JPH0773280A - Card saving mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a compact and an inexpensive card saving mechanism of a simple structure that can be applied to a card processor which processes plural sheets of cards. CONSTITUTION:The cards 4a and 4b are carried on a card transfer path 16 by a card transfer mechanism and then processed. If the deficit of balance is detected for the first supplied card 4a, this card is temporarily saved by a card saving mechanism. Instead the second card 4b is fetched. Thus a saving solenoid 37 operates to move a saving guide 36 and a pusher roller 38 on the path 16. So that the card 4a is led to a card saving path 25. The roller 38 touches the card transfer mechanism to save the card 4a by the carrying force of the card transfer mechanism and requires no special driving source.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a card saving mechanism applied to a card processing apparatus such as a vending machine which can be used by adding a plurality of prepaid cards.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, vending machines, railway ticket vending machines,
In a card processing device provided in a card public telephone or the like, frequency information corresponding to the value is recorded on the card, and the card remaining frequency is subtracted according to the usage frequency.

In this type of card processing apparatus, when the balance of the first card inserted into the machine is insufficient for the purchase amount, the second card is continuously inserted to purchase the desired article. Or you can receive services such as telephone calls.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a card processing device 70 disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-22950. In this device 70, the card insertion port and the card return port are the same port 71, and a card retraction mechanism 73 is provided at the back of the card processing conveyance path 72.
Is provided, the card saving mechanism 73 temporarily saves the first card 4a when the value recorded on the first card 4a is lost. Then, when the second card 4b is taken in and the card processing is completed, after the second card 4b is returned, the first card 4a which has been saved is returned.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a prepaid card processing device 80 disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-214389. This device 80 also has the same card insertion port and card return port 81, is provided with a card retreat path 83 branching from the card processing and conveying path 82, and is capable of processing a plurality of cards.

[0006] The device 80 returns the card having a large possession value first according to the magnitude of the possessed value, irrespective of the order of taking in the two cards sequentially captured. For this reason, cards with a small holding value are temporarily saved in the card saving path 83, and when the card processing is completed, these cards are returned one by one.

[0007]

However, in the device 70 shown in FIG. 3, since the card retracting mechanism 73 is provided at the back of the card processing and conveying path 72, the device 72 is not provided.
The depth dimension has become longer and larger. In addition, there is a problem that it cannot be installed in a vending machine or the like having a limited depth direction. Also, the device 80 shown in FIG. 4 has a problem that the depth dimension of the device becomes long, and a motor 84 for carrying the card in the card processing carrying path 82 and a motor for saving the card in the card saving path 83. 85 are provided independently of each other, the height increases in the vertical direction, and the structure of the retracting mechanism including the motor 85 is complicated and the cost increases.

[0008] By the way, this type of card processing device is used by being incorporated in the housing of a vending machine, a ticket vending machine for railroads, a card public telephone, and the like. In particular, the vending machine is installed on the road. In addition, it is required to reduce the size in the depth direction in order to reduce the protrusion on the road in terms of traffic safety, and since the structure stores the contents in multiple rows vertically, In order to secure a large storage area without hindering the storage of the contents and incorporating the card processing device, it is necessary to minimize the space in the depth direction occupied by the card processing device.

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems and is applied to a card processing apparatus for processing a plurality of cards, and has a simple structure, a small size, and a low cost card saving. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a card saving mechanism that enables the

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the card retracting mechanism of the present invention comprises a plurality of cards 4a,
4b is sequentially inserted and provided in a card processing device for processing cards on the card transport path 16, and in a card saving mechanism for saving a predetermined card of the plurality of cards, the cards provided in the card transfer path 16 A card transport mechanism 17 for transporting, a card shunting path 25 diverging from the card transporting path 16 for temporarily shunting the card on the card transporting path 16, and a card that is movable in the direction of the card transporting path 16. The evacuation guide 36 for communicating the card evacuation path 25 with the transportation path 16 and the evacuation guide 36 are movable together with the evacuation guide 36.
7, a pusher roller 38 that can come into contact with each other, and a retracting solenoid 37 that moves the retracting guide 36 and the pusher roller 38 are provided.

[0011]

The card 4a is carried on the card carrying path 16 by the card carrying mechanism 17, but when the additional card 4b is inserted due to a shortage of the remaining amount or the like, the previously taken-in card 4a is saved in the card saving path 25. To be done. At the time of retreat, the retreat guide 36 is moved by the operation of the retreat solenoid 37 and moved onto the card conveyance path 16, and at the same time, the pusher roller 38 contacts the card conveyance mechanism 17. As a result, the driving force of the card transport mechanism 17 can be used also as the rotational force of the pusher roller 38 when the card is retracted, and the card 4a can be retracted without providing an independent motor for retracting. Further, the retracted card 4a can be returned to the card transport path 16 by the reverse transport operation of the card transport mechanism 17 by the same operation.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a card processing device provided with a card retracting mechanism according to the present invention. The case 1 of the card processing device is incorporated in a device such as a vending machine or a public telephone. On the front surface of the protruding portion 2 of the housing 1, one card insertion slot 5 into which the card 4 is inserted and ejected is formed.

In the card insertion slot 5, an inverted J-shaped card transport path 16 is formed from the card insertion slot 5 toward the bottom of the housing 1, and a curved path 16a communicating with the card insertion slot 5 is provided.
A straight path 1 communicating with the curved path 16a and hanging from the bottom of the housing
And 6b.

A card transport mechanism 17, a shutter mechanism 18, a retracting mechanism 19, a magnetic head unit 20, and a punch unit 21 are arranged on the card transport path 16. The card transport mechanism 17 includes a transport roller 26 and a card transport belt 2.
7, a conveyance motor 28 is provided. The carrying roller 26 is composed of a main driving roller 26A and a driven roller 26B, and an endless card carrying belt 27 is stretched between the main driving rollers 26A. Further, an endless conveyor belt (not shown) is stretched between a conveyor motor 28 and a pulley (not shown) provided on the same axis as the driving roller 26Ad. Then, the carry motor 28
The rotation of each of the transport rollers 26 is controlled by the drive of (1) to reciprocate the card 4 along the card transport path 16.

The shutter mechanism 18 serves to stop and release the insertion of the card 4 from the card insertion slot 5, and is generally constituted by a shutter 30 and a shutter solenoid 31. The shutter 30 is disposed on the card transport path 16 immediately after the card insertion slot 5, and is rotatable by a predetermined angle around the fixed shaft 30c by turning on / off the shutter solenoid 31. Also, the shutter
Reference numeral 30 denotes a driven roller 2 facing the driving roller 26Aa.
6Ba is rotatably provided.

To explain further, when the shutter solenoid 31 is in the on state, the card passage 32 of the shutter 30 moves to a position that prevents the communication between the card insertion opening 5 and the card transport passage 16, and the card insertion opening 5 moves. The insertion of the card 4 from is prohibited. Shutter solenoid 31
Is in the off state (the state before the card 4 is inserted), the card passage 32 is positioned so as to communicate between the card insertion port 5 and the card transport passage 16, and the driven roller 26Ba is provided with the shutter return spring 33. Drive roller 26Aa by power
Touch.

In the straight path 16b of the card transport path 16, a card evacuation path 25 is formed in a substantially parallel manner. As will be described later, the card shelter 25 is used to purchase a desired article or receive a service such as a telephone call.
When the balance of the first card 4a is insufficient, the first card 4a is saved. The evacuation mechanism 19 is
The first card when the amount of money runs out
It is made to retreat to 5, and is generally configured with a retreat guide 36, a retreat solenoid 37, and a pusher roller 38. A plurality of the evacuation guides 36 are provided in the depth direction in the drawing in the shape of comb teeth, and are arranged in parallel with the straight path 16b of the card transport path 16 between the shutter mechanism 18 and the magnetic head portion 20, and one end It is rotatable around the support shaft 36a. Further, the protruding piece 36b at one end is provided with the escape solenoid 3
7 is connected to the operating piece 37a.

The pusher roller 38 is a driving roller 26A.
It is arranged at a position facing c and is rotatably supported by the tip of the arm 39. The arm 39 is pivotally supported by the support shaft 36a, and the pusher roller 38 is rotatable about the support shaft 36a in the direction of the driving roller 26Ac. Further, a pusher spring 40 is provided between the escape guide 36 and the arm 39, and the pusher roller 38 is interlocked when the escape guide 36 rotates. The retracting solenoid 37 is provided with a coil spring 41 on the operating piece 37a, and the operating piece 37a is projected by an electromagnetic force when turned on, and is returned by the coil spring 41 when turned off.

Therefore, the retracting guide 36 is rotated by a predetermined angle in the direction of the driving roller 26Ac when the retracting solenoid 37 is turned on, and protrudes onto the straight path 16b of the card conveying path 16. At the same time, the pusher roller 38 moves the driving roller 2
Contact 6Ac. In this state, the reverse rotation of the carry motor 28 allows the first card 4a to be guided to the card retract path 25. When the carry motor 28 rotates in the normal direction, the retracted card 4a is returned to the straight path 16b of the card carry path 16.

On the other hand, when the retracting solenoid 37 is turned off, the retracting guide 36 retracts from the card conveying path 16,
At the same time, the pusher roller 38 separates from the driving roller 26Ac. As a result, the first card 4a can be saved in the card saving path 25. When the evacuation solenoid 37 is in the off state, the evacuation guide 36 moves in the straight path 16
It is located parallel to b. In this state, by the forward / reverse rotation of the carry motor 28, the straight path 16 of the card carry path 16 is
The second card 4b can be conveyed on b.

In the retracting mechanism 19, the retracting path 25 for retracting one card can be formed with a narrow width, and the retracting guide 36 and the pusher roller 38 for guiding to the retracting path 25 are arranged together in one place. Therefore, the mechanism can be simplified. In addition, the standby mechanism 19 includes the first card 4
One conveyance motor 28 can be used without the need for a special motor for conveying a to the escape path 25. Moreover, since there is no unnecessary protruding portion and the width of the device is not required, the device can be made compact. Further, the retracting solenoid 37 is provided in the space of the housing 1 at the upper position of the curved road, which can save space.

The magnetic head unit 20 comprises a magnetic head 45 and a pressing roller 46. Magnetic head 45
Reads the magnetic information of the card 4 conveyed on the card conveying path 16 and outputs the magnetic information to the host computer. Further, the magnetic head 45 rewrites the magnetic information of the card 4 based on the result of the reduction processing by the host computer based on the magnetic information when a predetermined service is performed. The punch unit 21 performs perforation processing when returning the card 4 that has been reduced to a predetermined amount, as a measure of the balance (remaining frequency) of the card 4.

A plurality of sensors for detecting the carrying state of the card 4 are arranged on the card carrying path 16 described above. The insertion detection sensor 50 is disposed on the tip end side of the shutter 30 in the shutter mechanism 18, and is provided in the card insertion slot 5.
The insertion of the card 4 into the card is detected. Evacuation detection sensor 52
Is disposed on the rear end side of the pusher roller 38 in the retracting mechanism 19 and detects the retracting of the card 4 to the card retracting path 25. In addition, a plurality of sensors are arranged in the device at intervals shorter than the dimension of the card 4 in the longitudinal direction, and two cards 4a and 4b include the card retreat path 25 based on the outputs of all the sensors. Therefore, it is possible to detect a jam whether or not the card is discharged from the card insertion slot 5 without remaining on the card transport path 16.

Next, the operation of the card processing device configured as described above will be described. Here, when the purchase amount can be purchased only with the balance of the first card 4a, a general card processing operation is performed. In the following description of the operation, the case where the balance of the first card 4a is less than the purchase amount and the second card 4b is added will be described.

First, in the initial position, the shutter solenoid 31 is off, and the shutter 30 is located at a position permitting the insertion of the card 4. Further, the retracting solenoid 37 is also off, the retracting guide 36 is located at the position retracted from the card conveying path 16 by the coil spring 41 provided on the operating piece 37a of the retracting solenoid 37, and the pusher roller 38 conveys the card. It is located away from the mechanism 17.

Here, when the first card 4a is inserted into the card insertion slot 5, the insertion detection sensor 50 detects it and the carrying motor 28 rotates in the normal direction to move the card 4a to the magnetic head portion 20.
Transport to. When the first card 4a is inserted, it is detected that the rear end of the card 4a has entered the device.
When 0 is detected, the shutter solenoid 31 is turned on to prohibit insertion of an additional card from the outside of the shutter 30 against the shutter return spring 33 provided in the shutter 30 and prohibit ejection of the card from the inside of the device. Move to position.

Then, the magnetic head 45 reads the balance of the first card 4a. In this state, the customer presses the purchase button on the surface of the vending machine, and the purchase amount at this time is 1
When the balance of the second card 4a is insufficient, the evacuation solenoid 37 is energized, and accordingly, the evacuation guide 36 rotates about a fulcrum, and the tip of the evacuation guide 36 projects into the card transport path 16.

FIG. 2 is an operation diagram showing a retracted state of the card 4. At this time, as the retracting guide 36 projects, the arm 3
9 also operates in conjunction with each other, and the pusher roller 38 contacts the driving roller 26Ac. The pusher spring 40 is attached to the arm 39.
Is provided, the pusher roller 38 can always contact the driving roller 26Ac with the same pressure. In this state, when the transport motor 28 rotates in the reverse direction, the first card 4a is fed back to the card insertion slot 5 side, but the first card 4a is driven by the driving roller 26Ac and the pusher roller 38.
When it is fed back to the position of, the rollers 26Ac, 3
By the rotation of 8, the first card 4a is guided to the card evacuation path 25 by the evacuation guide 36 while being sandwiched between the rollers 26Ac and 38.

The drive source when the card is retracted is the transport motor 2.
The driving force of the conveyance motor 28 is applied to the pusher roller 38 by the pusher roller 38 coming into contact with the driving roller 26Ac, so that the pusher roller 38 can be retracted.

When the retract detection sensor 52 detects that the end of the first card 4a has been retracted to the card retract path 25, the retract solenoid 37 is turned off and the coil spring 41 causes the retract guide 36 and the pusher roller. 38 returns to the initial position. At this time, the end of the card 4a is retracted while being held between the retracting guide 36 and the pusher roller 38. Also, the shutter solenoid 31
Is turned off, and the shutter return spring 33 moves the shutter 30 to a position permitting the insertion of the card 4b.

Next, when the second card 4b is inserted into the card insertion slot 5, the insertion detection sensor 50 detects it, the transport motor 28 rotates in the normal direction, and the second card 4b is moved to the magnetic head portion 20. Transport to. In this state, the magnetic head 45
Read the balance of the second card 4b. When the insertion detection sensor 50 detects that the rear end of the second card 4b has entered the device, the shutter 30 again prohibits the insertion of the additional card and prohibits the card ejection from the inside of the device. Move up to.

By reading the balance of the second card, the purchase amount and the remaining amount of both cards are stored in the host computer. Then, both cards 4a, 4 which will be described later
Regarding any of the reduction processing of b, the reduction processing of the second card 4b is first performed according to the instructed program, and subsequently the reduction processing of the first card 4a is performed.

When the reduction processing is completed for the second card 4b, the new balance after the reduction is written in the second card 4b as magnetic information, and then the punch unit 2 is used as necessary.
According to 1, the perforation processing, which is the balance visual processing, is performed. That is, after the reduction processing by the magnetic head 45, the transport motor 28 is rotated in the normal direction, the card 4b is further sent to the innermost portion of the apparatus, and then the transport motor 28 is rotated in the reverse direction. Then, the card transport mechanism 17 transports the card 4b to the card insertion slot 5 side.

At this time, the shutter solenoid 31 is in the ON state, the shutter 30 moves to the position where the ejection of the card from the inside of the apparatus is prohibited, and the card insertion slot 5 and the card passage 32 inside the shutter 30 are not connected. . Then, when the conveyance motor 28 reverses a predetermined number of pulses by the sensor detection, the second card 4b is conveyed to the curved path 16a of the card conveyance path 16 at a position deviated from the straight path 16b, and enters a standby state on the curved path 16a. At this time, since the shutter solenoid 31 is turned on, both ends of the second card 4b have a driving roller 26Ab and a driven roller 26B.
It is not clamped in Bb. As a result, the second card 4b stands by at the position of the curved path 16a.

When the sensor detects that the second card 4b is in the standby state, the escape solenoid 37 is turned on.
Then, the card retreat path 25 is connected to the card transport path 16. At this time, the evacuation guide 36 rotates around the fulcrum,
The tip of the evacuation guide 36 projects into the card transport path 16, and the arm 39 also operates in conjunction with the pusher roller 38 to contact the driving roller 26Ac.

In this state, when the carry motor 28 rotates in the normal direction, the first card 4 which has been saved in the card saving path 25
a is an end portion of the escape guide 36 and the pusher roller 3
It is sandwiched between 8 and is taken out from the card retract path 25 to the card transfer path 16 by the rotation of the driving roller 26Ac and the pusher roller 38 and is transferred to the magnetic head 45. At this time, since the rear end of the second card 4b waiting on the curved path 16a is not sandwiched between the main driving roller 26Ab and the driven roller 26Bb, the driving force of the carry motor 28 is not transmitted and the magnetic head unit is not transmitted. It is not transported to the 20 side.

In this state, the magnetic head 45 performs a reduction process on the first card 4a, the card 4a is sent to the innermost part of the apparatus, and when the sensor detects the tip of the card 4a, the card 4a is conveyed. The motor 28 rotates in the reverse direction, and punching processing is performed by the punch unit 21 as needed. Then, when the sensor detects the rear end of the first card 4a and the carry motor 28 reverses a predetermined number of pulses, the first card 4a is carried to the curved path 16a and the second card 4b.
It overlaps with and becomes a standby state. Also at this time, the shutter 30 is moved to the position where the ejection of the card from the inside is prohibited.

When the two cards 4a and 4b are in a standby state, the shutter solenoid 31 is turned off, and the shutter return spring 33 provided in the shutter 30 moves the shutter 30 to move the card passage 32 inside the shutter 30 and the card. The insertion port 5 is connected. At this time, the driven roller 26Ba of the shutter mechanism 18 is moved to the driving roller 26Aa.
The two cards 4a and 4b can be nipped and conveyed, and the two cards 4a and 4b can be conveyed together.
A predetermined amount of a and 4b is ejected from the card insertion slot 5 at once.

In this manner, the two cards 4a and 4b are ejected in an overlapping manner, so that both cards 4a and 4b are ejected.
Since a and 4b can be picked up at the same time, it is possible to prevent the operator from forgetting to remove the card.

[0040]

According to the present invention, it is possible to save a card on the evacuation path branched from the card transport path, and it is possible to process a plurality of cards. Since the card retracting mechanism is configured so that the pusher roller contacts the card transporting mechanism and guides the card to the retracting path, it is possible to retract by using the drive source of the card transporting mechanism without using an independent drive source. The card can be saved with a simple structure, small size, and low cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a card saving mechanism according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a card saving operation of the mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a conventional example.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

17 ... Card transport mechanism, 19 ... Retract mechanism, 25 card retract path, 28 transport motor, 36 retract guide, 37 retract solenoid, 38 pusher roller, 39 arm, 40 pusher spring.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A card processing device in which a plurality of cards (4a, 4b) are sequentially inserted and processed on a card transport path (16), and a predetermined card of the plurality of cards is retracted. In the card saving mechanism, a card carrying mechanism (17) provided on the card carrying path for carrying a card, and a card saving path (25) provided at a branch from the card carrying path for temporarily saving a card on the card carrying path. And an evacuation guide (3) that is movable in the direction of the card transportation path and connects the card evacuation path to the card transportation path.
6), a card retracting mechanism including a pusher roller (38) that is movable together with the retracting guide and is in contact with the card transport mechanism, and a retracting solenoid (37) that moves the retracting guide and the pusher roller. .