IC card read/write apparatus

Details IC card read/write apparatus IC card read/write apparatus

2002-02-21

2003-02-11

Martin, David (Department: 2841)

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...

For electronic systems and devices

C361S741000, C361S756000, C361S801000, C439S260000, C235S475000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06519158

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an IC card read/write apparatus for an IC card equipped with an integrated circuit. In particular, the present invention relates to an IC card read/write apparatus for reading information from the integrated circuit of the IC card and writing information into the same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIGS. 1
to
6
illustrate a conventional IC card read/write device. The read/write device generally indicated by reference numeral
1
includes a rectangular peripheral frame portion
3
. The frame portion
3
includes a pair of spaced apart top and bottom plates,
7
and
9
, which define a thinned card chamber
11
between them for receiving an IC card
13
. The peripheral frame portion
3
is formed in its forward wall
15
with a card inlet
17
which is connected with the card chamber
11
so that the IC card
13
can be inserted through the card inlet
17
into the card chamber
11
in a direction indicated at
19
.
A slider
21
, which is supported by the top plate
7
to move back and forth in the direction
19
, is connected with a spring
23
mounted on the top plate
7
and thereby biased toward the card inlet
17
. Also, the slider
21
is formed at one end thereof away from the card inlet
17
with a portion
25
projected into the card chamber
11
so that, when a leading edge of the card
13
has reached the vicinity of a rearward end of the card chamber
11
, the leading edge makes an engagement with the projected portion
25
. Further, as best shown in
FIGS. 1
,
5
, and
6
, the slider
21
has a cutout
27
.
The top plate
7
carries a holder
29
which supports electric cables
31
on its upper surface and electric contacts
33
on its lower surface, with each of the electric contacts
33
being connected with an associated cable
31
. The holder
29
, which is rotatably supported by a shaft
35
extending in a direction perpendicular to the insert direction
19
, has an actuator
37
projected in the cutout
27
of the slider
21
. The actuator
37
is formed at its edge facing the inlet
17
with a ramp
39
which extends upward toward the rearward end of the device
1
and opposes an edge
41
of the cutout
27
so that, when the slider
21
moves rearward by the engagement with the leading edge of the card
13
, the edge
41
would engage with the ramp
39
to rotate the actuator
37
and the holder
29
toward the bottom plate
9
as shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6
.
In addition, as best shown in
FIG. 6
, in the vicinity of the rearward end of the card chamber
11
, the top plate
7
is formed in its bottom surface with ramps
43
each protruded in the card chamber
11
. To cooperate with the ramps
43
to nip the leading end of the card
13
which has been inserted up to the rearward end of the chamber
11
and thereby hold the inserted card
13
in position, leaf springs
45
are provided under the card chamber
11
with their rearward ends positioned in the card chamber
11
.
With the arrangement so constructed, as shown in
FIG. 3
, the card
13
is inserted through the card inlet
17
into the card chamber
11
. When the card
13
is inserted to a predetermined position, its leading edge comes into contact with the projected portion
25
of the slider
21
. From this state, the card
13
is further forced into the card chamber
11
against a resistance applied from the spring
23
, which moves the slider
21
toward the rearward end of the chamber
11
. As shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6
, this causes the edge
41
of the cutout
27
to make a frictional contact with the ramp
39
to rotate the holder
29
toward the bottom plate
9
so that each of the electric contacts
33
makes an electric contact with an associated contact
47
provided in an upper surface of the card
13
.
Finally, when the card
13
is inserted to its reading/writing position as shown in
FIGS. 4 and 6
, it is nipped at its leading end between the ramps
43
of the top plate
7
and the leaf springs
45
. This allows the card
13
to be retained in the card chamber
11
even after it is released from the insertion force. Also, the electric contacts
33
projected into the card chamber
11
make contact with associated contacts
47
of the card
13
. This allows the integrated circuit mounted in the card
13
to communicate through the cables
31
with a controller (not shown) for reading information from the card
13
and writing information into the card
13
.
After the completion of the required communication, the card
13
is held at its forward end and then pulled from the card chamber
11
, causing the slider
21
to return to its original position under the force of the spring
23
. This also causes the actuator
37
to disengage from the edge
41
of the cutout
27
and then rotate the holder
29
upward, so that the electric contacts
33
move away from the contacts
47
of the card
13
.
The conventional card read/write device
1
, however, has several drawbacks. For example, because the leaf springs
45
are typically made from a metal plate having a thickness of from 0.2 to 0.3 mm and also bent as shown in
FIG. 5
at its intermediate portion, the position of the rearward end varies in the card chamber
11
, which in turn destabilizes the force for nipping and holding the card
13
.
In addition, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 7815 allows a dimensional error of 0.76±0.08 mm in the thickness of the IC card, which accelerates the instability of the inserted card
13
to result in an undesired translation of the card even from small vibrations. This may result in a communication error between the contacts of IC card
13
and the device
1
. Contrary to this, an excessive force applied from the leaf springs
45
may cause the card to be scratched and then damaged by the contact with the metal leaf springs
45
.
Also, an insertion of foreign members such as a coin, rather than the regular IC card, will result in a malfunction of device.
FIGS. 7
to
9
illustrate a protection cover generally indicated by reference numeral
51
, which is attached in front of the IC card read/write device
1
described above. The protection cover
51
includes a housing generally indicated by reference numeral
53
. The housing
53
has a card slot
55
through which the IC card
13
is inserted in the device
1
. When the IC card
13
is not inserted in the device, the slot
55
is covered at its outlet by a shutter
57
rotatably supported by shafts
59
.
For the protection cover
51
, the card
13
is inserted in the slot
55
from its leading edge by the user of the card
13
. When the leading edge of the card
13
makes contact with the shutter
57
, the shutter
57
is forced to rotate about the shafts
59
away from an outlet of the slot
55
, which allows the card
13
to advance into the card chamber.
The shutter
57
; however, allows to enter into the device
1
foreign members that do not meet the ISO 7815, such as thinned telephone cards having a thickness of only 0.2 mm, other specialized small-sized cards, rods having a diameter smaller than the slot, and other small pieces. An insertion of such foreign members will damage the device
1
and, if retained therein, only in part, will prevent the regular card from being inserted or used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an IC card read/write device capable of positively holding an inserted card in position.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an IC card read/write device capable of preventing the IC card from being damaged.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an IC card read/write device capable of removing irregular members such as a coin from a card chamber, which would otherwise result in a malfunction of the device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a protection cover, which allows only the normal IC card that meets the ISO 7815 to be inserted in an IC card read/write device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an IC card read/wr

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

IC card read/write apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with IC card read/write apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and IC card read/write apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3166407