JP3175094B2 - Card counting device with magnetic layer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the counting of cards having a magnetic layer formed by applying a magnetic paint to the surface of a medium, for example, cards such as prepaid cards and ID cards for identification. The present invention relates to a counting device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this kind of card counting device has
As shown in FIG. 7, the light emitting element and the light receiving element on the market are paired one by one, as shown in FIG. The counting is performed by scanning and detecting the end face of the stacked cards using a general sensor arranged or using a laser element or the like.

[0003]

FIG. 6 shows an end face of a typical card currently used. That is, the magnetic layer 14 is formed on one surface of the card base material 13 by applying a magnetic paint, and the printed layer 15 is formed on the other surface by printing. In such a card, the end face of the printing layer 15 described above differs in color type and tone depending on the position counted by the sensor.
The thickness of the printing layer also varies.

[0004] The following problems arise when counting the stacked cards with the above-described conventional card counting device. That is, if there are slight irregularities in the alignment of the cards or if dust or the like is attached, a shadow is generated due to the single light emitting element, and the output of the light receiving element 12 is not stabilized as shown in FIG. The counting accuracy becomes unstable. Also,
The same applies to the difference in the type of the printing layer 15, the difference in the thickness of the card, and the mixture thereof.

Further, if an expensive semiconductor laser device or the like is used to obtain a high resolution, a high cost cannot be avoided. In addition, there is no inconvenience that it is not possible to confirm that new types of printing inks that will appear on the market in the future, specially printed ones, thin ones, and mixed ones with different thicknesses can not be obtained. is there.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned inconveniences, and has as its object to provide a card counting device having a magnetic layer capable of accurately counting the number of superimposed cards. And

[0007]

In order to meet such an object, a card counting device having a magnetic layer according to the present invention comprises a card sensor comprising a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and the card sensor laminated. A card counting device having a magnetic layer comprising: a driving mechanism for moving the card in parallel with an end face of the magnetic layer; and a display unit for displaying a result detected by the card sensor. A light receiving element and a plurality of light emitting elements, the light receiving element and the light emitting element are provided so that light from the plurality of light emitting elements is focused on the light receiving element at one point, and the light receiving element receives the plurality of light emitting elements. A plurality is provided at equal intervals on a circumference around the element.

According to the present invention, light is irradiated from multiple directions,
Since the reflected light is superimposed and averaged and received to detect the end face of the magnetic layer of the card, a constant output is obtained from the magnetic layer whose end face has a uniform color type and tone and a uniform thickness. This makes it possible to count the number of cards without being affected by the difference in the type and tone of printing, the pattern of printing, and the thickness as in the case of the printing layer.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. FIGS. 1A and 1B are a layout diagram and a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of a sensor for detecting a magnetic layer used in a card counting device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the placement relationship of the cards and the driving mechanism used in this embodiment, and the arrangement of the sensors.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an output signal waveform of a sensor for detecting a magnetic layer. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the main part of the card counting device according to the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the counting device according to the present invention.

FIG. 1A is a view showing the arrangement of a light emitting element and a light receiving element when an optical system (not shown) is removed, and FIG.
FIG. 3A is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. In FIG. 1, 1
Reference numeral 1 denotes a light emitting element, which is configured by an LED or the like. Reference numeral 12 denotes a light receiving element. The optical system (not shown) includes one lens, a plurality of lenses, or a compound lens.
Are assembled so as to be focused at one point, and the light from the focal point is focused on the surface of the light receiving element 12. The light emitting elements 11 are arranged at equal intervals on a circumference centered on the center of the light receiving surface of the light receiving element 12. Although four light emitting elements 11 are shown in FIG.

When the end face of the superposed card 1 is scanned by using the magnetic layer detecting sensor 2 having such a configuration, the light of the light emitting element 11 is radiated to the end face of the card 1 from multiple directions. The reflected light is the sum and average of them. Therefore, even if there is small dust or dust on the end face of the card 1, it is hard to be affected. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the output of the sensor is the reflection from the end surface of the printing layer 15 by the printing ink, and there is a variation like the signal 21 due to the variation of the surface, but the color type and tone are unified and the thickness is also Magnetic layer 14 of uniform magnetic paint
The light reflected from the end surface of the light emitting device is constant, and becomes constant like a signal 16. Therefore, if the signal is clipped at a certain level, a signal train based on the end face of the magnetic layer 14 can be reliably obtained, and stable counting can be performed.

The present invention differs from the end face of the card 1 in that the type and tone of the color and the thickness vary according to the position counted by the sensor, such as the printed layer 15, and the end face of the card 1 is coated with a magnetic paint. Magnetic layer 14 formed
Is a skillful use of the fact that the color and tone are unified and the thickness is relatively uniform. The card base material 13 is generally made of a white or light-colored material and is relatively uniform, so that it reflects light well, but is unstable in detecting the number of cards.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a superposed card or the like mounted on a mounting table. Reference numeral 2 denotes a sensor for detecting the magnetic layer, and reference numeral 3 denotes a mounting table for the sensor 2 for detecting the magnetic layer that moves in parallel with the end face of the card 1 placed on the guide rod 7. Reference numeral 4 denotes a driving motor, which includes a pulley 5 and a belt 6.
Together, they constitute a driving mechanism for the sensor 2 and the mounting table 3 for detecting the magnetic layer. Reference numeral 8 denotes a first position sensor for detecting a starting point position of the mounting table 3. Reference numeral 9 denotes a second position sensor for detecting a reverse point position for reversing the moving direction of the mounting table 3.

In the block diagram of FIG. 4, reference numeral 20 denotes an operation unit. The operation unit 20 includes a start switch for starting the counting operation, a total switch for displaying the total of the count value on the display unit 19, and By simultaneously pressing the start switch and the total switch,
The control unit 18 includes two switches having a function of resetting a memory for storing the total of the count values in the control unit 18 described later. When the operation unit 20 is not operated for more than 2 minutes, the automatic power-off function is activated to suppress power consumption other than storage.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a driving mechanism.
Is composed of a driving motor 4, a pulley 5, a belt 6, and the like. The drive mechanism 10 causes the sensor 2 for detecting a magnetic layer and the mounting table 3 to execute a predetermined operation in accordance with a signal from a control unit 18 described later. Reference numeral 19 denotes a display unit for displaying the number of cards 1 and a predetermined message, such as a counting error and a decrease in driving power.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a control unit, which is composed of, for example, a microcomputer or the like. The number of cards 1 and the like is determined by a built-in counter 18a based on an output signal of the magnetic layer detection sensor 2 by a signal of the operation unit 20. In addition to counting, the drive mechanism 10 is controlled based on signals from the first position sensor 8 and the second position sensor 9.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In FIG. 5, ST1 to ST10
Indicates each step. First, when the start switch of the operation unit 20 is pressed, the control unit 18 resets the counter 18a, and based on the signal of the first position sensor 8, determines whether the sensor 2 for magnetic layer detection and the mounting table 3 are at the start point positions. It is determined (step ST1), and if it is not at the start point position, the drive mechanism 10 is controlled, and after returning to the start point of step ST2, the operation proceeds to step ST1.

Subsequently, if the magnetic layer detecting sensor 2 and the mounting table 3 are at the starting point position in the judgment of step ST1, step ST3 is executed to control the rotation of the driving motor 4 in the normal rotation direction. Magnetic layer detection sensor 2 and mounting table 3
Is controlled to move to the position of the second position sensor 9 for detecting the reversal position for reversing the moving direction, and the counter 18a is controlled to count the signal from the magnetic layer detection sensor 2. I do. In the meantime, as shown in FIG. 3, a signal 16 having a stable intensity from the end face of the magnetic layer 14 on the end face of the card 1 is obtained from the magnetic layer detection sensor 2, and a reliable count can be performed.

Next, when the magnetic layer detecting sensor 2 and the mounting table 3 have been moved to the position of the second position sensor 9 for detecting the reversal position for reversing the moving direction in the judgment of step ST4, the forward path ( The count value of the counter 18a (while the magnetic layer detecting sensor 2 and the mounting table 3 move from the starting point position to the reversing position) is stored in the memory incorporated in the control unit 18 (step ST5).

Subsequently, the driving motor 4 is controlled to rotate in the reverse direction, and the magnetic layer detecting sensor 2 and the mounting table 3 are moved to the first position.
The signal from the magnetic layer detection sensor 2 is controlled so that the counter 18a counts until the position sensor 8 returns to the start point position. (Step ST6) And Step ST
When the magnetic layer detecting sensor 2 and the mounting table 3 return to the starting position of the first position sensor 8 in the determination of 7, the driving motor 4 is stopped (step ST8), and then the forward path (the magnetic layer detecting sensor) is stopped. 2 and the mounting table 3 move from the starting position to the reversing position) and the return path (while the magnetic layer detecting sensor 2 and the mounting table 3 return from the reversing position to the starting position) match. Is determined (step ST
9).

If the two count values on these round trips do not match, a predetermined message such as a count error is displayed on the display unit 19 (step ST10), and the control is terminated. In this way, the number of cards 1 can be reliably counted.

The control unit 18 is configured to compare the count value of the drive mechanism 10 by the forward movement and the count value by the return movement by an arithmetic function, and display a predetermined display on the display unit 19 when they do not match.

A configuration in which a plurality of the magnetic layer detection sensors 2 are used and arranged at different positions on the same end surface of the stacked cards 1 or at positions where different end surfaces are detected, and a plurality of count values are collated. It may be. Further, the magnetic layer detecting sensor 2
The scanning path may be parallel to the end surface of the stacked cards 1 and obliquely scanned to increase the detection width and increase the signal width so that stable detection can be performed.

[0024]

As described above, according to the card counting device having a magnetic layer according to the present invention, the counting is performed by the magnetic layer detecting sensor for stably detecting the end face of the magnetic layer of the card. Even color types and tones, printing patterns, differences in thickness, thin ones, and a mixture thereof can be accurately counted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a card counting device having a magnetic layer according to the present invention, in which (a) shows a light emitting element and a light receiving element when an optical system (not shown) in a magnetic layer detecting sensor is removed. (B) is a sectional view taken along line AA of (a).

FIG. 2 shows a card counting device according to the present invention.
It is a perspective view showing the outline of the device of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an output signal waveform of the magnetic layer detection sensor of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a card counting device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the outline of the operation of the card counting device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a model diagram of an end face of a typical card.

7A and 7B show a conventional general sensor, wherein FIG. 7A is a layout view of a light emitting element and a light receiving element in the sensor, and FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an output signal waveform of a conventional general sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

1. Cards (cards), 2. Sensor for detecting magnetic layer,
3 mounting base, 4 driving motor, 5 pulley, 6 belt, 7 guide rod, 8 first position sensor, 9 second position sensor, 10 driving mechanism, 11 light emitting element, Reference numeral 12 denotes a light receiving element, 13 denotes a medium base material such as a card, 14 denotes a magnetic layer made of a magnetic paint such as a card, 15 denotes a printed layer made of a print paint such as a card, 16 denotes an output signal of a sensor based on a magnetic layer end face,
17: unstable output signal from a conventional general sensor,
18: control unit, 18a: counter, 19: display unit, 20
... Operation unit, 21. Signal output that fluctuates at the end face of the print layer.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A card sensor comprising a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and a magnetic layer of a card or the like in which the card sensor is laminated.
A drive mechanism for moving in parallel with the end face of the
Display unit for displaying the results detected by the
A card counting device having a magnetic layer obtained , wherein the card sensor comprises a light receiving element and a plurality of light emitting elements.
The light receiving element and the light emitting element are
The light from the element is focused on the light receiving element at one point.
And the plurality of light emitting elements are circles centered on light receiving elements.
A counting device for cards having a magnetic layer, wherein a plurality of the counting devices are provided on a circumference at equal intervals .