JP5753881B2 - Cleaning medal and cleaning method in medal transport passage in medal game machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to the maintenance and management of medal game machines (also called coin game machines) and slot machines, and more specifically, in the process of using these game machines, medals (or coins) are pushed out in rows in the diameter direction. In a medal game machine or slot machine (hereinafter also referred to as a medal game machine) equipped with a medal transport passage for transporting (passing through), etc., by passing the medal transport passage, Cleaning medals (adherent removal medals) used for removing and cleaning (cleaning) foreign substances (attachments) remaining on or adhering to the wall surface, and medal transport passages using the medals It is related with the inside cleaning method (attachment removal method).

  When playing the game with the medal game machine 100 illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the player 50 enters the medal slot 105 provided on the front surface 103 of the medal purchased or borrowed at the game store (game store). The game is played by inserting a coin (disk-shaped medal for game) made of metal and operating the start lever 107 and the like. When the “winning” is achieved, a corresponding number of medals 10 are passed through a medal transport passage (a passage through which medals to be paid out are flown; hereinafter referred to as a transport passage or simply a passage) 130, etc. It is paid out to the tray 111 from the payout port 109 provided in. On the other hand, in the case of “separation”, the inserted medal 10 is collected in a medal pool hopper 120 arranged in the lower part of the medal game machine 100. In the hopper 120 for storing medals, a large number of medals 10 are stored (accumulated) in advance as stocks for payout, and these medals (groups) and the collected “off” medals are prepared for payout. ing.

  The medals to be paid out in response to the “winning” are successively sent out from the bottom of the hopper 120 by a medal transport device (medal feeding means) including the hopper 120. As shown in FIG. 8, the medals 10 in the hopper 120 are, for example, arranged on the bottom or lower part of the hopper 120 and are rotated up and down in the vicinity of the lower part of the hopper 120 by a rotating plate 127 rotated by a motor 125. The medal is sequentially sent below the medal conveyance path 130 extending in the direction of the medals, and is pushed upward in the conveyance path 130 in a row in the diameter direction of the medals (see, for example, Patent Document 1 (FIGS. 3-5)). . Then, the medals 10 pushed up in a row in the medal transport path 130 are discharged at the upper discharge port 132, and, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, the medal transport path including the shooter 150 slides by gravity. It is dropped and supplied to the tray 111 from the medal payout opening 109 provided on the front surface 103 of the gaming machine 100 as described above.

  By the way, in such a game machine 100, the number of medals passing through the medal transport passage 130 reaches tens of thousands per day when the number is large. For this reason, the surface of the medal or the plating formed on the surface of the medal due to friction between the medal and the same path (inner wall), contact between the medals, and collision, etc. Small metal pieces (or powder) separate and fall off. Further, during the game of the game machine 100, since the medal is held by the hand of the player 50, the dirt, moisture, and oil are attached to the medal. Moreover, floating dust and cigarette smoke exist in the game hall. For this reason, in the medal conveyance path 130, foreign matters such as fine metal pieces, hand dust, moisture, etc. remain, adhere and accumulate. For this reason, the medals become dirty or the hands of the player 50 who handles the medals become dirty. As a serious problem, medals to be paid out by winning, for example, are clogged in the middle of the medal transport passage 130 or the like due to the presence of foreign matter (attachment) remaining in the medal transport passage 130 or the like. In some cases, medals are not paid out, that is, a malfunction of the game machine occurs.

  In order to solve such problems, conventionally, medals are appropriately washed, or members constituting the passage are disassembled in accordance with occurrence of clogging, and the inner surface is wiped (cleaned) with a waste cloth or the like. Measures were taken. On the other hand, using a cleaning tool (hereinafter also referred to as a cleaning medal) that covers the surface of a medal-shaped base material (metal member) with a protective layer (for example, a fiber layer) that can be cleaned, There has been proposed an invention in which a medal for a game machine (hereinafter also referred to as a regular medal) is passed (runs) through a medal conveyance path of a game machine (see FIGS. 1 and 2 of Patent Document 2). That is, according to the present invention, when the cleaning medal passes, the foreign matter remaining or falling in the passage is collected by adhering (adsorbing) to the protective layer formed on the surface of the cleaning medal. (To clean).

JP 2010-92313 A JP 2008-279098 A

  However, in the cleaning method in the medal transport passage by passing (running) the cleaning medal, the cleaning medal itself is caused or tangled and jammed in the passage (medal transport stops). According to the applicant's investigation, the invention has not been put into practical use at present. The inventors of the present application have studied the occurrence of the clogging while repeating a number of experiments, and found the following. Firstly, the “clogging” involving cleaning medals often causes the medal sent from the bottom of the hopper 120 to be placed below the medal conveyance passage 130 extending vertically as shown in FIG. It is generated at or near the direction change site (upward direction change site) 131c to be transferred. Secondly, as shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, the form of the clogging is the rear end (outer periphery) of the regular medal 10 preceding in the upward upward direction changing portion 131 c or in the vicinity thereof. The front end (outer peripheral surface) of the cleaning medal 61 to push it up, or the opposite shape as shown in FIG. 10, that is, after the preceding cleaning medal 61 This is a time when the tip (outer peripheral surface) of the regular medal 10 that tries to push up the end (outer peripheral surface) is projecting. This is because, as shown in FIG. 11, the medal transport passage 130 has an opening (passage) having a rectangular cross section that is slightly larger than the cross section when the medal is cut in the diametrical direction so that the medal does not rattle. However, for ease of maintenance, the inside of the circumference is not a closed passage (tunnel-shaped passage), and the inside of the medal usually has a lip groove shape so that one side of the medal can be visually observed. Will be confirmed.

  Incidentally, in FIG. 11, such a passage is configured as follows. That is, when the longitudinal direction of the steel plate strip 133 is the flow direction (vertical direction), the medal 10 has a predetermined interval K1 that is slightly larger than the diameter of the medal 10 in the width direction of one side of the strip 133. A thin and long plate (intervening plate) 135 having a thickness T1 slightly thicker than the thickness is fixed and shallow by screwing a screw member, for example, not shown, along the left and right end portions (both sides) of one side. A groove is formed so that the medal 10 can slide along the one side of the groove and the medal 10 is prevented from falling off. Then, the two other elongated strips (cover strips) 137 are fixed by screwing screws (not shown) so that the medal transport passage 130 It is.

  Under such circumstances, the inventors of the present application inferred the cause of such clogging as follows. A passage portion 131a in the vicinity of the inlet 131 of the medal transport passage 130 which starts to send out medals from the bottom of the hopper 120 is inclined upward. For this reason, at the start of the delivery, the medals are pushed out in a row in the diametrical direction with the main surface (circular plane) seated (flatly placed) on the flat passage surface of the passage portion 131a obliquely upward. Is done. Then, as shown in FIG. 8, in the upward direction changing portion (hereinafter also referred to as a curved portion) 131c where the direction is changed upward (vertically) from the obliquely upward passage portion 131a, as shown in FIG. When viewed from the side, for example, an arc-shaped curve is formed so that the medal can pass. On the other hand, since the upward direction changing portion 131c allows a flat (disk-shaped) medal to pass therethrough, the cross section of the passage depends on the radius of the curve, but the dimension in the thickness direction of the medal is linear. May be larger than its dimensions in the passage. As a result, in such a curved portion 131c, the medal is easy to move in the thickness direction (easy to rattle).

  For this reason, in the curved portion 131c, even when the regular medals are to push the preceding regular medal (group) 10 against their weight, both medals are placed at each end (outer peripheral surface). When pressing each other in the form of contact with each other, both medals try to bend in the passage with the pressing contact as a fulcrum. This is due not only to the gravity of the medals (groups) pushed up, but also to the frictional resistance between them and the passage, vibrations generated in the push-up drive, and vibrations caused by medals colliding with each other. It is thought that there is. However, in this case, when the regular medals are pressed against each other, the outer peripheral surfaces are made of metal and are slippery, and even if such bending is caused by the action of vibration or the like, the bending is sequentially corrected. Or, since it will be eliminated naturally, the passage of medals will proceed without interruption.

  On the other hand, as shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, the front end (outer peripheral surface) of the cleaning medal 61 is mutually opposite to the rear end (outer peripheral surface) of the regular medal 10 at the curved portion 131 c. When the two medals are bent with the pressing contact F1 as a fulcrum, the outer peripheral surface of the cleaning medal 61 is connected to the corner of the rear end of the regular medal 10 (the main surface 13 and the outer peripheral surface). The angle formed by 15 (hereinafter also simply referred to as a corner) may be pressed. Here, a relatively soft protective layer (for example, a fiber layer) 70 is formed on the outer peripheral surface (also referred to as the outer peripheral surface of the cleaning medal 61) 65 of the medal body (metal disk) forming the cleaning medal 61. Therefore, the corner of the leading regular medal 10 at the rear end, that is, the corner of the metal formed by the main surface 13 and the outer peripheral surface 15 digs into the protective layer 70 in a state close to point contact. In this way, when the cleaning medal 61 and the regular medal 10 are pressed against each other, both medals bite at the contact point F1 and bend in the passage 130 with the biting point as a fulcrum. Since the outer surface of both medals does not slip as in the case of metal, the bending does not resolve naturally, and the medals are promoted in the passage in the thickness direction of the medals. Locking that stops (progress) occurs. This is thought to be the main cause of clogging. In addition, as shown in FIG. 10, such bite is caused by the corners (the main surface 13 and the outer peripheral surface of the regular medal 10) which pushes the protective layer 70 on the outer peripheral surface 65 of the preceding cleaning medal 61 on the protective layer 70. This also occurs in the case where the angle formed by (15) is in contact, and it is considered that clogging is likely to occur even in this case. The cleaning medal 61 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 is formed with a protective layer 70 so as to cover the entire surface including both main surfaces and the outer peripheral surface 65, but it is easy to understand. Therefore, the protective layer 70 on the outer peripheral surface 65 is shown only on the contact side with the regular medal 10.

  Based on the above inference, the inventors of the present invention use a cleaning medal that exposes the metal surface without forming a protective layer (foreign matter removing means) on the outer peripheral surface 65, and mix this with a regular medal. Then, an experiment was conducted to pass the medal transport passage having the curved portion described above. As a result, it has been found that the occurrence of clogging involving cleaning medals can be substantially eliminated. This means that the above reasoning is true. Moreover, it has been found that even if the outer peripheral surface 65 is not provided with a protective layer (foreign matter removing means) that is a cleaning means, the cleaning performance is not deteriorated. This is recognized from the result that the occurrence of clogging during the game, which has occurred in the past, can be eliminated by cleaning the passage by using such a cleaning medal. The foreign matter removing means provided on the cleaning medal can be said to have a higher performance if it is provided on both sides of the medal (main surface), but the frictional resistance when passing through the passage is only provided on one side. Therefore, the risk of clogging can be further reduced. In addition, in the use of the cleaning medal having the foreign matter removing means on one side, the passage is made by passing a larger number of them through the passage than the cleaning medal having the cleaning means on both main surfaces. It was also confirmed that internal cleaning could be sufficient.

  The present invention has been made on the basis of the above knowledge, and is a cleaning medal suitable for cleaning the medal transport passage by passing through the medal transport passage, which passes through the passage. In this process, it is possible to prevent clogging of medals caused by the cleaning medal itself or entangled with the cleaning medal, thereby enabling cleaning in the passage without trouble.

The present invention according to claim 1 is a cleaning medal in which cleaning means capable of cleaning the inside of the medal transport passage is provided on the surface of the medal main body itself by passing the medal transport passage in the medal game machine.
While the cleaning means is provided on both main surfaces of the surface of the medal main body, the outer peripheral surface exposes the metal surface of the medal main body , and the outer peripheral surface is knurled. It is characterized by being given .
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the cleaning medal, the cleaning means capable of cleaning the inside of the medal transport passage by passing the medal transport passage in the medal game machine is provided on the surface of the medal main body.
The cleaning means is provided on one main surface of the surface of the medal main body, the metal surface of the medal main body is exposed on the other main surface and the outer peripheral surface , and the outer peripheral surface And knurled .

The present invention described in claim 3 is the cleaning medal according to any one of claims 1 and 2 , wherein the knurling is a flat knurling.

The present invention according to claim 4, wherein the cleaning medal, characterized in that it comprises an identification means which can be identified by visual regular medals, according to any one of claims 1 to 3 This is a cleaning medal.
According to the present invention, the foreign object to be cleaned remaining in or attached to the medal transport passage for pushing and transporting regular medals in a row in the diameter direction of the medal game machine. A cleaning method for removing or cleaning a medal conveyance passage in a medal game machine,
A cleaning medal according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the medal transport passage is cleaned by passing the medal transport passage through the medal transport passage. It is a cleaning method.

  In the cleaning medal according to the present invention, as described above, cleaning means (attachment removing means, foreign matter removing means or cleaning means) is provided on both main surfaces or one of the main surfaces of the medal body. Although provided, a metal surface is exposed on the outer peripheral surface. For this reason, by passing such a cleaning medal through the medal transport passage, the cleaning means leaves or adheres to the medal transport passage foreign matter (hereinafter also referred to as a deposit). ) Is removed or cleaned, the cleaning effect is obtained in substantially the same manner as before. In addition, according to the present invention, the metal surface of the medal main body is exposed on the outer peripheral surface of the medal main body without providing a cleaning means. It is possible to prevent occurrence of clogging due to entanglement caused by a cleaning medal, which has conventionally occurred, in the part (direction changing part).

  That is, the cleaning medal according to the present invention is not provided with cleaning means (for example, a fiber layer) on its outer peripheral surface as in the past. For this reason, even if the cleaning medal and the regular medal are pressed against each other on the outer peripheral surface at the curved part, and bent at the contact point as a fulcrum, the corner of either medal is the other medal. It does not bite into the outer peripheral surface of the. That is, the corner of a regular medal (metal medal) does not bite into a flexible protective layer (for example, a fiber layer) which is a cleaning means provided on the outer peripheral surface like a conventional cleaning medal, Even if the medals push against each other and bend at the contact point, the medals come into contact with each other, so that they can easily return to their original posture by vibrations or the like. For this reason, since the locking is caused in the passage and the movement is not stopped, the occurrence of the clogging accident is prevented.

  In the present invention, removal (cleaning) of the deposits remaining (existing) or adhering in the medal transport passage by the cleaning medal is performed by the cleaning means during the passage. It is performed by rubbing or wiping or adsorbing. In the present invention, since the metal surface is exposed on the outer peripheral surface of the surface of the medal main body, it means that no cleaning means is provided on the outer peripheral surface, but a cleaning medal is manufactured. In the process, that is, in the process of providing the cleaning means on the main surface of the medal body, a part of the cleaning means may be unavoidably added to the outer peripheral surface. Therefore, in the present invention, exposing the metal surface of the medal main body to the outer peripheral surface does not mean that the metal surface of the medal main body is completely exposed to the outer peripheral surface. In addition, the metal surface of the medal main body includes the plating when the main body is plated. That is, the medal body includes a plated medal body. The medal is usually a disk-shaped medal, but the cleaning medal according to the present invention is a disk-shaped medal (for example, a ring-shaped disk). Or a coin with a hole). Here, the disc shape does not mean an accurate circle. The cleaning means to be formed on the main surface is preferably the entire surface (entire), but may be 50% or more of the total area.

Moreover, cleaning medals invention, knurling is made on the outer peripheral surface of medals body exposed metal surface. In the manufacturing process of the cleaning medal according to the present invention, as a cleaning means on the main surface of the medal body, for example, when a fiber layer or the like is formed by bonding fibers by spraying, the spray material is applied to the main surface. (Fine, fine fibers) are usually sprayed vertically, but some of them may still wrap around and adhere to the outer peripheral surface. In this case, when the outer peripheral surface of the medal main body is knurled, even if the spraying material adheres around the outer peripheral surface, it can be inserted into the concave portion of the knurled surface. Thereby, even if the cleaning means is inevitably partially formed on the outer peripheral surface, the contact between the outer peripheral surfaces with the regular medal can be secured between the metals. Therefore, a portion on the outer peripheral surface, even if the cleaning means exist, the corners of the regular medals, cut with prevent bites into the outer circumferential surface. The knurling may be agile, but it is preferable that the knurling be flat because the medal is thin and the cleaning means (for example, fibers) can easily enter the concave and convex portions of the knurling.

  Further, the cleaning of the medal transport passage by using the cleaning medal according to the present invention can be performed by using only one of them and passing through the medal transport passage, but in a large number of regular medals (group), An appropriate number of these may be mixed and performed, for example, at a test run before the start of business on the business day of the game machine (game room) or after the end of the business. In this case, after the cleaning is completed, dirt is attached to the surface of the cleaning medal, and it is preferable to take it out from the regular medal group. For this reason, the cleaning medal is preferably provided with an identification means that can visually identify the regular medal. As this means, for example, a color different from a regular medal may be attached to the cleaning means. Further, it is preferable to add or form a visual identification means such as a fluorescent agent. By doing so, it can be easily distinguished, and the recovery is also easy. The medal body may be made of an appropriate metal (plate) such as brass, iron, or stainless steel.

  The cleaning means in the cleaning medal according to the present invention is a means capable of scraping or wiping or adhering the adhering matter adhering to the inner wall surface of the medal transport passage by friction or rubbing when passing through the passage. Any material that is suitable for cleaning (cleaning), such as cotton or chemical fiber (woven fabric, non-woven fabric), may be used. Preferably, it is suitable to be fluffy like a brush or feathers on the main surface (circular surface) of the medal body when viewed microscopically with moderate flexibility. In particular, the cleaning means has a brush-like shape when viewed microscopically as a thing obtained by flocking countless piles (short fibers) by bonding on the main surface of the cleaning medal main body (flocking process). Is preferable. In addition, as described above, the cleaning medal body may be a fiber layer made of woven fabric or non-woven fabric formed by adhesion. Examples of these materials include nylon, rayon, polyester, or acrylic. Chemical fibers made of In addition, a flexible paper (particularly, porous paper) may be bonded or sprayed with fiber or powder, and the medal body may be formed into a layer or a film by bonding.

  Further, in the cleaning medal according to the present invention, in order to improve the cleaning performance of the deposit, the cleaning means is appropriately coated with an appropriate cleaning liquid (for example, ethanol or detergent) having a cleaning action on the surface thereof. May be. In addition, when a conveyance path is a product made from steel materials, it is good to include a rust preventive agent.

The reference medal example-1 of the cleaning medal which concerns on invention different from this invention is shown, A is a front view, B is the center longitudinal cross-sectional view, and its partial enlarged view. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the cleaning medal passing through the medal conveyance passage of the game machine and passing through the curved portion (a cross-sectional view of the passage portion corresponding to the enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 8), and its essentials. FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion (cross-sectional view of a passage portion corresponding to FIG. 9). FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the cleaning medal passing through the medal conveyance passage of the game machine and passing through the curved portion (a cross-sectional view of the passage portion corresponding to the enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 8), and its essentials. FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a portion (cross-sectional view of a passage portion corresponding to FIG. 10). The reference form example-2 of the cleaning medal which concerns on invention different from this invention is shown, A is a front view, B is the center longitudinal cross-sectional view, and its partial enlarged view. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a cleaning medal according to the present invention; FIG. , And its further partial enlarged view, B is the figure which looked at the partial enlarged view of (A) from the outer peripheral surface side (lower part of FIG. 5), and its partial enlarged view. The front (front) figure which illustrates typically schematic structure of the conventional medal game machine (an example). FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a schematic configuration of the game machine in FIG. 6 and a diagram illustrating a medal conveyance path. The medal conveyance apparatus inside the game machine of FIG. 7, the expanded sectional view for description of the medal conveyance path, and the further partial enlarged view of the path. The further enlarged view of the enlarged view P1 in the medal conveyance path | route of FIG. The enlarged view of P2 of the enlarged view in the medal conveyance path | route of FIG. The front view explaining the medal conveyance apparatus of FIG. 8 and its medal conveyance path | route, and the enlarged view of the S1-S1 cross section of the path | route.

Before describing an embodiment in which the cleaning medal according to the present invention is embodied, an embodiment of a cleaning medal according to an invention different from the present invention (hereinafter referred to as a reference embodiment-1) is based on the premise. Will be described with reference to FIG. The cleaning medal 21 in FIG. 1 includes cleaning means (for example, countless numbers) on both main surfaces (circular surfaces) 23 and 23 of a cleaning medal main body (for example, a brass disk, for example, with Ni plating) 20. The nylon pile (short fiber) 30 is not shown in detail, but is provided by flocking in a brush shape when viewed microscopically by adhesion. However, a metal surface made of a metal base (Ni plating layer) forming the medal body 20 is exposed on the outer peripheral surface 25. Note that the cleaning medal 21 of FIG. 1 has substantially the same thickness as the regular medal in a state where the cleaning means 30 is formed. Therefore, the cleaning medal main body 20 is a disk whose overall thickness is slightly thinner than the regular medal. Such a medal body 20 is manufactured by punching from a metal plate having a certain thickness into a medal shape (disc shape), passing through a predetermined finish (for example, deburring step), and then being sent to a plating step. Is done. Thereafter, the main body 20 is provided with a cleaning means 30. The outer diameter of the cleaning medal body 20 is substantially the same as or the same as that of the regular medal.

Therefore, an appropriate number of cleaning medals 21 according to the reference embodiment 1 are mixed in a large number of regular medals, and this is inserted into a hopper of a game machine, for example, in the same manner as in the past. By passing the medal transport passage, the deposits present in the passage are removed by, for example, being wiped off by the cleaning means 30 provided on both main surfaces of the cleaning medal 21, so that the cleaning of the passage is performed. Done. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, when the cleaning medal 21 is fed from a hopper (not shown) and passes through a curved portion 131c that moves to the conveyance path 130 extending in the vertical direction, the cleaning medal When the leading regular medal (the rear end of the outer peripheral surface) 10 is pushed up at the tip of the outer peripheral surface 25 of the 21, the radial dimension of the curve (of the cross section of the part 131 c in the passage ( Since the passage dimension) is large, the tip (upper end in the figure) of the outer peripheral surface 25 of the cleaning medal 21 comes to float, and the rear end corner (the main surface 13 and the outer peripheral surface 15 of the regular medal 10 is connected to the outer peripheral surface 25. Even if they come into contact with each other, the contact (collision) points are both metals (metal surfaces).

  That is, even if the cleaning medal 21 and the regular medal 10 are pressed against each other at the outer peripheral surfaces 25 and 15 at the curved portion 131c and bent with the contact point F2 as a fulcrum, the regular medal 10 This corner does not bite into the outer peripheral surface 25 of the cleaning medal 21. In addition, even if the medals are pressed against each other and bend at the contact point F2, since they are metal-to-metal contacts, they can easily return to their original position due to vibration or the like. Rocking occurs in the passage and the movement is not stopped. Thereby, the occurrence of a clogging accident caused by or entangled with the passage of the cleaning medal 21 is prevented.

In the above, the front end (upper end) of the outer peripheral surface 25 of the cleaning medal 21 of the present reference embodiment-1 hits the rear end of the preceding regular medal 10 and floats based on gravity, resistance, or the like in the push-up. As described in the case, it is clear that the same can be said in the opposite case. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, in the upward curved portion 131 c of the passage, the corner (the main surface 13 and the outer peripheral surface) of the regular medal 10 to push up the outer peripheral surface 25 of the preceding cleaning medal 21 on the outer peripheral surface 25. Even in the case of contact with the outer peripheral surface 25 of the cleaning medal 21, a flexible, for example, fiber layer as the cleaning means 30 is not provided, and the metal surface is exposed. Therefore, there is no occurrence of biting as in the prior art.

Next, the cleaning medal 41 of the reference embodiment example 2 according to the invention different from the present invention will be described with reference to FIG . Although the cleaning means 30 is provided on both the main surfaces 23 and 23, the only difference is that this is provided only on one main surface (one surface) 23. Therefore, only the difference will be described. That is, in the cleaning medal 41 of the present reference embodiment-2 , the other main surface 23 and the outer peripheral surface 25 have a metal surface made of a plating layer forming the medal main body 20 exposed. Therefore, the cleaning medal 41 of the present reference embodiment example 2 is also not provided with the cleaning means 30 on the outer peripheral surface 25, so that the cleaning medal 21 of the reference embodiment example-1 is used. Even when the cleaning medal 41 and the regular medal are pressed against each other at the portion of the upward curve when passing through the passage, the cleaning medal 41 is the same as in the first embodiment. Occurrence of clogging caused by can be prevented in advance. In addition, what formed the cleaning means 30 only in the single side | surface can reduce cost since the formation is easy.

In the cleaning medal 41 of the present reference embodiment-2 , the cleaning means 30 provided on the main surface 23 is only on one side. Therefore, the cleaning efficiency by adsorbing adhering matter etc. is provided on both sides as shown in FIG. Although it is inferior to the cleaning medal 21 shown in FIG. 1, the frictional resistance in passage through the passage is small. Therefore, also in that sense, the effect of preventing clogging is enhanced, and a smooth flow can be secured. Moreover, even if the cleaning means 30 is provided only on one side as described above, both sides of the inner wall surface of the passage are cleaned by using a large number of them and putting them in random or loose, for example, a hopper. Therefore, there is no problem in cleaning performance.

In the cleaning medals 21 and 41 of each of the above-described reference embodiment examples 1 and 2 , the outer peripheral surface 25 of the medal main body 20 forming the cleaning medals 21 and 41 is not specially processed and is smooth (circumferential surface). However , the cleaning medal of the embodiment embodying the cleaning medal according to the present invention is knurled on the outer peripheral surface 25 of such a medal body 20 as shown in FIG. In particular, flat knurling is performed. Like the cleaning medal 51 shown in FIG. 5 , for example, if the outer peripheral surface 25 is provided with irregularities (convex portions 25a, concave portions 25b) forming flat knurling, the following effects can be obtained . . For example, in the case where the fiber layer is formed by spraying and bonding a spray material (fine, microfiber) vertically to the main surface 23 as the cleaning means 30 on the main surface (one surface) 23 of the medal body 20. As long as the outer peripheral surface 25 is not subjected to a process such as masking, a part of the spraying material wraps around and adheres to the outer peripheral surface 25. In this case, when the outer peripheral surface 25 of the medal body 20 is knurled, even if the spray material adheres around the outer peripheral surface 25, the part 30b of the cleaning means 30 has a knurled surface. It is possible to enter the portion formed by the recess 25b of the unevenness (projection 25a and recess 25b). Thereby, even if the cleaning means 30 is inevitably partially formed on the outer peripheral surface 25, the adhesion to the outer peripheral surface 25 can be reduced (ensure the exposure of the metal surface). That is, even when the regular medal (metal) and the outer peripheral surface are pressed against each other, it is possible to ensure the pressing and contact with the metal forming the knurled convex portion 25a.

  In each of the cleaning medals 21, 41, and 51 in each of the above examples, an identification unit (for example, a fluorescent material such as a color or a fluorescent paint) is added to the fiber layer that forms the cleaning unit 30. Good. By doing so, this can be easily distinguished from the regular medals, so that the manager can easily collect them. In the above example, the description has been given based on the fact that clogging is likely to occur in the upward curve portion of the medal transport passage for transporting medals upward from the hopper in the medal transport passage in the game machine. In a state of being pressed together, locking is likely to occur and clogging is likely to occur, but even in such a case, when the cleaning medal according to the present invention is used, it is effective in preventing the occurrence of such a problem.

  In the above embodiment, the case where it is used in a medal game machine has been described. However, the present invention can be widely applied to a game machine having a medal conveyance path in a similar game machine using medals such as a gaming machine such as a slot machine. In the present application, the medal game machine is a medal game machine including a game machine using medals and having various medal transport passages. In addition, the cleaning means in the cleaning medal used in the present invention is not limited to the one in which a myriad of piles (short fibers) are planted, but various kinds of materials that can obtain adhered removal, foreign matter removal, or cleaning (cleaning) performance. What can be embodied is as described above, and it is only necessary to expose the metal surface on the outer peripheral surface, but the degree of exposure is preferably as much as possible.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Regular medal 20 Cleaning medal main body 21, 41, 51 Cleaning medal 23 Main surface of medal main body 25 Outer peripheral surface 30 of cleaning medal Cleaning means 100 Medal game machine 120 Hopper 130 Medal transport passage 131c Curve part of medal transport passage

Claims (5)

In a cleaning medal in which a cleaning means capable of cleaning the inside of the medal transport passage by passing the medal transport passage in the medal game machine is provided on the surface of the medal main body itself,
While the cleaning means is provided on both main surfaces of the surface of the medal main body, the outer peripheral surface exposes the metal surface of the medal main body , and the outer peripheral surface is knurled. A cleaning medal characterized by that . In the cleaning medal provided on the surface of the medal main body, a cleaning means capable of cleaning the inside of the medal transport passage by passing the medal transport passage in the medal game machine.
The cleaning means is provided on one main surface of the surface of the medal main body, the metal surface of the medal main body is exposed on the other main surface and the outer peripheral surface , and the outer peripheral surface A medal for cleaning, which is knurled . The knurling processing, cleaning medals according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that a flat knurled. The cleaning medal according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cleaning medal includes an identification unit capable of visually identifying a regular medal. Among the medal game machines, the medal in the medal game machine that removes or cleans the foreign object to be cleaned remaining in or attached to the medal conveyance passage for pushing and conveying the regular medals in a row in the diameter direction. A cleaning method in the conveyance path,
A cleaning medal according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the medal transport passage is cleaned by passing the medal transport passage through the medal transport passage. Cleaning method.

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