JP2540278Y2 - Card Remaining Detector - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting the remaining amount of a card in a card issuing machine or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an issuer such as a paper card or a prepard card which has been used in large quantities in recent years, a magnetic unrecorded card is stacked on the issuer to accommodate a card such as a hopper. The required items are magnetically recorded and issued sequentially from the housing unit through the magnetic leader unit. Conventionally, there are a reflection sensor type as shown in FIG. 6 and a transmission sensor type as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 as a device for detecting the remaining amount of cards stacked and stored in a card storage portion. In FIG. 6, a window hole is formed in the rear side of the card storage unit 1, and a reflection sensor 13 is provided outside the window hole. In this card remaining amount detection device, for example,
When the number of the cards 6 is 10 or more, the light of the reflective sensor 13 hits the card 6 and is reflected, and when the number of the cards 6 is 10 or less, the light of the reflective sensor 13 hits the weight and reflects. Have been. In the case of this reflection sensor type card remaining amount detecting device, since the position of the weight is confirmed by the difference between the reflectances of the card 6 and the weight 8, dirt on the card and the weight is obtained. For example, the reflectivity changes and the accuracy is not very good.
The card remaining amount detecting device shown in FIGS.
7, the light emitting element 14 is provided on the left side of FIG. 7 and the light receiving element 15 is provided on the same horizontal line as the card 6 to detect the remaining amount of the card. The car with this transmission sensor type
In the case of the device for detecting the remaining amount of the card, when there is a card 6 'which is bent and deformed in the card 6 as shown in FIG.
There is a gap between 6 'and the detection light is transmitted without being blocked by the card, so there is a risk of erroneous detection of the remaining amount. There was a drawback that the instruction was issued for 10 or less.

[0003]

The problem to be solved is that if the card or weight is soiled or the card is deformed, the remaining amount is erroneously detected. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned drawbacks, an object of the present invention is to accurately detect the remaining amount of a card even if the card is dirty or the card is deformed.

[0004]

[Problem to be solved by the present invention]
Stack horizontally and store from the bottom card
In a device provided with a light emitting means and a light receiving means for detecting the remaining amount of a card in a storage section of a card or the like provided with a card outlet to be taken out, the two sides adjacent to the card face the card outlet.
The gist is that the light emitting means and the light receiving means are respectively opposed to the outside of the two sides not including the side while being inclined with respect to the card surface.

[0005]

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, even when the number of cards 6 in the storage unit 1 is reduced and the card 6 has a deformed card 6 'in which both long sides 6a or short sides 6b are curved upwardly,
The light emitting sensor 4 of the light emitting means and the light receiving sensor 5 of the light receiving means are
The detection light emitted from the light-emitting sensor 4 of the light-emitting means is arranged outside each of the two sides 6a and 6b adjacent to the card 6 and at an angle θ with respect to the surface 6c of the card 6. Since "a" is cut off by the deformed card 6 'and does not reach the light receiving sensor 5 of the light receiving means, the instruction of "the remaining amount is small" is not issued. Moreover, the light emitting sensor 4 and the light receiving sensor 5
Is not provided on the card exit side, so the card 6
Dust such as dust adhered to the card 6 is separated from the light emitting sensor 4 or
Does not adhere to the light receiving sensor 5 again.

[0006]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a main part of a card issuing device in which a card storage part is incorporated, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged main part cross-sectional plan view of a card storage part in which a card remaining amount detecting device is incorporated. FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of an essential part viewed from the right side of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of an essential part when both sides of a short side of the card are bent upward, and FIG. It is principal part sectional side view when both sides of a long side are curving upward.

In FIG. 1 to FIG.
A mounting plate 2 is provided on each side of a card housing 1 such as a hopper.
It comprises a light-emitting sensor 4 of light-emitting means, a light-receiving sensor 5 of light-receiving means, and a control circuit (not shown). In the card storage unit 1, for example, a magnetically unrecorded card 6 is stacked and stored. Bottom plate 1a of this storage unit 1
Is provided with a through hole 1b, and a roller 7 for sending out the card is arranged so as to abut against the lower surface side of the lowest card 6 in the storage section 1. The roller 7 for sending out the card is rotated forward and backward by a motor (not shown). A weight 8 made of, for example, stainless steel is placed on the uppermost card 6 of the card 6 accommodated in the accommodating portion 1, and one corner of the weight 8 emits light from the light emitting sensor 4 in FIG. The detected light a is cut out so as to reach the light receiving sensor 5. A card outlet is provided at the front of the storage section 1, and a gate roller 9 is disposed below the card outlet. A card delivery path 10 is provided at the front side of the storage section 1, and a first roller 11 and a second roller 12 for card transportation are arranged at the front side thereof. Is driven to rotate. A magnetic leader section A is arranged in front of the second roller 12 for transporting the card, and the card accommodating section 1 and the rollers 11, 12 for transporting the card.
A magnetic card issuing device is composed of the magnetic leader unit A and the magnetic reader unit A.

The light-emitting sensor 4 of the light-emitting means and the light-receiving sensor 5 of the light-receiving means of the card remaining amount detecting device have a long side 6a and a short side 6b adjacent to each other as shown in FIGS. And an angle θ with respect to the surface 6c of the card 6.
They are arranged facing each other at an angle. A window 1c is formed in the side of the card housing 1 at the position of the light emitting sensor 4, and a cut 1d is formed in the side of the card housing 1 at the position of the light receiving sensor 5. Further, the height position of the light emitting sensor 4 is arranged such that the detection light a impinges on the tenth card from the bottom of the card 6 accommodated in the card accommodating portion 1, for example.

In the card feeding operation, the lowermost card 6 in the housing 1 is moved from the card outlet by a card feeding roller 7 from the housing 1 in FIG. Will be sent out. The sent out card 6 has a first roller 11 and a second roller 11 for conveying the card.
The roller 12 is transported to the magnetic leader section A side, and is magnetically recorded and discharged by the magnetic leader section A.

The operation of the card remaining amount detecting device is such that when the cards 6 having no deformation are stacked as shown in FIG. 3, the detection light a emitted from the light emitting sensor 4 of the light emitting means is emitted from the card. C6
, And does not reach the light receiving sensor 5 of the light receiving means, so that the instruction of "the remaining amount is small" is not issued. In particular, when the card 6 in the housing portion 1 is large, the weight of the card 6 also influences the deformation of the card and the detection light is blocked by the card 6.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the card 6 in the housing 1 is reduced and there is a deformed card 6 'in which both sides of the short side 6b of the card 6 are curved upward, In FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 of the example, an instruction is issued that "the remaining amount is small".
Are arranged outside the two sides 6a and 6b adjacent to each other,
Since the detection light a emitted from the light-emitting sensor 4 of the light-emitting means is blocked by the deformed card 6 ', the light-receiving sensor of the light-receiving means is located at an angle .theta. Do not reach 5.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the card 6 in the accommodating portion 1 is reduced and there is a deformed card 6 'in which both sides of the long side 6a of the card are curved upward, FIG. Similarly, in the conventional example, an instruction is issued that "the remaining amount is low".
Are arranged outside the two sides 6a and 6b adjacent to each other,
Since the detection light a emitted from the light-emitting sensor 4 of the light-emitting means is blocked by the deformed card 6 ', the light-receiving sensor of the light-receiving means is located at an angle .theta. Do not reach 5.

When the card remaining amount detecting device is configured as described above, the card 6 becomes dirty or the card 6 is deformed.
Even if it is, the remaining amount of the card can be accurately detected. I
The light emitting sensor 4 and the light receiving sensor 5 adhere to the card
It is provided at the card exit side where dust such as dust
The light-emitting sensor 4 or the light-receiving sensor 5
It is difficult for garbage to adhere, and the remaining amount detection accuracy is long
It can be maintained.

The position of the light emitting sensor 4 of the light emitting means attached to the side of the card housing 1 is arranged so that the detection light a impinges on the center of the long side 6a of the card 6 in FIG. May be.

The card 6 described above may be used for issuing cards other than pre-paid cards, such as coupons and commuter passes. Further, the present invention may be applied to a card for recording information other than magnetic recording.

[0016]

Since the present invention, according to the invention were constructed as described above, or dirty card, the card also be deformed accurately remaining amount of the card can be detected long term accuracy of the remaining amount detection
It is possible to provide a device for detecting the remaining amount of a card, which has an excellent effect in practical use, such as being able to maintain the duration .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a main part of a card issuing device in which a card storage unit is incorporated.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional plan view of a main part of a card storage unit in which a card remaining amount detecting device is incorporated.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of a main part viewed from the right side of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of a main part when both sides of a short side of the card are bent upward.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of a main part when both sides of a long side of the card are curved and deformed upward.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of a main part of a conventional card remaining amount detecting device.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of a main part of another conventional card remaining amount detecting device.

8 is a cross-sectional side view of another essential part of the card remaining amount detecting device of FIG. 7;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Card accommodating part 4 Light emitting sensor of light emitting means 5 Light receiving sensor of light receiving means 6 Adjacent two sides of cards 6a and 6b 6c Surface of card 6 Angle θ

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A with housing by laminating card horizontally
The housing portion of the <br/> card having a card outlet for taking out the lowermost sheet of card in order, At a device having a light emitting means and light receiving means for detecting the remaining amount of the card, adjacent said card in two sides, the remaining amount detecting apparatus of the card opposed to each other inclined respectively the light emitting means and said light receiving means on the outside of the two sides without the side facing the card outlet to the card surface.