JP2001353261A - Coin hopper - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent bridging in a coin hopper. SOLUTION: A tank 2 includes a first sidewall 2a; a second sidewall 2b; a third sidewall 2c; a fourth sidewall 2d; a first inclined face 2e formed to incline forward and downward from the second sidewall 2b; a second inclined face 2f formed downstream of the first inclined face 2e; a third inclined face 2g formed to incline downward from the third sidewall 2c to the fourth sidewall 2d; a fourth inclined face 2h formed downstream of the third inclined face 2g; and a coin discharge opening 2j. The second inclined face 2f is steeper than the first inclined face 2e and the fourth inclined face 2h is formed at approximately right angles, with the lower portion of the fourth inclined face connected with the first and second inclined faces 2e and 2f. The coin discharge opening 2j accommodates a rotating element 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coin hopper for sending out one disc-shaped body such as coins and game medals, and is provided inside a medal lending machine or a medal game machine. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A medal lending machine installed on a pachislot island in a pachinko hall has a built-in coin hopper for sending out gaming medals. The coin hopper includes a tank for storing gaming medals, a rotating body provided at a lower portion of the tank, for sending out gaming medals one by one, and a driving unit for rotating the rotating body. Then, by inserting coins into the medal lending machine, the gaming medals stored in the tank enter the coin storage portion formed on the rotating body one by one, and the number of gaming medals according to the inserted amount is increased. It is to be paid out. In the coin hopper configured as described above, a so-called “bridge” phenomenon in which the game medals are jammed in the lower part of the tank due to the weight of the game medals may occur. When the bridge occurs, the gaming medals in the tank are not supplied to the rotating body, and the payout operation of the gaming medals is not performed.

[0003] Conventionally, various measures have been taken to solve such problems. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-305918 discloses a configuration of a coin feeding device in which a movable wall is formed in a part of a stationary wall constituting a coin storage unit. According to this coin feeding device, a rotating plate that constitutes a part of the movable wall portion is provided, and by rotating the rotating plate, a coin bridge is prevented.

However, in the coin hopper having the above structure, a new mechanism is added, so that the number of parts is increased.
It will increase the cost.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a coin hopper capable of preventing coin bridging without having a complicated mechanism.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a housing, a coin tank supported by the housing, and a coin tank provided below the coin tank for sending out coins one by one. In a coin hopper comprising a rotating body and a driving means for rotatingly driving the rotating body, the tank includes a first side wall formed in a front, a second side wall formed in a rear, and the first and the second side walls. Third and fourth side walls formed to connect both sides of the second side wall;
A first slope formed in a downward slope from the lowermost portion of the side wall of the first side, a second slope formed on a part of the downstream side of the first slope, and the third slope. A third slope formed in a downward slope from the lowermost part of the side wall toward the fourth side wall, a fourth slope formed downstream of the third slope, and a lowermost part. The second inclined surface is formed to be steeper than the first inclined surface, and the width is formed to be wider than twice the diameter of the coin and smaller than three times, The fourth inclined surface is formed substantially vertically, and a lower portion thereof is formed so as to be connected to the first and second inclined surfaces, and the coin outlet is configured to accommodate the rotating body. It is characterized by having done.

The present invention according to claim 2 is based on claim 1.
In the coin hopper described above, the third inclined surface is formed so as to be inclined downward from the second side wall toward the first side wall.

The present invention according to claim 3 is the coin hopper according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tank is formed by plastic molding.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a coin hopper according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, the coin hopper is provided inside the medal lending machine, and pays out gaming medals by inserting a prepaid card, coin, or bill.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tank of a coin hopper,
FIG. 2 is a perspective view (partially a cross-sectional view) of the tank, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the coin hopper, FIG. 4 is a side view of the coin hopper,
FIG. 5 is a front view of the coin hopper.

1 to 3, a tank 2 for storing gaming medals includes a first side wall 2a formed at the front of the tank 2, a second side wall 2b formed at the rear, a first and a second side wall. Third and fourth connecting both sides of the second side walls 2a, 2b
Side walls 2c and 2d are formed. The first side wall 2a and the second side wall 2b, and the third side wall 2c and the fourth side wall 2d are
They are substantially parallel to each other. Here, a first inclined surface 2e is formed in the lowermost part of the second side wall 2b so as to be inclined downward toward the front, and a part of the first inclined surface 2e on the downstream side is formed with a first inclined surface 2e. Two inclined surfaces 2f are formed. This second
Is formed to be steeper than the first inclined surface 2e, and its width W (see FIG. 3) is slightly wider than twice the diameter of the gaming medal. Meanwhile, the third
A third inclined surface 2g is formed so as to be inclined downward from the lowermost portion of the side wall 2c toward the fourth side wall 2d and downwardly inclined from the second side wall 2b toward the first side wall 2a. The fourth inclined surface 2h is located downstream of the third inclined surface 2g.
Are formed. The fourth inclined surface 2h is formed in the vertical direction, and its lower part is connected to the first and second inclined surfaces 2e and 2f. The fourth side wall 2d
Is also connected to the first inclined surface 2e. Tank 2
A coin outlet 2j formed on a plane substantially parallel to the second inclined surface 2f is provided at the lowermost part of the coin, and the inclined surface is formed so as to expand obliquely upward from the coin outlet 2j. 2i are provided.

4 and 5, a coin hopper 1 is provided.
Is a tank 2, a rotating body 3, a driving device 4, and a base 9
It is composed of Here, a plurality of coin storage holes (not shown) having an outer diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the coin are formed in the rotating body 3 at equal intervals on the same circumference. The driving device 4 includes a housing 5, a motor 6 fixed to the housing 5, a gear head 7 for reducing the rotation speed of the motor 6, and a shaft 8. Shaft 8
Are connected to the rotating body 3.

The operation of paying out gaming medals for the coin hopper 1 having the above configuration will be described.

When a 100-yen coin or a 500-yen coin is inserted into a coin insertion slot (not shown) provided at an upper portion of the front of the medal lending machine, a payout command signal is output to the motor 6 from the control unit. Based on the payout command, the motor 6 rotates, is decelerated by the gear head 7,
The rotating body 3 rotates. By rotating the rotating body 3,
The gaming medals stored in the tank 2
One by one into the coin storage hole. Furthermore, the rotating body 3
Due to the rotation of, the gaming medals in the coin storage hole are sent obliquely upward and paid out into a medal tray (not shown) provided at the lower front part of the medal lending machine.

In such a medal payout operation, the first inclined surface 2e and the second inclined surface 2f are formed to have different inclinations, and the width W of the second inclined surface 2f is
Since it was formed slightly wider than twice the gaming medal,
Gaming medals do not bridge in the tank 2.

If the coin hopper uses medals having a diameter of 25 mm or 30 mm, any medal can be used by setting the width W of the second inclined surface 2f to 70 mm.

Although the present embodiment relates to a coin hopper provided inside a medal lending machine, the present invention is not limited to such a mode. That is, a coin hopper provided inside a medal gaming machine such as a slot machine may be used.

[0018]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a housing, a coin tank supported by the housing, and a rotator provided below the coin tank and feeding coins one by one. And a driving unit for rotating the rotating body, the tank includes a first side wall formed in a front side, a second side wall formed in a rear side, the first and second side walls. Third and fourth side walls formed so as to connect both sides of the side wall, and a first side wall formed to be inclined downward from the lowermost part of the second side wall toward the front.
, A second inclined surface formed on a part of the downstream side of the first inclined surface, and an inclined surface descending from a lowermost portion of the third side wall toward the fourth side wall. A third inclined surface, a fourth inclined surface formed downstream of the third inclined surface, and a coin outlet formed at a lowermost portion,
The second inclined surface is formed to have a steeper inclination than the first inclined surface and a width wider than twice the diameter of the coin and smaller than three times, and the fourth inclined surface is substantially perpendicular to the coin. The coin is formed so that the lower portion is connected to the first and second inclined surfaces, and the coin outlet is adapted to accommodate the rotating body. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the coin from being bridged in the tank.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the coin hopper according to the first aspect, the third inclined surface is formed to be inclined downward from the second side wall toward the first side wall. As a result, the bridge can be more effectively prevented.

Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention,
In the coin hopper according to claim 1 or 2, since the tank is formed by plastic molding, the bridge can be eliminated without increasing the cost as compared with a conventional coin hopper.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tank of a coin hopper.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view (partly a sectional view) of a tank.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the coin hopper.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the coin hopper.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the coin hopper.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 coin hopper 2 tank 2a first side wall 2b second side wall 2c third side wall 2d fourth side wall 2e first slope 2f second slope 2g third slope 2h fourth slope 2i slope Surface 2j Coin outlet 3 Rotator 4 Drive 5 Housing 6 Base 7 Motor 8 Gear box 9 Base

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A housing, a coin tank supported by the housing, a rotator provided below the coin tank, and for feeding coins one by one, and a driving unit for rotating the rotator. Wherein the tank connects a first side wall formed forward, a second side wall formed rearward, and both sides of the first and second side walls. Third and fourth side walls formed, a first inclined surface formed to be inclined downward from the lowermost portion of the second side wall toward the front, and a downstream side of the first inclined surface. A second inclined surface formed in the portion;
A third slope formed in a downward slope from the lowermost part of the side wall toward the fourth side wall, a fourth slope formed downstream of the third slope, and a lowermost part. The second inclined surface is formed to be steeper than the first inclined surface, and the width is formed to be wider than twice the diameter of the coin and smaller than three times, The fourth inclined surface is
A coin hopper formed substantially vertically, a lower portion thereof is formed to be connected to the first and second inclined surfaces, and the coin discharge port accommodates the rotating body. 2. The coin hopper according to claim 1, wherein the third inclined surface is formed to be inclined downward from the second side wall toward the first side wall. 3. The coin hopper according to claim 1, wherein the tank is formed by plastic molding.