JPH04327878A - Coin for game machine and manufacture thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate the discrimination between a coin for a game machine and similar ones also to provide an excellent antiwear property in its colored part by forming an oxidized anode film on the surface of a coin body made of aluminum or aluminum alloy and coloring the film with dye or pigment. CONSTITUTION:In manufacturing a metal coin for a game machine, a coin body 1 is formed of aluminum or aluminum alloy. While an oxidized anode film 2 is formed on the surface of the coin body 1, the film 2 is colored with dye or pigment. The colored part 3 may have arbitrary pictures (including patterns, symbols, characters, etc.). Brass plated with stainless steel or nickel may be used for the coin body 1 and an oxidized anode film may be formed on the obverse and reverse of the aluminum or aluminum alloy and this film may be conposed of thin sheets colored with the dye and pigment and pasted to each other.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a metal coin for a game machine and a method for manufacturing the same.

0002

[Prior Art and Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Conventionally, coins used in game machines such as slot machines installed in game centers, pachinko parlors, etc. are made of copper.
Many products are made of nickel-plated brass, but these have a monotonous color, shape, and design, so they have little commercial value, and even if similar products are mixed in, they are almost impossible to tell apart, making it difficult to distinguish between them. The problem was that it was very difficult to remove. The same is true for stainless steel coins, which have recently become popular. Furthermore, these coins are heavy and place a burden on the entire peripheral equipment of the game machine, shortening the useful life of the entire peripheral equipment of the game machine. Furthermore, copper-nickel plated brass coins have the disadvantage that nickel adheres to the hands from the plating surface when used, resulting in a peculiar stain and odor.

[0003] The present inventors have also developed coins that have been colored by printing or applying UV ink or UV paint on the surface of copper-nickel plated brass coins, and then applying UV irradiation treatment directly to the surface of the brass. Attempts have been made to produce colored products by printing or applying ink or UV paint and irradiating them with ultraviolet rays, but the adhesion between the colored parts and the metal is weak, the water resistance of the colored parts is low, and the abrasion resistance is insufficient. This made it practically unusable.

[0004] In view of the above points, the present invention is colored with an arbitrary design and can be easily distinguished from similar products, and the colored portion has excellent wear resistance, is lightweight, and is suitable for games. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a coin for a game machine that has the hardness, strength, etc. required for a coin for a game machine.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] That is, the present invention provides (1)
) Coin for game machines, which is made of aluminum or aluminum alloy and has an anodized film formed on the surface of the coin body, and the film is colored with dye or pigment. (2) Coin made of stainless steel or copper-nickel plated brass. The present invention relates to a coin for a game machine, in which an anodized film is formed on the surface of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and thin plates colored with a dye or pigment are pasted together on the front and back sides of the coin body.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A coin for a game machine according to the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a first embodiment of a gaming machine coin according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view thereof taken along line A--A. Note that FIG. 2 is illustrated in an exaggerated manner in the thickness direction of the coin.

In the drawings, reference numeral 1 denotes a coin body made of aluminum or aluminum alloy, and an anodized film 2 is formed on the entire surface of the coin body 1. 3 is a colored part provided on the anodic oxide film 2 on the front and back sides of the coin body, and the colored part 3 may have any pattern (a concept including patterns, symbols, letters, etc., the same applies hereinafter). .

In the first embodiment, the coin body 1 is made of aluminum or aluminum alloy, so it is lightweight, and the entire surface is covered with the anodic oxide film 2, so the surface hardness is high and it is wear resistant. Excellent quality. In addition, it does not have the disadvantages of traditional brass coins with copper-nickel plating, such as the unique stains and odors that stick to your hands. The colored part 3 of the coin body 1 is made by coloring the anodic oxide film 2 with dye or pigment, and is beautiful and has excellent abrasion resistance and durability, so it has high commercial value and is competitive with similar products. It is easy to distinguish, and there is no fear that the colored part will fall off when used in a game machine or when washed.

In the first embodiment, the colored portion 2 may be provided on the entire surface of the coin body 1, or may be provided on a portion thereof. It is usually placed in the center of both the front and back sides of the coin body.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an example of a second embodiment of the game machine coin of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line B--B. Note that FIG. 4 is illustrated in an exaggerated manner in the thickness direction of the coin. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the thin plate attached to the coin body.

In the drawings, 10 is a coin body made of stainless steel or copper-nickel plated brass, and 11 is a thin plate of aluminum or aluminum alloy bonded to the front and back sides of the coin body 10. An anodized film 12 is formed on one side of the thin plate 11, and a colored part 13 is provided, and the thin plate 11 is attached to the coin body 10 using an appropriate adhesive so that the colored part 13 is on the front side. ing.

In the second embodiment, the coin body 10
Since it is made of stainless steel or brass with copper-nickel plating, it has sufficient hardness and strength. The colored part 13 of the coin body 10 is made by coloring the anodic oxide film 12 with dye or pigment, and is beautiful and has excellent abrasion resistance and durability, so it has high commercial value and can be distinguished from similar products. Moreover, there is no fear that the colored part will fall off during use in a game machine, cleaning, etc.

In the second embodiment, the thin plate 11 may be provided so as to cover the entire surface of each side of the coin body 10, but usually a recess is provided in the center of the coin body 10 as shown in FIG. It is best to fit it in.

In the present invention, the coin body 1 and the thin plate 1
Examples of aluminum alloys used in 1 include A
1010, A 1080, A 2024, A 505
2, A 5056, A 7078, etc.
Among these, A 2024 is preferred from the viewpoint of cost and good tension, rigidity, and surface treatment properties.

[0016] The anodizing treatment of aluminum and aluminum alloys can be carried out by conventional methods. Examples of the electrolytic solution used at this time include an oxalic acid aqueous solution, sulfuric acid, a chromic acid aqueous solution, and a sulfosalicylic acid aqueous solution, but among these, sulfuric acid is preferable for general industrial use because it is easy to manage. The concentration when using these differs depending on each electrolyte, but it is usually 10 to 30% (weight%,
(same below), preferably 16 to 18%, and the temperature is usually 1
The temperature is 0 to 25°C, preferably 18 to 21°C. In addition, the reaction time is usually 15 to 80 minutes, preferably 20 to 30 minutes,
The voltage is 13 to 18 V and the current density is 1 to 3 A/dm2.

[0017] The anodic oxide film can be colored by impregnating the metal surface with a dye for coloring the metal surface after the anodic oxide film is formed, thereby coloring the metal surface in various colors. At this time, the electrolyte is preferably about 15% sulfuric acid because the film is colorless and transparent and has excellent dyeability. The surface of the anodic oxide film of aluminum and aluminum alloys has a positive charge in an acid solution and has pores with a diameter of about 0.01 to 0.05 μm and a depth of about 5 to 25 μm. It can also be carried out by treating in an aqueous anionic synthetic dye solution at 50 to 60°C to adsorb dye molecules onto the surface of the oxide film. Further, the anodic oxide film can also be colored by printing with various printing inks instead of dyeing.

When a dye or pigment is infiltrated into the anodic oxide film, it is possible to color it into any pattern, and methods such as screen printing and masking with tape can be used.

After further coloring the anodic oxide film, the pores on the film are heated with pressurized steam of 2 to 5 kg/cm2, 7
A sealing treatment is performed for 5 to 30 minutes using high-temperature water at 0 to 95°C, an aqueous solution of nickel acetate at 5 to 10 g/l, or the like.

[0020] In the step of applying anodizing treatment, it is preferable to first remove adhering fats and oils by degreasing treatment before performing anodizing treatment, and to perform etching to prevent uneven coloring and provide sharpness. Degreasing treatment includes organic solvent degreasing using trichlorethylene, perchlorethylene, benzyl, etc., alkaline degreasing using sodium carbonate aqueous solution, sodium hydroxide aqueous solution, emulsifier degreasing, preliminary degreasing, and finishing degreasing using sodium hydroxide aqueous solution. This can be carried out by a method such as an electrolytic degreasing method. Etching can also be carried out by a nozzle injection method, a beat method using a diffusion liquid, or an electrolytic corrosion method using an electrolytic machine, but alkaline etching is usually performed using an alkaline solution as the etching liquid. Examples of the alkaline solution include a sodium hydroxide aqueous solution and a potassium hydroxide aqueous solution. Water washing is performed between each of these degreasing treatment, alkaline etching, and anodic oxidation steps.

The coin body 1 or the thin plate 11 is obtained by processing the aluminum or aluminum alloy plate or strip material into a disk shape by header (cold forging) or punching and cutting. The thin plate 11 usually has a diameter of about 3 to 24 mm and a thickness of about 0.01 to 0.0 mm.
A diameter of about 4 mm is used.

[0022] Copper-nickel plating is applied to brass to provide corrosion resistance by a conventional electroplating method or chemical plating method. It is preferable to perform degreasing treatment as a pretreatment when applying these platings.

Next, the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to Examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Example 1 A coin body (diameter 25 mm, minimum thickness 1.50 mm,
The maximum thickness was 1.60 mm).

The coin body was degreased using trichlorethylene at 50° C. for 1 minute and washed with water. Next, the aluminum alloy plate, which had been degreased and washed with water, was subjected to alkali etching using a 10% aqueous sodium hydroxide solution at 50° C. for 1 minute. The aluminum alloy plate was also washed with water.

Furthermore, the aluminum plate washed with water after alkaline etching was etched with 15% sulfuric acid as an electrolytic solution for 20 minutes.
℃ for 30 minutes, voltage 15V, current density 1A/dm2
Anode polarization was performed with a direct current of . As a result, a colorless and transparent anodic oxide film was formed on the entire surface of the coin body.

Next, the center portions of both the front and back sides of the coin body coated with the anodic oxide film were printed with ink, and the center portions were colored red (the numbers were not colored).

[0028] Further, a coin was obtained by sealing the holes with high-temperature water at 95°C for 30 minutes.

Example 2 A coin body having the shape shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 (diameter 25 mm, minimum thickness 1.50 mm, maximum thickness 1.60 mm) was produced by punching and cutting a brass plate. .

[0030] This main body was degreased with trichlorethylene and washed with water.

Next, the coin body, which had been degreased and washed with water, was immersed in a copper plating bath to be plated with copper to a thickness of approximately 5 μm, and then immersed in a nickel plating bath to be plated with nickel to a thickness of approximately 3 μm.

On the other hand, Example 1 was applied to a disc-shaped thin plate (diameter 20 mm, thickness 0.1 mm) obtained by punching the same aluminum alloy plate as that used in Example 1 using a press machine.
A thin plate colored blue was obtained by degreasing, etching, and anodizing in the same manner as above. Note that the numbers were masked in advance with masking tape, and the masking tape was removed after processing.

[0033] Furthermore, pore sealing treatment was performed for 30 minutes with high-temperature water at 95°C.

A coin was obtained by attaching this colored thin plate to the center recess on both the front and back sides of the coin main body using an adhesive.

Furthermore, the game machine coins obtained in Examples 1 and 2 were subjected to a practical durability test.

[0036] 1000 coins of the present invention were put into a rotating barrel polishing machine (manufactured by Tipton Espo Co., Ltd.) and 10
It was operated continuously for several days. As a result, the coin of the present invention had no problems in terms of hardness and strength, and the colored part of the coin did not fall off and the color tone was maintained.

[0037]

Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, an anodic oxide film is formed on aluminum or aluminum alloy, and in addition to being lightweight and having sufficient hardness and strength as a coin for a game machine, which aluminum or aluminum alloy has, it is not possible to obtain it by conventional methods. It has become possible to produce coins for game machines that have water resistance, durability, abrasion resistance, etc., and are colored with any design by impregnating them with dyes or pigments. Furthermore, the coins of the present invention have great commercial value because the materials are easy to obtain and are inexpensive, and the colors are vivid.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an example of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a thin plate attached to the coin body in the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 10 Coin body 2, 12 Anodic oxide film 3, 13 Colored part 11 Thin plate

Claims (4)

[Claims] [Claim 1] An anodized film is formed on the surface of the coin body made of aluminum or aluminum alloy,
A coin for a game machine in which the film is colored with a dye or a pigment. 2. On the front and back of the coin body made of stainless steel or copper-nickel plated brass, an anodized film is formed on the surface of aluminum or aluminum alloy, and the film is a thin plate colored with a dye or pigment. Coins for game machines made by pasting them together. 3. A method for producing coins for game machines, which comprises forming an anodized film on the surface of a coin body made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and coloring the coin by impregnating the anodic oxide film with a dye or pigment. 4. On the front and back of the coin body made of stainless steel or copper-nickel plated brass, an anodized film is formed on the surface of aluminum or aluminum alloy, and a dye or pigment is penetrated into the anodized film. A method for manufacturing coins for game machines, which is characterized by pasting together colored thin plates.