JPH0573861A - Magnetic head support device for magnetic card reader - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To improve the followability of the magnetic head with respect to the magnetic card, improve the adhesion between the deformed or curved magnetic card and the magnetic head, and improve the read / write accuracy of the magnetic card. [Structure] In order to facilitate vertical movement and left-right rotational swing of a magnetic head 1 fixed to a resin head holder 2, a round bar 3 along the magnetic card transport direction is provided at the center of the head holder 2. The round bar 3 is pressed by the tip portion 4a of the torsion coil spring 4 for embedding and pressing the magnetic head 1 which extends in the direction orthogonal to the magnetic card transport direction so as to press the magnetic head 1.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magnetic card reader for reading and writing a magnetic card used for a cash card, a credit card, a prepaid card and the like, and more particularly to a magnetic head supporting device thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIGS. 5 to 7 show an example of the construction of a conventional magnetic head supporting device for a magnetic card reader.

The magnetic head 21 is fixed to one end of a rigid head holder 22, and the other end of the head holder 22 is in contact with a hemispherical projection 26c on the body case 26. The head holder 22 is vertically movably positioned at two points in the card transport direction by guide pins 26a and 26b which are erected on the main body case 26. The magnetic head 21 and the head-opposing roller 23, the feeding roller 24 for conveyance, and the pad roller (card pressing roller) 2 with the card guide path 27 provided in the main body case 26 interposed therebetween.
5 are provided. The magnetic head 21 is pressurized by a conical coil spring 28 that presses the central portion of the head holder 22, and the amount of pressure is applied by a pressure adjusting screw 29 mounted on the main body case 26. Magnetic head 21 and opposing roller 23
The clearance is adjusted with the clearance adjusting screw 30 screwed to the tip of the head holder 22.

In the magnetic head supporting device thus constructed, when the magnetic card 31 is conveyed by the conveying feed roller 24 and comes into contact with the magnetic head 21, the magnetic head 21 is pushed up together with the head holder 22 and the coil spring 28 causes the magnetic head 21 to rise. A spring pressure according to the amount of deflection is applied to the magnetic head 21. When the curved magnetic card 31 or the deformed magnetic card 31 is conveyed, the pins 26a and 26b at two points on the center line of the head holder 22 and the hemispherical protrusions 26c of the main body case 26 follow the curve of the magnetic card 31. As a result, the magnetic head 21 swings left and right, the magnetic head 21 comes into close contact with the magnetic card 31, and data on the magnetic stripe can be read and data can be written on the magnetic stripe.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional structure, when the normal flat magnetic card 31 is run on the card guide path 27, the magnetic head 21 and the magnetic card 31 are in close contact with each other, and Head pressure is magnetic card 31
The surface of the magnetic card 31 is evenly applied, and reading and writing of information on the magnetic card 31 can be performed accurately. However, since the bottom surface of the coil spring 28 for pressing the magnetic head 21 is circular, the contact surface between the coil spring 28 and the head holder 22 is on the straight line connecting the pins 26 a and 26 b, which is the center line of the head holder 22. However, since the magnetic springs 31 are dispersed on the circumference of the bottom surface of the coil spring 28, the curved magnetic card 31 or the deformed magnetic card 3
When running 1, the swing of the magnetic head 21 becomes worse,
It has a drawback that the contact with the magnetic card 31 is deteriorated.
Further, in the case of a wide magnetic head 21 for a plurality of tracks, the above-mentioned drawbacks are particularly large, and followability with respect to a curved magnetic card 31 or a deformed magnetic card 31 is poor,
Further, the head holder 22 does not move smoothly due to the friction between the head holder 22 and the pins 26a and 26b, and the magnetic head 21
There is a problem that the positioning must be set while measuring the height of the screw 29 for adjusting the pressurization.

In view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, the present invention provides a magnetic head supporting device which can obtain a magnetic card reader having a good followability of a magnetic head to a curved or deformed magnetic card and excellent reading and writing accuracy. With the goal.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a magnetic card reader having a magnetic head arranged in a card guide path, in which a rigid round bar is magnetically attached to a head holder for supporting the magnetic head. Embedded along the card transport direction, the magnetic head is supported for vertical movement and horizontal swing through the head holder with the contact point between the one end side of the round bar and the semi-circular protrusion of the body case as a fulcrum. The tip of the torsion coil spring for pressing the magnetic head, which extends in the direction orthogonal to the magnetic card transport direction, is brought into contact with the vicinity of the magnetic head on the other end side of the magnetic head to apply a load to the magnetic head by the torsion coil spring. Characterize.

[0008]

According to the present invention, the round bar embedded in the head holder supporting the magnetic head in the card carrying direction is pressed by the tip portion of the torsion coil spring extending in the direction orthogonal to the card carrying direction. Therefore, the magnetic head follows the vertical movement orthogonal to the card transport direction and the rotational swing in the left-right direction well, and when the magnetic card is transported to the card guide path, the magnetic card and the magnetic head are in close contact with each other. The data can be read and written stably even on a curved or deformed magnetic card, and the reliability of the magnetic card reader is improved.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A magnetic head supporting device for a magnetic card reader according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

1 to 3, 1 is a magnetic head and 2 is a magnetic head.
Is a head holder made of a resin material, and the magnetic head 1
Is fixed to the head holder 2 with resin or the like.
A round bar 3 made of metal is embedded in the central portion of the head holder 2 in the width direction orthogonal to the magnetic card transport direction so as to extend along the magnetic card transport direction. Reference numeral 4 denotes a multi-turn torsion coil spring for pressing the magnetic head, and its tip 4a extending in a direction orthogonal to the magnetic card transport direction presses one end of the round bar 3 near the magnetic head 1 to apply the magnetic head 1. Press.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a main body case having a card guide path 6, on the upper surface of which a semicircular protrusion 5a and a pedestal 5b are provided at appropriate intervals in the card conveying direction, and a central portion of the round bar 3 is provided on each of them. And the guide grooves 5c for engaging and holding the other end
d is formed. The head holder 2 is attached to the main body case 5 by mounting the round bar 3 embedded in the head holder 2 in the guide grooves 5c and 5d. The mounting reference of the head holder 2 is the guide grooves 5c, 5d.
The round bar 3 of the head holder 2 attached to the above serves as a reference. Therefore, since the mounting accuracy of the round bar 3 and the guide grooves 5c and 5d affects the azimuth and the like in writing information on the magnetic card 11 of the magnetic head 1, it is necessary to control the mounting accuracy.

After mounting the head holder 2 in the guide grooves 5c, 5d of the main body case 5, the torsion coil spring 4 is mounted as shown in detail in FIG. At that time, at both ends of the torsion coil spring 4, bases 4b whose ends are bent outwardly
After being inserted into the spring mounting groove 5e of the main body case 5 while being compressed toward the center part, the compressed spring is opened, and the twisted coil spring 4 is attached so as not to come off by hooking the bent end portion in the groove hole 5f. There is.

A card guide path 6 provided in the main body case 5.
A head-opposing roller 7 is disposed so as to face the magnetic head 1 with a card guide path 6 sandwiched therebetween at a lateral position thereof, and a feed roller 8 for conveyance and a pad roller (card pressing roller). 9 are provided. The clearance between the magnetic head 1 and the opposing roller 7 is adjusted by the clearance adjusting screw 10 screwed onto the tip of the head holder 2.

In the above structure, the magnetic card 11 inserted in the card guide path 6 and fed by the carrying roller 7
Contact the magnetic head 1, the magnetic head 1 is pushed up together with the head holder 2, and the torsion coil spring 4 applies a spring pressure according to the thickness of the magnetic card 11 to the magnetic head 1.
Join in. Since the torsion coil spring 4 is wound in multiple layers, it is difficult to be influenced by the thickness of the magnetic card 11, and it is possible to apply pressure with a small change amount to the magnetic head 1.

When the curved magnetic card 11 or the deformed magnetic card 11 is conveyed, the round bar 3 embedded in the center of the head holder 2 and the tip 4 of the torsion coil spring 4 are inserted.
Since a is in point contact with the magnetic head 1, the magnetic head 1 rotationally oscillates and follows the curved magnetic card 11.
It is possible to maintain close contact between the magnetic card 11 and the magnetic card 11 and read / write information from the magnetic card 12 correctly.

Further, the torsion coil spring 4 is not attached by screws or the like, and height adjustment is not required, so that the torsion coil spring 4 can be attached with one touch, and the assembling is easy.

[0017]

According to the magnetic head supporting device of the magnetic card reader of the present invention, a round bar extending in the magnetic card conveying direction is embedded in the head holder to which the magnetic head is fixed, and the tip end thereof is orthogonal to the conveying direction of the magnetic card. Since the round bar is pressed by the tip of the torsion coil spring that extends in the direction, the magnetic head can follow the bending and deformation of the magnetic card with a simple configuration, and errors in reading and writing magnetic card information can be reduced. It is possible to obtain a stable and highly reliable magnetic card reader.

Further, by providing the main body case with the groove for engaging and fixing by mounting the base of the torsion coil spring, the torsion coil spring can be mounted with one touch, and the assembling becomes easy.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view of an embodiment of a magnetic head supporting device of a magnetic card reader of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional front view of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing details of a mounting portion of the torsion coil spring in the embodiment, and is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a conventional magnetic head support device.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a conventional example.

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional front view of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Magnetic Head 2 Head Holder 3 Round Bar 4 Torsion Coil Spring 4a Tip Part 5 Body Case 5a Semicircular Protrusion 5e Spring Mounting Groove 6 Card Guide Path 11 Magnetic Card

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. In a magnetic card reader having a magnetic head arranged in a card guide path, a rigid round bar is embedded in a head holder for supporting the magnetic head along a magnetic card transport direction, and one end side of the round bar and a main body. A magnetic head is supported by a head holder so that it can move up and down and left and right with the contact point with the semi-circular protrusion of the case as a fulcrum. 2. A magnetic head supporting device for a magnetic card reader, wherein a tip end portion of the torsion coil spring extending in a direction orthogonal to a magnetic card transport direction is brought into contact with the torsion coil spring to apply a load to the magnetic head. 2. A magnetic head supporting device for a magnetic card reader according to claim 1, wherein the main body case is provided with a groove for engaging and fixing by mounting a base portion of a torsion coil spring.