JP2001283159A - Manual ic card reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the increase of the insertion load of an IC card during the insertion of the IC card. SOLUTION: A frame 2 forming a card insertion port 3 is provided with a recessed part formed in a card inserting direction for inserting and pulling out a card, and an IC card 5 is inserted from the card insertion port 3 through the recessed part into a card stop position 6, and an IC contact block 12 is projected to a card traveling path 14 due to the insertion and movement of the IC card 5, and the IC card 5 is pulled out after data communications so that a manual IC card reader 1 can be constituted. In this case, a driven rotary body 7 in a rotation free state is formed in the vicinity of the front side of the card inserting direction of the card stop position 6 so that the insertion load of the IC card 5 at the time of projecting the IC contact block 12 to the card traveling path 14 can be reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a manual type IC card reader. More specifically, the present invention relates to a manual IC card reader that pushes down an IC contact block by inserting an IC card and projects the IC contact block into a card traveling path.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an IC card reader, there is an IC card reader for manually inserting and extracting a card. On the other hand, in the IC card reader, when performing data communication with the card, it is necessary to bring the IC contact spring into contact with the contact terminal pattern of the IC card stopped at a predetermined position.

For this reason, in a conventional manual type IC card reader, as shown in FIGS.
01 is linked to the card running path 10 by the links 102 and 103.
4 and the IC contact block 10
There is a type in which a contact 108 is formed in one and the IC contact block 101 is pressed down by the insertion of the IC card 105 to make contact. The IC contact block 101 is drawn toward the near side in the card insertion direction by a spring 106, and the inserted IC card 105 hits a degree 108 and expands the spring 106 so that the IC
The contact block 101 is moved. Accordingly, the IC contact block 101 gradually descends while moving together with the IC card 105, and the IC contact spring 107
05. Contact pattern No. 05. Since the IC card 105 is accurately positioned by hitting the contact 108 of the IC contact block 101, the IC contact spring 107 of the IC contact block 101 accurately contacts the corresponding contact terminal pattern of the IC card 105.

In the drawings, reference numeral 110 denotes a magnetic head, and reference numeral 111 denotes a foreign matter discharge port.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned manual type IC card reader, as the IC contact block 101 is pushed down by insertion of the IC card 105, the IC card 105 and the card running surface 109 of the card running path 104 are moved downward. The frictional force generated between them will increase. That is, when the IC contact block 101 is lowered, I
The C-contact spring 107 pushes the IC card 105 gradually and strongly against the card running surface 109, and the frictional force, which is the insertion load of the IC card 105, gradually increases.
For this reason, the force required for inserting the IC card is increased from the middle, and the operability of inserting the card is deteriorated. In addition, there is a possibility that the user may mistake the increase of the insertion load during the card insertion as the completion of the card insertion.
05 is stopped halfway, the IC card 105
In addition to not being able to obtain good contact between the contact terminal pattern and the IC contact spring 107 of the IC contact block 101, the contact position of the IC contact spring 107 is not a regular position, which may cause malfunction. there were.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a manual IC card reader which can prevent an increase in card insertion load caused by projecting an IC contact block into a card traveling path.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a frame for forming a card insertion slot is provided with a card insertion / removal recess formed in a card insertion direction, and the recess is formed. A manual IC that is configured to insert an IC card from a card insertion slot to a card stop position through a card insertion slot, to cause an IC contact block to protrude into a card traveling path by insertion movement of the IC card, and to pull out the IC card after data communication. In a card reader, a driven rolling element in a rotation free state is provided near the card stop position near the front side in the card insertion direction to reduce the insertion load of the IC card when the IC contact block protrudes into the card travel path.

Therefore, when the IC contact block protrudes into the card running path and comes into contact with the IC card when the card is inserted, the IC card is pressed against the driven rolling element. Since the driven rolling element supports the IC card while being in rolling contact with the driven rolling element, and since the driven rolling element is in a rotation-free state, it does not generate a large frictional force which is a load for card insertion. Therefore, the insertion of the IC card can be continued with a small force.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the manual IC card reader, the driven rolling element is disposed at a position facing the IC contact block and a portion of the IC contact block other than the IC contact spring.

When disturbance such as vibration is input to the card reader, the IC contact block may rattle and protrude into the card traveling path without inserting the IC card. In this case, the IC contact spring of the IC contact block does not directly contact the driven rolling element, and the driven contact of the IC contact block other than the IC contact spring prevents the IC contact spring from contacting the card running surface. To prevent.

Further, the driven rolling element may be a driven roller or a driven ball as in a manual IC card reader according to a third aspect.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the manual type IC card reader according to the first aspect, the driven rolling element comprises:
The driven roller is provided over the entire width of the IC contact block, and has a groove formed at a position facing the IC contact spring. Therefore, since the driven rolling element is installed over the entire width of the IC contact block, the IC card can be supported over the entire width of the IC contact block. Thereby, the flatness of the part of the IC card that contacts the IC contact spring can be improved.

Further, since the IC contact block has a groove formed at a position facing the IC contact spring, when the IC contact block protrudes into the card traveling path without inserting the IC card, the IC contact block does not need to be inserted.
The C contact spring does not directly contact the driven rolling element, and the driven rolling element contacts a portion other than the IC contact spring of the IC contact block, thereby preventing the IC contact spring from contacting the card running surface.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The configuration of the present invention will be described below in detail based on the best mode shown in the drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 4 show a manual type I to which the present invention is applied.
1 shows an example of an embodiment of a C card reader. This manual I
C card reader (hereinafter simply referred to as card reader) 1
Is indicated by an arrow a in the figure on the frame 2 forming the card insertion slot 3.
The card insertion / removal recess 4 formed in the card insertion direction shown in FIG. 1 is provided, and the IC card 5 is inserted from the card insertion slot 3 to the card stop position 6 shown in FIG. The IC contact block 12 is made to protrude into the card travel path 14 by insertion movement, and the IC card 5 is pulled out after data communication.

Here, the concave portion 4 refers to a concave portion provided in the frame 2 and recessed in the card insertion direction so that the IC card 5 can be inserted and removed while holding the IC card 5 in a hand. Guide portions 9 are provided on both sides to serve as running guides when the card is inserted. The shape of the concave portion 4 is not limited to the shape shown in the present embodiment, but may be any shape that enables or facilitates insertion and removal of the IC card 5.
In addition, the card insertion slot 3 referred to in this specification refers to a portion of the card traveling path 14 at the bottom (rear side) of the recess 4. The guide 9 has a U-shaped cross section. Even if the inserted IC card 5 is curved, the guide 9 can be inserted while correcting it.

The IC card 5 used in the card reader 1 is, for example, an IC card on which a magnetic stripe is formed. However, a card reader that processes the IC card 5 on which the magnetic stripe is not formed may be used.

The card stop position 6 is a position on the innermost side of the card travel path 14, and a contact terminal pattern (not shown) formed on the IC card 5 by stopping the tip of the IC card 5 at the card stop position 6. Contacts the IC contact spring 11 of the IC contact block 12.

The card reader 1 has a magnetic head 21 for reading magnetic data of a magnetic stripe in addition to the IC contact block 12 as means for reading card information. The magnetic head 21 may also serve as a unit that detects magnetic data of the IC card 5 and detects insertion of the IC card 5.

The IC contact block 12 is supported by, for example, four links 16. Therefore,
The IC contact block descends with the movement to the far side in the card transport direction and projects to the card travel path 14 (FIG. 1). When the IC contact block 12 is lowered, the IC contact spring 11
It makes elastic contact with the contact terminal pattern of the card 5. On the other hand, when the IC card 5 is not inserted (FIG. 2), the IC contact block 12 is pulled by the spring 17 in the card pulling-out direction (the direction opposite to the card inserting direction a). The IC contact block 12 is formed with eight protrusions each projecting toward the card travel path 14.

The card reader 1 has a card stop position 6
The driven rolling element 7 in a free rotation state is provided in the vicinity of the near side of the card insertion direction, thereby reducing the insertion load of the IC card 5 when the IC contact block 12 projects into the card running path 14.

The driven rolling element 7 is, for example, a driven roller, and is installed in a free-rotation state on a card running surface 15 opposed to the IC contact block 12 with the card running path 14 interposed therebetween. The material of the driven roller 7 is not limited, such as a rubber roller or a plastic roller. However, the driven rolling element 7 is not limited to a driven roller, but may be a driven ball. The driven roller is not a driving roller to which a driving force is transmitted from an actuator such as a motor, but a roller which is in a rotation-free state and is driven to rotate by the movement of a card.
Similarly, the driven ball is not a driving ball to which a driving force is transmitted from an actuator such as a motor, but a ball which is in a rotation-free state and is driven to rotate by movement of a card.

For example, four driven rolling elements 7 are provided at positions facing the IC contact block 12 and parts of the IC contact block 12 other than the IC contact spring 11. That is, the driven rolling elements 7 are arranged at four positions outside the outermost IC contact spring 11. Further, the four driven rolling elements 7 are arranged so as to be equal to an area formed by the contact terminal pattern of the IC card 5. The amount of protrusion of the driven rolling element 7 into the card travel path 14 is designed in consideration of the positional relationship with the IC contact block 12. For example, the initial position of the magnetic head 21 (when the magnetic head 21 is It is designed to be slightly less than the amount of protrusion at the position pushed out toward the card running path 14).

The card reader 1 has the inserted I
A known lock lever (not shown) for preventing the C card 5 from coming off is provided. When the IC card 5 is inserted to the card stop position 6, the lock lever oscillated by the solenoid 10 is hooked on the rear end of the IC card 5 to prevent (lock) the IC card 5 from coming off, and lock the IC card 5.
Of the IC contact block 12 to the contact terminal pattern of
The card is prevented from being forcibly pulled out while the C contact spring 11 is in contact therewith.

The operation of the card reader 1 configured as described above will be described.

When the IC card 5 is inserted through the card insertion slot 3, the magnetic data recorded on the magnetic stripe of the IC card 5 is detected by the magnetic head 21. Thereby, the card reader 1 detects insertion of the IC card 5. Further, the card insertion detection may be performed by a front sensor using a lever system or the like. And the magnetic head 21 is an IC
The magnetic data is read using the operation of inserting the card 5.

When the tip of the inserted IC card 5 comes into contact with the contact 8 of the IC contact block 12, the IC card 5
Is the IC contact block 12 while extending the spring 17.
Push forward. Since the IC contact block 12 is supported by the four links 16, the IC contact block 12 is gradually lowered while being pushed by the IC card 5.

When the IC contact block 12 is lowered, the IC
The contact spring 11 contacts the contact terminal pattern of the IC card 5. Therefore, the IC card 5 is pressed against the driven rolling element 7. However, since the driven rolling element 7 is driven and rotated with the movement of the IC card 5, it does not generate a large resistance to the insertion of the IC card 5. That is, even if the IC card 5 is pressed against the driven rolling element 7 by the IC contact spring 11,
The generation of a load with respect to the insertion force can be suppressed. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the force required for inserting the IC card 5 from greatly increasing during the insertion.

Then, the IC card 5 is moved to the card stop position 6
When the IC contact block 12 is inserted, the IC contact block 12 descends to the position shown in FIG. 1 and the contact between the IC contact spring 11 and the contact terminal pattern becomes more reliable. Also, the solenoid 10 is activated and the IC card 5 is operated by the lock lever.
To lock. Thereafter, data communication is performed between the IC contact spring 11 and the contact terminal pattern. And
When the data communication is completed, the solenoid 10 is turned off, the lock lever is released from the IC card 5, and the lock of the IC card 5 is released. Thereby, the user can pull out the IC card 5.

As the user pulls out the IC card 5, the IC contact block 12 is
And return to the position shown in FIG.

In this card reader 1, as described above,
Since the force required for inserting the C card 5 can be prevented from increasing greatly during the insertion, the operability of inserting the card is improved. That is, in the manual type IC card reader 1, the IC
The IC contact block 12 is made to protrude into the card travel path 14 by inserting the card 5.
Since the insertion load of the card can be reduced, a large change in the force required for card insertion can be prevented, and the operability of card insertion can be improved.

Also, since a large change in the force required for card insertion during card insertion can be prevented, it is possible to prevent a user from erroneously recognizing a position during card insertion as a card insertion completed position. For this reason, the IC card 5 is completely inserted to the card stop position 6, and the IC contact spring 11 and the contact terminal pattern can be brought into contact with each other accurately and surely.

On the other hand, when the IC card 5 is not inserted into the card reader 1, the IC contact block 12 may rattle and fall due to an input such as disturbance such as vibration. However, since the driven rolling element 7 is installed so as to face the IC contact block 12 at a position separated from the IC contact spring 11, the IC contact spring 11 is
And the driven rolling element 7 hits and receives the lowered IC contact block 12, so that the IC contact spring 11 does not collide with the frame 2. Therefore, the IC contact spring 11 can be protected by the driven rolling element 7.

The above-described embodiment is an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but is not limited thereto, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

For example, in the present embodiment, the driven rolling elements 7 are disposed at four positions outside the outermost IC contact spring 11, but the present invention is not limited to this, and as shown in FIGS. The driven rolling elements 7, 7 are connected to the IC contact block 12
Driven roller installed over the entire width of the
A groove 22 formed at a position facing the contact spring 11 may be provided. In this case, each driven rolling element 7 is an IC
Since it is installed over the entire width of the contact block 12,
The IC card 5 can be supported over the entire width of the IC contact block 12. Thereby, the IC of the IC card 5
Since the flatness of the portion contacting the contact spring 11 can be improved, it is possible to prevent the contact pressure on the IC card 5 from being changed due to the bending of the IC card 5 and adversely affecting data communication.

In the above-described embodiment, the driven rolling element 7
Are installed over the entire width of the IC contact block 12, but the present invention is not limited to this, and they may be installed over a range shorter than the entire width of the IC contact block 12. Also in this case, in the range where the driven rolling element 7 is provided, the facing IC
Since the flatness of the card 5 can be improved, the occurrence of bending of the IC card 5 can be suppressed. As described above, the length of the driven rolling element 7 can be set according to the flatness requirement of the opposing IC card 5.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, each of the front and rear driven rolling elements 7, 7 has a groove 22, but the present invention is not limited to this. Only the driven rolling element 7 facing the IC contact spring 11 has a groove. 22, the other driven rolling element 7 may not have the groove 22. in this way,
The driven rolling element 7 facing at least the IC contact spring 11
If only the groove 22 is provided, it is possible to prevent the IC contact spring from directly hitting the driven rolling element.

[0038]

As described above, in the manual IC card reader according to the first aspect, the driven rolling element in the rotation free state is provided near the card stop position near the front side in the card insertion direction, and the card travels through the IC contact block. Since the insertion load of the IC card when the IC card is projected onto the road is reduced, the frictional force generated when the IC card is pressed against the card running surface by the IC contact spring can be reduced. That is,
Compared to the conventional IC card reader, the conventional IC card reader slides the IC card directly on the card running surface, whereas the manual IC card reader has a driven rolling element because it has a driven rolling element. The IC card is slid against moving objects. Therefore, the kind of generated friction is different, and when the IC card is slid, the contact is surface contact, whereas the driven rolling element is line contact or point contact, and the contact surface is also different. Therefore, the frictional force is greatly reduced. As a result, it is possible to prevent the card insertion load from increasing greatly during the insertion of the IC card, and to improve the operability of card insertion. Further, since it is possible to prevent the midway position of card insertion from being erroneously recognized as the insertion completion position, it is possible to ensure the card processing and prevent malfunction.

Further, in the manual IC card reader according to the second aspect, the driven rolling element is installed at a position facing the IC contact block and a portion other than the IC contact spring of the IC contact block. The IC contact spring of the IC contact block can be protected by the driven rolling element.

Further, in the manual IC card reader according to the third aspect, since the driven rolling element is a driven roller or a driven ball, a driven rolling element having a simple structure can be obtained. For this reason, an increase in the number of parts can be suppressed, an increase in manufacturing cost can be suppressed, and the size of the apparatus can be reduced.

Further, according to the manual IC card reader of the fourth aspect, the driven rolling element is installed over the entire width of the IC contact block, so that the IC card is supported over the entire width of the IC contact block. be able to. As a result, the flatness of the portion of the IC card that comes into contact with the IC contact spring can be increased, and the IC card is bent by the bending of the IC card.
It is possible to prevent the contact pressure to the C card from being changed and adversely affecting data communication.

Moreover, since the IC contact block has a groove formed at a position facing the IC contact spring, when the IC contact block protrudes into the card travel path without inserting the IC card, the IC contact block can be used.
The C contact spring does not directly contact the driven rolling element, and the driven rolling element contacts a portion other than the IC contact spring of the IC contact block, thereby preventing the IC contact spring from contacting the card running surface. Therefore, the driven rolling element can prevent and protect the IC contact spring from being damaged.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a manual IC card reader to which the present invention is applied, in a state where an IC card is inserted up to a card stop position.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of the manual type IC card reader;
It is a side view in the state where an IC card is not inserted.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the manual IC card reader.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view showing a schematic configuration of the manual type IC card reader.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a main part showing another embodiment of a manual IC card reader.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a driven rolling element.

FIG. 7 shows an IC contact block of a conventional manual IC card reader, and is a schematic configuration diagram of a state before an IC card is inserted.

FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an IC contact block of a conventional manual IC card reader, in which an IC card is inserted up to a card stop position.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Manual IC card reader 2 Frame 3 Card insertion slot 4 Depression 5 IC card 6 Card stopping position 7 Follower rolling element 11 IC contact spring 12 IC contact block 14 Card running path

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A card insertion / removal recess formed in a card insertion direction in a frame forming a card insertion slot, and an IC card is inserted from the card insertion slot to the card stop position through the recess, and In the manual IC card reader, wherein the IC contact block is protruded into the card travel path by the insertion movement of the IC card, and the IC card is pulled out after data communication, in the vicinity of the card stop position near the front side in the card insertion direction. A manually driven IC card reader, wherein a driven rolling element in a rotation free state is provided to reduce an insertion load of an IC card when the IC contact block is projected to the card running path. 2. The manual driving device according to claim 1, wherein the driven rolling element is installed at a position facing the IC contact block and a portion of the IC contact block other than the IC contact spring. Type IC card reader. 3. The manual IC card reader according to claim 1, wherein the driven rolling element is a driven roller or a driven ball. 4. The driven rolling element is a driven roller installed over the entire width of the IC contact block.
2. The manual IC card reader according to claim 1, further comprising a groove formed at a position facing the IC contact spring.