JPH1083529A - Card processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stably perform the processing of magnetic information even when a card is inclined with respect to a card moving plane in a card processor in which magnetic head is provided so as to face to the card moving plane. SOLUTION: A magnetic head 80 is supported freely movably in a direction vertical to the card moving direction by one pair of supporting parts of both sides of a direction parallel with the card moving direction and also is supported freely rockably arround the one pair of the supporting parts. Moreover, the magnetic card 80 is made to be slantingly press-pushed toward a card plane by making the head 80 follow up the inclination of the card while energizing the head 80 to the card moving direction with energizing means respectively imparting energizing forces independently on both side parts orthogonally crossing with the one pair of the supporting parts.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a card processing apparatus for performing processing such as reading magnetic information of a card by a magnetic head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to perform processing such as reading of magnetic information of a card by a card processing device, a magnetic head is provided in the card processing device so as to face a moving surface of the card. For stable processing, it is desirable that the magnetic head be as close as possible to the card.

For this reason, in a conventional insertion type card processing apparatus, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the magnetic head 1 is housed in a housing (not shown) so as to be able to move up and down, and the entire lower surface thereof is leaf spring. 2, the central portion 1a of the magnetic head 1 whose central portion bulges in an arc shape from both ends in the card moving direction is partially inserted into the card moving passage, and the card C is pressed. When passing through the card movement passage,
The central portion 1a of the magnetic head 1 is pressed down against the urging force of the leaf spring 2 on the lower surface of the card C,
Processing such as reading of magnetic information is performed in a state where the central portion 1a of the magnetic head 1 and the card C are in close contact with each other.

[0004]

However, in the case of a manual type in which a user manually inserts a card into the card moving passage and pulls out the card from the card moving passage as a card processing device, the position of the card held by the hand is considered. The card C may not always be parallel to the card moving plane due to the angle of the finger, the degree of force, etc., and may move while being inclined with respect to the card moving plane as shown in FIG. The card C itself may be warped.

In such a case, as described above, in the conventional card processing apparatus, the magnetic head 1 can move only in a direction perpendicular to the card moving plane.
As shown in (1), the card C is inclined with respect to the surface of the magnetic head 1 to form a gap, and processing such as reading of magnetic information becomes unstable or impossible.

An object of the present invention is to provide a card processing apparatus which solves such a problem and can stably process magnetic information even when the card is inclined with respect to the card moving plane. .

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, in a card processing apparatus according to the present invention, the magnetic head includes:
A pair of support portions on both sides in a direction parallel to the card movement direction supports the pair of magnetic heads so as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the card movement plane and swingable about the pair of support portions. The magnetic head is urged in the card moving plane direction by an urging means for independently applying an urging force to both side portions orthogonal to the support portion.

As described above, in the card processing device of the present invention,
The magnetic head can be moved in a direction perpendicular to the card moving plane by a pair of support portions and can swing about the card moving direction. , The magnetic head can follow the card moving plane even if the card passing through the card moving plane is inclined with respect to the card moving plane. , And processing such as reading of magnetic information is stably performed.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 9 show a card processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. This card processing device 1
Numeral 0 is mounted on a housing 11 of a public telephone that can be used with a prepaid card (IC card) and a credit card (magnetic card).

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the card processing device 10 includes a card slot 20 fixed to the housing 11 so as to protrude outward from the housing 11 of the public telephone.
1 inside the housing 11 at the rear of the card slot 20.
And a part of a prepaid card C, which is manually inserted by a user into the card insertion slot 21 of the card slot 20, is received in the housing 50. The contact information provided in the card C is brought into contact with an external terminal (not shown) of the card C, and the frequency information recorded in the IC circuit built in the card C is rewritten. Also,
When the credit card C is pulled out by hand, magnetic information recorded on one side of the card C is read by the magnetic head 80 provided in the card slot 20.

The card slot 20 has a substantially U-shape in plan view, and as shown in FIG. 2, a vertically divided main body 30 and an upper lid 40 are connected in abutting state. That is, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the first and second protrusions 32 and 33 have the same length in a U-shape from the base 31 with a space A in which the finger holding the card is inserted at the center from the base 31. It is projected. The width of the first protrusion 32 is set wider to accommodate the magnetic head 80.

Inside the mating surfaces 32a, 33a of the first protrusion 32 and the second protrusion 33 (space A side), parallel step portions 32 having a step slightly larger than the card thickness are provided.
b, 33b are provided at a distance slightly greater than the width of the card.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper cover 40 also has a U-shape with a space A at the center from the base 41.
The first and second protrusions 42 and 43 of the shape corresponding to the first and second protrusions 32 and 33 of the
When the upper cover 40 and the upper cover 40 are connected to each other, the main body 3
A wide card through which one side of the card C passes between the butting surface of the main body 30 and the butting surface of the upper lid 40 by the step portions 32b and 33b of the inside of the first protruding portions 32 and 42. An insertion groove B1 is formed, and the second protrusion 33,
A card insertion groove B2 having a narrow width through which the other side of the card passes is formed inside 43, and card insertion holes 21 continuous with the card insertion grooves B1 and B2 are formed in the bases 31 and 41.

The first and second projections 32, 33 of the main body 30
A plurality of fitting protrusions 34 are provided on the butting surfaces 32a and 33a.
Are protruded, and the first and second protrusions 42 and 43 of the upper lid 40 are provided.
A plurality of recesses (not shown) to which the fitting projections 34 are fitted are provided at corresponding positions on the mating surfaces of the fitting projections 34. 34 fits into each concave portion (not shown), and the upper lid 40 is correctly positioned and abutted against the main body 30. In this state, the first,
Through holes 35 penetrating vertically above and below the second protrusions 32 and 33
a, 35b through a screw (not shown) to
Screw holes (not shown) of the first and second protrusions 42 and 43
Are connected to each other by screwing the screws.

At both ends of the base 31 of the main body 30 in the horizontal direction, mounting pieces 36 having screw holes 36a are protruded, and the housing 50 is fixed to the mounting pieces 36 by screws.

Also, as shown in FIG.
Flange portions 46 are protrudingly provided at both ends in the horizontal direction of 1.
It is fixed to the housing 11 of the public telephone by screwing. A stud 47 is protruded from the inside of the upper lid 40 at a position corresponding to the magnetic head 80, and a flat plate 47 which is flush with the mating surface is attached.

The first protruding portion 32 of the main body 30 has a step 3
A hollow rectangular housing recess 37 is provided on the inner side of 2b, and a base 38 having a fitting groove 38a at the center is provided on the base 31 side.

As shown in FIG. 6, a holder 60 for holding the magnetic head 80 and the coil spring 90 has one end fitted in the fitting groove 38a of the base 38 and is housed in the housing recess 37. Have been.

As shown in FIG. 7, the holding body 60 has a fitting portion 61 whose front shape is U-shaped and which is fitted and positioned on the base portion 38 from above. The fitting portion 61 includes two parallel vertical plates 61a and 61b, and the two vertical plates 6a and 61b.
2a, a horizontal plate 61c connecting the base plate 1a and 61b. The horizontal plate 61c is fitted into the fitting groove 39a of the base 38 from above, and the side wall of the base 38 in the screw insertion hole 62 of the outer vertical plate 61a as shown in FIG. Is screwed and fixed to the screw hole 38b with a screw 63.

A bottom plate 64 projects horizontally from the lower end of the vertical plate 61b of the fitting portion 61 in a direction opposite to the vertical plate 61a. At an intermediate portion and a distal end portion of the bottom plate 64, holding plates 65 and 66 are vertically provided, respectively. The width of the holding plate 65 at the intermediate portion is smaller than the width of the holding plate 66 at the tip.

The holding plates 65 and 66 are provided at the center thereof with long holes 65a and 66a whose upper and lower ends are semicircular in the vertical direction. Between the holding plate 65 in the middle and the vertical plate 61b, the horizontal plate 6 is provided on both sides in the width direction of the bottom plate 64.
Side plates 67a and 67b having a height lower than 1c protrude in the vertical direction. The vertical plates 61b are provided on the side plates 67a and 67b.
At the closer position, concave portions 68a and 68b for accommodating the two coil portions 91a and 91b (see FIG. 8) of the coil spring 90 are provided.

The intermediate holding plate 65 and the vertical plate 61b
The bottom plate 64 is provided with a rectangular hole 69 at a position near the holding plate 65 for inserting the connecting portion 91c of the coil spring 90 therethrough. Further, between the two holding plates 66 and 65, the bottom surface of the bottom plate 64
As shown in FIG. 7, a rectangular concave groove 70 for accommodating the connecting portion 91c of the coil spring 90 and restricting the movement of the connecting portion 91c in the width direction of the bottom plate 64 is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the magnetic head 8
Numeral 0 is housed and fixed in a rectangular box-shaped case 81 having an open top and bottom. Both side plates 81a, 8 in the longitudinal direction of the case 81
1b, a horizontal columnar swinging shaft 82
a, 82b are protrudingly provided, and at the upper center of the side plates 81c, 81d orthogonal to the side plates 81a, 81b, a horizontal columnar engaging shaft 83a with which the linear ends 91d, 91e of the coil spring 90 engage respectively. 83b is protruded. Disc-shaped edges 83a 'and 83b' are provided at the tips of the engaging shafts 83a and 83b so that the linear ends of the coil springs do not come off from the engaging shafts 83a and 83b.

The case 81 of the magnetic head 80 is
Are held between the two holding plates 65 and 66, and the swing shafts 82 a and 82 b on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the case 81 are
5 and 66 are inserted into the long holes 65a and 66a, respectively, and are slidable in the direction along the long holes 65a and 66a, and are swingable about swing shafts 82a and 82b. .

The recesses 6 in the side plates 67a, 67b of the holder 60
8a and 68b have two col parts 91 of the coil spring 90.
a and 91b are accommodated, respectively. The inner linear ends of the two coil portions 91a and 91b are connected in a U-shape, and the U-shaped connecting portion 91c passes through the hole 69 of the bottom plate 64 as described above, and the concave groove 70 of the bottom plate 64 is formed. The movement of the bottom plate 64 in the width direction is restricted. The outer linear end 91d of the one coil portion 91a is engaged with the engagement shaft 83a on one side of the case 81 of the magnetic head 80 from below, and moves the engagement shaft 83a away from the bottom plate 64. And the other end of the linear portion 91 outside the other coil portion 91b.
e is engaged from below with the engaging shaft 83b on the other side of the case 81 and urges the engaging shaft 83b in a direction away from the bottom plate 64.

As described above, the case 81 includes the swing shafts 82a, 8
Engagement shafts 83a, 83 on both sides in a direction perpendicular to 2b.
In FIG. 2B, since the upper portions are urged upward by separate and independent urging forces, the oscillating shafts 82a and 82b are moved upward while being oscillating about the oscillating shafts 82a and 82b.
It is pushed up until it contacts the upper end of a. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 2, a part of the central portion of the magnetic head 80 that is curved in an arc shape is the first through which the card C passes as shown in FIG.
Are inserted into the card insertion groove B1 between the projecting portions 32 and 42 of FIG.

Therefore, the user holds the card C and holds the first and second protrusions 32 and 33 of the main body 30 of the card slot 20.
As shown in FIG. 1, both sides of the front end of the card C are inserted into the card insertion grooves B1 and B2 formed between the first and second protrusions 42 and 43 of the upper lid 40, respectively.
1, the tip of one side of the card C comes into contact with the curved surface of the magnetic head 80 projecting into the card insertion groove B1 as shown in FIG. The magnetic head 80 is pushed downward against the urging force of the two linear ends 91d and 91e, and the first and second linear ends 91d of the coil spring 90 are placed on the lower surface of the card C while the card C is moving. It is pressed by the urging force of 91e.

In the case of a prepaid card, when the leading end of the card C is inserted into the housing 50 from the card insertion slot 21, the contact terminals 31 in the housing 50 and the external terminals (not shown) of the card C come into contact. The frequency information recorded in the IC circuit built in the card C is rewritten.

In the case of a credit card, the user pulls out the card inserted before calling by hand. At this time, the magnetic head 80 reads the magnetic information recorded on one side of the card C. Is performed.

However, as described above, the magnetic head 80
Are separate straight ends 91d and 91 of coil springs having independent sides on both sides in a direction perpendicular to the card moving direction.
As shown in FIG. 10 (e), it is pushed up along the elongated holes 65a, 66a in a swingable manner about the swing shafts 82a, 82b parallel to the card moving direction and is in contact with the lower surface of the card C. As shown in FIG.
11 and 12, the upper surface of the magnetic head 80 is horizontal and pushed up. However, even if the magnetic head 80 is not parallel as shown in FIG.
0 and the case 81 are inclined to follow this inclination and the card C
Is pressed against the lower surface of the magnetic head 80, even if the card C is warped or inclined in the width direction, the magnetic head 80 is always kept in close contact with the upper surface of the magnetic head 80, and processing such as reading and writing of magnetic information is reliably and stably performed. Will be.

Further, even if the card C is warped or inclined in the longitudinal direction, the two swing shafts 82b and 83b can have different heights, so that the close contact with the lower surface of the card C is similarly guaranteed. As described above, the magnetic head is swingably supported in both the card running direction and the direction perpendicular to the card running direction, and is therefore constantly pressed in close contact with the lower surface of the card.

The swing shafts 82a and 82b of the case 81 of the embodiment and the elongated holes 65a and 66 of the holding plates 65 and 66 are used.
a, the side plates 81a and 81b of the case 81 are reversed.
May be provided with a long hole, and holding plates 65 and 66 may be provided with shafts to be engaged with the long holes.

Instead of pushing up both sides of the case 81 with the first and second straight ends 91d and 91e of the coil spring 90, a receiving plate (not shown) is provided on the side of the case 81 with separate coil springs. Alternatively, the receiving plate may be directly pressed upward by a separate coil. Alternatively, a separate leaf spring may be used instead of the coil spring.

[0034]

As described above, in the card processing apparatus of the present invention, the magnetic head can be moved in the direction perpendicular to the card moving plane by the pair of supports and can swing about the card moving direction. Since both sides in the direction perpendicular to the card moving direction are urged in the card moving plane direction by independent urging means, even if a card passing through the card moving plane is inclined with respect to the card moving plane, The magnetic head can be tilted following the tilt, so that the magnetic head can be kept in close contact with the card, and processing such as reading of magnetic information can be performed stably. Further, since it can be supported by a spring from one side, it can be applied to a card reader of a plug-in type having a narrow side.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line DD in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the operation of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the main body.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a state in which a magnetic head and the like are housed in a main body.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of a main part of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a holder.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the relationship between a magnetic head and a coil spring.

FIG. 9 is a bottom view showing the relationship between the protection body and the coil spring.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a schematic view of a conventional example.

14 is a sectional view taken along line EE in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Card processing apparatus 11 housing | casing 20 card slot 21 card insertion slot 30 main body 32 1st projection part 33 2nd projection part 37 accommodation recessed part 40 top lid 42 1st projection part 43 2nd projection part 60 holder 65, 66 Holding plate 80 Magnetic head 81 Case 82a, 82b Swinging shaft 83a, 83b Engaging shaft 90 Coil spring 91a, 91b Coil portion 91c Connecting portion 91d, 91e Linear end

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A card processing apparatus provided with a magnetic head so as to face a card moving plane, wherein the magnetic head is perpendicular to the card moving plane by a pair of support portions on both sides in a direction parallel to the card moving direction. The magnetic head is movably supported in a direction and swingably around the pair of support portions, and the biasing means independently applies biasing force to both side portions orthogonal to the pair of support portions of the magnetic head. A card processing device wherein a magnetic head is urged in the card moving plane direction.