Article dispensing – With recorder – register – indicator – signal or exhibitor
Patent
1992-07-28
1994-11-22
Bollinger, David H.
Article dispensing
With recorder, register, indicator, signal or exhibitor
221 8, 221 13, 221 21, 221 92, 221195, 221206, 453 17, 453 32, G07F 1100
Patent
active
053661109
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a game token dispenser for supplying tokens from a token reservoir to individual token dispensing apparatuses installed next to game machines such as slot machines and for rendering the individual dispensing apparatuses able to dispense the tokens.
BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART
In a typical conventional game token dispenser equipped with a token hopper for dispensing a predetermined number of tokens, which are received from a token reservoir, to a token receiving port, the token hopper has a single-hopper structure.
However, with this single token hopper, while the received tokens are stored prior to being dispensed, the pressure of the tokens acts directly on a rotary drum and other associated parts so that the tokens tends to get clogged. Therefore a predetermined number of tokens equivalent to a desired amount of money can not be dispensed smoothly, thus inconveniencing the clientele.
In another conventional game token dispenser equipped with a dispensing hopper for dispensing a predetermined number of tokens one by one to a token receiving port when supplied from a token reservoir, a predetermined number of tokens equivalent to the amount of money inserted can be dispensed.
However, the second-named dispenser must be additionally equipped with a detecting means in the individual token path to identify a position where the tokens have become clogged, which would tend to occur. Because of many such sensors, precise counting of the dispensed tokens is difficult to achieve, thus also troubling the clientele.
In still another conventional game token dispenser equipped with a hopper for dispensing a predetermined number of tokens, which are supplied from a token reservoir, one by one to a token receiving port, the dispensed tokens not only would tend to bounce out of a receiving tray but must also be collected by hand.
However, since there is no discrimination made as to whether or not the dispensed tokens have all been taken out of the receiving port, it is possible that the next dispensing operation would be made so that excessive tokens flow over the receiving port, thus causing a fault.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the foregoing problems in mind, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a game token dispenser which can dispense tokens quickly and accurately. This object can be accomplished according to a preferred embodiment by a game token dispenser equipped with a token hopper for dispensing to a token receiving port a predetermined number of tokens supplied from a token reservoir, wherein the token hopper is divided into a preliminary hopper and a dispensing hopper, which function in sequence, the preliminary hopper having a sensor for detecting whether or not there is any token received from the reservoir, and means for conveying the token forwardly, the dispensing hopper having a sensor for detecting whether or not there is any token received from the preliminary hopper, and means for discharging the tokens one by one to the token receiving port.
The conveying means may be a conveyer belt, and the discharging means may include a rotary drum and a ring-shape friction belt wound around a circumferential surface of the rotary drum.
With this arrangement, as tokens are supplied from the token reservoir to the token hopper, a constant amount of tokens are received and stored by the preliminary hopper. Then when tokens are conveyed to the dispensing hopper as its amount is being detected, it is possible to discharge the tokens one by one to the token receiving port reliably in the best dispensing condition so that the correct number of tokens can be discharged.
Another object of the invention is to provide a game token dispenser which enables precise counting of tokens dispensed and displaying of the counted number of tokens as well as quick realization that the tokens have become clogged. This object can be accomplished by a game token dispenser equipped with a upstream preliminary hopper, to which tokens are to be supplied from a token
REFERENCES:
patent: 4480651 (1984-11-01), Nakai et al.
patent: 4541444 (1985-09-01), Okada
patent: 4810230 (1989-03-01), Shirasawa
patent: 4822318 (1989-04-01), Okada
Kurihara Yoshihide
Nakai Koshiro
Obara Hiroyasu
Tada Mitsuhiro
Takemoto Takatoshi
Bollinger David H.
Kabushiki Kaisha Ace Denken
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