Registers – Coded record sensors – Particular sensor structure
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-23
2003-12-09
Lee, Michael G. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Coded record sensors
Particular sensor structure
C235S380000, C235S475000, C235S479000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06659348
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manual card reader and a manual IC card reader.
b) Description of the Related Art
More specifically, the present invention relates to a manual IC card reader which pushes down an IC contacts block with the insertion of an IC card, to project it toward a card pathway.
In some IC card readers, cards are inserted and removed by hand In IC card readers, an IC contacts spring needs to be contacted with a contact terminal pattern on an IC card that has been stopped at a predetermined position when performing a data communication with the card.
For this reason, in a conventional manual IC card reader as illustrated in
FIGS. 15 and 16
, an IC contacts block
501
is supported by links
502
,
503
to project toward a card pathway
504
, a stop
508
is formed at the IC contacts block
501
, and the IC contacts block
501
is pushed down for contact as the IC card
505
is inserted. The IC contacts block
501
is pulled opposite to the card insertion direction by a spring
506
. The inserted IC card
505
hits against the stop
508
, and moves the IC contacts block
501
stretching the spring
506
. Therefore, the IC contacts block
501
is gradually lowered as it is moved together with the IC card
505
, and brings the IC contacts spring
507
into contact with the contact terminal pattern on the IC card
105
. Since the IC card
505
is accurately positioned by hitting against the stop
508
of the IC contacts block
501
, the IC contacts spring
507
of the IC contacts block
501
precisely contacts the corresponding contact terminal pattern on the IC card
505
.
Note that a code,
510
, indicates a magnetic head, and a code,
511
, indicates a foreign matter discharge opening.
In some manual card readers, a card is inserted and removed by hand for data reading and recording.
FIG. 21
illustrates this kind, a manual card reader
601
, in which magnetic data on a card
602
can be read by a magnetic head
603
as the card is inserted/removed.
On the other hand, in a manual IC card reader
604
as illustrated in
FIG. 22
, contacts
606
on a contacts block
605
need to be resiliently contacted on the card
602
which has stopped at a predetermined position for data communication with the card
602
. Therefore, such a manual IC card reader
604
may be equipped with a stop
607
that establishes contact with the incoming edge of the card
602
for positioning the card. The manual IC card reader
604
illustrated in
FIG. 22
, for example, uses the stop
607
provided at the contacts block
605
to position the card
602
at the predetermined location.
However, in the above mentioned manual IC card reader, the IC contacts block
501
is pushed down as the IC card
505
is inserted, and accordingly the friction between the IC card
505
and the card running surface
509
of the card pathway
504
is increased.
In other words, as the IC contacts block
501
is lowered, the IC contacts spring
507
gradually but strongly presses the IC card
505
down onto the card running surface
509
. This gradually increases friction that in turn becomes an insertion load on the IC card
505
.
Furthermore, as the IC contacts block
501
is lowered, the IC contacts springs
507
arranged in two rows strongly and simultaneously press the IC card
505
down onto the card running surface
509
. This increases friction that in turn becomes an insertion load on the IC card
505
. Therefore, the force necessary to bring the card in increases abruptly during the insertion, thus deteriorating the operability of the card insertion.
Also, a user may misunderstand a sudden increase of the insertion load during the card insertion as the completion of the card insertion. If the user mistakenly stops pushing in the IC card
505
during the insertion, not only can an excellent contact not be obtained between the contact terminal pattern on the IC card
505
and the IC contacts spring
507
on the IC contacts block
501
, but also an operational error may be caused due to an unusual contact position of the IC contacts spring
507
.
With such a manual IC card reader
604
, however, even when the card
602
taken inside the device is invalid due to expiration, etc., the card can be neither discharged from the back nor collected inside the device, but only returned to the card insertion slot. For this reason, users of the IC card reader
104
need to take the invalid card, which is returned to the card insertion slot, to the customer service to renew the card.
Also, if a user forgets to remove the card
602
from the IC card reader
604
, others may exploit the card
602
for misuse.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Then, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an IC card reader that can prevent an abrupt increase of the card insertion load, which is normally caused by projecting the IC contacts block onto the card pathway.
Also, a further object of the present invention is to provide an IC card reader that can prevent an abrupt increase of the card insertion load, caused by pushing the IC contacts block onto the card pathway.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide manual card reader and manual IC card reader in which invalid cards or the cards that could not be withdrawn by hand (the card left behind) can be collected internally.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4742213 (1988-05-01), Conant
patent: 4864114 (1989-09-01), Eriane et al.
patent: 4871905 (1989-10-01), Mita et al.
patent: 5010239 (1991-04-01), Mita
patent: 5036184 (1991-07-01), Sasaki
patent: 5051566 (1991-09-01), Pernet
patent: 5362951 (1994-11-01), Kanazawa et al.
patent: 6149064 (2000-11-01), Yamaoka et al.
patent: 6182899 (2001-02-01), Muller et al.
patent: 6186402 (2001-02-01), Johnson
patent: 6234391 (2001-05-01), Reichardt et al.
patent: 6240515 (2001-05-01), Carnegie et al.
patent: 6250552 (2001-06-01), Hirasawa
patent: 683 725 (1994-04-01), None
patent: 2 577 334 (1986-08-01), None
patent: 62 276682 (1987-12-01), None
patent: 409167210 (1997-06-01), None
patent: WO 95 29459 (1995-11-01), None
*English Abstract of FR 2 577 334 A.
*English Abstract of JP 62 276682.
*English Abstract of CH 683 725.
*English Abstract of WO 95 29459.
Nagata Shigeyuki
Takahashi Kazunori
Tatai Toshio
Watanabe Nozomi
Lee Seung H
Sankyo Seiki Mfg. Co. Ltd.
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