JPS61267186A - Ic card reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the sticking of dust and a metallic piece as much as possible and to protect the contact terminal of an IC card reader by covering the tip part of a contact terminal with a shiftable cover member. CONSTITUTION:A pin 23 is planted at a machine frame 17, and further, at the free edge part of the pin 23, an almost L-shaped cover holder 24 is fixed. At the free edge part of the cover holder 24, a cover 25 is fitted. The condition where two covers 25 are mutually abutted is held by the energizing force of a tautness spring 26 extended between two cover holders 24. While the cover is closed, respective cover holders 24 are in a facing relation, and a slope 24a is formed. At the tapered type clearance formed by these slopes 24a, a roller 27 in a single body with a holding plate 13 is engaged. Thus, when the roller 27 rises together with the holding plate 13 in accordance with the turning of a cam 20, the slopes 24a are pushed by said roller 27, following this, the cover holders 24 turn mutually in the opening direction with the pin 23 as a center against the elastic force of the spring 26 and the covers 25 are opened.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an IC card reader, and more particularly to an IC card reader that can be applied to read and write IC cards.

(Prior technology) In recent years, plastic cards with ICs have replaced conventional magnetic cards with magnetic tape attached to them.
IC cards with built-in chips are becoming popular.

Along with this, a device for reading information from an IC card or writing information to an IC card is required. There is a method for recording and reproducing information.

For example, according to FIG. 8 showing an IC card reader, the IC card 1 is inserted into the device when recording and reproducing information. Then, the insertion of the IC card 1 is confirmed by a detection means (not shown), and the contact terminal 3 of the reading or writing head 2 descends into contact with the card surface against the elasticity of the spring 5 due to the energization of the plunger magnet 4. Then, signals are exchanged.

After that, when the plunger magnet 40 is de-energized, the spring 5 moves the reading or writing head 2.
is raised, and at the same time, the plunger magnet 6 is energized, and the pushing member 7 moves the IC card 1 to the right in the drawing, thereby performing an ejection operation.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the above-mentioned prior art, since the contact terminals 3 are exposed, dirt such as flakes is likely to adhere to the contact terminals.

(Means for Solving the Problems) Therefore, an object of the present invention is to protect the contact terminals of an IC card reader, and in order to achieve this object,
The present invention is characterized in that the tip of the contact terminal is covered with a movable cover member.

(Function) The contact terminal is usually covered with a cover member and is isolated from floating particles such as debris in the environment.

(Example) First embodiment (see FIGS. 1 to 3).

The contact terminal 11 is supported by a support block 12, and the support block 12 is fixed to a retaining plate 13 with screws 14. A cylindrical guide member 15 is fixed to the bottom of the holding plate 13, and a guide shaft 16 is slidably inserted through the guide member 15. The base end of the guide shaft 16 is implanted in the machine frame 17. Another guide shaft 16' is also slidably inserted through the holding plate 13.

Therefore, the holding plate 13 can move forward and backward together with the support block 12 while being guided by the guide shafts 16 and 16'.

A roller 18 is also attached to the holding plate 13, and is brought into contact with the fan-shaped cam 20 by the force of a compressible spring 19 stretched between the holding plate 13 and the machine frame 18.

The cam 20 is supported by a shaft 2 that is spanned between the machine frames 17.
1, and is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown) via a pulley 22.

As the shaft 21 rotates, the cam 20 also rotates, and accordingly, the roller 18 rotates along the cam surface, and the holding plate 13 and thus the contact terminal 11 are moved up and down.

Figures 1 and 2 show the lowered position, and Figure 3 shows the raised position.
In the raised position, the tip of the contact terminal 11 comes into contact with the IC card 1 with appropriate contact pressure.

This appropriate contact pressure is provided by the biasing force of a spring built into each contact terminal 11.

Next, a pin 23 is implanted in the machine frame 17, and an abbreviated cover holder 2 is attached to the free end of this pin 23.
4 is fixed. A cover 25 is attached to the free end of the cover holder 24.

Here, the cover holder 24 is rotatable around the pin 23, and when the contact terminal 11 is in the lowered position, the cover holder 24
5 is set in such a position that it covers the tip of the contact terminal 11.

As a means for allowing the above rotation of the cover holder 24.

The pin 23 is pivotally attached to the machine frame 17, or the cover holder 24 is pivotably attached to the pin 23.

The pin 23, the cover holder 24, and the cover 25 door are each composed of a pair of opposing members, and the two covers 25
In the so-called closed state of the cover in which the two contact terminals 11 are in contact with each other, all of the contact terminals 11 shown in the figure are covered.

As described above, the state in which the two covers 25 are in contact with each other is maintained by the biasing force of the elastic spring 26 stretched between the two cover holders 24.

In the closed state of the cover, each cover holder 24 is in a facing relationship, and a slope 24a is formed. A roller 27 integrated with the holding plate 13 is engaged with the tapered gap formed by these slopes 24H.

When the roller 27 rises together with the holding plate 13 in accordance with the rotation of the cam 20, the slope 24a is pushed by the roller 27, and the cover holder 24 is moved against the elastic force of the spring 26. The cover 25 is rotated about the pin 23 in a direction that opens the cover 25 and the contact terminal 11 is exposed.

The raised position of the contact terminal 11 is determined by the rotational position of the cam 20, and the rotational position of the cam 200 is determined by detecting the position of a sensor plate 28 attached to the holding plate 13 with an optical sensor (not shown). This is done by controlling the rotation of a motor connected to the pulley 22.

In this way, in this example, when information is not transferred to or from the XC card 1, the contact terminals 11 are in the lowered position and covered with the cover 25, as shown in FIGS. When the card 1 arrives along the guide 29 and is positioned by coming into contact with the stopper 30, the contact terminals 11 rise in conjunction with the rotation of the cam 20, and at the same time the cover 25
automatically opens to allow the contact terminal 11 to contact the IC card 1, making it possible to exchange information.

A grounded metal plate 3 is arranged on the surface of the cover 25, and when it comes close to or comes into contact with the contacts of the IC card 1, the electric charge accumulated on the IC card is released, and the metal plate 3 is connected to the circuit section of the card reader. Prevents overcurrent from flowing.

Further, if a cleaning material is placed inside the cover 25, the tip of the contact terminal 11 can be cleaned using the movement when the cover is opened and closed.

In addition, if a cleaning material is provided on the outside of the cover 25, the contact portions of the IC card 1 can be cleaned at the same time by utilizing the movement when the cover is opened and closed.

Second embodiment (see Figure 4).

This embodiment eliminates the need for the spring 19 in the first embodiment, and the lower ends of the slopes 24'a extend inwardly and are pressed by the rollers 27'. Therefore, when the contact terminal 11/ is in the lowered position, the cover holder 24' and the cover 25' are kept closed by the roller 24'.

Incidentally, when the roller 27' rises, the slope 24'a is pushed and opened, as in the previous example.

Third embodiment (see FIGS. 5 and 6).

This example is applied to a configuration in which the guide member 150 of the IC card 1 is rotated about one end of the guide member 150 to come into contact with and separate from the contact terminal 110.

The guide member 150 has a fulcrum on the left side in the figure, and can rotate in the direction of arrow A. Reference numeral 300 is guide member 1
50 shows the stopper of the IC card 1 attached to the IC card 50.

A roller 270 is attached to the guide member 150.

FIG. 5 shows a state in which the guide member 150 has been rotated upward, and the contact terminal 110 is covered with two covers 250. In this way, one end side of the cover 250 is connected to the contact terminal 1
10, and the other end side is pivotally connected to two shafts 31, respectively. This closed position of the cover is maintained by a tensioning spring 32 applied between the force bars 250.

Slanted surfaces 250a are formed at the middle portion of the cover 250 and at the portions facing the rollers 270, respectively.

In response to the downward rotation of the guide member 150, the roller 270 bites into a substantially V-shaped groove formed by two opposing inclined surfaces 250a.

Then, as the IC card 1 on the guide member 150 is rotated downward to a predetermined position suitable for sending and receiving information, the row 2270 pushes the inclined surface 250a, and as a result, the cover 250 moves as indicated by the arrow B. It opens in the direction B' to expose the contact terminals 110 and bring them into contact with the IC card 1.

If the guide member 150 is rotated upward, the cover 250
are interlocked and closed to cover the contact terminal 11'0.

Fourth embodiment (see FIG. 7).

In this example, contact terminal 1100 is supported by support block 120 and is normally covered with cover 2500. One end of the cover 2500 is pivotally connected to an immovable member by a shaft 33, and one end of a tension spring 34 is hung on a part of the free end side to bias it in a direction opposite to the arrival direction C of the IC card 1. has been done. Rotation due to the biasing force of the spring 34 is prevented by the free end of the cover 2500 coming into contact with a stopper 35 attached to an immovable member on the upper surface side of the cover 2500.

In this way, with the stopper 35 pressed against the
The cover 2500 is set to cover all contact terminals 1100. Note that the broken line portion of the cover 2500 in the figure indicates the edge of the cover that is folded back toward the back side of the page.

A retaining bottle 36 is installed on the free end side of the cover 2500 so as to interfere with the IC card 1.

When the IC card 1 arrives, it first contacts the engagement pin 36, and as the IC card 1 advances further, the cover 2500 rotates along the arrow direction, and the contact terminal 1
100 will be exposed.

After the contact terminals 1100 are exposed, the support block 120 moves in a direction penetrating the page and approaching the IC card 1, so that the contact terminals 1100 come into contact with the contacts of the IC card 1, and information is exchanged. It will be done.

Then, as the IC card 1 returns, the cover 25
00 also returns to cover the contact terminal 1100 again.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, since the tip of the contact terminal is covered with a cover,
It is possible to prevent dust and metal pieces from adhering as much as possible, and dust and metal pieces can get caught between the card and the contact area. It is very convenient.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 3 are explanatory diagrams of the first embodiment of the present invention corresponding to the cross section taken along the line x-x' in FIG. 2, and FIG. 2 is an IC diagram illustrating the first embodiment of the present invention. Side view of main parts of card reader,
FIG. 4 is a front view of essential parts of an IC card reader illustrating a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is an explanation of a third embodiment of the present invention corresponding to a cross section taken along the Y-Y arrow in FIG. 6. 6 is a plan view explanatory diagram of the same figure as above, FIG. 7 is a plan view of main parts of an IC card reader explaining the fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a plan view of an IC card reader according to the prior art. It is a main part explanatory diagram. 11, 110. 1100... contact terminal, 25.
25', 250°2500...Cover. Ladder map country 5 map 100 million δ map

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an IC card reader that records and reproduces information by bringing a contact terminal into contact with a contact point of an IC card, the tip of the contact terminal is covered with a movable cover member. Features of IC card reader.