[0001] The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in Japan Patent Application
No.2004-229350 filed on August 5,2004, which are expressly incorporated herein by
reference in its entireties.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a game machine to play a game using game media such
as medals and coins, and more particularly, to a game machine incorporating a game
media inserting apparatus that handles the game media.
Description of the Prior Art
[0003] In general, in a game machine (such as, for example, a slot machine, roulette machine
and pusher game machine) where the game starts by inserting a game medium (hereinafter,
referred to as a "medal"), as described above, a game media inserting apparatus (hereinafter,
referred to as a "medal inserting apparatus") is incorporated to enable a player to
insert medals smoothly. For example, JP 2003-79927 discloses a pusher game machine
incorporating a medal inserting apparatus. The medal inserting apparatus is configured
to enable a player to pick a medal up and insert it in a slot one by one, and the
inserted medal is released to a predetermined target.
[0004] The medal inserting apparatus incorporated into the pusher game machine as described
above has the need for a player to guide the medal to the slot, and thereby causes
bother and tiredness. Particularly, in recent games (such as a pusher game) using
medals, machines are becoming mainstream which have game characteristics that a player
is encouraged to use a large number of medals within a predetermined time and can
acquire a large number of medals when a predetermined condition holds. Therefore,
inserting a large number of medals is burdensome in the structure where a player guides
medals to a slot to insert on a one-by-one basis. Further, a back portion (contact
portion with a medal) of the slot may sustain damage by friction, and there arise
problems of causing disfigurement of the contact portion and the like.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a game machine incorporating
a medal inserting apparatus enabling a large number of medals to be inserted successively
with ease.
[0006] Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description
which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned
by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized
and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly out hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the
specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the general
description given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below,
serve to explain the principles of the invention.
FIG.1 is a view showing one example of a structure of a pusher game machine that is
one example of game machines according to the invention;
FIG.2 is a perspective view showing a structure of a medal inserting apparatus;
FIG.3 is an upper view of the medal inserting apparatus;
FIG.4 is a front view of the medal inserting apparatus;
FIG.5 is a perspective view showing a portion cut in the central portion of the medal
inserting apparatus;
FIG.6 is a schematic front view illustrating a relationship between a guide face of
a medal guide portion and a medal;
FIG. 7 is a schematic side view to explain a preferred positional relationship between
the medal guide portion and a rotation roller;
FIG.8 is a view showing an example of medals mounted on a medal mount;
FIG.9 is a schematic side view illustrating the behavior of a plurality of medals
which are inserted in the medal guide portion;
FIG.10 is a schematic side view illustrating the behavior of a medal which is allowed
to stand and mounded on the medal guide portion;
FIG. 11 is a schematic side view illustrating another example of the behavior of a
medal which is allowed to stand and mounded on the medal guide portion;
FIG. 12 is a schematic side view illustrating another example of the behavior of a
plurality of medals which are allowed to stand and mounded on the medal guide portion;
FIG.13 is a view showing another example of the structure of the medal inserting apparatus;
FIG.14A and FIG.14B are views illustrating modifications of the guide face of the
medal guide portion;
FIG.15 is a view showing still another example of the structure of the medal inserting
apparatus; and
FIG.16 is a view showing another embodiment of the game machine according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Embodiments of a game machine according to the present invention will specifically
be described below.
[0009] FIG.1 is a view illustrating an embodiment of the game machine according to the invention,
and shows one example of a structure of a pusher game machine that is one example
of game machines.
[0010] A pusher game machine 1 is provided with a housing 2, and inside the housing 2 is
provided a game area 3 visible from outside. In the game area 3, a horizontal plane
3a is formed, while a pusher 3b is disposed that reciprocates in the direction of
the arrow on the horizontal plane 3a. A plurality of media (medals) is stored on the
horizontal plane 3a, and the medals stored on the horizontal plane 3a are inserted
from a front cliff (not shown) by the pusher 3b reciprocating in the direction of
the arrow, and discharged as a reward. A player releases held medals toward the horizontal
plane 3a and pusher 3b, and acquires a large number of medals beforehand stored on
the horizontal plane 3a by the operation of the pusher 3b.
[0011] In addition, the pusher game machine of this embodiment is provided with a specific
game mode allowing a player to acquire a large number of medals more than released
medals when a predetermined condition holds. More specifically, targets 6 are arranged
in an area where medals are released, and when a predetermined number of (for example,
ten) medals are inserted in the targets 6 within a predetermined time (for example,
60 seconds), many medals are released (a medal releasing portion is omitted) to the
horizontal plane 3a that is a medal mount area.
[0012] In the housing 2 is formed a base portion 7 to protrude to the player side, and on
the base portion 7 is provided a rotation lever 8 that is rotated by a player. The
rotation lever 8 is connected at its base end with a slope (not shown) which feeds
a medal inserted from a medal inserting apparatus described later toward the horizontal
plane 3a, while being converted in direction by operation of rotating the rotation
lever 8. Then, by a player operating the rotation of rotation lever 8, an inserted
medal is released in the direction of a desired target. In addition, with respect
to the driving mechanism that couples the rotation lever 8 and slope to rotate the
slope, the mechanism that feeds a medal into the slope from the medal inserting apparatus
and the like, these mechanisms are not of the principal constitution of the invention,
and descriptions thereof are omitted.
[0013] The base portion 7 is provided with a media inserting apparatus (medal inserting
apparatus) 10 to perform operation of inserting medals in playing the game. The medal
inserting apparatus 10 enables a player to insert many medals successively with ease,
as specifically described later.
[0014] A structure of the medal inserting apparatus 10 will be described below with reference
to FIGs.2 to 6.
[0015] The medal inserting apparatus 10 is provided with a flat-shaped medal mount 11 incorporated,
into a panel 7a constituting the base portion 7. For example, as shown in FIGs.1 and
2, the medal mount 11 is configured to only enable a predetermined number of medals
to be mounted thereon stably, and a concave portion 11a is provided on the game area
side of the central portion of the medal mount 11. A bottom 11b of the concave potion
11a is provided with a medal guide portion (media guide portion) 12 having a guide
face 12a that guides a medal, and a slit-shaped slot 13 to insert the medal guided
along the guide face 12a inside the housing. In this case, the guide face 12a is formed
to descend toward the slot 13 from the player side, and has a length to the extent
that allows a number of medals to stand to be mounted. For the inclination angle of
the guide face 12a, the face 12a is only required to incline with respect to the horizontal
plane to cause a medal to slide smoothly, and the angle is not limited particularly:
[0016] The guide face 12a preferably has a length to some extent to enable a large number
of medals to be inserted successively. More specifically, the face 12a preferably
has a length at least more than or equal to the diameter of a medal, and more preferably,
has a length more than two or three times the diameter of a medal to enable smoother
successive inserting operation with ease.
[0017] The medal mount 11 is integrally formed with the concave portion 11a and medal guide
portion 12, for example, by die-casting of zinc (zinc alloy), and the surface of the
mount 11 is chrome plated to enhance the appearance. In this case, to improve integration
characteristics, it may be possible forming the flat-shaped medal mount 11, and then
forming the concave portion 11a and medal guide portion 12 by press molding.
[0018] In other words, it is possible to integrally form the medal mount 11 and medal guide
portion 12 with ease, for example, by press molding a plate-shaped member in the form
of a plane into the form of a concave. Thus making both members in unit improves the
integration characteristics to the game machine. It is also possible to form the members
separately without integrally forming. Therefore, the medal mount 11 and medal guide
portion 12 may be configured to be detachable with respect to the panel 7a.
[0019] The medal mount 11 is provided in the vicinity of the medal guide portion 12 so that
a medal is easily inserted in the guide face 12a of the medal guide portion 12. For
example, by forming the mount 11 to extend toward the player side, i.e. frontward
from the medal guide portion 12, a player is capable of inserting medals in the guide
face 12a of the medal guide portion 12 only by pushing a large number of medals mounted
on the mount 11 backward.
[0020] In addition, the medal mount 11 of this embodiment is formed on each side of the
extending medal guide portion 12, and it is thereby possible to insert medals from
the side. Further, the medal guide portion 12 is formed on the bottom 11b of the concave
portion 11a, medals are thereby inserted in the medal guide portion 12 from the medal
mount 11, and it is thus possible to regulate a number of inserted medals to some
extent (constituting regulating means). In other words, since medals are inserted
in such a manner, even when a large number of medals are inserted once, the medals
are guided to the slot 13 while being scattered by contact of medal-to-medal, bounce
by the bottom 11b and the like.
[0021] A frame inside the panel 7a is provided with a selector device (not shown) to discriminate
medals inserted from the slot 13. The selector device measures predetermined parameters
(such as a weight and diameter) , and guides a medal determined to be proper to the
slope.
[0022] The guide face 12a of the medal guide portion 12 is configured to come into contact
in two points with the outer circumference of a medal when the medal is mounted, where
a distance between the two points is preferably smaller than the diameter of the medal.
More specifically, the guide face 12a of this embodiment is formed to have a U-shaped
cross section, and as shown in FIG. 6, has contact portions P1 such that the outer
circumference of a medal M comes into contact with the face 12a in two points when
the medal is kept stand substantially vertical to the guide face (when the medal is
mounted at any states except the horizontal state with respect to the inclination
angle of the guide face), and that a distance of the contact portions. P1 is preferably
smaller than the diameter of the medal M. Therefore, a gap is generated between the
deepest portion P of the U-shaped cross-section guide face 12a and the lowest edge
M1 of the medal, while the contact portions P1 exist under the central position C
of the medal, and the medal M is thus unstable in holding itself.
[0023] A rectangle opening 11d is formed on a rear wall 11c of the concave portion 11a of
the panel 7a to expose the outer circumference surface of a rotation roller 30. In
this case, in a constitution where the rotation roller is not disposed, the rear wall
11c is not provided with the opening 11d, and is configured as a wall portion (rear
wall) situated at the back of the slot 13. Such a rear wall without the opening acts
as a guide to guide a medal to the slot 13 when the medal sliding downward along the
guide face 12a comes into contact with the wall.
[0024] As shown in FIG. 7, the rotation roller 30 is supported so that the position of the
rotation center E (support position) is higher than an edge position (end position
of the opening of the slot 13) P2 between the deepest portion P of the guide face
12a and the slot 13. By supporting the rotation roller 30 in such a positional relationship
with the guide face 12a of the medal guide portion 12, it is possible to make a contact
position of a medal lower than a virtual line X which is passed through the center
E of the rotation roller and parallel to the extending direction of the guide face
12a, and it is thus possible to drive and rotate the rotation roller downward reliably.
In other words, the contact position of the medal with the rotation roller becomes
lower than a position E1 at which the virtual line X intersects the roller outer circumference,
and when a medal slides down near the slot and comes into contact at its end face
with the rotation roller 30, the rotation roller 30 can be driven to rotate downward
with reliability (when a medal contacts a position higher than the position E1, the
roller becomes hard to rotate downward). By such downward rotation of the rotation
roller 30, the medal contacting the roller converts its position downward with ease
by assistance of the weight of the medal as well as the rotation of the rotation roller
30, and is inserted inside the slot 13 smoothly.
[0025] In addition, it is actually preferable to set the support position of the rotation
roller 30 such that a height H from the deepest portion P to the position E1 is larger
than a height h from the deepest portion P when a number of medals (herein, assuming
five or six medals) that can generally be picked up the easiest are mounted on the
guide face 12a while lying (h<H). In other words, by supporting the rotation roller
in such a position, when mounting a number of medals that can be picked up the easiest
on the guide face 12a and sliding the medals, since the contact position with the
rotation roller 30 is reliably lower than the position E1, the rotation roller 30
is driven to rotate down ward with reliability (in FIG. 7, the virtual line X' is
positions where the medal contacts the guide face 12a when the medal is mounted on
the guide face 12a while lying).
[0026] As described above, installation of the rotation roller 30 on the rear wall portion
suppresses contact of medals with the rear wall portion, and the rear wall is thereby
prevented from sustaining damage by friction, while disfigurement of the medal contact
portion is eliminated.
[0027] The rotation roller 30 is preferably formed of, for example, urethane rubber to be
low in cost. Further, it is preferable to form means for enhancing friction, for example,
knurling 30a on the surface to cause the rotation roller 30 to rotate more easily
when coming into contact with a medal. In other words, as the rotation roller 30 rotates
more easily, friction is more reduced that interferes with a medal inserted in-the
slot 13.
[0028] Further, as described above, in the constitution where the rotation roller 30 is
provided on the rear wall, as shown in FIGs. 2 and 5, it is preferable that a cover
32 is disposed around the exposed rotation roller. By thus providing the cover around
the rotation roller 30, it is possible to effectively cover areas of upper, lower,
left and right of the rotation roller 30 exposed from the opening, and it is thus
possible to prevent foreign substances from coming inside the housing from gap portions
around the rotation roller. In addition, the cover 32 of this embodiment is formed
of PA based resin with particle-shapedglassmixedtherein, attached around the opening
11d formed in the rear wall 11c, and configured to expose the surface portion.
[0029] According to the game machine configured as described above, as shown in FIG.8, a
player can make preparations to start the game by beforehand mounting manymedals on
the medal mount 11. Then, by the manymedals mounted in the vicinity of the medal guide
portion 12, the player is capable of performing the operation of inserting medals
with ease (the operation of inserting is carried out by simply pushing medals mounted
on the medal mount 11 to insert successively the medals in the medal guide portion
12, by the player picking up medals mounted on the medal mount 11 and inserting the
medal in the medal guide portion 12, or the like, as described below).
[0030] In other words, when performing the operation of inserting medals, a player beforehand
mounts many medals on the medal mount 11 provided in the vicinity of the medal guide
portion 12, then merely performs the operation of feeding the medals to the guide
face 12a of the medal guide portion 12, and thereby is capable of performing the operation
of inserting many medals successively with ease.
[0031] Then, in the game machine with the above-mentioned configuration, when a player picks
up a medal and places the medal on the guide face 12a of the medal guide portion 12
(while letting the medal relatively lie or stand) so as to insert the medal in the
slot 13, the medal comes into contact with the guide face 12a in two points of the
outer circumference where a distance between the two points is smaller than the diameter,
and therefore, becomes unstable. Since the guide face 12a inclines downwardly, when
the player takes player's fingers off the medal, the medal is naturally guided toward
the slot 13 along the inclined guide face 12a while falling by the weight of the medal
and the action of moment. In other words, in inserting a medal, by placing the medal
on the guide face 12 and releasing the fingers, the medal slides while falling to
be parallel with the inclination by the action of moment due to its weight, comes
into contact with the rotation roller 30 situated behind the slot 13, and eventually
is inserted in the slot 13, whereby it is possible to perform the operation of inserting
medals more smoothly and comfortably.
[0032] More specifically, as shown in FIG.9, when simply inserting medals from the medal
mount 11 (by pushing medals on the medal mount 11 to insert, picking up a plurality
of medals to insert while letting the medals lie, or the like), each of the medals
slides downward along the inclined guide face 12a. Then, eventually, each of the medals
comes into contact at its end face with the rotation roller 30 sequentially, undergoes
downward conversion of its position due to the action of rotation (action of downward
rotation) of the rotation roller and the weight of the medal, and is inserted successively
without clogging the slot 13.
[0033] In this case, if the medals are sliding while being stacked, when the stacked medals
contact the rotation roller 30 and undergo position conversion by the rotation of
rotation roller 30, a rear end region toward the player side of an uppermost medal
of the stacked medals is able to rotate in the direction of the arrow D1 (second and
subsequent medals are not able to rotate in the direction of the arrow D1 due to the
medal (s) thereon). Thus, the medals are inserted in the slot 13 sequentially from
an upper medal while undergoing the position conversion. Meanwhile, medals sliding
on a one-by-one basis successively come into contact with the rotation roller 30 sequentially
to undergo the position conversion, and are inserted in the slot 13.
[0034] Further, in this embodiment, since the guide face 12a is formed to have the U-shaped
cross section, in the case of inserting a medal from the medal mount 11 to the side
of the medal guide portion 12, of pushing a large number of medals once to insert
or the like, as shown by the arrow in FIG.3, a medal located to the side of the central
area of the guide face 12a slides toward the center of the extending direction along
the surface of the guide face 12a. The medal thus sliding down is acted upon by rolling
moment, and gradually shifts to a horizontal state with respect to the inclination
of the medal guide portion as nearer the slot 13, as shown by the arrow in FIG.4.
Then, immediately before being inserted in the slot 13, the medal eventually becomes
a substantially horizontal state, contacts the rotation roller 30, undergoes position
conversion, and is inserted in the slot without change. In other words, even when
performing the operation of inserting from the side as described above, by the above-mentioned
action (automatic axis adjustment effect of the rolling moment), a medal located to
the side of the guide face 12a ultimately becomes a substantially horizontal state
that causes the easiest insertion and contacts the rotation roller 30 immediately
before being inserted in the slot 13, and is inserted in the slot 13 smoothly.
[0035] When a player handles a relatively small number of medals, for example, the player
picks up a single medal M from the medal mount 11 and stands the medal substantially
vertically to the guide face 12a on the front side of the medal guide portion 12,
as shown in FIG.10, the medal contacts the U-shaped medal guide portion 12 in the
position P1 (see FIG.6) lower than its center C, and is kept unstable with the lower
end floated. At this point, the center position of gravity of the medal M (center
position C of the medal) is above the contact position P1, while the inclination face
12a inclines downward, and therefore, an upper portion of the medal M allowed to stand
is acted upon by the moment due to its weight of the medal M to fall forward as shown
by the arrow in the figure. Then, ultimately, the medal M falls down to be along the
surface of the guide face 12a as shown by chain double-dashed lines, and is naturally
guided toward the slot 13 without change. The fallen medal contacts the rotation roller
30 in an end face M2 opposed to the rotation roller 30 or in a surface portion M3
outward in the diameter direction by momentum caused by falling down, is converted
in position perpendicularly toward the slot 13 due to the action of the rotation (action
of the downward rotation) and the weight of the medal, and inserted in the slot 13
smoothly. In other words, only by picking up medals mounted on the medal mount 11
and placing the medals on the medal guide portion 12 while letting the medals stand
without any other operation, the player is capable of performing successive inserting
(successive release) of medals with ease.
[0036] Moreover, for example, as shown in FIG.11, when a player picks up a single medal
M from the medal mount 11 and stands the medal to let it relatively lie on the guide
face 12a on the front side of the medal guide portion 12, the medal is kept unstable
with the lower end floated. At this point, the center position of gravity of the medal
M (center position C of the medal) is above the contact position P1, while the guide
face 12a inclines downward, and therefore, an upper portion of the medal M allowed
to stand is acted upon by the moment to cause the medal M to fall toward the player
side due to its weight of the medal M as shown by the arrow in the figure. Then, ultimately,
the medal M falls down to be along the surface of the guide face 12a as shown by chain
double-dashed lines, and is naturally guided toward the slot 13 without change. The
fallen medal contacts the rotation roller 30 in an end face M4 opposed to the rotation
roller, is converted in position perpendicularly toward the slot 13 due to the action
of the rotation (action of the downward rotation) and the weight of the medal, and
inserted in the slot 13 smoothly.
[0037] In addition, in the modes as shown in FIGs. 10 and 11 as described above, also when
a player picks up a plurality of medals and takes the fingers off while letting the
medals stand on the front side of the guide face 12a of the medal guide portion 12
in the same way as described above, each of the medals comes into contact with the
rotation roller 30 sequentially according to the track as described above, and is
inserted in the slot 13 successively. Thus, in the case of inserting a small number
of medals, it is only required picking up the medals mounted on the medal mount 11
by fingers, placing the medals to let them stand on the front side of the guide face
12a, and taking the fingers off the medals without change. The medals removed from
the fingers fall down from an upper portion in a standing state toward the slot side
or toward the player side, eventually contact the rotation roller 30 in an end face
area opposed to the rotation roller 30 or an outer surface area in the diameter direction,
undergo the position conversion due to the action of the rotation, and are inserted
in the slot 13. In other words, according to the constitution as described above,
it is possible to perform the operation of inserting medals with more smoothly and
comfortably.
[0038] Further, even in the case of picking up a large number of medals mounted on the medal
mount 11 or the like to handle the medals, for example, as shown in FIG.12, a player
lets a large number of medals stand on the guide face 12a in multilayer form. At this
point, each of the medals moves downward along the guide face 12a sequentially due
to its weight, eventually comes into contact with the surface of the rotation roller
30, is guided downward by the rotating rotation roller 30, and inserted in the slot
13 sequentially without change.
[0039] As described above, by beforehand mounting a large number of medals on the medal
mount 11 in the vicinity of the medal guide portion 12, the need is eliminated of
the inserting operation using both hands (such as the inserting operation for holding
a container storing medals by one hand, and picking up a medal from the container
by the other hand to insert in the slot), and it is thereby possible to insert a large
number of medals successively with ease. Further, in the constitution of this embodiment,
the rotation roller 30 is disposed, and a medal is thereby easily converted in position
to the vertical direction, and thus assisted to be inserted in the slot 13. Therefore,
such inconvenience is resolved that inserting of medals in the slot 13 cannot catch
up with the operation of inserting .medals, and smooth inserting operation is achieved.
[0040] Moreover, the medal guide portion 12 is formed on the bottom 11b inside the concave
portion 11a of the medal mount 11, and it is designed inserting a medal from the medal
mount 11. By this means, it is possible to regulate the number of medals to insert
to some extent, and to insert medals in scattered state. Thus, since it is possible
to regulate the number of medals inserted from the medal mount 11, the inserting operation
to provide scattered medals can be performed successively. Further, it is possible
to prevent a large number of medals from being inserted once into the medal guide
portion 12 while exceeding the speed of insertion from the slot 13, and clogging with
medals and the like can be suppressed effectively.
[0041] The embodiment of the present invention is described in the foregoing, and further,
the invention is capable of being modified as described below, for example.
[0042] As shown in FIG.13, for example, the back of the slot 13 may be configured as a vertical
wall portion (rear wall 11c) without being provided with a rotation roller to guide
a medal in contact therewith directly to the slot 13. Further, in the case of providing
the rotation roller, the medal guide portion 12 needs only to incline toward the slot,
is not limited in the form of a cross section to the shape as shown in FIG.6, and
may have a flat-plane-shaped cross section. Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment,
the guide face 12a is configured to have the curve portion with the U-shaped cross
section so that a medal comes into contact with two points. However, the guide face
12a needs only to have a contact portion such that the outer circumference of a portion
smaller than the diameter of a medal comes into contact with the face 12a in at least
two points when the medal is mounted, and be in the form of having a gap between the
lowest edge of the medal and the contact portion. For example, the guide face 12a
may be modified as appropriate to have a V-shaped cross section (having straight line
portions) as shown in FIG.14A, a generally U-shaped cross section (having curve portions
and straight line portions) as shown in FIG.14B, or asperities on the surface of the
guide face 12a.
[0043] Further, the medal guide portion 12 in the medal inserting apparatus 10 may extend
from the game machine leftward and rightward with respect to a player, extend obliquely,
or have a configuration for a medal to be inserted from the game area side to the
player side, opposite to this embodiment.
[0044] Furthermore, as another example of the structure of the regulating means as described
above, for example, as shown in FIG.15, the medal mount 11 may be provided with regulating
walls 45 to regulate the number of medals inserted in the medal guide portion 12.
The regulating walls 45 are formed on both sides of the medal guide portion 12 at
an opening position on the inserting side, have an opening width W to the extent allowing
a single medal to pass through, and are configured so that the medal guide portion
12 is situated within a range of the opening width W. Also in such a structure, since
it is possible to regulate the number of medals inserted in the medal guide portion
12 while being pushed out of the medal mount 11, the inserting operation to provide
scattered medal can be carried out successively. Naturally, the regulating means needs
only to have a structure enabling regulation of the number of medals inserted in the
medal guide portion 12, and is not limited to the aforementioned structure.
[0045] Moreover, the medal inserting apparatus 10 may have a structure such that the structural
members such as the medal mount 11, rotation roller 30 and the like are configured
as units in advance and incorporated into the game machine body. Further, the medal
mount 11 allowed to mount a large number of medals may be formed to incline toward
the medal guide portion 12 to some extent, or configured to have a combination of
a horizontal plane and incline plane. Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment,
the medal guide portion 12 is formed inside the concave portion so that a medal is
inserted from the medal mount 11, but it may be possible to configure an end portion
of the medal guide portion 12 and the medal mount 11 on the substantially same plane.
[0046] The present invention is applicable to various game machines such as, for example,
a slot machine and a machine as shown in FIG.16. As one example, a game machine 200
as shown in the figure is configured so that a card game is carried out in a game
area 203, where a medal inserting apparatus 10 having the medal mount 11 as described
above is provided in a front plate (base) 12 of a front door 202 that is part of the
housing.
[0047] The above-mentioned medal inserting apparatus in the present invention is applicable
to various apparatuses in which a medium such as a coin or medal is inserted, other
than the above-described game machines, such as, for example, a vending machine and
ticket dispenser that issues various tickets.
[0048] Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the
art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific
details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various
modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general
inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
1. A game machine having a game media inserting apparatus (10) provided with a slot (13)
that receives a game medium, characterized by comprising;
a game media guide portion (12) having a guide face (12a) that inclines downward toward
the slot (13) and that guides the game medium; and
a game media mount (11) that is provided in the vicinity of the game media guide portion
(12) and that enables a large number of game media to be mounted thereon,
wherein the guide face (12a) has contact portions that come into contact with an outer
circumference of the game medium in two points when the game medium is mounted on
the guide face (12a), while a distance between the contact portions is smaller than
the diameter of the game medium.
2. The game machine according to claim 1,
characterized by further comprising:
a rotation roller (30) that rotates to convert a position of the game medium toward
the slot by coming into contact with the game medium guided by the guide face (12a).
3. The game machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the rotation roller (30) is supported rotatably at a position higher than a position
(P2) of an opening end of the slot (13).
4. The game machine according to claim 2, characterized in that knurling (30a) is provided on a surface of the rotation roller (30).
5. The game machine according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the rotation roller (30) is supported to expose a surface thereof from an opening
(11d) formed on a rear wall (11c) with which the game medium sliding down along the
guide face (12a) comes into contact, and that the opening is provided with a cover
to (32) prevent a foreign substance from entering from around the rotation roller.
6. The game machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the game media mount (11) is provided with regulating means for regulating a number
of game media to be inserted in the game media guide portion (12) .
7. The game machine according to claim 6, characterized in that the regulating means is provided on the game media mount (11) and has regulating
walls (45) provided with an opening width (W) to an extent allowing the game medium
to pass through toward the game media guide portion (12) .
8. The game machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a concave portion (11a) is formed on the game media mount (11), and that the game
media guide portion (12) is formed on a bottom (11b) of the concave portion.
9. The game machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the game media mount (11) has an area enabling game media to be mounted to both sides
and at the front of the concave portion.
10. The game machine according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the game media guide portion (12) is formed integrally with the game media mount
(11).
11. The game machine according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the game media guide portion (12) has a length longer than an outer diameter of the
game medium to be used.
12. The game machine according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the guide face (12a) has a U-shaped cross section.
13. A game machine having a game media inserting apparatus (10) provided with a slot (13)
that receives a game medium, characterized by comprising;
a game media guide portion (12) having a guide face (12a) that inclines downward toward
the slot (13) and that guides the game medium; and
a game media mount (11) that is provided in the vicinity of the game media guide portion
(12) and that enables a large number of game media to be mounted thereon,
wherein the guide face (12a) has a shape of generating a gap between the guide face
and an outer circumference of the game medium when the game medium is allowed to stand
substantially vertically to the guide face.
14. A game machine having a game media inserting apparatus (10) provided with a slot (13)
that receives a game medium, characterized by comprising;
a game media guide portion (12) having a guide face (12a) that inclines downward toward
the slot (13) and that guides the game medium;
a game media mount (11) that is provided in the vicinity of the game media guide portion
(12) and that enables a large number of game media to be mounted thereon; and
a rotation roller (30) that rotates to convert a position of the game medium toward
the slot (13) by coming into contact with the game medium guided by the guide face
(12a) .
15. The game machine according to claim 14, characterized in that the rotation roller (30) is supported rotatably at a position higher than a position
(P2) of an opening end of the slot (13).
16. The game machine according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the guide face (12a) has contact portions (P1) that come into contact with an outer
circumference of the game medium in two points when the game medium is mounted on
the guide face, while a distance between the contact portions is smaller than the
diameter of the game medium.
17. A media inserting apparatus (10) provided with a slot (13) that receives a medium,
characterized by comprising;
a media guide portion (12) having a guide face (12a) that inclines downward toward
the slot (13) and that guides the medium; and
a media mount (11) that is provided in the vicinity of the media guide portion (12)
and that enables a large number of media to be mounted thereon,
wherein the guide face (12a) has contact portions that come into contact with an outer
circumference of the medium in two points when the medium is mounted on the guide
face (12a), while a distance between the contact portions is smaller than the diameter
of the medium.
18. The media inserting apparatus (10) according to claim 17,
characterized by further comprising:
a rotation roller (30) that rotates to convert a position of the medium toward the
slot by coming into contact with the medium guided by the guide face (12a) .
19. The media inserting apparatus (10) according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the guide face (12a) has a U-shaped cross section.
20. A media inserting apparatus (10) provided with a slot (13) that receives a medium,
characterized by comprising;
a media guide portion (12) having a guide face (12a) that inclines downward toward
the slot (13) and that guides the medium; and
a media mount (11) that is provided in the vicinity of the media guide portion (12)
and that enables a large number of media to be mounted thereon,
wherein the guide face (12a) has a shape of generating a gap between the guide face
and an outer circumference of the medium when the medium is allowed to stand substantially
vertically to the guide face.
21. A media inserting apparatus (10) provided with a slot (13) that receives a medium,
characterized by comprising;
a media guide portion (12) having a guide face (12a) that inclines downward toward
the slot (13) and that guides the medium;
a media mount (11) that is provided in the vicinity of the media guide portion (12)
and that enables a large number of media to be mounted thereon; and
a rotation roller (30) that rotates to convert a position of the medium toward the
slot (13) by coming into contact with the medium guided by the guide face (12a).
22. The media inserting apparatus (10) according to claim 21, characterized in that the guide face (12a) has contact portions (P1) that come into contact with an outer
circumference of in two points when the medium is mounted on the guide face, while
a distance between the contact portions is smaller than the diameter of the medium.