CN210428458U - Card reader - Google Patents

Abstract

A card reader which can carry a card along the extending direction of the magnetic strip of the card with the magnetic strip, and is helpful for shortening the dimension of the card in the extending direction of the magnetic strip. The utility model discloses a card reader has the casing, and this casing has the card that supplies to take the magnetic stripe to follow the extending direction male card inserted hole of magnetic stripe the inside of casing be provided with the card transport route of card inserted hole intercommunication carry in the card transport route the transport roller of card and to the card carries out the magnetic head of at least one party in information reading and information write in the casing is inside to be compared being close to of magnetic head the position of card inserted hole is provided with the gate, the gate can be outstanding close position in the card transport route and follow switch between the open position that card transport route withdrawed from, wherein, the gate with the magnetic head is in distance in the extending direction of magnetic stripe sets up to be than the card is in length in the extending direction of magnetic stripe is short.

Description

Card reader

Technical Field

The utility model relates to a card reader especially relates to carry out information processing's card reader with the card of magnetic stripe.

Background

Card readers for processing information of cards are used in many places such as financial institutions, postal institutions, and medical institutions.

Some card readers include a housing having a card insertion opening into which a card with a magnetic stripe is inserted in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe, and a card transport path for transporting the card, a transport roller for transporting the card in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe in the card transport path, and a magnetic head for reading and/or writing information from/to the card are provided in the housing.

In the card reader, in order to secure security, a shutter is provided in the housing at a position close to the card insertion port, the shutter being switchable between a closed position protruding into the card conveyance path and an open position retracted from the card conveyance path, and when the card reader is operated, the shutter is switched to the closed position after the card inserted into the housing from the card insertion port is conveyed by the conveyance roller to a position on the inner side of the housing with respect to the shutter, and then the card is continuously conveyed by the conveyance roller to the inner side of the housing, whereby information reading and/or information writing is performed on the card (specifically, a magnetic stripe) by the magnetic head.

In practice, depending on the host equipment or the location where the card reader is installed, it is sometimes desirable that the card reader has a small size in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe (i.e., the direction in which a card is conveyed in the housing of the card reader).

However, in the conventional card reader provided with the shutter, as described above, information reading and/or information writing from and to the card (specifically, the magnetic stripe) by the magnetic head is started after the card inserted into the housing from the card insertion port is conveyed to a position on the back side of the housing from the shutter, and the card is further conveyed to the back side of the housing by the conveying roller.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a card reader which can transport a card along the extending direction of the magnetic stripe of the card with a magnetic stripe, and which can contribute to shortening the size in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe of the card.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a card reader having a housing having a card insertion opening into which a card with a magnetic stripe is inserted in an extending direction of the magnetic stripe, a card conveying path communicating with the card insertion port, a conveying roller for conveying the card in the card conveying path, and a magnetic head for reading and/or writing information from/to the card are provided in the housing, a shutter is provided in the case at a position closer to the card insertion port than the magnetic head, the gate is switchable between a closed position projecting into the card transport path and an open position exiting from the card transport path, wherein a distance between the shutter and the magnetic head in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe is set shorter than a length of the card in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe.

Here, the "distance between the shutter and the magnetic head in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe" means a distance between a portion of the shutter located at the closed position, which is first contacted when the card conveyed to the position further to the back side of the housing than the shutter is conveyed toward the card insertion opening, and an end surface of the magnetic head near the card insertion opening in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe.

According to the utility model discloses a card reader, the gate sets up to be shorter than the length of card on the extending direction of magnetic stripe (the direction of transport of the card of transport in the casing of card reader promptly) with the distance of magnetic head in the extending direction of magnetic stripe, consequently, compares with in the past, helps shortening the size of card reader on the extending direction of the magnetic stripe of card, realizes the miniaturization of card reader on the extending direction of the magnetic stripe of card.

Further, in the card reader of the present invention, it is preferable that a distance between the shutter and the magnetic head in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe is set shorter than a distance between a front end of the magnetic stripe in a card insertion direction and a rear end of the card in the card insertion direction.

According to the utility model discloses a card reader, the gate sets to the distance of being shorter than the front end of magnetic stripe to the card in the card insertion direction of card insertion direction's rear end to card with the magnetic head in the extending direction of magnetic stripe, consequently, helps further shortening the size of card reader in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe of card, realizes the miniaturization of card reader in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe of card.

In the card reader of the present invention, it is preferable that the magnetic head is provided at the following positions: the magnetic head is capable of starting at least one of information reading and information writing with respect to the card in a state where a rear end of the card in a card insertion direction is closer to the card insertion port than the shutter is and the shutter is located at the open position.

According to the utility model discloses a card reader, the magnetic head sets up in following position: in a state where the rear end of the card in the card insertion direction is closer to the card insertion port than the shutter and the shutter is located at the open position, the magnetic head can start at least one of reading and writing information to the card.

In addition, in the card reader of the present invention, it is preferable that the shutter allows only one card to be inserted into the inside of the housing and prohibits two cards stacked one on another from being simultaneously inserted into the inside of the housing in the open position.

According to the utility model discloses a card reader, in open position department, the gate only allows a card to insert the inside of casing, and forbids two cards of range upon range of to insert the inside of casing simultaneously, consequently, helps improving the reliability of the processing when carrying out information reading, information writing to the card.

Further, in the card reader of the present invention, it is preferable that a pre-reading head and a shutter drive mechanism are provided in the housing, the pre-reading head detects whether or not a card inserted into the card insertion port is in accordance with a specification, and the shutter drive mechanism drives the shutter between the closed position and the open position based on a detection result of the pre-reading head.

In the card reader of the present invention, it is preferable that the gate is located on one side in the thickness direction of the card conveyed in the card conveying path with respect to the card conveying path at the open position, the gate includes a first plate portion extending in the thickness direction of the card and a second plate portion extending from an edge of the other side in the thickness direction of the card of the first plate portion toward the back side of the housing, the second plate portion is inclined with respect to the card conveying path so as to be located closer to the one side in the thickness direction of the card than the gate is in the closed position, and an end portion of the second plate portion located closer to the back side of the housing is located closer to the one side in the thickness direction of the card than the card in a state where the gate is located at the closed position.

According to the utility model discloses a card reader, under the inboard and the gate of casing was carried to the card moved to the state of closed position, through utilizing the transport roller to carry the card towards the card inserted hole and make the rear end of card and the tip butt that leans on the casing inboard for the second board of card transport route slope, need not to utilize gate actuating mechanism, just can make the gate drive towards the open position so that the card takes out from the card inserted hole, consequently, can simplify control.

In the card reader of the present invention, it is preferable that the card is a rectangular card having a size in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe larger than a size in a direction orthogonal to the thickness direction of the card and the extending direction.

(effects of utility model)

According to the utility model discloses, the gate sets up to be shorter than the length of card in the extending direction of magnetic stripe (the direction of transport of the card of transport in the casing of card reader promptly) with the distance of magnetic head in the extending direction of magnetic stripe, consequently, compares with in the past, helps shortening the size of card reader in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe of card, realizes the miniaturization of card reader in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe of card.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a card reader according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side sectional view schematically showing a card reader according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a part of a cover plate of a housing is omitted.

Fig. 3 is a partially enlarged side sectional view schematically showing a structure near a shutter of a card reader according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the back surface of the card shown in fig. 1 on which the magnetic stripe is formed.

(symbol description)

100 card reader

110 casing

111 card insertion port

112 card conveyance path

120 carrying roller

130 magnetic head

140 gate

141 first plate part

142 second plate part

150 pre-read head

160 IC contact module

170 driving mechanism

200 card

210 magnetic strip

P1 closed position

P2 open position

Detailed Description

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to fig. 1 to 4, in which fig. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a card reader according to an embodiment of the present invention, fig. 2 is a side sectional view schematically showing the card reader according to the embodiment of the present invention, in which a part of a cover plate of a housing is omitted, fig. 3 is a partially enlarged side sectional view schematically showing a structure near a gate of the card reader according to the embodiment of the present invention, and fig. 4 is a view showing a back surface of a card shown in fig. 1 on which a magnetic stripe is formed.

Here, for convenience of explanation, three directions orthogonal to each other are set as an X direction, a Y direction, and a Z direction, one side of the X direction is set as X1, the other side of the X direction is set as X2, one side of the Y direction is set as Y1, the other side of the Y direction is set as Y2, one side of the Z direction is set as Z1, the other side of the Z direction is set as Z2, and the Z direction coincides with the thickness direction of the card.

(Structure of card reader)

As shown in fig. 1 to 4, the card reader 100 has a housing 110, the housing 110 has a card insertion opening 111 for inserting a card 200 with a magnetic stripe 210 along an extending direction (i.e. X direction) of the magnetic stripe 210, a card conveying path 112 communicating with the card insertion port 111, a conveying roller 120 for conveying the card 200 in the card conveying path 112, and a magnetic head 130 for reading and/or writing information from/to the card 200 are provided in the case 110, a shutter 140 is provided in the case 110 at a position closer to the card insertion port 111 than the magnetic head 130, the shutter 140 is switchable between a closed position P1 protruding into the card conveying path 112 and an open position P2 retreating from the card conveying path 112, wherein the distance between the shutter 140 and the magnetic head 130 in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe 210 (i.e., X direction) is set shorter than the length of the card 200 in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe 210.

Here, the card 200 is a substantially rectangular vinyl chloride card having a thickness of about 0.7 to 0.8 mm. A magnetic stripe 210 for recording magnetic data is formed on one side (Z2 direction) of the card 200 in the thickness direction (Z direction), that is, on the back surface. The magnetic stripe 210 is formed along the longitudinal direction of the card 200 formed in a substantially rectangular shape (that is, the card 200 is a rectangular card having a dimension in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe 210 larger than the dimension in the direction orthogonal to the thickness direction of the card 200 and the extending direction of the magnetic stripe 210). Magnetic data is recorded on the magnetic stripe 210, and the magnetic data is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic stripe 210 (i.e., the longitudinal direction of the card 200). The card 200 of the present embodiment is a card conforming to international standards, JIS standards (japanese industrial standards).

The card 200 is inserted into the housing 110 of the card reader 100 in a state where the back surface thereof faces the Z2 direction side and the longitudinal direction of the card 200 substantially coincides with the X direction (i.e., the conveyance direction of the card 200), and moves within the housing 110 of the card reader 100. Of course, the card 200 may be provided with an IC chip or a communication antenna. The card 200 may be a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) card having a thickness of about 0.18 to 0.36mm, or a paper card having a predetermined thickness.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the housing 110 has a cover plate rotatable about a rotation axis located near an end of the housing 110 in the X1 direction in the Z1 direction.

As shown in fig. 2, the magnetic head 130 is positioned on the Z2 direction side of the card conveyance path, and can be brought into contact with the magnetic stripe 210 of the card 200 from the Z2 direction side to perform information processing.

Further, as shown in fig. 3, at the open position P2, the shutter 140 is located on the Z2 direction side of the card conveyance path. The shutter 140 is 7-shaped when viewed in the Y direction, and includes a first plate portion 141 extending in the Z direction, and a second plate portion 142 extending from an edge of the first plate portion 141 in the Z1 direction toward the X1 direction, and inclined with respect to the card conveyance path 112 (i.e., the X direction) so as to be closer to the Z2 direction side as the X1 direction side is approached, and an end portion of the second plate portion 142 closer to the back side of the housing 110 (i.e., the X1 direction side) is closer to the Z2 direction side than the card 200 in a state where the shutter 140 is located at the closed position P1.

Incidentally, the aforementioned "distance between the shutter 140 and the magnetic head 130 in the extending direction (i.e., the X direction) of the magnetic stripe 210" is a distance between the portion of the shutter 140 located at the closing position P1 (the portion on the surface on the X1 direction side of the second plate portion 142 in the illustrated example) and the end surface of the magnetic head 130 near the card insertion port 111 in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe 210, the portion being first contacted by the card 200 conveyed to the position further to the back side of the housing 110 than the shutter 140 when conveyed toward the card insertion port 111.

Further, it is preferable that the distance between the shutter 140 and the magnetic head 130 in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe 210 is set shorter than the distance from the front end of the magnetic stripe 210 in the card insertion direction (X1 direction) (i.e., the end on the X1 direction side) to the rear end of the card 200 in the card insertion direction (i.e., the end on the X2 direction side), and it is more preferable that the magnetic head 130 is set at the following positions: in a state where the rear end of the card 200 in the card insertion direction is closer to the card insertion port 111 than the shutter 140 and the shutter 140 is located at the open position P2, the magnetic head 130 can start at least one of reading and writing information from and to the card 200.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, a pre-reading head 150 and a shutter drive mechanism (in the illustrated example, the pre-reading head 150 is provided at a position closer to the card insertion port 111 than the shutter 140, and the shutter drive mechanism is provided at a position closer to the rear side of the housing 110 than the shutter 140, but not limited thereto) are provided in the housing 110, the pre-reading head 150 detects whether or not the card 200 inserted into the card insertion port 111 is in a predetermined condition (for example, detects whether or not the card 200 has a magnetic stripe), and the shutter drive mechanism drives the shutter 140 between a closed position and an open position based on the detection result of the pre-reading head 150 (for example, when the pre-reading head 150 detects that the card 200 does not have a magnetic stripe, the shutter 140 is held at the closed position P1, and insertion of the card 200 into the housing 110 of the.

Further, at the open position P2, the shutter 140 permits insertion of only one card 200 into the interior of the case 110, while prohibiting simultaneous insertion of two cards 200 stacked in layers into the interior of the case 110.

Further, an IC contact module 160 movable in the Z direction is provided in the case 110, and the IC contact module 160 is provided on the side of the card conveyance path in the Z1 direction, is positioned between the shutter 140 and the magnetic head 130 in the X direction, and has an IC contact spring capable of contacting an IC chip provided on the front surface of the card 200 conveyed in the card conveyance path 112 from the side of the Z1 direction to read and write information.

The housing 110 is also provided with a drive mechanism 170, and the drive mechanism 170 includes a drive source (e.g., a motor) and a transmission unit (in the illustrated example, a plurality of pulleys and a transmission belt stretched around the pulleys), and conveys the card 200 inserted into the housing 110 by transmitting power output from the drive source to the conveying roller 120 via the transmission unit.

(an example of operation of the card reader)

In the initial state where the card 200 is not inserted into the card insertion port 111, the shutter 140 of the card reader 100 is located at the closed position P1.

When the card 200 is inserted into the housing 110 from the card insertion port 111 in the above state, the preliminary reading head 150 detects whether or not the inserted card 200 is in accordance with the specification.

When the inserted card 200 is in compliance with the specification, the shutter drive mechanism drives the shutter 140 to move toward the open position P2 to allow the card 200 to be further inserted into the interior of the housing 110. On the other hand, when the inserted card 200 is out of specification, the shutter drive mechanism keeps the shutter 140 at the closed position P1, prohibiting the card 200 from being inserted further into the inside of the housing 110.

When the inserted card 200 is in the predetermined condition and the shutter 140 moves to the open position P2, the end of the card 200 in the X1 direction (i.e., the front end in the card insertion direction) reaches the transport roller 120, and the transport roller 120 transports the card 200 further in the X1 direction.

Next, when the transport roller 120 transports the card 200 in the X1 direction to a position where the magnetic head 130 can read and write information from and to the card 200 (specifically, the magnetic stripe 210), the magnetic head 130 starts reading and writing information from and to the card 200, and in this embodiment, the rear end of the card 200 closer to the card insertion port 111 is closer to the card insertion port 111 than the shutter 140, and the shutter 140 is located at the open position P2.

Subsequently, while the transport roller 120 continues to transport the card 200 in the X1 direction and the magnetic head 130 continues to read and write information from and to the card 200, the rear end of the card 200 near the card insertion port 111 moves closer to the magnetic head 130 than the surface of the first plate portion 141 of the shutter 140 on the side closer to the magnetic head 130, and the shutter 140 moves toward the closed position P1.

Next, after the magnetic head 130 finishes reading and writing information from and to the card 200, the transport roller 120 transports the card 200 in the direction X2, and in this process, the rear end of the card 200 abuts against the second plate portion 142 of the shutter 140, and the card 200 drives the shutter 140 toward the open position P2, whereby the rear end of the card 200 passes through the position of the shutter 140 and further moves toward the card insertion port 111 until reaching a position where the card can be taken out from the card insertion port 111.

(main effect of the present embodiment)

According to the card reader 100 of the present embodiment, the distance between the shutter 140 and the magnetic head 130 in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe 210 is set shorter than the length of the card 200 in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe 210 (that is, the conveying direction of the card 200 conveyed in the housing 110 of the card reader 100), and therefore, the position where the magnetic head 130 starts reading and writing the magnetic stripe 210 is shortened as compared with the conventional case, which contributes to shortening the dimension of the card reader 100 in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe 210 of the card 200 and downsizing the card reader 100 in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe 210 of the card 200.

Further, according to the card reader 100 of the present embodiment, the shutter 140 has the first plate section 141 extending in the Z direction, the second plate section 142 extending from the edge of the first plate section 141 in the Z1 direction toward the X1 direction side and inclined with respect to the card conveying path so as to be closer to the Z2 direction side as the X1 direction side is closer, and the end portion of the second plate section 142 closer to the back side of the housing 110 is closer to the Z2 direction side than the card 200 in the state where the shutter 140 is located at the closed position P1, whereby the rear end of the card 200 is brought into contact with the end portion of the second plate section 142 closer to the back side of the housing 120 inclined with respect to the card conveying path by conveying the conveying roller 120 in the state where the card 200 is conveyed to the back side of the housing 110 and the shutter is moved to the closed position P1, and the shutter 140 is driven toward the open position P2 so that the card 200 is taken out from the card insertion port 111 without using the shutter driving mechanism, therefore, the control can be simplified.

The present invention has been described above by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, and it is to be understood that the specific implementations of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments.

For example, in the above embodiment, the card 200 is a rectangular card having a dimension in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe 210 larger than the dimension in the direction orthogonal to the thickness direction of the card 200 and the extending direction of the magnetic stripe 210, but the card 200 is not limited to this, and the card 200 may be a rectangular card having a dimension in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe 210 smaller than the dimension in the direction orthogonal to the thickness direction of the card 200 and the extending direction of the magnetic stripe 210, or may be a card having another shape.

In the above embodiment, the shutter 140 has the first plate portion 141 and the second plate portion 142, but is not limited to this, and may have a portion extending in the thickness direction of the card 200 conveyed in the card conveying path.

In the above embodiment, the IC contact module 160 movable in the Z direction is further provided inside the housing 110, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the IC contact module 160 may be omitted in some cases.

In the above embodiment, the card reader 100 may be provided with a control unit, and the control unit may control the operations of the conveying roller 120, the magnetic head 130, the pre-reading head 150, the IC contact module 160, and the like of the card reader 100, or the card reader 100 may be connected to a host device with a control unit, and the control unit of the host device may control the operations of the conveying roller 120, the magnetic head 130, the pre-reading head 150, the IC contact module 160, and the like of the card reader 100.

It should be understood that the present invention can freely combine the respective components of the embodiments or appropriately change or omit the respective components of the embodiments within the scope thereof.

Claims (7)

1. A card reader having a housing having a card insertion port into which a card with a magnetic stripe is inserted in an extending direction of the magnetic stripe, a card transport path communicating with the card insertion port, a transport roller for transporting the card in the card transport path, and a magnetic head for performing at least one of information reading and information writing to the card, wherein a shutter is provided in the housing at a position closer to the card insertion port than the magnetic head, the shutter being switchable between a closed position protruding into the card transport path and an open position retreating from the card transport path,

the distance between the shutter and the magnetic head in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe is set shorter than the length of the card in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe.

2. The card reader of claim 1,

the distance between the shutter and the magnetic head in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe is set shorter than the distance between the front end of the magnetic stripe in the card insertion direction and the rear end of the card in the card insertion direction.

3. The card reader of claim 2,

the magnetic head is arranged at the following positions: the magnetic head is capable of starting at least one of information reading and information writing with respect to the card in a state where a rear end of the card in a card insertion direction is closer to the card insertion port than the shutter is and the shutter is located at the open position.

4. The card reader of claim 1,

in the open position, the gate permits insertion of only one of the cards into the interior of the housing, while inhibiting simultaneous insertion of stacked two of the cards into the interior of the housing.

5. The card reader of claim 1,

a pre-reading head and a gate driving mechanism are arranged in the shell,

the pre-reading head detects whether the card inserted into the card insertion opening meets the regulations,

the shutter drive mechanism drives the shutter between the closed position and the open position based on a detection result of the pre-reading head.

6. The card reader of claim 1,

in the open position, the shutter is located on one side in a thickness direction of the card conveyed in the card conveying path with respect to the card conveying path,

the gate includes a first plate portion extending in a thickness direction of the card and a second plate portion extending from an edge of the first plate portion on the other side in the thickness direction of the card toward a back side of the housing, the second plate portion is inclined with respect to the card conveyance path so as to be closer to the one side in the thickness direction of the card than to the back side of the housing, and an end portion of the second plate portion on the back side of the housing is closer to the one side in the thickness direction of the card than to the card in a state where the gate is located at the closed position.

7. The card reader according to any of the claims 1 to 6,

the card is a rectangular card having a dimension in the extending direction of the magnetic stripe larger than a dimension in a direction orthogonal to the thickness direction and the extending direction of the card.

Images