Electronic payment terminal with easily moldable casing
The electronic payment terminal's design with hooking projections on the free edges of peripheral walls simplifies molding and ensures secure attachment of the tamper detection sheet, effectively preventing fraudulent extraction and triggering alarms.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- FR2022014363
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Utility models
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2022-12-23
- Publication Date
- 2025-01-03
- Estimated Expiration
- 2032-12-23
AI Technical Summary
Existing electronic payment terminals face challenges in manufacturing tamper detection sheets with hooking projections that are complex to mold, affecting the effectiveness of detecting fraudulent extraction.
The electronic payment terminal features a housing body with hooking projections on the free edges of peripheral walls that simplify molding and ensure secure attachment of the tamper detection sheet, preventing fraudulent extraction without damaging the sheet.
The solution allows for easy manufacturing of the terminal while maintaining effective detection of tampering, ensuring the tamper detection sheet remains intact and triggers an alarm upon fraudulent attempts.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Electronic payment terminal with easily moldable housing
[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of electronic payment terminals, more particularly to assemblies comprising self-service electronic payment terminals.
[0002] An electronic payment terminal is already known in the state of the art, comprising a housing body in which are housed means for reading a payment data medium, for example a card provided with an electronic chip or a magnetic strip or both, these chip and strip allowing data exchanges.
[0003] The housing body usually comprises a bottom extending between peripheral walls. One of the peripheral walls at least partially delimits a slot for inserting the payment data carrier into the housing body.
[0004] In order to protect the terminal against malicious break-ins, it is known to at least partially cover the housing body with a tamper-detection coating. Such a coating comprises, for example, a sheet forming a flexible printed circuit, designated in particular by the English acronym FPC corresponding to the English terms "Flexible Printed Circuit". In this type of sheet, a dense network or lattice of fine conductors printed on the sheet is connected to an electronic circuit triggering an alarm as soon as damage to a conductor is detected, in particular by destruction or short-circuiting.
[0005] Typically, the printed circuit tamper detection sheet comprises an outer portion covering an outer surface of the housing body and at least one inner portion, folded inwardly of the housing body, at least partially covering inner surfaces of the peripheral walls.
[0006] The burglary detection coating thus makes it possible to detect any malicious drilling of the housing body intended to allow fraudulent access to sensitive information conductors.
[0007] Therefore, it is important to be able to detect any attempt to fraudulently extract part or all of the tamper detection sheet. For this, it is appropriate that any attempt to extract the tamper detection sheet causes the degradation of a conductor of this sheet and thus the triggering of an alarm.
[0008] For this purpose, it is known to hang the inner part of the burglar detection sheet using hanging projections, made of one material with in-wall surfaces. inner parts of the peripheral walls, cooperating with buttonholes provided in the inner part of the burglar detection sheet. The buttonholes are formed by holes provided in the inner part of the burglar detection sheet through which the projections are fitted.
[0009] Thus, in the event of an attempt to fraudulently extract part or all of the tamper detection sheet, the traction fraudulently exerted on the sheet causes the tearing of at least one buttonhole and therefore the destruction of at least one conductor of the sheet, which leads to the triggering of an alarm.
[0010] Since the housing body is generally made of plastic, it is known to manufacture it by molding. The attachment projections are generally formed by studs extending perpendicular to an inner face of a peripheral wall of the housing body. The studs are usually made of the same material as the peripheral wall. The particular orientation of the studs implies using a relatively complex mold for molding the housing body, for example, using a movable part forming a wedge or drawer allowing the studs to be demolded perpendicular to the inner face of the peripheral wall of the housing body.
[0011] The invention aims in particular to propose an electronic payment terminal comprising a housing body provided with projections for attaching a tamper detection sheet which is simple to manufacture by molding, without harming the effectiveness of detecting the fraudulent extraction of part or all of the tamper detection sheet.
[0012] To this end, the invention relates to an electronic payment terminal comprising a housing body in which are housed means for reading a payment data medium, the housing body being covered at least partially with a tamper-evident coating formed by a sheet forming a flexible printed circuit, called a tamper-evident sheet, the housing body comprising a bottom extending between peripheral walls, at least one of the peripheral walls comprising a free edge for supporting a rigid assembly comprising a printed circuit. The free support edge comprises at least one so-called hooking projection forming both a support stop for the rigid assembly and a button for hooking the tamper-evident sheet onto the housing body, this hooking projection cooperating by fitting with a buttonhole provided in the tamper-evident sheet.
[0013] It is easier to mold the hooking projection on the free edge of a peripheral wall of the housing body than on an inner surface of this peripheral wall. Indeed, it is not necessary to provide in the mold a movable part forming a wedge or drawer to demold the hooking projection formed on the free edge. It is thus possible to limit in a mold for manufacturing the housing body the number of movable parts forming wedges or drawers allowing the demolding of the housing body.
[0014] The free edge of a peripheral wall forming a support for the rigid printed circuit assembly, the height of the hooking projection is preferably limited. However, despite the low height of the hooking projection, in the event of traction exerted on the tamper-evident sheet with a view to fraudulent extraction of part or all of this sheet, there is no risk of the hooking projection coming out of the slot in which it is fitted without damaging the tamper-evident sheet. Indeed, the tamper-evident sheet is sandwiched between the rigid printed circuit assembly and the free edge of the peripheral wall, so that it is not possible to separate the tamper-evident sheet without destroying the slot through which the hooking projection extends.
[0015] According to other optional characteristics of the electronic payment terminal, taken alone or in combination:
[0016] - The attachment projection comprises a bearing face of the rigid assembly comprising the printed circuit substantially flush with an external surface of the tamper detection sheet. Thus, both the tamper detection sheet, sandwiched between the rigid assembly comprising the printed circuit and the free edge of the peripheral wall of the housing body, and the hooking projection prevent any introduction of a fraudulent tool between the free edge and the rigid assembly mounted to bear against the free edge. Furthermore, despite the low height of the hooking projection, in the event of fraudulent traction on the sheet, there is no risk of the hooking projection coming out of the corresponding slot without damaging the sheet. Indeed, this sheet is sandwiched between the rigid assembly and the free edge, so that it is not possible to extract the sheet without destroying a slot.
[0017] - The burglar detection sheet at least partially covering the body of housing comprises an outer portion covering an outer surface of the housing body and at least one inner portion, folded inwardly of the housing body, at least partially covering at least one of the peripheral walls.
[0018] - The peripheral walls comprise two opposite side walls, connected between they by first and second opposite end walls, the first end wall delimiting at least in part an insertion slot in the housing body of the payment data medium, each side wall comprising a free support edge of the rigid printed circuit assembly provided with at least one hooking projection, for example three hooking projections.
[0019] - The opposite side walls are substantially straight and parallel to each other, the bearing face of each attachment projection having a generally rectangular shape delimited by large sides substantially parallel to the opposite side walls.
[0020] - The payment terminal comprises at least one deformable connector comprising conductive layers extending in an elastomer matrix, arranged between the housing body and the rigid printed circuit assembly, the connector being intended to be electrically connected to an electronic circuit for detecting a break-in tending to separate the rigid printed circuit assembly from the housing body. Thus, even if one imagines that a malicious action manages to separate the rigid assembly relative to the free edge of at least one peripheral wall, in order to allow a hooking projection to release from its corresponding slot without damaging the sheet, at least one deformable connector arranged between the housing body and the rigid printed circuit assembly would detect the break-in, which would trigger an alarm.
[0021] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a self-service electronic payment terminal, in which the electronic payment terminal is as defined above. Brief description of the figures
[0022] The invention will be better understood on reading the following description given solely by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings in which:
[0023] [Fig-1] is a perspective view of an assembly according to the invention comprising an electronic payment terminal;
[0024] [Fig.2] is a perspective view from above of a part of the electronic payment terminal according to the invention showing a rigid assembly comprising a printed circuit covering a housing body of the terminal in which are housed means for reading a payment data medium;
[0025] [Fig.3] is a perspective view from below of the part of the electronic payment terminal shown in [Fig.2];
[0026] [Fig.4] is a perspective view of the portion of the electronic payment terminal shown in [Fig.3], in which the housing body has been removed;
[0027] [Fig.5] is a perspective view of the interior of the housing body;
[0028] [Fig.6] is a detailed perspective view of the interior of the housing body showing an unwanted liquid passage orifice provided through a safety partition;
[0029] [Fig.7] is a detailed perspective view of the rigid printed circuit assembly covering the housing body of the terminal, showing hooking projections each forming both a support stop for the rigid assembly and a hooking button on the housing body for a tamper detection sheet forming a printed circuit. Detailed description
[0030] [Fig. 1] shows an assembly according to the invention, designated by the general reference 10, comprising an electronic payment terminal 12. This assembly 10 comprises a fixed support of which a wall 14 has been shown separating a space E1 inside the support, generally not visible to a user of the terminal payment 12, from an EE space outside the support.
[0031] In a manner known per se, the payment terminal 12 comprises a plate 16 for fixing to the wall 14 of the support carrying an interface 18 for a user accessible from the external space EE. The interface 18 comprises in particular a keyboard 20 and an opening 22 for the introduction into the payment terminal 12 of a conventional payment data medium, for example a card provided with an electronic chip or a magnetic strip or both. The electronic chip as well as the magnetic strip allow data exchanges.
[0032] The part of the payment terminal 12 intended to extend into the interior space E1 comprises a housing body 24 in which conventional means for reading the payment data medium are housed.
[0033] More particularly, the means for reading the payment data medium, as well as other sensitive electronic means, are arranged in a protected space extending inside the body of the housing 24.
[0034] As can be seen in Figures 2 to 4, the part of the payment terminal 12 extending into the interior space E1 also comprises a conventional rigid assembly, comprising a printed circuit, called a rigid printed circuit assembly 26.
[0035] The housing body 24 is manufactured by molding from a material preferably comprising plastic. As can be seen in particular in FIGS. 5 and 6, the housing body 24 preferably has a generally flattened shape and comprises a bottom 28 extending between peripheral walls. These peripheral walls comprise first 30 and second 32 opposite side walls, connected together by first 34 and second 36 opposite end walls.
[0036] It will be noted that the opposite side walls 30, 32 are substantially straight and parallel to each other. Similarly, the opposite end walls 34, 36 are substantially straight and parallel to each other.
[0037] The first end wall 34 delimits, at least in part, a slot 38 for insertion into the housing body 24 of the payment data medium.
[0038] As can be seen in particular in Figures 3, 5 and 6, the housing body 24 is covered at least partially with a tamper-evident coating. Preferably, this tamper-evident coating is formed by at least one sheet forming a flexible printed circuit, designated in particular by the English acronym FPC corresponding to the English terms “Flexible Printed Circuit”. In this type of sheet, a dense network or lattice of fine conductors printed on the sheet is connected in a manner known per se to an electronic circuit triggering an alarm as soon as damage to a conductor is detected, in particular by destruction or short-circuiting.
[0039] In the example described, the burglar detection coating is formed by a single sheet 40 forming a flexible printed circuit.
[0040] This sheet 40 comprises an outer part 40E at least partially covering the outer surfaces of the housing body 24, namely the outer surfaces of the bottom 28 and the peripheral walls, more particularly the side walls 30, 32 and end walls 34, 36 (see in particular [Fig.3]).
[0041] The sheet 40 also comprises an inner portion 401, folded towards the inside of the housing body 24, at least partially covering the inner surfaces of the housing body 24, namely the inner surfaces of the bottom 28 and the peripheral walls, more particularly the side walls 30, 32 and end walls 34, 36 (see in particular [Fig.5]).
[0042] The rigid printed circuit assembly 26 is mounted in a manner known per se, bearing on free edges 30L, 32L, 36L of the side walls 30, 32 and at least of the second end wall 36, for example by screwing.
[0043] In order to detect in particular a break-in tending to separate the rigid assembly 26 from the housing body 24, at least one deformable connector 39 known per se, comprising conductive layers extending in an elastomer matrix, is arranged slightly in compression between the housing body 24 and the rigid assembly 26 with printed circuit. The payment terminal 12 may comprise, for example, two deformable connectors 39 (see [Fig. 4]), each connector 39 being electrically connected to an electronic break-in detection circuit by conventional electrical connection means 39R as visible in [Fig. 5].
[0044] The rigid printed circuit assembly 26 comprises a support 26P in the general shape of a plate, the faces of which are preferably covered at least partially with a tamper-detection coating formed by at least one sheet of the same type as the sheet 40.
[0045] As can be seen in [Fig. 4], the payment terminal 12 may comprise an additional rigid assembly 41, comprising a support 41P in the general shape of a plate whose faces are also covered at least partially with a tamper-evident coating of the same type as the sheet 40.
[0046] The supports 26P and 41P of the rigid assemblies 26 and 41 are substantially parallel to each other. The protected space inside the housing body 24 comprises the space extending between the supports 26P and 41P. The means for reading the payment data medium are housed between the supports 26P and 41P, so as to extend into the protected space.
[0047] So that any attempt to extract the burglar detection sheet 40 causes the degradation of a conductor of this sheet 40 and thus the triggering of an alarm, the inner part 401 of the sheet 40 is attached to the housing body 24 in particular using attachment projections, made of the same material as the inner surfaces of the housing body 24, cooperating with slots provided in the inner part of the sheet 40. These buttonholes are formed by orifices provided in the inner part of the sheet 40 through which the hooking projections are fitted. The traction fraudulently exerted on the sheet 40 causes the tearing of at least one buttonhole and therefore the destruction of at least one conductor of the sheet, which leads to an alarm being triggered.
[0048] Thus, referring in particular to Figures 5 and 6, it can be seen that a free edge of at least one side wall, preferably the free edge 30L, 32L of the two side walls 30, 32, is provided with three hooking projections 42.
[0049] Each hooking projection 42 forms both a hooking button on the housing body 24 of the sheet 40 forming the printed circuit (see figures 5 and 6) and a support stop for the rigid printed circuit assembly 26 (see [Fig.7]). Each hooking projection 42 cooperates by fitting with a buttonhole 44 formed in the sheet 40 forming the printed circuit (see [Fig.6]).
[0050] Of course, it is possible to provide, for each free edge 30L, 32L of the side wall, a number greater or less than three of hooking projections 42. If necessary, each free edge 30L, 32L may comprise a single hooking projection 42.
[0051] Referring in particular to Figures 5 to 7, it can be seen that each hooking projection 42 comprises a face 42F for bearing the rigid assembly 26 against the free edges 30L, 32L of the side walls of the housing body 24.
[0052] It will be noted that the bearing face 42F of each attachment projection 42 has a generally rectangular shape delimited by large sides substantially parallel to the opposite side walls 30, 32.
[0053] The free edges 30L, 32L of the side walls 30, 32 forming supports for the rigid printed circuit assembly 26, the height of the hooking projections 42 is preferably limited. This height is advantageously substantially equal to the thickness of the tamper detection sheet 40. Thus, the support face 42F of each projection 42 is substantially flush with an external surface of the sheet 40 forming the printed circuit.
[0054] It will therefore be noted that both the sheet 40, sandwiched between the rigid assembly 26 and the free edges 30L, 32L of the side walls 30, 32, and the projections 42 prevent any introduction of a fraudulent tool between the free edges 30L, 32L and the rigid assembly 26 mounted to bear against these free edges 30L, 32L.
[0055] Furthermore, despite the low height of the hooking projections 42, in the event of fraudulent traction on the sheet 40, there is no risk of a hooking projection 42 coming out of the corresponding buttonhole 44 without damaging the sheet 40. Indeed, this sheet 40 is clamped between the rigid assembly 26 and each free edge 30L, 32L, so that it is not possible to extract the sheet 40 without destroying a buttonhole 44.
[0056] Even if one imagines that a malicious action manages to separate the rigid assembly 26 from the free edge 30L, 32L of at least one side wall 30, 32, this in order to allow hooking projections 42 to disengage from their corresponding slots 44 without damaging the sheet 40, at least one deformable connector 39 arranged between the housing body 24 and the rigid printed circuit assembly 26 would detect the break-in, which would trigger an alarm.
[0057] It will be noted that the payment terminal 12 may include means other than the hooking projections 42 for hooking the inner part 401 of the sheet 40 onto the housing body 24. Thus, for example, as can be seen in [Fig. 5], hooking projections 46, forming studs substantially perpendicular to an inner face of the first end wall 34 and made of the same material as this wall 34, cooperate with slots 48 formed in the inner part 401 of the sheet 40.
[0058] With regard to tamper detection, the hooking projections 46 and the buttonholes 48 have functions similar to those of the hooking projections 42 and the buttonholes 44.
[0059] The invention is not limited to the embodiment presented and other embodiments will become clear to those skilled in the art. It is in particular possible for the hooking projection to have a shape other than rectangular, provided that it projects relative to the free edge. List of references
[0060] 10: Set comprising a payment terminal 12: Electronic payment terminal 14: Fixed support wall El: Interior space of the support EE: Exterior space of the support 16: Fixing plate on the support 18: Interface for a user 20: Keyboard 22: Opening for the introduction of the payment data carrier 24: Housing body 26: Rigid printed circuit assembly 26P: Rigid PCB assembly support 28: Bottom of the case body 30: First side wall 30L: Free edge of the first side wall 32: Second side wall 32L: Free edge of the second side wall 34: First end wall 34L: Free edge of the first end wall 36: Second end wall 36L: Free edge of the second end wall 38: Insertion slot in the body of the case 39: Deformable connector 39R: Connection means 40: Tamper-evident coating sheet 40E: Outer part of the covering sheet 401: Inner part of the covering sheet 41: Additional rigid assembly 41P: Additional rigid assembly support 42: Hanging projection 42F: Support face of the hanging projection 44: Buttonhole 46: Hanging plot 48: Buttonhole for the hanging pad
Claims
Claims
1. Electronic payment terminal (12) comprising a housing body (24) in which are housed means for reading a payment data medium, the housing body (24) being covered at least partially with a tamper detection coating formed by a sheet (40) forming a flexible printed circuit, called a tamper detection sheet (40), the housing body (24) comprising a bottom (28) extending between peripheral walls (30, 32, 34, 36), at least one of the peripheral walls (30, 32) comprising a free edge (30L, 32L) for supporting a rigid assembly (26) comprising a printed circuit, characterized in that the free support edge (30L, 32L) comprises at least one projection (42) called a hooking projection forming both a support stop for the rigid assembly (26) and a hooking button on the housing body (24) of the burglar detection sheet (40),this hooking projection (42) cooperating by fitting with a buttonhole (44) made in the burglary detection sheet (40).,
2. Electronic payment terminal (12) according to claim 1, in which the hooking projection (42) comprises a support face (42F) of the rigid assembly (26) comprising the printed circuit substantially flush with an external surface of the tamper detection sheet (40).
3. Electronic payment terminal (12) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tamper detection sheet (40) at least partially covering the housing body (24) comprises an outer portion (40E) covering an outer surface of the housing body (24) and at least one inner portion (401), folded towards the inside of the housing body (24), at least partially covering at least one of the peripheral walls (30, 32, 34, 36).
4. Electronic payment terminal (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the peripheral walls (30, 32, 34, 36) comprise two opposite side walls (30, 32), connected together by first (34) and second (36) opposite end walls, the first end wall (34) delimiting at least in part a slot (38) for insertion into the housing body (24) of the payment data medium, each side wall (30, 32) comprising a free edge (30L, 32L) for supporting the rigid printed circuit assembly (26) provided with at least one hooking projection (42), for example three projections hanging (42).
5. Electronic payment terminal (12) according to claims 2 and 4 taken together, in which the opposite side walls (30, 32) are substantially straight and parallel to each other, the bearing face (42F) of each hooking projection (42) having a generally rectangular shape delimited by large sides substantially parallel to the opposite side walls (30, 32).
6. Electronic payment terminal (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising at least one deformable connector (39) comprising conductive layers extending in an elastomer matrix, arranged between the housing body (24) and the rigid printed circuit assembly (26), the connector (39) being intended to be electrically connected to an electronic circuit for detecting a break-in tending to separate the rigid printed circuit assembly (26) from the housing body (24).
7. Assembly comprising a self-service electronic payment terminal (12), characterized in that the electronic payment terminal (12) is according to any one of claims 1 to 6.