JPH06103685A - Magnetic card reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To miniaturize a reader and also to shorten the processing time in the read/write of a card in unidirectional circulation travel by making the outer periphery of a drum a card traveling path. CONSTITUTION:When the card is inserted into a card inserting hole 4, the card is sent to the card traveling path 0 on the outer periphery of the drum 32 by a card introducing means 33. This card is traveled in the card traveling path 0 in a circular arc shape on the outer periphery of the drum 32 by the drum 32 and a card traveling means 34. The traveling card is guided by the flap 37 to a read/write head 35, where data are read out. When the read card is written with new data, this card is circulatorily traveled in the traveling path 0 again. When the read/write of the card is finished, the card is sent out to as card ejecting path 36. Thus, by continuously reading and writing data of the card unidirectionally circulating traveling in the endless traveling path 0, the read/write time can be shortened.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magnetic card reader suitable for processing flexible magnetic cards.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As one of flexible magnetic cards, there is a type that has a long card length and can read / write data, such as a boarding pass for an airliner. Various data such as the place of departure and the destination are magnetically recorded on the boarding pass, and this data is read by the magnetic card reader installed at the entrance gate of the airport and written as necessary. . Magnetic card readers that process such magnetic cards include a two-head system that includes a read head that reads data and a write head that writes data, and a one-head system that includes a single read / write head.

[0003]

The above-mentioned two-head system is
Since the read head and the write head are arranged so as to be separated from each other by at least the length of the card, there is a problem that the card traveling path becomes long and the magnetic card reader becomes bulky. On the other hand, the one-head method has a problem that the card travel path is shortened, but the card must be reciprocally traveled during reading / writing, and thus card processing takes time.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic card reader which is small in size and can reduce processing time.

[0005]

A magnetic card reader according to the present invention includes a rotatable drum having an outer periphery as a card running path, a card introducing means for introducing a card into the card running path, and a card running path for the card running path. A magnetic head facing the card, a card running means for running a card along the card running path, a card discharging path branched from the card running path, and a branch portion between the card running path and the card discharging path. A flap is provided which guides the running card toward the magnetic head or toward the card discharge path.

[0006]

The card introduced into the card running path on the outer circumference of the drum by the card introducing means is run on the arc-shaped card running path formed by the drum and the card running means on the outer circumference of the drum. When the running card is guided by the flap towards the magnetic head, the card reads its data. When writing new data to the card from which the data has been read, this card is circulated again in the card running path. When the card read / write processing is completed, the card is guided by the flap toward the card ejection path.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings.

First, an example of a boarding pass (hereinafter referred to as "card") as a magnetic card will be described with reference to FIG.
On the front surface of the card 1, data (not shown) such as a starting point and a destination is displayed, and on the back surface thereof, a magnetic recording layer (magnetic stripe) 1a is provided along the longitudinal direction. Data similar to the data on the surface is magnetically recorded on the magnetic stripe 1a. The card 1 is separated at the perforations 1b into a front ticket 1A to be given to the passenger and a rear ticket 1B left in the processing device.

In FIG. 1, a magnetic card reader 3 is arranged in a part of the boarding pass processing device 2 at the airport.
The outline of the boarding pass processing device 2 will be briefly described. Arrow a
As shown in, the card 1 inserted in the card insertion slot 4
Is run in the direction indicated by the arrow b, processed by the magnetic card reader 2, then sent in the direction of the arrow c by the first separating portion A, and separated by the cutter unit 5 into the front ticket 1A and the rear ticket 1B. Be done. The front ticket 1A is stamped by the stamp unit 6 to confirm the boarding procedure, then run in the direction of the arrow d and discharged from the discharge port 7, and the rear ticket 1B or the unreadable card is the first bin 8 or The two bins 9 are made to travel as indicated by arrows f and i. The specific travel route of the card 1 will be described later.

The magnetic card reader 3 is rotatably provided around a support shaft 31 and has a drum 32 whose outer periphery is a card running path O, a belt 33a for introducing the card 1 into the card running path O, and a pinch roller. The card introducing means 33 including 33b and the card 1 along the card running path O
Card traveling means 34 including a belt 34a for traveling in the direction of arrow b, a read / write head 35 composed of a magnetic head facing the card traveling path O, and card ejection for ejecting the card 1 after the read / write processing. Passage 36,
A flap 37 is provided at a branch portion (first separation portion A) between the card traveling path O and the card discharge path 36.

The card introducing means 33 has an endless belt 33a wound around belt rollers 33c, 33d, 33e and 33f which are rotatably arranged, and is stretched between the belt rollers 33c and 33d. The part of the belt is abutted on a part of the peripheral surface of the drum 32. The pinch rollers 33b and 33h are biased by the biasing means (not shown) and are in contact with the belt wound around the belt rollers 33c and 33e.

The card running means 34 is a belt roller 34.
b, 34c, 34d, and the roller 34
It has a belt 34a in which the portion between b and 34d is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the drum 32. Shaft 34 of belt roller 34b
The belt pulley 12 is attached to the ba via the electromagnetic clutch 11.
a is attached. A timing belt 12c connected to an output shaft 12b of the drive motor 12 is wound around the belt pulley 12a. Timing belt 12c
Is wound around a belt pulley 13b provided integrally with the belt roller 13a of the card transport means 13.

The tip of the guide member 38 is lightly contacted with the peripheral surface of the drum 32 near the card insertion slot 4. The guide member 38 guides the card to be circulated so as to be passed from the running means 34 to the introducing means 33, and separates an unreadable card or a short card, which will be described later, from the drum peripheral surface as a card running path to the insertion port 4. It is for returning.

Card introducing means 33 and card running means 34
Causes the outer peripheral surface of the drum 32 and the belts 33a and 34a to hold the portion of the card 1 other than the magnetic stripe 1a to run the card 1. In other words, the card 1 is conveyed with its magnetic stripe 1a protruding from the drum and the belt. The side edge in the width direction of the card 1 is guided by a guide member (not shown).

The read / write head 35 includes the drum 32.
And is urged in such a direction as to come into contact with a putt roller 35a which is arranged near the belt 34a and is rotatably arranged at a fixed position. When the head is fixed, the roller 35a is urged. Pat roller 35a
Is positioned such that its outer peripheral surface is flush with the outer peripheral surface of the drum 32.

The card discharge path 36 is branched from the card running path O at the first separating section A and is a path for guiding the regular card 1 processed by the magnetic card reader 2 to the post-processing position. It can also be said that the post-processing devices such as the cutter unit 5 and the stamp unit 6 are card intake passages.

The flap 37 is rotatably provided around a shaft 34ba of the belt roller 34b. As shown in FIG. 1, the flap 37 has its tip portion 37a inserted into the card running path O and a card discharging position for guiding the card 1 from the card running path O to the discharging path 36.
As shown in FIG. 3, the card which is retracted from the peripheral surface of the drum 32 (card running path O) and the card which has been introduced into the running path or the card which is once read / written is read / write head 3 again.
5 and a circulation position guiding towards 5.

The outer periphery of the drum 32, that is, the card running path O
Is longer than the length of the card 1. Between the card insertion slot 4 and the pinch roller 33b,
A first card sensor S1 that detects a card inserted from the card insertion slot 4 and outputs a signal for turning on the drive motor 12 is provided. A second card sensor S2 for detecting an introduced card is arranged on the card traveling path O on which the flap 37 is arranged. The distance between the first card sensor S1 and the second card sensor S2 is set shorter than the length of the card 1.

A third card sensor S for detecting a card is provided on the card running path O on the front side of the read / write head 35.
3 are provided. In the counterclockwise rotation direction of the drum 32, the distance between the sensor S3 and the second card sensor S2 is set larger than the length of the card 1.

The card conveying means 13 is a belt roller 13
Conveyor belt 13h wrapped around a, 13c to 13f
And belt rollers 13i, 13c to 13e, 13j, 1
The conveyor belt 13m is wound around 3k, and the conveyor belt 13t is wound around the belt rollers 13n, 13p, 13e, and 13s. Belt roller 13j
A pinch roller 13u is brought into contact with the belt wound around. The conveyor belts 13h and 13m are superposed between the belt rollers 13a and 13e, and the conveyor belts 13h and 13t are superposed between the belt rollers 13e and 13p. The conveyor belts 13m and 13t rotate following the conveyor belt 13h.

The second separating section B is rotatable about the shaft of the belt roller 13s, and is located at a position shown in the figure for guiding the rear ticket 1B and the unreadable card to the bin, and clockwise from the position shown in the figure. A passage switching member 13v that pivots and guides the front ticket 1A toward the card outlet 7 is provided.
The rear ticket 1B to be collected is placed in the first bin 8 in the third separating portion C.
Further, a bin switching member 13w for selectively guiding the unreadable card to the second bin 9 is provided.

A card holding mechanism (not shown) for holding the front ticket 1A of the card 1 to be ejected in a state of being projected from the ejection port is provided below the card ejection port 7. The stamp unit 6 stamps a boarding confirmation stamp on the front ticket 1A. A fourth card sensor S4 is arranged at the card entrance of the card carrying means 13. This sensor activates the cutter unit 5 to determine the timing for separating the card.

The operation of the embodiment configured as described above will be described. In FIG. 1, when a card is inserted from the card insertion slot 4, the first card sensor S1 detects this and activates the drive motor 12, and when the motor is activated, the electromagnetic clutch 11 is turned on. Card running means 34
And the card transport means 13 are driven to rotate. When the card running means 34 rotates, the drum 32 around which the belt 34a is wound rotates in the direction of the arrow, and the belt 33a around the drum also rotates, and the pinch driven by the belt moves. The card inserted by the roller 33b is taken into the card running path O and run along the drum peripheral surface. At this time, the card has its magnetic stripe 1a.
The vehicle (see FIG. 3) is run while protruding from the drum 32 and the belt 33a. The flap 37 is located at the circulation position as shown in FIG.

When the leading edge of the introduced card is detected by the second card sensor S2 and the trailing edge is not detected by the first card sensor S1, it is judged as a short card and the drive motor 12 is rotated in the reverse direction to be inserted. The returned card is returned from the card insertion slot 4 in the direction opposite to the arrow a. The rear end of the returned card is guided by the guide member 38 toward the insertion slot 4.

When a card having a regular length is inserted, the card is guided by the flap 37 in the direction of arrow b toward the read / write head 35. The card reaching the read / write head 35 is held by the pad roller 35a and the head 35 while running, and its magnetic data is read.

If the read data is correct and it is not necessary to write or correct the data, the flap 37 of the first separating section A is switched to the card ejection position shown in FIG. The card is sent out toward the card discharge path 36. The subsequent operation will be described later.

When the data on the card cannot be read by the read / write head 35, the flap 37 is held at the circulation position in FIG. 2, the card is circulated again to the head, and the read operation is re-executed (retry). ) Do. The data is read, and if the data is correct, it is sent to the card discharge path 36.

When the data needs to be corrected as a result of the first read or retry, the flap 37 is held at the circulation position in FIG. 2 and the card is circulated to the head 35 again to write the data. . In order to confirm whether or not the data has been corrected correctly, this card is sent to the head 35 to read again, and if it is correct, the flap 37 is switched to the discharge position of FIG. 1 and sent to the card discharge path 36. . When the data cannot be read, the card is moved to a position where its rear end passes through the check member 38, and then the drive motor 12 is rotated in the reverse direction and returned from the card insertion slot 4.

As described above, when the cards are circulated while the endless card running path O formed by the outer circumference of the drum is directed in one direction, the read / write head can continuously read and write data. / Light time is short.

Now, the subsequent processing of the card discharged to the card discharge path 36 after the data reading and correction processing is completed will be described. After the tip of the card sent to the card discharge path 36 is detected by the fourth card sensor S4, the rear ticket 1B (see FIG. 3) of the card is held by the pinch roller 33h and the belt 33a, and the perforation 1
When b is sent to a predetermined position facing the cutter unit 5, the drive motor 12 is turned off to stop the card transport operation. The cutter unit 5 is actuated substantially at the same time when the drive motor 12 is turned off, and the card is cut at the perforation 1b at the front ticket 1A.
And divide it into the rear ticket 1B.

When the card is released, the electromagnetic clutch 1
1 is actuated to interrupt the transmission of the driving force to the card carrying means 34, and only the card carrying means 13 is rotationally driven.

The separated front ticket 1A is conveyed in the direction of arrow d by the card conveying means 13, and when it is positioned on the stamp unit 6, the drive motor 12 is temporarily stopped and the unit 5 is operated to confirm it. Get stamped. The stamped front ticket 1A has belts 13h, 1 driven by the activated drive motor 12.
It is sent to the card outlet 7 at 3 m. At this time, the switching member 13v is rotated to a position that does not hinder the ejection of the card. The front ticket, a part of which protrudes from the discharge port 7, is held by a card holding mechanism (not shown) without being fed by the transporting means 13, and waits for the passenger to pick it up.

On the other hand, the separated rear ticket is sent to the card conveying means 13 by the belt 33a and the pinch roller 33h which are turned by turning on the electromagnetic clutch 11. At this time, the switching member 13v is placed at the recovery position shown in FIG. The rear ticket conveyed by the belt 13h and the belt 13m is guided by the switching member 13v to be turned when passing the belt roller 13e, and is held between the belt 13h and the belt 13t and headed to the bins 8 and 9. The switching member 13w has its position switched according to the data of the card, and guides the turned rear ticket toward the first bin 8 in the arrow f direction.

In the case of a data error or a different card, the front ticket 1A is loaded into the second bin 9, the rear ticket 1B is loaded into the first bin 8 and an alarm indicator lamp (not shown) is activated. In this case, the front ticket 1A is not stamped.

According to the embodiment, the magnetic head is the drum 32.
Since it is arranged on the outer peripheral side, the card running along the outer peripheral surface is curved so as to project toward the head side, so that the magnetic stripe 1a and the head 35 are surely brought into contact with each other.

Further, since the distance between the card insertion slot 4 and the read / write head 35 is made larger than the card length, the card can be reliably run and stabilized. If the distance between the card insertion slot 4 and the read / write head 35 is smaller than the card length, the front end of the card reaches the magnetic head while holding the rear end of the inserted card by hand, which is correct. Although there is a fear that the data cannot be read, this can be avoided according to the embodiment. Magnetic head 35 and flap 3
By making the distance from 7 larger than the card length, the card being read / written will not be guided in the ejection direction.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the outer circumference of the drum is used as the card running path, the apparatus becomes small in size and the card is circulated in one direction while being read / written while running. The time gets shorter.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a boarding pass processing apparatus including a magnetic card reader according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a position of a flap.

FIG. 3 is a back view showing a boarding pass as an example of a magnetic card.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Card (boarding pass) 2 ... Magnetic card reader 4 ... Card insertion slot 12 ... Drive motor 32 ... Drum 33 ... Card introducing means 33a ... Belt 34 ... Card running means 34a ... Belt 35 ... Read / write head 36 ... Card ejection path 37 ... Flap 38 ... Guide member O ... Card running path S1 ... First card sensor S2 ... Second card sensor S3 ... Third card sensor

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A rotatable drum having an outer periphery as a card running path, a card introducing means for introducing a card into the card running path, a magnetic head facing the card running path, and a card running path on the card running path. Card traveling means for traveling along the card, a card ejection path branched from the card traveling path, and a card traveling path provided at a branching portion of the card traveling path and the card ejection path. A magnetic card reader having a flap for guiding toward the head or toward the card discharge path.