JPH0533349U - Information recording / reproducing apparatus using card-shaped recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To easily restore the shutter operation even if the shutter is locked due to a mechanical abnormality or foreign matter intervening in the shutter. [Structure] An opening for inserting and ejecting a card in an information recording / reproducing apparatus, a shutter for automatically opening and closing the opening, a card carrying means, a sequencer for controlling the shutter and the card carrying means, and a card carrying means for carrying the card. A sensor to detect an abnormality is provided, and when an abnormality of the shutter is detected during card ejection, the card is moved in the insertion direction once and the ejection operation is performed again, so that the shutter operation can be performed without bothering the user. To recover.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to an information recording / reproducing apparatus that uses a card-shaped recording medium that inserts a card-shaped recording medium into the apparatus to record / reproduce information and then ejects the card-shaped recording medium to the outside of the apparatus.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 There are various types of cards, such as magnetic stripe cards, IC cards, and optical cards, which have small to large storage capacities, and are particularly widely used because of their excellent portability. A card carrying means is provided inside the information recording / reproducing apparatus using this card. The front panel of the device is provided with an opening that connects the inside and the outside, and the card is inserted into the device through this opening and then ejected after recording and reproducing information.

A first sensor is provided inside the device near the opening. This first sensor detects a card that is about to be inserted into the device. An automatic opening / closing shutter supported by a guide shaft is disposed inside the device further in the card insertion direction than the first sensor. This shutter is biased in the direction of the card transport path by a biasing spring, so when the card is not inserted, the card transport path is closed to prevent foreign matter from entering the device. ing. Various automatic opening / closing shutters provided in the apparatus have been proposed in the past, including those disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 57-29958 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-30898.

Inside the device further in the card insertion direction than the shutter, a carrying roller for carrying the card while holding it is arranged. One of the transfer rollers receives the driving force of the motor and can rotate forward and backward, so that the card can be freely transferred in the insertion direction and the ejection direction. In addition, a second sensor is provided inside the device further in the card insertion direction than the transport roller. The second sensor detects whether or not a card is present between the transport roller and the recording / reproducing mechanism section.

After the card is conveyed to a predetermined position and recording / reproducing of information is completed, the card is ejected out of the apparatus. When an abnormality in the device is detected during card ejection, it is controlled by a program recorded in the sequencer, and FIG. 8 shows a flowchart of card ejection. According to this, first, the controller above the sequencer issues a card ejection command in response to a card ejection button operation of the apparatus or a request from a host computer connected to the apparatus. Then, the sequencer operates the shutter solenoid to retract the shutter. Next, the motor is rotated to rotate the transport roller in the card ejection direction. At this time, it is checked whether or not the card is properly conveyed.

When an abnormality is detected, in order to recover from the abnormal state, an operation of repeating the card ejection operation several times is performed. That is, the operation of retracting the shutter and rotating the roller in the card ejection direction is repeated. However, if the abnormality still does not recover, it is determined that self-recovery is impossible, and after that, the rotation of the roller is stopped and human intervention is performed.

[0007]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 In the information recording / reproducing apparatus of the conventional example described above, when the card is ejected out of the apparatus, if the normal operation of the shutter is hindered due to abnormal lubrication of the shutter mechanism or the presence of foreign matter, the shutter is taken in by the card. The card may arrive earlier than the evacuation due to. Then, the card comes into contact with the shutter and the card cannot be ejected, and the shutter is pushed by the card, causing excessive static friction between the shutter and the guide shaft, which locks the shutter. There is a defect.

In such a case, the card will be retried as an abnormal ejection, but the shutter cannot be retracted by the force of the shutter solenoid that is the drive source because the shutter is locked and recovery from the abnormal state cannot be performed. .. In order to release the locked state and restart the device, the shutter is manually retracted and the transport roller is rotated in the card ejection direction with a screw driver, etc., and the card is removed from the device. It has to be taken out (this method is disclosed by the applicant in Japanese Patent Application No. 2-405333).

However, it is a great drawback for the device that the entire device is stopped due to the trouble of the shutter and the user is required to perform complicated work in order to recover the device. The present invention is proposed to solve this problem, and uses a card-shaped recording medium that can easily solve the problem even if there is an abnormality in the mechanism part or the presence of a foreign object in the shutter. It is intended to provide a recording / reproducing device.

[0010]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention has an opening for inserting and ejecting a card-shaped recording medium in an apparatus, a shutter for automatically opening and closing the opening, and a card-shaped recording medium moved in the apparatus. A transport means, a sequencer for controlling the shutter and the transport means, and a sensor for detecting an abnormality when the card-shaped recording medium is transported are provided. The information recording / reproducing apparatus uses a card-shaped recording medium that is controlled so that it is once moved in the insertion direction and then ejected again.

[0011]

[Action]

 In this way, the card-shaped recording medium and the shutter that are in the locked state are moved in the insertion direction once during the retry process when the card-shaped recording medium is ejected abnormally. It is possible to improve the possibility that the medium and the shutter are separated from each other, the locked state is eliminated, and the retry is successful.

[0012]

【Example】

 FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the outline of an information recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention. The outer wall 1 is provided with an opening 2 for connecting the inside and outside of the apparatus, and the card-shaped recording medium is inserted into the apparatus through this opening 2 and ejected after recording / reproducing information. A first sensor 3 is provided inside the device near the opening 2. The first sensor 3 detects a card-shaped recording medium that is about to be inserted into the device. An automatic opening / closing shutter 5 supported by a shutter guide shaft 4 is disposed inside the device further in the card-shaped recording medium insertion direction than the first sensor 3. When the card-shaped recording medium is not inserted in the apparatus, the shutter 5 is urged upward in the drawing by the urging spring 6, so that the conveyance path for the card-shaped recording medium is closed. , It is designed to prevent foreign matter from entering the device.

Inside the device in the card-shaped recording medium insertion direction further than the shutter 5, a carrier roller 7 is provided for carrying the card-shaped recording medium while sandwiching it. One of the transport rollers 7 can rotate forward and backward under the driving force of a motor (not shown), so that the card-shaped recording medium can be freely transported in the inserting direction and the ejecting direction. There is. Further, a second sensor 8 is provided inside the device in the card-shaped recording medium insertion direction further than the transport roller 7. The second sensor 8 detects whether or not a card-shaped recording medium is present between the transport roller 7 and a recording / reproducing mechanism unit (not shown).

With this configuration, when the user inserts the card-shaped recording medium into the opening 2, the first sensor 3 detects the card-shaped recording medium. Then, the apparatus starts the operation of taking in the card-shaped recording medium, and a shutter solenoid (not shown) retracts the shutter 5 from the conveying path of the card-shaped recording medium 9 against the biasing spring 6 and loads it. Enable state. FIG. 2 shows the positional relationship between the retracted shutter 5 and the card-shaped recording medium 9.

Next, the transport roller 7 rotates to take the card-shaped recording medium 9 into the apparatus and transport it toward the recording / reproducing mechanism section (not shown). When it is detected that the end portion 9a of the card-shaped recording medium 9 is separated from the second sensor 8 and is conveyed into the apparatus, the shutter 5 is closed (position for closing the card-shaped recording medium conveyance path, Return to Figure 1). Information is recorded / reproduced on / from the card-shaped recording medium 9 with the opening 2 closed.

In order to eject the card-shaped recording medium 9 from the apparatus after the recording / reproduction of information is completed, the shutter 5 is retracted and the carrier roller 7 is moved in the direction opposite to that when the card-shaped recording medium 9 is taken in. By rotating the card-shaped recording medium 9, the card-shaped recording medium 9 is conveyed toward the opening 2 (left in the drawing) and ejected. When the ejection operation is performed normally, the card-shaped recording medium 9 is left in the vicinity of the end 9b of the card-shaped recording medium 9 in the vicinity of the transport roller 7, and is stopped while protruding from the opening 2 to the outside of the apparatus. The card-shaped recording medium 9 in this state is detected by the first sensor 3, and when the card-shaped recording medium 9 is pulled out from the apparatus by the user's hand, the first sensor 3 detects its operation. Upon detection, the shutter 5 is returned to the closed position.

In order to perform each of the above operations, the following commands are used. A shutter solenoid (not shown) that gives a driving force to the shutter 5 and a motor (not shown) that gives a driving force to the transport roller 7 are commands issued by a sequencer as shown in FIG. It is designed to operate according to the decree. In this case, the sequencer receives a command from a higher-order controller, refers to the first sensor 3, the second sensor 8 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and the timer (not shown), A command is issued to the shutter solenoid and the motor. After the controller issues an instruction regarding transportation, it is controlled according to the program recorded in the sequencer. This program includes a function to check whether the card-shaped recording medium is being conveyed properly and a function to decide what to do when an abnormality occurs.

FIG. 4 shows a sequence for detecting an abnormality when the card-shaped recording medium is ejected. When the end portion 9b of the card-shaped recording medium 9 does not pass the second sensor 8 within a fixed time after the start of motor rotation, and after the end portion 9a of the card-shaped recording medium 9 passes the second sensor 8. If the first sensor 3 is not passed after a certain period of time (see FIG. 6), the sequencer determines that the card-shaped recording medium 9 is abnormally ejected.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart when the card-shaped recording medium of the sequence program is ejected (first embodiment). For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the card-shaped recording medium 9 comes into contact with the shutter 5 so that the card-shaped recording medium 9 cannot be ejected, and the shutter 5 causes card-shaped recording. This is a case where the medium 9 is pushed to cause excessive static friction between the shutter 5 and the guide shaft 4 and locks. In order to recover from such an abnormal state, a retry is performed as shown in FIG.

The retry operation will be described with reference to FIG. 6. First, the sequencer stops the motor, and then the motor is moved in the loading direction of the card-shaped recording medium 9 (the insertion direction into the device). The conveyor roller 7 is rotated and driven. Then, the card-shaped recording medium 9 moves (to the right in the drawing) and moves away from the shutter 5, and the locked state is released. When the motor is stopped after a certain period of time, the card-shaped recording medium 9 is stopped at an appropriate distance from the shutter 5. After that, when the shutter solenoid is operated, the shutter 5 retracts from the conveyance path of the card-shaped recording medium 9. Here, when the motor is again rotated in the direction in which the card-shaped recording medium 9 is ejected, the card-shaped recording medium 9 is ejected without coming into contact with the shutter 5.

Even in this case, if the discharge is not properly performed, the retry operation is repeated. However, if proper ejection is not possible even after retrying the specified number of times, the retry is stopped to stop the motor, and the shutter solenoid is de-energized to not accept the next card. State. This is to prevent the retry operation from being repeated more than necessary.

FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In the first embodiment, when the card-shaped recording medium 9 is released from the shutter 5, the rotation time of the motor in the loading direction of the card-shaped recording medium 9 is set to a constant time, but in the present embodiment, the second sensor 8 is used. The timing for stopping the motor is determined by monitoring the above (flow chart of retry operation in FIG. 6). In this way, the rotation time of the motor can be set so that the distance between the shutter 5 and the card-shaped recording medium 9 that is stopped after being moved in the taking-in direction can be set. Can be reduced.

In the present embodiment, when the card-shaped recording medium 9 has not reached the second sensor 8, it is considered that the shutter 5 and the card-shaped recording medium 9 are not in the locked state, and the card of the motor is used. Since the rotation of the linear recording medium 9 in the taking-in direction is omitted, the useless operation of the apparatus can be omitted. In order to make the retry more reliable, the motor may be rotated after a certain time has elapsed after the shutter solenoid operation. By doing so, even if the operating speed is reduced due to poor lubrication of the shutter 5 mechanism, the possibility that the card-shaped recording medium 9 will reach the shutter 5 earlier than the shutter 5 retracts is small. Become.

[0024]

[Effect of the device]

 As described above, according to the present invention, even in the locked state between the card-shaped recording medium and the shutter caused by the slight abnormality of the shutter, the sensor for detecting the abnormality and the sequencer bother the user. It can now be easily released.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an outline of an apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a conveyed state of a card-shaped recording medium.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an instruction system for carrying a card jaw recording medium.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a sequence for checking an abnormality when a card-shaped recording medium is ejected.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a sequence when a card-shaped recording medium is ejected (first embodiment).

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing that the shutter is in a locked state.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a sequence when a card-shaped recording medium is ejected (second embodiment).

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing a sequence when discharging a conventional card.
It's a chart.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Outer Wall 2 Opening 3 First Sensor 4 Guide Shaft 5 Shutter 6 Shutter Energizing Spring 7 Roller 8 Second Sensor

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] February 12, 1992

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Brief explanation of the drawing

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an outline of an apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a conveyed state of a card-shaped recording medium.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a command system for carrying a card-shaped recording medium.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a sequence for checking an abnormality when a card-shaped recording medium is ejected.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a sequence when a card-shaped recording medium is ejected (first embodiment).

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing that the shutter is in a locked state.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a sequence when a card-shaped recording medium is ejected (second embodiment).

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing a sequence when discharging a conventional card.
It's a chart.

[Explanation of reference numerals] 1 outer wall 2 opening 3 first sensor 4 guide shaft 5 shutter 6 shutter biasing spring 7 roller 8 second sensor

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An opening for inserting and ejecting a card-shaped recording medium in the apparatus, a shutter for automatically opening and closing the opening, a conveying means for moving the card-shaped recording medium in the apparatus, the shutter and the conveying means. A sequencer for controlling the card-shaped recording medium and a sensor for detecting an abnormality during conveyance of the card-shaped recording medium are provided. An information recording / reproducing apparatus using a card-shaped recording medium, which is controlled to perform an operation.