JPH04114651U - card processing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] A compact and thin structure can be realized by reducing the number of parts required for a P (prepaid) card transport mechanism to the extent that transport is not hindered. [Configuration] Drive motor 77 and a pair of belt feed rollers 4
1 and 42, a gear and shaft that transmit the driving force of the drive motor 77 to the belt feeding roller 42, a conveyor belt 18 that transmits the driving force between the pair of belt feeding rollers, and a belt feeding roller 41 via this belt. , 42, and a drive motor 77.
When driven, friction is generated in the P card 100 interposed between the conveyor belt 18 and the pinch rollers 5 and 6 to convey the card.

Description

[Detailed explanation of the idea]

0001

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a card processing device, for example, a read/write device for a magnetic card. Card processing equipment capable of printing, punching, and punching It is.

0002

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, it has become common to use cards to pay for purchases and meals. As a consumer powerhouse, Japan's means of consumption are becoming more prevalent, similar to those of Europe and the United States. We respond flexibly to this. This card does not accept credit cards or telephone cards. There are different types for different uses, such as . Also, it is convenient because you can use your card to complete your errands. Furthermore, when a new type of card is introduced, its spread is extremely rapid.

0003 Therefore, pre-paid magnetic cards used in convenience stores and department stores, etc. An example of this is a so-called prepaid card (hereinafter referred to as a "P card"). Pka The card is made of flexible polyester in a thin and rectangular shape and has a magnetic stripe. The prepared read/write surface is sputtered with tin foil to form a printable surface. are doing. A P card with the above configuration can be used with a magnetic card reader, magnetic card driver, etc. By appropriately combining data, magnetic card printers, and magnetic card punchers. Therefore, reading, writing, printing, and punching are performed.

0004 In particular, when transporting P cards, the driving force obtained from the drive motor is transferred to a speed reducer. A common mechanism is to reduce the speed at . In other words, this mechanism transmits the driving force of the drive motor to the shaft of the conveying roller using a reduction mechanism. The conveyance roller is rotated by the rotation of this shaft. raw material required for transportation The process is to drive the transport roller and use a pinch roller to insert the P card against the same roller. It depends on the frictional force generated when pressed.

[0005]

[Problem that the invention is trying to solve]

However, in the conventional example described above, a pair of conveyance rollers and rotation of these rollers are used. The gears to transmit power and the belt to transmit power between these gears are essential parts. Also, the gear that transmits the driving force from the drive motor should be installed as close to the body as possible. The transport rollers are pivoted on opposing side plates, making it possible to create a compact device. It is considered impossible.

[0006] The present invention was devised in view of the drawbacks of the conventional examples mentioned above, and its purpose is to Where possible, reduce the number of parts required for the P card transport mechanism to the extent that it does not interfere with transport. The aim is to provide a card processing device that can realize a small, compact and thin configuration. Ru.

[0007]

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the purpose, the card processing device according to the present invention , mechanically and/or electronically transfer information to flexible and flexible cards. A card processing device that has multiple mechanisms that add a means for transmitting the driving force of the drive source to one of the pair of rollers; an endless transmission means for transmitting driving force between the rollers; and an endless transmission means for transmitting driving force between the rollers; roller and a pair of corresponding driven rollers, and driven by the drive source. At this time, the card interposed between the endless transmission means and the driven roller is transported. It is characterized by

[0008]

[Effect]

According to this configuration, when the drive source is driven, the endless transmission means and the driven roller Achieves good card transport by creating friction between the cards

[0009]

【Example】

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. (Explanation of the overall configuration: Figure 1, Figure 2-1, Figure 2-2, Figure 3) FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing an embodiment of a card processing device according to the present invention. figure The magnetic card processing device (hereinafter referred to as “device”) 1 shown in 1 is an example of a magnetic card. The information on the magnetic stripe provided on the back of the P card 100 (shown in Figure 1) as a read/write section for reading or writing; Also, thermally record (hereinafter referred to as "print") information on the balance amount in the empty area on the back side. It is equipped with a print section for indicating the amount spent, and a punch section for providing a hole to indicate the amount spent. It has a compact, integrated configuration. Figure 1 shows a transparent view of the unit inside this device 1. The body is shown with a chain double-dashed line to make it easier to see. As will be explained later, there is an opening/closing section at the top of the body. A freely openable and closable lid 2 is pivoted.

0010 Referring to FIG. 1, the description of each unit is do light work The movement of inserting into the device 1 in the direction A (Fig. 1) or ejecting it in the direction B (Fig. 1) The unit in charge of the processing moves the card conveying belt 18 in the conveying direction (direction A or direction B). These are belt feed rollers 41 and 42 that are driven in the direction of Driven by. In order to carry out the conveyance smoothly and reliably, each belt feed roller 41 , 42 are urged from above by pinch rollers 5 and 6, and these four rollers The transport of the P card 100 is carried out in cooperation with each other.

[0011] Conveyance path in direction A by belt feed rollers 41, 42 and pinch rollers 5, 6 30, first, a read part for reading the magnetic stripe of the P card 100 is installed. has been done. The unit that forms this lead section is the read head and write head. This is a head section 59 having a head. This head portion 59 has a magnetic strip. Located on the right side (direction A) of the center line of the transport path 30, corresponding to the travel path of the transport path 30. There is. This head portion 59 also has a configuration in which the pinch roller 7 is biased from above. It's summery. The read/write switching of this head section 59 is performed in the A direction. , is implemented so that it is written in the B direction.

0012 Furthermore, in the conveyance direction, the platen roller 17 and the thermal head 21 are They are arranged to face each other with the feed path 30 in between. The thermal head 21 has a plastic On the back side of the P card 100 passing between the tension roller 17 and the same head 21 (direction B) On the other hand, the printing section 21a for printing information such as the amount is on the platen roller 17. is provided in parallel to the axial direction. The thermal head 21 of this embodiment is Since there is no need to contact the platen roller 17 except for the process, the details will be described later. However, the non-contact state is maintained by the thermal head holder 23. perform this control The solenoid 4 is provided at the rear of the head portion 59. thermal head holder The thermal head 21 is fixed on the holder 23 with set screws 51 and 52. It is configured to rotate around a shaft 24 provided at one end.

[0013] In the A direction, the conveyance path 30 passes between the platen roller 17 and the thermal head. Then, due to the gentle slope, it is set one step higher. This one step higher There is a drive roller 77 at the bottom and a drive roller 27 driven by this roller 77. is installed. The drive roller 27 located near the tip of the conveyance path 30 is In cooperation with the pinch roller 26 which is biased from In order to carry out the conveyance in the direction, power is transmitted from a drive motor 77.

[0014] Further, it faces the head portion 59 with the center line of the conveyance path 30 as a boundary, and is located in the B direction. A punch block 8 is set in front of the platen roller 17. Ru. This punch block 8 is used for the P card 100 that has undergone the printing process. This is a unit for adding perforations according to the price. Next, the above configuration will be explained in more detail.

[0015] Figure 2-1 shows the internal configuration of this device 1 up to the platen roller 17 viewed from above. Figure 2-2 shows the inside of the device 1 from the platen roller 17 to the tip. A cross section of the configuration viewed from above is shown. Figure 3 shows the opening in this example. Main parts of the lid opening/closing mechanism viewed from the side are shown. In comparison with FIG. 1, it should be noted here that the opening/closing lid 3 of this embodiment can be freely opened and closed. A solenoid 4 and pinch rollers 5, 6 and 7 are attached to the . accordingly The punch block 8 is provided on the body independently of the opening/closing lid 3. This opening/closing The lid 3 can be opened and closed around the shaft 3b as shown in Fig. 3 by removing a predetermined clasp. Become free. To install the opening/closing lid 3, first remove the front cover 9, then remove the side plate. 2 so that the shafts 3a and 3b correspond to the bearing grooves 2a and 2b (Fig. 2-1) arranged on the edge of the shaft. This is completed by inserting the front cover 9 into the front cover 9 and covering it with the front cover 9 as shown in FIG. Koto Since the bearing grooves 2a and 2b function as shaft holes, if the specified clasp is removed, the It becomes possible to open and close as shown. In addition, the opening/closing lid 3 is in the closed state as shown in Fig. 2-1. It is fixed to both side plates 2, 2 with set screws 12, 13 as shown in FIG.

[0016] Regarding the solenoid 4, the tip 4a was engaged with the plunger connecting lever 14. It is the composition. This plunger connecting lever 14 functions as the above-mentioned predetermined stop. However, this point will be discussed later. The plunger connecting lever 14 is the lever 1 4b and 14c are connected, and under the control of solenoid 4, in Figure 2-1, , by moving left and right, it is hooked onto the arm 16a of the head drive lever 16, which will be described later. The latch part 14a at the tip of the stopped lever 14b pulls the drive lever 16. It is configured to release that pulling force.

[0017] Regarding the configuration from the platen roller 17 to the drive motor 77, FIG. 2-2 As shown in FIG. The rotation speed is controlled according to a signal from coder 79. Here, unless otherwise specified, each unit in this example has a rotating shaft. , it has a structure that extends over the side plate 2. (Description of drive source and transport mechanism: Figures 4, 5, 15, 16, 17) FIG. 4 shows the positional relationship between the card conveyance path 30 and the drive motor 77 in this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a side view schematically showing a drive motor 77 and a FIG. 3 is a side view showing the positional relationship with a unit driven by a motor.

[0018] The conveyance path 30 of this embodiment has a flat portion 30a and a A curved portion 30c having a gentle slope from the area past the platen roller 17, and this It is composed of a flat part 30b whose conveyance position is raised due to a step created by a curved part 30c. . In this example, in order to obtain a compact and thin body, the above-mentioned transport path is By having a step as shown in 30, the drive motor 77 is arranged below the flat end portion 30b. , This eliminates the need to consider the special thickness of the body, that is, the height. .

[0019] Here, the arrangement of each unit with the conveyance path 30 as a boundary will be described in more detail. The basic functions of this device 1 are the driving function of the P card 100 and the electromagnetic support function (described later). (function by solenoid 4), but in recent years, due to the security enhancement of cards. Equipped with a punch perforation mechanism, thermal print mechanism, double insertion prevention shutter mechanism, etc. It is listed.

[0020] To mention only the main units, above the conveyance path 30, the platen roller 17, punch block 8, shutter plunger 5 and solenoid 4 are installed. , a drive motor 77 and a thermal head 21 are installed below. Due to the above arrangement, not only the size of the drive motor 77 is considered, but also the overall arrangement. Taking this into consideration, as in the conveyance path 30 of this embodiment, the flat end portions 30a, 30b and these A curved portion 30c that smoothly connects the two is preferable. This is a large mechanism, the drive motor. The solenoid 4, etc., which is a flat mechanism, is placed at the bottom of the conveyance path 30. At the bottom, each can be placed flexibly. Also, the precision of this device 1 is It also has a configuration that guarantees high accuracy. Of course, even if the conveyance path 30 is curved, the P card 10 0 only deforms elastically due to its own flexibility and pliability, and does not support the card itself or its movement. Since there are no obstacles, adding a step to the conveyance path 30 makes the device 1 compact and thin. The effect is that it can be formed into a shape.

[0021] FIG. 15 is a diagram schematically showing the double insertion prevention shutter mechanism according to this embodiment, and FIG. is a top view of the same mechanism, and FIG. 17 is a side sectional view of the same mechanism. The double insertion prevention shutter mechanism of this embodiment uses a solenoid 200 attached to the side. The shutter 201 arranged in the card insertion slot is driven by using the suction action of It is provided.

[0022] In operation, when the P card 100 is inserted through the front cover 9, the transport mechanism Then, the conveyance operation is started. The rear end of the card passes through the vertical bending part of the shutter 201. When the sensor detects this, the solenoid 200 is energized and the iron core is attracted. iron The vertical bent portion of the shutter 201 fitted into the groove of the heart is the part where the card running stand 300 runs. It protrudes from the surface to prevent the insertion of a second card. A series of 100 P cards When the process is completed, the power to the solenoid 200 is cut off, and the coil spring 20 After the shutter 201 is lowered by the bias of 2, the P card 100 is ejected. Ru.

[0023] Next, the transport mechanism will be described in detail using FIG. 5. A gear 76 that transmits the drive of the drive motor 77 directly meshes with the gear 75 and transmits the drive of the drive motor 77. Power is transmitted to a gear 71 that rotates the moving roller 27. Gears 71 and 75 are base They are connected by route 86. The power of the gear 71 is transmitted by the belt 85. The signal is transmitted to the gear 72 of the roller 41. The gear 72 meshes with the gear 74, and the coarse Power is transmitted to the gear 73 of the platen roller 17 via the belt 87. belt 8 5, 86, 87 are provided with pinch rollers 95, 96, 97 to provide tension. It gives a pressing force. The belt feed roller 42 located at the center of the conveyance path 30 is Power is obtained by sharing the shaft of the axle 72.

[0024] In this way, the belt for conveying the P card 100 is connected to the belt feed roller 41. , 42, the axial length of the belt feed rollers 41, 42 can be shortened. At the same time, the number of parts can be reduced and costs can be reduced. Of course, the equipment 1. A compact and integrated structure can be obtained. (Explanation of the printing mechanism and opening/closing mechanism of the opening/closing lid: Figures 5 and 6) Figure 6 shows the mechanical relationship between the thermal head and the platen roller in this embodiment. FIG.

[0025] First, the printing mechanism will be explained. 5 and 6 show the head drive lever. -16 and the plunger connecting lever 14 and the shape of each lever are shown. ing. The head drive lever 16 has a U-shape, and has a bent portion (lower side) of the U-shape. ) is provided with a shaft 16b, and is rotatably provided around this in the direction indicated by R1. However, the configuration is such that it always receives a bias in the direction indicated by S1. On the other hand, the thermal head The door holder 23 is also rotatably provided around a shaft 24 in the direction indicated by R2; This configuration always receives bias in the direction indicated by S2. The configuration related to this biasing is shown below. This is shown in Figure 5. In the figure, a spring 8 that biases the head drive lever 16 is shown. 1 has one end fixed to a flange portion 2c protruding outward from the side plate 2, and the other end fixed to the head. It is configured to be fixed to a protrusion 16c on a bent portion (upper side) of the drive lever 16. on the other hand, A spring 82 that biases the thermal head holder 23 protrudes outward from the side plate 2. One end is fixed to the flange portion 2d, and the other end is fixed to the lever of the thermal head lever 23. It has a structure fixed to the receiving part 22. The above thermal head lever 23 and head drive The movable lever 16 is always biased by a spring. Using this bias , the printing part 21a of the thermal head 21 is brought into contact with or not brought into contact with the platen roller 17. The latching portion 14a is latched to the arm 16a of the head drive lever 16 so as to It is controlled by a solenoid 4 connected to. Here, the rotation of the thermal head holder 23 Regarding the operation, the head drive lever 16 is placed on the lever receiving portion 22 of the holder 23. The contact part 16c provided at one end (lower part) is in contact with the thermal head holder 23. Since the rotation direction (S2, S1) due to the bias between the head drive lever 16 and the head drive lever 16 is different, The lever receiving portion 22 and the contact portion 16c always maintain a state of contact. This contact state is held by the control of the solenoid 4. In the printing process, solenoid 4 moves the plunger connecting lever 14 in the direction indicated by L (leaf suction). child Following this, the head drive lever 16 rotates clockwise, and the head drive lever 16 follows. The thermal head holder 23 rotates counterclockwise. Depending on the amount of rotation at this time. As a result, the force of the printing part 21a of the thermal head 21 pressing against the platen roller 17 is adjusted. Of course, in the actual printing process, the platen roller 17 and the printing section 21 The P card 100 will be interposed between a. Also, outside of the printing process, non- To adjust the contact state, the solenoid 4 moves the head drive lever 16 in the reverse L direction. Following this, the thermal head holder 23 rotates clockwise and prints. The portion 21a is separated from the platen roller 17. Based on the above operations, the spring The elastic force (biasing force) between the springs 81 and 82 is set to be larger for the spring 81.

[0026] That is, when pressing the thermal head 21 against the platen roller 17, The suction force of the solenoid 4 is the difference in urging force between the two types of springs 81 and 82. . In addition, an overcoat is applied to separate the thermal head 21 from the platen roller 17 after being pressed. -stroke results in the biasing force of the spring 82 being attracted. In this case The suction force is low, which saves suction power. Also, in half suction, P card 1 The platen roller 17 and the thermal head 21 that hold the If the card becomes connected and it is necessary to eject a card such as a card jam, Can be taken out easily.

[0027] In this way, the mechanism for pressing the thermal head 21 against the platen roller 17 is Two levers, the Tsudo drive lever 16 and the plunger connection lever 14, and the electromagnetic plug Since only a single solenoid 4 is required, the configuration can be simplified. Also, platen roller 1 Since roller 7 is fixed, it is stable, and two types of springs 81 and 82 are used. More stable pressing force can be obtained.

[0028] Next, the opening/closing mechanism of the opening/closing lid 3 necessary for head cleaning of the head section 59 will be explained. This will be explained using FIG. 6 and FIG. 2-1. At the time of opening and closing, it is provided at the tip of the lever 14b. Remove the latching part 14a from the arm 16a, and at the same time rotate the shaft 6d as the center of rotation. , rotate clockwise. Furthermore, remove the setscrews 12 and 13 and open the opening/closing cover 3. Eliminate obstacles when accessing. From then on, open the opening/closing lid 3 around the shafts 3a and 3b, and open the head. The portion 59 is exposed to the outside. In this way, the head can be cleaned. Form.

[0029] In addition, when closing the opening/closing lid 3, it is sufficient to perform the operation in the opposite direction to the opening process. omitted. The structure of the opening/closing lid 3 described above is such that each unit is separated into the lid 3 and the body, and the unit is straddled. The structure is such that there is no need for positioning when the lid 3 is closed, so it is easy to use. It is as easy as just disengaging the plunger coupling lever 14 from the drive lever 16. It enables opening and closing operations, and in particular, facilitates head cleaning. (Explanation of punch mechanism: Figure 7) FIG. 7 is a side view schematically showing the configuration of the punch block 8 in this embodiment. . Inside the punch block 8 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. A punch perforation part 19 and coils 45 and 46 are arranged on the conveyance path 30, and Below the punch perforation part 19, punch waste is placed outside (recovery) without scattering it on the conveyance path 30. A discharge port 8a is provided for discharging the liquid to the part). Inside this punch block 8 In this case, the punch perforation part 19 and the coils 45 and 46 constitute an electromagnetic solenoid part, On the other hand, the region where punching is performed at the bottom of the conveyance path 30 and the discharge port 8a are punched holes. Configure. In this way, the magnetic solenoid part is placed in the upper part of the conveyance path 30, and the punched hole part By providing each at the bottom of the conveyance path 30, a flat and efficient space distribution is possible. Ru.

[0030] Therefore, the coils 45 and 46 arranged in the electromagnetic solenoid section are placed in the planar space of the device 1. By using the space between the devices, it is possible to separate them into multiple planes, thereby reducing the space inside the device 1. It is possible to realize a compact and thin design with improved space efficiency. In addition, by arranging the punch waste outlet 8a in the punch hole, the punch waste can be removed easily. Collection can be done easily. (Explanation of operation: Figures 8 to 14) Figures 8 to 14 show reading, writing, printing, and punching according to this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a process diagram schematically explaining a series of operations.

[0031] In order to operate this embodiment, first, as a first lead process, the direction shown by the arrow in FIG. Insert the P card 100 in the opposite direction. When the insertion state is detected by a sensor (not shown), The P card 100 is driven by a belt feed roller 42 etc. to which the power of the drive motor 77 is transmitted. This causes the magnetic stripe to be read to the head portion 59 (FIG. 9). This transportation The transfer detects the current balance and subtracts this amount by adding further charges. If the value is written (updated), the drive is performed as shown in Figure 10. The power of the motor 77 is converted to the opposite direction, and the material is transported in the opposite direction to the lead process. This way In this way, the write process is completed.

[0032] Next, in order to confirm the information updated in the write process above, reset the transport direction again. Set and read in the same way as the reading process (Figure 11), and write the read information and Check against the information updated in the update process. As a result, if the information matches, the printing process begins and the thermal The remaining money and notes are removed by bringing the tube 21 into contact with the platen roller 17 and conveying it as shown in FIG. Print information such as recording date.

[0033] Next, remove the magnetic stripe and punch it in place to indicate the amount spent. For this purpose, a hole is punched inside the punch block 8 (FIG. 13). This punch perforation In the process, the P card 100 is temporarily stopped at a predetermined position during punching. When all the above steps are completed, the P card 100 is taken out as shown in FIG. .

[0034] As explained above, according to the present device 1, the device 1 is compact and has the above-mentioned read/write function. It is possible to obtain an integrated and multifunctional configuration for performing each printing and punching process. can.

[0035]

[Effect of the idea]

As explained above, according to the present invention, the driving force of the drive motor is transferred to the pair of rollers. Drive force is transmitted to one shaft of The belt and each roller are connected to each other by a corresponding pinch roller that presses the belt through the belt. With the mechanism that conveys the magnetic card with the belt, the belt transmits the rotation between the rollers and In addition, magnetic cards can be transported in combination with pinch rollers, simplifying the transport mechanism. It can be realized with a simple and compact configuration.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing an embodiment of a magnetic card processing device according to the present invention.

2-1 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the magnetic card processing device shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

2-2 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the magnetic card processing device shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the opening/closing mechanism of the opening/closing lid in this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side view schematically showing the positional relationship between a card conveyance path and a drive motor in this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing the positional relationship between a drive motor and a unit driven by the motor in this embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating the mechanical relationship between the thermal head and the platen roller in this embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a side view schematically showing the configuration of the punch block in this embodiment.

[Figure 8] ~

FIG. 14 is a process diagram schematically explaining a series of operations of reading, writing, printing, and punching according to this embodiment.

[Figure 15] ~

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a double insertion prevention shutter mechanism according to this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 This device 2 Side plate 2a, 2b bearing groove 2c Flange part 3 Opening/closing lid 3a, 3b opening/closing shaft 4 Solenoid 5, 6, 7, 26 pinch roller 8 Punch block 8a Outlet 9 Front cover 12,13 Locking pin 14 Plunger connection lever 14a Latch part 14b, 14c lever 14d, 16a, 24 axis 16 Head drive lever 16a arm 17 Platen roller 18 Conveyor belt 19 Punch hole part 21 Thermal head 21a Printing section 22 Lever receiver 23 Thermal head holder 25 Transport guide 27 Drive roller 41, 42 Belt feed roller 45,46 coil 51, 52 Set screw 59 Head part 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76 gear 77 Drive motor 79 encoder 85, 86, 87 belt 95,96,97 pinch roller 100P card

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] Claim 1: For a flexible and flexible card,
A card processing device having a plurality of mechanisms for mechanically and/or electronically adding information, the device including a driving source, a pair of rollers, and transmitting the driving force of the driving source to one of the pair of rollers. an endless transmission means for transmitting a driving force between the pair of rollers, and a pair of driven rollers respectively corresponding to the rollers via the endless transmission means, and when the drive source is driven, A card processing device characterized in that the card interposed between the endless transmission means and the driven roller is transported.