Registers – Coded record sensors – Holding devices
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-13
2001-01-09
Frech, Karl D. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Coded record sensors
Holding devices
C235S380000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06170753
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a card reader which receives an IC card, reads data recorded on the IC card, and displays the data read out of the IC card.
In recent years, a small card reader excellent in portability and used as a personal terminal equipment in the electronic commercial transaction is being developed as a card reader for reading out data recorded in an IC card.
A portable card reader of this type is being simplified in construction and performance in an attempt to lower the manufacturing cost. When it comes to, for example, the construction, the portable card reader consists of only a casing of an IC card and a substrate. Mounted on the substrate are, for example, electronic parts, an LCD (liquid crystal display device), a battery and contacts with the IC card. The casing is mounted to surround the substrate.
In the card reader of the simplified construction described above, a battery for driving the card reader is soldered to the substrate and, thus, cannot be detached from the apparatus body. Therefore, the apparatus itself must be discarded with expiration of the battery life, even if the card reader is capable of performing the normal function. Also, the battery must be disposed of together with the apparatus body with expiration of the battery life, giving rise to a serious environmental problem.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention, which has been achieved in view of the situation described above, is to provide a card reader which permits renewing a battery and also permits stably ensuring an electrical contact with an IC card.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a card reader, comprising:
a receiving section for receiving an IC card;
reading means for reading data from the IC card received in the receiving section;
a battery for driving the reading means;
a front case housing the reading means and the battery;
an inner panel mounted to the front case, serving to detachably hold the battery housed in the front case, and guiding the IC card into the receiving section; and
a rear case detachably mounted to the front case such that the receiving section is defined between the inner panel and the rear case.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a card reader, comprising:
a receiving section for receiving an IC card having data recorded thereon;
a contact which is connected to the IC card received in the receiving section;
reading means for reading data from the IC card received in the receiving section via the contact;
a battery for driving the reading means;
a substrate having the contact and the reading means mounted thereon;
a front case housing the substrate and the battery;
an inner panel mounted to the front case, having a stopper portion serving to detachably hold the battery housed in the front case and a guide surface apart from the front case and facing the receiving section, protecting the substrate, and guiding the IC card along the guide surface into the receiving section; and
a rear case detachably mounted to the front case such that the receiving section is defined between the guide surface of the inner panel and the rear case.
Further, according to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a card reader, comprising:
a receiving section for receiving an IC card having various data recorded thereon;
a contact which is connected to the IC card received in the receiving section;
signal processing means for reading the data recorded on the IC card via the contact so as to prepare data to be displayed;
display means for displaying the data prepared by the signal processing means;
a battery for driving the signal processing means and the display means;
a substrate having the contact, the signal processing means and the display means mounted thereon;
a front case housing the battery and the substrate;
an inner panel mounted to the front case, having a stopper section serving to detachably hold the battery housed in the front case and a guide plane apart from the front case and facing the receiving section, protecting the substrate, and guiding the IC card along the guide plane into the receiving section; and
a rear case detachably mounted to the front case such that the receiving section is defined between the guide plane of the inner panel and the rear case.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5015830 (1991-05-01), Masuzawa et al.
patent: 5272319 (1993-12-01), Rey
patent: 5402095 (1995-03-01), Janniere
patent: 5615250 (1997-03-01), Kobayashi
patent: 6042009 (2000-03-01), Barrett et al.
patent: 0 533 542 (1993-03-01), None
Frech Karl D.
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
Pillsbury Madison & Sutro LLP
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