Chip structure

• US 4,026,309 A
• Filed: 05/12/1976
• Issued: 05/31/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gamex Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gamex Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Howard, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Tolberg, Stanley H.
• Application Number:
  US05/685,891
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 133/8 R, 194/4 C, 194/4 F, 194/4 R, 194/6, 194/8, 194/4 G, 194/100 A, 250/461, 250/221, 209/111.7, 209/111.5, 273/DIG. 24, 40/27.5
• US Class Current: 377/7
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 21/00 Coins coins specially adapted to operate coin-freed mechanisms G07F1/06; Emergency money; Beer or gambling coins or tokens, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G06M 1/101 by electro-optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G06M 9/00 Counting of objects in a stack thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 9/04 Hand- or motor-driven devices for counting coins counting mechanisms in general G06M
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 1/06 Coins specially adapted to operate coin-freed mechanisms

Abstract

A chip counter for use in gaming applications and the like comprising a tray having a trough for receiving chips, which trough is provided with a slit at the bottom thereof. The chips are stacked in the trough and are each provided with a strip about their periphery which is adapted to be more reflective to illuminating light than the main body of the chip. Reading means scans the chips in the trough along the slit provided therefor and counts pulses representative of the passage across the more highly light emissive edge of the chip. The more highly light emissive portions of the edges of each chip are made narrower than the thickness of each chip to develop discrete pulses.

Counting of chips of different denominations is accomplished by providing light emissive strips which emit light of differing wavelengths when light activated. The reader employs filters for passing predetermined light wavelength ranges to develop pulses representative of the proper wavelengths of light to make denominational decisions.

Claims

1. Means for counting chips having fluorescent stripes along their periphery and adapted to emit light of a predetermined wavelength when excited comprising:

a trough for supporting chips;

said trough having an elongated slot;

means for directing light towards said slot to excite said stripes;

means for scanning along said slot;

filter means positioned between said slot and said scanning means to pass light of only said predetermined wavelength;

said scanning means including means for generating a pulse for each scanned stripe;

means for counting said pulses to provide a count of said chips.

2. The means of claim 1 wherein chips of different denominations have stripes adapted to fluoresce light of different wavelengths;

said filter means comprising plural filters each adapted to pass light of each different wavelength and means for positioning each filter between said scanning means and said slot, whereby said scanning means scans said slot once for each filter positioned between said slot and said scanning means whereby the pulses generated during each scan represents a count of the chips of each different denomination.