JPS6145557Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to an optical card reader that is installed in a dangerous place where explosive gases, etc. are handled, and its purpose is to provide an optical card reader that requires a simple explosion-proof structure.

Conventionally, this type of device has been constructed by housing a light source and a photoelectric conversion unit installed across a card insertion path in a completely explosion-proof case. However, when maintaining and managing the light source and photoelectric conversion unit, disassembling and reassembling the explosion-proof case is extremely troublesome, and it is difficult to always maintain the initial explosion-proof performance.

The present invention includes a first optical fiber whose output side end is located in a hazardous area and whose input side end extends to a non-hazardous area to receive light from a light source, and whose input side end is located in a hazardous area. A second optical fiber whose output side end extends to a non-hazardous area and is connected to the photoelectric conversion unit is provided, and the output side end face of the first optical fiber and the input side end face of the second optical fiber are separated by a predetermined distance. The card insertion path is formed so that the recording section of the card on which information is recorded is interposed at the opposing position, and the first and second optical fibers connect the light source and the photoelectric conversion unit. Since an optical transmission path is formed between the two, there is no need to provide an explosion-proof case in a hazardous environment, and the initial explosion-proof performance can be maintained over a long period of time.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 3.

A is a dangerous place where explosive gases such as propane gas and hydrogen are handled, B is a non-hazardous place where explosion-proof construction is not required, 1 and 2 are a lamp house and a photoelectric conversion unit installed in the non-hazardous place, 3a, 3b... are first optical fibers connecting the card insertion position in the dangerous place A and the lamp house 1, 4a, 4b... are second optical fibers connecting the card insertion position and the photoelectric conversion unit 2, and 5 is a guide for forming a card insertion path installed in the card insertion position.
The holder 8 is arranged so that the emission side end faces 6 of the first optical fibers 3a, 3b, . . . and the incidence side end faces 7 of the second optical fibers 4a, 4b, .
The first optical fiber 3a, 3b is held by
. . , the mutual spacing of the second optical fibers 4a, 4b . . .
The mutual intervals between the first optical fibers 3a, 3b, ... are set by the holder 8 to the bit interval of the recording section of the card 9. The shape of the emission side end surface 6 of the first optical fibers 3a, 3b, ... may be polished into a convex lens shape as shown in FIG. 2, or may be formed into a flat shape.
The shape of the incident end surface 7 of the second optical fibers 4a, 4b... may be a concave lens shape formed by polishing, a conical recess, a flat surface, etc., and the combinations of the end surfaces 6 and 7 are as shown in Figures 2a to 2d. In order to reduce crosstalk between the bits, it is desirable to attach a light-shielding tube 10 to the end of the second optical fibers 4a, 4b...

According to this configuration, light from the lamp house 1 enters from the incident side end faces of the first optical fibers 3a, 3b, . . . . Therefore, when the card 9 is inserted through the card insertion slot 12 formed in the operation panel 11, the guides 5, 5 will cause the card 9 to be irradiated so that the perforated recording part of the card 9 is in the first position. The output side end face 6 of the first optical fiber 3a, 3b... and the second optical fiber 4a, 4b...
The second optical fibers 4a, 4b, . Some bits and some bits are not irradiated. The photoelectric conversion unit 2 converts this into read data 13 of logic level "H" and "L" bit parallel signals or bit serial signals and outputs it. Note that the first and second optical fibers 3a, 3
Some of the optical fibers b..., 4a, 4b... are used to detect the insertion of the card 9, and when the card 9 reaches a predetermined reading position, the read data is transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit 2 to the subsequent stage. 13 read commands 14 are generated.

In the above embodiment, the light is guided to the hazardous area by a separate first optical fiber 3a, 3b, . . . for each bit, but it is also possible to guide the light by a common optical fiber for all bits.

As explained above, according to the present invention, the first and second
Since the hazardous area is connected to the light source and photoelectric conversion unit in the non-hazardous area using optical fibers, complete explosion-proofing can be expected without having to install a conventional explosion-proof case in the hazardous area where the card insertion position is located. In addition, the initial explosion-proof performance can be maintained for a long period of time.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the card reader of the present invention, FIGS. 2 a to d are explanatory diagrams of the shape of the end face of an optical fiber, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a main part of FIG. 1. A... Hazardous area, B... Non-hazardous area, 1... Lamp house, 2... Photoelectric conversion unit, 3a, 3
b...First optical fiber, 4a, 4b...Second optical fiber, 5...Card insertion path forming guide, 9...Card.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A first lamp whose output side end is located in a hazardous area and whose input side end extends to a non-hazardous area and receives light from the light source.
and a second optical fiber whose input side end is located in a hazardous area and whose output side end extends to a non-hazardous area and is connected to the photoelectric conversion unit.
The output side end face of the optical fiber and the input side end face of the second optical fiber are held facing each other with a predetermined distance apart,
An optical card reader for use in an explosion-proof environment, in which a card insertion path is formed so that a recording section of a card with information recorded therebetween is located at this opposing position.