thereof and provided in contact with an upper surface of the top plate. 3. The game medium counter according to claim 1, wherein the fixed pipe shaft and the game medium collection passage are formed integrally. 4. An outer diameter of the fixed pipe shaft is set to be smaller than a lateral width of the game medium lending machine, and each fixed pipe shaft is arranged in front of each game medium lending machine in the gaming machine row, 4. The bearing of the counter body is set to a size that is not located in front of the corresponding gaming machine when the counter body is in the avoidance position.
The gaming media counter according to the above. 5. A counter member for reducing frictional resistance to the upper surface of the top plate and keeping the counter main body substantially horizontal is provided on a lower surface portion of the counter main body.
The game medium counting machine according to 2, 3, or 4. 6. The contact member is provided at least at a predetermined portion of a lower surface portion remaining on the top plate other than the bearing portion when the counter body is at the avoidance position.
The gaming media counter according to the above.