JP4665644B2 - Non-contact IC card reader device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an IC card reader device that performs contactless communication with an IC card. For example, an ID card, a management card, a commuter pass, a coupon ticket, a cash in an entry / exit management system, an automatic ticket gate system, electronic money, etc. The present invention relates to a non-contact IC card reader device that performs non-contact communication with a non-contact IC card such as a card.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a non-contact IC card reader device that is embedded in a wall surface, a loop antenna for communicating with an IC card, a control unit that performs modulation / demodulation of transmission / reception data, and controls the card reader, and a housing for storing them. Some have a body. And it has the attachment member for embedding and attaching a housing | casing to a wall surface, and the decorative panel which covers an attachment member and protects the front surface is provided.

  In the non-contact IC card reader as described above, a loop antenna for performing communication with the IC card is provided in the housing. In addition, since the size of the housing has to be relatively small with respect to the sizes of the mounting member and the decorative panel, the size of the loop antenna stored in the housing has also been reduced accordingly.

  The size of the loop antenna is an important factor that determines the readable distance of the IC card, and there is a problem in that the readable distance of the IC card is shortened by reducing the size of the loop antenna.

  In addition, when the mounting member is a conductor such as metal, there is a problem in that an eddy current is generated due to an alternating magnetic field generated from the loop antenna, the antenna characteristics are deteriorated, and the reading distance of the IC card is shortened.

  Also, from the aesthetic point of view, the housing including the loop antenna is arranged behind the mounting frame to avoid protrusion from the wall surface, which causes the IC card reading distance from the wall surface to be shortened. ing.

  For example, Patent Document 1 has been proposed as a technique for stably maintaining an antenna mounting method of a non-contact IC card reader device without greatly shifting the positional relationship of the antenna.

  The non-contact IC card reader device of Patent Document 1 transmits an electromagnetic wave from a transmission antenna and receives the electromagnetic wave transmitted from the non-contact IC card with a reception antenna. At least one of these antennas is a coil, and has an insulating substrate for holding the coil, and attachment means for fixing the coil to the substrate. The attachment means is for fixing the coil at a predetermined position of the substrate, and crosses the coil and engages with a through hole provided at the coil arrangement position of the substrate, thereby fixing the coil at the predetermined position.

Also, a non-contact IC card reader device in which a metal body in the vicinity of the surface on the operation surface side of the antenna does not affect the communicable distance of the antenna with respect to the antenna of the wall-contact type non-contact IC card reader device is known. (For example, Patent Document 2). Patent Document 2 discloses a technique in which a decorative member is cut so as not to affect the reading distance by a metallic decorative member near the operation surface side surface of the antenna.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-126036 JP-A-4-86974

  According to the non-contact IC card reader device of Patent Document 1, it is disclosed that the antenna can be efficiently fixed. However, in Patent Document 1, in a non-contact IC card reader embedded in a wall surface, the communication distance from the wall surface to the IC card can be extended as much as possible by putting out the antenna as far as possible. There is no mention of enlarging the antenna to make money.

  Patent Document 2 relates to a non-contact IC card reader that does not affect the distance (communication distance) at which an IC card can be read by a metallic decorative member in the vicinity of the operation surface side surface of the antenna. A technique of cutting a decorative member is disclosed. However, there is no description about extending the communicable distance from the wall surface to the IC card as much as possible, or increasing the antenna to increase the communication sensitivity and communicable distance.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems. In order to prevent deterioration of antenna characteristics, the communicable distance from the wall surface to the IC card can be extended as much as possible, and the size of the antenna can be increased. An object is to provide a contact IC card reader device.

Noncontact IC card reader according to claim 1 of the present invention, in order to achieve the above-described object, a radio circuit unit which performs modulation and demodulation of the main control unit and the transmission and reception data for controlling the operation of the entire card reader An insulating casing to be stored, a loop antenna that generates an alternating magnetic field for communication with a non-contact IC card or an active tag, and an opening periphery provided at the center of a conductive loop frame said housing and a mounting member the locking member is formed for locking the holding, a non-contact IC card reader apparatus for communicating in a non-contact IC card or active tags and non-contact, said mounting member , Used as a loop antenna formed by cutting out one place of the loop shape, and mounted so that the mounting member is located on the front side of the casing while holding the casing Characterized by comprising attached to the wall is.

The invention according to claim 2, in the non-contact IC card reader according to claim 1, wherein the loop antenna is different from each other one point when superposed loop-shaped in plan view is formed by all the respective cutting The plurality of conductor plates are formed so as to overlap each other through the insulating layer so that the notched one ends are sequentially connected to the adjacent conductor plates.

The invention according to claim 3, in the non-contact IC card reader according to claim 1, wherein the loop antenna is that characterized which is placed cut guide body plate are formed in a spiral shape.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the non-contact IC card reader device according to the third aspect, the notch is reinforced by an insulating material in the loop antenna.

  According to the non-contact IC card reader device of the first aspect of the present invention, the antenna is provided on the mounting member having a front dimension larger than that of the housing and disposed on the front surface. Degradation can be reduced and communication performance can be improved. Furthermore, the protrusion of the mounting member integrated antenna from the wall can be reduced when it is attached to the wall surface, while facilitating the manufacture and reducing the cost.

According to the invention according to claim 2, in addition to the effect of the non-contact IC card reader device according to claim 1, the loop antenna having an arbitrary number of turns can be configured while further facilitating the manufacture and reducing the cost. Further improvement in performance can be achieved.

According to the invention of claim 3, in addition to the effect of the non-contact IC card reader device of claim 1, the mounting member-integrated antenna can be mounted when it is attached to the wall surface while further facilitating manufacturing and reducing costs. Projection from the wall can be reduced, and high performance can be achieved by configuring the loop antenna with an arbitrary number of turns.

According to the invention of claim 4, in addition to the effect of the non-contact IC card reader device of claim 3 , the strength can be maintained.

Next, the best mode of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing one embodiment of a non-contact IC card reader device (hereinafter also simply referred to as an IC card reader) according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view of the state in which it is attached to a wall surface, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a front view showing the configuration of the casing, and FIG. 4 is a front view of the mounting member.

  As shown in the figure, the IC card reader 1 of this embodiment includes a loop antenna 2 for supplying power to and communicating with an IC card (not shown), and a main body control unit for controlling the operation of the entire IC card reader. 3, a wireless circuit unit 4 that modulates and demodulates transmission / reception data, and an insulating housing 5 that stores the main body control unit 3 and the wireless circuit unit 4. Furthermore, it has the attachment member 6 and the decorative panel (decorative board) 7 which were integrated with the antenna 2 for attaching the housing | casing 5 to the wall 9 surface. The loop antenna 2 functions to generate an alternating magnetic field for feeding and communicating with the IC card, and is formed integrally with the mounting member 6.

  The main body control unit 3 is a part that controls the operation of the entire card reader, and is provided on the substrate and stored in the housing 5. The radio circuit unit 4 performs modulation / demodulation of data transmitted / received by the loop antenna 2, and is also provided on the substrate and stored in the housing 5 like the main body control unit 3. The housing 5 has a substantially box shape, stores the main body control unit 3 and the radio circuit unit 4 provided on the board, and is fixed to the mounting member 6, most of which is installed inside the wall surface. The

  The attachment member 6 is a member related to fixing the housing 5 and attaching it to the wall, and is also referred to as an attachment frame, and has a central portion opened. A locking member 8 that faces the opening and is biased toward the center is provided, and is integrated with the loop antenna 2 by a conductor plate on which the antenna is formed. As shown in FIG. 4, the integrated mounting member 6 is provided with a notch 6a to form a loop antenna, and the lead wire 11 is connected to each end formed by the notch. It is led out to the back side. Then, the housing 5 is fitted into the opening of the attachment member 6 and fixed. Further, an insertion hole 10 to be attached to the wall 9 is provided on a pair of opposing sides of the attachment member 6. Then, the screw 12 is inserted into the insertion hole 10 and the attachment member 6 is fixed to the wall 9. Thereby, the housing | casing 5 fitted to opening is attached to a wall. In the present invention, the conductor plate may be a plate-like member having conductivity, and is not particularly limited, but is preferably one that can be processed into an attachment member such as an attachment frame.

  In the IC card reader 1 configured as described above, the insulating casing 5 is fitted to the metallic mounting member 6, the mounting member 6 is fixed to the wall 9 surface with the screws 12, and the front surface of the mounting member 6 is further fixed. The decorative panel 7 is fixed so as to prevent the appearance of screws and the like from being deteriorated, and is attached to a predetermined wall 9 surface. And it operates as an antenna when a current flows through the loop antenna. When the IC card is held over the decorative panel surface of the IC card reader 1, a current flows through the antenna of the IC card by the AC magnetic field generated from the IC card reader, and power is supplied. Then, the control circuit of the IC card is driven, the recorded information signal is emitted and received by the loop antenna 2, the information signal is analyzed by the radio circuit unit 4, processed by the main body control unit 3, and processed Output a signal.

By configuring the IC card reader as in this embodiment, it is possible to create a mounting member integrated antenna having both the function of a loop antenna and the function of a mounting member only with a conductor plate, thereby facilitating manufacturing and reducing costs. Can do. Moreover, since it is comprised from a single conductor board, an attachment member integrated antenna can be made thin, and when it attaches to the wall 9 surface, the protrusion from the wall 9 surface of an attachment member integrated antenna can be made small.
(Second embodiment)
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another example of the loop antenna and mounting member of the IC card reader according to the present invention, FIG. 5 (a) is a perspective view seen obliquely from above, and FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the state made to conduct. The loop antenna and attachment member of the IC card reader of this embodiment are different from the loop antenna (attachment member) of the above-described embodiment in that they are integrally formed from a plurality of conductor plates. In the loop antenna and the mounting member of the IC card reader of the present embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to portions that perform the same operation as in the above embodiment, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the antenna 2 of the IC card reader according to the present embodiment is integrated with the mounting member 13, and a plurality of conductor plates 14 formed in a loop shape by notching one portion are provided via an insulating layer 15. Sheets (4 sheets) are bonded together. The positions of the notches 14a of the conductor plates 14 are provided at different positions by a certain size. One end of the loop of each conductor plate 14 is electrically connected to one end of the loop of the conductor plate of the adjacent layer by a conductive member 16 such as a through hole. The other end of the outermost conductive plate 14 is connected to the lead wire 11. The insulating layer 15 is provided between the adjacent conductor plates 14, and the plurality of conductor plates 14 are sequentially conducted by the conductive member 16 to form a loop antenna having a plurality of turns.

In the mounting member integrated antenna configured as in this embodiment, the resonance characteristics of the loop antenna shift due to the influence of surrounding structures during installation, and the antenna characteristics deteriorate. By changing the reactance value and the resonance frequency, it is possible to obtain optimum antenna characteristics without the influence of surrounding structures. As a result, the performance of the IC card reader can be improved.
(Third embodiment)
FIG. 6 is a front view showing another example of the loop antenna and mounting member of the IC card reader according to the present invention. The mounting member integrated antenna integrated with the loop antenna of the IC card reader of this embodiment is different from the loop antenna of the above embodiment in that it is formed from a conductor plate having a spiral cut. . In the loop antenna and mounting member of the IC card reader of the present embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to portions that perform the same operations as in the above embodiment, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the antenna of the IC card reader of this embodiment is integrated with the mounting member 17, and the notch 18 a is provided in the conductor plate 18, whereby the loop antenna 2 is formed in a spiral shape. Lead wires 11 are connected to the end portions of the spiral conductor plate 18, respectively. In FIG. 6, the conductor plate 18 has a spiral shape of approximately three turns, but the shape of the cut is not limited to this, and may be a spiral shape with an arbitrary number of turns.

  Since the antenna having both the function of the loop antenna and the function of the mounting frame can be created by the spiral conductive plate as in this embodiment, the additional mounting member integrated antenna can be made thinner, and the mounting member when mounted on the wall surface The protrusion of the integrated antenna from the wall surface can be reduced. Further, it is possible to further facilitate manufacturing and reduce costs.

  FIG. 7 is a front view showing still another example of the loop antenna and mounting member of the IC card reader according to the present invention. The mounting member integrated with the loop antenna of the IC card reader of this embodiment is different from the loop antenna of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 in that the notch is integrally formed from a conductor plate reinforced with an insulating adhesive. is doing. In the loop antenna and the mounting frame of the IC card reader of the present embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to portions that perform the same operations as in the above embodiment, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the antenna of the IC card reader of the present embodiment is integrated with the mounting member 19, and the notch 18a is provided in the conductor plate 18, whereby the loop antenna 2 is formed in a spiral shape. Further, the incision 18 a is reinforced by being filled with the insulating adhesive 20. Lead wires 11 are connected to the end portions of the spiral conductor plate 18, respectively. As the insulating adhesive 20, an insulating adhesive usually used in the electronic and electrical fields such as epoxy and urethane is used.

  In the case of the configuration as in this embodiment, since the mounting member integrated antenna having the functions of the loop antenna and the mounting member is created, manufacturing can be facilitated and cost can be reduced. Further, since the cut portion is bonded with an insulating adhesive, the strength can be maintained when the cut portion is fixed to the wall surface. Furthermore, high performance can be achieved by configuring a loop antenna with an arbitrary number of turns.

  In the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the above-described example, but can be easily changed. For example, the front part of the case has been described with an example in which the front part is configured with a mounting member and a decorative panel. Also good. In addition, the number of conductor plates stacked, the spiral shape by cutting, the number of turns and the shape of the cutting are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and may be a spiral shape with an arbitrary number of turns, or a plurality of stacked layers. Also good. Alternatively, the loop antenna may be formed by winding the coil around the attachment member, or the attachment member and the loop antenna may be integrated by being attached to the attachment member, sandwiched and bonded, or integrally formed. Good. In addition, although the example in which the connection between the loop antenna and the wireless circuit unit is performed using a lead wire has been described, another connection method may be used. Moreover, in the said Example, although fixing of a housing | casing and an attachment member was demonstrated by the example by fitting, it is not limited to this, Other means, such as a screw stop and an adhesive tape, may be sufficient.

  In each of the above embodiments, as an IC card, a back electromotive force is generated in an internal circuit by reciprocating magnetic flux from a loop antenna of a housing of a non-contact IC card reader device at a high speed, and this back electromotive force is generated. Although the type used for the internal power source has been illustrated, the present invention is not limited to this, and the internal power source of the IC card may be generated independently by a power source built in the IC card. That is, the main body control unit, the radio circuit unit, and the loop antenna of the non-contact IC card reader device may send only the magnetic magnetic flux as a radio signal to the IC card without supplying power to the IC card.

1 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of a non-contact IC card reader device according to the present invention. FIG. It is the side view. It is a front view which shows the structure of the housing | casing. It is a front view of the mounting member integrated antenna. The perspective view of the other example of an attachment member integrated antenna, the figure (a) is a perspective view from an upper side, and the figure (b) is a perspective view of a notch | incision side. It is a front view of the further another example of an attachment member integrated antenna. It is a front view of the further another example of an attachment member integrated antenna.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Non-contact IC card reader apparatus 2 Loop antenna 3 Main body control part 4 Wireless circuit part 5 Case 6 Attachment member (conductor plate)
6a cutout 7 decorative panel 9 wall 11 lead wires 13, 17, 19 mounting members 14, 18 conductor plate

Claims (4)

Generating an alternating magnetic field for performing a housing of insulating matter for storing a radio circuit unit which performs modulation and demodulation of the main control unit and the transmission and reception data for controlling the operation of the entire card reader, the communication with the non-contact IC card or active tag A non-contact IC card or a non-contact IC card having a loop antenna to be mounted and a mounting member formed with a locking member for locking and holding the housing at the periphery of the opening provided in the center of the conductive loop frame A non-contact IC card reader device that performs non-contact communication with an active tag , wherein the mounting member is used as a loop antenna formed by cutting out one portion of the loop shape, and the mounting member is connected to the housing. A non-contact IC card reader device, which is attached to a wall surface as an attachment destination so as to be positioned on the front surface side of the housing while holding a body . The loop antenna is a conductor in which a plurality of conductor plates formed by cutting out different portions when the loop shape is overlapped in a plan view are adjacent to each other through an insulating layer. 2. The non-contact IC card reader device according to claim 1, wherein the non-contact IC card reader device is formed so as to be sequentially conductive with the plate. It said loop antenna is a contactless IC card reader according to claim 1 that is characterized in that it is placed cut guide body plate are formed in a spiral shape. 4. The non-contact IC card reader device according to claim 3 , wherein the notch of the loop antenna is reinforced by an insulating material.

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