JP2007082949A - Token cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a token cleaning device which can appropriately clean a token with requiring little time in the maintenance and management of the gap in a cleaning roller. <P>SOLUTION: A washing agent nozzle 70 and the cleaning roller 30 consisting of three brush rollers 31a-31c are formed near the high end of a cleaning conveyor 26, which conveys the token M, and beneath the high end, respectively, and transfer rollers 40a and 40b, washing agent adsorption rollers 50a, 50b, etc. are arranged beneath the cleaning conveyor one by one. Since an opening between brush rollers 31a and 31b and an opening between brush rollers 31b and 31c are the passage course of the token one by one, both sides of the token wetted with a washing agent are pushed against each of the brush rollers by changing the posture at the time of a turnabout along the bending of the passage course. Thereby, the token is certainly cleaned even without severely managing the individual gap between the brush rollers. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a medal cleaning device for cleaning a disk-shaped medal used in a game facility.

As a conventional medal cleaning device for cleaning medals used in amusement facilities, for example, there is one disclosed in JP-A-2002-320756.
As shown in FIG. 8, this is a cleaning with a brush provided with a clearance for one medal M between the belt 81 of the conveyor 80 and a conveyor for transferring medals used in a game facility. A roller 82 is installed to spray the cleaning liquid from a cleaning liquid spraying device 83 disposed near the upper portion of the cleaning roller 82, and the cleaning roller 82 is rotated in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the belt 81 and the cleaning liquid is cleaned with a brush. The surface of the medal M that gets wet is washed.

In the vicinity of the belt end of the conveyor 80, a pair of cleaning liquid adsorption rollers 84 whose surfaces are formed of a water absorbing material and pressed against each other are provided, and the cleaning liquid adsorption roller 84 that rotates the washed medals M transferred by the conveyor 80. The cleaning liquid adhering to the medal is adsorbed between them. Cleaning liquid squeezing rollers 85 and 86 are pressed against the cleaning liquid adsorption roller 84 that has adsorbed the cleaning liquid, and the cleaning liquid is squeezed out.
JP 2002-320756 A

  However, in the conventional medal cleaning device, the cleaning roller 82 appropriately contacts the medal M transferred on the belt of the conveyor 80 and cleans the medal, so that a gap between the cleaning roller 82 and the upper surface of the belt 81 is provided. It is necessary to accurately set a predetermined amount corresponding to the thickness of the medal M. In addition, since the brush of the cleaning roller 82 is worn as cleaning is repeated, there is a problem that it takes time to maintain and manage the gap.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a medal cleaning device that can properly clean medals without taking time and effort to maintain and maintain the gap between the cleaning rollers.

  The present invention provides a medal cleaning apparatus for cleaning a medal with a cleaning roller under a supply of cleaning liquid. The cleaning roller includes at least three brush rollers whose axes are parallel to each other, and one brush roller and two adjacent two brush rollers. The points facing the brush roller were sequentially used as medal passage paths, and the passage paths were bent between the facing points.

Since the opposite points of the brush roller are sequentially taken as medal passage paths, and the passage paths are bent between the two opposite points, the medals are on both sides of the passage path during the direction change of medals along the passage path. The brush of each brush roller comes into strong contact with both sides and is rubbed sufficiently to remove dirt reliably.
And since the brush of each brush roller is pressed on both surfaces by the attitude | position change at the time of a direction change, even if a brush is worn considerably, it is not necessary to manage the clearance gap between the brush rollers in the opposing point of a passage path | route.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall structure of an embodiment applied to a slot game gaming facility.
On the gaming island 1 in which the gaming tables 2 are arranged in the horizontal direction, a collection basket 3 for collecting medals overflowing from each gaming table extends below the gaming table 1. It is connected to a medal cleaning device 4 provided on the island edge.
The medal cleaning device 4 includes a hopper 5 at a lower portion, and the collection basket 3 opens above the hopper 5. The medals collected in the hopper 5 through the collection basket 3 are carried to the cleaning unit 20 installed at the upper part by the lifting machine 6 connected to the hopper 5. For example, the lifting machine 6 is provided with a plurality of crosspieces on a belt that is stretched up and down, and lifts a medal on the crosspiece.

Under the cleaning unit 20, a tank 7 that temporarily receives medals that have been cleaned and dropped from the cleaning unit is provided, and the bottom of the tank 7 is further connected to the mug setting unit 9 via the distribution path 8. The mug setting unit 9 fills the set mug 10 by paying out a predetermined amount of medals.
By taking out the mug 10 filled with medals from the mug set unit 9 and carrying it to a game table or a supply tank (not shown) that requires replenishment, a clean medal is supplied.

The medal cleaning device is further provided with a recovery tank 12, and among the medals carried to the cleaning unit 20 by the lifter 6, surplus medals that could not be placed on the belt of the cleaning conveyor described later are returned to the return path 11. After that, it is collected in the collection tank 12. The medal in the collection tank 12 is supplied to the hopper 5 from the return port 13 at the bottom, and is again carried to the washing unit 20 by the lifter 6.
A dirty medal can be inserted into the collection tank 12 from the outside.
Further, the collection tank 12 also has a payout port 14 for paying out the medals in the collection tank 12 as needed in a receiving box cart 15 set therebelow.

Next, details of the cleaning unit 20 will be described. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cleaning unit, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view.
The cleaning unit 20 includes a cleaning conveyor 26 installed in a long rectangular case 21 so as to be inclined in the longitudinal direction. The cleaning conveyor 26 has its frame 27 supported by the side wall 22a of the case. In FIG. 2, the side wall 22a on the front side of the case 21 is cut away.
The belt 29 of the cleaning conveyor 26 is supported by an end pulley (not shown) driven by a motor 75 and rotated in a direction indicated by an arrow A in FIG. The medals M are supplied from the transporter 6 to the lower side on the right side in FIG. 2 on the belt 29 and conveyed toward the high end of the cleaning conveyor 26.

A cleaning roller 30 is disposed below the high end of the cleaning conveyor 26.
Subsequent to the cleaning roller 30, the transfer roller 40 (40a, 40b) and the cleaning liquid adsorbing roller 50 (50a, 50b) are sequentially provided in the direction of folding with respect to the cleaning conveyor 26 and in the inclination of the cleaning conveyor 26. 26 is arranged toward the lower side.
A cleaning liquid squeezing roller 60 is attached to each roller 53 below the roller group described later of each cleaning liquid adsorption roller 50.
In the vicinity of the high end of the cleaning conveyor 26, a pipe-shaped cleaning liquid nozzle 70 is arranged above the cleaning roller 30 so that the cleaning liquid is sprayed onto the cleaning roller 30 from a large number of small holes 72 provided in the tube wall. It has become.

The cleaning liquid nozzle 70 is supported on the side walls 22a and 22b of the case 21, and the cleaning roller 30, the transfer roller 40, the cleaning liquid adsorption roller 50, and the cleaning liquid squeezing roller 60 are also rotatably supported on the side walls 22a and 22b of the case. ing.
A hole 24 communicating with the tank 7 is opened in the bottom wall 23 of the case 21 below the cleaning liquid adsorption roller 50b on the downstream side.

  As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 4, the cleaning roller 30 includes three brush rollers 31 a, 31 b, and 31 c each having a brush 33 that extends radially from the shaft portion 32. The two left and right brush rollers 31a and 31b arranged at substantially the same height are initially set so that the outer circumference circles drawn by the respective brush tips contact each other at the opposite point F1, and fall from the high end of the cleaning conveyor 26. The position of the medal M to be received is set so as to be received between the two brush rollers 31a and 31b. The diameter of the outer circumference circle is about twice the diameter of the medal M.

The third brush roller 31c is provided below the two brush rollers 31a and 31b, and at the point F2 between the lower brush roller 31c and the right brush roller 31b, the tip of each brush is drawn during rotation. Initial settings are made so that the outer circles touch each other.
On the other hand, the lower brush roller 31c and the left brush roller 31a, which are adjacent to each other around the right brush roller 31b, are set so as to be in close proximity to each other, such as the thickness of the medal M, but not to contact each other. Has been.
The right brush roller 31b is close to the cleaning liquid adsorption roller 50. As will be described later, the opposing point F1 of the two left and right brush rollers 31a and 31b and the opposing point of the lower brush roller 31c and the right brush roller 31b. F2 forms a passage path T through which the medal M passes toward the cleaning liquid adsorption roller 50 side.

As shown in FIG. 5, the transfer roller 40 includes ring grooves 43 at predetermined intervals in the axial direction on the outer peripheral surface of the roller body 42, and elastic rings 44 (44 a and 44 b) such as rubber are fitted into the ring grooves 43. The elastic ring 44 is a protrusion protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the roller body 42.
The roller body 42 has a diameter approximately the same as the diameter of the medal M, and the predetermined interval of the elastic ring 44 is set smaller than the diameter dimension of the medal M. Furthermore, the elastic rings 44a of one transfer roller 40a are set so as to be staggered between the elastic rings 44b of the other transfer roller 40b in the axial direction.

As shown in FIG. 4, the gap between the roller bodies 42 of the transfer rollers 40a and 40b is set to be extremely small so that the elastic rings 44a and 44b of both transfer rollers overlap when viewed from the axial direction. Yes.
Further, the gap between the brush roller 31c and the transfer roller 40a adjacent to the brush roller 31c is also set so that the elastic ring 44a of the transfer roller 40a overlaps the brush 33 of the brush roller 31c.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the transfer roller 40 is provided in a series of two along the third brush roller 31 c toward the lower side of the cleaning conveyor 26. That is, each transfer roller 40a, 40b is substantially the same distance from the cleaning conveyor 26 as the third brush roller 31c.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cleaning liquid adsorbing roller 50 is provided with a pair of upper and lower rollers 52 and 53 urged so as to be in pressure contact with each other. The adsorption layer 55 of each of the rollers 52 and 53 is formed of a material having water absorption and elasticity.
The rollers 53 on the lower side of each roller set are arranged at the same distance (height) as the transfer roller 40 at a distance from the cleaning conveyor 26.
As shown in FIG. 6, the cleaning liquid squeezing roller 60 has a spiral protrusion 64 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the roller body 62, and is pressed against each lower roller 53.

Each roller is rotated together with the cleaning conveyor 26 by a motor 75 attached to the side wall 22b of the case via a driving mechanism (not shown) disposed on the back side of the side wall 22b. The rotation direction of each roller is as follows.
The two brush rollers 31a and 31b arranged at substantially the same height as the cleaning roller 30 rotate in opposite directions. That is, in FIG. 3, the left brush roller 31a rotates in the clockwise direction and the right brush roller 31b rotates in the counterclockwise direction, and the medal M falling from the cleaning conveyor 26 is sandwiched between the two and sent downward.

The lower brush roller 31c is clockwise, and is opposite to the right brush roller 31b. Thereby, the medal M sent by the two brush rollers 31a and 31b is deflected rightward by the lower brush roller 31c, and is sandwiched between the right brush roller 31b and the lower brush roller 31c, It is sent to the transfer roller 40 side.
Here, the absolute values of the rotational speeds of the left and lower brush rollers 31a and 31c are set to be larger than the rotational speed of the right brush roller 31b.

The two transfer rollers 40 rotate in the clockwise direction in FIG. 3, and send the medal M sent out from the cleaning roller 30 to the cleaning liquid adsorption roller 50.
The two cleaning liquid adsorption rollers 50 are configured such that, in each roller set, the upper roller 52 rotates counterclockwise and the lower roller 53 rotates clockwise, and the medal M from the transfer roller 40 is between the upper and lower rollers 52, 53. Send to the downstream side. The rotation speeds of the upper and lower rollers 52 and 53 are the same.

The cleaning liquid squeezing roller 60 is set to rotate in the counterclockwise direction opposite to the lower roller 53 of the cleaning liquid adsorption roller 50 so that the speeds of the mutual contact surfaces are substantially the same.
The rotational speed of each roller across the cleaning conveyor 26, the cleaning roller 30, the transfer roller 40, and the cleaning liquid adsorption roller 50 is set so that the medal M is sent at a substantially constant speed as a whole. It is designed not to clog.

Next, the operation of medal cleaning in the cleaning unit 20 will be described.
Each roller is always rotating as described above, and the medal M that has been transported to the cleaning conveyor 26 and dropped from the high end thereof has two brush rollers 31a of the cleaning roller 30 to which the cleaning liquid is sprayed from the cleaning liquid nozzle 70, Enter between 31b (opposing point F1).
Here, while the medal M is fed between the two brush rollers 31a and 31b, the rotational speed of the left brush roller 31a is larger than the rotational speed of the right brush roller 31b, and the feeding amount is relatively different. Between the two brush rollers 31a and 31b, the direction is changed by being guided by the lower brush roller 31c and then between the right brush roller 31b and the lower brush roller 31c (facing point F2). Enter.

As shown in FIG. 7, during this direction change, the medal M is pressed against the right brush roller 31b by the left brush roller 31a and the lower brush roller 31c.
That is, the brush 33 of the right brush roller 31b is in strong contact with one surface of the medal M, and the brush of the left brush roller 31a and the brush of the lower brush roller 31c are in strong contact with the other surface. As a result, both medals M are sufficiently rubbed by the brush 33 of the brush roller while being wet with the cleaning liquid, and the dirt is surely removed.

  The medal M that has passed through the cleaning roller 30 is delivered onto the transfer roller 40. The distance between the elastic rings 44 of the transfer rollers 40 is smaller than the diameter of each medal M, and the elastic rings 44a and 44b of the adjacent transfer rollers 40a and 40b are staggered and overlap when viewed from the axial direction. The medal M is reliably transported to the cleaning liquid adsorption roller 50 on the elastic ring 44 without falling into the gap between the transfer rollers 40a and 40b. At this time, since the medal M is only supported by the thin elastic ring 44, a part of the cleaning liquid adhering to the medal M is dropped and removed.

Next, since the lower roller 53 of the cleaning liquid adsorbing roller 50 is installed at substantially the same height as the transfer roller 40, the medal M carried on the transfer roller 40 is transferred to the lower row 53 and the upper roller 53. Guided between the rollers 52.
The cleaning liquid adhering to the medal M is adsorbed and removed by the water-absorbing adsorbing layer 55 that is urged against each other and pressed on both sides from above and below.
The medal M from which the cleaning liquid is removed in two stages by the two cleaning liquid adsorption rollers 50 falls after passing through the cleaning liquid adsorption roller 50 and is stored in the tank 7 through the hole 24 in the bottom wall 23 of the case.

  The cleaning liquid adsorbing roller 50 that has adsorbed the cleaning liquid from the medal M has an axial position where the spiral protrusion 64 of the cleaning liquid squeezing roller 60 pressed against each lower roller 53 is in contact with the lower roller 53 in accordance with its rotation. As a result, the adsorbed cleaning liquid can be squeezed out. Although the cleaning liquid squeezing roller 60 is preferably provided also for the upper roller 52 of the cleaning liquid adsorption roller, the upper and lower rollers 52 and 53 are biased in the pressure-contacting direction even if only the lower roller 53 is provided. Therefore, if the cleaning liquid of the lower roller 53 is squeezed out, the cleaning liquid adsorbed by the upper roller 52 is sucked into the lower roller 53 with its own weight added, and finally squeezed out. It will be.

The embodiment is configured as described above. In particular, in the cleaning unit 20 that cleans the medal M by the cleaning roller 30 while supplying the cleaning liquid, the cleaning roller 30 includes three brush rollers 31a to 31c whose axes are parallel to each other. The opposite point F1 between the right brush roller 31b and the left brush roller 31a and the opposite point F2 between the right brush roller 31b and the lower brush roller 31c are sequentially set as a medal passage route T, and the passage route T Is bent between two opposing points F1 and F2, especially during the direction change, the medal M is pressed against the brush rollers on both sides of the passage path T, and the brush 33 of each brush roller is strongly applied to both sides. It touches and is rubbed well to ensure that the dirt is removed.
Moreover, since the brush 33 of each brush roller is pressed on both sides of the medal M due to a change in posture at the time of turning, the gap between the brush rollers at the opposite points F1 and F2 of the passage path T is not increased even if the brush 33 is worn considerably. There is no need for strict management, and the man-hours for management are reduced.

Further, since the brush rollers facing each other at the opposing points F1 and F2 forming the passing path T have opposite rotation directions and different absolute values of the rotation speeds, the medal M has a relative feed amount by the brush rollers on both sides thereof. Because it is different, the effect of removing dirt is further enhanced.
Moreover, since the transfer roller 40 includes the elastic rings 44 on the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder at predetermined intervals in the axial direction, the cleaning liquid is easily dropped from the medals M on the elastic ring 44, and the removal of the cleaning liquid is promoted.

  The cleaning roller 30 is set to a position where the opposing points F1 of the two left and right brush rollers 31a and 31b that form the first opposing point F1 of the passing path T of the medal M receive a medal falling from the high end of the cleaning conveyor 26. Then, the transfer roller 40 and the cleaning liquid adsorption roller 50 are also arranged below the cleaning conveyor 26 so as to be folded, and the cleaning liquid nozzle 70 is disposed in the vicinity of the high end of the cleaning conveyor 26. Shortened and compactly configured.

In the embodiment, the cleaning roller 30 is composed of three brush rollers 31a to 31c, and the passage path T of the medal M includes two opposing points between the brush rollers, and between the two opposing points F1 and F2. Although the passage path T is bent, the number of brush rollers of the cleaning roller 30 is not limited to three, and further cleaning is performed by bending between the opposing points where the passage path is increased by increasing the number of brush rollers. The effect can be enhanced.
Further, the cleaning roller 30 is initially set so that the outer peripheral circles drawn by the brush tip are in contact with each other at the opposing points F1 and F2 of the brush roller. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and there is a predetermined gap at each opposing point. You may set as follows. However, the gap at that time is preferably in a range smaller than the thickness of the medal.
Furthermore, although the cleaning liquid squeezing roller 60 has the spiral ridge 64 on the outer peripheral surface, it may be a spiral groove instead of the ridge 64.

It is a figure which shows the whole structure of embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of a washing | cleaning part. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of a washing | cleaning part. It is an expanded sectional view showing the composition of a cleaning roller. It is an enlarged plan view which shows the structure of a transfer roller. It is an enlarged plan view showing a configuration of a cleaning liquid squeezing roller. It is explanatory drawing which shows the cleaning effect | action in a cleaning roller. It is a figure which shows a prior art example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Game island 2 Game stand 3 Collection basket 4 Medal washing apparatus 5 Hopper 6 Lifting machine 7 Tank 8 Distribution path 9 Jug set part 10 Jug 11 Return path 12 Collection tank 13 Return port 14 Discharge port 15 Receipt cart 15 Washing part 21 Case 22a, 22b Side wall 23 Bottom wall 24 Hole 26 Washing conveyor (conveyor)
27 Frame 29 Belt 30 Cleaning roller 31a, 31b, 31c Brush roller 32 Shaft 33 Brush 40, 40a, 40b Transfer roller 42 Roller body 43 Ring groove 44a, 44b Elastic ring 50a, 50b Cleaning liquid adsorption roller 52, 53 Roller 55 Adsorption layer 60 Cleaning liquid squeezing roller 62 Roller body 64 Projection 70 Cleaning liquid nozzle 72 Small hole 75 Motor F1, F2 Opposite point M Medal T Passing path

Claims (5)

In a medal cleaning apparatus that cleans medals with a cleaning roller under the supply of cleaning liquid,
The cleaning roller is composed of at least three brush rollers whose axes are parallel to each other, and an opposing point between one brush roller and the other two adjacent brush rollers is sequentially set as a medal passage route, and the passage route is the opposite surface. A medal cleaning device characterized by bending between points. The brush rollers facing each other at opposite points forming the passing path have opposite rotation directions,
2. The medal washing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein absolute values of rotational speeds are made different. A cleaning liquid adsorption roller is provided downstream of the cleaning roller,
3. The cleaning liquid adsorbing roller comprises at least a pair of rollers each having a surface layer having water absorption and elasticity and being urged to each other and parallel to the brush roller. Medal cleaning equipment. A transfer roller parallel to the brush roller is provided between the cleaning roller and the cleaning liquid adsorption roller,
4. The medal washing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the transfer roller includes elastic rings at predetermined intervals in the axial direction on the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder. It is equipped with a conveyor that conveys medals upward from the lower position,
The cleaning roller is set at a position where the opposing points of the two brush rollers forming the first opposing point of the passage path of medals receive medals falling from the high end of the conveyor,
In the vicinity of the high end of the conveyor, a cleaning liquid nozzle for supplying a cleaning liquid is disposed above the cleaning roller,
5. The medal cleaning apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the cleaning liquid adsorption roller or the transfer roller is disposed below the conveyor.

Images