JPH0216272A - Latch device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce consumption power by retaining a movable member energized directed to an engagement releasing position, at an engagement position with a spring latch means, to excite a solenoid, and by demagnetizing the solenoid under a specified condition. CONSTITUTION:A bob-engaging piece 57 fitted firmly on a lock arm 21 is contained in the opening section 33 of a slide member 27, and a spring latch means is formed. After that, when a card 1 is inserted into an inserting port 4, then the member 27 is moved, and the clock section 58 of the piece 57 is engaged with an engaging section 61, and the member 27 is retained, and an armature section 20 is butted to a solenoid 22, and by the working of a proximity switch 56, the solenoid 22 is excited. After that, informations between the card 1 and a device 2 are given and taken, and after that, by a control circuit 63, the solenoid 22 is demagnetized, and the engaging section 61 is removed from the engaged section, and the member 27 is returned to the inserting port 4. Accordingly, the solenoid can be miniaturized and consumption power can be reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a latch device, and particularly to a latch device that selectively maintains a locked state using a solenoid.

<Prior Art> Conventionally, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-23280, in a card reader/writer for an IC card, the insertion slot is shut off by a lock lever after the card is inserted. There is a device in which the rear end of the card is engaged with the lock lever to hold the card in the information exchange position and to lock the card afterwards.

According to the above structure, the lock lever is always biased in the direction of opening the insertion slot by the spring means for elastically ejecting the card. Therefore, in order to hold the lock lever in a state where the insertion port is blocked, a latch means is used that engages in a resilient manner with a slide member that interlocks with the lock lever. −
The lock lever is held in a blocked state, and the engaged state is released by suction by a solenoid against the elastic force, thereby opening the lock lever.

However, in the de-energized state of the solenoid, the latching means and the solenoid face each other with an air gap between them, so in order to attract the solenoid, sufficient magnetic flux is generated to resist the large magnetic resistance caused by the air gap. It is necessary to do so. Therefore, problems have arisen in that the solenoid becomes larger and its power consumption also increases.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> In view of the problems of the prior art, the main object of the present invention is to provide a method for selectively changing the engaged state and the disengaged state of the latch means. It is an object of the present invention to provide a latch device that can reduce the size of the solenoid used and reduce power consumption.

[Structure of the Invention] <Means for Solving the Problems> According to the present invention, the movable member is movable between two positions, an engagement position and a disengagement position, and the movable member is a first spring means biased toward the disengaged position; and a spring latch means for holding the movable member in the engaged position against the spring force of the first spring means; cam means for cooperating with the movable member to bring the spring latch means into the movable state when the movable member is displaced toward at least the vicinity of the engagement position; a second spring means for biasing the spring latch means toward the inoperative state; and a second spring means for biasing the spring latch means toward the inoperative state; This is achieved by providing a latch device characterized in that it has a switch means for energizing the solenoid and a control means for deenergizing the solenoid when a predetermined condition is met.

<Operation> With this, the spring latch means for holding the movable member in the engaged position, which is biased toward the disengaged position by the first spring means, is biased toward the inoperative state. While the cam means is movable against the second spring means, the solenoid means is energized so that the spring latch means is brought into the movable state against the second spring means. Since it is not necessary to drive with a large magnetic flux, the magnetic flux generated by the solenoid can be reduced.

<Embodiments> Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 to 3 are diagrams showing an IC card reader/writer to which a latch device according to the present invention is applied, and a card 1
shows the non-inserted state. A casing 3 having a contact unit 2 for sending and receiving information to and from the card 1 has a flat box shape that is long in the insertion direction of the card 1, and is made of metal to support the contact unit 2 and the like. A support plate 5 made of a plate is provided with a gap from the bottom surface of the casing 3.

A card insertion slot 4 is formed on the left side of the casing 3 in FIG. has been done. A pair of guide rails 6 having a U-shaped cross section are provided on both side walls of the casing 3 in the storage chamber 52 so as to face each other with their open ends facing inward.

The contactor unit 2 includes a body 7 made of a synthetic resin material and having a flat rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a contactor 9, which may be made of a phosphor bronze material, for example, and whose base end is held by the body 7, as shown in FIG. It has Note that a V-shaped contact portion 8 provided at the free end of the contactor 9 projects downward from the lower surface of the body 7.

A pair of guide pins 10 are provided on both side walls of the body 7 of the contactor unit 2, and each guide pin 10 is inserted into a guide slot 12 of a pair of guide parts vJ11 fixed to the upper surface of the support plate 5. is received so as to be able to reciprocate in the direction of the arrow in FIG.
It is guided so that it faces downward. Note that the body 7 is biased by the return spring 14 and positioned above the support plate 5 when the card is not inserted.

A long guide hole 15 is formed in the support plate 5 along the moving direction of the card 1, and the slider 1 is inserted into the guide hole 15.
6 is slidably supported. A claw portion 17 is bent downward at the tip of the slider 16 that extends along the lower surface of the support plate 5, so that the tip of the card 1 to be inserted is engaged with the claw portion 17. There is. Further, a tongue-shaped dog 55 extending in the insertion direction of the card 1 is provided at the tip of the slider 16, and serves as a switch means for energizing the solenoid 228 on the right side of the support plate 5 in FIG. A proximity switch 56 provided at the position detects that the slider 16 has reached the vicinity of the position corresponding to the information exchange position. Note that the slider 16 is biased toward the insertion port 4 by a return spring 18 in the direction C.

The support plate 5 has a first support plate extending along the longitudinal direction of the casing 3 and having an intermediate portion pivoted by a pivot l1rIl119.
A lock arm 21 is provided. An armature portion 20 bent at a substantially right angle is integrally provided at the end of the first lock arm 21 opposite to the insertion port 4 . 20 is selectively attracted, and the first lock arm 21 is fixed in the state shown in FIG. The first lock arm 21 is urged in the direction of the arrow by a return spring 23 so as to move away from the solenoid 22 when the solenoid 22 is demagnetized.

In addition, the support plate 5 is provided with a slide lever 2 having an abbreviated shape.
5 is rotatably supported by a pivot 26, and both pivots 19 are provided on the upper surfaces of the slide lever 25 and the first lock arm 21 so as to be reciprocatable along the moving direction of the card 1. A slide member 27 as a movable member guided by .26 is screwed together. Note that the slide member 27 is urged toward the insertion port 4 by a return spring 28.

The slide member 27 has 1. An engaging portion 31 is provided that engages with the engaging piece 29 of the slider 16 that slides in the card insertion direction. Further, the slide member 27 is provided with a suppressing engagement piece 32 that comes into contact with the body 7 of the contact unit 2 when it moves in the card insertion direction and moves the body 7 in the same direction.

An opening 33 that is long in the card insertion direction is formed in the middle part of the slide member 27, and inside the opening 33, the first lock arm 21 is erected at the end of the first lock arm 21 on the insertion port side. A provided engagement piece 34 is received. Also,
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, a resilient engagement piece 57 made of a thin plate spring whose base end is integrally fixed to the first lock arm 21 extends along the longitudinal direction of the slide member 27. The spring latch means is received in the opening 33 as a spring latch means, and a claw portion 58 formed at the free end of the spring latch means is provided at one side edge 5 along the longitudinal direction of the opening 33.
9 in an elastic manner.

On the other side edge along the longitudinal direction of the opening 33, while the slide member 27 is displaced by a predetermined length in the card insertion direction, the armature portion 20 is connected to the solenoid 22 against the biasing force of the return spring 23. With the engaging piece 34 so as to keep it in contact with the! Guide part 60 that can be engaged with the guide part 60
is formed.

Furthermore, the opening 33 is designed to hold the slide member 27 at the corresponding position against the biasing force of the return spring 28, as shown in FIG. 4, when the card 1 reaches the information exchange position. A locking portion 61 is formed with which the claw portion 58 of the resilient engagement piece 57 engages resiliently. Note that when the slide member 27 is held, the contact unit 2 is also held in a position facing downward from the opening 13, and as shown in FIG. The contact portion 8 comes into contact with the contact point 50 of the card 1 and can send and receive information to and from the card 1. Further, after the predetermined information is exchanged, a signal for demagnetizing the solenoid 22 is output from the control circuit 63, and the solenoid 22 is demagnetized.

When the solenoid 22 is demagnetized while the slide member 27 is in the position corresponding to the information transfer position, the first lock arm 21 moves in the direction of arrow A without the engagement piece 34 engaging with the guide part 60. Opening 33 so that it rotates 1q in the direction
The width of the side edge facing the locking portion 61 is widened, and by removing the excitation of the solenoid 22, the claw portion 58 is released from the locking portion 61, and the slide member 27 is moved to the return spring 2.
8, it is elastically returned toward the insertion port 4.

When the slide member 27 returns toward the insertion port 4, the opening 33
A sloped portion 62 extending from the above-mentioned widened portion to the guide portion 60 is formed on the side edge side facing the locking portion 61 .

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, when the slide member 27 is in the initial position, the locking part 34 is engaged with the guide part 60, the armature part 20 is in contact with the solenoid 22, and the guide part 27 is in contact with the solenoid 22. The portion 60 and the slope portion 62 constitute a cam means. In this way, the latch device is configured.

Incidentally, on the upper surface side of the support plate 5 near the insertion opening 4, springs 1 to 24 made of wire bone material are provided along the insertion opening 4. The spring stopper 24 has its proximal end fixed by a support member 36 erected on the upper surface of the support plate 5, and as shown in FIG. A V-shaped stopper part 40 is formed on the free end side and is received in an opening 39 formed in the support plate 5 so as to be freely retractable. A cam portion 38 that engages with one arm portion 41 of the slide lever 25 is formed so that the stopper portion 40 does not block the insertion opening 4 at times. An upwardly bent engagement piece 42 is provided at the j end of the other arm of the slide lever 25, and is received in a hole 51 provided in the slide member 27. . Further, the slide lever 25 is resiliently biased by a coil spring 43 in the direction of rotation in the direction of arrow B shown in FIG.

A second lock arm 44 is provided on the side of the slide lever 25 on the engaging piece 42 side. This second lock arm 44 has one end pivotally supported by a pivot shaft 46, and is resiliently moved in a direction to engage the engaging portion 45 with the engaging piece 42 by a coil spring 47 wound around the pivot shaft 46. energized. Further, a guide portion 49 that comes into contact with an engaging piece 48 provided on the slide member 27 is formed on the engaging portion 45 side of the second lock arm 44 . When the slide member 27 moves in the card insertion direction, the guide portion 49
Since the engagement piece 48 and the guide portion 49 engage with each other so as to rotate the lock arm 44 in the direction of arrow C in FIG. It is released and can be rotated in the direction of arrow B.

When the slide lever 25 rotates in the direction of arrow B and reaches the state shown in FIG. 4, the engagement between the arm portion 41 and the spring stopper 24 is released, and the spring stopper 24 is released as shown in FIG. Due to the spring force, the stopper part 40 descends below the opening 39 and closes the insertion slot 4, so that the card 1, which is urged toward the insertion slot 4 by the return spring 18 via the slider 16, is stopped from being handled. and is positioned at the information exchange position.

Next, the operation procedure of this embodiment will be described below.

The card 1 is inserted into the casing 3 through the insertion slot 4 and pushed toward the information exchange position. At this time, since the card 1 is guided at both side edges by the pair of guide rails 6 described above, the card 1 does not wobble during movement.

When the tip of the card 1 comes into contact with the claw part 17 of the slider 16, the slider 16 moves together with the card 1, and the engagement piece 29 of the slider 16 also moves to the engagement part 3 of the slide member 27.
1. When the slide member 27 moves, the suppressing engagement piece 32 pushes the body 7 of the contactor unit 2 toward the opening 13.

Slide part + A2 until card 1 reaches the information exchange position
7 moves, the second lock arm 44 rotates in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 1, as described above.
The stopper portion 40 of the spring stopper 24 is disengaged from the slide lever 25 rotating in the direction of arrow B.
As shown in FIG. 6, it descends to close the insertion port 4. Therefore, the rear end of the card 1 that is urged toward the insertion slot 4 engages with the collar 40, so that the card 1 is stopped and held at the information exchange position, and the cards are overlapped. Insertion is prevented.

By the way, the proximity switch 56 is connected to the dog 5 of the slide member 27 which is displaced together with the slider 16 toward the information exchange position.
5 is arranged to be detected 1q before the engagement state between the guide portion 60 and the engagement piece 34 is released, that is, when the card 1 reaches the vicinity of the information exchange position, and the In response to the detection signal, the control circuit 63 outputs an excitation signal to the solenoid 22 to attract the armature section 20. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, even if the slide member 27 further moves in the card insertion direction and the engagement piece 34 is disengaged from the guide part 60, the armature part 20 is moved into the solenoid by the biasing force of the return spring 23. Never stray away from 22.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the card 1 reaches the information exchange position, the claw portion 58 of the elastic engagement piece 57 elastically engages with the locking portion 61, and the return spring 28 is attached. The slide member 27 is held against the force. In this way, when the armature portion 20 is in contact with the solenoid 22, the solenoid 2
In order to excite the solenoid 2, the armature portion 20 can be attracted with an extremely small magnetic force compared to the case where both are attracted from a state where they face each other with a gap between them, and the solenoid 22 can be made smaller.

After sending and receiving information to and from the card 1, the control circuit 6
3 outputs a demagnetizing signal to the solenoid 22, and the first lock arm 21 is rotated in the direction of arrow A by the return spring 23, so that the claw portion 58 is released from the locking portion 61 as shown in FIG. break away. Then, as the slide member 27 is moved back toward the insertion port 4 by the return spring 28, the engagement piece 34 is guided by the slope portion 62 and engaged with the guide portion 60 again, as shown in FIG. The mating pieces 34 are engaged and the initial state shown in FIG. 1 is achieved.

Note that when the slide member 27 is returned toward the insertion port 4,
Since the engagement piece 42 of the slide lever 25 is pushed by the edge of the hole 51, the slide lever 25 rotates in the direction of arrow E in FIG. 4 and engages with the cam portion 38 in the direction of pushing up the spring stopper 24. Then, the blocking state of the insertion port 4 by the stopper portion 40 is released. Therefore, the card 1 pushed outward from the insertion slot 4 by the return spring 18 via the slider 16 can be taken out.

In this embodiment, the armature portion 20 and the solenoid 22 are brought into contact with each other. They may be provided so as to face each other with a small gap.

Alternatively, the resilient engagement piece 57 may be provided on the slide member 27 and the locking portion 61 may be provided on the first lock arm 21. Furthermore, the invention is not limited to card readers/writers, and can also be used, for example, in devices that accommodate floppy disks.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the first
The spring latch means for holding the movable member in the engaged position biased by the spring means is brought into the movable state by the cam means against the second spring means biasing the movable member toward the inoperative state. Since the solenoid means is energized when the solenoid is closed, the spring wrap means can be kept in a movable state with a small magnetic flux. is extremely large.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a card reader/writer based on the present invention with the top surface of its casing cut away. FIG. 2 is a side sectional view taken along the line ■--■ in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line ■--■ in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 1 showing a state in which the card is inserted into the casing. FIG. 5 is a side sectional view taken along the line v--v in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line Vl--Vl in FIG. 4. Figure 7 shows 1. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line Vl-Vl in FIG. 4. FIG. FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view taken along the line ■-■ in FIG. 1. 9 to 11 are diagrams illustrating the operation of the latch device according to the present invention. 1...Card 2...Contact unit 3.
...Casing 4...Insertion port 5...Support plate
6...Guide rail 7...Body
8...Contact part 9...Contactor 10...
Guide pin 11...Guide member 12...Guide slot 13...Opening portion 14...Return spring 15...Guide hole 16...Slider 17...
・Claw part 18...Return spring 19...Pivot
20... Armature portion 21... First lock arm 22... Solenoid 23... Return spring 24...
・Spring stopper 25...Slide lever 26...
Pivot 27...Slide member 28...Return spring 29...Engagement piece 30...Arm part
31... Engaging portion 32... Pressing engagement piece 33...
Opening 34...Engagement piece 36...Support member 3
8...Cam part 39...Opening part 40...Stopper part 42...Engagement piece 43...Coil spring
44... Second lock arm 45... Engagement part
46... Pivot 47... Coil spring 48...
・Engagement piece 49...locking part 50...contact 51
... Hole 52 ... Accommodation chamber 55 ... Dog 56 ... Proximity switch 57 ... Spring engagement piece 58 ... Claw portion 59 ... Side edge portion 60.
... Guide part 61 ... Locking part 62 ... Slope part 63 ... Control circuit No. 8 [<1 Fig. 9 Fig. 10 Fig. 11

Claims (1)

[Claims] a movable member displaceable between two positions, an engaged position and a disengaged position; a first spring means that biases the movable member toward the disengaged position; a spring latch means for holding the movable member in the engaged position against the spring force of the spring means; cam means for bringing the latching means into the operative state, solenoid means for holding the spring latching means in the operative state, and biasing the spring latching means toward the inoperative state. a second spring means; a switch means for energizing the solenoid means when the movable member reaches the vicinity of the engagement position; and a control means for demagnetizing the solenoid when a predetermined condition is met. A latch device comprising: