JP2001067519A - Medal sorting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To exclude medals other than medals that a pinball center specifies from many medals used at the pinball center, etc., without labor and time. SOLUTION: A decision sensor 10 detects a feature part of a medal M to be sorted which is carried along a metal conveyance path R and a controller decides whether the medal M to be sorted is a specified medal (21) or an unspecified medal (22) based upon the detection result. The medal M that the controller has decided as the unspecified medal is fallen from the metal conveyance path R and excluded by driving a falling solenoid 11 according to the indication from the controller and moving a 2nd guide member 3B through the solenoid.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medal selection device suitable for use in selecting medals to be used as game media on a gaming table such as a slot machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a pachinko parlor where a slot machine is used as a gaming table, a player inserts bills and coins into a medal lending machine installed in the shop, and receives a payout of medals according to the inserted amount. The game is started by inserting it into the medal slot of.
During this game, after inserting medals into the slot machine, the drum containing the numbers and patterns is rotated, and when the rotation is stopped, the specific numbers and patterns are arranged in a predetermined arrangement (for example, horizontally or diagonally). , The number of medals according to the arrangement condition is discharged from the medal discharge opening of the slot machine.

On the other hand, when a player ends a game in a slot machine and exchanges medals obtained up to that time for prizes, the obtained medals are inserted into a medal counter installed in the store. As a result, the number of medals obtained by the player is automatically counted, and a receipt or card recording the counting result is issued to the player. When the player brings the issued receipt or card to a prize exchange counter or the like, it can be exchanged for a prize according to the number of acquired medals.

[0004]

In a pachinko parlor where a stot machine is placed, a designated medal dedicated to each store is lent to a player, while a designated medal is discharged from a slot machine during a game, so that the designated medal is discharged. It prevents unauthorized use of external medals. At this time, the discrimination between the designated medal and the unspecified medal in the store depends on the clerk's visual observation. Therefore, when a player entering a certain pachinko parlor brings in a medal (unspecified medal) used in another shop, for example, it takes time and effort to find and remove the non-specified medal brought in. The problem has occurred.

[0005]

A medal selection device according to the present invention detects a characteristic portion of a medal to be conveyed along a medal conveyance path, and determines whether or not the medal to be selected is a designated medal based on the detection result. It is provided with a discriminating means for discriminating a non-designated medal, and a medal removing means for excluding a selected medal determined as a non-designated medal from the medal transport path.

[0006] In the medal selection device having the above structure, the characteristic portion of the medal to be conveyed along the medal conveyance path is detected by the discriminating means, and based on the detection result, whether the medal to be selected is the designated medal is designated. It is determined by the determining means whether the token is an external medal. Then, the selected medals determined as non-designated medals by the determining means are eliminated from the medal transport path by the medal eliminating means. This makes it possible to eliminate only unspecified medals from among a plurality of selected medals without the need for manual labor.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a main part of a medal selection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a disk member 1 is driven to rotate by a motor described later.
A surrounding member 1A for preventing the scatter of medals is provided on the outer peripheral edge.
Are arranged. When a medal to be sorted (hereinafter, a selected medal) M is dropped, the disc member 1 is dispersed (radially) outward (radially) by utilizing centrifugal force when the disc is rotated. . On the outer peripheral edge of the disk member 1 on which the selected medals M are dispersedly moved, the enclosing member 1A is formed in a partially interrupted state, and a medal transport path R is formed so as to be connected to the interrupted portion.

The medal transport path R has a pair of first guide members 2A and 2B disposed opposite to each other with a predetermined size (a size that allows the medal to pass), and a pair of first guides. A pair of second guide members 3A, 3B arranged to be connected to the members 2A, 2B and a third guide member 4 arranged to be connected to the pair of second guide members 3A, 3B are substantially linear. It is formed in a shape.

The entrance portion of the medal transport path R (enclosing member 1A
A first medal receiving member 5 is disposed in the (interrupted portion). Also, on the lower surface side of the first guide member 2B,
The second medal receiving member 6 is provided so as to partially protrude toward the medal transport path R, and also partially protrudes toward the medal transport path R on the lower surfaces of the first guide member 2A and the second guide member 3A. In this state, a third medal receiving member 7 is provided. Further, a medal receiving surface 3C is formed on the second guide member 3B at a portion facing the second guide member 3A, and the third guide member 4 has a medal receiving surface 4 over the entire width of the medal transport path R.
A is formed. The first, second, and third medal receiving members 5, 6, 7 and the medal receiving surfaces 3C, 4A are for receiving and supporting selected medals M from below on the medal transport path R.

On the other hand, a chute guide 8 is connected to one end of the first guide member 2A. This shoot guide 8
Is for guiding the selected medals M moving by the centrifugal force accompanying the rotation of the disk member 1 to the entrance of the medal conveyance path R, and is arranged along the tangential direction of the disk member 1. One end of the first guide member 2B (upper end in the figure)
Are arranged so as to protrude inward of the disc member 1 in order to reliably take the selected medals M guided by the chute guide 8 into the medal transport path R.

A synchronization sensor 9 for discriminating medals is provided slightly before the entrance of the medal transport path R. The synchronous sensor 9 detects passage of the selected medals M guided to the medal transport path R by the chute guide 8.
As the synchronous sensor 9, for example, a non-contact type proximity sensor such as a photo interrupter can be used.

Further, a discriminating sensor 10 is provided at a position slightly entering the entrance of the medal transport path R. The determination sensor 10 detects a characteristic portion (described later) of the selected medal M taken into the medal conveyance path R, and determines whether the selected medal is a designated medal or a non-designated medal based on the detection result. Things. When the characteristic portion of the selected medal M is applied to the surface of the medal, such as the color of the surface of the medal, the engraved pattern, or a combination thereof, the discrimination sensor 10 visually recognizes them. Optical sensor and CCD (Charge Coupled Device)
It is preferable to use a sensor or the like.

A solenoid for dropping medals (hereinafter referred to as a falling solenoid) 11 is connected to the second guide member 3B. The falling solenoid 11 is turned on / off.
The second guide member 3B according to the off (excited / non-excited) state
Is moved in the left-right direction in the figure, and the selected medals M pass on the medal transport path R or drop from the medal transport path R in accordance with the moved position.

First guide member 2A and second guide member 3A
And a rotary solenoid shaft 12 is disposed between them. The rotary solenoid shaft 12 rotates by driving a rotary solenoid body (not shown), and a shutter member 13 is attached to the rotary solenoid shaft 12.

The shutter member 13 moves in the direction of the arrow in the figure in conjunction with the rotation of the rotary solenoid shaft 12. The rotation angle of the rotary solenoid shaft 12 is set so that it can be stopped at a first position where the shutter member 13 has advanced into the medal conveyance path R and a second position where the shutter member 13 has retreated from the medal conveyance path R. . When the shutter member 13 is stopped at the first position, the movement of the selected medals M is stopped in the medal conveyance path R from the first guide members 2A, 2B to the second guide members 3A, 3B. Further, in a state where the shutter member 13 is stopped at the second position, the passage of the selected medals M on the medal conveyance path R from the first guide members 2A, 2B to the second guide members 3A, 3B is allowed.

The medal transport path R is larger than the second guide member 3B.
A path sensor 14 for detecting passage of the selected medal M is provided on the downstream side (lower side in the figure). The path sensor 14 is arranged so as to face a cutout portion of the medal receiving surface 4A of the third guide member 4, and detects the selected medal M when passing through the cutout portion. As the path sensor 14, for example, a non-contact type proximity sensor such as a photo interrupter can be used as in the case of the synchronous sensor 9.

The above-mentioned synchronous sensor 9 and pass sensor 14 are not limited to the non-contact type proximity sensor, but pass the selected medal M at each sensing position (yes / no).
Either type may be adopted as long as it can detect (none). However, when a contact-type sensor is employed, it is desirable to employ a sensor having a small contact pressure so that the load at the time of contact does not adversely affect the medal conveyance.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a control system of the medal selection device according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG.
The controller 15 controls the operation of the entire medal selection device. For example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) having an arithmetic function for executing a program, and a ROM (Read Only Memory) storing a control program therefor And a RAM (random access memory) used as a work area for program execution.

The controller 15 includes a motor 16 for one rotation of the disk member, a solenoid 1 for dropping, together with the synchronization sensor 9, the discrimination sensor 10, and the path sensor 14 described above.
1. The rotary solenoid 18 is connected. Sensor signals necessary for operation control are input to the controller 15 from the synchronous sensor 9, the determination sensor 10, and the path sensor 14 among them. Motor 1
6. The controller 15 outputs control signals for controlling the operations of the drop solenoid 11 and the rotary solenoid 18.

Further, a first counter 19 and a second counter 20 are connected to the controller 15. The first counter 19 is provided in a form attached to the discrimination sensor 10. This first counter 19
The counting operation is controlled by the controller 15 in accordance with the determination result of the selected medals by the determination sensor 10. The second counter 20 is provided in a form associated with the path sensor 14. The counting operation of the second counter 20 is controlled by the controller 15 according to the detection result of the selected medal by the pass sensor 14.

Before describing the operation of the medal selection device having the above configuration, a medal structure suitable for use as a designated medal in a pachinko parlor or the like will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3A is a front view of the medal, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view thereof.

The illustrated medal 21 is formed in a disk shape as a whole like a general coin. Medal 21
A hardened plastic 21B is buried concentrically with the medal main body 21A in the center of. Medal body 21A
Is made of, for example, a metal material whose entire surface is subjected to an exterior plating process. The surface of the cured plastic 21B or the material itself is colored differently from the medal body 21A.

In manufacturing the medal 21,
As shown in FIG. 4A, a through hole 21C is formed at the center of the medal body 21A. At this time, the hole diameters of one end and the other end of the through hole 21C are partially increased. Then, the columnar cured plastic 21 is inserted into the through hole 21C.
Insert B (solid material). At this time, the medal body 21
Both ends of the cured plastic 21B are projected from the front and back surfaces of A.

Then, the cured plastic 21B is molded as shown in FIG. 4B by heating and pressurizing with a press molding machine (not shown). At the time of molding (at the time of heating and pressurizing), the shape of the cured plastic 21B is changed from a columnar shape to a bobbin shape, so that the entire through hole 21C of the medal body 21A is filled with the cured plastic 21B.

In the medal 21 thus obtained, the bobbin-shaped cured plastic 21B is locked in the through hole 21C of the medal body 21A, so that the cured plastic 21B from the medal body 21A is removed. Dropout can be reliably prevented. In addition, the medal body 21A
The thickness of the hardened plastic 21B is made slightly thinner than the thickness of the hardened plastic 21B, whereby each end face of the hardened plastic 21B is slightly depressed on the front and back surfaces of the medal body 21A, so that the hardened plastic 21B can be effectively prevented from being damaged. . Further, since the hardened plastic 21B is exposed on the front and back surfaces of the medal body 21A, it is possible to determine this with one sensor regardless of the direction (front and back) of the medal 21. . Further, by changing the outer diameter of the cured plastic 21B and the variation of the color to be colored on the cured plastic 21B, it is possible to distinguish more types of medals.

Next, the operation of the medal selection device based on the control command of the controller 15 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, when, for example, a start button provided on an operation panel (not shown) is pressed in a state where a predetermined number of sorted medals M have been inserted into the disk member 1, the controller 15 starts the motor 16 (rotation driving). Then, conveyance of the selected medals M is started (step S1). This allows
Each selected medal M put into the disc member 1 is
The disk member 1 is dispersed and moved outward by centrifugal force due to the rotation of the disk member 1, and comes into contact with the chute guide 8 at a break portion of the surrounding member 1 </ b> A, and is guided to the entrance of the medal conveyance path R by the chute guide 8. And the medal transport path R
In, each selected medal M is conveyed in one direction with a moving force given by a centrifugal force due to the rotation of the disk member 1. In FIG. 1, the designated medal is M
The symbol (21) is attached, and the unspecified medal is assigned the symbol M (22).

Next, the controller 15 monitors the sensor signal sent from the synchronous sensor 9 and
It is determined whether or not the selected medal M has passed the sensing position according to (step S2). And the synchronous sensor 9
When the passage of the selected medal M is detected, the determination process for medal selection is performed (step S3).

In the determination processing in step S3,
The characteristic portion of the selected medal M conveyed along the medal conveyance path R is detected by the determination sensor 10, and based on the detection result, whether the selected medal M is the designated medal (21) or the unspecified medal (22). Is determined by the controller 15.

Here, as a characteristic portion of the selected medal M,
As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the medal body 2
In the case of the structure in which the colored hard plastic 21B is embedded in the center of 1A, a detection signal corresponding to the characteristic portion is output from the discrimination sensor 10. That is, the discrimination sensor 1
For example, when a reflection type optical sensor combining a light receiving element and a light emitting element is adopted as 0, return light (reflected light) when light emitted from the light emitting element is reflected on the medal surface is received by the light receiving element. Accordingly, the detection signal of the determination sensor 10 corresponds to the characteristic portion of the selected medal M.

More specifically, the discrimination sensor 1 is located at the center position in the width direction of the medal conveyance path R (indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 1).
In the case where 0 performs sensing, assuming that the selected medal M is the designated medal (21), regardless of the orientation (front and back) of the selected medal M at the sensing position of the discrimination sensor 10, the selected medal M (21) Hard plastic 21B
The amount of light reflected from the medal surface including the portion (see FIG. 3) is detected by the determination sensor 10. At this time,
The waveform of the sensor signal (analog signal) obtained from the discrimination sensor 10 includes the medal body 21A and the hard plastic 2
A substantially rectangular waveform corresponding to the color difference from 1B is obtained.

Therefore, in the controller 15, for example,
The signal waveform from the determination sensor 10 is compared with a preset reference waveform, and when those waveforms or the levels of the waveforms match or approximate each other, the selected medal M is determined as the designated medal (21), Otherwise, the selected medal M is determined to be the unspecified medal (22). Note that the reference waveform serving as a reference for the medal determination is, for example, a designated medal M
Only (21) flows into the medal transport path R, and the average of the sensor signal waveforms of the discrimination sensor 10 obtained at that time may be used.

Subsequently, in the determination process in step S3, when it is determined that the selected medal M is the designated medal (21), the process proceeds from step S4 to step S5, where the count value of the first counter 19 is reduced. "+1" is incremented.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the selected medal M is the unspecified medal (22), the process proceeds from step S4 to step S8, where the unspecified medal M (2) is determined.
Perform dropping processing to eliminate 2). In this dropping process, first, the selected medals M determined to be unspecified medals are
A predetermined time after (22) has passed the sensing position of the discrimination sensor 10, the rotary solenoid 18 is turned on (excited), and the rotating operation of the rotary solenoid shaft 12 causes the shutter member 13 to advance into the medal transport path R. . At this time, the selected medal M (22) determined to be an unspecified medal in the above-described determination process passes through the shutter member 13 and is sent out between the pair of second guide members 3A and 3B. Stops against the shutter member 13.

Next, the falling solenoid 11 is turned on (excited) to move the second guide member 3B to the left in FIG. Then, the selected medal M (22) determined as an unspecified medal in the above-described determination process falls by its own weight due to the widening of the medal conveyance path R accompanying the movement of the second guide member 3B. At this time, the unspecified medal M (22) dropped from the medal transport path R may be dropped into a dedicated box installed at the bottom of the apparatus or outside the apparatus. Accordingly, only the selected medals M (22) determined as non-designated medals based on the detection result of the determination sensor 10 can be reliably excluded from the medal conveyance path R.

As described above, the unspecified medal M (22)
Is dropped, the falling solenoid 11 is returned to the off state, and subsequently, the rotary solenoid 18 is also returned to the off state. As a result, the second guide member 3B moves rightward in FIG. 1 to return to the original position, and the shutter member 13 retreats from the medal transport path R. Transport is resumed.

Subsequently, the controller 15 reads a sensor signal from the path sensor 14 provided in the vicinity of the third guide member 4, and determines whether or not the selected medal M has passed the sensing position of the path sensor 14. (Step S6). At this time, when the selected medal M is guided by the pair of second guide members 3A and 3B and passes over the medal receiving surface 4A of the third guide member 4, a detection signal notifying the fact is sent from the path sensor 14. So controller 1
In 5, when a detection signal notifying that the selected medal M has passed is sent from the path sensor 14, the second counter 20
Is incremented by "+1" and then returns to the step S2. If the detection signal is not sent from the path sensor 14, the process returns to the step S2 without incrementing the count value of the second counter 20.

On the other hand, if the passing of the selected medal M is not detected by the synchronous sensor 9 in step S2 and the state continues for more than a predetermined time,
That is, when there is no more sorted medal M to be sorted, the process proceeds from step S9 to step S10. In step S10, the driving of the motor 16 is stopped. In step S11, the counting of the number of medals by the first and second counters 19 and 20 is terminated.

Next, in step S12, the first
The count value of the counter 19 and the second counter 20
Are compared (compared). Here, the count value of the first counter 19 is
Indicates the number of times that the selected medal is determined to be the designated medal based on the detection result of 0, and the count value of the second counter 20 is conveyed without falling between the pair of second guide members 3A and 3B. This indicates the number of selected medals that have passed through the sensing position of the path sensor 14. Therefore, the count values of the first and second counters 19 and 20 must be equal to each other (equal).

Accordingly, if the count values of the first and second counters 19 and 20 are the same, the controller 15 determines the number of designated medals as counting OK and counts up to that time. The number of designated medals is displayed on the display panel or the like together with the number of non-designated medals and the total number of medals (step S13). If an error occurs in the count values of the first and second counters 19 and 20, The number of designated medals is determined to be undetermined as the count NG, and the fact is displayed on a display panel or the like (step S14).
The total number of medals is determined by the number of selected medals detected by the synchronous sensor 9 or the determination sensor 10.
What is necessary is to display the number of the selected medals detected by the above and counted by a counter (not shown). Also,
As for the number of unspecified medals, the value obtained by subtracting the specified medal number from the total medal number or the number of times that the selected medal is determined to be an unspecified medal based on the detection result of the determination sensor 10 may be displayed.

Here, the causes of the count NG as described above include erroneous counts of the first sensor 19 and count inability,
Unable to count second sensor 20, rotary solenoid 1
In the case where the subsequent designated medal fell along with the unspecified medal due to the delay of the operation timing of No. 8, the unspecified medal passed the sensing position of the path sensor 14 without falling due to the delay of the operation timing of the falling solenoid 11. Case, etc. are conceivable.

As a measure against this, in the case of a cause, the number of designated medals is determined based on the count value of the second counter 20 and displayed. For example, the number of medals is determined and displayed. If the count becomes NG, regardless of the cause, the count results of the first and second counters 19 and 20 are printed out so that the number of NG occurrences and detailed contents can be confirmed. good.

As described above, in the medal selection device according to the present embodiment, the characteristic portion of the selected medal M conveyed along the medal conveyance path R is detected by the discrimination sensor 10, and based on the detection result, the selected medal M is detected. Unspecified medal (22)
If it is determined that the medal (22) is not specified, it has a function of dropping the unspecified medal (22) by driving the drop solenoid 11, so that the medal M among a plurality of selected medals M can be saved without extra labor and time. , The unspecified medal (22) can be excluded.

The selected medals M are replaced with unspecified medals (2
If it is determined to be 2), the operation of the shutter member 13 causes the subsequent medal M following the unspecified medal (22) to stop, so that the non-designated medal (2)
Only 2) can be reliably dropped (excluded).

Further, the selected medals M passing over the medal receiving surface 4A of the third guide member 4 are detected by the pass sensor 14, and the number of times of detection (the number of passed medals) is determined by the second sensor.
, It is possible to provide such a medal sorting device as a medal counting machine with a medal sorting function. The first counter 19 counts the number of times that the selected medal M is determined to be the designated medal (21).
The number of designated medals can be determined by comparing (comparing) the count values of 0.

The medal selection device according to the present invention provides a medal counter with a medal selection function by adding a counter function as described above in addition to simply selecting the selected medals into designated medals and unspecified medals. In the case of a configuration, or in a gaming machine such as a slot machine, a medal lending machine, a medal replenishing device, or the like, it is also preferable to use each device with a medal selection function.

[0048]

As described above, according to the medal selecting apparatus of the present invention, the characteristic portion of the selected medal conveyed along the medal conveying path is detected by the discriminating means, and discrimination is performed based on the detection result. When the means determines the selected medal as an unspecified medal, the medal elimination means is configured to exclude the unspecified medal from the medal conveyance path. Only non-designated medals can be excluded from the selected medals. This allows
It is possible to effectively prevent unauthorized use of unspecified medals in pachinko parlors and the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a main part of a medal sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a control system of the medal sorting device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a medal structure suitable for use as a designated medal.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a method of manufacturing the medal shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is an operation flowchart of the medal selection device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Disc member, 2A, 2B ... 1st guide member, 3
A, 3B ... second guide member, 4 ... third guide member, 9 ...
Synchronous sensor, 10: discriminating sensor, 11: falling solenoid, 12: rotary solenoid shaft, 13: shutter member, 14: path sensor, 15: controller, 16: motor, 18: rotary solenoid, 19: first counter, 20 ... second counter, 21 ... designated medal, 22 ...
Unspecified medals, M: Selected medals, R: Medal transport path

Claims (4)

[Claims] A determination unit configured to detect a characteristic portion of a selected medal conveyed along a medal conveyance path and determine whether the selected medal is a designated medal or a non-designated medal based on a detection result; A medal selection device comprising: a medal rejection unit that excludes a selected medal determined as an unspecified medal from the medal conveyance path by the determination unit. 2. The medal selection device according to claim 1, further comprising a stopper means capable of stopping the selected medals in the middle of a medal conveying path leading to the medal elimination means. 3. A passing number counting means for counting the passing number of selected medals on a downstream side of the medal conveying path from the medal removing means.
Or the medal selection device according to 2. 4. The medal selection device according to claim 1, further comprising a number-of-discriminations counting means for counting the number of times the selected medal is determined as a designated medal in the sensor means.