JP2025008044A - Gaming device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a gaming device that allows easy maintenance and repair of a bill transport device.
[Solution] In a gaming device 1 that allows the installation of various gaming machines 2 and a banknote transport path 21 for transporting banknotes used in play on the various gaming machines 2 and ejected therefrom, the banknote transport path 21 is installed behind the various gaming machines 2, and at least a portion of the ceiling surface 12 covering the banknote transport path 21 from above can be made open.
[Selected figure] Figure 6

Description

The present invention relates to a gaming device that allows the installation of various different types of gaming machines and a bill transport path for transporting bills used in playing the various gaming machines and dispensed therefrom.

Conventionally, in gaming machine islands where gaming machines such as pachinko machines are arranged side by side, there is also a machine-to-machine inter-machine that lends gaming media in response to the insertion of paper money. Inside the gaming machine island, a bill transport device is installed that collects and transports the paper money inserted into the machine-to-machine inter ...

Patent Document 1 describes an amusement machine island 10 on which pachinko machines 11 are arranged side by side, with a bill transport device 80 installed inside the island's upper level 10a located above the pachinko machines 11. In this type of amusement machine island 10, the bill transport device 80 can be exposed by opening the front part 92 of the cover member 90 covering the island's upper level 10a. Also, depending on the height position of the bill transport device 80, the bill receiving opening 94 is located at a high position that is out of reach for a player when seated.

Patent Document 2 also describes an island facility that combines pachinko machines P and slot machines S. Not limited to this type of gaming machine island, slot machines S are generally designed to be installed lower than pachinko machines P. If a bill transport device is installed in line with the low-positioned slot machines S, it is possible to make the bill receiving opening at an appropriate height that players can reach. Also, even in this type of gaming machine island, an upper island level is constructed above the various gaming machines P, S and the bill transport device, in which gaming medium replenishing means 11, 12, etc. are arranged.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-66544 Patent No. 6021614

However, in both of the gaming machine islands described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 mentioned above, an upper island level is constructed above the banknote transport device, which not only increases the size of the entire gaming machine island and increases equipment costs, but also limits the installation space. In particular, in the gaming machine island described in Patent Document 1, the banknote transport device 80 is located on the upper island level 10a above the pachinko machines 11, so the position of the banknote receiving opening 94 is higher than when slot machines are installed, making it difficult for players to reach.

In addition, in the gaming machine island described in Patent Document 2, when the banknote transport device is located behind various gaming machines, a special device is required to reach the banknote transport device from the outside. For example, if the outer frame of the pachinko machine is fixed to the gaming machine island and only the main body is opened, the banknote transport device can be exposed. However, such a configuration not only leads to higher costs due to the complexity of the gaming machine island configuration, but also has the problem that the work of exposing the banknote transport device itself is troublesome, increasing the burden of work such as maintenance and repairs.

On the other hand, if the bill transport device is located behind the slot machine, it is difficult to configure the slot machine to be open like the main body of a pachinko machine. For this reason, it is necessary to install the bill transport device on the upper level of the island, which is higher than the ceiling surface of the slot machine. However, not only does this result in an increase in the size of the upper level of the island, but when slot machines and pachinko machines are mixed on the gaming machine island, it is also troublesome because the layout of the bill transport device must be reconfigured depending on the difference in installation height for each type of gaming machine.

The present invention was made with a focus on the problems with the conventional technology described above, and aims to provide a gaming machine that eliminates the upper island structure of a normal gaming machine island, prevents the overall size, such as the overall height, from increasing, and reduces equipment costs, allows a bill transport path to be installed behind various gaming machines regardless of the type of gaming machine, and allows the bill receiving opening to be positioned at an appropriate height within reach of players, and leaves at least a portion of the ceiling surface covering the bill transport path open from above, making it easy to perform work such as maintenance and repairs on the bill transport device.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, one aspect of the present invention is
A gaming device capable of installing various different gaming machines and a bill transport path for transporting bills used in the gaming machines and discharged therefrom,
The bill transport path is installed behind the various gaming machines, and at least a part of a ceiling surface covering the bill transport path from above is made openable.

1 is a perspective view showing a gaming device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a front view showing a gaming device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a plan view showing a gaming device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a left side view showing the gaming device according to the present embodiment. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which a portion of the ceiling surface of the gaming device according to the present embodiment is open. FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a gaming device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a structure according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the structure according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a structure according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a left side view showing the structure according to the embodiment. XI-XI line cross-sectional view of FIG. 8. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII in Figure 8. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state during assembly of the structure according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the display unit according to the embodiment, as viewed from the rear side; FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the installation state of the mounting member for the display means according to the embodiment, as viewed from the front side. FIG. 11 is a rear view showing another example of the mounting member for the display unit according to the embodiment. 13 is a bottom view showing another example of the mounting member for the display means according to the embodiment. FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XVIII-XVIII of FIG. 16. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a footrest of the first support member according to the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the structure according to the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a modified example of the structure according to the embodiment. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing typical height dimensions of a conventional gaming machine island. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing specific dimensions of the gaming device according to the present embodiment. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the difference in dimensions between the gaming device according to the present embodiment and a conventional gaming machine island.

Hereinafter, a representative embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the gaming device 1 according to this embodiment is capable of installing various different types of gaming machines 2 and a bill transport path 21 that is installed behind the various gaming machines 2 and transports bills used in games played by the various gaming machines 2 and discharged therefrom. The bill transport path 21 shown in Figures 5 and 6 constitutes a main part of a bill transport device 20 described later, and is covered from above by a ceiling surface 12. Note that the components, shapes, etc. shown in this embodiment are all examples of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

<Overview of Gaming Device 1>
First, an overview of the gaming device 1 will be described. The gaming device 1 according to this embodiment is not limited to the general category of a conventional gaming machine island, but can be broadly understood as a new device equipped with gaming machines 2. As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the gaming device 1 is constructed by equipping various different types of gaming machines 2, as well as related equipment for the various gaming machines 2, inside a structure 10 that forms the frame of the entire device.

<Structure 10>
As shown in Figures 7 to 10, the structure 10 is generally in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped framework extending in the longitudinal direction with the gaming machines 2 lined up on the left and right, the area directly above the installation stage 11 (see Figure 7) on which the gaming machines 2 are lined up is covered with a ceiling surface 12, and the area below the installation stage 11 is configured as a lower stage 13 (see Figure 7). Note that, although not shown, chairs are installed on the floor in front of the gaming devices 1 for each gaming machine 2 on which players can sit and play. Such gaming devices 1 are usually installed in multiple units within, for example, an amusement parlor, but it is also possible to install a single device outside the amusement parlor.

As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the structure 10 comprises a number of first support members 14 arranged in the longitudinal direction and installed on the floor, and a number of second support members 15 arranged on a tray 16 (described below) on which the gaming machines 2 are installed. Each of the support members 14, 15 is a columnar member extending in the up-down direction, and is installed to extend in the vertical direction perpendicular to the floor, forming a pair of front and rear sets that face each other at the front and rear in the depth direction of the structure 10.

The lower ends of the pair of front and rear first support members 14 are connected to each other, and the pair of feet 141 are installed on the floor in a vertical position via height-adjustable legs. As shown in FIG. 19, the legs 141 have a connecting member 142 that fixes the lower ends of the pair of front and rear first support members 14, and a fixing member 144 that fixes the pair to the floor. The connecting member 142 is formed in the shape of a flat metal plate, and mounting portions 143 that fix the lower ends of the first support members 14 are provided at the front and rear of the upper end of the connecting member 142.

The fixing member 144 is formed in a metal box shape that surrounds and covers the connecting member 142. The connecting member 142 is screwed along the inside of the side wall 145 of the fixing member 144, and multiple screw holes are provided on the top and bottom so that the position at which the connecting member 142 is screwed relative to the side wall 145 can be adjusted in the vertical direction. The footrest 141 is fixed by anchor bolts or the like with the bottom wall 146 of the fixing member 144 grounded to the floor, and supports the entire structure 10 on the floor.

These footrests 141 create a space between the floor and the lower plate member 17 (described below) on the lower half of the lower section 13 (see FIG. 7) of the structure 10, except for the footrests 141. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an empty space is created at the bottom of the gaming device 1 where players can stretch their feet. The footrest 141 shown in FIG. 19 is decorated and covered with decorative panels, etc. Also, as shown in FIG. 12, reinforcing beams 147, etc. are appropriately supported between the pair of front and rear first support members 14.

As shown in Figures 7 and 8, at the boundary between the installation step 11 and the lower step 13 of the structure 10, a tray 16 on which the gaming machine 2 is installed is supported midway on the first support member 14 so as to extend horizontally in the longitudinal direction at the front and rear of the structure 10. Below the pair of front and rear trays 16, a lower plate member 17 that extends horizontally in the longitudinal direction from the front to the rear of the structure 10 is supported midway on the lower side of the first support member 14. The tray 16 and the lower plate member 17 are divided to match the spacing of the first support members 14 lined up in the longitudinal direction of the structure 10, and the edges of the divided tray 16 and the lower plate member 17 are provided with grooves, for example, for fitting and supporting the first support member 14 midway.

The second support member 15 is installed in a state where the lower ends of the pair of front and rear support members 15 are fixed on the tray 16 and stand up vertically. The means for fixing the lower end of the second support member 15 on the tray 16 is not particularly limited, but it is sufficient to have the strength to serve as a partition between the gaming machines 2, so it is preferable to fix it with a simple metal bracket or the like. Unlike the first support member 14, the second support member 15 does not extend below the tray 16, but a reinforcing column 18 is erected between the tray 16 and the lower plate member 17 at a position slightly shifted to the left and right rather than directly below the second support member 15. To be precise, the tray 16 is configured as the upper side of a member with a roughly square cross section that extends longitudinally at the front and rear of the structure 10, as shown in FIG. 12, and the reinforcing column 18 is erected between the lower side of the same member and the lower plate member 17.

As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the spacing between the first support members 14 in the longitudinal direction of the structure 10 is, for example, the combined width of the two gaming machines 2 and the spacer 3 (see Figure 1) that is installed alongside each gaming machine 2. In this case, in the structure 10 according to this embodiment, the first support members 14 are erected at three locations in total, at both ends and in the middle in the longitudinal direction. In addition, the second support member 15 is erected, for example, between the two first support members 14 to separate the two gaming machines 2, but is not necessarily positioned exactly in the middle between the first support members 14, and can be positioned shifted to the left or right as appropriate.

As mentioned above, the distance between the first support member 14 and the second support member 15 in the left-right direction (longitudinal direction of the structure 10) is basically the combined width of one gaming machine 2 and the spacer 3. However, if the distance between the support members 14, 15 is wider than the width of the actual gaming machine 2, etc., additional partitions or spacers will be placed on the sides of the gaming machine 2 or the spacer 3 to close the gap. The distance between the first support members 14 in the left-right direction is not limited to two gaming machines 2, etc., but may be three or more. The number of support members 14, 15 and the distance between them are design matters that can be determined as appropriate.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, in the structure 10, a number of various gaming machines 2 are installed back-to-back in two rows on a pair of front and rear trays 16 that form the lower end of the installation step 11 (see Figure 7). In addition, a spacer 3 corresponding to each gaming machine 2 is installed on the left side of each gaming machine 2. If a gap occurs to the side of the gaming machine 2 or spacer 3 in the section between each support member 14, 15, a partition or the like can be placed to close the gap as described above, or the gap can be used as storage space as it is.

In the gaming device 1 according to this embodiment, four gaming machines 2 (and spacers 3) are arranged in each of the front and rear rows of the structure 10, for a total of eight gaming machines 2 (and spacers 3) as shown. Note that the gaming device 1 is not limited to a configuration in which the gaming machines 2 (and spacers 3) are arranged in two rows, front and rear, and various gaming machines 2 (and spacers 3) may be arranged in only one row on one side, against a wall. Of course, the number of gaming machines 2 (and spacers 3) arranged in each row is not limited to four as shown, and is a design matter that can be determined as appropriate.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, in the gaming device 1, behind the various gaming machines 2 arranged back to back, a bill transport device 20 is installed to transport bills used in games and discharged from the various gaming machines 2. Here, the bill transport path 21, which is the main part of the bill transport device 20, is located near the upper end of the various gaming machines 2 and is covered from above by the ceiling surface 12 of the structure 10. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, display means 30 corresponding to each gaming machine 2 directly below it are installed on the ceiling surface 12.

As shown in FIG. 13, in the lower section 13 of the structure 10, a waist board 19 is attached between the first support members 14, covering the area below the top board 16. The waist board 19 is preferably attached so that it can be opened and closed when using the space between the top board 16 and the lower board member 17. Furthermore, at both ends of the structure 10, end boards 4 are erected along the side where the first support members 14 (see FIG. 13) are located. The end boards 4 and the waist boards 19 can be decorated by attaching decorative panels or the like.

<<Ceiling surface 12>>
1 and 2, in the gaming device 1, a ceiling surface 12 is provided immediately above the various gaming machines 2. At least a part of the ceiling surface 12 is openable, and by opening a part of this ceiling surface 12, it is possible to expose to the outside a bill transport path 21 of a bill transport device 20 installed behind the various gaming machines 2 located immediately below. As shown in Fig. 7, the ceiling surface 12 has a ceiling frame 121 and a ceiling plate 122 attached to the ceiling frame 121 so as to be able to open and close, and the ceiling plate 122 is an openable portion.

As shown in FIG. 13, the ceiling frame 121 is fixed to and supported horizontally by the support members 14, 15 that are installed vertically to the floor. Here, the upper ends of the support members 14, 15 are aligned at approximately the same height as the ceiling surface of the various gaming machines 2 on the tray 16. The ceiling frame 121 is formed as an individual member, for example, in the shape of a narrow wooden board that extends in the longitudinal direction. The ceiling frame 121 is fixed as a beam between the upper ends of the support members 14, 15 that are aligned at the same height at the front and rear of the structure 10, and forms a framework that borders the ceiling surface 12 by facing each other as a front-to-back pair.

As shown in Figures 5 and 13, the inner ends of the pair of front and rear ceiling frames 121 facing each other are formed, for example, in a stepped shape so that the side edges of the ceiling board 122 extending linearly in the longitudinal direction can be placed on them. Here, the ceiling frame 121 may be formed by stacking a number of narrow boards. Also, the inner end of the ceiling frame 121 is provided with a notch 123 for passing wiring from the display means 30 described later.

The ceiling board 122 is basically a rectangular flat plate, and is formed, for example, as a wooden panel. The pair of front and rear ceiling frames 121 and the ceiling board 122 that is placed between them in an openable and closable manner are provided over the entire length of the structure 10 in the longitudinal direction, but are not necessarily integral over the entire length. The ceiling frame 121 and ceiling board 122 in this embodiment are divided at intervals (the width of two gaming machines 2, etc.) at which the first support members 14 are lined up in the longitudinal direction of the structure 10, similar to the tray board 16 and lower plate member 17 described above.

<Various gaming machines 2>
The various gaming machines 2 installed in the gaming device 1 are basically of different types. Here, the various gaming machines 2 of different types are those with different gaming media, such as a pachinko machine 2A and a slot machine 2B. In the gaming device 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2, two pachinko machines 2A are lined up on the left side in the front row and two slot machines 2B are lined up on the right side, and all four pachinko machines 2A are lined up on the left and right sides in the back row (see Figure 3). When the pachinko machines 2A and the slot machines 2B are collectively referred to, they are simply referred to as various gaming machines 2 (or simply gaming machines 2).

Thus, the gaming device 1 of this embodiment is equipped with various gaming machines 2 of different types, but the specific types of the various gaming machines 2 are not limited to only two types, pachinko machines 2A and slot machines 2B. Furthermore, the number of each type of gaming machine 2 and the specific layout described above are design matters that can be determined as appropriate, and are not limited to the examples shown in Figures 1 to 4. Furthermore, although not shown, exceptionally, all gaming machines 2 may be slot machines 2B or pachinko machines 2A that use electronic data instead of gaming media. Here, whether they are pachinko machines 2A or slot machines 2B, they can also be interpreted as being of different types in the narrow sense as long as they are not the same model.

The pachinko machine 2A uses game balls (pachinko balls) as the game medium, and is equipped with a handle for shooting game balls onto a game board surrounded by a glass door, a tray for storing game balls, etc. In particular, the pachinko machine 2A of this embodiment uses game balls by circulating them within the machine, and employs a type that manages the game value of the game balls dispensed as electronic data (a so-called sealed pachinko machine (e.g., Sumapachi (registered trademark)). As a result, the inside of the gaming device 1 does not require the type of game ball circulation equipment, such as tanks for storing game balls, gutter members for collecting or distributing game balls, and devices for polishing and transporting game balls, as in conventional game machine islands.

Slot machine 2B is normally a type of machine in which tangible medals are used as the gaming medium, but in this embodiment, tangible medals are not used, and electronic medals counted as electronic data are used as the gaming medium (a so-called medal-less slot machine (such as SmaSlo (registered trademark))). Like a normal slot machine, slot machine 2B is equipped with rotating reels (including screen display), operation units such as buttons to start and stop the rotation of each reel, as well as a screen that can display electronic medals. This eliminates the need for any medal circulation equipment inside gaming device 1, just like the equipment for circulating game balls.

<Inter-machine 3>
1 and 2, one inter-machine machine 3 is installed corresponding to each type of gaming machine 2. In this embodiment, the inter-machine machine 3 on the left side of the gaming machine 2 is used by a player who plays on that gaming machine 2. The inter-machine machine 3 accepts the insertion of bills or a cashless payment medium (credit card, debit card, electronic money card, smartphone (contactless IC payment, two-dimensional barcode payment), etc.) and lends gaming media (gaming balls or electronic medals).

The machine-to-machine 3, which corresponds to the pachinko machine 2A, is designed to dispense game balls in response to the insertion of bills or the like, while the machine-to-machine 2B is designed to dispense electronic medals in response to the insertion of bills or the like. Regardless of the above design, the machine-to-machine 3 has a bill receiving port (not shown) at the top front of its narrow housing. In addition to the bill receiving port, various indicator lamps and button switches, and a cashless payment medium receiving port instead of the bill receiving port may also be provided on the front of the machine-to-machine 3.

A bill discharge means (not shown) is also provided at the upper rear of the inter-machine 3, which discharges bills received in the bill receiving opening through a bill passage inside the housing to the bill transport device 20. The bill discharge means is not necessarily a part of the inter-machine 3, but may be a separate member disposed between the inter-machine 3 and the bill transport path 21, or may be a part of the bill transport device 20. The bill discharge means is equipped with a so-called bill validator (separate from the inter-machine, mainly used in slot machines) that includes a bill recognition function.

<Banknote transport device 20>
5 and 6, in the gaming device 1, as described above, the bill transport device 20 is disposed behind the various gaming machines 2. The bill transport device 20 transports bills used in games and discharged from the various gaming machines 2 to one side end of the gaming device 1. On the outer side of the end panel 4 at one side end of the gaming device 1, a safe 22 is provided for collecting and storing the bills transported by the bill transport device 20.

The bill transport path 21, which constitutes the main part of the bill transport device 20, is installed behind the various gaming machines 2, extending horizontally in the longitudinal direction of the gaming device 1. Here, the bill transport path 21 is disposed at the same height as the bill receiving opening or bill discharge means of the inter-machine device 3, and as a result, the bill transport path 21 is located immediately below the ceiling surface 12. Therefore, by opening the ceiling panel 122 of the ceiling surface 12, it is possible to expose the bill transport path 21 to the outside.

The banknote transport path 21 is configured, for example, as a housing through which banknotes pass horizontally while standing vertically, and a transport mechanism such as a belt or rollers is attached along the longitudinal direction of the housing to transport the banknotes. The banknote transport path 21 is arranged in a horizontal straight line from one end of the structure 10 to the safe 22 at the other end. This type of configuration of the banknote transport device 20 is common, so a detailed description will be omitted.

<Display Means 30>
1 and 2, in the gaming device 1, the area directly above the various gaming machines 2 is covered with a ceiling surface 12, and a display means 30 is installed on the ceiling surface 12. As shown in Fig. 14, the display means 30 has a display device 31 equipped with a screen capable of displaying game information and the like corresponding to the various gaming machines 2, a support member 32 that supports the display device 31 from the rear side, and a mounting member 33 to which the support member 32 is attached and which is fixed to the ceiling surface 12 via a fixing bracket 34.

As shown in FIG. 6, the display device 31 is constructed by, for example, enclosing an LCD screen in a shallow case. The screen of the display device 31 can display game information such as the number of starts and jackpots for the day, as well as a history of past game information, which the player can select and display as appropriate using the touch panel. The game information also includes the occurrence of a jackpot or the game status that notifies the player of a call. The display device 31 may also be equipped with a call button function that allows the player to call an arcade attendant, or a call lamp separate from the display device 31 may be provided as part of the display means 30.

The support member 32 is fixed to the rear side of the case, opposite the screen of the display device 31, and is attached to the mounting member 33. Here, the support member 32 is formed in a substantially rectangular bracket shape extending in both directions of the case, but it may also be simply configured in another way, for example in an arm shape. The support member 32 may also be configured so that the inclination angle of the screen of the display device 31 relative to the mounting member 33, which will be described below, can be adjusted.

As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the mounting member 33 mounts the display device 31 via the support member 32 and is fixed to the ceiling surface 12 of the gaming device 1. Here, the mounting member 33 is formed, for example, by combining wooden boards, and is formed in a box shape with side portions 332 integrally provided on both ends of a vertical front portion 331. The support member 32 is fixed to the front side of the front portion 331, and the front portion 331 is provided with a through hole 333 for passing wiring from the display device 31.

The mounting member 33 is fixed to a fixed bracket 34 that is pre-fixed to the ceiling frame 121 with the installation surface, in which the lower ends of the front portion 331 and both side portions 332 are joined together in a roughly U-shape, placed on the ceiling frame 121 of the ceiling surface 12. The fixed bracket 34 is formed in the shape of a metal bracket as shown in FIG. 14. The fixed bracket 34 is pre-screwed to the ceiling frame 121 so as to surround the notch 123 provided in a position corresponding to each gaming machine 2.

The fixed bracket 34 is similar in shape to the mounting member 33 except for the bottom surface that abuts against the ceiling frame 121, and the mounting member 33 is slid from the front side to the back side to abut against the rear side of the front part 331. Here, a metal plate 334 for screw fastening that extends in the left-right direction is arranged on the rear side of the front part 331 of the mounting member 33, and the metal plate 334 has screw holes aligned in the left-right direction.

The mounting member 33 can be moved left and right (in the longitudinal direction of the ceiling frame 121) relative to the fixed bracket 34, which is in a fixed position on the ceiling frame 121, within a range in which the fixed bracket 34 fits inside. The mounting member 33 can be screwed at any position in the left and right direction by matching the screw holes in the metal plate 334 with the screw holes in the fixed bracket 34. In this way, the display means 30 is attached to the ceiling frame 12, and its installation position can be moved at least in the left and right direction.

<Modifications of the mounting member 33>
16 to 18 show a mounting member 33A which is a modified example of the mounting member 33. The mounting member 33A is basically configured in the same way as the mounting member 33, but the method of mounting the mounting member 33A to the fixed bracket 34A on the ceiling frame 121 is different. The fixed bracket 34A also has a slightly different configuration from the fixed bracket 34. Note that in the mounting member 33A, the same parts as those in the mounting member 33 are designated by the same reference numerals and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

The mounting member 33A is provided with a metal bracket 335 with an L-shaped cross section extending in the left-right direction on the back side of the front part 331. The front wall 335a of the bracket 335 is fixed to the back side of the front part 331 of the mounting member 33A with screws aligned on the left and right, and the bottom wall 335b extends at a right angle and a constant width rearward from the lower end of the front wall 335a. The left and right separated bottom parts 341 of the fixed bracket 34A are abutted against a fixed position on the ceiling frame 121 and screwed in, but the front sides of both bottom parts 341 are formed in a tongue shape that sandwiches the bottom wall 335b of the bracket 335 between the ceiling frame 121 and the bottom part 341.

In other words, to fix the mounting member 33A to the fixed bracket 34A, the front side of the bottom surface 341 of the fixed bracket 34A is placed on the bottom wall 335b of the bracket 335 on the mounting member 33A side, and the bottom surface 341 is screwed to the ceiling frame 121. At this time, the mounting member 33A can move left and right (in the longitudinal direction of the ceiling frame 121) within the range in which the fixed bracket 34A fits inside it.

Then, by firmly screwing the bottom surface 341 of the fixed bracket 34A to the ceiling frame 121, the bottom wall 335b of the mounting member 33A is firmly clamped and fixed. Furthermore, by loosening the screws, the installation position of the display means 30 including the mounting member 33A can be moved in the left-right direction. Due to this engagement relationship between the mounting member 33A and the fixed bracket 34A, it is possible to fix it at any position in the left-right direction as long as the bracket 335 of the mounting member 33A overlaps with the fixed bracket 34A in a fixed position, and the installation position can be fine-tuned without being limited by the position of the screw holes.

In addition, in the display means 30, the mounting members 33, 33A are made of wood, and a protective member for protecting the ceiling frame 121 may be placed on the installation surface where the lower ends of the front part 331 and both side parts 332 are connected in a roughly U-shape as the points where they come into contact with the ceiling frame 121. Here, the protective member may be, for example, a felt material or a resin sheet attached. Note that the bottom wall 335b of the bracket 335 and the bottom part 341 of the fixed bracket 34A are made of metal, and similar protective members may be placed on these installation surfaces as well.

This type of protective member can protect the surface of the ceiling frame 121 against which the installation surface of the display means 30 abuts, thereby preventing scratches. In addition, by arranging the protective member on the display means 30 side, the area required for arranging the protective member can be made smaller than when the protective member is arranged on the ceiling surface 12. This makes it possible to reduce the costs associated with the protective member.

The protective member may be not only the above-mentioned felt material or resin sheet, but also the installation surface of the display means 30 may be made of resin, or casters may be provided. The point is that it is sufficient if it can protect the ceiling surface 12 while providing appropriate friction with the ceiling surface 12. If the protective member generates an appropriate frictional force, when the display means 30 is made movable, it can be easily installed in a predetermined position without using a fixing means.

<Function of Gaming Device 1>
Next, the operation of the gaming device 1 according to this embodiment will be described.
As shown in Fig. 1, the structure 10 forming the overall frame of the game device 1 is assembled at a construction site such as an amusement park. That is, in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, the first support members 14 are first installed vertically on the floor while adjusting the level using the footrests 141. Here, the pair of front and rear first support members 14 are combined together by the footrests 141 and beams 147, and are arranged at the above-mentioned predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction of the structure 10.

A lower plate member 17 that extends horizontally in the longitudinal direction from the front to the rear of the structure 10 is supported midway on the lower side of each first support member 14. A tray 16 that extends horizontally in the longitudinal direction from the front to the rear of the structure 10 is supported midway on each first support member 14 above the lower plate member 17. Furthermore, second support members 15 are installed between each first support member 14 on the front and rear trays 16. Here, the second support members 15 also form a pair of front and rear sets, but are each installed independently vertically on the tray 16. Note that a reinforcing column 18 is installed between the tray 16 and the lower plate member 17 at a position slightly offset to the left or right, rather than directly below the second support member 15.

Inside the structure 10, a bill transport device 20 is installed in advance between the upper parts of each of the first support members 14 before the gaming machines 2, etc. are installed on the tray 16. As shown in FIG. 6, the bill transport device 20 is installed in a state in which the bill transport path 21, which is the main part of the device, extends horizontally in the longitudinal direction between the upper parts of the pair of front and rear first support members 14. Here, the bill transport path 21 is located behind the upper parts of the various gaming machines 2, and is at the same height as the bill receiving opening or bill discharge means of the inter-machine unit 3 (not shown).

The gaming machines 2 are then installed on the front and rear trays 16 in two rows, one for the front and one for the rear, in each section between the support members 14, 15. When installing a pachinko machine 2A, the bottom of the pachinko machine 2A is placed and fixed on the tray 16, as shown on the right side of FIG. 6. Similarly, when installing a slot machine 2B, the bottom of the slot machine 2B is placed and fixed on the tray 16, as shown on the left side of FIG. 6. Note that when it is necessary to place the gaming machine 2 higher than the reference surface of the tray 16 depending on the model of the gaming machine 2, a seat plate (not shown) is added to the tray 16.

The various gaming machines 2 according to this embodiment are of a model in which all pachinko machines 2A and slot machines 2B are the same height. As a result, even when different types of pachinko machines 2A and slot machines 2B are mixed on one structure 10, the installation surfaces of the various gaming machines 2 on the tray 16 can be aligned at the same height, and the ceiling surfaces of the various gaming machines 2 can also be aligned at the same height, making it easier to install the various gaming machines 2. As will be described later, the specific dimensions of the structure 10 differ depending on whether a mixture of pachinko machines 2A and slot machines 2B is installed or only slot machines 2B is installed.

Furthermore, by adopting the above-mentioned enclosed pachinko machines and medal-less slot machines for the various gaming machines 2, there is no need for storage tanks and distribution gutters for gaming media above the gaming machines 2, which were previously located on the upper level of a gaming machine island. Therefore, the area directly above the gaming machines 2 can be covered by the ceiling surface 12 of the structure 10. Furthermore, there is no need for lower storage tanks and collection gutters for gaming media on the lower level 13 of the structure 10, which makes it possible to simplify the overall configuration of the gaming device 1.

In this way, with this gaming device 1, it is possible to easily realize a configuration in which various gaming machines 2 are all pachinko machines 2A, all slot machines 2B, or a mixture of both, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, by sharing one structure 10. In addition, the various parts that make up the structure 10, such as the support members 14, 15 and tray 16, as well as the ceiling surface 12 described below, can also be easily replaced with a gaming machine 2 of a different model later, basically without changing or adding anything.

In addition, a spacer 3 is also installed between each support member 14, 15 on the left side of each gaming machine 2. In this embodiment, the spacer 3 is also aligned to the same height as the gaming machines 2, so that the bill receiving port or bill discharge means of the spacer 3 can be easily adjusted to the height of the bill transport path 21. Therefore, unlike conventional gaming machine islands, there is no need to reconstruct the layout of the bill transport path 21 in response to differences in the installation height of different types of gaming machines 2 and spacers 3. In particular, the bill receiving port can be set to an appropriate height that can be easily reached by a seated player, rather than a height that cannot be reached when the player is seated, as in conventional gaming machine islands.

Furthermore, the bill ejection means for pachinko machines can be used for slot machines as well, and each bill ejection means can be used in common as long as it is the same height. If gaps occur between the support members 14, 15 due to differences or changes in the width dimensions of various gaming machines 2, the gaps can be blocked by placing partitions or gap members, as described above. As shown in Figure 13, a waist plate 19 is attached to the upper half of the lower section 13 of the structure 10, and end plates 4 are attached to both ends of the structure 10 as shown in Figure 1.

In the installation step 11 of the structure 10, the area directly above the gaming machines 2 and the banknote transport path 21 is covered by a ceiling surface 12. As shown in FIG. 13, the upper ends of the support members 14, 15 are aligned at the same height, and a ceiling frame 121 is supported in a horizontally extended state between the upper ends of the support members 14, 15 at the front and rear of the structure 10. A ceiling panel 122 is then installed so as to rest between the pair of front and rear ceiling frames 121. Here, the ceiling frame 121 can be removed to open it up.

In this way, by fixing the ceiling surface 12 onto each of the support members 14, 15 that extend perpendicularly to the floor, it is not necessary to attach, for example, to the side of each of the support members 14, 15 midway via fixing parts such as brackets or angles. Therefore, the ceiling surface 12 can be easily installed while maintaining strength at low cost. Also, as mentioned above, there is no need for storage tanks and distribution gutters for game media above the gaming machines 2, as was the case in the upper level of conventional gaming machine islands, so by covering the area directly above the gaming machines 2 with the ceiling surface 12, the height of the gaming device 1 can be kept low.

Figure 22 illustrates typical height dimensions of a conventional gaming machine island. In Figure 22, section H1 corresponds to the lower section 13 (see Figure 7) of the gaming device 1, and section H2 corresponds to the installation section 11 (see Figure 7) of the gaming device 1. Sections H3 and H4 in Figure 22 correspond to the upper section of a conventional gaming machine island. Note that a conventional display means is installed in section H3. In this gaming device 1, the ceiling surface 12 covers the area directly above the various gaming machines 2 and the bill transport device 20, so it is possible to eliminate the height dimension of at least section H3 and the conventional panel section of section H4.

Figure 23 illustrates typical height dimensions of this gaming device 1. In Figure 23, part H1 corresponds to the lower section 13 of this gaming device 1, and the height dimension when a pachinko machine 2A and a slot machine 2B are installed together is, for example, 580 mm, but the height dimension when only the slot machine 2B is installed is, for example, 500 mm.

In FIG. 23, part H2 corresponds to the installation step 11 of this gaming device 1, and the height dimension of this part is uniform, for example 813 mm, regardless of the types of gaming machines 2 or whether they are mixed or not. This dimension is when the seat plate mentioned above is present. In FIG. 23, part H4 is the thickness dimension of the ceiling part including the ceiling surface 12 of this gaming device 1, and the dimension when pachinko machines 2A and slot machines 2B are installed together is, for example, 57 mm, but the dimension when only slot machines 2B are installed is, for example, 37 mm.

Figure 24(a) is a chart showing a comparison of height dimensions between a case where pachinko machines 2A and slot machines 2B are mixed in the gaming device 1, and a pachinko machine-only island (conventional island) where only conventional pachinko machines are installed. Also, Figure 24(b) is a chart showing a comparison of height dimensions between a case where only slot machine 2B is installed in the gaming device 1, and a slot machine-only island (conventional island) where only conventional slot machines are installed.

As can be seen from FIG. 24(a), the height dimension of this gaming device 1 when pachinko machines 2A and slot machines 2B are mixed is generally kept lower by, for example, -467 mm compared to a conventional island dedicated to pachinko machines (conventional island). Also, as can be seen from FIG. 24(b), the height dimension of this gaming device 1 when only slot machines 2B are installed is generally kept lower by, for example, -226 mm compared to a conventional island dedicated to slot machines (conventional island). Note that the dimension H1 in FIG. 24 is not exactly the vertical width of the wainscot 19 itself, but the dimension from the floor to the top of the wainscot 19 (see FIG. 23).

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, inside the structure 10, the banknote transport device 20 in particular is installed directly below the ceiling surface 12. Therefore, when maintaining, inspecting, or repairing the banknote transport path 21, the ceiling plate 122 can be opened and work can be easily reached from the ceiling side. Here, the ceiling plate 122 is placed between a pair of front and rear ceiling frames 121, so the ceiling plate 122 can be easily removed to open the ceiling surface 12 without touching the various gaming machines 2.

As a result, there is no need for the cumbersome opening and closing work of opening only the main body of the pachinko machine while leaving the outer frame fixed, as was the case with conventional gaming machine islands, and there is no need to burden the bill transport path 21 with exposure, making it easy to reach the bill transport path 21 from the outside. In particular, with this gaming device 1, by keeping the overall height low, it becomes even easier to reach the ceiling surface 12, improving the workability of maintaining, inspecting, and repairing the bill transport path 21.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the display means 30 is installed on the ceiling surface 12 of the structure 10. That is, in Figures 14 and 15, the fixed bracket 34 is first screwed to the ceiling frame 121 in advance so as to surround the notch 123. Next, the mounting member 33 of the display means 30 is slid from the front side to the back side to abut against the fixed bracket 34 on the ceiling frame 121. The metal plate 334 of the mounting member 33 abutting against the fixed bracket 34 has multiple screw holes in the left and right directions, so that the mounting member 33 can be moved left and right and screwed to an installation position that exactly matches the gaming machine 2.

This allows the display means 30 to adjust its installation position in the left-right direction on the ceiling surface 12 as desired, depending on the differences and changes in the width dimensions of the various gaming machines 2 that correspond to it. The display device 31 including the screen is supported on the mounting member 33 of the display means 30 via the support member 32, and the tilt angle of the screen of the display device 31 may be configured to be adjustable. Note that the adjustment of the installation position of the display means 30 is not limited to manual, and may be configured to be automatically adjustable, for example, using a driving means. The automatic position adjustment here includes, for example, adjustment by instructions from a management device such as a hall computer or a machine 3, and the display means 30 may be configured to be movable not only left-right but also up-down.

In particular, in this gaming device 1, the height to the ceiling surface 12 is kept low, and only the display means 30 is above the ceiling surface 12. Therefore, sufficient visibility above the gaming machine 2 in the gaming device 1 can be ensured. Therefore, when multiple gaming devices 1 are installed on the floor, visibility between each gaming device 1 is improved, and the display means 30 of another gaming device 1 can be easily seen, and the display contents of the display means 30 can be quickly confirmed and dealt with promptly.

In addition, according to the mounting member 33A shown in Figures 16 to 18, a metal bracket 335 is fixed to the back side of the front part 331, and the bottom wall 335b of this bracket 335 is inserted under the bottom part 341 of the fixed bracket 34A that is fixed to the ceiling frame 121. In this state, the mounting member 33A can be fixed by moving the mounting member 33A left and right and firmly screwing the fixed bracket 34A to the ceiling frame 121 at an installation position that matches the gaming machine 2.

In this modified display means 30, the bottom wall 335b of the bracket 335 and the bottom portion 341 of the fixed bracket 34A, which are the installation surfaces that contact the ceiling frame 121, are made of metal, so there is a risk that the ceiling frame 121 on the attachment side may be damaged. Therefore, by attaching a protective material such as felt or a resin sheet to these metal installation surfaces, the ceiling frame 121 can be prevented from being damaged. The same applies to the bottom portion of the fixed bracket 34. Note that although the mounting member 33A and the above-mentioned mounting member 33 are made of wood, if a similar protective material is placed on the installation surfaces where the lower ends of the front portion 331 and both side portions 332 are connected in a roughly U-shape, the ceiling frame 121 can be further prevented from being damaged.

Figures 20 and 21 show an example of a structure 10A in which only a slot machine 2B of the gaming device 1 described in Figures 23 and 24 is installed. This modified structure 10A is basically configured in the same way as the structure 10, but the configuration and arrangement of each support member 14, 15 are slightly different within the range of design details. Note that in structure 10A, parts of the same type as those in the structure 10 are given the same reference numerals and duplicate explanations will be omitted.

In such a structure 10A, the front-to-rear width is set wide to match the slot machine 2B. Also, as shown in FIG. 24, the height dimensions of the portion H2 (installation step 11) are equal to each other, but the height dimension of the portion H1 (lower step 13) is 580 mm in the structure 10 and is lower at 500 mm in the structure 10A, and the height dimension of the portion H4 (ceiling surface 12) is 41 mm in the structure 10 and is lower at 34 mm in the structure 10A.

The ceiling surface 12A of the structure 10A also has a ceiling frame 121A and a ceiling board 122A that is attached to the ceiling frame 121A in an openable and closable manner, and the ceiling board 122A can be opened, but the specific shape of these differs from that of the ceiling surface 12. In this way, it is a good idea to prepare multiple structures 10, 10A with different configurations in advance depending on the type and number of various gaming machines 2 to be installed.

<Configuration and Effects of the Present Invention>
Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. The present invention derived from the above-described embodiment will be described below.

First, the present invention provides a gaming device 1 capable of installing various gaming machines 2 of different types and a bill transport path 21 for transporting bills used in games on the various gaming machines 2 and discharged therefrom,
The bill transport path 21 is installed behind the various gaming machines 2, and at least a part of a ceiling surface 12 covering the bill transport path 21 from above is made openable.

With this gaming device 1, regardless of the type of gaming machine 2, the banknote transport path 21, which is the main part of the banknote transport device 20, is installed behind the gaming machine 2, and is covered directly above by the ceiling surface 12. Therefore, with this gaming device 10, unlike conventional gaming machine islands, there is no upper island level surrounded by a curtain board or the like above the gaming machine 2. As a result, it is possible to prevent the overall size of the gaming device 1, such as the overall height, from increasing, and to reduce equipment costs.

In addition, regardless of the type of gaming machine 2, by installing the bill transport path 21 behind them, the height of the bill receiving opening in the inter-machine unit 3 can also be easily adjusted to match the bill transport path 21. Therefore, the bill receiving opening can be placed at an appropriate height that can be easily reached by a seated player, rather than at a height that cannot be reached when the player is seated, as in conventional gaming machine islands, for the convenience of the player.

In addition, at least a portion (ceiling plate 122) of the ceiling surface 12 covering the banknote transport path 21 from above can be opened. This makes it possible to open a portion (ceiling plate 122) of the ceiling surface 12 and easily reach the banknote transport path 21 directly below the ceiling surface 12 to perform work when maintaining, inspecting, or repairing the banknote transport device 20. In particular, with this gaming device 1, by keeping the overall height low, it becomes even easier to access the ceiling surface 12, improving the workability of maintaining, inspecting, or repairing the banknote transport path 21.

In addition, in the present invention, the ceiling surface 12 has a ceiling frame 121 and a ceiling plate 122 attached to the ceiling frame 121 in an openable and closable manner, and the ceiling frame 121 is fixed to and supported horizontally by support members 14, 15 that can be installed vertically to the floor.

This type of ceiling surface 12 can ensure the necessary rigidity and strength with a simple configuration, and for example, it is not necessary to attach it to the side of the support members 14, 15 midway via fixing parts such as brackets or angles. Therefore, the installation of the ceiling surface 12 can be carried out easily and at low cost.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the various gaming machines 2 are characterized by including at least one of pachinko machines 2A that use electronic data instead of gaming media, and slot machines 2B in general.

In this way, when pachinko machines 2A and slot machines 2B are mixed as different types of gaming machines 2 in one gaming device 1, the slot machines 2B can be of a conventional model that actually uses medals, or a medal-less slot machine that uses non-tangible electronic medals, but the pachinko machines 2A are not of a conventional model that actually uses game balls, but rather are sealed pachinko machines that manage game balls as electronic data. This makes it possible to differentiate from pachinko machine-only islands that only have conventional pachinko machines.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the various gaming machines 2 are characterized in that all of them are either pachinko machines 2A that use electronic data instead of gaming media, or all of them belong to the general category of slot machines 2B.

In this way, all the gaming machines 2 installed in one gaming device 1 may be pachinko machines 2A or all slot machines 2B, but in this case, for the pachinko machines 2A, an enclosed type pachinko machine that uses electronic data is adopted as described above. In other words, when the gaming machines 2 are unified into either pachinko machines 2A or slot machines 2B, unification with only conventional general pachinko machines that are not enclosed type pachinko machines is excluded, and it is differentiated from a pachinko machine-only island equipped only with conventional general pachinko machines.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention includes modifications and additions that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention. For example, the types, numbers, and specific allocation (layout) of the various gaming machines 2 in the gaming device 1 are not limited to the aspects of the embodiments described above, and may be determined appropriately depending on the situation of the installation location.

The gaming device according to the present invention can be widely used as a variety of gaming machines, including pachinko machines and slot machines.

Reference Signs List 1...Amusement device 2...Various gaming machines 2A...Pachinko machine 2B...Slot machine 3...Inter-machine device 10...Structure 11...Installation step 12...Ceiling surface 121...Ceiling frame 122...Ceiling board 13...Lower step 14...First support member 15...Second support member 16...Tray 20...Banknote transport device 21...Banknote transport path 30...Display means 31...Display device 32...Support member 33...Mounting member

Claims (4)

A gaming device that can accommodate various gaming machines of different types and a bill transport path for transporting bills used in the gaming machines and discharged therefrom,
A gaming device characterized in that the bill transport path is installed behind the various gaming machines, and at least a portion of a ceiling surface covering the bill transport path from above is made openable. The gaming device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ceiling surface has a ceiling frame and a ceiling plate attached to the ceiling frame in an openable and closable manner, and the ceiling frame is fixed to a support member that can be installed vertically to the floor and supported horizontally. The gaming device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the various gaming machines include at least one of pachinko machines that use electronic data instead of gaming media, and slot machines in general. 4. The gaming device according to claim 3, wherein the various gaming machines all belong to either the pachinko machines that use electronic data instead of gaming media, or all belong to the slot machines in general.

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