JPS5943495A - Automatic prize exchanger and control system therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a game device, and particularly to an automatic exchange machine for prizes such as pachinko and its control system.

Conventionally, at so-called pachinko parlors, customers purchase dozens of balls for every 100 yen, insert them into a game machine, and exchange the winning or jackpot balls for prizes.

Especially these days, customers don't just take their prizes home;
A cycle in which a product with a fixed price, that is, a prize to be exchanged for cash, is exchanged at a store, and the customer then exchanges it for gold at a certain discount at a nearby money exchange store, and then plays again at the store with this product. (links). In other words, the circulation (link) is in the order of store → customer → money exchange store → store, which makes it difficult to manage, and some prizes can be easily converted into cash, which can lead to fraud by employees. It was said.

Pachinko prize automatic exchange machine of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as exchange machine)
The system aims to prevent fraud by mechanizing the counting of acquired balls and the handing over of prizes for cash, which were traditionally performed by employees, and managing them using microcomputers built into the exchange machines.

The advantages of this exchange are: (1) It saves labor and streamlines the prize exchange process.

(2) It is possible to speed up the exchange of cash prizes, which account for the majority of prizes.

(3) Increased confidence in exchange calculations for customers.

(4) Since customers can freely count and exchange items even in places other than the prize area, service to customers is improved.

(5) The administrator can check the inventory status of prizes for cash exchange at any time.

(6) It becomes possible to manage surplus balls, which was previously impossible.

(7) Business data for prize exchange can be automatically created at the time of store closing.

etc.

In addition, when multiple exchanges are installed, their data can be stored online in one place.

Furthermore, it is possible to prepare equipment to expand the system according to the size of the pachinko parlor, such as a tabulator and a multiplexer that transfers data to a computer that manages inventory.

The present invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a front view of the outer casing (cabinet) of the exchanger of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a side sectional view thereof.

In these drawings, each symbol indicates the following.

1...Outer casing (cabinet) 2...Front door 3... Ball slot 4...Product outlet 5... Windshield board 6...Push button panel 7...Print paper outlet 8...Input ball number indicator 9...Exchange in progress, aborted display 10...Return ball outlet 11... Throwing ball rail 12...Ball detection sensor 13...Canceled door 14...Product storage case 15...Product discharge shoot 16...Ball outlet 17...Sold out warning light The operation of this exchange is as follows.

The customer carries the balls acquired through the game to the position of the exchange machine and inserts them into the ball slot 3. The balls thrown in flow along the rail 11, and the number of balls is detected by a ball detection sensor 12.

If the exchanger is installed separately, this ball detection sensor 1 is installed in the built-in microcomputer (not shown).
Information on the number of balls detected by 2 is sent by an electric signal, and the number of balls thrown in is displayed on the display 8 under the control thereof.

The selection pushbutton panel 6 is provided with two pushbuttons: "Exchange" and "Print", and the customer presses either button depending on his/her selection.

In the case of "exchange", for 100 balls, for 500 balls, 10 balls
A combination of these selections is made by a solenoid according to a command from a control circuit from racks of prize storage cases 14 prepared for 00 prizes, and the prizes are discharged by a motor to a discharge chute 15.

The customer opens the windshield plate 5 and takes it out.

In this case, the fewer than 100 balls are returned to the return ball outlet 10.

When the customer presses the "Print" button, unlike the above, a receipt with the number of acquired balls printed is created and sent to the print paper outlet 7. This is normally used when a customer requests an item other than cash.

The daily accounting data of the exchange itself is obtained by opening the front door 2 using an operator key kept by the administrator and reading the meter inside.

Next, a case where a plurality of exchanges are installed will be explained.

In this case, the exchanges 01, 02 --- are connected as shown in the system diagram of FIG. 3, and each exchange does not have a built-in computer, and everything is processed by the central computer CPU.

The number of balls detected by each exchange is sent to the central computer CPU through the multiplexer MP and through the computer interface IP. Each exchange performs the same control as described above under the control of this central computer CPU.

That is, operations such as displaying and selecting the number of balls, and sending out prizes or receipts are performed.

A totalizer can be used to total the results of each exchange.

A monitor M attached to the exchange displays the status of the exchange each time.

To start the exchange, the front door 2 is opened and the operator key is used to control the control panel shown in FIG. 4 to set initial conditions.

This control is as follows.

(a) Position "1" reset - Used when clearing daily accounting data and prize inventory data to zero.

-Press the "ENTER" key at the reset position to reset.

(b) Position "2" stop - The power is turned off and all functions of the exchanger stop.

(c) Position “3” date ・Used when entering the date into the switchboard.

- Enter the year, month, and day two digits at a time and press "ENTER" to register the date in the exchange.

(d) Position ``4'' exchange - The switch can be used by customers at this location.

(e) Position "5" data/exchange data can be output to a printer or display.

・After pressing the “Display” key, press keys 1 to 7.
You can display the number of prizes exchanged for each column.

Similarly, the 8 key can display the total number of exchanged balls, and the 9 key can display the total number of returned balls.

- If you press the ``Date'' key and then press ``ENTER'', the printer will print out the above data.

・After pressing the "Inventory" key, press the keys 1 to 7 to display 1 to 7.
The number of prizes in stock for each column of 7 can be displayed.

- If you press the "Inventory" key and then the "ENTER" key, the printer will print the above data.

(F) Position "6" registration/Used when setting the number of balls to be exchanged for each column and the specified stock quantity for each column.

・To set the number of balls to be exchanged, press the keys 1 to 7, press "Daily", enter the number of balls to be exchanged in each column, and press "ENTER".
” to register on the exchange.

・To set the stock quantity, press the keys 1 to 7, press the "Stock" key, enter the specified stock quantity for each column, and press "ENTER".
You can register it to the exchange by pressing the key.

The specifications of each part of this exchange are as follows.

Ejection part (a) The number of prizes to be exchanged is 100 balls, 500 balls, 100 balls.
All 0 pieces have the same dimensions (35 x 55 x 10 mm, 20 g
) and distinguish each one by color.

(b) The number of prize columns shall be 7.

(c) The allocation of each column and prize is 10 balls for columns 1 to 4.
The 5th column is for 500 balls, and the 6th and 7th columns are for 1000 balls.

(d) Each column will accommodate 100 prizes.

(e) To keep the height of the exchange machine low, prizes are stored in two rows, front and back, within one column.

(F) Prize selection is performed by a solenoid and prize discharge is performed by a motor based on a control signal.

(g) There are two systems of motors for discharging: one that drives columns 1 to 5 together, and one that drives columns 6 and 7 together.

(H) A detection switch is provided to issue an alarm when there are 10 prizes in each column, and a detection switch to issue an exchange stop signal when there are 2 prizes.

Counting part (a) Ball detection uses a proximity sensor using an LC oscillation circuit.

(b) Balls are detected in 10 rows, and the processing speed is 1800 balls per minute.

(c) There is a ball acceptance prevention mechanism in front of the ball sensor, and after the balls are counted, the prevention solenoid operates (the solenoid demagnetizes) to prevent balls from entering from the time the customer presses the selection button until the prize is dispensed. Make sure not to.

(d) Similarly, the blocking mechanism prevents balls from being inserted in the event that any prize in the column is out of stock or in the event of a power outage.

(e) Ball counting display shall be 6 digits.

(F) Displays a subtractive value during return operation.

Fishing ball mechanism part (a) The mechanical device uses the same principle as the bead return machine.

(b) Balls discharged one by one from the top of the return machine are detected by a ball sensor and introduced into the return slot.

(c) The balls that the customer puts into the exchange machine pass through the ball sensor and are replenished into the lower tank of the return machine, and when the tank is full,
Discharge to the back of the exchanger.

(d) The number of balls received that is less than the minimum number of prizes exchanged will be automatically changed (
(change) Return it as a ball.

How to select the prizes to be released - The number of balls exchanged (selling price) for each column is set to 1 in standard use.
00 pieces (1~4), 500 pieces (5), 1000 pieces (6,
7). There are two types of drive motors, one that drives 1 to 5 and the other that drives 6 to 7, so that prizes can be discharged in the shortest possible time in response to control signals.

The selection method is that the ball setting value of each column is the maximum value A, and the intermediate value B
, the lowest value C, the number of balls thrown in is divided by A, the remainder is divided by B, the remainder is further divided by C, and the final remainder is returned as fishing balls. The quotient of the division becomes the quantity of A, B, and C to be discharged, and for items such as A, C, etc. that span multiple columns, control is performed so that the numbers in the inventory table memory are averaged.

How to manage machine inventory - Most pachinko parlors check the remaining number of prizes exchanged at the time of closing and calculate the number of prizes to be shipped, so this exchange machine was developed with the purpose of mechanizing this work, so the table memory in the exchange machine is There are two types available: one for use and one for inventory.

When replenishing prizes, replenish the column to its standard value (full) and press the replenishment completion switch corresponding to the replenished column.

When the switch is pressed, the numerical value (full value) registered in the inventory in that column is input into the inventory table memory. After that, the inventory value will be decremented each time it is discharged.

The replenishment completion switch should not be pressed when the replenishment has not reached the standard value (inventory data will not match the actual value), but if the exchanger is operated repeatedly with replenishment below the standard value, the inventory table value will become negative. -0, which means machine inventory and data are incorrect, can be displayed.

The advantages of this exchange are as described above, and both reliability and efficiency are improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of the switching device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of the switching device of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the control system of the switching device of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the control panel. 1... Outer casing 12... Ball detection sensor 4.
・・Product discharge port 14 ・・Product storage case 6
...Push button panel 7...Print paper outlet.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. It consists of an outer casing and a counter disposed within the outer casing,
In an automatic prize exchange machine controlled by a computer, the outer casing includes: a. a ball slot into which a large number of balls can be thrown; b. a selection pushbutton panel; c. a number-of-balls display; d. a product outlet; e. A return ball outlet is provided, and the counting section has a. an input ball rail; b. a ball detection section; c. A computer interface is provided, the number of balls put into the ball input slot is counted by the counting unit, selection instruction information from the push button panel is transferred to the computer, and based on this selection, the product is selected to the product output port according to instructions from the computer. An automatic prize exchange machine characterized by discharging designated products, printing the number of balls acquired, and returning fractional balls. 2. In a control system that includes a plurality of automatic prize exchange machines each having a counting section including a ball input rail and a ball detection section, each exchange machine (01, 02...0n) is connected to a central computer through a multiplexer and a computer interface. A control system for an automatic prize exchange machine, which is connected to a REG and a totalizer (REG).