JPS6121731Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a card recording device for recording information corresponding to the number of times of use and amount of money on a recording card.

Currently, various cards such as cashless cards are in use, but magnetic cards, for example, have a drawback in that it is impossible to see the remaining amount with the naked eye. On the other hand, for multiple use tickets for various facilities, methods such as marking the number of uses etc. on the front of the card are used, but this can be corrected manually and has drawbacks such as poor reliability. It was hot.

The inventors of the present invention first discovered that recording can be carried out by irradiating light with a certain level of radiant energy that does not change under sunlight, and that the recorded content can be observed with the naked eye. Furthermore, we have proposed a recording card that can effectively prevent forgery, alteration, etc. (Refer to Utility Model Application No. 54-74591 (Refer to Utility Model Application No. 55-174661)) The present invention aims to provide a card recording device suitable for this type of recording card. That is, the present invention is a card that records information by irradiating it with radiant energy light of a certain threshold value or higher and changing the optical density of the irradiated area, which includes information signals indicating the number of times a facility, vehicle, etc. have been used, amount of money, etc. In the recording device, there is a mechanism that detects information proving that the card is the correct card, a mechanism that detects the head position of the remaining usage amount, and a mechanism that detects the head position of the remaining usage amount, and a mechanism that detects the information signal that indicates the number of uses, amount, etc. from this head position. The present invention is a card recording device characterized by having a mechanism for performing recording by irradiating radiant energy light of a certain threshold value or more, and a mechanism for detecting this recording.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings shown by way of example.

Reference numeral 1 is a recording card used in the present invention, in which a radiant energy sensitive layer is formed on a support body to record radiant energy light in a length and/or area corresponding to an information signal indicating the number of times of use of a facility, vehicle, etc., amount of money, etc. When the card is irradiated, the optical density of the irradiated part changes, and the unirradiated part is formed into a shape that can indicate the remaining usage of the card, such as a plurality of stripes or a continuous dot shape. ing.

The recording sheet 1 includes a protective layer such as a plastic sheet, which is transparent to all or part of visible light so that the radiant energy sensitive layer 2 can be observed and the radiant energy light described later can be transmitted. For example, it may be heat-sealed, and if necessary, necessary items 3 such as the company name and user's name may be printed on the support or protective layer. A code 4 or the like may be printed to detect that something is present.

5 is a drive system that conveys the recording card 1 to a predetermined position. Reference numerals 6 and 7 are a light source such as a lamp or a light emitting diode and a photodetector for detecting the head position of the symbol 4 of the recording card 1 being conveyed and the remaining amount of the radiant energy sensitive layer 2; It is electrically connected to an amplifier 9 and a logic circuit 10. Furthermore, this logic circuit 10 is electrically connected to the drive system 5, and drives the drive system 5 until the top position of the remaining usage amount of the radiant energy sensitive layer 2 of the recording card 1 is detected.

11 is a radiant energy sensitive layer 2 of the recording card 1
It is a light source for irradiating radiant energy light of a certain threshold value or more to the memory card 1, is electrically connected to the logic circuit 10, and emits light after the recording card 1 is conveyed to a predetermined position. Reference numeral 12 denotes a mask provided with an aperture for limiting the light emitting area of the light source 11.

The shape of the aperture may be any shape such as letters, signals, numbers, etc. depending on the situation.

In this way, the radiant energy sensitive layer 2 of the recording card 1 is irradiated with radiant energy light with a length and/or area corresponding to the information signal indicating the number of times of use of a facility, vehicle, etc., amount of money, etc. The optical density of the irradiated area changes and is recorded on the card, but next, the light emitting diode 6 and photodetector 7 are operated again to detect whether or not the above recording has been performed, and this signal is then detected. The drive system 5 is operated to feed out the card. If no recording is detected at this time, a warning display can be displayed, indicating that the card used is not the correct card.

In this embodiment, a mechanism for detecting whether the card is the correct card, a mechanism for detecting the head position of the remaining capacity, and a mechanism for detecting recording are performed by a pair of light emitting diodes 6 and a photodetector 7. However, the mechanisms for detecting these signals may be separate from each other, or may be configured to detect in transmission mode rather than reflection mode, and detection means other than optical detection means may be used. For example, instead of optically detecting the number 4, a magnetic strip recording that it is a correct card may be used for magnetic detection.

When detecting with the light emitting diode 6 and the photodetector 7, for example, an optical mask, mirror, lens,
It is also possible to use an optical system 13 using one or a combination of optical fibers.

The radiant energy sensitive layer of the recording card used in this invention does not change when the radiant energy intensity is less than 100mW/ ^cm2 (under sunlight), and when it is irradiated with radiant energy light that exceeds a certain threshold value. , a material that allows the optical density of the irradiated portion to vary. The optical density can change when the sensitive layer is irradiated with the above-mentioned radiant energy light, and the reflected optical density and/or
Or it means that the transmitted optical density can be decreased or increased.

Such a radiant energy sensitive layer is selected from materials such as those described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 52-20821, which are a multilayer structure or a mixture of metals and metal compounds. Also, for example, Special Publication No. 46-40479
There is a three-layer structure of selenium, bismuth, and germanium described in the publication. Further, as the radiant energy sensitive layer, a material having a property of increasing the transmitted optical density of a portion irradiated with radiant energy may be used.

The radiation energy sensitive layer used in this invention is
It is necessary that the optical density does not change at temperatures below ¹⁰⁰ °C, and preferably does not change at temperatures below 100°C, and that the optical density can change when irradiated with a certain threshold value of radiant energy above that. However, it is not necessary for the light source to be above this threshold value, and the optical density can change depending on various factors. For example, if the card is instantaneously heated to 50°C or
If a mechanism for heating to 200° C., preferably 100° C. to 150° C., is provided and simultaneously or immediately after this, radiant energy light is irradiated from a light source, recording can be performed at a threshold value lower than that at room temperature.

Furthermore, as the light source 11 of the present invention, for example, a xenon flash lamp, a laser, etc. can be used, but energy irradiation is preferably performed for a period of about 1 to about 10,000 microseconds, and particularly preferably for about 1 to 5,000 microseconds. Those with a duration are used. If necessary, it is also possible to guide a part of the radiant energy to the outside of the device using an acrylic rod, an optical fiber mirror, etc. to notify the outside that light has been emitted.

As described above, according to the present invention, information signals indicating the number of times of use of facilities, vehicles, etc., amount of money, etc. can be recorded on the card with a simple mechanism, and furthermore, the recording card recorded in this way can be One of the practical effects is that it is possible to obtain a recording card that allows the recorded contents to be observed with the naked eye, is reliable, and does not change under sunlight.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawing is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention. 1: Recording card, 2: Radiant energy sensitive layer,
5: Drive system, 6: Light emitting diode, 7: Light receiver,
10: logic circuit, 11: light source, 12: mask.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In a card recording device that performs recording by irradiating radiant energy light of a certain threshold value or more and changing the optical density of the irradiated area, the card recording device records an information signal indicating the number of times a facility/vehicle is used, amount of money, etc. A mechanism that detects information that proves that the card is the correct card, a mechanism that detects the head position of the remaining usage amount, and a certain threshold according to the information signal that indicates the amount of usage, amount, etc. from this head position. A card recording device characterized by having a mechanism for performing recording by irradiating radiant energy light with a value higher than a value, and a mechanism for detecting this recording.