FR2638005A1 - DEVICE FOR READING CHIP CARDS AND / OR APPLYING REGISTRATION ON SUCH CARDS - Google Patents

Abstract

In this device for reading smart cards 5 or affixing an inscription thereto and comprising means for inserting the card into and out of the device as well as a device 8, 9, 10 for establishing contacts comprising electrical contacts , there is provided a drawer 2 for accommodating cards 5, which can be operated manually and having two end positions, in one of which a card 5 can be inserted and removed, while in the second, the card is connected in the device 8, 9, 10 to a reading and recording device 14, without being able to be reached by the user, the device 8, 9, 10 being moved by means of a spring 11 and a rod 15 , when moving the drawer 2. Application in particular to automatic goods dispensers.

Description

The invention relates to a device for reading smart cards and / or

  affix an inscription on such cards, including means to

  chip card inside the device and

  shot, and a device for establishing a contact, by means of which electrical contacts present on the smart card can be connected to a device

reading and recording.

  Smart cards (or microplate

  as a means of payment in relation to mar-

  goods and services. Distributors

  automatic dispatch of goods and apparatus

  providing services contain a provision

  to read smart cards and / or to

  ask an inscription. Such a device generally comprises

  also a device for introducing a smart card into the automatic device and being able to

  remove it. The introduction of the smart card, sound

  sitioning in the reading and recording device, the establishment of contact with the terminals of the smart card and the ejection of the latter are performed using at least one drive motor. Such a motor not only consumes current, but acts in such a way that, in the case of a current interruption, an inserted card can no longer be removed when it is precisely located in the device. Its owner can only withdraw it at the end of the power failure. Since a smart card is an object with a certain value, the possessor should wait until the end of the failure

  current to prevent other people from

are in possession of this card.

  According to WO 79/00543 there is known a device, in which a chip card is introduced and ejected while being driven by a motor, the closing and opening of a contact device being also triggered under the effect of the rotation of the motor. For

  prevent attempts of fraud, a possible cable

  installed on the map could also be

  tioned. Another way to prevent fraud attempts is known from FR-25 54 262. It is here provided

  an induction loop, which identifies drivers

  hiccuping the current, placed on the map.

  According to DE-AS 27 05 534 a device is known

  tif, in which, instead of an engine, a

  energy accumulator. The energy applied by the user

  When the card is inserted, the card is stored and is then used for training during the read operation and for returning the card. The card introduced is however not completely removed by the user so that it can not be excluded,

  sure enough, fraudulent manipulations.

  The object of the invention is to create a device of the mentioned type, in which, while dispensing with the use of a drive motor, on the one hand the current requirement can be maintained at a low value and On the other hand, the handling capacity in the event of a power failure is improved, fraudulent manipulations to be simultaneously prevented as far as possible and destruction by acts of vandalism to be made complicated to the extent possible.

enforce.

  The problem indicated is solved in a

  tif of the type indicated above, thanks to the fact that there is provided a drawer, which is suitable for receiving smart cards, can be operated manually and has two end positions, in one of which, a smart card can be inserted and withdrawn, while in the other end position, the smart card is connected by means of the contact establishment device to the reading and recording device, without being able to be reached by a user, and that the contact establishment device is moved under the effect of the displacement of the drawer. According to another characteristic of the invention, the contact establishment device is constituted by a contact carrier and contacts fixed in this contact carrier, the contact carrier can be moved along an inclined rail relative to in the direction of movement of the spool, means are provided by means of which the movement of the spool is converted into a displacement of the plunger, in which case, when the plunger is in the first end position,

  contacts are free while in the second

  end position, the contacts are in contact with the bottom of the drawer or with a smart card, inserted in this

  drawer, in the contact area of the card.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, there is provided an end contact, which is controlled by the movement of the drawer, is open, when the drawer

  is in the first end position or in any other

  which intermediate position, and is closed, when

  that it is in the second position, and this end contact connects and disconnects the reading device

and registration.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the end contact controls a stop device

for the drawer.

  According to another characteristic of the invention,

  the stopping device is constituted by a stem of

  rusting, which engages in a drilling made in the

  drawer and is actuated by means of a frame of a system

magnetic system.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the movement of the slide is influenced by a damping device. According to another characteristic of the invention, the damping device is constituted by a piston that can be moved in a cavity, located in the drawer or in a body connected to the latter, the piston being connected via a rod at the fixed part of the device, inside the piston is arranged a valve connected on the one hand to a space located in front of the piston and on the other hand to a space located behind the piston, inside which an opening is provided in which a needle attached to the drawer engages

  or on the body connected to the latter, and, when opening

  drawer, the valve closes as long as the needle enters the opening and, when closing the

drawer, the valve does not close.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, at least a portion of the bottom of the drawer is made of a

  non-conductive material from the electrical point of view.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the end, on the user side, of the drawer is arranged

  to form, together with the antago-

a shear.

  According to another characteristic of the invention,

  the drawer is mounted in a front panel

forwardly slanted.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, all the parts that can be reached by the user, are made of a hardened steel less

superficially.

  Other features and benefits of the

  present invention will emerge from the description given

  hereinafter referenced to the accompanying drawings, on the

  which: - Figure 1 shows a side elevational view of the object of the invention, in its proper position for insertion of a chip card withdrawal; FIG. 2 represents a side elevational view in the position in which the smart card can be read and / or in which an inscription can be affixed thereto; - Figure 3 shows a stop device; - Figure 4 shows a damping device; and - Figure 5 represents another form of

  realization of a device for establishing a contact.

  In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes

  a front panel of a vending machine

  merchandise or an automatic device providing a

  service, in which a device

  to read smart cards and / or to affix an inscription on such cards. 2 denotes a drawer, the side facing the user is arranged in the form of a handle, for example through the presence of a recess 3; The drawer 2 has a recess 4 suitable for housing a smart card 5. The drawer 2 is supported between a guide channel 6 and a counter element 7 and can thus be moved in one direction. FIG. 1 shows the position

  end, in which the drawer 2 is completely -

  open to allow the insertion or collection of

  of a smart card 5, while in FIG.

  represented the second end position, in the-

  which drawer 2 is completely closed. In this se-

  conde position, an inserted smart card 5 can be read

  and / or an inscription may be affixed to it.

  Below the zone in which the spool 2 can move is a rail 8, which is inclined with respect to a guide track 6 and on which a contact carrier 9, on which are fixed contacts

  , is mounted so that it can move. The door-

  contacts 9 is attracted by a spring 11 against a stop

  12. Therefore, when the drawer 2 is open, the holder

  contacts 9 is in a position, in which the

10 contacts are naked.

  A. Another embodiment is shown in Figure 5. In this case, the rail 8 is constituted by a portion 8a, inclined relative to the guideway

  6, and by a portion 8b parallel to the guideway 6.

  The contacts 10 (FIGS. 1 and 2) are connected by means of a multiple cable 13, for example a very flexible flat cable, to a reading and recording device 14. This device for reading and

  14 includes all the electronic devices

  and a control device for

  which are necessary for reading and

  the registration of information of a smart card 5.

  If drawer 2 is pushed back from the

  GREEN shown in Figure 1 in the CLOSED position shown in Figure 2, a rod 15 fixed on the contact holder 9 engages in a groove 16, which is formed in the drawer 2 and whose end 17 forms a

  stop. As soon as the rod 15 comes into contact with this former

  tremité 17, during the further movement of the drawer 2, the portecontacts 9 is driven against the force of the spring 11. Due to the oblique disposition of the spring 8, the contact holder 9 moves in the direction

  drawer surface 2. Shortly before the FER-

  EME is reached, the contacts 10 are applied on the surface of a smart card 5 located in the recess 4 of the drawer 2. When the CLOSED position is reached, the contacts 10 are located exactly at the contact locations present on the chip card 5, so that the latter is then connected via the

  contacts 10 and multiple cable 13 to the device for reading

  14. In the CLOSED position, the smart card 5 is inaccessible to the user and,

  therefore, fraudulent manipulations and

  nipulations to destroy the map are in a

largely prevented.

  In the other embodiment of the figure, the contact carrier is driven in the same manner by the rod 15. This has the effect that, firstly, the contact carrier 9 is driven towards the card. chip 5 along the portion 8a of the rail 8, inclined relative to the guideway 6. As soon as the contact carrier

  9 has reached a position in which it applies

  core only about half against the party

  inclined 8a of the rail 8, it performs a moment of rocking-

  and then applies to the portion 8b parallel to the guideway 6. A. At the moment when this tilting movement occurs, the contacts 10 apply abruptly on the card and immediately establish the entire

the contact pressure.

  A contact setting device, thus arranged (FIGS. 1, 2 and 5), has the advantage that it does not require any own drive system, but is forced to drive under the effect of the displacement. of drawer 2. In addition, it can be

to manufacture cheaply.

  In a contact setting device according to FIGS. 1 and 2, advantageously the contacts do not apply from the top, but execute

  still a sliding movement in the connection zone

  of the smart card 5, before reaching the posi-

  end position (CLOSED state). Possible residues of

  The letters present in the connection area of the smart card 5 are therefore discharged on both sides, which results in good contact establishment security. In a contact-making device according to FIG. 5, on the contrary, there is the advantage that, when the contacts 10 are applied to the card, the entire contact pressure is immediately present. Therefore it is possible to start the reading and recording operation as soon as the contacts 10 have applied to the smart card, while the drawer 2 is still moving. Conveniently there is provided an end contact 18 (FIGS. 1 and 2), positioned to be open when the drawer 2 has come out, and to

  close when drawer 2 has reached the FER-

  MÉE. The reading and recording device 14 can be activated by this end contact 18 so that when the CLOSED position is reached, the read and record operation can be triggered. This has the advantage that the reading and recording device 14 can be disconnected as long as the drawer 2 is not in the CLOSED position. This

  allows a reduction of the conservation of current.

  With the help of the end contact 18, it is possible

  while also ordering a shutdown device. Such a stop device has the role of retaining imperatively in the OFF state the drawer 2 for a certain interval

  of time. The duration of this time interval is

  the duration of the reading and / or recording operation. An embodiment of such a stop device is shown in FIG. 3. It consists of a yoke 20, a permanent magnet 21, a coil 22, an armature 23 and a locking rod 24.

  the action of the permanent magnet 21, the armature 23 is

  pulled against the bolt 20, which makes the rod penetrate

  24 in a hole 25 formed in the ti-

  2. As a result, the drawer 2 is locked against any exit. If you apply a voltage to the coil. 22, the latter produces a magnetic field, which compensates for the magnetic field of the permanent magnet 21. As a result, the armature 23 is no longer held fixed against the cylinder head 20. Under the action of a spring, not shown , the armature 23 is spaced from the breech 20 and, as a result, the rod

  locking 24 also spring out of the bore 25.

  As a result, the drawer 2 is unlocked. Such a provision

  of arrest is characterized by the fact that it possesses

  very simple constitution and can be manufactured by

cheap.

  This device ensures that, in the case of a

  power failure, drawer 2 is locked. It's for-

  what, it may be appropriate to remove the permanent magnet

  21 and reverse the action accordingly. If a voltage is applied to the coil 22, the armature 23 is

  attracted and the drawer 2 is locked.

  The stop device can be controlled by the end contact 18 via a timing circuit. This has the advantage that, thanks to this arrangement, the drawer 2 can not precisely be removed as long as the operation of

reading and recording.

  It is also advantageous to provide for

  switch 6 actuated by the stop device. Thereby

  it is possible to make the beginning of the operation

  ture and recording, depending on the stop device. Only when switch 26 is

  closed by the stop device, that the read operation

  ture and registration can begin.

  It is advantageous that the movement of the drawer 2 is influenced by a damping device. With this arrangement, a certain resistance is opposed from the drawer 2 and the speed is limited during extraction of the drawer 2. This advantageously protects the contact establishment device. Consequently, the time interval available for reading the smart card 5 or for the application of an inscription on this card can be simultaneous.

prolonged

  FIG. 4 represents a damping device integrated in the drawer 2. This device is constituted by a piston 41, which is mounted so

  to be movable in a cavity 40 within the

  2 and is connected by means of a rod 42 to the fixed part of the device, for example the guideway 6-. A groove 43, in which is housed a sealing ring 44, is formed in the envelope surface

  cylindrical piston 41, the latter has an opening

  45, in which a needle 46 connected to the drawer 2

  engages when the drawer is closed. The piston 41 com-

  further carries a valve 47, which is connected to the space 48 located in front of the piston 41 and to the space 49 located in

back of this piston.

  If drawer 2 is opened slowly, valve 47 does not close. If on the contrary we quickly open the drawer 2, the valve 47 closes. Because of this, the air

  present in the space 48 in front of the piston 41 can penetrate

  trer only through the slot present between the needle 46 and the opening 45. Since this slot is very narrow, the displacement of the drawer 2 is hindered. As soon as the drawer 2 is moved sufficiently so that the needle 46 no longer engages in the opening 45, air can enter the opening 45 then free so that the displacement of the drawer 2 is no longer gene. The

  length of the needle 46 therefore determines

  the distance, on which the displacement of the drawer 2 is disturbed during the opening. When drawer 2 is closed, there is no hindrance to moving it, since the air coming out of the space 48 situated in front of the piston

  41 can pass freely through the valve 47.

  The damping device integrated into the

  The advantage of drawer 2 is that the need

  care in place is minimized. If it matters little to have a small footprint, it may also be appropriate to use a separate damping device. Similarly one can imagine using a damping device using a

  other fluid, for example hydraulic oil.

  An insulating member 30 can be inserted into the recess 4 provided for housing a smart card 5 (Figure 2). This is advantageous insofar as it makes it possible to avoid a short-circuit of the contacts 10. Indeed, when the drawer is closed and no card is inserted therein, the contacts 10 are in contact with the bottom of the the recess 4. If this bottom is metallic, a short circuit occurs. If on the contrary the bottom is made of a non-conductive material from the point of view

  electrical, we can prevent such a short circuit.

  When therefore at least the bottom part, which can be touched by the contacts 10, is made of an electrically nonconductive material, the advantage is obtained that the reading and recording device 14 can further identify when an electrically conductive wafer is introduced in place of a smart card 5, in view of a

manipulation or destruction.

  Other advantageous embodiments are intended to prevent fraudulent attempts and to oppose acts of vandalism. So, he is

  advantageous to arrange the end, located on the

  of the drawer 2 so that it forms, together with the counter element 7, a shear. As a result, when the drawer 2 is closed, in view of a fraudulent operation, cables possibly fixed by welding are cut off, which reduces to nothing the

fraudulent attempt.

  It is appropriate to provide for non-compliant means

  transferable from the outside, making it possible to adjust the tolerances of the moving clearance of the drawer 2.

  can then also adjust the sectioning slot.

  These settings can be made for example using

  of fine tapping screws that can be locked.

  If the drawer 2 is mounted so that it is inclined forwards in the front panel 1, this advantageously makes it possible to limit damage due to acts of vandalism, possibly as a result of the introduction of a liquid . So that drawer 2 does not

  can not stay in the OPEN position, it is appro-

  independent of the fact that the drawer 2 is mounted in an inclined position or not to install on the spring-loaded drawer, with which the drawer 2 open is again closed automatically. In order to avoid destruction, he

  It is advantageous to make all the parts, which can

  the user, in a hardened steel at least superficially. Surface hardening can

  be obtained for example by means of carburizing.

Claims (11)

  A device for reading and / or affixing smart cards, including means for driving the smart card into and out of the device, and a device   establishment of a contact, with the help of which   electrical contacts present on the smart card can be connected to a reading and recording device, characterized in that there is provided a drawer (2), which is suitable for receiving smart cards   (5), can be operated manually and has two   in which one chip card (5) can be inserted and removed, while in the other   the other end position, the smart card is connected to   by means of the contact setting device (8, 9, 10) to the reading and recording device (14), which can not be reached by a user, and that the contact setting device (8, 9,10) is   displaced by the movement of the drawer (2).   2. Device according to claim 1, characterized   characterized in that the contact making device is constituted by a contact carrier (9) and contacts (10) fixed in this contact port, that the contact carrier (9) can be moved along a rail ( 8) inclined with respect to the direction of movement of the spool (2), that means (11, 15, 16, 17) are provided by means of which the movement of the spool (2) is converted into a displacement of the contact carrier (9), in which case, when the contact carrier (9) is in the first end position, the contacts (10) are free, while in the second end position the contacts (10) ) are in contact with the bottom of the drawer (2) or with a chip card (5), inserted in this drawer, in the range contact card.   Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an end contact (18), which is controlled by the movement of the slide (2), is open when the slide (2) is in position. the first end position or in any intermediate position, and is closed, when in the second position, and that end contact (18) connects and disconnects the reading device and recording (14).   4. Device according to claim 3, characterized   in that the end contact (18) controls a   stop device for the drawer (2).   5. Device according to claim 4, characterized   in that the stop device is constituted by   a locking pin (Z4) which engages a   in the spool (2) and is actuated by means of an armature (23) of a magnetic system (20,21,22).   6. Device according to any one of the   1 to 5, characterized in that the movement of the slide (2) is influenced by a. damping device.   7. Device according to claim 6, characterized   in that the damping device is   consisting of a piston that can be moved in a.ca-   vial (40), located in the drawer (2) or in a body connected thereto, the piston (41) being connected by   via a rod (42) to the fixed part of the disc   positive, that inside the piston (41) is arranged a valve (47) connected on the one hand to a space (48) located in front of the piston (41) and on the other hand to a space (49) located behind the piston (41), that inside it is provided an opening (45), in which engages a needle (46) fixed on the drawer (2) or on the body connected to the latter, that when opening the spool (2), the valve (47) closes as long as the needle (46) enters the opening (45) and that, when the   closing the slide, the valve (47) does not close.   8. Device according to any one of the   1 to 7, characterized in that at least a portion (30) of the bottom of the drawer (2) is made of a material   non-conductive from the electrical point of view.   9. Device according to any one of the   1 to 8, characterized in that the end, side   of the drawer (2) is arranged in such a way as to   sea, together with the antagonistic element (7), a shear.   10. Device according to any one of the   Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the drawer (2) is mounted in a front panel (1) by being inclined towards forward.   11. Device according to any one of the   Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that all the parts that can be reached by the user,   are made of a less superficial hardened steel- is lying.