Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Head mounting
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-08
2002-11-26
Evans, Jefferson (Department: 2652)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Head mounting
C360S002000, C235S449000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06487046
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a head support mechanism in a magnetic card reader comprising a head support plate, which supports a magnetic head, and a leaf spring that applies pressure to the head support plate toward a magnetic card.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
When a magnetic card having a magnetic strip is transferred on a card transferring path in a magnetic card reader, magnetic information on the magnetic strip is read out from or written onto the card by a magnetic head placed on the card transferring path. FIGS.
7
(
a
)-
7
(
b
) show a magnetic head support mechanism of conventional technology. FIG.
7
(
a
) is an overhead view, and FIG.
7
(
b
) is a side view of a cross section.
As shown in FIGS.
7
(
a
) and
7
(
b
), magnetic heads
70
and
71
are placed next to each other in the direction perpendicular to the card transferring direction. Magnetic head
70
is supported by head support plate
72
while magnetic head
71
is supported by head support plate
73
. Head support plates
72
and
73
are formed of a rigid material and restrained by two positioning pins
80
and
81
formed on a head support mechanism body (not shown) Accordingly, magnetic heads
70
and
71
supported by head support plates
72
and
73
can rock and move back and forth.
Leaf spring
74
is formed above head support plates
72
and
73
. Leaf spring
74
is fixed to part
90
(see FIG.
7
(
b
)) of the head support mechanism body (not shown) with fixing portions
91
and
92
such as screws. The end of leaf spring
74
is split into two pieces (arm portions); one of the arm portions,
75
, applies pressure on head support plate
72
toward the magnetic card (downward in FIG.
7
(
b
)) while other arm portion,
76
, applies pressure on head support plate
73
toward the magnetic card (downward in FIG.
7
(
b
)).
As shown in FIGS.
7
(
b
) and
8
, one end of arm portions
75
and
76
, which is facing head support plate
72
and
73
, respectively, is warped to form a hemisphere. A section of arm portions
75
and
76
at which arm portions
75
and
76
contact head support plates
72
and
73
has hemispheric projecting portions
77
and
78
, respectively. Accordingly, projecting portion
77
of arm portion
75
applies pressure on head support plate
72
toward the magnetic card while projecting portion
78
of arm portion
76
applies pressure on head support plate
73
toward the magnetic card. As a result, magnetic heads
70
and
71
come in contact with the magnetic card with a given pressure applied by a pad placed across from magnetic heads
70
,
71
.
Movement of head support plates
72
and
73
needs to follow the warped shape of the magnetic card. Therefore, head support plates
72
and
73
can rock in the direction perpendicular to the card transferring direction with the two positioning pins
80
and
81
as an axis. Positioning pins
80
and
81
also function to establish an axis of a rocking motion of magnetic head
70
and
71
.
However, head support plates
72
and
73
and leaf spring
74
are separate parts. Therefore, if the relative position of head support plates
72
and
73
and leaf spring
74
is not precise during assembly of these parts, projecting portions
77
and
78
will be displaced from the line between positioning pins
80
and
81
. As a result, application of pressure by projecting portions
77
and
78
to head support plates
72
and
73
is no longer along the axis. Additionally, it is extremely troublesome to precisely position head support plates
72
and
73
and leaf plate
74
to enable projecting portions
77
and
78
to apply pressure to head support plates
72
and
73
on the line between positioning pins
80
and
81
towards the magnetic card.
The present invention intends to solve the above issues of conventional technology and to provide a head support mechanism in a magnetic card reader such that even when the alignment of the head support plates with the leaf spring is not precise, the leaf spring can continuously apply pressure to the head support plate at the desired position and the magnetic heads are brought in contact with a magnetic card with high accuracy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a head support mechanism in a magnetic card reader comprising a head support plate that supports a magnetic head such that said magnetic head is able to rock and move in a plane perpendicular to the direction in which a magnetic card is transferred and a leaf spring for applying pressure to said head support plates towards the magnetic card such that the magnetic head comes in contact with said magnetic card. Formed on the head support plate is a projecting portion, which extends in a direction perpendicular to the card transferring direction and is provided for contacting a pressure applying portion formed on the leaf spring.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4631610 (1986-12-01), Kobayashi et al.
patent: 4937438 (1990-06-01), Warwick et al.
patent: 5107099 (1992-04-01), Smith
patent: 5191198 (1993-03-01), Do
patent: 5196680 (1993-03-01), Schuder
patent: 5196687 (1993-03-01), Sugino et al.
patent: 5463678 (1995-10-01), Kepley, III et al.
patent: 5912446 (1999-06-01), Wong et al.
patent: 6176426 (2001-01-01), Kanayama et al.
patent: 6250552 (2001-06-01), Hirasawa
patent: 1 083 551 (2001-03-01), None
patent: 63-144470 (1988-06-01), None
Evans Jefferson
Reed Smith LLP
Sankyo Seiki Mfg. Co. Ltd.
LandOfFree
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