Apparatus for detecting passage of a game medium and a game machine employing same

A game medium passage detecting apparatus for use in a game machine in which a game medium is rollably moved on a game board surface in the depth direction of said game board surface, for detecting which of a plurality of detection areas set to be adjacent to one another in the cross direction perpendicular to said depth direction, said game medium has passed through, said apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of light-cut-off type optical sensors each having a light emitting element for emitting a detection light to said detection areas, and a photoelectric receiving element arranged to face said light emitting element and to sandwich said detection areas between said light emitting element and said photoelectric receiving element in order to receive said detection light;
• and
• a control section for detecting which detection area said game medium has passed through, on the basis of signals from said optical sensors,
• wherein each of said light emitting elements and each of said photoelectric receiving elements are arranged such that the optical axis of said detection light extends in a direction which crosses a flat surface containing therein an axis extending in the depth direction of said game board surface in parallel with said game board surface and an axis perpendicularly intersecting said game board surface, and also passes obliquely through said game board surface.

A game machine comprising:

• a game board surface;
• sending means for sending a game medium to move rollably on said game board surface said game medium in the depth direction of said game board surface;
• and
• a game medium passage detecting apparatus for detecting which of a plurality of detection areas, which are set adjacent to one another in a cross direction perpendicular to said depth direction, said game medium has passed through,
• said game medium passage detecting apparatus including:
• a plurality of light-cut-off type optical sensors each having a light emitting element for emitting a detection light to said detection areas, and a photoelectric receiving element arranged to face respectively said light emitting elements and to sandwich said detection areas between said light emitting element and said photoelectric receiving element in order to receive said detection light;
• and
• a control section for detecting which detection area said game medium has passed through, on the basis of signals from said optical sensors,
• wherein each of said light emitting elements and each of said photoelectric receiving elements are arranged such that the optical axis of said detection light extends in a direction which crosses a flat surface containing therein an axis extending in the depth direction of said game board surface in parallel with said game board surface and an axis perpendicularly intersecting said game board surface, and also passes obliquely through said game board surface.