JP5087690B2 - Magnetic card reader device - Google Patents

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a magnetic card reader device.

  Conventionally, a magnetic card that stores various data in the magnetic stripe of the card is used in various applications such as a store clerk ID card, a point card for a member customer, a debit card or a credit card for settlement in the retail distribution industry, for example. . In a general store, such a magnetic card is inserted into a slit-like card passage formed linearly in the housing of the card processing apparatus, and a magnetic stripe portion is put in a slit by a human hand. It is slid to move along with the human hand. At this time, the magnetic stripe of the card is rubbed while contacting the magnetic head disposed along the card path, and the data stored in the magnetic stripe is read. Such a card processing device is placed in a checkout counter together with a checkout device in a general store.

  By the way, a magnetic card used in the distribution and retail industry is rarely returned as it is just after reading the data of the magnetic stripe. In general, the result of predetermined data processing performed by a checkout device based on data read from a magnetic card is often returned together with printed paper (for example, a receipt or a slip). . Therefore, the store clerk puts the magnetic card at some appropriate place on the checkout counter or performs the necessary operation while holding the magnetic card while performing the operation necessary for data processing to output a predetermined paper. In some cases, the magnetic card may be lost or the device may be operated incorrectly.

  As a magnetic card reader device that attempts to solve such inconveniences, for example, a card reader device described in Patent Document 1 is known. In this card reading device, the card can be received and held deeper than the reading slit in a portion of the reading slit which is inserted and moved by a card whose information is read by the card reading unit. A holding slit is provided in communication with the reading slit.

  However, according to the card reading device described in Patent Document 1, the card after the information is read by the card reading unit is dropped into the holding slit. For this reason, there exists a problem that a card | curd is accommodated in the holding slit substantially entirely, and it is difficult to take out from a card holding part.

In the magnetic card reader device of the embodiment, the magnetic card reader device reads data recorded on the magnetic card by sliding the magnetic card in one direction with respect to the card slit formed in the housing. A guide portion that matches the position of the card slit and guides the magnetic card; and a pressing portion that presses the magnetic card guided by the guide portion, the pressing portion from the card slit side. It is a shape that gradually approaches the guide portion in a direction orthogonal to the card sliding direction, and has a shape in which the diameter of the cross-sectional shape gradually increases from the card slit side .

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a checkout lane in which a scanner device according to an embodiment is arranged. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a magnetic card reader device provided in the upper housing. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the card holding unit. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the pressing portion. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a reading state of the magnetic card. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the inserted state of the magnetic card.

  An embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The magnetic card reader device according to the present embodiment is applied to the scanner device 1 arranged in the checkout lane 100 which is an accounting place configured in a sales floor such as a supermarket, a drug store, or a shopping mall.

  FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a checkout lane 100 in which a scanner device 1 according to an embodiment is arranged. In the checkout lane 100, the cashier table 2 and the checker table 3 are arranged in close proximity. On the cash register 2, the POS terminal 4 is installed at a height that is easy for an operator to operate with the drawer 5 placed on the drawer 5. On the checker base 3, a vertical scanner device 1 is fixedly installed.

  The scanner device 1 has a vertical lower housing 12 in which a reading window 11 is provided at the center. A barcode scanner 13 is provided inside the lower housing 12 so as to be positioned at the back of the reading window 11. An upper housing 14 is attached to the upper end of the lower housing 12. The upper housing 14 is provided with an LCD 15 with a touch panel and a keyboard 16. The scanner device 1 outputs the product code read by the barcode scanner 13 to the POS terminal 4.

  With such a configuration, the shopper puts the product in the shopping cart and brings it into the checkout lane 100 and places the shopping cart on the checkerboard 3. The operator picks up the purchased products one by one from the shopping cart placed on the checker table 3 and puts the barcode attached to the purchased product over the reading window 11 of the barcode scanner 13, thereby attaching it to the purchased product. Read the product code. Thereafter, the operator puts the purchased product whose product code is read into a shopping basket placed on the checker base 3 on the POS terminal 4 side.

  In addition, on the upstream side in the conveyance direction for reading the purchased product of the keyboard 16 of the scanner device 1, a slit-like (groove-like) formed linearly along the short side direction (vertical direction) of the keyboard 16. A card slit 17 is formed. The card slit 17 slides the magnetic card C (see FIG. 5) in one direction (hereinafter referred to as a card moving direction A) and is built in the upper housing 14 and arranged along the card slit 17. 24 (see FIG. 2) is used to read the card information by bringing the magnetic stripe of the magnetic card C into contact with the magnetic stripe.

  Here, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the magnetic card reader device 20 provided in the upper housing 14. As shown in FIG. 2, the magnetic card reader device 20 includes a card reader unit 21 positioned on the upstream side in the card moving direction A and a card holding unit 22 positioned on the downstream side in the card moving direction A. .

  The card reader unit 21 of the magnetic card reader device 20 is provided with a groove-shaped card passage 23 for sliding the magnetic card C in alignment with the position of the card slit 17 of the upper housing 14 that is a housing. The magnetic stripe of the magnetic card C is stored at a position (in the present embodiment, the surface opposite to the keyboard 16 side of the card path 23) in contact with the magnetic stripe of the magnetic card C that slides along the card path 23. A magnetic head 24 for reading data to be read is provided.

  On the other hand, the card holding unit 22 of the magnetic card reader device 20 is provided on the movement trajectory of the magnetic card C that slides along the card path 23 of the card reader unit 21, and the magnetic card C that has left the card path 23 by sliding movement is removed. It is to hold. Here, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration of the card holding unit 22. As shown in FIG. 3, the card holding unit 22 is provided on the side of the magnetic head 24 of the card reader unit 21 and guides the magnetic card C that has passed through the card path 23, and the card reader unit 21. And a pressing portion 22b provided on the opposite side of the magnetic head 24. The card holding portion 22 is provided at a distance substantially the same as the length of the magnetic card C from the downstream end portion in the card moving direction A of the card passage 23 of the card reader portion 21. As a result, the magnetic card C can be held by the card holding unit 22 and the sliding distance of the magnetic card C can be shortened immediately after the magnetic card C is removed from the card path 23 by sliding movement. Can be made compact.

  FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the pressing portion 22b. As shown in FIG. 4, the pressing portion 22 b includes a conical roller 25 and a leaf spring member 26. The conical roller 25 has a substantially conical shape (a shape in which a cross-sectional diameter increases in order from the card slit 17 side), and has a projecting rotary shaft 25a that protrudes from the apex and bottom of the cone. . The leaf spring member 26 is integrally formed of an elastic material such as resin or metal, and includes a roller holding portion 26a, an elastic portion 26b, and an attachment portion 26c. The elastic part 26b is formed in an elongated thin plate shape having a width substantially equal to the thickness of the conical roller 25, and has elasticity. The roller holding part 26a is composed of two thin plates having elasticity provided facing one end of the elastic part 26b, and rotatably holds the respective rotation shafts 25a of the conical roller 25. A hole-shaped bearing 27 is provided. That is, the conical roller 25 is inserted while being spread between the two thin plates of the roller holding portion 26 a, and is rotatably held by the bearing 27. The conical roller 25 is held by the roller holding portion 26a so that the apex of the cone is positioned on the card slit 17 side. An attachment hole 28 for attaching to the protrusion 40 protruding from the upper housing 14 is provided in the attachment portion 26c provided at the other end of the elastic portion 26b.

  The conical roller 25 of the pressing portion 22b and the wall surface of the guide portion 22a are in contact with each other on the movement trajectory of the magnetic card C that slides along the card path 23 of the card reader portion 21, or less than the thickness of the magnetic card C. It is provided so that it may be located in the interval.

  With such a configuration, as shown in FIG. 5, when the operator slides the magnetic card C deposited from the shopper at the time of payment in the card slit 17 along the card moving direction A, the magnetic head of the card reader unit 21 24, the data stored in the magnetic stripe of the magnetic card C is read. Even after the data of the magnetic card C is read by the magnetic head 24, if the operator continues to slide the magnetic card C passing through the card passage 23 of the card reader unit 21 along the card moving direction A in the card slit 17 as it is. The magnetic card C reaches the card holding unit 22 of the magnetic card reader device 20.

  The magnetic card C that has reached the card holding part 22 enters between the conical roller 25 of the pressing part 22b and the wall surface of the guide part 22a. When the magnetic card C enters between the conical roller 25 of the pressing portion 22b and the wall surface of the guide portion 22a, the magnetic card C is pressed by the conical roller 25 by the elasticity of the elastic portion 26b of the pressing portion 22b. The brake is applied and is pressed and held by the conical roller 25 of the pressing portion 22b and the wall surface of the guide portion 22a. Note that when the operator tries to further slide the magnetic card C held by the conical roller 25 of the pressing portion 22b and the wall surface of the guide portion 22a, the conical roller 25 rotates. Does not interfere with the slide.

  In addition, even when the magnetic card C is removed from the card slit 17, as shown in FIG. 6, the magnetic card C can be held by being inserted into the card holding portion 22 from above the card slit 17. Is possible. Thus, when inserting into the card holding part 22 in order to hold | maintain the magnetic card | curd C, the cone shape of the cone-shaped roller 25 serves as a reception of insertion. When the magnetic card C is inserted into the card holding unit 22 in order to hold the magnetic card C as described above, the magnetic card C can be held in any direction, front and back.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the magnetic stripe of the magnetic card C that slides and moves along the slit-shaped card path 23 that matches the position of the card slit 17 formed in the upper housing 14 that is the casing comes into contact. The movement trajectory of the magnetic card C, which is provided on the downstream side in the card moving direction with respect to the card reader unit 21 having the magnetic head 24 for reading data and moves out of the card path 23 by sliding movement, is slid in the card slit 17. The card holding part 22 hold | maintained above is provided. As a result, the card pulling operation, the card holding operation, and the card returning operation by the operator are smoothly performed by holding the magnetic card C held by the operator on the movement path of the magnetic card C sliding in the card slit 17 for sliding. be able to.

  As a result, the card pulling operation, the card holding operation, and the card returning operation by the operator are smoothly performed by holding the magnetic card C held by the operator on the movement path of the magnetic card C sliding in the card slit 17 for sliding. be able to. In addition, since the magnetic card that has been read is held in a position that can be easily confirmed by the shopper, the shopper is worried about data skimming or loss of the card away from the hand. There is no need, you can wait for checkout with confidence.

  In the present embodiment, the roller having a shape in which the diameter of the cross-sectional shape becomes larger in order from the card slit 17 side is the substantially conical roller 25. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It may be a roller.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 14 Case 17 Card slit 20 Magnetic card reader apparatus 21 Card reader part 22 Card holding part 22a Guide part 22b Press part 23 Card path 24 Magnetic head 25 Roller 26 Leaf spring member C Magnetic card

JP 61-289482 A

Claims (4)

In a magnetic card reader device that reads data recorded on the magnetic card by sliding the magnetic card in one direction with respect to the card slit formed in the housing,
A guide portion for guiding the magnetic card in accordance with the position of the card slit;
A pressing portion that presses the magnetic card guided through the guide portion;
With
The pressing portion is a shape that gradually approaches the guide portion in a direction orthogonal to the sliding direction of the magnetic card from the card slit side, and has a shape in which the diameter of the cross-sectional shape increases in order from the card slit side .
A magnetic card reader device. The pressing portion includes a leaf spring member having elasticity, and a roller having a shape in which a cross-sectional diameter gradually increases from the card slit side and is rotatably held by the leaf spring member. And
The roller and the guide portion are provided so as to be in contact with each other on a moving locus of the magnetic card that slides or to be positioned at an interval equal to or less than the thickness of the magnetic card.
The magnetic card reader device according to claim 1. The roller is a substantially conical roller.
The magnetic card reader device according to claim 2. The roller is a substantially hemispherical roller,
The magnetic card reader device according to claim 2.

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