JPH0358184A - Shutter mechanism for card reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate a need of a driving source like a solenoid to obtain a shutter mechanism saving energy by operating a movable member with an inserted card itself to operate an operation member and closing a card carrying path by its shutter part to stop insertion of the second card. CONSTITUTION:When a first magnetic card 8 is inserted to a card insertion/ return slot 6, the right side of the magnetic card 8 is inserted to a V-shaped groove 27 of a main body 22A of a movable member 22, and the magnetic card 8 is carried by a card carrying means 9 while pushing away the main body 22A, and the main body 22A is gradually removed from the card carrying path against a spring 24, and a transmission shaft 20 is turned to raise and turn an operation member 23, and a pin 31 is projected into the card carrying path to close the card carrying path. Consequently, the second card comes into contact with the pin 31 and is stopped from insertion when being inserted following the first card 8. Thus, the driving source like a solenoid is unnecessary to reduce the power consumption.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a shutter mechanism of a card reader incorporated in a card-type vending machine, a card-type public telephone, etc. [Prior Art] Conventionally, card readers have been equipped with a shutter mechanism that prevents a second card from being inserted during card processing, thereby preventing card jams and malfunctions of the device itself. The most common type of shutter mechanism is one that consists of a shutter plate that controls the opening and closing of the card transport path and a drive means such as a solenoid that drives the shutter plate. When the card is taken into the card, the solenoid is energized to operate the shutter plate, thereby closing the card transport path and making it impossible to insert the second card.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in such a conventional shutter mechanism, it is necessary to constantly energize and excite the solenoid during card processing, which generates a large amount of heat and consumes a large amount of power. There were problems such as the need for wiring work for the solenoid. Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the conventional problems as described above, and its first object is to provide a card that is operated by an inserted card and does not require a driving source such as a solenoid. The purpose is to provide a shutter mechanism for the reader. A second object of the present invention is to provide a shutter mechanism for a card reader in which the number of parts is reduced and the mechanism is simplified by having the shutter mechanism also serve as the side force Fl1. [Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned first object, the present invention provides an actuating member having a shutter section located immediately after the card insertion slot and normally outside the card conveyance path, and from this actuating member. The movable member is located at the back and projects into the normal card transport path, and is moved out of the card transport path by an inserted card, and a spring biases the movable member in the direction of the card transport path, and the actuating member is By being operated in conjunction with the movable member, the shutter portion protrudes into the card conveyance path and prevents insertion of the second card. Further, in order to achieve the second object, the present invention provides a card reader according to claim 1, in which the movable member is moved forward and backward with respect to the reference surface on the side opposite to the card transport reference surface side of the card transport path. The movable member is arranged to be movable, and the inserted card is pressed against the card conveyance reference surface. [Operation] In the present invention, when the movable member is operated by the inserted card, the actuating member is operated in conjunction with the movable member to project the shutter portion into the card transport path. Further, the actuating member presses the inserted card against the transport reference surface of the card transport path and performs a side force function. [Implementation M] The present invention will be described in detail below based on the implementation shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a power card reader equipped with a shutter mechanism according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the same card reader, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts. In these figures, 1 is a housing that is long in the front and back direction, and this housing 1 has a top [2], a pair of left and right side plates 3, 4 facing each other parallel to each other, and a slit-shaped card insertion/return slot 6 in the center. It is composed of a front plate 5, a bottom plate, a rear plate (not shown), etc. Inside the housing 1, a substantially horizontal card transport path 7 communicating with a card insertion/return slot 6 is provided, as well as a card insertion detection sensor (not shown), a card taking mechanism (not shown), a magnetic A card transport means 9 that reciprocates the card 8 along the card transport path 7, a shutter mechanism 10 that prevents insertion of a second card, and a magnetic head that reads, writes, and confirms magnetic information on the magnetic card 8. 11. Various mechanisms and parts are incorporated, such as a touch roller 12 that presses the magnetic card 8 against the magnetic head 11, and a punch mechanism (not shown) that punches a small hole in the magnetic card 8.The pair of side plates 3 Guide grooves 14 and 15 are provided on the inner surface of the magnetic card 8 to guide and hold both ends of the magnetic card 8 in the width direction. The transport reference plane 16 of 8 is constructed.
The card conveying means 9 includes a pair of endless belts 17 and 18 that are disposed closely above and below the card conveying path 7, and a plurality of rollers 19 on which these belts 17 and 18 are stretched.
, a drive motor (not shown) that runs the belt 17, and a rotation transmission mechanism that transmits the rotation of the drive motor to the belt l7.
(not shown) etc.

The shutter mechanism 10 includes a rotatable transmission shaft 20 disposed along the outer surface of the side plate 4 and extending in the front-rear direction, and a substantially Ω-shaped transmission shaft 20 that is rotatably attached to the side plate 4. a pair of mounting members 21 attached to the transmission shaft 20, a movable member 22 attached to the rear end of the transmission shaft 20, an operating member 23 attached to the front end of the transmission shaft 20, and a pair of attachment members 21 attached to the transmission shaft 20 in the direction of arrow A in FIG. It is configured with a spring 24 that provides a rotational habit (counterclockwise). The movable member 22 has a main body 22A that is a rod-shaped body that extends long in the card conveying direction, and is integrally provided at the center of the outer surface of the main body 22A and extends downward, and its lower end is connected to the tIt end of the transmission shaft 20. The connecting portion 22 is connected and fixed.
A main body 22A protrudes into the card conveyance path 7 from a longitudinally long elongated hole 26 formed in the side plate 4. Further, on the inner surface of the main body 22A facing the card conveyance path 7, a V-shaped groove 2 is formed for guiding one edge of the magnetic card 8.
7 are arranged side by side along the entire length. This groove 27
The groove depth D is the deepest on the front end side of the main body 22A, and the groove depth d is the shallowest on the rear @ side. It's different. The main body 22A is normally grooved 2.
The front end side bottom part 28a of the card 7 is located approximately flush with the inner surface of the side plate 4 or slightly outside of the card conveyance path 7, and the rear end side bottom part 2
8b is set and held so as to protrude into the card transport path 7. The actuating member 23 is formed on a square rod, one end of which is connected and fixed to the front end of the transmission shaft 20, the other end of which is inserted into the housing 1 through an opening 30 provided in the side plate 4, and is attached to the upper surface of its tip. A bottle 31 that extends across the shutter portion is integrally provided. The bin 31 is located behind and close to the card insertion/return slot 6, and is normally located below the card conveyance path 7 as shown by the solid line in FIG. This makes it possible. In the shutter mechanism 10 configured as described above, when the first magnetic card 8 is inserted into the card insertion/return slot 6, a card take-in mechanism (not shown) takes the magnetic card 8 into the housing and inserts the card into the card slot. The conveyance means 9 receives the card, conveys it to the back along the card conveyance path 7, and transfers it to the magnetic card 8.
When the tip reaches the magnetic head 11, the magnetic information is read by the head 11. At this time, in the card conveyance by the card conveyance means 9,
The right edge of the magnetic card 8 is located at the V of the main body 22A of the movable member 22.
When the card is inserted into the V-shaped groove 27 and moved, the V-shaped groove 27 becomes gradually shallower as it reaches the end of the card, thereby gradually narrowing the width of the card conveyance path 7. The magnetic card 8 advances while pushing away the main body 22A. Therefore, the main body 22A is gradually withdrawn from the card conveyance path 7 against the spring 24, and as a result, the transmission III 20 is
The actuating member 23 is rotated upward by rotating clockwise in the figure, and the bottle 31 is projected into the card conveyance path 7 as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3, thereby closing the card conveyance path. therefore,
When you insert the second card after the first card,
This second card contacts the bin 31 and is prevented from further insertion. Also, the first magnetic card 8 is inserted into the main body 22.
When A is withdrawn from the card transport path 7, its reaction force presses it against the transport reference surface 16 of the measuring plate 3, and the positional deviation with respect to the magnetic head 11 is corrected. Therefore, the movable member 22 also serves as a card pressing mechanism (side force mechanism) against the side plate. When services such as calls end,
The remaining amount information is updated and confirmed by the magnetic head 11, and the magnetic card 8 is punched by the punching mechanism. After that, the card is transported in the opposite direction from when it was taken in and returned to the card insertion/return slot 6. At this time, as the magnetic card 8 moves in the return direction, the movable member 22 gradually enters the card conveyance path 7 due to the force of the spring 24, and the transmission shaft 20 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. to rotate and lower the actuating member 23,
Immediately before the rear end of the magnetic card 8 reaches the vicinity of the card insertion/return slot 6, the bin 31 is moved downward from the card transport path 7,
Open the card transport path 7. Therefore, the magnetic card 8 is returned to the user through the card insertion/return slot 6. According to the shutter mechanism 10 having such a configuration, since the insertion card itself is used as a drive source, a drive source such as a solenoid is not required, and the tll structure can be simplified. Further, since the shutter mechanism 10 performs a side force function by pressing the magnetic card 8 against the transport reference surface 16, there is no need to provide a separate side force mechanism, and the number of parts and assembly man-hours can be reduced. In addition, although the above embodiment describes a case where the movable member 22 is arranged on the side of the card conveyance path 7 so that it can be used in common with the side force mechanism, the present invention is not limited to this. The card may be moved downward or upward from the card transport path 7 and may not function as a side force. Further, although in the above embodiment the operating member 23 is operated by rotation of the transmission shaft 20, it is also possible to use a cam, a link, etc. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the card can be applied not only to prepaid cards such as telephone cards, but also to IC cards, cash cards, and the like. [Effects of the Invention] As explained above, in the shutter mechanism of the card reader according to the present invention, the movable member is operated by the inserted card itself, and the operating member is operated in conjunction with this, and the shutter portion moves the card transport path. Since it is configured to close and prevent the insertion of a second card, it is possible to provide an energy-saving shutter mechanism without the need for a drive source such as a solenoid, and the mechanism itself is simple and has a small number of parts. It is small and cheap. Furthermore, when the card is pressed against the conveyance reference surface of the measuring plate by the movable member, the shutter mechanism doubles as a side force mechanism, making it possible to further simplify the entire card reader.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a force reader equipped with a shutter mechanism according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the same card reader, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a main part. 1... Housing, 3, 4...
Side plate, 6...Card insertion/return slot, 7...Card transport path, 8...10...Shutter mechanism, 16 20...Transmission shaft, 22...23...Operating member, 3l・・ Department〉．・Magnetic card, ...conveyance reference surface, movable parts, ・Bin (shaft holder)

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) An actuating member having a shutter section located immediately outside the card insertion slot and normally outside the card transport path, and an actuating member located further back than the actuating member and protruding into the normal card transport path to transport the card by the inserted card. A movable member that is withdrawn from the card transport path, and a spring that biases the movable member in the direction of the card transport path, and the actuating member is operated in conjunction with the movable member to move the shutter section toward the card transport path. A shutter mechanism for a card reader, characterized in that the shutter mechanism protrudes inward to prevent insertion of a second card. (2) In claim 1, the movable member is disposed on the opposite side of the card transport reference surface of the card transport path so as to be movable forward and backward with respect to the reference surface, and the movable member is arranged to move the inserted card toward the card transport reference surface. A card reader shutter mechanism characterized by pressing.