JPH02166657A - Optical card reader/writer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accurately perform the positioning and chucking of an optical card whose surface is set as a reference plane in a height direction by performing the chucking by pressing the upper plane of the optical card from the lower plane of the optical card on a reference plate. CONSTITUTION:In an optical card reader/writer in which the readout or write of information is performed by receiving the optical card 91 by a shuttle 31 at a standby position and reciprocating the shuttle 31 on which the optical card 91 is fixed and mounted in a linear direction, the reference plate 39 in which the shuttle 31 is abutted on the surface of the optical card 91, a depressing piece 37 to depress the optical card 91 from the back plane side of the optical card 91 on the reference plate 39, and a chucking member 55 which sets the pressing piece 37 at a releasing state and presses the pressing piece 37 on the optical card 91 at the time of driving are provided. In such a manner, it is possible to improve the accuracy of the chucking on the shuttle by the optical card 91.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an optical card reader/writer for writing to and/or reading from an optical card.

Congliao J Co., Ltd. [Hyogo cards have a rectangular card shape similar to credit cards and cash cards, and have a larger storage capacity than conventional magnetic cards, so they are expected to be used in a wide range of applications. .

Currently, there are two types of optical cards: a playback-only type, in which the user plays back pre-recorded information, and an additional recording type, in which the user can add and record new information. A type that can record is also under development.

Furthermore, the principle of reproduction and additional recording is also the same as that of conventional optical discs.

However, while optical cards have an advantage over optical disks in terms of portability, there are many problems that need to be solved regarding the mounting and driving of optical cards during recording and playback.

As shown in FIG. 5, the optical card 91 has a memory section 95 formed on a rectangular sheet 93 made of plastic.

In the conventional optical card reader/writer, as shown in FIG. 6, the optical card 91 is mounted and fixed on a shuttle 31 (carriage), and the timing belt 23 fixed on the shuttle 31 is driven to read the optical card. While reciprocating in the X direction, the objective lens (not shown) of the recording/reproducing optical system was moved in the Y direction in the figure. The optical card 91 is fixed to the shuttle 31 by pressing the optical card 91 placed on the shuttle 31 from above with a leaf spring 97. 25 is a motor, 35 is a sliding ring, 41 is a guide shaft, and 99 is a gear on the other end.

However, since the optical card 9I is generally made of a plastic sheet and is carried around, it is likely to warp. On the other hand, the memory section 95 is formed with the front side of the rectangular sheet 93 as a reference, and as shown in FIG.
Since the bottom surface of the optical card 91 becomes the reference surface,
The required accuracy may not be obtained.

Further, since it is necessary to insert and eject the optical card 91 against the elastic force of the leaf spring 97, insertion and ejection are difficult, and the optical card 91 is easily damaged during insertion and ejection.

Furthermore, since the plate spring 97 is used, there are problems with the durability and stability of the plate spring 97, and a uniform pressing force cannot be obtained, making it impossible to sufficiently correct the warpage of the optical card 91.

Also, since the four sides of the optical card 91 are held down, the memory section 9
Easy to damage 5.

The present invention provides an improved chucking mechanism for an optical card onto a shuttle in an optical card reader/writer.

In the optical card reader/writer of the present invention, a shuttle receives an optical card at a standby position, fixes the optical card, and drives the mounted shuttle back and forth in a straight line to read and/or write information. In the card reader/writer, the shuttle includes a reference plate that comes into contact with the front surface of the optical card; a pressing piece that presses the optical card against the reference plate from the back side of the optical card; and a releasing state of the pressing piece at the standby position; The optical card is characterized in that it has a chucking member that presses the pressing piece against the optical card during the driving.

The Sho-Iichiri shuttle is on standby with the pressure piece released. When the optical card is inserted between the pressing piece of the shuttle and the reference plate, the chucking member presses the pressing piece against the reference plate while holding the optical card, chucking the optical card, and this state to secure the optical card. The shuttle drives back and forth with the optical card fixed and mounted thereon to read and write information. When this operation is completed, the shuttle returns to the standby position and the pressing force on the pressing piece is released.

FIG. 1 is a perspective explanatory view showing a configuration example of a drive mechanism of an optical card reader/writer according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing main parts of the optical card reader/writer.

As shown in FIG. 1, a shuttle 31 carrying an optical card
The guide shaft 41.4 is connected by the sliding rings 35.35 on both sides.
1 and is slidably supported. The shuttle 31 is fixed to the timing belt 23 at its lower surface by a fastening piece 43 (see FIG. 3), and slides on guide shafts 41, 41 as the timing belt 23 moves. The timing belt 23 is connected to the drive gear 1 connected to the motor 25.
1 and the other end side pulley 19, a bent portion 27 is formed in the vicinity of the drive gear 11, and the overall shape is an elliptical shape. The timing belt 2 is attached to the bent portion 27.
The first elastic pulley 13 is in contact with the tooth surface side 23a of the tooth surface 3, and the second elastic pulley 15 is in contact with the back surface side 23b.

Further, in the vicinity of the first elastic pulley 13 and on the opposite side from the drive gear 11, a third pulley 17 is brought into contact with the back side 23b of the timing belt 23. 45 is a sensor notch, and 47 is a sensor hole.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the main parts of the optical card reader/writer (the guide shaft 41 is not shown in this figure). When the optical card 91 is inserted, the sensor 81 detects it. , the shutter 73 is lowered, the entrance is opened, and the loader 7
5.75 starts rotating. When the optical card 91 is inserted further into the guide plate 71, it is rolled up by the loader 75, 75 and inserted into the shuttle 31. 49 is loader 7
This is a cutout for a loader in which a roller surface of 5.75 mm is arranged.

Figures 1, 3 (disassembled perspective view of shuttle) and 4A
, B (sectional view of the shuttle), the shuttle 31 includes a shuttle body 33 having a sliding ring 35, a back plate 37, a reference plate 39, and a chucking member 55. The pin 53 of the pressing piece 37 is loosely fitted into the pin hole 51 of the shuttle body 33, so that the pressing piece 37
is held between the shuttle body 33 and the reference plate 39.39.

The chucking member 55 includes a support plate 57, a spring 61, an arm 59, an engagement shaft 63, and a pressing roller 65, and is attached to the shuttle body 33 by the support plate 57.

As shown in FIG. 2, at the standby position where the shuttle 31 is in contact with the guide plate 71, the shuttle 31 releases the back plate 37 (pressing piece) and waits for the optical card 91 to be inserted. This state is shown in FIG. 4A, in which the engagement between the engagement piece 69 and the engagement shaft 63 of the chucking member 55 causes the arm 59 of the chucking member 55 to spring against the spring 61.
The back plate 37 is pushed down against the force, and the back plate 37 falls down under its own weight, so that a sufficient gap is formed between the back plate 37 and the reference plate 39 to allow the optical card 91 to be inserted.

The optical cards 91 are sequentially detected by the sensors 79 and 77.
N, and the optical card 91 is further loaded by the loader 75.75.
passes through the sensor 79 and turns OFF.

The current insertion of the optical card 91 into the shuttle 31 is completed.

The old optical card inserted by the loader 75, 75 is stopped when its leading end comes into contact with the stopper 39a. In this way, when the sensors 77 and 79 detect that the optical card 91 is completely inserted into the shuttle 31, the drive gear 11 rotates in the direction of arrow A in the figure (normal rotation).
The shuttle 31 moves to the left. Note that the sensor 77,
The opposing photo coupler 79 is not shown.

When the shuttle 31 moves to the left, as shown in FIG. 4B, the engagement piece 6g disengages from the engagement shaft 63 of the chucking member 55, and the pressing roller 65 is pressed upward by the biasing force of the spring 57. Then, the back plate 37 is pushed upward, and the optical card 9 is firmly fixed between the back plate 37 and the reference plate 39.

In addition, in FIG. 4B, the optical card 9I is not inserted,
Only the movement of the back plate 37 is shown.

In this chucking state, the shuttle 3I further moves to the left, and due to the forward and reverse rotation of the drive gear 11,
While reciprocating in the direction, the optical head 101 moves in the Y direction (perpendicular to the plane of the paper) and irradiates light with the objective lens 103, thereby sequentially recording information or reproducing the recorded information.

When the recording or reproduction of information is completed, the shuttle 3I moves rightward until it comes into contact with the guide plate 71 (see FIG. 2), and the optical card 91 is taken out to the outside in the reverse order.

According to the present invention, by pressing the top surface of the optical card against a reference plate from the bottom surface of the optical card and chucking it, an optical card manufactured with the front surface as a reference surface can be
It can be fixed and mounted on the shuttle with accurate positioning in the height direction.

Furthermore, by pressing from the back side of the optical card, which is the non-recording surface, it is possible to press almost the entire surface of the optical card, and the warpage of the optical card can be effectively corrected.

Further, the pressing piece is set to a released state in the standby state.

After receiving the optical card, the pressing piece is pressed to chuck the optical card, thereby making it easy to insert and eject the optical card.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the drive mechanism of the optical card reader/writer of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the main parts of the optical card reader/writer. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the shuttle. FIGS. 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views showing chucking of an optical card by the shuttle. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the optical card. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a drive mechanism of a conventional optical card reader/writer. 11... Drive gear 15... Second elastic pulley 19... Other end pulley 23... Timing belt 27... Bent portion 33... Shuttle body 37... Back plate 41...・Guide shaft 55...Chucking member 61...Spring 65...Suppression roller 71...Guide plate 75...Loader 91...Optical card 95...Memory part 103...Objective lens 13... First elastic pulley 17... Third pulley 21... Elastic body 25... Motor 31... Shuttle 35... Sliding ring 39... Reference plate 43... Fastening piece 59...Arm 63...Engagement shaft 69...Engagement piece 73...Shutter 77, 79, 81...Sensor 93...Rectangular sheet Lot...Optical head Fig. Figure 4A

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An optical card reader/writer in which a shuttle receives an optical card at a standby position, fixes the optical card, and reads and/or writes information by reciprocating the mounted shuttle in a linear direction, comprising: is a reference plate that comes into contact with the front surface of the optical card; a pressing piece that presses the optical card against the reference plate from the back side of the optical card; and a pressing piece that is in a released state at the standby position and pressed during the driving An optical card reader/writer comprising: a chucking member that presses the piece against the optical card.