Game media lending device

Abstract

To provide a game medium dispenser comprising a display part which can be visually recognized easily, without entering a dead angle of a player even when the game medium dispenser is installed on a depth side of a Pachinko slot machine in view from a front face.SOLUTION: There is provided a game medium dispenser comprising: a main body movement part capable of drawing at least a part of a main body part of the game medium dispenser, to a front side of a front face of the game medium dispenser with the front face. The main body movement part can be operated even in a drawn state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a game medium lending device disposed adjacent to a game table such as a pachislot machine.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, among game medium lending devices provided corresponding to pachislot machines which are gaming machines, there are some provided with a liquid crystal display unit. In the game medium lending device described in Patent Document 1, the orientation of the display screen of the liquid crystal display unit can be changed in the left-right direction, so that the player can take both a position where the liquid crystal display unit is easily visible and a position where the front door of the pachislot machine is opened and the front door and the liquid crystal display unit do not interfere with each other.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in recent years, pachislot machines tend to have gaudy decoration parts on the casing, and some of them have large bulges in the decoration parts and the lower plate part forward. For pachislot machines with large bulges, the display unit structure described in Patent Document 1 is not sufficient. That is, unlike the one described in Patent Document 1, the one in FIG. 3 has a flat display unit. However, even in a mode where the interference part of such a display unit is small, if the game medium lending device itself is not installed at a position deep when viewed from the front as shown in the figure, the bulge provided on the front door of the pachislot machine and the game medium lending device will interfere with each other. This is even more the case when the display unit protrudes from the front as in Patent Document 1. However, if a game medium lending device is provided at this position, as shown in FIG. 4, the display unit will be in the blind spot of the player due to the bulging part of the front door of the pachislot machine, and the player cannot confirm the display content unless he / she peeks into the display unit. Therefore, even when the game medium lending device is installed deeper than the pachislot machine when viewed from the front, the present invention aims to provide a game medium lending device equipped with a display unit that does not enter the blind spot of the player and is easy to view.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The game medium lending device of the present invention comprises at least the following configuration. It is provided with a main body moving part that can be pulled forward without unlocking at least a part of the main body of the game medium lending device, and the main body moving part is configured to be operable whether it is in a state of being stored in the rear or in a state of being pulled forward. In addition, the main body moving part is capable of pulling out substantially all regions except the dispensing mechanism part. It is characterized by this. Here, the "part" in "a part of the main body" does not mean components (parts) such as operating elements and display units, but means a part of the housing of the game medium lending device, particularly including the front surface. Specifically, the main body moving part defined as "a part of the main body" is substantially all regions except the dispensing mechanism part.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006]

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[0007] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, it should be noted that the following drawings are conceptual diagrams created for the purpose of explanation and do not necessarily show the exact implemented aspects.

[0008] (Overall Configuration of the Underlying Game Medium Lending Device) FIG. 1 is a front view of a game medium lending device and a corresponding pachislot according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a right side view of a game medium lending device and a corresponding pachislot according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a game medium lending device 2 called a sand is installed so as to correspond one-to-one to the pachislot 1.

[0009] Above the game medium lending device 2 is a part called a general building body that has a bill insertion slot 22 and a card insertion slot 23 on the front and houses a control unit, a bill stocker, a card stocker, etc. inside. Below the game medium lending device 2 is a payout mechanism unit that can directly payout a predetermined number of medals, which are game media, from the medal payout unit 26 to the lower tray 11 of the corresponding pachislot 1.

[0010] Inside the building body, a bill discrimination unit is arranged at a position corresponding to the bill insertion slot 22, and a card reader / writer unit that reads or writes information of the inserted prepaid card or membership card is arranged at a position corresponding to the card insertion slot 23. A control unit, a bill stocker, and a card stocker are arranged in the space vacated by these units. The control unit communicates with a host computer installed in the game parlor and the pachislot 1 that it is in charge of lending game media via a relay board (not shown). Also, on the front surface of the building body, a display unit 21 composed of a liquid crystal display unit is provided. The display unit 21 displays the lending information and operating state of the game medium lending device 2, the operating state of the pachislot 1, and the production display in cooperation with the pachislot 1. Further, the display unit 21 also displays TV images, advertisement images, etc. distributed from the host computer.

[0011] Between the display unit 21 and the card insertion slot 23, there are provided three switches: a lending switch 23a for receiving the lending of game media, a return switch 23b for returning the card, and a leave switch 23c for operating when temporarily leaving the seat. Instead of or in addition to these three switches, the liquid crystal display unit of the display unit 21 may be configured as a touch panel so that various operations can be performed.

[0012] Below the payout mechanism section of the gaming medium lending device 2, there is a medal replenishment door equipped with a medal replenishment door key 25. By opening this door, medals can be replenished. Below that, there is a medal payout port and a medal payout section 26 as a shoot nozzle. The medals paid out from the medal payout port are set to slide down the inclined surface by their own weight, and the medals that have slid down the inclined surface are stored in the lower tray 11 provided on the front side of the pachislot 1. This medal payout section 26 as a shoot nozzle is set in such an arrangement relationship that it extends from the gaming medium lending device 2 installed deeper than the pachislot when viewed from the front to the lower tray 11 of the front pachislot 1.

[0013] Incidentally, at the uppermost part of the front surface of the bilberry of the gaming medium lending device 2, there are provided a cylinder key 27 for releasing the lock when pulling out the entire housing of the gaming medium lending device 2 forward to the maximum extent, and a hook portion 28 for facilitating the pulling out when pulling out the entire housing forward. These cylinder key 27 and hook portion 28 are not used during normal use of the gaming medium lending device 2, and are used only during maintenance of the gaming medium lending device 2 or when collecting paper money. And when the entire housing is pulled out, as will be described later, since the power line is configured to be structurally disconnected, the gaming medium lending device 2 is in a state where it cannot operate. Also, the cylinder key 27 and hook portion 28 of this embodiment are for allowing a store clerk or the like, who is a person related to the game parlor where the pachislot 1 is installed, to perform actions such as unlocking and hooking a pulling jig (not shown) to pull out the entire housing forward. Note that the shape of the hook portion 28 is a shape that can hook the pulling jig, but it may also be a shape that can be easily grasped by the hand or fingers.

[0014] (Characteristic configuration of the present invention) The characteristic configuration of the gaming medium lending device according to the embodiment of the present invention can be well understood by referring to FIGS. 3 to 6. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the gaming medium lending device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the corresponding pachislot, and the adjacent pachislot, showing a state where the front door of the adjacent pachislot is open. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the gaming medium lending device according to the embodiment of the present invention and the corresponding pachislot. FIG. 5 is a right side view of the gaming medium lending device according to the embodiment of the present invention and the corresponding pachislot, showing a state where the main body moving part is pulled out. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the gaming medium lending device according to the embodiment of the present invention and the corresponding pachislot, showing a state where the main body moving part is pulled out.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 3, since the display unit 21 and the gaming medium lending device 2 are arranged at a sufficiently deep position with respect to the corresponding pachislot 1 and the adjacent pachislot 1, even if the front door of the pachislot 1 is opened, there will be no interference with the bulging part provided on the front door. On the other hand, at such a position of the display unit 21, as shown in FIG. 4, the display unit enters the blind spot of the player P due to the bulging part of the pachislot front door, and the player P cannot confirm the display content unless he / she peers into the display unit. Although it may seem at first glance from FIG. 4 that the blind spot area is larger, the foremost part of the pachislot 1 shown in FIG. 4 is the part of the lower tray 11, and since the display unit 21 is located at a height corresponding to the bulging part above the pachislot 1 (see FIG. 2), it is reasonable to consider that the blind spot area is approximately within the illustrated range.

[0016] If the gaming medium lending device 2 only serves to display lending information and operating status, it may function to some extent even with such an arrangement relationship. However, as already described, the gaming medium lending device 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention also displays the operating status of the pachislot 1 and the display for the performance in cooperation with the pachislot 1. During the game, if the display unit 21 cannot be visually recognized, it will not perform the desired functions.

[0017] In order to solve this problem, in the game medium lending device 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention, a part of the main body portion can be pulled out while accompanying the device front to the front. It is not meant that only parts such as the display unit and the operation elements can move, but rather a configuration is adopted in which a part of the main body portion can move up to a certain extent. In FIG. 5, a part of the main body portion is pulled out forward by the amount of the area indicated by the hatched portion. Since the display unit 21 is provided in the said part, in the pulled-out state, as shown in FIG. 6, there is no dead angle area, and even during the game, the player P can sufficiently view the display screen of the display unit 21. This pulling-out operation is performed by grasping the knob 24 provided on the front surface of the game medium lending device 2 and manually pulling it out, but by providing a sensor and a drive mechanism, a part of the main body portion may be configured to be automatically controlled to move forward. For example, a sensor for detecting that the player P is seated may be provided in the corresponding pachislot 1 or the corresponding seat, and when it is detected that the player P is seated and the door sensor of the adjacent pachislot 1 detects that the door is in the closed state, a part of the main body portion may be configured to move forward.

[0018] In the state where the display unit 21 is pulled out, as shown in FIG. 7, when trying to open the front door of the adjacent pachislot 1, it will interfere with the game medium lending device 2. Therefore, when opening the door, the display unit 21 should be pushed in. In the case of automatic control, when detecting the unlocking operation of the adjacent pachislot 1, since this indicates a precursor to the opening of the door, it is convenient to configure a part of the main body portion to automatically return and move backward.

[0019] (Moving mechanism and electrical connection structure of the present invention) FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram for understanding the moving mechanism and electrical connection structure of the game medium lending device according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is for explaining the mechanism and structure, and it should be noted that the positional relationship of each component (part) shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may not always be consistent.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 8, even if the cylinder key is not unlocked, the main body moving part can be pulled out to a position where a stopper provided on the top plate of the main body moving part abuts against the wall surface inside the housing with respect to the housing main body fixed to the holder. Further, since the main body moving part and the main body connection connector are connected by a flexible cable, the main body moving part can be energized and operated even in the pulled-out state.

[0021] On the other hand, the entire housing cannot be pulled out from the holder unless the cylinder key is unlocked. When the entire housing is pulled out from the holder, the main body connection connector shown in FIG. 8 is disconnected from the holder connection connector, so that the power line of the game medium lending device 2 is interrupted.

[0022] Even in a conventional game medium lending device, a part of the main body part was pullable, but the operation of pulling out occurs only during maintenance or when collecting bills, and the operation of the game medium lending device does not naturally occur at that time. On the other hand, in the present invention, both the display unit 21 and the operation for lending game media can be operated in a pulled-out state up to a certain point. Such a feature can be understood as representing the technical idea of the present invention. Further, regarding the present invention, a part of the main body part can be pulled out without performing an unlocking operation, and the present invention can also be grasped from such a viewpoint.

[0023] (Another embodiment regarding the pull-out structure) FIG. 9 is a right side view of a game medium lending device and a corresponding pachislot according to another embodiment of the present invention, showing a state where the main body moving part is pulled out. When a lending operation is performed, this gaming medium lending device 2 sends a signal to the pachislot 1 via the relay base. In response to this signal, the pachislot 1 lends out medals from the payout device mounted on itself. For this reason, the gaming medium lending device 2 is not provided with a medal payout port and a medal payout unit as a shoot nozzle. In the first embodiment, since there is a medal payout unit 26, the lower part of the main body has a structure that does not move. However, for a type of gaming medium lending device 2 without a medal payout unit, as shown in FIG. 9, it is possible to configure the whole to be pulled forward. For such reasons, in the present embodiment, the main body moving part has a structure that extends over the entire upper and lower parts. By doing so, the constraints on the arrangement relationship between components are reduced, so that it is possible to design with consideration for simplifying the structure of the moving mechanism and saving space for the whole parts.

[0024] FIG. 10 is a right side view of a gaming medium lending device and a corresponding pachislot according to still another embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the main body moving part is pulled out. This gaming medium lending device 2 also, similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, when a lending operation is performed, sends a signal to the pachislot 1 via the relay base, and the pachislot 1 that has received the signal lends out medals from the payout device mounted on itself. For this reason, the gaming medium lending device 2 is not provided with a medal payout port and a medal payout unit as a shoot nozzle. The difference from the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 is that a plurality of main body moving parts are provided vertically. Although there are more design constraints, it is possible to pull out the upper and lower parts separately. In the first embodiment, the display unit 21 was arranged above together with the bill validator. However, if there is no medal payout unit, it is possible to arrange only the display unit 21 above, and arrange the bill validator below in the space vacated by the absence of the medal payout unit. It is possible for the player P to realize a convenient usage mode for himself, such as moving only one of the display unit 21 and the operation unit of the bill validator closer to his hand, or positioning both in front.

[0025] (Another embodiment regarding the display unit) FIG. 11 is a gaming medium lending device according to another embodiment of the display unit of the present invention, where (a) is a plan view, and (b) and (c) are front views. In the first embodiment, the display unit 21 was flatly arranged on the front panel of the gaming medium lending device 2. However, in this embodiment, the display unit 21 stands up from the front of the device, making it easier to be visually recognized from the perspective of the player P. Moreover, the display unit 21 is rotatable left and right around the vertical axis, and the player P can arbitrarily adjust the orientation of the display unit 21 to a more visible angular position for himself / herself. When opening the front door of the pachislot 1, the display unit 21 is laid down. Compared with the first embodiment where the display unit 21 is flat, the display unit 21 and the front door will be closer. However, it is possible to cope with this by installing it on a pachislot 1 of a type where the bulging part of the front door is relatively small, or by setting the installation position of the gaming medium lending device 2 to a more recessed position.

[0026] As described above, the gaming medium lending device according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to these examples, and design changes and the like within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention are also included in the present invention. For example, in the embodiment, a part of the main body is at the top of the main body. However, even if a member that does not move to the top is arranged, and the position next to it is configured to be a part that can be pulled out, it is included in the technical idea of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0027] 1………Pachislot 11……Lower tray 2………Gaming medium lending device 21……Display unit 22……Paper money insertion slot 23……Card insertion slot 23a…Lending switch 23b…Return switch 23c…Leaving seat switch 100…Label affixing device 24……Knob 25……Medal replenishment door key 26…… Medal payout section 27…… Cylinder key 28…… Hook section

Claims

1. A gaming medium lending device includes a main body moving part that can be pulled forward without unlocking at least a part of the main body part, the main body moving part is configured to be operable whether it is in a state of being housed rearward or in a state of being pulled forward, the main body moving part is capable of pulling out substantially all areas except the payout mechanism part A gaming medium lending device characterized by the above.

2. A gaming medium lending device includes a main body moving part that can be pulled forward without unlocking at least a part of the main body part, the main body moving part is configured to be operable whether it is in a state of being housed rearward or in a state of being pulled forward, the main body moving part is capable of pulling out the main body part in substantially all areas from the upper end to the lower end of the gaming medium lending device A gaming medium lending device characterized by the above.

3. The main body moving part is composed of a plurality of main body moving parts above and below The gaming medium lending device according to claim 2, characterized by the above.

4. The main body moving part has a display part The gaming medium lending device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by the above.

5. The display part can change the orientation of the display screen of the display part in the left - right direction The gaming medium lending device according to claim 4, characterized by the above.

Images