JP2965461B2 - Card reader - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a card reader corresponding to a magnetic card or an IC card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a card reader which can handle different types of cards such as an IC card and a magnetic card, recording and reproduction of information on the magnetic card and the IC card are performed by a magnetic head and an IC card contact which is an IC contact. I have. The IC card contact is provided on the back side of the card passage rather than the magnetic head due to the space of the device. By the way, in recent years, in order to prevent unauthorized use of the card, a sensor called a security sensor for judging the quality of the card may be provided in the card reader, but this sensor must be provided at a position not overlapping with the magnetic head. At present, the magnetic head is provided on a card passage closer to the card insertion side than the magnetic head.

[0003]

As described above, if a magnetic head for processing a card, an IC card contact, a security sensor, or the like is arranged in the card entry direction for each function, the following problems occur. Conceivable. For example, in a pass-through card reader that discharges an IC card to the side opposite to the insertion slot, a drive roller must be provided deeper than the IC card contact to discharge the card processed by the IC card contact. There is a problem that the passage becomes long and the card reader becomes bulky. In addition, when a security sensor is provided in a reciprocating card reader that returns a processed card to the insertion slot and ejects it, at present, since the card sensor is provided on the card insertion side rather than the magnetic head, the card path becomes longer and the card reader becomes larger. This leads to bulking.

[0004]

Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the cards are sequentially arranged in a card passage extending from the card insertion port toward the card entry direction, and are arranged from the card insertion port side. Three pairs of transport rollers for transporting a card to be inserted into the card path, a magnetic head for recording and reproducing magnetic information on the card, a shutter movable to and away from the card path, and opening and closing the card insertion slot; And a contact roller provided between a first pair of conveying rollers provided immediately after the shutter and a second pair of conveying rollers disposed next to the first pair of conveying rollers. , First
The interval between the transport roller pair and the second transport roller pair and the interval between the first transport roller pair and the card insertion slot are each shorter than the entire length of the card, and the interval between the shutter and the second transport roller pair is shorter than the entire length of the card. And set the magnetic head to the second
It is arranged on the axis of a drive roller constituting one of the transport roller pairs, and only the first transport roller pair of the three transport roller pairs is disposed between the magnetic head and the card insertion slot. According to the second aspect of the present invention, a roller located above the card path in the three transport roller pairs and the roller I
The C contact is supported by a support provided narrower than the width of the card passage on the traveling reference surface side of the card passage. According to a third aspect of the present invention, the distance between the first conveying roller pair and the card insertion portion is set to be shorter than the length of the card by at least 30 mm.

[0005]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the third transfer roller pair provided near the card insertion slot, which is provided facing the card path and constitutes three pairs of transfer rollers for transferring a card inserted into the card path. Since an IC contact is provided between one transport roller pair and a second transport roller pair disposed next to the roller pair, card processing by the IC contact is performed between the first transport roller pair and the second transport roller pair. Done. If the processed card is returned to the card insertion slot, the card is transported by the first and second transport roller pairs, and if the card is ejected in the card traveling direction, the card is located in the card traveling direction more than the second roller. The sheet is discharged out of the device by the third pair of conveying rollers. According to the second aspect of the present invention, the rollers located above the card path in the three pairs of transport rollers and the IC contacts are supported by the support provided on the traveling reference side of the card path, so that the support is A space is formed on the card passage located on the opposite side. According to the third aspect of the present invention, the first
Since the distance between the pair of transport rollers and the card insertion section is set to be shorter than the length of the card by 30 mm or more, the card is held in a state of protruding from the card insertion slot by 30 mm or more when returned to the card inserter.

[0006]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The card reader indicated by reference numeral 1 in FIGS.
A card C, such as a magnetic card C1 represented by a cash card shown in FIG. 6A or an IC card C2 shown in FIG. A reciprocating running method of discharging from 2 is adopted.

The card reader 1 includes a card passage 3 extending from a card insertion slot 2 in a card entry direction indicated by an arrow a, and first, second, and second cards for conveying a card C inserted into the card passage 3. And a third pair of transport rollers including a third transport roller pair 4, 5, and 6, a magnetic head 7 for performing magnetic processing on the card C, an IC contact 8 for performing electrical processing on the IC card C2, and advancing and retracting to and from the card path 3. Flexible shutter 9,
10 mainly. The card passage 3 is formed between the side plates 11 and 12, as shown in FIG. 3, and the inner wall of the side plate 11 is used as a traveling reference surface 11a for card conveyance. The side plate 12 is provided with a pressing mechanism (not shown) that presses the inserted card C so as to be conveyed along the traveling reference surface 11a.

Each pair of transport rollers extends from the card insertion slot 2 toward the far end 3a of the card path 3 by a first transport roller pair 4,
The second conveying roller pair 5 and the third conveying roller pair 6 are arranged in this order. First transport roller pair 4 and second transport roller pair 5
The distance L, L 'between the axes of the second transport roller pair 5 and the third transport roller pair 6 is set shorter than the overall length CL of the card C shown in FIG. The distance L1 from the card insertion slot 2 to the axis center of the first conveying roller pair 4 is set to be shorter than the total length CL of the card by 30 mm or more. The interval L here
1 is 30 mm from the total length CL of the card,
The size is determined by subtracting the biting amount β of the card C by the transport roller pair 4. The biting amount β is a distance from a contact portion between the leading end of the card C and the first transport roller pair 4 to the center of the roller pair.

The first, second, and third pairs of transport rollers include driving rollers 4a, 5a, 6a and driven rollers 4b,
5b and 6b, and are arranged to face each other. The drive rollers 4a, 5a, 6a
And fixed to rotating shafts 13, 14 and 15 pivotally supported by the side plate 12. The driven rollers 4b, 5b, 6b located above the card path 3
The driving roller 4 is rotatably supported by a pad block 16 as a support provided on the reference surface 11a side.
The peripheral surfaces of a, 5a, and 6a are in contact with each other in the card path 3.

The pad block 16 is rotatably supported by the side plate 11 and can be freely opened and closed between a closed position where each driven roller is brought into contact with a driving roller and an open position where each driven roller is retracted from the card path 3. Have been. The pad block 16 is formed to have a width of about 1/3 of the width of the card passage 3, and the driven rollers 4b, 5b, 6b to be supported are arranged at substantially the center of the card passage 3. That is, a space is formed on the card passage 3 on the side opposite to the pad block 16. A biasing force in the closing direction is given to the pad block 16 by a pressing mechanism (not shown), and each driven roller is pressed against each driving roller. A pad roller 27 is rotatably supported by the pad block 16 at a position facing the magnetic head 7 so as to face the card passage 3 so as to face the peripheral surface thereof, and a position of the card C on the card passage 3. Are provided with optical card sensors S1, S2, S3, and S4.

A belt 20 is attached to the rotating shafts 13, 14, and 15.
Are wound around the outside of the side plate 12 respectively. On both sides of the pulley 18, rotatable rollers 21 and 22 are provided, and tension is applied to the belt 20 on both sides of the pulley 18. A drive pulley 23 having a larger diameter than the pulley 18 is fixed to the rotating shaft 14. A drive belt 26 is wound around the drive pulley 23 and a small-diameter drive pulley 25 fixed to a drive shaft 24a of a forward / reverse rotatable motor 24 as a drive source.

When the card is taken in, the drive motor 24
In FIG. 2, control means (not shown) rotates so as to rotate the drive rollers 4a, 5a and 6a in a counterclockwise direction, and rotates in a direction opposite to the take-in state when the reading operation or the recording operation of the card C by the magnetic head 7 is completed. Is under the control of When the card C that has completed the reading operation is the IC card C2, and the card comes into contact with the shutter 9 or passes over the magnetic head 7, the drive motor 24 is stopped once and the IC contact 8 After the completion of the electrical processing, it is driven again.

The magnetic head 7 is arranged on the axis of the drive roller 5a near the reference running surface 11a, and faces the head surface 7a in the card passage 3. The magnetic head 7 and the pad roller 27 urge one of the pad roller 27 and the magnetic head 7 to the other side by a spring (not shown) so as to hold the conveyed card C with a predetermined pressing force. . In the present embodiment, the magnetic head 7 is urged against the pad roller 27, and a gap smaller than the thickness of the card is formed between the head 7 and the pad roller 27. The magnetic head 7 includes a magnetic stripe C of the magnetic card C1 and the IC card C2 shown in FIGS.
1a and C2a, which read magnetic information recorded on the same stripe or record magnetic information on the same stripe, and are arranged opposite to the same stripe via the card path 3.

Here, the magnetic card C1 and the IC card C2
Will be described. The magnetic card C1 shown in FIG. 6A is provided with a magnetic stripe C1a in one longitudinal direction of the card body made of vinyl chloride. Magnetic information is recorded on the magnetic stripe C1a, and the information of the magnetic head 7 is read, or the magnetic information is recorded and updated as needed. The IC card C2 shown in FIG. 6 (b) is a card having an electric recording means (not shown) therein, and reads (reproduces) information stored in the recording means and transmits information to the recording means. There is provided an input / output unit C2b for writing (recording) data and a magnetic stripe C2a on which magnetic information for recognizing the IC card is recorded. The magnetic stripe C1a,
Here, C2a is provided on the back side of the card,
The input / output unit C2b is provided on the front side of the card. Further, non-recording portions are formed at both ends of the magnetic stripes C1a and C2a.

The IC contact 8 is connected between the first transport roller pair 4 and the second
A plurality of contact pieces 8b are swingably supported by a pad block 16 positioned between the transport roller pair 5 and the main body 8.
a. When the IC card C2 is held between the first roller pair 4 and the second roller pair 5, the contact 8 is provided at a position where the contact piece 8b faces the input / output unit C2b of the card. As shown in FIG. 4, an arm plate 30 that engages with a slide plate 29 that is slid in a card moving direction indicated by an arrow ab by an electromagnetic solenoid 28 is fixed to the main body 8a. The arm plate 30 has a base end 30b fixed to the rotating end side of the main body 8a with a screw 8c, and a free end 30a extending downward from the card reader 1. The free end 30a has a recess 30c that engages with the tip 29b of the projection 29a formed on the slide plate 29.
Are formed. One end 29c of the slide plate 29 is connected to a pin 31 provided on a movable piece 28a of the electromagnetic solenoid 28.
It is fixed to.

When the IC card C2 is inserted, the electromagnetic solenoid 28 is placed at a position where the IC contact 8 is inserted into the card path 3 shown by a solid line, and when other cards are inserted, it is shown by a two-dot chain line. It is driven so that the IC contact 8 is located at the retracted position. The contact piece 8b is formed of a conductive spring material, and is attached to the main body 8a so as to protrude toward the card passage 3 from the main body 8a.
To be pressed against.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, near the insertion slot 2, a pre-head 32 that contacts the magnetic stripes C1a and C2a of the card faces the inside of the card path 3 from below.
The pre-head 32 is composed of a magnetic head and detects the type of the card based on the presence or absence of a magnetic signal of the card C. Here, the motor 24 is started, the electromagnetic solenoid 28 is driven, and the shutters 9 and 10 are opened and closed. It is a part of the trigger for controlling. A rotatable pad roller 33 is disposed above the card path 3 located on the side opposite to the pre-head 32.

A shutter 9 is provided between the first transport roller pair 4 and the card insertion slot 2, and a shutter 10 is provided between the first transport roller pair 4 and the second transport roller pair 5 in the card path 3. It is arranged to be able to move forward and backward. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the shutters 9 and 10 are rotatably supported on the side surfaces of arms 34 and 35 that are swingably supported by the stationary portion of the card reader. Arms 34 and 35
Bends 34a, 35a which engage with projections 39a, 40a of moving plates 39, 40 which are slid by electromagnetic solenoids 36, 37 for driving a shutter installed at the lower portion of the apparatus are formed to extend downward. I have. Moving plates 39, 40
Are movable rods 36a, 37a of solenoids 36, 37
, Which are slidable in card transport directions a and b.
The shutters 9 and 10 are moved forward and backward with respect to the card passage 3 by moving. Further, an interval L2 between the shutter 9 and the center of the axis of the second conveying roller pair 5 is set to be longer than the card length CL.

Normally, when the shutter 10 enters the card passage 3, the electromagnetic solenoids 36 and 37 keep the shutter 9 in a retracted state from the passage, and the one inserted into the insertion slot 2 is the magnetic card C1 or the IC. In the case of the card C2, the shutter 10 is opened so that the card C can be taken in, and when the card C is taken into the card passage 3, the shutter 9 is closed so that foreign matter or the card is not taken in continuously. Is driven by the detection signal of the pre-head 32.

The operation of the card reader 1 configured as described above will be described. First, the card C is inserted into the card insertion slot 2, and when the pre-head 32 detects the magnetic signal of the stripe C1a (C2a), the electromagnetic solenoid 37 is driven to retract the shutter 10 from the card path 3 to open the card path 3 and , The drive motor 24 is activated and the drive shaft 2
4a is driven. Then, this rotation is transmitted to the pulley 23 via the belt 26 and rotates the rotating shaft 14. When the shaft 14 is driven to rotate, the pulley 1
The shafts 13 and 15 to which the fixing members 7 and 19 are fixed rotate at the same time, and the conveying roller pairs 4, 5 and 6 in the card path 3 are driven. If the inserted card C is the IC card C2, the electromagnetic solenoid 28 is driven to place the IC contact 8 in the card path 3.

The card C is further inserted and its tip is the first.
When the card comes into contact with the pair of conveying rollers 4, the card is taken in and conveyed through the card path 3. When the card C has passed through the shutter 9 and is taken into the card passage 3, the shutter 9
Is closed. Therefore, continuous insertion of the card and insertion of foreign matter into the card path 3 are restricted. Card C inserted
First, magnetic information is read by the magnetic head 7, and when the reading operation is completed, the magnetic information is conveyed toward the insertion slot 2 by the reverse rotation of the drive motor 24.

The inserted card is an IC card C2, which passes over the magnetic head 7 and
, The drive motor 24 is temporarily stopped. Then, the eight contact pieces 8b of the IC contacts located in the card path 3
And the input / output unit C2b are brought into contact with each other to perform electrical processing of the IC card and record necessary information. When this electrical recording operation is completed, the drive motor 24 is driven again, and
The C card C2 is sent to the magnetic head 7 to perform magnetic recording.

On the other hand, the inserted card is a magnetic card C1.
When the card passes over the magnetic head 7 and comes into contact with the shutter 9, the drive motor 24 rotates forward and is sent to the magnetic head 7 to perform a magnetic information recording operation.

When the recording process of the card C is completed, the drive motor 24 is rotated in the reverse direction to convey the card toward the insertion slot 2, and during the conveyance, the magnetic head 7 verifies the information recorded on the magnetic stripe. (Reconfirmation) is performed, and the sheet is ejected from the insertion port 2. At this time, the distance L1 from the card insertion slot 2 to the axial center of the first roller pair 4
Is set to be shorter than the card length by 30 mm plus β, and the shorter portion is set to the card insertion slot 2.
Will be projected from. Therefore, when removing the card C from the insertion slot 2, at least 30 mm or more of the card C protrudes from the insertion slot 2, so that the card C can be securely held, and the card C can be easily inserted into and removed from the card insertion slot 2. .

As described above, since the IC contact 8 is arranged between the driving roller 5a of the second conveying roller pair 5 and the first conveying roller pair 4 arranged substantially at the center of the card path 3, the IC contact 8 The information processing of the IC card C2 can be processed in front of the magnetic head 7, and the IC contact 8 is located at the innermost part 3 of the card path 3.
A fourth roller pair need not be provided as compared with the card reader provided in a, and the card path 3 can be shortened. This can contribute to miniaturization of the card reader. Also,
Since the magnetic head 7 is arranged on the axis of the second pair of transport rollers 5, the card C is pinched by the pair of transport rollers 5 and the transport speed is stabilized, and then the magnetic information from the magnetic head 7 is applied to the magnetic stripes C1a and C2a. Since the recording / reproduction of the magnetic information is performed, the recording / reproduction of the magnetic information can be stably performed. Further, since the interval L2 between the shutter 9 and the second conveying roller pair 5 is set longer than the total length CL of the card, the card C is brought into contact with the shutter 9 to drive the drive motor 2.
By stopping at 4, the card C can be held within the same interval L2. This means that the electrical processing by the IC contact 8 and the magnetic processing of the magnetic head 7 can be individually performed within a limited space between the second transport roller pair 5 and the shutter 9.

In this embodiment, a so-called reciprocating traveling system is adopted in which each inserted card is returned to the insertion slot 2 and ejected, but the card C is ejected from the third conveying roller pair 6 side. It goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to a forward running card reader.

The IC contact 8 is controlled by the electromagnetic solenoid 28 so as to enter the card path 3 after the reading operation by the magnetic head 7 is completed.
As another example, when the driving of the driving motor 24 is temporarily stopped and the IC card C2 is held between the second conveying roller pair 5 and the shutter 9, the electromagnetic solenoid 28 is driven to set the IC contact 8 to the card position. It may be made to enter the passage 3. In this way, the resistance during card transport can be reduced. Further, since a space is formed above the card passage 3 located on the opposite side of the pad block 16, it is possible to dispose a security sensor conventionally provided in the back of the card passage 3 in this space. In this case, for example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a bracket 43 is provided on the side plate 12 located between the first transport roller pair 4 and the second transport roller pair 5, and the security sensor is attached to the bracket 43. 44 are provided. Examples of the security sensor include an infrared sensor and a magnetic sensor that read an identification label such as an infrared barcode and a magnetic barcode indicated by a symbol S in FIG. It is important that the identification label S is provided at a position shifted from the magnetic stripe.

As described above, by providing the pad block 16 on the card traveling reference surface 11a side, the security sensor 44 is connected to the first transport roller pair 4 and the second transport roller pair 5
Are provided so as to be shifted from the position of the magnetic head 7. Therefore, unlike the related art, the card passage 3 does not need to be provided at the back of the card passage 3, and the card passage 3 can be shortened.

[0029]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the card path is shortened by arranging the IC contact between the first conveying roller pair and the second conveying roller pair set shorter than the entire length of the card. Thus, the size of the card reader can be reduced.
In addition, since the interval between the second conveying roller pair and the shutter is set longer than the length of the card, the card can be held between the shutter and the second conveying roller pair.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the roller and the IC contact located above the card passage are supported by the support member provided on the side of the card passage on the traveling reference surface side and narrower than the width of the card passage. By doing so, a space can be formed on the card passage located on the side facing the support, and by providing a security sensor or the like in this space, the card passage can be shortened, and the card reader can be downsized. .

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the distance between the first transport roller pair and the card insertion portion is set to be three times the length of the card.
By setting the length of the card to be shorter than 0 mm, when the card projects at least 30 mm from the card insertion portion, the first
The card reader and the card can be reliably inserted and removed without being subjected to the feeding action by the pair of transport rollers, and a user-friendly card reader can be provided.

[0032]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a card reader showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of the card reader shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the card reader shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a configuration and an operation of a driving mechanism of an IC contact.

FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating a configuration of a shutter driving mechanism.

6A is a plan view of a magnetic card used in a card reader, and FIG. 6B is a plan view of an IC card.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 Card reader 2 Card insertion slot 3 Card path 4 First transfer roller pair 5 Second transfer roller pair 6 Third transfer roller pair 4a, 5a, 6a Driving roller 4b, 5b, 6b Roller (driven roller) 4 above card path , 5, 6 3 pairs of transport rollers 7 Magnetic head 8 IC contact 9 Shutter 11a Running reference surface side 16 Support (pat block) a Card entry direction C card CL Card length L1 First transport roller pair and card insertion L2 Distance between second transport roller pair and shutter

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A card passage extending from a card insertion opening toward a card entry direction, and a card inserted from the card insertion opening side into the card passage and inserted into the card passage. Only three pairs of transport rollers for transporting, a magnetic head for recording and reproducing magnetic information on and from the card, a shutter capable of moving back and forth in the card path, and opening and closing the card insertion slot; Among the roller pairs, I is provided between a first transport roller pair provided immediately after the shutter and a second transport roller pair disposed next to the first transport roller pair.
A distance between the first transport roller pair and the second transport roller pair and a distance between the first transport roller pair and the card insertion slot are shorter than the entire length of the card; The interval between the pair of transport rollers is set to be longer than the entire length of the card, and the magnetic head is disposed on the axis of a drive roller that constitutes one of the pair of second transport rollers. A card reader, wherein only the first transport roller pair of the three transport roller pairs is disposed therebetween. 2. The card reader according to claim 1, further comprising a support provided narrower than a width of the card passage on a traveling reference surface side of the card passage.
A card reader supporting C contacts and rollers located above the card path in the three pairs of transport rollers. 3. The card reader according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the first conveying roller pair and the card insertion portion is set to be shorter than the length of the card by at least 30 mm. leader.