JPH04372764A - Card moving aside device of magnetic card reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a card moving aside device enabling to control a card moving aside pressure in accordance with a thickness of a card. CONSTITUTION:In the magnetic card reader enabling to treat a thick card C and a thin card P, a card moving aside member 90 pressing the card to a card travel standard surface 2 provided on the one side of a card path 1 and a card thickness detection means 92 (71, 91) detecting the thickness of the card inserted in the card path 1, are provided. When the detection means 92 detects the thick card C, a pressurized contact means 93 being allowed the card moving aside member 90 to press with contact with the card C is also provided.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a card stacking device for a magnetic card reader that can be used for both thick and thin cards.

0002

[Prior Art] Magnetic cards include relatively thick cards with a thickness of 0.68 to 0.8 mm such as credit cards and cash cards (hereinafter referred to as "thick cards"), and magnetic cards such as telephone cards and orange cards. Thickness about 0.22
There is a card that is relatively thin (hereinafter referred to as "thin card") of 1 mm. These cards are provided with a magnetic stripe that records information to be read by a magnetic card reader. This magnetic stripe is based on the JIS standard.
It is formed on the back side of a thin card, and on both the front and back sides or one side of a thick card.

By the way, for the sake of compatibility, the magnetic card reader is equipped with a card shifting device that moves the card toward one side edge in order to maintain the angle of magnetic recording with respect to the card, so-called azimuth, to a constant value. In particular, the azimuth tolerance of credit cards is set within a small range according to standards, and the installation of a card collection device is essential. On the other hand, some magnetic card readers for thin cards such as telephone cards do not have a card collecting device because a strict azimuth is not required depending on the application.

[0004] In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for magnetic card readers that can share magnetic cards of different thicknesses. For example, there is a demand for a magnetic card reader called a multi-card reader that can use both prepaid cards and credit cards, such as allowing credit cards to be used with telephones that were previously used only for telephone cards.

[0005]

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] In a multi-card reader that can use both prepaid cards and credit cards, when a thin card is gathered using a card gathering device that has a gathering force to obtain the azimuth of a thick card, the thin card deforms. Resulting in. A card stacking device having a stacking force for thin cards has a problem in that thick cards that are clamped by the relatively large clamping force of the card feed rollers cannot be stacked.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a card shifting device that applies biasing pressure depending on the thickness of the card in a magnetic card reader that can be used for both thick and thin cards.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The card stacking device of the present invention is a magnetic card reader that can use both thick and thin cards. a member, a card thickness detection means for detecting the thickness of the card inserted into the card passage, and when the card thickness detection means detects a thick card,
The present invention is characterized by comprising a pressure contact means for bringing the card gathering member into pressure contact with the card.

[0008]

[Operation] When a thick card is inserted, the card thickness detecting means detects the thickness and activates the pressure contact means to press the card shifting member against the thick card and press the card against the card running reference surface.

[0009] When a thin card is inserted, the card shifting member does not come into pressure contact with the card and does not forcefully shift the card.

0010

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be explained in detail below based on the illustrated embodiments. 1 to 5, a card passage 1 into which a thick card C and a thin card P are selectively inserted is a guide side plate that constitutes a card running reference surface 2 that presses and guides the reference side edges Ca and Pa of the card. 3, a guide side plate 4 facing thereto, and upper and lower guide members (not shown). The card passage 1 includes a pair of transport rollers 5 for taking in an inserted card, a magnetic head 6 for reading and writing magnetic records formed on the card, and a pair of card feed rollers 7 disposed beside the magnetic head 6. , a pair of rollers 8 for discharging or sending back cards that have been processed or are being processed, and a card shifting device 9 are provided, respectively.

The transport roller pair 5 is composed of a drive roller 50 disposed at the lower part of the card path 1 and a driven roller 51 that rotates following the drive roller 50. The roller pair 8 includes a driving roller 80 and a driven roller 81.

The magnetic head 6 consists of a first head 61 that reads the magnetic recording on the front surface of the card, and a second head 62 that reads and writes the magnetic recording on the back surface of the card.

The card feed roller pair 7 feeds the card at a predetermined speed when the card is being read or written by the magnetic head 6, and includes a driving roller 70, a driven roller 71 that is in pressure contact with the driving roller 70, and a driven roller 71 that is in pressure contact with the driving roller 70 so as to be able to move toward and away from the driving roller 70. It consists of This driven roller 71 constitutes a part of card thickness detection means, which will be described later.

The drive rollers of each roller pair 5, 7, and 8 are rotated in forward and reverse directions by a drive motor (not shown).

The card shifting device 9 includes a card shifting member 90 arranged along the guide side plate 4 and a driven roller 71.
and a driven roller support plate (hereinafter referred to as
The card thickness detecting means 92 includes a card thickness detecting means 92 (simply referred to as a "support plate") 91, and a pressing means 93 for pressing the card shifting member 90 against the card.

The card collecting member 90 is supported by rotatably inserting bent portions 90a, 90a formed at both ends thereof into support shafts 4b, 4b of brackets 4a, 4a fixed to the guide side plate 4. has been done. The card pushing member 90 is formed with a card pressing portion 90b that extends parallel to the card path 1 and contacts the side edges Pb and Cb of the inserted card opposite to the reference side edge.

The card pushing portion 90b includes a card pushing spring 90c that contacts the side edge of the card located between the roller pair 5 and the roller pair 7, and a card pushing spring 90c that contacts the card side edge located between the roller pair 7 and the roller pair 8. Card pushing springs 90d that abut the side edges are provided, respectively. These card pushing springs 90c,
90d is formed of a leaf spring and protrudes toward the card running reference surface 2 from window holes 90e, 90e formed in the card pushing section.

Torsion coil springs 93a, 93a forming a part of the pressure contact means 93 are wound around the support shafts 4b, 4b, and are adapted to move the card pressing portion 90b toward the center of the card passage 1. , urges the card gathering member 90. The pressure contact means 93 consists of a spring 93a and a shaft 4b that supports the spring 93a. It goes without saying that the constant of the spring 93a is set to such an extent that the thick card C pushed by the card shifting member 90 is not deformed.

The card thickness detecting means 92 is connected to the driven roller 71.
This roller is rotatably supported by a roller support part 91a, a support plate 91 is rotatably supported by a support shaft 92a fixed to the guide side plate 4, and a driven roller 71 is connected to the drive roller 70. It consists of a biasing spring 92b that swings and biases the support plate 91 in the direction of pressure contact. As shown in FIG. 4, the biasing spring 92b has one end engaged with the horizontal end of the support plate 91, and the other end locked with a pin 92c fixed to the guide side plate 4. This support plate 91 detects the thickness of the card when the card is held between the drive roller 70 and the driven roller 71, and the driven roller rises by a height corresponding to the thickness of the card.

A horizontal portion 91b extending toward the guide side plate 4 is formed at the tip of the support plate 91. A screw hole is formed in this horizontal portion, into which a screw 91c is screwed. This screw has its lower end protruding from the horizontal portion 91b, and its protruding length is held by a lock nut 91d.

An engaging piece 90f is formed at the rear end of the upper edge of the card shifting member 90 and projects toward the center of the card passage 1 so as to be able to engage with the lower end of the screw 91c. There is. The swinging of the card shifting member 90 due to the biasing force of the biasing spring 93a causes the engagement piece 90f to be pushed against the screw 91c.
It is regulated by engaging with.

The position of the card shifting member 90 is regulated with respect to the side edge Pb of the thin card P, as shown in FIG. That is, the side edge Pb of the thin card P inserted into the card passage 1 comes into contact with the card pushing springs 90c and 90d, and is given a pulling force by these springs, and is prevented from being given a large pulling force by the pressure contact spring 93a. , the screwing position of the screw 91c that abuts against the engagement piece 90f is determined. In this case, when the thick card C is inserted, the card pressing part 9
0b directly pushes the card side edge Cb (see FIG. 1(b)), the swinging position of the shifting member 90 is regulated.

In the illustrated example, the horizontal portion 91b and the screw 91c screwed into the horizontal portion 91b constitute a position regulating portion 95 that regulates the swinging position of the card shifting member 90, so that errors in component precision and assembly precision are avoided. The position of the card gathering member 90 can be adjusted with respect to the supporting plate 9.
1 and a part of the member 90 may be opposed to each other so that they can be directly engaged.

The operation of the embodiment configured as above will be explained. As shown in FIG. 3, when no card is inserted, the driven roller 71 contacts the drive roller 70, and the engagement piece 90f of the position regulating portion 95 engages with the lower end of the screw 91c or leaves a small gap between the driven roller 71 and the drive roller 70. Its swing position is regulated by the

As shown in FIG. 2, when a thin card P such as a prepaid card is inserted into the card passage 1, this card P is taken into the passage 1 by a pair of conveying rollers 5. The progress of the thin card P conveyed by the roller pair 5 progresses,
When the side edge Pb comes into contact with the card pushing spring 90c, this thin card rotates in a plane around the transport roller pair 5, and pushes the tip side edge of the reference side edge Pa against the card running reference surface 2. It is then transported. When the thin card P reaches a position where it is held between the pair of card feed rollers 7, its magnetic recording is read by the second magnetic head 62.

When the rear end of the thin card P separates from the transport roller pair 5, the card P is rotated by the card pushing spring 90c with the rear half of the card P rotating around the roller pair 7 toward the card running reference surface 2. It will be done. After that, as shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 5, since the side edge Pb of the card is also pushed by the card pushing spring 90d, the card moves the reference side edge Pa to the card running reference side surface 2. This means that the vehicle is traveling along with the vehicle.

When the rear end of the thin card P, which is being conveyed while the information is being read, leaves the magnetic head 62, the driving rollers of each pair of rollers are reversed to send the thin card back. The rear end of the reference side edge Pa of the thin card P to be sent back is
If the card is not in contact with the card running reference surface 2, the card pushing spring 90
The card is horizontally rotated by the elasticity of d, and the entire reference side edge Pa is aligned with the card running reference surface 2. Note that this horizontal rotation of the card also occurs when the card is held between only the pair of feed rollers 7. The thin card P that is brought to the card running reference surface 2 and sent back by the roller pair 8 is
Information is written by the second magnetic head 62. In this case, the thin card P has card pushing springs 90c, 90
Since it is biased toward the reference surface 2 by the weak pressing force caused by d, it is transported without being deformed.

The above explanation assumes that the inserted thin card P is inserted diagonally with respect to the card passage 1; In the case of cards, large rotational movements within the aisle do not occur.

Next, the operation when a thick card C such as a credit card is inserted will be explained. Conveying roller pair 5
When the thick card C taken in is held between the feed roller pair 7, the driven roller 71 rises by the thickness of the card and resists the biasing spring 92b, as shown in FIG. 1(b). to swing the support plate 91. At this time, the card push spring 90c
comes into contact with the card side edge Cb, but this weakly elastic spring deforms itself elastically and escapes.

As shown in FIG. 1(b), the support plate 91, which has been oscillated due to the thickness detection, is rotated by the screw 9 at its tip.
The position regulating portion 95 including 1c is raised. Position regulation part 9
5 has moved, the card pushing member 90, which is biased to swing by the pressure contact spring 93a, is no longer restricted from swinging, and the card pushing part 90b is brought into contact with the side edge Cb of the thick card. Swing in the direction of contact.

The card shifting member 90 whose position has been released pushes the thick card C toward the card running reference surface 2. In this case, if the thick card C is inserted diagonally with respect to the card path 1, this thick card rotates within a plane as explained in the operation of the thin card P, and uses its reference side edge Ca as the running reference. Add it to side 2.

When the magnetic recording of the thick card C is read by the magnetic head 6, the azimuth of the card may be bad, but this does not need to be a problem since the outward path of the card is a reading operation.

When the reading of the thick card C is completed and the rear end of the thick card C is separated from the pair of feed rollers 7, if the reference side edge Ca of this card is not aligned with the card running reference surface 2, the card will be moved to the card shifting member 90. As a result, the card is rotated in the horizontal direction around the roller pair 8, and the reference side edge Ca is aligned with the card running reference surface 2. The thick card C that is sent back by the reversing roller pair 8 has its entire reference side edge Ca aligned with the card running reference surface 2, so that the azimuth of writing by the second magnetic head 62 is in accordance with the standard. It will be accurate.

In the illustrated embodiment, the roller pair 7 adjacent to the magnetic head 6 is used to detect the thickness of the card.
Of course, other roller pairs may also be used. Also,
Depending on the prepaid card, it may not be necessary to shift the card to one side, and in this case, the card pushing spring 90c
, 90d are unnecessary.

Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the displacement of the driven roller 71 when a thick card is held is directly transmitted to the release of the position restriction of the card shifting member, but the displacement of the driven roller support member 91 is The thickness may be detected by a sensor, and a solenoid may be operated based on this thickness detection signal to change the card pressing force of the card shifting member.

[0036]

As described above, according to the card stacking device of the present invention, the stacking pressure for cards of different thicknesses is controlled according to the thickness of the card, so there is no shortage of stacking for thick cards, and This eliminates the need to deform thin cards, and can greatly contribute to obtaining a highly reliable magnetic card reader that can be used for both thick and thin cards.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 (a) shows an embodiment of the present invention, and is a front view showing a state in which a card collecting device of a magnetic card reader collects thin cards, and (b) shows a state in which a thick card is collected. It is a front view.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a card collection device of a magnetic card reader showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the same as above.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing an example of card thickness detection means.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the movement of thin cards.

[Explanation of symbols]

1...Card aisle 2...Card running reference surface 3...Guide side plate 4...Guide side plate 5... Conveyance roller pair 6...Magnetic head 7...Feed roller pair 9...Card collection device 70... Drive roller 71...Followed roller 90...Card gathering member 91...Followed roller support member 92...Card thickness detection means 95...Position regulation section P...thin card C...thick card

Claims (3)

[Claims] [Claim 1] A magnetic card reader capable of processing thick cards and thin cards, including a card holding member that presses the card against a card running reference surface provided on one side of the card passage, and a card holding member that presses the card against a card running reference surface provided on one side of the card passage; A card stacking device for a magnetic card reader, comprising: a card thickness detecting means for detecting a thick card; and a pressing means for pressing the card stacking member into contact with the card when the card thickness detecting means detects a thick card. [Claim 2] A drive roller that rotates in a card feeding direction;
2. The magnetic card according to claim 1, further comprising a driven roller biased in a direction to press the drive roller, and detecting the thickness of the card based on the displacement of the driven roller when the card is clamped between these rollers. Reader card collection device. 3. A driven roller support member that rotatably supports the driven roller is provided with a position regulating portion that restricts movement of the card shifting member, and movement restriction of the card shifting member is controlled by displacement of the driven roller supporting member. 3. A card collection device for a magnetic card reader according to claim 2.