JP7199336B2 - Coin washing unit and coin washing device incorporating it - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a coin washing unit for washing coins and a coin washing apparatus incorporating the same, and more particularly to a coin washing unit for washing coins while conveying coins and a coin washing apparatus incorporating the coin washing unit. Regarding.

In general, game machines such as slot machines, automatic vending machines, coin identification (sorting) machines, automatic teller machines (ATMs) installed in financial institutions, etc., are used to insert coins and store them. There is a coin processing machine that accepts and returns coins.

Coins that are repeatedly used in such a coin processing device become soiled or scratched, and further dirt accumulates on the scratched portions. Therefore, there is a coin washing machine for washing these coins.

A conventional coin cleaning device passes a coin between a pair of roll brushes wetted with water, and polishes the coin with the brush bristles of the roll brush to remove dirt adhering to the surface of the coin.

For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a polishing unit that polishes the surface of coins sent continuously by rubbing the surface of the coins with wet brush bristles, and a water-removing unit that removes moisture from the surfaces of the coins after polishing. A coin polishing machine is disclosed having a removal station. Furthermore, the coin polishing apparatus collects the water used in the polishing section and the dust separated from the coins, attaches the water to the roll-shaped cloth belt, and collects them in a dry manner.

Utility Model Registration No. 3196398

However, in the coin polishing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, the bristles are wetted with water and the wet bristles are used repeatedly. There is a problem that a small amount of water remains on the surface of the coin, and due to the influence of the water, a small amount of dirt or dust remains on the surface of the coin.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and one of the objects of the present invention is to reduce moisture remaining on the surface of the coin when the coin is washed. To provide a coin washing unit and a coin washing device in which the coin washing unit and the coin washing device are incorporated, which can prevent dirt from remaining on the surface of a coin and wash the coin more cleanly.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has at least the following configurations or executes procedures. In the following description, reference numerals and the like shown in the drawings may be added to facilitate understanding of the present invention, but each component of the present invention is limited to those shown in the drawings. It should be interpreted broadly to the extent that a person skilled in the art can technically understand.

A coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention is a coin washing unit that washes a coin while passing it along a guide rail, and removes dirt adhering to the coin using at least water or a washing liquid. a first removing means, a second removing means for removing stains remaining on the coins that have passed through the first removing means, and a drying means for drying the coins that have passed through the second removing means; a wiping means for wiping away coins that have passed through the drying means, wherein the first removing means, the second removing means, the drying means, and the wiping means are arranged so as to incline upward in order from below. It is characterized by being
With such a configuration, the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention removes stains by the first removing means and the second removing means, dries the coins by the drying means, and further removes dirt by the wiping means when washing the coins. Dispel by. As a result, water remaining on the surface of the coin can be reduced, dirt can be prevented from remaining on the surface of the coin, and the coin can be washed more cleanly.
Furthermore, since the first removing means, the second removing means, the drying means and the wiping means are inclined from below to above in order, water or cleaning liquid can be collected at the bottom and dried. It is possible to prevent the coins that have been soaked from getting wet again.

Preferably, the first removing means is characterized in that the dirt adhering to the coin is removed by brushes coming into contact with each other so as to sandwich the coin from both sides of the coin.
With such a configuration, in the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention, the brushes are in contact with each other so as to sandwich the coin from both sides of the coin. Dirt adhering to both sides of the coin can be removed.

Preferably, the first removing means is composed of at least one group of brushes arranged in a tapered shape along the advancing direction of the coin.
With such a configuration, in the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention, the group of brushes are arranged in a tapered shape along the direction of movement of the coin, so that the coin can be cleaned more cleanly without obstructing the movement of the coin. can be washed.

Also, preferably, the at least one group of brushes are arranged to be offset from each other when they are arranged so as to face each other from both sides of the coin.
With such a configuration, the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention can wash the coin more cleanly without impeding the movement of the coin due to the pressing force from both sides of the coin. In addition, since a kind of common member can be applied to the members arranged on both sides of the coin, it is possible to improve the efficiency of productivity and reduce the cost.

Preferably, the drying means includes a duct for sending an air current to the coins, and blows air to the coins that have passed through the second removal means.
With such a configuration, the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention can dry coins efficiently.

Further, preferably, the duct is configured to send an airflow to the side of the second removing means as well.
With such a configuration, the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention can collect moisture downward even if the coin has moisture.

Further, preferably, the duct is configured to send an airflow also to the wiping means side.
With such a configuration, the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention wipes off the water adhering to the coin with the wiping means, and even if the wiping means is in a wet state, the wiping means is dried. can be made

Further, preferably, the duct is provided with an opening through which the coin passes, and an air current flows from the inside of the duct to the side of the second removing means and/or the side of the wiping means through the opening. characterized by being sent.
With such a configuration, in the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention, since the airflow is sent to the opening through which the coins pass, there is no need to separately provide an opening for sending the airflow. Efficiency and cost reduction are possible.

Preferably, the second removing means is composed of a finer removing member than the brush included in the first removing means.
With such a configuration, the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention can remove residual fine dirt that has not been completely removed by the first removing means.

Preferably, the second removing means removes dirt remaining on the coin by bringing the removing members into contact with each other so as to sandwich the coin from both sides of the coin. do.
With such a configuration, in the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention, since the removing members come into contact with each other so as to sandwich the coin from both sides of the coin, the coin can be removed by passing the coin through the second removing means. , dirt remaining on both sides of the coin can be removed.

Preferably, the removing member is composed of an endless belt running in the same direction as the coin.
With such a configuration, in the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention, the part of the removing member that contacts the coin is changed, so that local wear and staining of a part of the removing member can be reduced. can do.
In addition, since it travels in the same direction as the coin, it is possible not to hinder the travel of the coin.

Also, preferably, the speed at which the endless belt travels is lower than the speed at which the coins travel.
With such a configuration, the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention can reliably remove stains remaining on the coins without affecting running of the coins.

Further, preferably, a constricted portion for sandwiching the removal member is provided at a predetermined position in the rotation of the endless belt.
With such a configuration, the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention can squeeze out and discharge the water absorbed by the removing member, and removes dirt accumulated in the removing member together with the discharged water. can also be discharged.

Preferably, the wiping means is composed of a wiping member for wiping off moisture remaining on the coin.
With such a configuration, the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention can more reliably wipe away moisture remaining on the coin.

Preferably, the wiping means wipes away moisture remaining on the coin by bringing the wiping members into contact with each other so as to sandwich the coin from both sides of the coin.
With such a configuration, in the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention, the wiping members come into contact with each other so as to sandwich the coin from both sides of the coin. Moisture remaining on both sides can be wiped off.

Preferably, the wiping member is composed of an endless belt running in the same direction as the coin.
With such a configuration, in the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention, since the portion of the wiping member that abuts on the coin is changed, it is possible to reduce local wear and staining of part of the wiping member. can do.
In addition, since it travels in the same direction as the coin, it is possible not to hinder the travel of the coin.

Also, preferably, the speed at which the endless belt travels is lower than the speed at which the coins travel.
With such a configuration, the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention can reliably wipe off the moisture remaining on the coin without affecting the running of the coin.

Further, preferably, a constricted portion that sandwiches the wiping member is provided at a predetermined position in the rotation of the endless belt.
With such a configuration, the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention can squeeze out and discharge moisture absorbed by the wiping member.

Preferably, the second removing means and the wiping means have the same structure.
With such a configuration, the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention can use a kind of common member, so that productivity can be improved and cost can be reduced.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coin washing device including the coin washing unit described above.
With such a configuration, the coin washing device according to one aspect of the present invention incorporates the above-described coin washing unit, so dirt can be removed by the first removing means and the second removing means when washing the coin. , dried by the drying means, and further wiped by the wiping means. As a result, water remaining on the surface of the coin can be reduced, dirt can be prevented from remaining on the surface of the coin, and the coin can be washed more cleanly.
Furthermore, since the first removing means, the second removing means, the drying means and the wiping means are inclined from below to above in order, water or cleaning liquid can be collected at the bottom and dried. It is possible to prevent the coins that have been removed from getting wet again.

Moreover, preferably, the coin washing device according to one aspect of the present invention further includes a connection guide that guides the coin that has passed through the wiping means to another device in which the coin is used.
With such a configuration, the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention can directly lead washed coins to other devices in which the coins are used. As a result, it is possible to reduce the man-hours of taking out the coin washed by the coin washing device and separately conveying it to another device in which the coin is used.

A coin washing method according to an aspect of the present invention is a coin washing method executed by a coin washing unit that washes a coin while passing it along a guide rail, wherein the coin is washed using at least water or a washing liquid. a first removing step of removing dirt adhering to the coin, a second removing step of removing dirt remaining on the coin after the first removing step, and the second removing step After that, it includes a drying step of drying the coins, and a wiping step of wiping the coins after the drying step.
With such a configuration, the coin washing method according to one aspect of the present invention prevents dirt from remaining on the surface of the coin by reducing water remaining on the surface of the coin when washing the coin. The coin can be washed more cleanly.

Further, each process performed by the coin washing unit and the coin washing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention described above can be regarded as a coin washing method that provides a series of processing procedures. This method is provided in the form of a program for causing a computer to execute a series of processing procedures. This program is downloaded from a predetermined server, accessed via the Internet to a predetermined server where the program is stored, or is recorded in a computer-readable recording medium, and is installed in the computer. good too. Also, some or all of the functional blocks constituting the coin washing unit according to one aspect of the present invention described above may be implemented as an integrated circuit such as an LSI (Large-Scale Integration).

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent stains from remaining on the surface of the coin by reducing moisture remaining on the surface of the coin when washing the coin, thereby cleaning the coin. A coin washing unit that can be washed can be realized.

1 is a front view schematically showing the appearance and internal structure of a coin washing device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outline of an internal structure of a coin washing device 10 according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a coin washing unit 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing each function of the coin washing unit 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a coin washing method 500 executed by the coin washing unit 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention; 1A and 1B are a plan view and a front view showing the internal structure of a coin washing unit 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing first removing means 110 in coin washing unit 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the details of the first removing means 110 in the coin washing unit 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the first brush unit 111 (second brush unit 114) that constitutes the first removing means 110 in the coin washing unit 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing details of the drying means 130 in the coin washing unit 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention;

An embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments described below are merely specific examples for carrying out the present invention, and are not intended to limit the interpretation of the present invention.

<Overview of the coin washing machine>
FIG. 1 is a front view showing the outline of the appearance and internal structure of a coin washing machine 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1A, the coin washing device 10 is usually covered with a cover during use, so that the inside is protected and the internal structure is not visible from the outside. In FIG. 1B, the cover is removed from the coin washing device 10 so that the internal structure can be visually recognized.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the outline of the internal structure of the coin washing device 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, it can be confirmed that the cover is removed from the coin washing device 10 and the coin washing unit 100 is incorporated. The coin washing unit 100 is arranged to be inclined upward from the coin inlet 101 toward the coin outlet 102 .

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an outline of the coin washing unit 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram showing each function of the coin washing unit 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. be. The coin washing unit 100 comprises first removing means 110 , second removing means 120 , drying means 130 and wiping means 140 .

Coins are taken in one by one from the coin take-in opening 101 of the coin washing unit 100 and guided to the guide rail. Typically, a large number of coins are led from a so-called coin hopper to a guide rail through a coin inlet 101 so as to reliably feed one coin at a time while taking in a large number of coins using a rotating disk. Since the coins are fed to the guide rail one by one, the coins travel along the guide rails in order so as to be pushed by the next coin to be fed.

The first removal means 110 removes stains attached to the coin taken in from the coin take-in port 101 using at least water or cleaning liquid. In this case, the dirt adhering to the coin is mainly removed by bringing the brushes into contact with each other so as to sandwich the coin from both sides of the coin. Further, by wetting the brush and/or the coin with the water or cleaning liquid stored in the tank through the tube pump, the dirt adhering to the coin can be easily removed.

The second removing means 120 removes stains remaining on the coins that have passed through the first removing means 110 . Here, dirt remaining on the coin is mainly removed by bringing the removing members into contact with each other so as to sandwich the coin from both sides of the coin. As the removing member constituting the second removing means 120, a finer brush than the brush included in the first removing means 110 is used, for example, a soft and fine brush or a sponge material.

Using a sponge material as the removing member can remove the remaining dirt that could not be completely removed by the first removing means 110, and the water or cleaning liquid used in the first removing means 110 adheres to the coin. can be absorbed as well.

Drying means 130 dries the coins that have passed through second removing means 120 . Specifically, the coin is dried by blowing air onto the coin.

Since water or cleaning liquid is used in the first removing means 110, even if the second removing means 120 absorbs the water adhering to the coin, the concave and convex portions of the coin in particular absorb all of the water. There is also the possibility that it remains unabated. Such residual moisture may cause the coins to deteriorate, causing dirt to accumulate and dirt to easily adhere to the coins.

A drying means 130 dries and removes moisture remaining on the coin to prevent the coin from deteriorating and to reduce the accumulation of dirt on the coin and the easy adhesion of dust to the coin.

The wiping means 140 wipes the coins that have passed through the drying means 130 . As described above, remaining moisture on the coin induces deterioration of the coin and causes dirt and dust to accumulate, so it is preferable to thoroughly remove the moisture. The wiping means 140 thoroughly removes moisture and completes the coin cleaning sequence by wiping the coin with, for example, a dry sponge or cloth.

Then, coins are ejected one by one from the coin ejection port 102 .

In the series of coin cleaning methods described above, a coin taken in from the coin take-in port 101 passes through the first removing means 110, the second removing means 120, the drying means 130, and the wiping means 140 in this order along the guide rail. It is executed by passing through and ejecting to the coin ejection port 102 .

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a coin washing method 500 performed by the coin washing unit 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, the coin washing method 500 includes a first removing step 510, a second removing step 520, a drying step 530, and a wiping step 540. It is performed by removing means 120 , drying means 130 and wiping means 140 in sequence.

Here, the first removing means 110, the second removing means 120, the drying means 130, and the wiping means 140 are arranged so as to incline from bottom to top, and water or cleaning liquid can be collected at the bottom. This prevents the dried coins from getting wet again. More specifically, while the water or cleaning liquid used in the first removing means 110 (first removing step 510) remains attached to the coin, the second removing means 120 (second removing step 520), the drying means 130 (drying step 530), or wiping means 140 (wiping step 540), the first removing means 110, the second removing means 120, the drying means 130, and the wiping means 140 move from below to above. Since it is arranged so as to incline to , there is a low possibility that it will stay on the coin outlet 102 side, and it will be collected, for example, in a drain tank arranged near the first removal means 110 .

As described above, according to the coin washing unit 100, the coin washing apparatus 10 incorporating the coin washing unit 100, and the coin washing method 500 according to the embodiment of the present invention, when washing the coin, the first removing means 110 and the second removing means 120 to remove dirt, drying by the drying means 130, and further wiping by the wiping means 140, so that moisture remaining on the surface of the coin is reduced and dirt remains on the surface of the coin. , and the coin can be washed more cleanly.

In the present embodiment, the coins are delivered from the coin hopper to the coin inlet 101 one by one, but the present invention is not limited to this. , respectively, may be configured to send out coins.

Next, the first removing means 110, the second removing means 120, the drying means 130, and the wiping means 140, which constitute the coin washing unit 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention, will be described in more detail. explain.

6A and 6B are a plan view and a front view showing the internal structure of the coin washing unit 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 6, a first removing means 110, a second removing means 120, a drying means 130, and a wiping means 140 are arranged in order, and the first removing means 110, the second removing means 120, and the wiping means As for the means 140, similar members are arranged above and below a guide rail through which coins pass.

A motor 150 is also provided, and the motor 150 controls rotation of an endless belt in the second removing means 120 and an endless belt in the wiping means 140, which will be described later.

<Specific Configuration of First Removal Means 110>
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the first removal means 110 in the coin washing unit 100 according to one embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the first removal means 110 in the coin washing unit 100 according to one embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing details of means 110; The first removing means 110 includes a first brush unit 111 , a first mounting member 112 , a second mounting member 113 and a second brush unit 114 .

The first brush unit 111 has a downwardly extending brush, and the first mounting member 112 is provided with holes corresponding to the arrangement (shape) of the brush. The first brush unit 111 is attached to the first attachment member 112 in a state in which the brush is fitted into the hole and protrudes downward. The first brush unit 111 and the first mounting member 112 are typically fixed and mounted with screws or the like.

The second brush unit 114 has an upwardly extending brush, and the second mounting member 113 is provided with holes corresponding to the arrangement (shape) of the brush. The second brush unit 114 is attached to the second attachment member 113 in a state in which the brush is fitted into the hole and protrudes upward. The second brush unit 114 and the second mounting member 113 are typically fixed and mounted with screws or the like.

As shown in FIG. 7, the first brush unit 111 is attached to the first attachment member 112 so that a part (tip) of the brush protrudes downward, and the second brush unit 114 is attached to the second attachment member 112. A part (tip) of the brush attached to the member 113 protrudes upward. The brushes of the first brush unit 111 and the brushes of the second brush unit 114 face each other, and the coin passes through the conveying path 103 formed in the gap between them.

The first removing means 110 removes stains adhering to the coin by contacting brushes so as to sandwich the coin from both sides of the coin.

Here, the first brush unit 111 and the second brush unit 114 have the same configuration, and are arranged so that the brush portions face each other in a kind of common member. Since a kind of common member can be applied, efficiency of productivity and cost reduction can be achieved.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the first brush unit 111 (second brush unit 114) that constitutes the first removing means 110 in the coin washing unit 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the front view of FIG. 9(A), a group of brushes 111A are arranged in a tapered shape along the direction of movement of the coin. Here, a total of three brush groups similar to the group of brushes 111A are arranged along the advancing direction of the coin.

The group of brushes 111A is composed of left and right brush groups, and the left and right brush groups may be configured to be bilaterally symmetrical along the direction of movement of the coin. They are arranged staggered (unevenly) in the direction of travel.

In this way, the group of brushes 111A is arranged in a tapered shape along the direction in which the coin travels, so that when the coin passes through the transport path 103, it is less likely that the coin will be caught by the brush and prevented from progressing. be done.

The first brush unit 111 and the second brush unit 114 have the same configuration, and if the members having the same configuration are arranged facing each other so as to sandwich the passing coin from both sides, a group of brushes can be formed. Since the left and right brush groups of the brushes 111A are arranged to be offset in the direction in which the coin advances, the brushes are arranged to be offset from each other in the vertical direction. In other words, when the coin passes through the conveying path 103, the brushes come into contact with each other from above and below. , the brush is in contact with only one side of the coin.

As a result, it is possible to further reduce the possibility of impeding the movement of the coin due to the pressing force from both sides of the coin.

The brush used here has a certain length as shown in FIG. 9, but it is not limited to this. Where possible, brushes of different lengths may be used depending, for example, on the size, shape and material of the coin and on the location of the brush. Also, the hardness of the brushes may be the same, or brushes having different hardnesses may be used depending on the arrangement position.

<Specific Configuration of Second Removal Means 120>
The second removing means 120 removes residual fine dirt that has not been completely removed by the first removing means 110 . More specifically, the first removing means 110 removes the dirt adhering to the coin with a brush while using water or a cleaning liquid. The water or cleaning liquid used in 110 may adhere to the coin. The second removing means 120 uses a removing member that is finer than the brush included in the first removing means 110 to remove residual fine dirt that has not been completely removed by the first removing means 110 .

The second removing means 120 removes stains remaining on the coin by bringing the removing members into contact with each other so as to sandwich the coin from both sides of the coin. The removing member constituting the second removing means 120 is, for example, a soft and fine brush or a sponge material.

Using a sponge material as the removing member can remove the remaining dirt that could not be completely removed by the first removing means 110, and the water or cleaning liquid used in the first removing means 110 adheres to the coin. can be absorbed as well. It can also be said that the dirt lifted up by the effect of the water and cleaning liquid in the first removing means 110 is wiped off with a sponge.

The removing member in the second removing means 120 removes stains remaining on the coin that cannot be completely removed by the first removing means 110, and also absorbs water or cleaning liquid. For this reason, dirt and moisture may accumulate on the removing member, and if the removing member with such accumulated dirt and moisture is continuously used, the coins cannot be washed, and conversely, There is also a risk of dirtying the coin.

Therefore, the removing member in the second removing means 120 is composed of an endless belt as shown in FIG. 6, and the endless belt runs in the same direction as the coin running direction. As a result, since the portion that abuts on the coin does not remain in one place, it is possible to reduce local wear and staining of part of the removing member. In addition, it is made to run in the same direction as the coin so as not to hinder the running of the coin.

Further, the running of the endless belt is typically driven and controlled by a motor 150, and the running speed of the endless belt is set slower than the running speed of the coins. As a result, it is possible to reliably remove dirt remaining on the coin without affecting the running of the coin.

The direction and speed in which the endless belt runs is not limited to this. and the opposite direction. If the direction in which the endless belt runs is opposite to the direction in which the coins run, the friction between the removing member and the coins increases, and dirt and moisture remaining on the coins can be removed more reliably.

In addition, a constricted portion 121 that sandwiches the removal member is provided at a predetermined position in rotation of the endless belt. Since the constricted portion 121 squeezes out moisture absorbed by the removing member by sandwiching the removing member, the moisture absorbed by the removing member is prevented from accumulating while the removing member is continuously used. At the same time, dirt absorbed by the removing member can be discharged together with the squeezed out moisture.

Needless to say, as shown in FIG. 6, the configuration of the removing member in the second removing means 120 is the same on the upper and lower sides (front and back sides) of the coin.

<Specific Configuration of Drying Means 130>
FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing details of the drying means 130 in the coin washing unit 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 10, the drying means 130 includes a duct 131 for sending airflow generated by a blower or the like to the coins. 131 and exits from the coin outlet 131B on the opposite side.

Inside the duct 131, the coin passing through is blown by the air current sent from the blower or is hit by the air current that is stagnant to dry the coin. As described above, the removing member such as the sponge in the second removing means 120 absorbs the water adhering to the coins, but the drying means 130 removes the water remaining on the coins by blowing air.

Even if moisture remains on the coin without being absorbed by the second removing means 120, the coin can be efficiently dried by blowing air.

Furthermore, since the duct 131 is provided with a coin entrance portion 131A through which coins enter, the wind is output from the coin entrance portion 131A toward the second removal means 120 . As a result, even if moisture adheres to the coin, the moisture flows toward the second removing means 120 along the flow of the wind, and the moisture can be collected downward.

On the other hand, since the duct 131 is provided with a coin exit portion 131B through which coins exit, wind is output from the coin exit portion 131B toward the wiping means 140 . As a result, even if the wiping means 140 becomes wet after wiping off the water adhering to the coin, the wiping means 140 can be dried.

The duct 131 has an airflow adjustment means 131C inside the duct 131 so that the airflow sent into the duct 131 can hit the coin more efficiently, so that the moisture adhering to the coin can be blown away more efficiently. is provided. In addition, the airflow adjustment means 131C is also configured to efficiently output air from the inside of the duct 131 toward the coin entrance portion 131A and the coin exit portion 131B.

Here, since the coin entrance portion 131A and the coin exit portion 131B are used as the openings through which the airflow is output from the duct 131, there is no need to separately provide an opening for sending the airflow, thereby improving productivity. And cost reduction becomes possible. However, in addition to the coin entrance portion 131A and the coin exit portion 131B, an opening may be provided separately when an airflow is output to send the air in a desired direction or when the amount of air is adjusted.

<Specific Configuration of Wiping Means 140>
As described above, the water adhering to the coin is removed by the second removing means 120 and the drying means 130, and almost no water remains when the coin exits the duct 131. However, in the unlikely event that a small amount of moisture remains on the coin, the coin is finally wiped off by the wiping means 140 to more reliably remove the moisture.

The wiping means 140 uses a wiping member for wiping away moisture remaining on the coin, thereby wiping away remaining moisture that could not be removed by the second removing means 120 and the drying means 130 .

The wiping means 140 wipes away water remaining on the coin by contacting the wiping members so as to sandwich the coin from both sides of the coin. The wiping member constituting the wiping means 140 is, for example, a soft and fine sponge material or cloth material. are wiping out.

Since the wiping member of the wiping means 140 absorbs moisture in the same way as the removing member of the second removing means 120, there is a possibility that the moisture will accumulate, and once the wiping member absorbs the moisture, it will be in a wet state. As a result, it becomes easier for dirt and dust to adhere. Continuing to use the wiping member in which dirt and moisture have accumulated in this way will not clean the coins, and conversely, there is a risk that the coins will become soiled.

Therefore, the wiping member in the wiping means 140 is composed of an endless belt as shown in FIG. 6, and the endless belt runs in the same direction as the running direction of the coins. As a result, since the portion that abuts on the coin does not remain in one place, it is possible to reduce local wear and staining of a portion of the wiping member. In addition, it is made to run in the same direction as the coin so as not to hinder the running of the coin.

Further, the running of the endless belt is typically driven and controlled by a motor 150, and the running speed of the endless belt is set slower than the running speed of the coins. As a result, it is possible to reliably wipe away moisture remaining on the coin without affecting the running of the coin.

The direction and speed in which the endless belt runs is not limited to this. and the opposite direction. If the direction in which the endless belt runs is opposite to the direction in which the coins run, the friction between the wiping member and the coins increases, and moisture remaining on the coins can be wiped off more reliably.

In addition, a constricted portion 141 for sandwiching the wiping member is provided at a predetermined position in rotation of the endless belt. The constricted portion 141 squeezes out moisture absorbed by the wiping member by sandwiching the wiping member, so that the moisture absorbed by the wiping member is prevented from accumulating while the wiping member is continuously used. At the same time, dirt absorbed by the wiping member can be discharged together with the squeezed out moisture.

Needless to say, as shown in FIG. 6, the configuration of the removing member in the wiping means 140 is the same on the upper and lower sides (front and back sides) of the coin.

As described above, the wiping means 140 can more reliably remove moisture that has not been removed by the second removing means 120 and the drying means 130 for finishing.

Here, the wiping means 140 functions to reliably wipe off moisture remaining on the coin, but it is conceivable that the wiping means 140 will become wet when the moisture is wiped off. As described above, although the water absorbed by the constricted portion 141 is squeezed out, a very small amount of water that cannot be squeezed out by the constricted portion 141 may remain.

The wiping means 140 is intended to finish by wiping off a small amount of water remaining on the coin at the final stage. When the wiping means 140 itself is wet, it should not conversely adhere water to the coin or induce dirt, and water should not remain on the wiping means 140 even if it is a very small amount. It is necessary to

Therefore, as described above, the duct 131 is provided with the coin exit portion 131B through which the coin exits. are dried. Furthermore, if the wiping member in the wiping means 140 is an endless belt, it can be dried not only in one place but in order.

The wiping means 140 has the same structure as the above-described second removing means 120, and the wiping member in the wiping means 140 and the removing member in the second removing means 120 use the same sponge member. In this way, since a kind of common member can be applied, it is possible to improve productivity and reduce costs.

Also, the motor 150 for controlling the endless belts in the second removing means 120 and the wiping means 140 is commonly used. Each endless belt may be controlled at the same speed depending on, for example, the size, shape and material of the coin, or may be controlled at different speeds depending on the intervening gears.

Furthermore, although only one motor 150 is arranged in the vicinity of the drying means 130 in the present embodiment, it is not limited to this. may be applied to two motors, and may be arranged at an appropriate position according to the position of the power supply or other configurations.

<Connection with other devices>
The coins that have passed through the wiping means 140 and reached the coin discharge port 102 are in a state in which they have been thoroughly washed and moisture has been thoroughly removed. Usually, the coins ejected from the coin ejection port 102 are then used in game machines such as slot machines, automatic vending machines, coin identification (sorting) machines, and automatic teller machines (ATMs) installed in financial institutions and the like. ) and the like, but if a connection guide is connected to the coin ejection port 102, the coin can be directly led to these other devices where the coin is used.

In this way, if the washed coins are directly guided to another device in which the coins are used, the coins washed by the coin washing device 10 are taken out and separately transported to another device in which the coins are used. Man-hours can be reduced.

For example, the connection guide may be configured to be simply connected with screws in accordance with the coin ejection port 102, or may be configured to utilize a slide mechanism or the like to facilitate removal.

In this embodiment, the front and back sides (both sides) of the coin are washed while the coin is passed along the guide rails in a lying state. If the coin can be washed from the front and back sides (both sides) of the coin, such as in a state or a tilted state, the guide rail may be arranged in such a configuration.

In addition, in the present embodiment, coins are used as an example to be cleaned, but the coins referred to here include coins and commemorative coins distributed in various countries, medals used in gaming machines such as slot machines, and chips used in casinos, etc., and should be interpreted in a broad sense.

The above is a detailed description of each embodiment of the present invention. The above description is merely one embodiment, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to this one embodiment, but is interpreted broadly to the extent that a person skilled in the art can comprehend.

The present invention relates to coin (coins, medals, chips) used in game machines such as slot machines, automatic vending machines, coin identification (sorting) machines, automatic teller machines (ATMs) installed in financial institutions, etc. etc.) is useful for a coin washing device or the like.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 coin washing device 100 coin washing unit 101 coin inlet 102 coin outlet 103 transport path 110 first removing means 111 first brush unit 111A group of brushes 112 first mounting member 113 second mounting member 114 second 2 brush unit 120 second removing means 121 removing member 130 drying means 131 duct 131A coin inlet 131B coin outlet 131C airflow adjusting mechanism 140 wiping means 141 wiping member 150 motor 500 coin cleaning method 510 first removing step 520 second 2 removal step 530 drying step 540 wiping step

Claims (20)

A coin washing unit that washes coins while passing them along a guide rail,
a first removing means for removing stains adhering to the coin using at least water or a cleaning liquid;
a second removing means for removing dirt remaining on the coin that has passed through the first removing means;
drying means for drying the coins that have passed through the second removing means;
and a wiping means for wiping the coins that have passed through the drying means,
The first removing means, the second removing means, the drying means, and the wiping means are arranged so as to incline upward in order ,
In the first removing means, a plurality of brush units each having at least one group of brushes arranged in a tapered shape along the advancing direction of the coin are used to hold the group of brushes so as to sandwich the coin from both sides of the coin. Removes dirt adhering to the coin by abutting,
the at least one group of brushes are arranged to be offset from each other when arranged to face the coin;
The plurality of brush units are attached to a mounting member provided with holes into which the group of brushes can be inserted, and the at least one group of brushes protrudes from the holes of the mounting member. A coin washing unit characterized by: The plurality of brush units are arranged to face each other in the vertical direction, and the mounting member attached to the lower brush unit is provided with the guide rail for passing the coin, 2. A coin washing unit according to claim 1, wherein said guide rail is provided with said hole. 3. The coin washing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drying means includes a duct for sending an air current to said coins, and blows air to the coins that have passed through said second removing means. unit. 4. The coin washing unit according to claim 3 , wherein said duct is configured to send an airflow also to said second removing means side. 5. The coin washing unit according to claim 3 , wherein said duct is configured to send an airflow also to said wiping means. The duct is provided with an opening through which the coin passes, and an air current is sent from the inside of the duct to the side of the second removing means and/or the side of the wiping means through the opening. The coin washing unit according to any one of claims 3 to 5 , wherein: 7. The coin washing unit according to claim 1, wherein said second removing means is composed of a removing member finer than the brush included in said first removing means. 8. The second removing means removes stains remaining on the coin by bringing the removing members into contact with each other so as to sandwich the coin from both sides of the coin. coin washing unit described in . 9. The coin washing unit according to claim 7 , wherein said removing member comprises an endless belt running in the same direction as said coin. 10. The coin washing unit according to claim 9 , wherein the speed at which the endless belt travels is slower than the speed at which the coins travel. 11. The coin washing unit according to claim 10 , wherein a constricted portion sandwiching said removal member is provided at a predetermined position in rotation of said endless belt. 12. The coin washing unit according to claim 1 , wherein said wiping means comprises a wiping member for wiping away moisture remaining on said coin. 13. The wiping device according to claim 12 , wherein the wiping means wipes away moisture remaining on the coin by bringing the wiping members into contact with each other so as to sandwich the coin from both sides of the coin. coin washing unit. 14. The coin washing unit according to claim 12 , wherein the wiping member is composed of an endless belt running in the same direction as the coin. 15. The coin washing unit according to claim 14 , wherein the running speed of the endless belt is slower than the running speed of the coins. 16. The coin washing unit according to claim 15 , wherein a constricted portion sandwiching said wiping member is provided at a predetermined position in rotation of said endless belt. 17. The coin washing unit according to claim 1, wherein said second removing means and said wiping means have the same structure. A coin washing device incorporating the coin washing unit according to any one of claims 1 to 17 . 19. The coin washing device according to claim 18 , further comprising a connecting guide that guides the coin that has passed through said wiping means to another device in which said coin is used. A coin washing method performed by a coin washing unit that washes coins while passing them along a guide rail,
a first removing step of removing dirt adhering to the coin using at least water or a cleaning liquid;
a second removing step of removing stains remaining on the coin after the first removing step;
a drying step of drying the coin after the second removing step;
a wiping step of wiping the coin after the drying step ;
In the first removing step, a plurality of brush units each having at least one group of brushes arranged in a tapered shape along the advancing direction of the coin are used to sandwich the coin from both sides of the coin. Removes dirt adhering to the coin by abutting,
The at least one group of brushes are arranged to be offset from each other when arranged to face the coin,
The plurality of brush units are attached to a mounting member provided with holes into which the group of brushes can be inserted, and the at least one group of brushes protrudes from the holes of the mounting member. A coin washing method characterized by:

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