Gaming machine coin hopper coin sensor
AssigneeBally Gaming International, Inc.
InventorsRaymond Heidel, Albert J. Hanis, Thomas N. Taxon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A coin hopper having an optical-electrical coin sensor with a light source and a light detector is provided. The coin hopper includes a coin transport disc, a coin trough, and a coin payout chute. The coin sensor is secured to the hopper and is proximally located to the coin payout chute. The sensor is configured such that the light detector is substantially adjacent the coin transport disc and the light source is spaced apart from the coin transport disc. The sensor is operatively connected to the coin hopper control circuitry which shuts down the hopper after the appropriate number of coins is dispensed. The hopper may also include circuitry which, in conjunction with the light source, provides a pulsed or intermittent beam of light.
Claims17
A device for controlling the number of coins dispensed from a coin hopper, comprising:
- storage means for Storing the coins within the hopper;
- dispensing means for dispensing coins from the storage means;
- an optical-electrical coin sensor secured to the hopper and proximally located to said dispensing means, said optical-electrical coin sensor including a light source for emitting light and a light detector for detecting light incident on said detector;
- means for determining whether the detected light originated from the same source as the emitted light;
- and
- means for generating an error signal whenever said light detector is illuminated by spurious light.
In combination with a device for dispensing coins of the type wherein a coin hopper controls the number of coins dispensed from a coin hopper, including storage means for storing the coins within the hopper, dispensing means for dispensing coins from the hopper, transporting means for transporting the coins from said storage means to said dispensing means, control means for controlling said transporting means, and an optical-electrical coin sensor operatively connected to said control means, secured to the hopper and proximally located to said dispensing means, said optical-electrical coin sensor including a light source for emitting light and a light detector for detecting light incident on said detector, the improvement which comprises:
- means for determining whether the detected light originates from the same source as the emitted light;
- and
- means for generating an error signal whenever said light detector is illuminated by spurious light.
A device for controlling the number of coins dispensed from a coin hopper, comprising:
- storage means for storing the coins within the hopper;
- dispensing means for dispensing coins from the hopper;
- transporting means for transporting the coins from said storage means to said dispensing means;
- control means for controlling said transporting means;
- an optical-electrical coin sensor operatively connected to said control means, secured to the hopper and proximally located to said dispensing means, said optical-electrical coin sensor including a light source for emitting light and a light detector for detecting light incident on said detector;
- means for determining whether the detected light originates from the same source as the emitted light;
- and
- means for generating an error signal whenever said light detector is illuminated by spurious light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.