JPH1021342A - Shutter device for card reader and writer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To miniaturize a card reader/writer and to accelerate its opening and closing speed by arranging a solenoid under a card carrying part and transmitting its driving force to a shutter plate through a linking mechanism. SOLUTION: The tip 30a of the long axis 30 of a first arm 28 is freely rotatably supported at the upper tip of the shutter plate 23 through a supporting means 32. The upper tip 41a of a second arm 41 is freely rotatably supported to the tip 31a of the short axis 31 of the first arm 28 through an axis 40. In this constitution, the solenoid 42 of a shutter driving means 24 is arranged under the card carrying path 22. Then the driving force of this solenoid 42 is transmitted to the shutter plate 23 through the first and second arms 28 and 41 being the linking mechanism to open and close the shutter plate 23. Thereby there is no need to provide a large space over the card carrying path 22.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a card reader / writer for processing a card on which various information storage or recording areas are formed, and more particularly to an improvement of a shutter device for opening and closing a card transport path of the card reader / writer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a magnetic recording area, I
A card in which various information recording or storage areas such as a C storage area are formed has been proposed, and a card reader / writer has been provided as a device for writing or reading information to or from such a card.

This card reader / writer reciprocates a card inserted in a card insertion slot from an upstream (card insertion slot side) to a downstream of a card conveyance path by card conveyance means such as conveyance rollers provided therein. During the transport, a process of writing or reading information to or from each information storage or recording area of the card is performed.

On the other hand, in the above card reader / writer,
In order to prevent dust and foreign matter from entering the card conveyance path from the card insertion slot, a shutter device for opening and closing the card conveyance path is provided in the middle of the card conveyance path communicating with the card insertion slot.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a main part of a conventional shutter device 2 of the card reader / writer 1 described above.

The shutter device 2 includes a shutter plate 4 for opening and closing a card transport path 3 formed in a direction perpendicular to the drawing, and shutter driving means 5 for moving the shutter plate 4 up and down.

The shutter driving means 5 includes a shutter driving motor 7 having a pinion 6 disposed above the card transport path 3, and a pinion 6 of the shutter driving motor 7.
The lower end of the rack 8 is fixed to the upper end of the shutter plate 4.

According to the shutter driving means 5, when the insertion of the card into the card insertion slot is detected,
The shutter drive motor 7 is driven based on the detection signal, whereby the pinion 6 rotates in one direction. Then, the rack 8 meshing with the pinion 6 is moved by the arrow A in FIG.
, The shutter plate 4 is pulled upward by a predetermined distance, whereby the card transport path 3 is expanded and the insertion of the card 10 is received.

On the other hand, when the card is pulled out from the card insertion slot and detected, the shutter drive motor 7 is driven again based on the detection signal, and when the pinion 6 rotates in the other direction, the pinion 6 The meshing rack 8 moves down as shown by the arrow B in FIG. 4, and the shutter plate 4 is lowered downward by a predetermined distance, thereby closing the card transport path 3 again.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, reference numeral 11 denotes a housing of the card reader / writer 1, and reference numeral 12 denotes a motor provided at a lower portion of the housing 11, and the motor 12 is a card of a card transport means (not shown). This is to drive the transport roller.

[0011]

According to the conventional shutter device 2 of the card reader / writer 1 described above, the shutter driving means 5 for operating the shutter plate 4 is provided above the card transport path 3 as shown in FIG. In order to arrange, the appropriate height h
Therefore, the height H of the entire card reader / writer 1 must be increased, and this is one of the major obstacles in reducing the size of the card reader / writer 1, especially in the height direction. .

Also, according to the conventional shutter device 2,
Since the shutter driving means 5 has a structure in which the shutter plate 4 is moved up and down via a pinion 6 driven by a shutter driving motor 7 and a rack 8 meshing with the pinion 6, the time required to open and close the card transport path 3 is reduced. That is, it takes a considerable time from the detection of the card insertion (not shown) to the expansion of the card transport path 3, and if the operator suddenly inserts the card, the card transport path 3 does not expand rapidly, so that the card cannot be opened. It came into contact with the shutter plate 4 and was a factor that caused the damage.

An object of the present invention is to provide a card reader / writer shutter device in which the size of the card reader / writer is reduced and the opening / closing speed is further increased in view of the above circumstances.

[0014]

According to the present invention, there is provided a shutter device for a card reader / writer which opens and closes the card transport path by means of a shutter plate supported on the card transport path so as to be vertically movable. A substantially L-shaped arm rotatably supported via a shaft in a card reader / writer above the card transport path, and having a long axis and a short axis formed around the axis, A first arm rotatably supported at an upper end of the shutter plate at an upper end thereof, an upper end rotatably supported at an end of the short axis of the first arm, and a lower end positioned below the card transport path; And a solenoid disposed below the card transport path and connected to a lower end of the second arm.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the shutter device according to the present invention will be described below in detail.

FIG. 1 shows a shutter device 2 according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the card reader / writer 21 to which the card reader 0 is attached.

A shutter device 20 for opening and closing the card transport path 22 is provided on the side of the card transport path 22 of the card reader / writer 21.

The shutter device 20 includes a shutter plate 23 supported vertically movable on a card transport path 22 and a link-type shutter driving means 24 for moving the shutter plate 23 up and down.

The shutter plate 23 is formed of a rectangular plate, and a pair of guide pins 23a and 23b is protruded above both ends thereof.
3 a and 23 b are inserted into a pair of guide grooves 25 and 26 formed on both sides of the upper part of the card transport path 22. The pair of guide grooves 25 and 26 are provided in the card transport path 2.
It is formed to be perpendicular to 2.

On the other hand, the above-described shutter driving means 24
Is composed of a first arm 28 disposed on a side of a housing 27 constituting the card reader / writer 21.

The first arm 28 is connected to the card transport path 2
2 and is supported rotatably about a shaft 29 disposed on the side of the housing 27.

The first arm 28 is connected to the shaft 29
And a substantially L-shaped arm formed with a long axis 30 and a short axis 31 around the center, and a tip 30a of the long axis 30 is rotatably supported on an upper end of the shutter plate 23 via a support means 32. .

This support means 32 is used for the shutter plate 2
3 and an arc portion 23c formed at the upper end of the
and a disk portion 30b formed at the end 30a of the long shaft 30 to be inserted into the inside of the long shaft 30.

The bearing means 32 may be constituted by a shaft into which the upper end of the shutter plate 23 and the tip 30a of the long shaft 30 are respectively inserted. What is necessary is just to make the front-end | tip 30a rotatably support. On the other hand, the first arm 2
8, the tip 31 a of the short shaft 31 is connected to the second end via the shaft 40.
The upper end 41a of the arm 41 is rotatably supported.

The lower end 41b of the second arm 41 passes beside the card transport path 22 and extends below the card transport path 22.

On the other hand, a solenoid 42 is disposed in the housing 27 located below the card transport path 22, and a lower end 41 b of a second arm 41 is connected to a tip of the plunger 43. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 50 denotes a photo sensor for detecting opening and closing of the shutter plate 23.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 1, in the shutter device 20 described above, a solenoid 42, which is a main component of the shutter driving means 24, is disposed below the card transport path 22 and the solenoid 42 is driven. Since the force is transmitted to the shutter plate 23 via the first and second arms 28 and 41 as link mechanisms to open and close the shutter plate 23, a large space is provided above the card transport path 22. No need,
For this reason, the height h 'above the card transport path 22 can be set low, so that the overall height H' of the card reader / writer 21 can be set low and the size can be reduced.

Next, the operation of the above-described shutter device 20 will be described, and the structure will be described in more detail.

According to the shutter device 20 described above, when the solenoid 42 is demagnetized, the plunger 43 is moved upward by the urging force of the return spring 51 to return to the initial position shown in FIG. First arm 2 through
The short axis 31 and the long axis 30 of 8 rotate counterclockwise about the axis 29.

Then, the shutter plate 23 connected to the distal end 30a of the long axis 30 of the first arm 28 via the support means 32 moves down along the pair of guide grooves 25, 26 via the pair of pins 23a, 23b. Then, the card transport path 22 is closed.

On the other hand, a control device (not shown)
2, the plunger 43 is sucked downward in the drawing as shown in FIG. 2, whereby the first arm 28 moves clockwise about the shaft 29 via the second arm 41. Rotate.

Then, the shutter plate 23 connected to the distal end 30a of the long axis 30 of the first arm 28 via the support means 32 moves upward along the pair of guide grooves 25, 26 via the pair of pins 23a, 23b. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the card transport path 22 is expanded, and the insertion of the card 10 is received.

As shown in FIG. 3, the shutter plate 23 moves upward, and the shutter plate 23 is moved to a predetermined position.
Is positioned, the positioning is detected by the sensor 50, and the expansion of the card transport path 22 is detected.

In the shutter device 20 described above, as shown in FIG. 3, the first arm 28 has an L-shape, and the distal end 30a of the long axis 30 is connected to the shutter plate 23 via the support means 32. The tip 31 of the short axis 31
a is the second arm 41 operated by the solenoid 42
, The shaft 29 supporting the first arm 28 is defined as a fulcrum P, the tip 31a of the short axis 31 of the first arm 28 is defined as a force point F, and the tip 30a of the long axis 30 is defined as an action point A. Then, the distance L between the action point A and the fulcrum P is much longer than the distance R between the force point F and the fulcrum P (L> R), and the action point A and the force point F rotate around the fulcrum P at the same angular velocity. Therefore, the operating speed of the distal end 30a of the long shaft 30, which is the point of action A, becomes faster than the moving speed of the plunger 43 in proportion to the length of the long shaft 30 with respect to the short shaft 31. The speed can be significantly improved.

[0035]

As described above, in the shutter device of the present invention, the solenoid, which is a main component of the shutter driving means, is disposed below the card transport path, and its driving force is transmitted from the first and second arms. Transmission to the shutter plate via a link mechanism, which eliminates the need to provide a large space above the card transport path.
For this reason, the height H 'of the entire card reader / writer is set to be low by the reduction of the height h' above the card transport path, and the size of the entire card reader / writer can be reduced.

Further, the first arm of the shutter device is constituted by a substantially L-shaped arm having a major axis and a minor axis formed about an axis, and a shutter plate is supported at the tip of the major axis. Therefore, the operating speed of the shutter plate can be increased as compared with the case where the shutter plate is operated via a conventional motor, rack and pinion mechanism, so that when the card is inserted, the card collides with the shutter plate. Thus, it is possible to provide a card reader / writer in which stable operation is maintained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part of a card reader / writer to which a shutter device according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part of a card reader / writer showing an operation of the shutter device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a main part of a card reader / writer showing an operation of the shutter device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part of a card reader / writer to which a conventional shutter device is applied.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a main part of a card reader / writer showing an operation of a conventional shutter device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 20 shutter device 21 card reader / writer 22 card transport path 23 shutter plate 28 first arm 29 axis 30 long axis 31 short axis 41 second arm 42 solenoid

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A shutter device for a card reader / writer which opens and closes the card transport path by a shutter plate supported on the card transport path so as to be movable up and down. An approximately L-shaped arm movably supported and having a major axis and a minor axis formed about the axis, a tip of the major axis being rotatably supported on an upper end of the shutter plate. A first arm, a second arm having an upper end rotatably supported at the distal end of the short axis of the first arm, and a lower end extending below the card transport path; And a solenoid disposed below and connected to a lower end of the second arm.