Reader / writer holder

Abstract

To provide a reader / writer holder that properly sets a positional relation between an RF tag on an information recording medium such as a document and a reader / writer, thereby enabling reliable reading and writing of information by the reader / writer.SOLUTION: An information recording medium on which an RF tag is disposed can be restrained by a restraining unit with respect to a reader / writer 20 held by a frame unit 11, and the RF tag on the restrained information recording medium is positioned at a location where it can communicate with the reader / writer 20, thereby creating a state in which the reader / writer 20 can perform reading and writing with respect to the RF tag on the information recording medium. Therefore, even if the information recording medium on which the RF tag is disposed and the reader / writer 20 are different in sizes, the restrained information recording medium is less likely to shift relative to the reader / writer 20, enhancing the reliability of reading and writing by the reader / writer 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a reader / writer holder that holds a reader / writer that reads and writes information to an RF tag, and at the same time enables the reader / writer to read and write information to an RF tag placed on an information recording medium that it restrains. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there has been an increase in cases where certificates, while retaining their function as conventional documents with visible recorded information, are used to make separately recorded information (data) readable from outside, and to expedite procedures that require certificates. Methods for allowing such readable information to coexist with documents include issuing documents as IC cards and attaching RF tags to paper documents.

[0003] On the other hand, to read information recorded on an IC card or an RF tag attached to a document, or to write information to the document, a reader / writer compatible with such IC cards or RF tags is used.

[0004] Conventional reader / writers can correctly read and write information by positioning an IC card or RF tag within the reader / writer's communication range, such as by placing the IC card or RF tag over the reader / writer. An example of such a conventional reader / writer is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-113727. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-113727 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Conventional reader / writers have the configurations shown in the above-mentioned patent documents, and are miniaturized to be close in size to IC cards in order to be compatible with general IC cards. For this reason, in the case of documents that are larger than the size of an IC card and larger than the reader / writer, such as documents with RF tags attached to the paper, with conventional reader / writers the document is placed on the reader / writer so as to cover it, which is installed on a desk or the like, in order to read and write the document's RF tag.

[0007] At this time, the document is simply placed on top of the reader / writer, so there is a problem that the document can shift inadvertently relative to the reader / writer, causing a misalignment between the RF tag on the document and the read / write position of the reader / writer. Also, when aligning the document so that the RF tag can be read and written by the reader / writer underneath, depending on the position of the RF tag on the document, it is necessary to do so in a state where the reader / writer is completely covered by the document, so alignment cannot be performed properly, and there is a risk of misalignment between the read / write position of the RF tag on the document and the reader / writer.

[0008] If the read / write position of a document's RF tag and that of the reader / writer are misaligned, not only will the reader / writer be unable to read the recorded information correctly, but any writing attempt performed despite the unstable reading and writing state may fail midway, which could lead to the destruction of the recorded information in the RF tag.

[0009] In addition, since RF tags on documents are usually small compared to the overall size of the paper document, if the position of the RF tag is not clearly indicated on the document or if the user does not know in advance the position of the RF tag on the document, it is expected that it will be difficult to correctly align the RF tag with the reader / writer.

[0010] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a holder for a reader / writer that properly sets the positional relationship between an RF tag and a reader / writer on an information recording medium such as a document, thereby ensuring that the reader / writer can read and write information. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The reader / writer holder disclosed in the present invention is a reader / writer holder that holds a substantially plate-shaped reader / writer that can at least one of read information recorded in an RF tag and write information, and comprises a substantially rectangular frame portion that is formed so as to be able to hold the reader / writer inside while surrounding it, and one or more restraining portions that are attached to a first frame side of the frame portion and are capable of restraining an information recording medium comprising an RF tag integrally arranged on a specified sheet body, the frame portion having undulating portions with different heights formed on the edges of the second and third frame sides that are in opposing positional relationship, the restraining portions are clip-shaped that protrude inward from the first frame side of the frame portion and can face the reader / writer, and are provided on the side of the frame portion with the undulating portions, and with the reader / writer held by the frame portion, the information recording medium is sandwiched between the restraining portion and the surface of the reader / writer and restrained by abutting it against the undulating portions of the frame portion.

[0012] Thus, according to the disclosure of the present invention, an information recording medium on which an RF tag is arranged can be restrained by using a restraint portion to a reader / writer held in a frame portion, and the RF tag on the restrained information recording medium is positioned at a location where it can communicate with the reader / writer, thereby achieving a state in which the reader / writer can read and write to the RF tag on the information recording medium.Even if the information recording medium on which the RF tag is arranged and the reader / writer are different sizes, the restrained information recording medium is less likely to shift relative to the reader / writer, thereby improving the reliability of reading and writing by the reader / writer. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a plan view of a reader / writer holder according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a side view of a reader / writer holder according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a front view of a reader / writer holder according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view of a reader / writer holder according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a reader / writer is fitted into a reader / writer holder according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a perspective view of a reader / writer holder according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a reader / writer holding state. [Figure 7] 5 is an explanatory diagram of the positional relationship between a restraining portion and an undulating portion in the reader / writer holder according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a document restraining state in the reader / writer holder according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a state in which an IC card is held in the reader / writer holder according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 5 is a schematic explanatory view of a first alternative example of a restraining portion in the reader / writer holder according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 11] 13 is a schematic explanatory view of a second alternative example of the restraining portion in the reader / writer holder according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 12] 5 is a schematic explanatory view of another example of the undulating portion in the reader / writer holder according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a schematic side view of a reader / writer holder according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] 1A and 1B are six external views and a perspective view of a reader / writer holder according to a first embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] (First embodiment of the present invention) A reader / writer holder according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 9. In this embodiment, an example of a holder for holding a reader / writer that holds a motor vehicle inspection certificate (vehicle inspection certificate) as a document serving as an information recording medium and enables the held reader / writer to read and write information from and to an RF tag attached to the vehicle inspection certificate.

[0015] In each of the above figures, the holder 10 of this embodiment is configured to include a roughly frame-shaped frame portion 11 capable of holding a known reader / writer 20, and a restraint portion 12 capable of restraining a document 50 with an RF tag 52 in the vicinity of the reader / writer 20 held by this frame portion 11.

[0016] The document 50 bound to the reader / writer 20 by the holder 10 according to this embodiment is a type of information recording medium consisting of a sheet body with an RF tag integrally disposed thereon, and more specifically, a mount 51 serving as a sheet body on which predetermined information is visibly written as character strings, images, diagrams, two-dimensional codes, etc., and an RF tag 52 recording information related to the matters written on the mount 51 is integrally disposed thereon. Specifically, this document 50 is a motor vehicle inspection certificate equipped with an RF tag 52 as a digitalization compatible specification.

[0017] The holder 10 can also hold an IC card 60 instead of a document 50. When the IC card 60 is held, the reader / writer 20 communicates with the IC card 60 and is capable of reading and writing information.

[0018] The reader / writer 20 held by the holder 10 according to this embodiment is a known device capable of reading information recorded in the RF tag 52 and writing information in a non-contact manner. The reader / writer 20 is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape, and while held in the holder 10, reads and writes information from and to the RF tag 52 of the document 50 bound by the holder 10.

[0019] The mechanism by which this reader / writer 20 contactlessly reads and writes information recorded in the RF tag 52 or the IC card 60 is similar to that of a known reader / writer that employs NFC (near field wireless communication) technology, which wirelessly communicates with the IC card or RF tag and supplies power to the IC chip mounted thereon, and reads and writes information, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0020] The reader / writer 20 is also communicatively connected to an information processing device such as a computer (not shown) via wireless communication according to standard methods such as the IEEE 802.15 series (Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy, etc.) or the IEEE 802.11 series (wireless LAN, etc.), and exchanges information read from the RF tag 52 or IC card 60 of the document 50 and information to be written to the RF tag 52 or IC card 60 with the information processing device, similar to known reader / writers, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0021] The reader / writer 20 has functional units, specifically, operation units 21 such as a power switch 21a, a display unit 22 showing an operating state, and a connector unit 23 for connecting a charging device, etc., arranged on each side surface. Among these, some of the operation units (e.g., the power switch 21a, etc.) 21, the display unit 22, and the connector unit 23 are concentrated on one short side surface (first side surface 25) of the reader / writer 20.

[0022] The display unit 22 is configured to include a power lamp 22a and a communication status confirmation lamp 22b arranged on a first side surface 25 of the reader / writer 20 and capable of emitting light in one or more colors. The connector section 23 is for electrically connecting a charging device (not shown) itself or a cable connected to a charging device for charging the battery built into the reader / writer 20.

[0023] The reader / writer 20 is communicatively connected via wireless communication to an information processing device that processes information read from the RF tag 52 or the IC card 60 and information to be written to the RF tag 52 or the IC card 60, but this is not limited to this. The reader / writer 20 may be connected via a wired connection to the information processing device via a cable for connecting to the information processing device while held in the holder 10 to communicate with the information processing device.

[0024] The reader / writer 20 is configured to operate by receiving power from a built-in battery, similar to known wireless communication type reader / writers, but is not limited to this. It may also be configured to receive power from an information processing device connected via a cable, or to receive power from a commercial power source connected directly or via an AC adapter or the like.

[0025] For convenience, when the reader / writer 20 is held by the holder 10, the direction corresponding to the thickness direction of the approximately rectangular plate-like reader / writer 20 is referred to as the up-down direction of the holder 10, the direction corresponding to the direction of the long side of the rectangle of the reader / writer 20 is referred to as the front-rear direction of the holder 10, and the direction corresponding to the direction of the short side of the rectangle of the reader / writer 20 is referred to as the left-right direction of the holder 10, regardless of the direction in which the reader / writer 20 is actually installed on a desk or the like. The side of the holder 10 with the restraining portion 12 relative to the frame portion 11 is referred to as the top, and the side with the tip portion 12c relative to the joint portion of the restraining portion 12 with the frame portion 11 is referred to as the front, and the left and right of the holder 10 correspond to the left and right when the holder 10 is viewed from the front.

[0026] The frame portion 11 is made of a transparent or semi-transparent plastic material such as acrylic resin (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), or the like, and is configured to be formed in a substantially rectangular frame shape capable of fitting and holding the reader / writer 20 inside. The frame portion 11 has four frame sides 11a, 11l, 11m, and 11n corresponding to the four sides of the rectangle.

[0027] The frame portion 11 is formed in an open state with a large cutout at a rear end portion overlapping a first side surface 25 on which the functional portions such as an operation portion 21 and a display portion 22 of the reader / writer 20 in the held state are located.

[0028] The rear end side of the frame portion 11 is configured such that a plate-like body arranged horizontally so as to overlap the upper side of the reader-writer 20 serves as the first frame side 11a, instead of leaving the portion overlapping the first side surface 25 of the reader-writer 20 in an open state. The plate-like body of a predetermined width serves as the first frame side 11a on the rear end side and is integrally connected to the second frame side 11l and the third frame side 11m on the left and right sides of the frame portion 11, so that unnecessary deformation of the frame portion 11 can be prevented when the reader-writer 20 is held by the holder 10, etc. If each part of the frame portion other than the plate-like body as the first frame side has sufficient strength and is not easily deformed even when an external force is applied, the frame portion may be configured such that the frame side on the rear end side of the plate-like body or the like is omitted, and the frame portion is configured to surround and hold the reader-writer only from three sides, the left and right sides and the front side.

[0029] In addition, on both the left and right sides of the open portion of the frame portion 11 corresponding to the first side surface 25 of the reader / writer 20 in the held state, there are formed locking portions 11b that overlap a portion of the first side surface 25 to prevent the reader / writer 20 from shifting in the longitudinal direction (front-to-back direction) of the frame portion 11.

[0030] Meanwhile, among the frame sides 11l, 11m, and 11n of the frame portion 11 overlapping with each side surface other than the first side surface 25 of the reader / writer 20 in the held state, notches 11d are provided at locations corresponding to the operation unit 21 (for example, the mode switch 21b), the display unit 22, the connector unit 23, and the like provided on each side surface other than the first side surface 25 of the reader / writer 20. Note that holes may be provided instead of the notches 11d.

[0031] In this way, by providing notches or holes in the frame portion 11 at locations corresponding to the operation unit 21, display unit 22, connector unit 23, etc., provided on the side of the reader / writer 20, it is possible to operate the operation unit 21, view the display unit 22, connect to the connector unit 23, etc. without any problems even when the reader / writer 20 is held by the holder 10.

[0032] In particular, the display unit 22 of the reader / writer 20 is located in the open portion of the frame unit 11, and is always visible even when held by the holder 10. In addition, the display unit 22 does not overlap with the document 50 held by the holder 10, and is exposed and visible.

[0033] In addition, in the frame 11, the locking portion 11b is formed on both the left and right sides of the open portion corresponding to the first side surface 25 of the reader / writer 20, and the edge of the notch 11d corresponding to the operation unit 21 on the other side surface of the reader / writer 20 is provided with a rib 11e protruding outward in a predetermined arrangement, so that the operation unit 21 is less likely to come into contact with an object. This is a mechanism that can prevent the reader / writer 20 from malfunctioning due to an object hitting the operation unit 21. The rib 11e provided on the edge of the notch 11d is not limited to a configuration in which it is continuously arranged around the edge of the notch 11d and is arranged so as to surround the notch 11d, and may be arranged intermittently as long as it is arranged to prevent an object from coming into contact with the operation unit. Also, when a hole is provided instead of the notch 11d, the rib may be continuously or intermittently arranged on the edge of the hole in the same manner as the notch.

[0034] Such ribs not only protect the functional parts such as the operation part 21, the display part 22, the connector part 23, etc., but also serve as a kind of reminder means to make the user aware that there are functional parts in the vicinity of the ribs.

[0035] The notches or holes on the side of the frame section 11 may also be provided at locations corresponding to the operation section 21, the display section 22, the connector section 23, etc., when the reader / writer 20 is attached upside down (top and bottom) to the frame section 11. When the notches or holes are provided in this way, the reader / writer 20 can be used by attaching it upside down (top and bottom) to the frame section 11. Even if the reader / writer 20 is upside down, when the document 50 or the IC card 60 is restrained by the holder 10, these are located within the communication range of the reader / writer 20 held by the holder 10, and information can be read and written without any problem.

[0036] Conversely, when the reader / writer 20 is attached upside down (top and bottom) to the frame portion 11, the areas corresponding to the operation portion 21, the display portion 22, the connector portion 23, etc. may be covered so that the user can see that the reader / writer 20 is attached upside down to the holder 10 compared to the correct orientation.

[0037] In addition, a guide indicator may be provided somewhere on holder 10 to encourage the user to fit reader / writer 20 into frame portion 11 and hold it in holder 10 in an orientation that aligns operation portion 21, display portion 22, connector portion 23, etc. with a notch or hole provided in frame portion 11.

[0038] Meanwhile, a protruding portion is formed on the end portion (fourth frame side 11n on the front end side) of frame portion 11 opposite the open portion, and this protruding portion is provided with a hole portion 11j for attaching a strap. A lower plate portion 11h of a predetermined width is provided on the front end side of the frame portion 11 so as to overlap the underside of the reader / writer 20. This lower plate portion 11h is integrally connected to the left and right frame sides 11l, 11m of the frame portion 11 and the frame side 11n on the front end side, so that, like the plate-like frame side 11a arranged on the upper side, unnecessary deformation of the frame portion 11 can be prevented when the reader / writer 20 is held by the holder 10.

[0039] Of the left and right second frame sides 11l and the third frame side 11m of the frame portion 11, the upper edge portions located on the left and right sides of the restraining portion 12 are undulating portions 13 having a height difference. The undulating portions 13 are configured to have a plurality of high portions 13a, 13b and a plurality of low portions 13c, 13d. The undulating portions 13 also have slopes located between the high portions and the low portions, and are configured to have parts of the high portions protruding inwardly of the frame.

[0040] The high parts 13a and 13b are set to be located at a position distal to the surface of the reader / writer 20, i.e., at a higher position, than the closest part (central part 12b described later) of the restraining part 12 that is closest to the surface of the reader / writer 20, when the reader / writer 20 is held by the frame part 11. The high parts 13a and 13b are the uppermost part of a convexly raised part when viewed from the left and right sides of the holder 10, with the low parts 13c and 13d being used as references, and appear as an intersection of flat surfaces or a flat surface and a curved surface, a curved surface, or a flat surface of a predetermined size.

[0041] On the other hand, the low-level parts 13c and 13d are located below the closest part (central part 12b) of the restraining part 12 to the reader / writer 20. The low-level parts 13c and 13d are located at the same level as or lower than the surface (upper surface) of the reader / writer 20 when the reader / writer 20 is held by the frame part 11. Therefore, in the vertical direction, the closest part of the restraining part 12 and the surface of the reader / writer 20 are located between the positions of the low-level parts 13c and 13d and the positions of the high-level parts 13a and 13b. More specifically, the height difference S1 between the closest portion of restraint portion 12 and low portions 13c, 13d, and the height difference S2 between the closest portion of restraint portion 12 and the surface of reader / writer 20 are both set to be less than half the height difference H between high portions 13a, 13b and low portions 13c, 13d in undulating portion 13 (see Figure 7).

[0042] The high parts 13a and 13b of the undulating part 13 are provided at two locations with different degrees of separation from the first frame side 11a, i.e., at two locations shifted in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the high parts 13a and 13b are provided at a location (front location) that is distal to the first frame side 11a and a location (rear location) that is proximal to the first frame side 11a from the position of the closest part (central part 12b) of the restraining part 11, respectively. A low part 13c is interposed between these two high parts 13a and 13b. The degree of separation of this low part 13c from the first frame side 11a is set to be the same as the degree of separation of the closest part (central part 12b) of the restraining part 12 from the first frame side 11a, i.e., the arrangement position of the low part 13c in the front-rear direction is made to coincide with the closest part.

[0043] The upper surface shape of the undulating portion 13 consisting of the high portions 13a, 13b and the low portions 13c, 13d arranged in this manner has a surface shape that roughly matches the shape of the lower surface of the restraining portion 12 closer to the reader / writer 20 when viewed from the left and right sides of the holder 10.

[0044] By arranging high parts 13a, 13b and low parts 13c, 13d of undulating part 13 in this manner, undulating part 13 also abuts against document 50 when document 50 serving as an information recording medium is sandwiched between restraining part 12 and reader / writer 20. This makes it possible to restrain document 50 so that it does not shift in any direction, and also prevents document 50 from being excessively deformed, such as bent or dented, and prevents excessive force from being applied to RF tag 52 that could cause malfunction.

[0045] In addition, the undulating portion may have one high portion and one low portion as long as there is a height difference. At least one of the high portions may be provided at a predetermined location (front location) that is distal to the first frame side 11a from the position of the closest portion of the restraint portion 12. At least one of the low portions may be provided on the proximal side of the first frame side 11a, i.e., on the rear side, of the high portion provided at the predetermined location. The location of such a high portion is a location forward or rear of the position of the closest portion of the restraint portion 12, and is not overlapped with the position of the closest portion of the restraint portion 12.

[0046] The minimum horizontal distance between the undulating portions 13 on each of the left and right frame sides 11l, 11m is made slightly larger than the short-side dimension of the IC card 60 to be read or written by the reader / writer 20, allowing the IC card 60 to be positioned between the left and right undulating portions 13.

[0047] The undulating portion 13 plays a role in guiding the document 50 or the IC card 60 to be read or written by the reader / writer 20 to an appropriate position when the document 50 or the IC card 60 is inserted between the restraining portion 12 and the reader / writer 20 and restrained.

[0048] The protruding portions of these undulating portions 13 toward the inside of the frame are arranged intermittently in the front-to-rear direction of the frame portion 11, and, together with being located toward the left-to-right ends of the holder 10 like the frame portion 11, the surface (top surface) of the reader / writer 20 held in the holder 10 is left largely open (see Figure 6).

[0049] This ensures a wide area for fingers to hook when restraining documents 50 or IC cards 60, making it easy to perform restraining operations. In addition, if the undulating parts were arranged continuously, there would be a risk that the load for restraining documents, etc. would be concentrated on the parts facing the restraining parts, but by dividing the undulating parts in each direction, the load can be dispersed.

[0050] The portion of the undulating portion 13 near the front end of the holder 10 is formed in a slope that slopes downward as it approaches the front end of the holder 10 . In detail, the undulating portion 13 has one high portion 13a located distal to the first frame side 11a, i.e., one low portion 13c located adjacent to the high portion 13a and closer to the front end of the holder 10 than the high portion 13a. A first slope 13e is provided that continues from the high portion 13a to the low portion 13c. In this way, a first slope 13e is formed in the portion of the undulating portion 13 near the front end of the holder, and the slope of slope 13e of the undulating portion 13 widens the vertical distance between the tip of the restraining portion and the front end of the undulating portion 13 relative to the tip of the restraining portion 12.By inserting document 50 between restraining portion 12 and reader / writer 20 along slope 13e of the undulating portion 13, it is less likely that the end of document 50 will hit the tip of the restraining portion and prevent insertion, and document 50 can be smoothly inserted and restrained.

[0051] 1, 4, and 6, the high portion 13a and the first slope 13e of each undulating portion 13 near the front end of the holder 10 are formed to protrude inward of the frame portion 11. Of these, the first slope 13e is tapered so that the amount of protrusion inward of the frame decreases as it approaches the low portion 13c, and the slope width gradually narrows. Accordingly, among the open portions within the frame of the frame portion 11, the intermediate portion sandwiched between the tapered first slopes 13e of the left and right undulating portions 13 is flared outward as it approaches the front end of the holder 10. As a result, when inserting the IC card 60 between the restraining portion 12 and the reader / writer 20, by inserting the IC card 60 along the slope 13e of either the left or right undulating portion 13, the IC card 60 can be properly guided to the center between the left and right undulating portions 13 and positioned above the center of the reader / writer 20, easily achieving a state in which the IC card 60 can be properly read and written by the reader / writer 20.

[0052] Furthermore, a continuous second inclined surface 13f is provided from another high-level portion 13b located near the rear end of the holder 10 among the high-level portions of the undulating portion 13 to another adjacent low-level portion 13d on the side that is more distal to the first frame side 11a than this high-level portion 13b, i.e., on the side that is closer to the front end of the holder 10. The other high-level portion 13b and the second inclined surface 13f are also formed to protrude inwardly of the frame portion 11, but among these, the second inclined surface 13f is formed in a tapered shape in which the amount of protrusion inwardly of the frame is reduced as it approaches the low-level portion 13d, and the inclined surface width is gradually narrowed, similar to the first inclined surface 13e.

[0053] In this way, the second slope 13f that protrudes toward the inside of the frame part 11 together with the high part 13b in the undulating part 13 is tapered as the protrusion amount toward the inside of the frame decreases as it approaches the low part 13d, and a corner of the slope protruding into the open part inside the frame is not generated. As a result, a step is unlikely to occur at the end of the second slope 13f on the low part 13d side, and when inserting the document 50, which is an information recording medium, between the restraining part 12 and the reader / writer 20, the document 50 can be smoothly inserted by guiding the end of the document 50 to the second slope 13f, and it is possible to prevent the end of the document 50 from hitting the step part of the slope end, making it difficult to insert. Therefore, the document 50 can be easily restrained between the restraining part 12 and the reader / writer 20, and can reach an appropriate position on the reader / writer 20 where the RF tag 52 can be reliably read and written.

[0054] Furthermore, in the undulating portion 13, a third slope 13g is provided that continues from one high portion 13a to another low portion 13d adjacent to the high portion 13a on the side closer to the first frame side 11a than the high portion 13a, i.e., on the rear side. The third slope 13g is configured to have a gradient larger than the gradients of the first and second slopes 13e and 13f.

[0055] By setting the gradient in this way, when the document 50 tries to move along the undulating portion 13 in the direction in which the second and third frame sides 11l and 11m are continuous, the resistance applied by the undulating portion 13 differs depending on the direction in which the document 50 moves. For example, when the document 50 is inserted between the restraining portion 12 and the reader / writer 20 by moving it from the tip end side of the restraining portion 12 toward the first frame side 11a, the resistance of the slopes 13e and 13f that may come into contact with the document 50 is relatively small, making it easier to insert. On the other hand, when the document 50 located between the restraining portion 12 and the reader / writer 20 tries to move from the base end side close to the first frame side 11a of the restraining portion 12 toward the tip end side and come off, the resistance of the slope 13g that may come into contact with the document 50 is relatively large, making it possible to prevent the document 50 from coming off easily.

[0056] The other high portion 13b located near the rear end of the holder 10 in the undulating portion 13 and the second inclined surface 13f connected thereto may have a role other than guiding the end of the document 50 inserted between the restraining portion 12 and the reader / writer 20. For example, when the document 50 is inserted between the restraining portion 12 and the reader / writer 20, but is positioned on the reader / writer 20 without reaching the innermost portion of the restraining portion 12 (the connecting portion with the first frame side 11a of the restraining portion 12), the high portion 13b and the second inclined surface 13f may function as a kind of regulating portion that applies resistance to the movement of the document 50 and serves as a guide for positioning.

[0057] Furthermore, since each of the slopes 13e, 13f, 13g in the undulating portion 13 is provided from a higher portion to a lower portion, the slope is shaped to slope upward or downward along the continuous direction of the left and right frame sides 11l, 11m. However, the slope is not limited to this, and it is also acceptable for the slope to have a more complex slope, for example, a slope shape that slopes downward as it goes toward the inside of the frame, with slopes in the left and right directions also overlapping. Furthermore, the undulating portion 13 is configured to have slopes 13e, 13f, and 13g in addition to the high portions 13a, 13b and low portions 13c, 13d having a height difference. However, in addition to these slopes, the undulating portion 13 may also have a portion of any shape that is included within the range of the height difference between the high portions and the low portions, a so-called middle portion. Furthermore, the undulating portion 13 is configured to have continuous slopes 13e, 13f, and 13g, respectively, from its high portion to its low portion, but this is not limited to this, and it is also acceptable for there to be no slope between the high portion and the low portion of the undulating portion, and for the high portion and the low portion to be adjacent to each other with one or more steps between them corresponding to the difference in height.

[0058] In addition, claw portions 11f are formed on the inner lower portions of the left and right frame sides 11l, 11m of the frame portion 11 so as to protrude inwardly of the frame, to prevent the reader / writer 20 fitted in the frame portion 11 from falling off.

[0059] Of the left and right frame sides 11l, 11m of this frame portion 11, the outer side surfaces of the frame sides, which are the outer portions of both the left and right ends of the holder 10, may be provided with ribs 11g that continue in the front-to-rear direction of the holder 10 to increase strength. Furthermore, a rib may be provided on the outer side of the frame side 11n on the front end side of the holder 10 in the frame portion 11, which is continuous in the left-right direction of the holder 10, to increase the strength.

[0060] The restraining portion 12 is configured to be capable of supporting the document 50 with the RF tag 52 attached thereto in a predetermined restrained state relative to the frame portion 11. The restraining portion 12 is attached to a first frame side 11a of the frame portion 11, and is in the form of a clip that protrudes from the first frame side 11a toward the inside of the frame and can face the reader / writer 20. The restraining portion 12 is provided on the upper side of the frame portion 11 where the undulating portion 13 is located, and is located between the undulating portions 13 of the two left and right frame sides 11l and 11m. Like the frame portion 11, the restraining portion 12 is made of a transparent or semi-transparent plastic material such as acrylic resin (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), or the like, and is configured to be formed in a tongue shape that is integrally connected to the frame portion 11. The restraining portion 12 is formed to be thinner than the frame portion 11. The thickness of the restraining portion 12 is preferably, for example, less than the height difference (H) between the high and low portions of the undulating portion 13, and greater than the height difference (S1) between the low portion 13d and the portion of the restraining portion 12 that is closest to the reader / writer 20.

[0061] The restraining portion 12 includes a base portion 12a connected to the first frame side 11a of the frame portion 11, a tip portion 12c distant from the base portion 12a, and a central portion 12b sandwiched between the base portion 12a and the tip portion 12c. The restraining portion 12 is formed in a shape in which the central portion 12b is bent (protruded) downwardly relative to the base portion 12a and the tip portion 12c so as to be positioned closer to the reader / writer 20 in the held state as the closest portion to the surface of the reader / writer 20 in the restraining portion 12. This makes it possible to strongly hold the document 50 or the like sandwiched between the restraining portion 12 and the surface of the reader / writer 20 by the elastic force of the restraining portion 12. However, the underside of central portion 12b of restraining portion 12, which is the portion closest to the surface of reader / writer 20, is positioned vertically between high portions 13a, 13b and low portions 13c, 13d of undulating portion 13, so that the sandwiched document 50 is deformed between restraining portion 12 and each undulating portion 13, making it difficult for document 50 to shift left / right where restraining portion 12 and each undulating portion 13 are aligned, while preventing document 50 from being pressed excessively against the surface of reader / writer 20.

[0062] With respect to such restraining section 12, undulating sections 13 of frame section 11 located on the left and right sides of restraining section 12 have their upper surface shapes substantially following the shape of the lower surface of restraining section 12 closer to reader / writer 20. In particular, low portion 13d of undulating section 13 corresponds to the lower surface shape of central portion 12b of restraining section 12, and the upper surface shapes of inclined surfaces 13f, 13g sandwiching low portion 13d of undulating section 13 correspond to inclined surface portions located in the front-rear direction of central portion 12b of restraining section 12. As a result, document 50 held between restraining section 12 and the surface of reader / writer 20 can be kept in a deformed state on undulating section 13 that follows the same shape as the lower surface of restraining section 12, and excessive deformation of RF tag 52 embedded in document 50 can be suppressed.

[0063] The lower surface of the restraining portion 12 is configured to be positioned at approximately the same position in the vertical direction of the holder as the higher portions 13a, 13b of the undulating portion 13 located on the left and right sides of the restraining portion 12, or positioned lower closer to the reader / writer 20. Therefore, the document 50 held between the restraining portion 12 and the surface of the reader / writer 20 can be supported also by the surfaces of the undulating portions 13 on the sides of the restraining portion 12 and held more reliably.

[0064] In this case, if the lower surface position of the restraining portion 12 is positioned too far downward, the document 50 can be held firmly, but a large load is applied to the contact point of the document 50 with the restraining portion 12, which may cause deformation of the document 50. In contrast, if the restraining portion 12 does not press the document 50 down until it contacts the reader / writer 20, and the document 50 is supported by the restraining portion 12 and the right and left undulating portions 13 (three-point support), the document 50 will not fall off or shift, and deformation of the document 50 can be prevented while obtaining a high holding strength between the restraining portion 12 and the undulating portions 13 that follow the surface shape of the document 50.

[0065] In addition, the underside of the restraining portion 12 and the surfaces of the upper edges of each frame side 11l, 11m, 11n of the frame portion 11 including the undulating portion 13, which may come into contact with the document 50, which is an information recording medium, can be made rough or uneven, making it difficult for the document 50 that comes into contact with them to shift sideways, thereby improving the holding and restraining performance of the document 50.

[0066] The restraining portion 12 has a shape in which the tip portion 12c is inclined upward with respect to the recessed central portion 12b. The tip position of the restraining portion 12 is set to coincide with the range of the high portion 13a and the slope 13e near the front end of the holder in the undulating portion 13 on the left and right sides of the frame portion 11 in the front-rear direction of the holder 10. In this way, the upwardly inclined tip portion 12c of the restraining portion 12 advances forward to a position corresponding to the high portion 13a and the slope 13e of the undulating portion 13, and the vertical distance between the tip of the restraining portion 12 and the front end of the undulating portion 13 is further increased, and the document can be easily inserted between the restraining portion 12 and the reader / writer 20 to be restrained. However, the vertical distance between the lower tip of the restraint portion 12 and the undulating portion 13 is made smaller than the height difference between the high and low portions of the undulating portion 13 so that the restraint portion 12 does not protrude excessively upward in the holder 10.

[0067] In addition, in the front-to-rear direction of holder 10, as long as the tip of restraint portion 12 is positioned within the range of the slope 13e of undulating portion 13 in frame portion 11, and there is a predetermined distance between the tip of restraint portion 12 and undulating portion 13 in the vertical direction of holder 10, and the vertical distance between tip portion 12c of restraint portion 12 and undulating portion 13 becomes wider the closer to the front end of the holder, resulting in a flared state, tip portion 12c of restraint portion 12 is not limited to an upwardly inclined shape, and may be horizontal (parallel to the surface of reader / writer 20) or downwardly facing. Furthermore, the tip 12c of the restraint portion 12 is flat and unbent except at the connection portion with the central portion 12b, but is not limited to this. As long as the vertical distance between the tip 12c and the undulating portion 13 increases toward the front end of the holder, the tip may be bent in one or more stages.

[0068] The front position of frame side 11a on the rear end side of frame portion 11, to which base portion 12a of restraining portion 12 is connected, serves as a restricting surface that restricts the backward movement of IC card 60 or the like inserted between restraining portion 12 and reader / writer 20. With respect to the front position of frame side 11a, the front position of the connecting portion of restraining portion 12 with frame portion 11, i.e., the connecting portion with frame side 11a, is set so as to substantially coincide with the front position of frame side 11a in the front-rear direction of holder 10. This makes it possible to prevent IC card 60 or the like inserted between restraining portion 12 and reader / writer 20 from moving too far back and being displaced from an appropriate position relative to reader / writer 20.

[0069] In addition, the position where the base 12a of the restraining unit 12 is connected to the frame side 11a may be closer to the rear end of the holder than the front position of the frame side 11a, and the IC card 60 may be placed on and supported by the frame side 11a and the frame side 11n at the front end side of the frame unit 11, and the front position of the connection part of the base 12a with the frame side 11a may be used as a regulating surface for the backward movement of the IC card 60, etc. In this case, if the IC card 60 is supported in a position where it does not come into contact with the reader / writer 20, the IC card 60 can be supported even if the reader / writer 20 is not held by the frame unit 11. The front position of the connection part of the base 12a of the restraining unit 12 with the frame side 11a also functions as a regulating surface for the backward movement of an information recording medium such as a document 50.

[0070] When the IC card 60 is inserted between the restraining portion 12 and the reader / writer 20 and restrained, the restricted state of the IC card 60 is set so that the IC card 60 protrudes forward from the holder 10. The end of the IC card 60 protruding forward of the holder 10 is located between the outer surface of the frame side 11n at the front end of the frame portion 11 and the position of the hole 11j in the protruding portion protruding therefrom.

[0071] The restraint section 12 is formed with a guide display section 12f that indicates the insertion direction of a document or an IC card. The guide display section 12f is recessed from its surroundings (other parts of the restraint section) to create a step, making it identifiable. However, this is not limited to this, and the guide display section may be made identifiable by creating a step by protruding in a convex shape from other parts of the restraint section, or by being given a difference in color, pattern, surface treatment (for example, a textured surface or a hairline surface compared to a smooth surface) or surface property.

[0072] Next, the use of the reader / writer holder according to this embodiment will be described. First, the holding of the reader / writer 20 by the holder 10 will be described. First, the reader / writer 20 is oriented relative to the holder 10 so that the operation unit 21 and the like are aligned with their corresponding notches or holes.

[0073] Then, from the open side (lower side) of the holder 10 where there is no restraining portion 12, the end portion opposite the first side surface 25 of the reader / writer 20 is inserted diagonally into the space surrounded by the frame sides 11l, 11m, and 11n of the frame portion 11 at the front end portion of the holder 10 (see Figure 5).

[0074] The distance between the left and right claw parts 11f of the frame part 11 is widened to weaken the resistance force applied to the reader / writer 20 from the frame part 11, and at the same time, the reader / writer 20 is pushed and inclined toward the frame part 11 and toward the front end side of the holder 10 so that the reader / writer 20 fits inside the frame part 11. When the reader / writer 20 passes the position of the claw portion 11f and fits inside the frame portion 11, the holding by the holder 10 is completed.

[0075] Next, reading and writing of information from and to a document 50 serving as an information recording medium by the reader / writer 20 held in the holder 10 will be described. It is assumed that the reader / writer 20 is fitted inside the frame portion 11 and held in the holder 10, that the reader / writer 20 is communicatively connected to an information processing device, that the reader / writer 20 receives the power necessary for operation from an internal power source, and that the power lamp 22a is lit.

[0076] With the holder 10 placed on a mounting surface 90 such as a desk top, the document 50 to be read or written is inserted from the front of the holder 10 along the sloping portion of the undulating portion 13 between the reader / writer 20 held by the holder 10 and the restraining portion 12 so that the document 50 is sandwiched between the restraining portion 12 and the reader / writer 20 (see Figure 8).

[0077] In this case, the document 50 does not need to be always arranged in a fixed positional relationship with respect to the holder 10. As long as the RF tag 52 is positioned so that it can be read and written by the reader / writer 20, the position and orientation of the document 50 with respect to the holder 10 can be set arbitrarily.

[0078] When the document 50 is positioned between the restraining part 12 and the reader / writer 20, the document 50 is restrained by the restraining part 12 and the undulating parts of the frame part 11, and is not easily moved except when moved relative to the holder 10 by the user's operation.

[0079] In this restrained state of document 50, RF tag 52 disposed on document 50 is located in front of reader / writer 20 held in holder 10, and reader / writer 20 is capable of communicating with RF tag 52. In addition, in the supported state of document 50, the user can see the information written on the surface of document 50 directly or through transparent restraining portion 12. Note that the restraining portion may be provided with a lens portion or the entire restraining portion may be configured as a lens, so that the information written in the portion of document 50 overlapping with the restraining portion may be enlarged or otherwise made clearly visible.

[0080] If the reader / writer 20 is already operational when the document 50 is in a restrained state, it will successfully establish communication with the RF tag 52 within its communication range and indicate that it is able to communicate normally with the RF tag 52, for example, by turning on the communication status confirmation lamp 22b on the display unit 22.

[0081] After confirming from the display on the display unit 22 that the reader / writer 20 is in a normal operable state, the user follows the guidance to operate the information processing device, and the reader / writer 20 communicates with the RF tag 52 to read and write information. Alternatively, once the reader / writer 20 has established communication with the RF tag 52, the reader / writer 20 may automatically communicate with the RF tag 52 to read and write information without requiring any operation by the user.

[0082] In the case of reading, the information data read by the reader / writer 20 is sent from the reader / writer 20 to an information processing device, where a predetermined process is carried out. In the case of writing, data of the information to be written, which has been adjusted for writing in advance by an information processing device, is sent to the reader / writer 20 , and the reader / writer 20 writes the information into the RF tag 52 . During such reading or writing, the communication status confirmation lamp 22b of the display unit 22 of the reader / writer 20 lights up or flashes, allowing the user to recognize that the operation is being performed.

[0083] The completion of reading or writing in the reader / writer 20 can be notified to the user by ending the lit or flashing state of the communication status confirmation lamp 22b of the display unit 22 that indicated the execution of reading or writing, by transitioning the communication status confirmation lamp 22b to a lit or flashing state different from the previous state, or by notification by a notification means other than the display unit, for example, by outputting a sound indicating completion from a sound output unit such as a buzzer. In addition, the completion of reading or writing in the reader / writer 20 may be notified to the user by a status display on the display means of the information processing device, etc.

[0084] The user can confirm that the reader / writer 20 has finished writing to the RF tag 52 from the display on the display unit 22 of the reader / writer 20 or from the display on the information processing device, and can utilize the information directly visible from the document 50 and the information read by the reader / writer 20, for example by comparing and confirming the information recorded on the RF tag 52 read by the reader / writer 20 with the information written on the surface of the document 50, by visually checking the display output on the display means of the information processing device or listening to the voice reading output of the information processing device, and then remove the document 50 restrained on the holder 10 from between the restraining unit 12 and the reader / writer 20 and collect it. When there are a plurality of similar documents 50 that require operations including reading and writing of information by the reader / writer 20, the above procedure is repeated while switching the documents 50 held by the holder 10.

[0085] Furthermore, as another usage state, a case where information is read and written to the IC card 60 will be described. The IC card 60 from which information is read and written by the reader / writer 20 corresponds to "ID-1" in the card standard ISO / IEC7810, such as an IC card type driver's license or a personal number card (My Number card). Other IC cards that can be read and written include health insurance certificates (insurance certificates), residence cards, special permanent resident certificates, and any other IC cards that can be read and written by a known reader / writer that employs NFC (near field communication) technology.

[0086] When reading and writing information from and to this IC card 60, if a document 50 (RF tag 52) is present between the restraining portion 12 of the holder 10 and the reader / writer 20, the document 50 is removed from between the restraining portion 12 and the reader / writer 20 so that the document 50 is not on the reader / writer 20.

[0087] With holder 10 placed on a mounting surface 90 or the like, IC card 60 to be read or written is inserted between restraint portion 12 and reader / writer 20 from the front of holder 10 along the tapered portion of undulating portion 13 (see FIG. 9). In this case, it is not necessary to insert the IC card 60 into the holder 10 in a fixed orientation, and the IC card 60 may be inserted with its front-to-back or front-to-back orientation reversed.

[0088] When the IC card 60 is positioned between the restraining portion 12 and the reader / writer 20, the IC card 60 is restrained by the restraining portion 12 and the undulating portion of the frame portion 11, and is not easily moved except when moved back and forth relative to the holder 10 by the user's operation.

[0089] When the end of the IC card 60 contacts the base of the restraining portion 12 and the IC card 60 is properly restrained and supported on the holder 10, the IC card 60 is positioned in front of the reader / writer 20, and the reader / writer 20 becomes able to communicate with the IC card 60.

[0090] If the reader / writer 20 is already operational when the IC card 60 is supported, it will successfully establish communication with the IC card 60 within the communication range, and indicate that it is able to communicate normally with the IC card 60, for example, by turning on the communication status confirmation lamp 22b on the display unit 22.

[0091] After confirming from the display of the display unit 22 that the reader / writer 20 is in a normal operable state, the user follows the guidance to operate the information processing device, and the reader / writer 20 communicates with the IC card 60 to read and write information. Alternatively, once the reader / writer 20 has established communication with the IC card 60, the reader / writer 20 may automatically communicate with the IC card 60 to read and write information without requiring any operation by the user.

[0092] In the case of reading, the information data read from the IC card 60 by the reader / writer 20 is sent from the reader / writer 20 to an information processing device, where a predetermined process is performed. In the case of writing, data of the information to be written, which has been adjusted for writing in advance by an information processing device, is sent to the reader / writer 20 , and the reader / writer 20 writes the information into the IC card 60 .

[0093] The user can confirm that the reader / writer 20 has finished writing to the IC card 60 from the display on the display unit 22 of the reader / writer 20 or from the display on the information processing device, and can then use the information read by the reader / writer 20, for example by visually checking the information recorded on the IC card 60 that has been read by the reader / writer 20 and displayed on the display means of the information processing device, and then remove the IC card 60 on the holder 10 from between the restraining unit 12 and the reader / writer 20 and retrieve it.

[0094] When there are a plurality of similar IC cards 60 that require the reader / writer 20 to read and write information, the above procedure is repeated while replacing the IC cards 60 held and supported by the holder 10.

[0095] In this way, the reader / writer holder of this embodiment allows a document 50 on which an RF tag 52 is arranged to be restrained by the restraining portion 12 to the reader / writer 20 held by the frame portion 11, and the RF tag 52 on the restrained document 50 is positioned at a location where it can communicate with the reader / writer 20, thereby achieving a state in which the reader / writer 20 can read and write to the RF tag 52 of the document 50. Therefore, even if the document 50 with the RF tag 52 and the reader / writer 20 are different sizes, the restrained document 50 is less likely to slip relative to the reader / writer 20, thereby improving the reliability of reading and writing by the reader / writer 20.

[0096] Furthermore, by holding the reader / writer 20 with the approximately frame-shaped frame portion 11 supporting it from all sides, the reader / writer 20 can be held in a stable manner without coming off the inside of the frame portion 11, and the reader / writer 20 can stably read and write from and to the restrained document 50.

[0097] Furthermore, by clamping the document 50 between the clip-shaped restraining portion 12 and the reader / writer 20 and abutting the undulating portion 13 against the document 50, the document 50 is restrained. The two undulating portions 13, which are positioned to sandwich the restraining portion 12, encourage deformation of the document 50, thereby appropriately restraining the document 50. This does not require complex operations for restraint, and the document 50 can be quickly restrained to enable reading and writing by the reader / writer 20, allowing information to be read and written to the document 50 efficiently.

[0098] In the reader / writer holder according to the embodiment, the frame portion 11 and the restraining portion 12 of the holder 10 are integrally formed from the same transparent or translucent plastic, but if there is no need to make the visible information written on the mount of the document visible through the restraining portion even at the overlapping position of the restraining portion that restrains the document, the frame portion and the restraining portion may be made of an opaque material, for example, a plastic having a color tone that does not transmit much light (such as white or milky white). Also, as long as the connection strength between the frame portion and the restraining portion can be ensured, the frame portion and the restraining portion may be made of different materials. In that case, the frame portion may be made of an opaque material, for example, a plastic having a color tone that does not transmit much light (such as white or milky white), such as acrylic resin (PMMA) or polypropylene (PP).

[0099] Furthermore, the reader / writer holder according to the embodiment is configured to handle a document 50 on which information such as characters is visibly written on a backing 51 as an information recording medium to be read or written by the reader / writer 20, but is not limited to this, and may be configured to restrain an RF tag integrally arranged on a sheet such as a backing on which no visible information is written, as an information recording medium other than a document, by using a restraining portion to enable the reader / writer to read and write information from and to the RF tag. In this case, the restraining portion of the holder may be formed of a material other than a transparent or semi-transparent material that does not allow the supported information recording medium to be seen through the restraining portion.

[0100] In the reader / writer holder according to the embodiment, an example of a vehicle inspection certificate is described as a document to be read and written by the reader / writer 20, but the document is not limited to this, and other information recording media having a size different from that of an IC card, such as a passport, can also be used. Furthermore, the IC card may also be restrained by the restraining portion in the same manner as a document in a state where the IC card does not enter between the left and right undulating portions of the holder, in a state where the IC card is oriented in a different direction from the normal reading and writing state, i.e., the short side direction of the IC card is oriented in the same direction as the long side direction of the reader / writer, and the IC card is not inserted between the left and right undulating portions of the holder, and information can be read and written by the reader / writer.

[0101] In the reader / writer holder according to the embodiment, the frame 11 has a shape in which the inside of the frame surrounding the reader / writer 20 is open at the top and bottom, the reader / writer 20 can be directly seen from the upper side where the restraining portion 12 is located, and the document 50 or IC card 60 restrained by the holder 10 can directly contact the reader / writer 20, but this is not limiting, and a blocking plate that blocks the inside of the frame and is interposed between the reader / writer fitted in the frame and the restraining portion to the extent that reading and writing by the reader / writer is possible can be provided integrally with the frame, and this blocking plate can isolate the document or IC card restrained by the holder from directly contacting the reader / writer. In this case, by blocking one of the openings of the frame of the frame, the strength of the frame can be increased, and in addition to the restraining portion, a member that guides the document or IC card or regulates their arrangement can be further provided on the blocking plate.

[0102] In the reader / writer holder according to the embodiment, the restraint portion 12 is in the form of a clip protruding from the first frame side 11a toward the inside of the frame, and has a base portion 12a connected to the first frame side 11a and a tip portion 12c distant from the base portion 12a, with the central portion 12b sandwiched between the base portion 12a and the tip portion 12c bent downward as the closest portion to the reader / writer 20, but is not limited thereto. The restraint portion may have any shape as long as it can hold and restrain an information recording medium such as a document between the reader / writer held in the frame portion and the restraint portion. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the restraint portion 14 may be an elongated plate-like body protruding from the first frame side 11a of the frame portion 11 toward the inside of the frame, and the central portion in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) may be protruding downward in a convex shape to be the closest portion to the reader / writer 20, so that the restraint portion has a shape without a bent portion in the front and rear of the central portion.

[0103] Furthermore, the restraining portion 12 is formed to have a size such that its tip 12c reaches the range where the slope 13e of the undulating portion 13 is present near the front end in the front-rear direction of the holder 10, and the central portion in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) is configured as the closest portion to the reader-writer 20, but this is not limiting and the restraining portion 12 may be configured to be shorter within a range in which it can clamp and restrain an information recording medium such as a document. For example, as shown in Fig. 11, the restraining portion 15 may be configured to have a size such that its tip reaches the vicinity of the center of the reader-writer 20 held by the frame portion 11, and a predetermined range from the tip is positioned lower than the rest to be the closest portion to the reader-writer 20. In this case, it is desirable to provide the restraining portion 15 with a convex handle portion 15a so that when an information recording medium such as a document is inserted between the restraining portion 15 and the reader / writer 20, the tip of the restraining portion 15 can be moved upward to widen the gap between this tip and the reader / writer 20 or the undulating portion 13 of the frame portion 11, thereby facilitating the insertion. Even when adopting a configuration in which the length of the restraining portion is shortened in this manner, the restraining portion may have any shape. For example, the restraining portion may be formed in a shape in which the tip portion of the elongated plate-like body in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) protrudes downward in a convex shape, which corresponds to the shape in which the portion on the tip side of the downward convex protruding portion in the shape shown in Fig. 10 is omitted, and which is the portion closest to the reader / writer 20.

[0104] Furthermore, in the reader / writer holder according to the embodiment, the frame portion 11 is configured so that the lower portions 13c, 13d in the undulating portion 13 are positioned in the vertical direction at the same level as or lower than the surface (upper surface) of the reader / writer 20 held by the frame portion 11, but this is not limiting and the lower portions 13c, 13d may also be positioned higher than the surface (upper surface) of the reader / writer 20 held by the frame portion 11. In that case, the vertical direction position of the portion of the restraining portion closest to the reader / writer may be lower than the lower portion in order to reliably restrain an information recording medium such as a document held between the restraining portion and the reader / writer.

[0105] In the reader / writer holder according to the embodiment, the high-level parts 13a, 13b in the undulating part 13 of the frame part 11 are arranged on each of the frame sides 11l, 11m so as to be aligned in the front-rear direction of the holder 10, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Fig. 12, the high-level parts 13h, 13i provided at two positions offset in the front-rear direction of the holder 10 may be arranged offset from each other in the left-right direction. In this case, the amount of protrusion of one high-level part 13h into the frame is made larger than the amount of protrusion of the other high-level part 13i into the frame, thereby generating a difference in the left-right arrangement between the high-level parts 13h, 13i. The protruding parts (high parts and inclined surfaces) of the undulating part 13 on each frame side 11l, 11m contact the IC card 60 restrained by the restraining part from the left and right, and the distance between the protruding parts in the left and right direction is set to a size corresponding to the short-side dimension of the IC card 60 in order to prevent the IC card 60 from being shifted in the left and right direction. When the high parts 13h, 13i of the undulating part 13 are arranged so as to be shifted from each other in the left and right direction, either a configuration in which the distance between the protruding parts including the rear high part 13i corresponds to the short-side dimension of the IC card 60 or a configuration in which the distance between the protruding parts including the front high part 13h corresponds to the short-side dimension of the IC card 60 may be adopted. However, in the latter configuration, it is preferable to form an upright surface that becomes a contact part with the IC card 60 in a part of the protruding part including the high part 13h that is lower than the high part 13h and closer to the frame side 11l, 11m. In this case, the distance between the left and right upright surfaces corresponds to the short-side dimension of the IC card 60, while the high portion 13h located above these upright surfaces and farther from the frame sides 11l and 11m protrudes above the IC card 60 and overlaps with it.

[0106] Further, the reader / writer holder according to the embodiment is configured to hold the reader / writer 20 capable of reading and writing information recorded on the RF tag 52 of the document 50 or the IC card 60, but it may also be configured to hold a reader that can only read information recorded on the RF tag 52 or the IC card 60. In addition, the holder 10 has a substantially rectangular frame portion 11 and is configured to be capable of holding the substantially rectangular plate-shaped reader / writer 20, but is not limited to this, and may be configured to hold reader / writers of other shapes, such as cubic, rectangular, cylindrical, or circuit board module types, and have a frame portion in a shape corresponding to the shape of such targets.

[0107] Furthermore, in the reader / writer holder according to the embodiment, only one of the document 50 and the IC card 60, which are read / write targets of the reader / writer 20, is selectively placed in a restrained state to allow the reader / writer 20 to read and write information, but the present invention is not limited to this, and both the document 50 and the IC card 60 may be restrained by the holder 10. In this case, if the reader / writer 20 has a collision prevention function capable of handling a plurality of tags, it will be possible to communicate with both the document 50 and the IC card 60 without any problems. Even without a collision prevention function, collisions can be avoided by positioning one of the document 50 and the IC card 60 within the communication range of the reader / writer 20 while positioning the other outside the communication range, by having the reader / writer 20 have a function for switching the communication target and allowing the user to select whether to read or write information from the document 50 or the IC card 60 by operating a switch, or by binding one of the document 50 and the IC card 60 with the holder 10 and transitioning to a state in which it can communicate with the reader / writer 20, and then further binding the other with the holder 10. In addition, collision problems can be avoided if there is a mechanism in which the reader / writer 20 can read and write information from the document 50 or the IC card 60 that is both bound to the holder 10 and that first establishes communication.

[0108] In the reader / writer holder according to the embodiment, the reader / writer 20 to be held is a non-contact type reader / writer that reads and writes information recorded in the RF tag 52 or the IC card 60 in a non-contact manner using NFC (near field communication), but is not limited thereto. The reader / writer to be held may be a known contact type reader / writer that is compatible with a contact type IC card. In this case, the IC card (contact type) is removably inserted and restrained in a slot portion in the reader / writer that has contacts for communication connection, and information is read and written. Although reading and writing to an RF tag cannot be performed, any article such as a document can be restrained in the holder using the restraining portion of the holder.

[0109] The reader / writer may have both contactless and contact functions, and can read and write information from and to a contact IC card in an electrically connected state through contact, and from an RF tag on a document or a contactless IC card through contactless wireless communication. When such a reader / writer is held in a holder, the slot of the reader / writer can support a contact IC card, and the restraining part of the holder can restrain and support a document or a contactless IC card, and multiple information recording media (three if the restraining part restrains both a document and an IC card) can be restrained, resulting in a state in which information can be read and written from and to these.

[0110] Furthermore, in the reader / writer holder according to the embodiment, the reader / writer 20 to be held is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape, and while held by the holder 10, an information recording medium such as a document is placed between the flat surface (upper surface) facing the restraining portion 12 and the restraining portion 12, but this is not limiting. For example, the reader / writer 20 may be configured to have an undulating portion with a difference in height on its upper surface, instead of the undulating portion 13 of the frame portion 11, or in parallel with the undulating portion 13 of the frame portion 11. In this case, the reader / writer 20 has a surface shape having undulating portions with a difference in height at portions (two portions) of the surface that are in a positional relationship sandwiching the restraining portion 12 while held by the frame portion 11. The reader / writer 20 sandwiches an information recording medium such as a document between its surface and the restraint portion 12, and abuts the undulating portion against the information recording medium to appropriately restrain it, so that, like the reader / writer used in the above embodiment, it can stably read information recorded on the information recording medium and write information.

[0111] (Second embodiment of the present invention) In the reader / writer holder according to the first embodiment, the restraining portion 12 in the frame portion 11 is intended to restrain the information recording medium such as the document 50 or the IC card 60 and is provided only on one side (the same side as the undulating portion 13), but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Fig. 13, another clip-shaped restraining portion 17 that protrudes inward from a predetermined frame side of the frame portion 11 and can face the reader / writer 20 can be provided on the opposite side of the frame portion 11 to the one side (the side where the one restraining portion 12 and the undulating portion 13 are provided).

[0112] In this case, in a state where the reader / writer 20 is held by the frame portion 11, a predetermined article can be sandwiched and restrained between the reader / writer 20 and another restraining portion 17 provided on the side of the frame portion 11 opposite to the side where the one restraining portion 12 and the undulating portion 13 are located. This allows the other restraining portion 17 to be used to restrain the reader / writer 20 of an information recording medium other than the information recording medium restrained by the one restraining portion 12. The other restraining portion 17 can also be used to attach and restrain the entire holder including the reader / writer 20 to another article (for example, an information terminal such as a computer, tablet, or smartphone, a stationary device such as a display, or an appliance such as clothing or a bag worn by a user). Furthermore, while the information recording medium is not sandwiched and restrained by the restraining portions 12 and 17, the reader / writer 20 can be supported more stably by being sandwiched from the front and back between the one restraining portion 12 and the other restraining portion 17.

[0113] Such other restraining portion 17 may be in the form of a clip that protrudes from a predetermined frame side of frame portion 11 and is parallel to this frame side, and may be provided on the opposite side of frame portion 11 to the side on which undulating portion 13 is located. In this case as well, a predetermined article can be clamped and restrained between other restraining portion 17 and the frame side of frame portion 11, and it can be used to restrain another information recording medium or to attach and restrain the entire holder to another article.

[0114] The other restraining portion 17 is preferably provided on the frame portion 11 in such an arrangement that it does not overlap at least one of the restraining portions 12 with the reader / writer 20 sandwiched between them when the frame portion 11 holds the reader / writer 20. In this way, by arranging the other restraining portion 17 so as not to overlap with the one restraining portion 12 with the reader / writer 20 sandwiched between them, for example, when molding the holder 10 from resin, it is not necessary to make the mold have a complex structure in order to remove a part of the mold that is located between overlapping portions of the resin generated by molding, so molding can be performed smoothly without difficulty and costs related to the manufacture of the holder, including the mold, can be reduced.

[0115] Moreover, the other restraining portion 17 is preferably shaped to protrude inwardly from the frame portion 11 in a direction opposite to the direction of protrusion from the first frame side 11a of the one restraining portion 12, or to be parallel to the frame side. In this case, with the reader / writer 20 held by the frame portion 11, the direction in which a predetermined article is sandwiched and restrained between the other restraining portion 17 and the reader / writer 20, or between the other restraining portion 17 and the frame side of the frame, is made different from the direction in which an information recording medium is sandwiched and restrained between the one restraining portion 12 and the reader / writer 20. As a result, a part of the other item supporting the entire holder 10 including the reader / writer 20, such as an information terminal, stationary device, clothing, bag, or other equipment, is relatively clamped between the other restraining portion 17 and the reader / writer 20, or between the other restraining portion 17 and the frame side of the frame portion, so that even when the entire holder 10 is supported by such other item, the orientation in which the information recording medium is inserted between one of the restraining portions 12 and the reader / writer 20 for restraint can be appropriate, and the information recording medium can be easily and efficiently restrained and transitioned to a state in which information can be read or written.

[0116] The reader / writer holder disclosed in the present invention, specifically shown in the first and second embodiments, is expected to contribute to the achievement of some of the 17 goals set out in the "Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)" established by the United Nations, such as "9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation" and "12: Responsible consumption and production (ensure sustainable production and consumption patterns)."

[0117] Of the reader / writer holders disclosed in the present invention, six external views and a perspective view of the reader / writer holder according to the first embodiment are shown in Fig. 14. When implementing the reader / writer holder, it is preferable to implement it in the form shown in Fig. 14.

[0118] Possible forms of the reader / writer holder according to the present disclosure will now be described.

[0119] The reader / writer holder disclosed in the present invention is a reader / writer holder that holds a substantially plate-shaped reader / writer that can at least one of read information recorded in an RF tag and write information, and comprises a substantially rectangular frame portion that is formed so as to be able to hold the reader / writer inside while surrounding it, and one or more restraining portions that are attached to a first frame side of the frame portion and are capable of restraining an information recording medium comprising an RF tag integrally arranged on a specified sheet body, the frame portion having undulating portions with different heights formed on the edges of the second and third frame sides that are in opposing positional relationship, the restraining portions are clip-shaped that protrude inward from the first frame side of the frame portion and can face the reader / writer, and are provided on the side of the frame portion with the undulating portions, and with the reader / writer held by the frame portion, the information recording medium is sandwiched between the restraining portion and the surface of the reader / writer and restrained by abutting it against the undulating portions of the frame portion.

[0120] Thus, according to the disclosure of the present invention, an information recording medium on which an RF tag is arranged can be restrained by using a restraint portion to a reader / writer held in a frame portion, and the RF tag on the restrained information recording medium is positioned at a location where it can communicate with the reader / writer, thereby achieving a state in which the reader / writer can read and write to the RF tag on the information recording medium.Even if the information recording medium on which the RF tag is arranged and the reader / writer are different sizes, the restrained information recording medium is less likely to shift relative to the reader / writer, thereby improving the reliability of reading and writing by the reader / writer.

[0121] Furthermore, by clamping the information recording medium between the clip-shaped restraining portion and the reader / writer and undulating portion, the information recording medium is restrained, and the two undulating portions that are positioned to sandwich the restraining portion encourage deformation of the information recording medium, thereby achieving appropriate restraint of the information recording medium.Complicated operations are not required for restraint, and the information recording medium can be quickly restrained to perform reading and writing by the reader / writer, allowing information to be read and written to the information recording medium efficiently.

[0122] Furthermore, in the reader / writer holder disclosed in the present invention, if necessary, the undulating portion has at least one high portion and at least one low portion, and the high portion is set at a position distal to the reader / writer surface relative to the closest portion of the restraint portion that is closest to the reader / writer surface.

[0123] Thus, according to the disclosure of the present invention, the high part of the undulating part is positioned distal to the closest part of the restraining part to the reader / writer surface, and with the information recording medium sandwiched between the restraining part and the reader / writer, the sandwiched information recording medium can be deformed between the restraining part and each undulating part, so that the information recording medium in contact with the restraining part and the undulating parts on both sides do not have a uniform shape, and the information recording medium is less likely to shift in the direction in which the restraining part and each undulating part are aligned.

[0124] Furthermore, in the reader / writer holder disclosed in the present invention, as necessary, at least one of the high parts in the undulating portion is provided at a predetermined location distal to the first frame side from the position of the closest point in the restraining portion, and at least one of the low parts is disposed on the side of the high part provided at the predetermined location proximal to the first frame side.

[0125] Thus, according to the disclosure of the present invention, the high part of the undulating portion is located distal to the closest part of the restraint portion in relation to the first frame side, creating a height difference with the adjacent low part, and when the information recording medium is sandwiched between the restraint portion and the reader / writer, the degree of deformation of the sandwiched information recording medium can be made to differ at each position in the direction in which the restraint portions continue. This prevents the information recording medium from taking on a uniform shape even in the direction in which the restraint portions continue, making it possible to make the information recording medium less likely to shift in the direction in which the restraint portions continue.

[0126] Furthermore, in the reader / writer holder disclosed in the present invention, if necessary, the high portion of the undulating portion is provided at least in two locations having different degrees of separation from the first frame side, and the low portion is interposed between the two high portions.

[0127] Thus, according to the disclosure of the present invention, the high parts of the undulating portion are provided at two locations with different degrees of separation from the first frame side, and the positional relationship between each high part and the closest part of the restraint part is made different.When the information recording medium is sandwiched between the restraint part and the reader / writer, the degree of deformation of the sandwiched information recording medium is made different in each direction centered on the closest part of the restraint part.This prevents the information recording medium from remaining in a monotonously deformed state, and makes it possible to restrain the information recording medium in a state in which it is less likely to shift in any direction.

[0128] In addition, in the reader / writer holder disclosed in the present invention, as necessary, the high portion of the undulating portion is provided at least one of a location distal to the first frame side and a location proximal to the first frame side from the position of the closest point in the restraining portion.

[0129] Thus, according to the disclosure of the present invention, the high part of the undulating portion is provided at a location distal or proximal to the first frame side from the position of the closest part of the restraining portion, and the degree of separation from the first frame side is made different from that of the closest part of the restraining portion, i.e., by not providing the high part of the undulating portion to the side of the closest part of the restraining portion, the information recording medium is pressed against the reader / writer surface, and the high part of the undulating portion is pushed up relatively to the closest part of the restraining portion, away from the reader / writer surface, thereby preventing a situation in which parts of the information recording medium with different deformation directions come close to each other and the deformation of the information recording medium becomes excessively large, and excessive deformation of the RF tag on the information recording medium is prevented, the stress applied to the RF tag is kept small, and the occurrence of defects in the RF tag can be prevented.

[0130] Furthermore, in the reader / writer holder disclosed in the present invention, if necessary, the degree of separation of a given low portion of the undulating portion from the first frame side is the same as the degree of separation of the closest portion of the restraining portion from the first frame side.

[0131] Thus, according to the disclosure of the present invention, one of the lower parts of the undulating portion has a degree of separation from the first frame edge that is the same as the closest part of the restraining portion, and the surface of the undulating portion is shaped to follow the surface shape of the side of the restraining portion facing the reader / writer.By doing so, the part of the information recording medium restrained between the restraining portion and the reader / writer that contacts the undulating portion is in a deformed state similar to the part that contacts the restraining portion, the restrained information recording medium can be maintained in a uniform and simple deformed state that follows the shape of the restraining portion, and the information recording medium can be prevented from entering a complex deformed state in which the degree of deformation varies from position to position.This makes it possible to suppress excessive deformation of the RF tag on the information recording medium and prevent the occurrence of defects in the RF tag.

[0132] Furthermore, in the reader / writer holder disclosed in the present invention, as necessary, the undulating portion has a low portion adjacent to a high portion located most distally from the first frame side, the low portion being distal from the high portion relative to the first frame side, and a slope continuing from the high portion to the low portion is provided, and the restraint portion is provided so that the distance from the tip portion to the first frame side is a predetermined value that corresponds to the distance from the first frame side to an arbitrary position on the slope.

[0133] Thus, according to the disclosure of the present invention, a slope is provided between a high portion of the undulating portion located furthest from the first frame side and a low portion adjacent thereto, and the position of the tip of the restraining portion is set so that its distance from the first frame side matches the distance from the first frame side to an arbitrary position of the one slope, so that the one slope is present to the side of the tip of the restraining portion.Therefore, when the information recording medium is sandwiched and restrained between the restraining portion and the reader / writer surface and the undulating portion, if the information recording medium is inserted between the restraining portion and the reader / writer along the one slope of the undulating portion, the information recording medium is less likely to hit the tip of the restraining portion and can be inserted smoothly, and the information recording medium can be easily and quickly transitioned to a restrained state.

[0134] Furthermore, the reader / writer holder disclosed in the present invention may, as necessary, have a continuous slope extending from a specific high portion in the undulating portion to an adjacent low portion on the side distal to the high portion in relation to the first frame side, and another continuous slope extending from the high portion to another adjacent low portion on the side proximal to the first frame side than the high portion, the other slope having a gradient greater than that of the first slope.

[0135] Thus, according to the disclosure of the present invention, of the one slope and the other slope provided between a predetermined high portion of the undulating portion and two adjacent low portions thereof, the other slope, which is closer to the first frame side than the high portion, is set to have a gradient greater than that of the one slope, so that when the information recording medium attempts to move along the undulating portion in the direction in which the second and third frame sides are continuous, the resistance applied from the undulating portion varies depending on the direction in which the information recording medium moves.As a result, when the information recording medium is moved and inserted between the restraining portion and the reader / writer from the tip side of the restraining portion to the first frame side, the resistance of the slope of the undulating portion is relatively small and insertion is easy, whereas when the information recording medium located between the restraining portion and the reader / writer attempts to move from the first frame side side of the restraining portion toward the tip side and become removed, the resistance of the undulating portion becomes relatively large, making it possible to prevent the information recording medium from becoming easily removed.

[0136] In addition, the reader / writer holder disclosed in the present invention may, as necessary, be in the form of a clip that protrudes inward from a specific frame side of the frame portion so as to be able to face the reader / writer, or in the form of a clip that protrudes from a specific frame side of the frame portion so as to be parallel to the frame side, and is provided with another restraint portion on the opposite side of the frame portion from the side on which the undulating portion is located.

[0137] According to the disclosure of the present invention, the other restraining part is provided on the side of the frame part opposite to the restraining part and the undulating part, and while the frame part holds the reader / writer, a specified object can be sandwiched and restrained between the other restraining part and the reader / writer, or between the other restraining part and the frame side of the frame part, so that the other restraining part can be used to restrain the reader / writer of an information recording medium other than the information recording medium restrained by the restraining part, or to attach and restrain the entire holder including the reader / writer to another object. Also, when the information recording medium is not being sandwiched and restrained by the respective restraining parts, the reader / writer can be supported more stably by being sandwiched from the front and back between the restraining part and the other restraining part.

[0138] In addition, in the reader / writer holder disclosed in the present invention, if necessary, the other restraint portion is provided on the frame portion in a position such that the reader / writer is sandwiched between the restraint portion and does not overlap with the restraint portion when the reader / writer is held by the frame portion.

[0139] Thus, according to the disclosure of the present invention, the other restraining portion provided on the opposite side to the restraining portion of the frame portion is positioned so as not to overlap the reader / writer with the restraining portion in between when the reader / writer is held by the frame portion. This means that, for example, when molding a holder from resin, there is no need for the molding die to have a complex structure in order to remove a portion of the molding die that is located between the overlapping portions of the resin produced by molding, allowing molding to be carried out smoothly and without strain, while also reducing the costs associated with manufacturing the holder, including the die.

[0140] In addition, in the reader / writer holder disclosed in the present invention, as necessary, the other restraint portion is shaped to protrude inwardly from the frame in a direction opposite to the direction in which the restraint portion protrudes from the first frame side, or to be parallel to the frame side.

[0141] Thus, according to the disclosure of the present invention, the other restraint portion provided on the side opposite to the restraint portion of the frame portion is provided in a shape that protrudes toward the inside of the frame or is parallel to the frame side so as to be in the opposite direction to the protruding direction of the restraint portion, and when the reader / writer is held by the frame portion, the direction in which a specified item is clamped and restrained between this other restraint portion and the reader / writer, or between the other restraint portion and the frame side of the frame portion, is made different from the direction in which an information recording medium is clamped and restrained between the restraint portion and the reader / writer, so that a specified support member that supports the entire holder including the reader / writer is relatively clamped between the other restraint portion and the reader / writer, or between the other restraint portion and the frame side of the frame portion, so that even when the entire holder is supported by the support member, the direction in which the information recording medium is inserted between the restraint portion and the reader / writer for restraint can be made appropriate, and the information recording medium can be easily and efficiently restrained and transitioned to a state in which information is read or written.

[0142] Furthermore, the reader / writer holder disclosed in the present invention may, as necessary, have a continuous slope extending from a predetermined high portion in the undulating portion to an adjacent low portion on the side distal to the first frame side from the high portion, and the high portion and the slope are formed to protrude inwardly of the frame portion, and the amount of protrusion of the slope inwardly of the frame is reduced as it approaches the low portion, so that the slope is formed in a tapered shape with a gradually narrowing width.

[0143] Thus, according to the disclosure of the present invention, a slope is provided from the high portion to the low portion of the undulating portion of the frame portion, and the slope which protrudes inwardly from the frame portion together with the high portion is tapered so that the slope width gradually narrows as the amount of protrusion inwardly from the frame decreases as it approaches the low portion. By not creating a corner on the slope which protrudes into the open portion inside the frame, a step is less likely to occur at the end of the low portion side of the one slope. When the information recording medium is inserted between the restraining portion and the reader / writer, the information recording medium can be smoothly inserted by being guided by the one slope of the undulating portion, and it is possible to prevent the end of the information recording medium from hitting the step portion at the end of the slope, making it difficult to insert the information recording medium. The information recording medium can be comfortably restrained between the restraining portion and the reader / writer while reaching an appropriate position on the reader / writer, and a state in which the reader / writer can appropriately read and write to the RF tag of the information recording medium is easily obtained.

[0144] Furthermore, the reader / writer holder disclosed in the present invention is a reader / writer holder that holds a substantially plate-shaped reader / writer capable of at least one of reading information recorded in an RF tag and writing information, and comprises a substantially rectangular frame portion that is formed so as to be able to hold the reader / writer inside while surrounding it, and one or more restraining portions that are attached to a first frame side of the frame portion and are capable of restraining an information recording medium having an RF tag integrally arranged on a specified sheet body, the restraining portion being in the form of a clip that protrudes inward from the first frame side of the frame portion and can face the reader / writer, the reader / writer has a surface shape that has undulating portions with a difference in height at two places on its surface that are positioned to sandwich the restraining portion when held in the frame portion, and when the reader / writer is held by the frame portion, the information recording medium is sandwiched between the restraining portion and the reader / writer surface and abutted against the undulating portions to restrain it.

[0145] Thus, according to the disclosure of the present invention, in order to restrain an information recording medium having an RF tag disposed thereon to a reader / writer held in a frame portion so that it can be read, a clip-shaped restraining portion is provided, and the information recording medium is sandwiched between this restraining portion and the surface of the reader / writer, and the undulating portion of the reader / writer is abutted against the information recording medium, thereby realizing restraint of the information recording medium. By doing so, the two undulating portions of the reader / writer, which are positioned to sandwich the restraining portion, encourage deformation of the information recording medium, thereby appropriately restraining the information recording medium, while not requiring complex operations for restraint, allowing the information recording medium to be quickly restrained and reading and writing by the reader / writer to be performed, thereby enabling information to be read and written to the information recording medium efficiently. [Explanation of symbols]

[0146] 10 Holder 11 Frame section 11a Frame side 11b Locking part 11d Notch 11e Rib 11f Claw part 11g Rib 11h Lower plate part 11j Hole 11l Frame side 11m frame side 11n Frame side 12 Restraint part 12a base 12b Central part 12c Tip 12F Information display area 13 Relief 13a, 13b higher part 13c, 13d lower part 13e, 13f slope 13g Slope 13h, 13i high part 14, 15 Restraint part 15a Handle 17 Restraint part 20 Reader / Writer 21 Control section 21a Power switch 21b Mode switch 22 Display section 22a Power lamp 22b Communication status indicator lamp 23 Connector part 25 First aspect 50 Documents 51 Mount 52 RF tag 60 IC Card

Claims

1. A reader / writer holder for holding a substantially plate-shaped reader / writer capable of at least one of reading information recorded in an RF tag and writing information thereto, a substantially rectangular frame portion formed so as to surround the reader / writer and be capable of being held therein; one or more restraining parts that are capable of restraining an information recording medium having an RF tag integrally disposed on a predetermined sheet body and that are attached to a first frame side of the frame part; The frame portion has an undulating portion having a height difference formed on an edge of each of second and third frame sides that are in a positional relationship opposite to each other, the restraint portion is in the form of a clip that protrudes from a first frame side of the frame portion toward the inside of the frame and is capable of facing the reader / writer, and is provided on a side of the frame portion where the undulating portion is located, With the reader / writer held by the frame portion, the information recording medium is sandwiched between the restraining portion and a surface of the reader / writer, and is restrained by abutting the information recording medium against the undulating portion of the frame portion. A reader / writer holder comprising:

2. 2. The reader / writer holder according to claim 1, the undulating portion has at least one high portion and at least one low portion; the higher portion is set at a position that is more distal to the surface of the reader / writer than a closest portion of the restraint portion that is closest to the surface of the reader / writer; A reader / writer holder comprising:

3. 3. The reader / writer holder according to claim 2, At least one of the high parts of the undulating portion is provided at a predetermined location that is distal to the first frame side from the position of the closest portion of the restraining portion, and at least one of the low parts is disposed on the side of the high part provided at the predetermined location that is proximal to the first frame side. A reader / writer holder comprising:

4. 3. The reader / writer holder according to claim 2, The high portion of the undulating portion is provided at least at two locations having different degrees of separation from the first frame side, The low-level portion is interposed between the two high-level portions. A reader / writer holder comprising:

5. 3. The reader / writer holder according to claim 2, The high portion of the undulating portion is provided at least one of a location distal to the first frame side and a location proximal to the first frame side from the position of the closest portion of the restraining portion. A reader / writer holder comprising:

6. 3. The reader / writer holder according to claim 2, A degree of separation of a predetermined low portion of the undulating portion from the first frame side is set to be the same as a degree of separation of the closest portion of the restraining portion from the first frame side. A reader / writer holder comprising:

7. 3. The reader / writer holder according to claim 2, The undulating portion has a low portion adjacent to a high portion located most distally from the first frame side, the low portion being distal from the high portion with respect to the first frame side, and a slope is provided continuously from the high portion to the low portion, The restraint portion is provided so that the distance from the first frame side to the tip portion is a predetermined value that coincides with the distance from the first frame side to an arbitrary position on the one inclined surface. A reader / writer holder comprising:

8. 3. The reader / writer holder according to claim 2, A continuous slope is provided from a predetermined high portion of the undulating portion to an adjacent low portion on the side distal to the high portion with respect to the first frame side, and another continuous slope is provided from the high portion to another adjacent low portion on the side proximal to the first frame side with respect to the high portion, The other inclined surface is formed with a gradient greater than that of the first inclined surface. A reader / writer holder comprising:

9. 2. The reader / writer holder according to claim 1, The frame portion has a clip-like portion that protrudes inward from a predetermined frame side of the frame portion and is capable of facing the reader / writer, or a clip-like portion that protrudes from a predetermined frame side of the frame portion and is parallel to the frame side, and is provided on the opposite side of the frame portion from the side where the undulating portion is provided. A reader / writer holder comprising:

10. 10. The reader / writer holder according to claim 9, The other restraining portion is provided on the frame portion in such a position that the reader / writer is sandwiched between the restraining portion and the other restraining portion but is not overlapped with the restraining portion when the reader / writer is held by the frame portion. A reader / writer holder comprising:

11. 10. The reader / writer holder according to claim 9, The other restraining portion is shaped to protrude inwardly from the frame portion in a direction opposite to the direction in which the restraining portion protrudes from the first frame side, or to be parallel to the frame side. A reader / writer holder comprising:

12. 3. The reader / writer holder according to claim 2, A continuous slope is provided from a predetermined high portion of the undulating portion to an adjacent low portion on a side distal to the high portion with respect to the first frame side, The high portion and the one inclined surface are formed to protrude inwardly of the frame portion, and the one inclined surface is formed in a tapered shape in which the protrusion amount inwardly of the frame is reduced as it approaches the low portion, and the width of the inclined surface is gradually narrowed. A reader / writer holder comprising:

13. A reader / writer holder for holding a substantially plate-shaped reader / writer capable of at least one of reading information recorded in an RF tag and writing information thereto, a substantially rectangular frame portion formed so as to surround the reader / writer and be capable of being held therein; one or more restraining parts that are capable of restraining an information recording medium having an RF tag integrally disposed on a predetermined sheet body and that are attached to a first frame side of the frame part; the restraint portion is in the form of a clip that protrudes inward from a first frame side of the frame portion and is capable of facing the reader / writer, the reader / writer has a surface shape having undulating portions with a difference in height at two points on the surface that are in a positional relationship sandwiching the restraint portion when the reader / writer is held by the frame portion, With the reader / writer held by the frame portion, the information recording medium is sandwiched between the restraining portion and a surface of the reader / writer and is restrained by abutting the information recording medium against the undulating portion. A reader / writer holder comprising:

Images