JPH09231521A - Reading device for magnetic information - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely read out magnetic information of high density only by slightly moving a recording medium or a pedestal by arranging an element array on the front surface of the pedestal with a prescribed interval apart and constituting the element array group. SOLUTION: A reading device 1 is provided with a pedestal 2, arranged on the position corresponding to the recording part 11 of a magnetic card 10 in the state that the magnetic card 10 is arranged on the reading position R, and an element array group 30; arranging plural element arrays 3, arranging plural magneto resistance effect elements with a pitch less than the pitch of magnetic information written in the recording part 11, on the surface of the pedestal with a prescribed interval. In the periphery of the element array group 30 on the surface of the pedestal 2, a detecting circuit 4 for detecting the read magnetic information as an electric signal is packaged.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a reading device for reading magnetic information recorded on a recording medium such as a magnetic card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, cash handling and personal information input / output using magnetic cards such as cards used in automated teller machines and credit cards have been actively performed.

As shown in FIG. 5, the magnetic card 10 has an F
A magnetic recording medium made of e ₂ O ₃ or the like is attached as a recording portion 11 in a stripe shape, and information is recorded by a magnetic latent image.

In order to read the magnetic information recorded in the recording section 11 of the magnetic card 10, the magnetic card 10 is inserted from the insertion slot S of the reading device 1'and the magnetic card 10 is fed into the inside by a predetermined feeding mechanism. . An electromagnetic induction type head H is arranged inside the reading device 1 ',
When the magnetic card 10 is sent, this electromagnetic induction type head H
The magnetic information recorded in the recording unit 11 is read by.

After the reading of the magnetic information is completed, the magnetic card 10 sent into the reading device 1'is sent out in the opposite direction and discharged from the insertion slot S.

In recent years, as the amount of information recorded on the magnetic card 10 has increased, the recording density of magnetic information on the recording unit 11 has increased, and the reading density of the reading device 1'needs to meet this requirement. ing.

[0007]

However, in the above-described reading device, the magnetic information of the magnetic card is read by utilizing the electromotive force generated by the electromagnetic induction of the electromagnetic induction type head. At least one of the electromagnetic induction type head needs to be moved at a constant speed during reading.

Therefore, in the case of a reading device which moves and reads a magnetic card, a moving space which is about twice the length of the magnetic card is required, resulting in an increase in size of the device. Further, a reading device that fixes the magnetic card and moves the electromagnetic induction type head to read the information requires a complicated mechanism for accurately moving the electromagnetic induction type head.

Further, with the recent increase in the density of magnetic information recording, it is required to increase the density of reading by the electromagnetic induction type head, and in order to meet this demand, the electromagnetic induction type head is complicated.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a magnetic information reader designed to solve such problems. That is, the present invention is an apparatus for reading magnetic information written in a recording portion of a recording medium at a predetermined pitch, and a device arranged corresponding to the recording portion of the recording medium in a state where the recording medium is arranged at a reading position. The table includes a base and an element array group in which a plurality of element arrays in which a plurality of magnetoresistive effect elements are arranged at a pitch equal to or smaller than a pitch for writing magnetic information are arranged at a predetermined interval on the surface of a base.

According to the present invention as described above, a plurality of magnetoresistive effect elements whose electric resistance values change depending on the presence or absence of a magnetic field are arranged at a pitch equal to or smaller than the magnetic information writing pitch on the base, and a plurality of element array groups are arranged. Since the reading head is configured as described above, the entire magnetic information recorded in the recording unit can be simultaneously detected as a change in electric resistance value by slightly moving the recording medium.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of a magnetic information reading apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of a magnetic information reading device of the present invention.

That is, the reading device 1 of the present embodiment
Is a recording unit 1 of a recording medium including, for example, a magnetic card 10.
1 is a device for reading magnetic information written at a predetermined pitch on the recording unit 11. The magnetic card 10 is inserted from the insertion slot S and is arranged at a predetermined reading position R in the recording unit 11.
It reads the high-density magnetic information recorded in.

In the reading device 1, with the magnetic card 10 placed at the reading position R, the base 2 placed at a position corresponding to the recording portion 11 of the magnetic card 10 and the magnetic data written in the recording portion 11. Element array group 3 in which a plurality of element arrays 3 each having a plurality of magnetoresistive effect elements arranged at a pitch equal to or less than the information pitch are arranged at a predetermined interval on the surface of the base 2.
It has a configuration including 0 and.

A detection circuit 4 for detecting the read magnetic information as an electric signal is mounted around the element array group 30 on the surface of the base 2.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view for explaining the main part. A glass substrate is used for the base 2 that constitutes the reading device 1, and the surface thereof has a predetermined curved surface. An element array group 30 formed by arranging a plurality of element arrays 3 is formed on the uppermost part of the curved surface, and an integrated detection circuit 4 is mounted on the bottom of the curved surface.

Since the element array group 30 is formed on the surface of the base 2 having such a curved surface, the recording section 11 of the magnetic card 10 shown in FIG. 1 can be surely brought into contact with the element array group 30. It will be possible. That is, the element array group 3
Although the detection circuit 4 and other wirings are projected around 0,
The surface of the base 2 is a convex curved surface, and the element array group 30 is formed on the uppermost surface thereof, so that when the magnetic card 10 is placed at the reading position R, the detection circuit 4 and other wiring are affected. The recording unit 11 and the element array group 30 can be brought into contact with each other without receiving them, and the magnetic information can be read accurately.

Next, the internal structure of the element array group 30 will be described. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining the inside of the element array group. That is, the element array group 30 is formed by arranging a plurality of element arrays 3 formed by forming a plurality of magnetoresistive effect elements 3a on the upper surface of the base 2 at predetermined intervals.

The magnetoresistive effect element 3a is formed by depositing an alloy thin film of Ni ₉₀ Fe ₁₀ on the base 2 by, for example, a sputtering method, and the recording portion 11 of the magnetic card 10 shown in FIG.
They are arranged at a pitch equal to or less than the writing pitch of the magnetic information recorded on the disk. In the example shown in FIG. 3, 20 magnetoresistive effect elements 3a each having a length of 3 mm and a width of 10 μm are arranged at an interval of 10 μm in an array portion having a width of 390 μm. The pitch of the magnetoresistive effect elements 3a can be reduced to the limit of the photolithography method.

On the other hand, the terminal 3b connected to the magnetoresistive effect element 3a through the wiring pattern 3c is a square having a side of 80 μm in consideration of ease of wiring. Even if the terminals 3b electrically connected to the respective magnetoresistive effect elements 3a are separately arranged on both sides of the element array 3 and arranged in two generations, all the terminals 3b are not accommodated in the width of the array portion. become.

In this embodiment, since the magnetoresistive effect elements 3a are arranged at a high density while ensuring the ease of wiring to the terminals 3b, a blank portion 5 having a width of 410 μm is provided between the element arrays 3.
In the example shown in FIG. 3, the base 2 is provided with 80 element arrays 3 and 79 blank portions 5. This allows
Wiring to the terminal 3b can be easily performed, and magnetic information recorded at high density can be read.

The width of the blank portion 5 can be changed by changing the size and layout of the terminal 3b and the distance between the magnetoresistive effect elements 3a. In addition, the element array 3
May be provided according to the length of the recording unit 11 of the magnetic card 10 shown in FIG.

Next, the reading device 1 in this embodiment
Will be described. In the following, the operation in the case where 20 μm magnetic recording is performed in the recording unit 11 of the magnetic card 10 shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

First, the magnetic card 10 is inserted into the insertion slot S of the reading device 1 shown in FIG. 1 and placed at the internal reading position R. This magnetic card 10 has the previously described 20 μ
The magnetic recording of m is recorded as a magnetic latent image.

In the state where the magnetic card 10 is arranged at the reading position R, the base 2 is arranged corresponding to the recording portion 11 of the magnetic card 10, and the element array group 30 provided on the base 2 and recording are performed. The part 11 and the part 11 face each other.

Next, in this state, the base 2 or the magnetic card 10 is slightly moved to read the magnetic information recorded in the recording section 11. That is, the magnetic card 10 or the base 2 is attached to the elongated recording unit 11 along the longitudinal direction of about 40
The magnetoresistive effect element 3a of each element array 3 is moved by 0 μm.
(See FIG. 3), the resistance change corresponding to the magnetic information is detected by the detection circuit 4.

The magnetic card 10 or the base 2 is slightly moved because the magnetic information recorded in the recording portion 11 corresponding to the position of the blank portion 5 provided between the element arrays 3 shown in FIG. Also the element array 3 adjacent to the blank portion 5
This is for reading in. Therefore, if the blank portion 5 is narrow, this moving distance can be reduced.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of reading magnetic information. The circles in FIG. 4 indicate the position of the magnetoresistive effect element. As shown in FIG. 4A, the shortest magnetic domain width P of magnetic information is 20 μm, and as shown in FIG. 4B, the magnetoresistive effect elements are arranged at a pitch of 20 μm. Further, in (c), the magnetoresistive effect element is 4
This is a rough case where they are arranged at a pitch of 0 μm.

In the case of this embodiment shown in FIG. 4B,
While the output corresponding to the change in the level of the magnetic information shown in (a) is reliably obtained, when the pitch of the magnetoresistive effect element shown in (c) is rough, the level of the magnetic information shown in (a) is An output portion (see the portion A in the figure) that cannot fully correspond to the change is generated.

As described above, in the reading device 1 according to the present embodiment, the magnetic information recorded at high density can be accurately read, and the magnetoresistive effect element 3a (see FIG. 3) is magnetically read for this reading. Even when formed at a narrow pitch corresponding to the density of information, the blank portion 5 (see FIG. 3) ensures the position of the terminal 3b (see FIG. 3) for wiring without undue layout. become able to.

In the present embodiment, an example in which a glass substrate is used as the base 2 has been described, but a flexible substrate made of polyimide or another polymer material may be used instead of the glass substrate. The magnetoresistive effect element 3a (see FIG. 3) may be a NiFe alloy having a composition other than Ni ₉₀ Fe ₁₀ , a Ni—Co alloy, a Ni—Co—Fe alloy, or Cu / Co.
Artificial lattice multi-layer GMR material such as spin valve type GMR
The same applies when materials are applied.

[0032]

As described above, the magnetic information reading apparatus of the present invention has the following effects. That is, in the present invention, the magnetoresistive effect elements are formed at intervals smaller than the magnetic information writing pitch to form an element array, and the element arrays are arranged on the surface of the base at predetermined intervals to form an element array group. Therefore, it is possible to reliably read high-density magnetic information by slightly moving the recording medium or the base. Moreover, since the amount of movement is small, the device can be downsized.

Further, since the terminals for electrically connecting with the respective magnetoresistive effect elements are laid out on the surface of the base without any difficulty, it becomes possible to easily manufacture a small reader. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a main part.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the inside of an element array group.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of reading magnetic information.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 reader 2 base 3 element array 3a magnetoresistive effect element 3b terminal 3c wiring pattern 4 detection circuit 5 blank part 10 magnetic card 11 recording part 30 element array group S insertion port R reading position

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A reader for magnetic information written in a recording portion of a recording medium at a predetermined pitch, wherein the recording medium is arranged at a position corresponding to the recording portion of the recording medium in a state where the recording medium is arranged at a reading position. And a device array group in which a plurality of device arrays each having a plurality of magnetoresistive effect devices arranged at a pitch equal to or less than the pitch for writing the magnetic information are arranged on the surface of the base at a predetermined interval. A magnetic information reader characterized by being provided. 2. The magnetic information reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the base forming the element array has a predetermined curved surface.