JP3991844B2 - Card processing device with printing function - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a card processing apparatus with a printing function for printing on a card by a thermal head.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A conventional card processing device with a printing function is formed to be openable and closable and close to form a card transport path, and a thermal head provided in the upper chassis, a thermal head provided in the upper chassis, and a thermal head provided in the lower chassis. Some include a platen roller that presses the card. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
In addition, a thermal head and a guide roller are provided across the card conveyance path, and when cleaning the thermal head, there is a type in which the cleaning card is conveyed into the card conveyance path and the thermal head is cleaned by this cleaning card. (For example, refer to Patent Document 2).
[0003]
In addition, the applicant has not yet found prior art documents closely related to the present invention by the time of filing other than the prior art documents specified by the prior art document information described in the present specification. .
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-8-195007 (paragraphs 0010, 0011, FIG. 2)
[Patent Document 2]
JP-A-9-198478 (paragraph 0024, FIG. 1)
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Among the above-described conventional card processing devices with a printing function, in the former device, since the upper chassis and the lower chassis are divided, the center of the thermal head provided in the upper chassis at the time of assembly and the lower chassis are provided. The centers of the platen rollers do not coincide with each other, and despite the complicated adjustments, the thermal head and the platen roller are not aligned with each other. In the latter apparatus, a special cleaning card for cleaning the thermal head is required.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and a first object is to prevent defective printing. A second object is to clean the thermal head without requiring a special cleaning card.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve this object, the invention according to claim 1 is directed to a card transport path through which a card is transported, card processing means for processing the card, a thermal head for printing on the card, and a contact with the thermal head. And a contact member that presses the card against the thermal head, wherein the card transport path is openable and closable, and the card member with a printing function that separates the contact member from the thermal head by opening the card is provided. A moving means for moving in the transport direction, and a flat contact surface for pressing the card against the thermal head is provided on the contact member, and the contact surface is placed in the state where the card transport path is closed while the thermal transfer head is closed. It is movable between a position that contacts the head and a position that retreats from the thermal head.
Therefore, even if the contact member is slightly displaced with respect to the thermal head, the contact surface of the contact member accurately contacts the printing portion of the thermal head. When the printing is completed and the card is ejected, the contact member is retracted from the thermal head.
[0008]
The invention according to claim 2 is the cleaning member according to claim 1, wherein the contact member has a cleaning surface that is adjacent to the card conveying direction and forms the same surface as the contact surface of the contact member. Is provided.
Therefore, the thermal head is cleaned by the cleaning member by moving the thermal head in the card transport direction with the contact member in contact with the thermal head.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view showing a configuration of a card processing apparatus with a printing function according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view showing a state in which the card conveyance path is opened, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the main part. 4 to 7 are side views of the main part. FIG. 4 shows a state in which the card is taken into the card conveyance path, FIG. 5 shows a state in which the card is printed, and FIG. FIG. 7 shows a state where the thermal head is being cleaned.
[0010]
As shown in FIG. 1, the card processing apparatus with a printing function, indicated as a whole by reference numeral 1, is freely rotatable via a shaft 4 on the lower case 2 and on the rear end side (in the direction of arrow A in the figure) of the lower case 2. The upper case 3 is supported by the upper case 3. The lower case 2 and the upper case 3 form the card transport path 5 so as to extend in the direction of arrows AB. As shown in FIG. 2, the upper case 3 is rotated clockwise around the axis 4 to open the card transport path 5, and the card jammed in the card transport path 5 can be removed, It is comprised so that the maintenance inspection in the conveyance path 5 can be performed.
[0011]
Reference numeral 6 denotes a slot member, which is formed in a slit shape and is provided with a card insertion / discharge port 6a for inserting and discharging a card. 7 is a card transporting stepping motor which is provided on the lower case 2 side and whose motor shaft rotates in the forward and reverse directions. The stepping motor 7 is driven by a pulley 8 and a driving pulley 9 via a belt 9a. Is transmitted. The pulley 9 is integrally formed with a driving roller 10 having an upper end faced to the card conveying path 5. The driving roller 10 is driven clockwise or counterclockwise in the figure by driving the stepping motor 7 in the forward and reverse directions. Rotate. Reference numeral 11 denotes a magnetic head provided on the lower case 2 side, and the head surface faces the card transport path 5. Reference numerals 12 and 13 are driven rollers that are rotatably supported on the lower case 2 side. The upper end faces the card conveying path 5, and the rotation of the driving roller 10 is transmitted through a belt (not shown). .
[0012]
Reference numeral 15 denotes a thermal head, which is provided with a line-shaped printing portion 15a formed in a semicircular cross section and extending toward the back of the paper surface at the top, and is moved in the direction of arrows AB by a guide member 17. It is attached to a flexible holder 16. As the holder 16 moves, the thermal head 15 moves in the direction of arrows A-B with the printing unit 15 a facing the card transport path 5. The holder 16 is formed with a female screw 16a into which the screw rod 18 is screwed. The screw rod 18 extends in the direction of arrows A-B, the movement in the axial direction is restricted by the lower case 2 and is supported rotatably around the axis, and the driving of the stepping motor 20 is driven by the pulley 21 and the belt 22. And is transmitted through. That is, when the motor shaft of the stepping motor 20 rotates in the forward direction, the holder 16 moves in the direction of arrow A, and when the motor shaft rotates in the reverse direction, the holder 16 moves in the direction of arrow B.
[0013]
Reference numeral 25 denotes a sensor for detecting the print start position of the thermal head 15. By detecting the holder 16 with this sensor 25, the thermal head 15 is ready to start printing. When printing is started, the stepping motor 20 is also started. Since it is driven, the thermal head 15 moves in the direction of arrow A and prints on the card C. A sensor 26 detects the leading end of the card C that has been transported through the card transport path 5. When the leading end of the card C is detected by the sensor 26, the driving of the stepping motor 7 is stopped, so that the card C is transported. Stops, and printing by the thermal head 15 can be started.
[0014]
Reference numerals 30, 32, and 33 are pinch rollers rotatably supported on the upper case 3 side. The pinch roller 30 is in contact with the driving roller 10, and the pinch rollers 32 and 33 are in contact with the driven rollers 12 and 13, respectively. ing. A touch roller 31 is rotatably supported on the upper case 3 side and is in contact with the magnetic head 11.
[0015]
An electromagnetic solenoid 35 is fixed to the upper case 3 and includes a rod 36 that can move forward and backward. By exciting the electromagnetic solenoid 35, the rod 36 moves backward against the spring force of the compression coil spring 36a. To move in the direction of arrow B. Reference numeral 37 denotes a bracket formed in an L shape in a side view, and as shown in FIG. 3, is rotatably supported by a shaft 38 laid between the left and right frames 43 and 44 forming the upper case 3. ing. An upper end portion of the bracket 37 is pivotally attached to a rod 36 of the electromagnetic solenoid 35 via a pin 39, and a contact member 40 and a cleaning member 41 are attached adjacent to each other at the lower end.
[0016]
The contact surface 40a provided on the lower surface of the contact member 40 and the cleaning surface 41a provided on the lower surface of the cleaning member 41 are both formed flat, and the contact surface 40a and the cleaning surface 41a are the same surface. Is positioned. As shown in FIG. 1, the contact surface 40a and the cleaning surface 41a extend in the card transport direction (arrow A-B direction) in a state where the contact surface 40a is in contact with the printing unit 15a of the thermal head 15. It is formed in a flat shape.
[0017]
When the electromagnetic solenoid 35 is energized, as shown in FIG. 5, the rod 36 is retracted in the direction of arrow B, so that the bracket 37 is rotated counterclockwise in the figure with the shaft 38 as the center of rotation. The 40 contact surfaces 40 a are in contact with the print unit 15 a of the thermal head 15. On the other hand, when the excitation of the electromagnetic solenoid 35 is released, as shown in FIG. 4, the rod 36 moves forward in the direction of arrow A, so that the bracket 37 rotates around the shaft 38 in the clockwise direction in the figure, The contact surface 40 a of the contact member 40 is retracted from the printing unit 15 a of the thermal head 15.
[0018]
Next, a card processing operation in the card processing apparatus with a printing function having such a configuration will be described.
As shown in FIG. 4, the electromagnetic solenoid 35 is not energized in advance, the rod 36 moves forward in the direction of arrow A, and the bracket 37 rotates around the shaft 38 in the clockwise direction in the figure. The contact surface 40 a of the contact member 40 is retracted from the printing unit 15 a of the thermal head 15. Further, the holder 16 is detected by the sensor 25, and the thermal head 15 is positioned at the print start position.
[0019]
In this state, as shown in FIG. 1, when the card C is inserted into the card transport path 5 from the card insertion / discharge port 6 a of the insertion port member 6, the card C is inserted by a sensor not shown in the card transport path 5. As a result, the stepping motor 7 is driven and the motor shaft rotates in the positive direction. Accordingly, since the driving roller 10 rotates clockwise and the driven rollers 12 and 13 also rotate clockwise, the card C is sandwiched between the driving roller 10 and the pinch roller 30 and the driven rollers 12 and 13 and the pinch rollers 32 and 33. In this way, it is conveyed in the direction of arrow A.
[0020]
The card C to be transported is temporarily stopped in the magnetic head 11 and data recorded on the card C is read / written. When the reading / writing is completed, the card C is transported again in the direction of arrow A. The As shown in FIG. 4, the card C is shown in a state in which the contact surface 40a of the contact member 40 is in contact with the printing portion 15a of the thermal head 15 (for convenience of explanation of the next operation in FIG. 1). .) When passing between the contact member 40 and the thermal head 15 and the leading edge of the card C is detected by the sensor 26, the conveyance is stopped.
[0021]
At the same time, the electromagnetic solenoid 35 is energized, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the bracket 37 rotates counterclockwise in the figure around the shaft 38, and the contact surface 40a of the contact member 40 is a card. C is pressed against the printing unit 15 a of the thermal head 15. In this state, the thermal head 15 prints on the back side of the card C. This printing is performed by driving the stepping motor 20 in the forward direction and moving the thermal head 15 in the direction of arrow A.
[0022]
When printing is completed, the electromagnetic solenoid 35 is de-energized to cause the bracket 37 to rotate clockwise about the shaft 38 as shown in FIG. 40 a retracts from the printing unit 15 a of the thermal head 15. Next, by driving the stepping motor 7 in the reverse direction, the driven roller 12 rotates counterclockwise in the figure, so that the card C is conveyed in the direction of arrow B and discharged from the card insertion / discharge port 6a.
[0023]
Here, in order to clean the printing portion 15a of the thermal head 15, the stepping motor 20 is driven in the reverse direction, and the thermal head 15 is moved in the arrow B direction as shown in FIG. The portion 15 a is positioned below the cleaning surface 41 a of the cleaning member 41. Thereafter, the electromagnetic solenoid 35 is energized, and the bracket 37 rotates counterclockwise about the shaft 38, so that the cleaning surface 41a of the cleaning member 41 contacts the printing unit 15a of the thermal head 15. In this state, by repeatedly driving the stepping motor 20 in the forward and reverse directions, the thermal head 15 reciprocates in the direction of arrows AB, so that the printing portion 15a of the thermal head 15 is cleaned by the cleaning surface 41a of the cleaning member 41. Is done. Thus, a special cleaning card is not required to clean the printing unit 15a of the thermal head 15.
[0024]
Further, when performing maintenance and inspection in the card transport path 5, the card transport path 5 is opened by rotating the upper case 3 clockwise about the shaft 4 as shown in FIG. Do it. When the maintenance inspection and the like are completed, the card case 5 is closed as shown in FIG. 1 by rotating the upper case 3 counterclockwise around the shaft 4. At this time, since the contact surface 40a is formed in a flat shape extending in the card conveying direction (arrow A-B direction), even if the contact surface 40a and the printing portion 15a of the thermal head 15 are slightly shifted, Since the contact surface 40a is always in contact with the printing unit 15a, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of printing defects. Therefore, adjustments such as when the upper case 3 and the lower case 2 are assembled, when the thermal head 15 is assembled, or when the contact member 40 is assembled are facilitated, and the adjustment time can be shortened.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, not only the occurrence of printing failure can be prevented, but also the adjustment at the time of assembly is facilitated and the adjustment time can be shortened.
[0026]
Moreover, according to the invention which concerns on Claim 2, a special cleaning card becomes unnecessary.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a configuration of a card processing device with a printing function according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view showing a configuration of a card processing device with a printing function according to the present invention, and shows a state in which a card transport path is opened.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of a main part of the card processing device with a printing function according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a side view of the main part of the card processing apparatus with a printing function according to the present invention, showing a state in which the card is taken into the card transport path.
FIG. 5 is a side view of the main part of the card processing apparatus with a printing function according to the present invention, showing a state in which printing is performed on a card.
FIG. 6 is a side view of the main part of the card processing device with a printing function according to the present invention, and shows a state in which the card is ejected.
FIG. 7 is a side view of the main part of the card processing device with a printing function according to the present invention, showing a state in which the thermal head is being cleaned.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Card processing apparatus with a printing function, 2 ... Lower case, 3 ... Upper case, 5 ... Card conveyance path, 7, 20 ... Stepping motor, 10 ... Driving roller, 11 ... Magnetic head, 15 ... Thermal head, 15a ... Printing 35, electromagnetic solenoid, 37 ... bracket, 38 ... shaft, 40 ... contact member, 40a ... contact surface, 41 ... cleaning member, 41a ... cleaning surface, C ... card.

Claims (2)

A card transport path through which cards are transported;
Card processing means for processing a card;
A thermal head that prints on the card,
A contact member that contacts the thermal head and presses the card against the thermal head;
In the card processing apparatus with a printing function, which allows the card conveying path to be opened and closed and opens the contact member away from the thermal head.
A moving means for moving the thermal head in the card conveying direction;
The contact member is provided with a flat contact surface that presses the card against the thermal head, and the contact surface is retracted from the thermal head and the position where the card is in contact with the thermal head with the card transport path closed. A card processing device with a printing function, wherein the card processing device can move between positions. In the card processing apparatus with a printing function according to claim 1,
A card processing apparatus with a printing function, wherein the contact member is provided with a cleaning member having a cleaning surface adjacent to the card conveyance direction and forming the same surface as the contact surface of the contact member.

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