Abstract:
An adjustable escalator device is provided in a gaming terminal for receiving singulated coins from a gaming terminal output hopper and outputting coins at a higher level. The escalator can be adjusted to define a coin path of adjustable width and/or adjustable thickness and accommodate a range of coin or token sizes. In one aspect, a leaf spring or other flexible member can be moved to define a curved coin path portion with adjustable width and a preferably contiguous rail can be laterally transposed to adjust a width of a second portion of the coin path. Coin path thickness can be adjusted using different rail thicknesses, using shims and/or using screw adjustments.

Description:
The present invention relates to an escalator for lifting coins in connection with outputting coins or tokens from a slot machine or other gaming terminal and in particular to an escalator method and apparatus providing adjustability, e.g., to accommodate numerous different coin diameters and/or thicknesses. 
     BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
     Many styles of slot machines, card game machines, keno machines and similar gaming machines or terminals are configured to output coins or tokens (including coins or tokens minted by governments and coins or tokens minted by casinos or similar gaming operators), e.g., to allow a “cash-out” operation and/or to provide prizes for players following a winning game outcome. Generally, a coin hopper or similar device singulates coins and provides coins, one at a time at a coin knife output region or other hopper output region. One example of a coin output hopper is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 5,167,571, incorporated herein by reference. Some gaming terminals are configured with the level of the hopper output region substantially below (such as, e.g., three to twelve inches or more below) the level which is desired or convenient for outputting the coins so as to be retrieved by the players. Accordingly, in some gaming terminal configurations, a device is provided which moves and/or guides coins along a path having a vertical component, from the output level of the coin hopper to the final, higher, coin output level. Such devices are sometimes referred to as escalators. One example of an escalator is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,377, incorporated herein by reference. 
     Typically, a given coin escalator is configured to accommodate a single size (i.e., diameter and thickness) or denomination of coin or token. While there may be some tolerance in such prior escalators (e.g., to account for coin wear), previous approaches have generally made it necessary for those who fabricate, sell, maintain and/or use gaming terminals to keep, in stock, numerous different configurations of escalators, for use with different sizes or denominations of coins or tokens. Thus, previous approaches have been associated with an undesirably high stocking or warehousing cost for maintaining an inventory of numerous different sizes of escalators, including costs of warehouse or other storage space and associated costs such as security, insurance and the like. Furthermore, previous approaches have been associated with undesirable high costs of training various personnel to properly select, install, use or repair a number of different escalator configurations, including manufacturing personnel, maintenance personnel, sales personnel and others. Furthermore, there is significant design and/or tooling cost associated with creating a new escalator whenever a new size of coin or token is introduced. 
     Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide an escalator apparatus, method and/or system which permits or facilitates adjustment, e.g., for accommodating a range of coin diameters, a range of coin thicknesses or, preferably, both. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention includes a recognition of the existence, nature and/or source of problems in previous approaches, including as described herein. According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the coin path defined by the escalator is created by a substantially flexible and/or resilient member, e.g., a formed leaf spring, for contacting or guiding the perimeter or edge of coins or tokens for at least a portion of the coin or token path. In one embodiment, an entry or leading edge of the resilient member is coupled to a plate, with the plate being moveable, preferably along a constrained path, so as to adjust the position or shape of the resilient member for accommodating different coin diameters. Preferably, the trailing edge of the resilient member is moveable such as being directly or indirectly coupled to a second plate with the second plate being moveable to define and/or accommodate a range of coin diameters, e.g., at the region where the coin path merges into a linear path portion. In one embodiment, the second plate forms or defines a substantially linear wall for contacting or guiding the perimeter or edge of a coin or token. In one embodiment, the spacing of the second plate and/or of a cover plate, with respect to a back plate, can be modified or adjusted to accommodate a range of coin thicknesses, while substantially avoiding coin shingling or other jamming. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a output hopper and escalator according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the hopper and escalator of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the hopper and escalator of FIG. 1; 
     FIGS. 4A and 4B are front elevational views of the escalator of FIG. 1 with the top cover removed, adjusted for large and small diameter coins respectively; 
     FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of a lock-down block according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of an adjustment plate according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of a radius spring according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  8 — 8  of FIG. 3; and 
     FIGS. 9A and 9B are partial cross-sectional views through a portion of an escalator adjusted to different thicknesses illustrating potential jamming problems. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Features of the present invention can be used in connection with any of a number of different coin hoppers or other coin output devices. In the configuration depicted in FIG. 1, an escalator  112  is coupled to a coin output hopper  114  which outputs coins in a substantially horizontal direction  116  as initially guided by a hopper knife  118 . In normal use, the coin hopper  114  is slanted or inclined and the escalator  112  is curved, as shown in FIG.  2 . As seen in FIG. 3, after the coin leaves the hopper along the horizontal path  116 , it enters the escalator and initially travels along a curved path defined between edge-contacting spring guide  122  and an edge  124  defined by a hub of a coin catching wheel  126 . After traversing the curved portion of the coin path, the coin enters a portion of the coin path which is substantially straight  312  (with respect to a projection onto a vertical frontal plane, as depicted in FIG.  3 ). Although the portion  312  of the coin path is straight in the sense that the coins have substantially no movement in a lateral direction  314 , the coin path is, in the depicted embodiment, substantially curved in a front-to-rear direction  214  as depicted in FIG.  2 . It is in this sense that the upper portion  312  of the coin path is described herein as being straight while the initial portion of the coin path (adjacent the spring  122 ) is described herein as curved. 
     At least a portion of the upper coin path  312  provides a space  812  (FIG. 8) defined by a back plate  318  and a cover plate  322 , each of which is adjacent or in contact with the opposed coin faces, and a fixed rail  324  and a moveable rail  326  which contact coin edges. 
     In the depicted embodiment, the escalator can be adjusted for accommodating different sizes of coins, at least by moving the moveable rail  326  and the spring guide  122 . For example, the moveable rail  326  and radius spring  122  can be moved from the configuration depicted in FIG. 4A, defining a first coin path width  412  to the configuration depicted in FIG. 4B defining a second coin path width  414 . 
     By including moveability and/or adjustability of a flexible and/or resilient member such as the spring  122 , it becomes feasible to provide for adjustability, even though a portion of the path is curved or nonlinear. In the depicted embodiment, the configuration or position of the guide spring or “radius spring”  122  is changed by changing the position and/or tangent angle of the effective leading edge or entry region  416  of the radius spring  122  and the trailing or exit region  418  of the radius spring  122 . In the depicted embodiment, the trailing edge  418  of the radius spring is moved substantially with movement of the moveable rail  326 . Although various schemes can be used for accommodating movement of the moveable rail  326 , in the depicted embodiment, pins  422   a,b,c  projecting from the back plate  318  are received in slots  424   a,b,c  of the moveable rail  326  to guide the moveable rail  326  for movement in the lateral direction  314  while maintaining the moveable rail  326  substantially parallel to the fixed rail  324 . In the depicted embodiment, the trailing edge  418  of the radius spring  122  moves with the rail  326  because the radius spring trailing edge  418  is coupled to the moveable rail  326  by a lock-down block  512 . As best seen in FIG. 8, the lock-down block  512  is coupled, e.g. by bolts  814  to the moveable rail  326 . The lock-down block  512  includes a groove  514  sized and shaped to receive the trailing end  418  of the radius spring  122 . Accordingly, when the moveable rail  326  is moved from the position of FIG. 4A to the position of FIG. 4B, the trailing edge  418  of the radius spring  122  moves along with the moveable rail  326 . Preferably, during such movement, the bolts  814  are somewhat loosened to accommodate any (e.g. longitudinal) sliding or other movement of the trailing edge  418  of the radius spring  122  with respect to the lock-down block  512  which may accompany the adjustment. 
     The leading edge  416  of the radius spring  122  is coupled to a guide plate  612 . In the depicted embodiment, a serpentine or S-shaped end region  712  of the radius spring  122  (FIG. 7) is configured to engage pins  614   a,b  projecting backward from the undersurface of the adjustment plate  612 . The manner in which the adjustment plate  612  can move is constrained by the engagement of first and second pins  432   a,b  in (preferably curved) slots  616   a,b  of the adjustment plate  612 . The size and shape of the slots  616   a,b  are configured so that, regardless of the amount of adjustment of the adjustment plate  612 , e.g., between the configuration depicted in  4 A and the configuration depicted in  4 B, the leading edge  416  of the radius spring  122  will be positioned in a manner so as to define a curved coin path portion which will accommodate (when accompanied by appropriate adjustment of the trailing edge  418 ) a coin substantially without jamming and while defining (in conjunction with the hub edge  124 ) a coin path appropriate for guiding the coin from a horizontal exit direction  116  to a vertical direction  434 . 
     A number of materials, or combinations of materials, can be used to form the plates, rails, guides, radius spring, and/or other components of the escalator. Preferably metal, such as stainless steel or other steel, aluminum or the like, is used, although some or all components may be formed from or coated with plastics, ceramics, fiberglass, resins, epoxy and the like. 
     In the depicted embodiment, the cover plate  322  is mounted in a manner which is substantially constant in a lateral direction  314 . However, preferably the apparatus can be adjusted so as to change the thickness  816  (FIG. 8) of the space  812  defining the coin path. For example, thickness  816  can be increased by providing a relatively taller or thicker moveable plate  326  (since, in the depicted embodiment, the cover plate  322  is positioned substantially on top of and in contact with a portion of the moveable plate  326 ). Alternatively, a thin shim or supplemental plate can be positioned, e.g. between the moveable plate  326  and the back plate  318  or the cover plate  322 . As will be understood by those of skill in the art, it is also possible to provide for screw adjustment or a similar adjustment of the height or spacing of the moveable plate  326  with respect to the back plate  318 . 
     Without wishing to be bound by any theory, it is believed that providing for adjustment of the thickness  816  of the coin path is particularly advantageous when a range of coin sizes which includes both relatively large diameter and thin coins as well as relatively smaller diameter and thick coins is to be accommodated by the device having a profile which is curved in the fore-aft direction  214  (FIG.  2 ). For example, as depicted in FIG. 9A, when a curved coin path is used in conjunction with a coin which is relatively large in diameter  912  but relatively thin, there is a potential for a relatively thin coin path  816  to cause jamming with respect to perimeter portions of a coin  914   a,b  adjacent one wall of the path and a mid-portion  916  adjacent another wall. However, if a coin path is provided which has a thickness  816  which is relatively wide as depicted in FIG. 9B, there is a potential for coin shingling with respect to adjacent coins  918   a    918   b . Thus, depending on the coin size and shape, it can be infeasible to accommodate a range of coin thicknesses and diameters unless, as described herein, provision is made for adjusting the thickness  816  of the coin path. 
     In light of the above description, a number of advantages of the present invention can be seen. The present invention can make it feasible to use a single coin output escalator for a gaming machine to accommodate a range of coin diameters and/or thicknesses, thus reducing or avoiding costs associated with the need for multiple escalators. For example, in one embodiment, it is possible to accommodate substantially all current coins or tokens within a size range between 0.8 inch diameter and about 2 inch diameter with only 3 different escalators, such as, for example, a first escalator adjustable to accommodate coins between about 0.8 inches and about 1.2 inches diameter, a second escalator for accommodating coins between about 1.2 inches and about 1.6 inches diameter and a third escalator for accommodating coins between about 1.6 inches diameter and about 2 inches diameter. It is also possible to provide systems which accommodate a desired range of coins or tokens using fewer than 3 or more than 3 different escalators and/or using escalators which have or accommodate size ranges different from those noted in the above example. 
     A number of variations and modifications of the invention can be used. It is possible to use some features of the invention without using others. For example, it is possible to provide for coin path width adjustment without providing for coin path thickness adjustment and vice versa. It is possible to provide an escalator with a portion of the path defined by a flexible or resilient member without using the flexible or resilient member for adjustment purposes. Although embodiments of the present invention have shown pin-and-slot engagements for guiding plate movement to provide adjustment, other types of guidance can be used including track and groove guidance, edge rail guidance, screw thread guidance and the like. Embodiments of the present invention can be implemented by using a device other than a lock-down block for coupling the radius spring trailing edge to the moveable rail, including direct connection such as welding, brazing, adhesives and the like, bolt or screw connections, clamp connections and the like. Although the depicted embodiment shows only a single moveable rail, it is also possible to provide embodiments which include movement of two or more rails and/or movement of a coin catching wheel  126  or hub edge  124  (if provided). 
     The present invention, in various embodiments, includes components, methods, processes, systems and/or apparatus substantially as depicted and described herein, including various embodiments, subcombinations, and subsets thereof. Those of skill in the art will understand how to make and use the present invention after understanding the present disclosure. The present invention, in various embodiments, includes providing devices and processes in the absence of items not depicted and/or described herein or in various embodiments hereof, including in the absence of such items as may have been used in previous devices or processes, e.g. for improving performance, achieving ease and/or reducing cost of implementation. The present invention includes items which are novel, and terminology adapted from previous and/or analogous technologies, for convenience in describing novel items or processes, do not necessarily retain all aspects of conventional usage of such terminology. 
     The foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The foregoing is not intended to limit the invention to the form or forms disclosed herein. Although the description of the invention has included description of one or more embodiments and certain variations and modifications, other variations and modifications are within the scope of the invention, e.g. as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter.