JP2643473B2 - Print processing method of prepaid card device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a prepaid card device provided with a printing mechanism based on a method such as ink, heat sensitivity, pressure sensitivity, and the like.
The present invention relates to a printing method in which a printing mechanism for an inserted card and a newly issued card is used in common, and a conveying path is controlled so that the card surface can always be carried out face up.

(Prior Art) Various prepaid cards such as telephone cards are used. In a prepaid card device for processing these prepaid cards, a hole is made in the prepaid card in order to display the remaining amount, or Printing is done on the back of the prepaid card. Recently, in consideration of the convenience of the user, not only the remaining amount is displayed but also the usage amount, the usage location, the usage purpose, and the like are printed. When a new prepaid card is issued, predetermined items are printed on the surface of the prepaid card.

For printing on these prepaid card surfaces, the prepaid card device is provided with a printing mechanism using a method such as ink, heat sensing, or pressure sensing.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the above printing mechanism, the print head prints only one side of the prepaid card in the downward direction, so that the front side printing of the newly issued card and the back side of the insertion card inserted from the insertion slot are performed. If printing is to be performed using a common printing mechanism, the card must be inserted upside down, and after printing, the card is carried out upside down. Therefore, there is a problem that a printing mechanism for an inserted card and a printing mechanism for a newly issued card must be separately installed in order to always turn the card face up in the insertion slot.

(Means and Actions for Solving the Problems) The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has been made in order to substantially horizontally convey an insertion card from a card insertion slot at the leading end to a first card holding mechanism at the rear. One transport path,
A second method of reversing the card while transporting the card from the first card holding mechanism to the second card holding mechanism on the upper rear side.
A transport path and a third transport path for transporting the card substantially horizontally from the second card holding mechanism to the printing mechanism in front thereof are provided. In addition, a new transport path is provided behind the second card holding mechanism. A payout mechanism for issuing cards is provided,
What is claimed is: 1. A prepaid card device provided with a fourth transport path in which a card can be returned from a third transport path to a first transport path as it is in front of the printing mechanism. The above printing mechanism is used commonly for printing of inserted cards and newly issued cards, printing on the back side of inserted cards, printing on the front side of newly issued cards, and always facing each card face up. The present invention provides a print processing method for a prepaid card device, wherein the transport path is controlled so that the paper can be unloaded.

In the printing processing method of the prepaid card device of the present invention, the prepaid card inserted with the card surface facing up is transported substantially horizontally through the first transport path to the first card holding mechanism at the rear, and the second upper transport path at the rear upper part. The card is inverted while transporting the second transport path to the card holding mechanism, and then the third transport path is transported almost horizontally to the front printing mechanism, and the print head prints downward in the printing mechanism. Then, printing is performed on the back side of the card, and after printing, the transport method is reversed, the card is inverted while transporting from the third transport path to the second transport path, and the card surface is turned up again through the first transport path. Out of the slot. In addition, for a newly issued card, the card is conveyed from the rear feeding mechanism with the card surface facing up to the printing mechanism in front, where the print head prints downward and prints on the surface of the card. Thereafter, the card is returned to the above-described first transport path via the fourth transport path while being kept face-up, and is discharged from the insertion port via the first transport path. Further, a card collection mechanism is provided in the middle of the first transport path, and collects a card or the like that has been left behind.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall explanatory diagram of a print processing method of a prepaid card device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG.
(B) and (C) are explanatory views of first, second and third transport paths for transporting an inserted card from a card insertion slot to a printing mechanism, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a newly issued card passing through a printing mechanism. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a transfer path for carrying out from the card insertion slot, and FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory view of a collection mechanism provided in the middle of the transfer path.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a prepaid card device provided with a printing mechanism 10 using a method such as ink, heat sensitivity, pressure sensitivity, or the like.
In order to transport the inserted prepaid card 18 from the card insertion slot 6 to the printing mechanism 10 and to take it out of the insertion slot 6 again after printing is completed, the first transport path 2, the second transport path 3, the third
The transport path 4 is provided sequentially. The first transport path 2 is formed by a row of transport rollers R and a row of transport belts B so as to transport the insertion card 18 substantially horizontally from the insertion slot 6 to the first card holding mechanism 11 behind. In FIG. 2A, in the first transport path 2, the insertion card 18 is moved to the first card holding mechanism.
The state of being conveyed toward 11 is illustrated. Transport roller R
And the transport belt B rotate in the direction of the arrow to transport the insertion card 18. A reading mechanism 7 for reading information from a magnetic stripe or the like of the card 18, a writing mechanism 8 for writing predetermined items to the card 18, and a punch mechanism 9 for punching the card 18 are provided in the middle of the first transport path 2. They are provided sequentially and process cards 18. The path 2 is provided with a switching tool 16 described in detail below, on which a card 18 is transported.

The second transport path 3 is used to transport the inserted card 18 sent to the first card holding mechanism 11 to the second card holding mechanism 12 at the upper rear side in a shape close to a "<".
And the row of the conveyor belt B. FIG. 2B illustrates a state in which the card 18 is conveyed toward the second card holding mechanism 12 in the second conveyance path 3. The insertion card 18 passes through the first transport path 2
After it is confirmed that the card R has been conveyed to the card holding mechanism 11, the rollers R and the belt B reverse their directions of rotation and rotate in the direction of the arrow as shown to convey the inserted card 18. The card 18 is transported to the second card holding mechanism 12 with its front and back reversed.

The third transport path 4 is formed by a row of transport rollers R and a row of transport belts B so as to transport the inserted card 18 sent to the second card holding mechanism 12 almost horizontally to the front printing mechanism 10. You. FIG. 2C illustrates a state in which the card 18 is conveyed toward the printing mechanism 10 in the third conveyance path 4. After it is confirmed that the card 18 has been conveyed to the second card holding mechanism 12 through the second conveyance path 3 as described above, the roller R and the belt B reverse their rotation directions, and an arrow as shown in the figure. The insertion card 18 is rotated in the direction to convey the insertion card 18 to the printing mechanism 10. In the printing mechanism 10, the print head 14 prints a predetermined item on the card 18 downward.

In the printing method of the present invention, the card 18 inserted with the card surface facing up passes through the first transport path 2, the second transport path 3, and the third transport path 4 as described above, and The card 18 is conveyed face up and
A predetermined item is printed on the back surface of. When printing of the card 18 is completed, the roller R and the belt B reverse their rotation directions,
The card 18 is transported to the second card holding mechanism 12 through the third transport path 4 in a direction opposite to the direction shown in FIG. When the roller R and the belt B reach the second card holding mechanism 12, the rotation directions of the roller R and the belt B are reversed, and the second transport path 3 holds the card 18 in the direction opposite to the direction shown in FIG. It is transported to the mechanism 11. In the first card holding mechanism 11, the card 18 is returned to its front side again. When the roller R and the belt B reach the first card holding mechanism 11, the rotation directions of the rollers R and B are reversed, and the first transport path 1 is moved in the direction opposite to the direction shown in FIG. , And carried out from the insertion slot 6 with the card surface facing up.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a card feeding mechanism as a supply source of a newly issued prepaid card 19, which is connected to the rear of the second card holding mechanism 12. As shown in FIG. 3, in response to the issuance signal, the new issuance card 19 is fed out by the roller R of the feeding mechanism 13, and the second card is fed by the roller R and the belt B of the third conveyance path rotating in the direction of the arrow. The paper is conveyed toward the printing mechanism 10 via the card holding mechanism 12. Since the newly issued card 19 is conveyed with its surface facing up, predetermined items are printed on the surface of the card 19 in the printing mechanism 10.

In the printing processing method of the present invention, the roller R and the belt B convey the card 19 forward with the direction of rotation of the roller R and the belt B being kept the same as the printing of the newly issued card 19 is completed.

5 is a new issuance card 19 conveyed forward from the printing mechanism 10
A fourth transport path formed by a row of transport rollers R and a transport belt B for connecting the third transport path 4 and the first transport path 2 so as to return to the middle of the first transport path 2 It is.

The roller R and the belt B rotate in the direction of the arrow in FIG.
The newly issued card 19 is sent from the printing mechanism 10 to the first transport path 2 as shown in the figure. The roller R and the belt B of the first transport path 2 rotate in the direction of the arrow, and carry out the newly issued card 19 from the card insertion slot 6 with the card surface facing up. In the print processing method of the present invention, both the inserted card 18 and the newly issued card 19 are carried out with the card surface facing up.

Reference numeral 15 denotes a card collection mechanism, which is provided in the middle of the first discharge path 2. The switching tool 16 swings right and left in response to the switching signal, but in a normal conveyance, as shown in FIG. 4 (A), it falls leftward, and the insertion card conveyed along the first conveyance path 2.
The reference numeral 18 passes over the switching tool 16 and is transported in the E direction. When an abnormal situation such as the occurrence of a card that has been forgotten is detected during use, the switching tool 16 falls rightward as shown in FIG. 4 (B), and the inserted card 18 is prevented from being conveyed by the switching tool 16 and moved in the F direction. It falls and is collected in the card container 17.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects are exhibited.

(1) Since one printing mechanism can process both the inserted card and the newly issued card, the printing process is simplified and the cost is reduced.

(2) The user can receive both the inserted card and the newly issued card with the card face up, so that the use is performed smoothly and there is no confusion.

(3) The transport path is simple, transport control is easy, and stable operation can be expected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall explanatory view of a print processing method of a prepaid card device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 (A), (B), and FIG.
(C) is an explanatory view of first, second, and third transport paths for transporting an inserted card to a printing mechanism. FIG. 3 is a view for transporting a newly issued card from a card insertion port through a printing mechanism. 4 (A) and 4 (B) are explanatory views of a transport path and operation explanatory views of a card collection mechanism provided in the middle of the transport path. In the figure, 1: prepaid card device, 2: first transport path, 3: second transport path, 4: third transport path, 5: fourth transport path, 6: card slot, 7: reading mechanism, 8: writing 9: Punch mechanism, 10: Printing mechanism using ink, heat, pressure, etc., 11: First card holding mechanism, 12: Second card holding mechanism, 13: New card feeding mechanism, 14: Print head, 15: Card collection mechanism, 16: Switching tool, 17: Card container, 18: Insert prepaid card, 19: New issued prepaid card

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A prepaid card device provided with a printing mechanism based on a method of ink, heat, pressure, or the like.
A first transport path for transporting the card substantially horizontally to the card holding mechanism, and a second transport path for inverting the card while transporting the card from the first card holding mechanism to the second card holding mechanism at the upper rear side.
A transport path and a third transport path for transporting the card substantially horizontally from the second card holding mechanism to the printing mechanism provided in front of the transport path are provided, and the transport direction of each transport path is freely reversible. A card inserted with its front side facing up, printed on the back side of the card, and after printing, the conveying path is controlled so that the front side of the card can be taken out again from the insertion slot with the front side up again. Print processing method of the card device. 2. A prepaid card device according to claim 1, wherein a new issuing card feeding mechanism is connected to the rear of the second card holding mechanism, and the card is directly transported from the third transport path to the front of the printing mechanism. The 4th that can be returned to the route
A printing method for a prepaid card device, wherein a transport path is connected, printing is performed on the surface of a newly issued card, and the transport path is controlled so that the card can be carried out of an insertion slot with the card surface facing up. 3. A printing process for a prepaid card device according to claim 1, wherein a card collection mechanism is provided in the middle of the first transport path to control the transport path of the card. method. 4. A single printing mechanism based on a method of ink, heat, pressure, etc., is used in common, the inserted prepaid card is printed on the back side of the card, and the newly issued prepaid card is printed. A print processing method for a prepaid card device, wherein the transfer path is controlled so that the card is printed on the surface of the card and the surface of each card is always turned upside down.