Card reader

Abstract

This invention provides a card reader that can suppress the occurrence of malfunctions caused by liquid accumulating inside. [Solution] The card reader has a main frame on which a card movement path is formed for a card inserted from a card slot 8. A card is inserted into the card slot 8 from the X2 direction towards the X1 direction. If one side of the card moving along the card movement path in the thickness direction is the Z2 direction, the main frame has a movement path forming surface 16b which is the Z2 direction side of the card movement path, a storage section 7d which is recessed toward the Z2 direction from the movement path forming surface 16b and is positioned vertically below the card in contact with the movement path forming surface 16b, roughly coinciding with the Z2 direction, and a drainage passage 7e for discharging liquid accumulated in the storage section 7d from the storage section 7d to the outside of the card reader.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a card reader.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a card reader for a user to manually operate a card to read data recorded on the card is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The card reader described in Patent Document 1 includes a main body frame in which a card movement path for the card to move is formed, and a foreign matter housing member fixed to the bottom surface side of the main body frame. Inside the main body frame, a card housing portion for housing a part of the card inserted into the card reader is formed. The foreign matter housing member includes a foreign matter housing portion.

[0003] In the card reader described in Patent Document 1, a discharge hole is formed in the bottom surface of the main body frame. The discharge hole communicates with the card housing portion and the foreign matter housing portion. In the card reader described in Patent Document 1, foreign matter that has entered the card housing portion can be discharged from the card housing portion to the foreign matter housing portion through the discharge hole and housed in the foreign matter housing portion. Therefore, in this card reader, even if foreign matter such as a coin is inserted through the card insertion port, it is possible to prevent clogging of the card housing portion by the foreign matter and continue the card transaction with the card reader.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the case of the card reader described in Patent Document 1, depending on the environment in which the card reader is installed and used, liquids such as water may enter the card reader through the card slot and accumulate in the foreign matter containment compartment. If the liquid accumulated in the foreign matter containment compartment is left as is, some kind of malfunction may occur due to the liquid accumulated in the foreign matter containment compartment.

[0006] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a card reader that can continue card transactions even if a foreign object is inserted into the card slot, and that can suppress the occurrence of malfunctions caused by liquid accumulating inside. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, a card reader according to one aspect of the present invention is a card reader for reading data recorded on a card and recording data on a card, comprising a main frame on which a card movement path is formed for a card inserted from a card slot, wherein one side of the direction of movement of a card moving linearly along the card movement path is the front side, the opposite side of the front side is the back side, and one side in the thickness direction of the card moving along the card movement path is the first direction side, the card is inserted into the card slot from the front side to the back side, and the main frame is characterized by having a movement path forming surface which is the surface on the first direction side of the card movement path, a housing portion which is recessed toward the first direction side from the movement path forming surface and is positioned vertically below the card in contact with the movement path forming surface, and a drainage passage for discharging liquid accumulated in the housing portion from the housing portion to the outside of the card reader.

[0008] In this embodiment of the card reader, the main frame has a storage section formed therein that is recessed toward the first direction from the path-forming surface, which is the surface on the first direction side of the card movement path, and is positioned vertically below the card that is in contact with the path-forming surface. Therefore, in this embodiment, foreign objects inserted from the card slot can fall into the storage section and be stored therein. Consequently, in this embodiment, even if a foreign object is inserted from the card slot, it is possible to prevent the card movement path from becoming clogged with the foreign object and to continue subsequent card transactions with the card reader.

[0009] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a drainage channel is formed in the main frame for discharging the liquid accumulated in the storage section from the storage section to the outside of the card reader. Therefore, it is possible to use the drainage channel to discharge the liquid accumulated in the storage section to the outside of the card reader. Consequently, in this embodiment, even if a storage section is formed in the main frame, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of malfunctions in the card reader caused by liquid accumulating inside the card reader. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] As described above, in one aspect of the present invention, a card reader makes it possible to continue card transactions even if a foreign object is inserted into the card slot, and also makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of malfunctions in the card reader caused by liquid accumulating inside the card reader. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a card reader according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the card reader shown in Figure 1 with the case removed, from a different angle. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the card reader shown in Figure 1 with the case, circuit board, printed circuit board, and upper frame removed. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the front cover, the first frame, the housing forming member, etc. shown in FIG. 3, taken out from different directions. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a part of the card reader main body shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the front cover, the first frame, the housing forming member, etc. shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of part E in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the F-F cross-section in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the first frame shown in FIG. 6. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the housing forming member shown in FIG. 6. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a plan view of the seal member shown in FIG. 7. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the bezel shown in FIG. 6. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the bezel shown in FIG. 12 from different directions.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] (Overall Configuration of Card Reader) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a card reader 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the state where the case main body 10 is removed from the card reader 2 shown in FIG. 1, taken from different directions. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the state where the case main body 10, the circuit board 13, the printed board 14, the upper frame 15, etc. are removed from the card reader 2 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the bezel 9, the lower frame 16, the lower cover 18, etc. shown in FIG. 3, taken out from different directions. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a part of the card reader main body 4 shown in FIG. 1.

[0014] The card reader 2 of this embodiment is a device for performing at least one of reading data recorded on the card 3 and recording data on the card 3. Specifically, the card reader 2 is a so-called dip-type card reader that manually inserts and removes the card 3 into and from the card reader 2 to perform data reading and recording. The card reader 2 is mounted and used on a predetermined upper device such as a fueling device at an unattended or self-service gasoline station. Around the upper device, liquids such as water may be used.

[0015] The card 3 is, for example, a vinyl chloride card with a thickness of about 0.7 to 0.8 mm. The card 3 is formed in a rectangular shape. The card 3 has an IC chip built therein, and external connection terminals 3b of the IC chip are formed on one surface of the card 3 (see FIG. 1). Further, a magnetic stripe for recording magnetic data is formed on the other surface of the card 3.

[0016] The card reader 2 includes a card reader main body 4 and a case body 5 that covers the card reader main body 4. The card reader main body 4 includes a main body frame 7 in which a card movement path 6 for the card 3 to move is formed. The case body 5 is composed of a bezel 9 as a front cover in which a card insertion port 8 for inserting the card 3 is formed, and a case main body 10. In the card movement path 6, the card 3 inserted from the card insertion port 8 moves.

[0017] The card reader body 4 also includes an IC contact block 11 (see Figure 3) for data communication with the card 3, a magnetic head 12 (see Figure 5) for reading magnetic data recorded on the card 3 and / or recording magnetic data to the card 3, a control circuit board 13 (see Figure 2), and a printed circuit board 14 (see Figure 2) for preventing data theft from the card reader 2. The IC contact block 11 is equipped with multiple IC contact springs that contact the external connection terminal 3b of the card 3. The IC contact block 11 in this embodiment is a data reading mechanism for reading data recorded on the card 3. Note that the circuit board 13 and printed circuit board 14 are not shown in Figure 1.

[0018] In this configuration, the manually operated card 3 moves linearly in the X direction as shown in Figure 1. That is, the X direction is the direction of movement of the card 3 as it moves linearly along the card movement path 6. The card 3 is inserted on the X1 side of Figure 1, which is one side of the X direction, and removed on the X2 side of Figure 1, which is the other side of the X direction. The Z direction in Figure 1, which is perpendicular to the X direction, is the thickness direction of the card 3 as it moves linearly along the card movement path 6, and the Y direction in Figure 1, which is perpendicular to both the X and Z directions, is the width direction (short-side width direction) of the card 3 as it moves linearly along the card movement path 6.

[0019] For the sake of explanation, in the following, the X direction will be defined as the front-to-back direction, the Y direction as the left-to-right direction, and the Z direction as the up-and-down direction. The X2 direction, which is the direction in which card 3 is removed from card reader 2, will be referred to as the "front" side, and the X1 direction, which is the opposite side (the direction in which card 3 is inserted into card reader 2), will be referred to as the "back" side. In other words, the X2 direction, which is one side in the direction of movement of card 3, will be referred to as the "front" side, and the opposite side as the "back" side. Card 3 is inserted into the card slot 8 from the front side towards the back side.

[0020] Furthermore, in the following explanation, the side in the Y1 direction as shown in Figure 1, which is one side in the left-right direction, will be referred to as the "left" side, and the side in the Y2 direction as shown in Figure 1, which is the opposite side, will be referred to as the "right" side. The side in the Z1 direction as shown in Figure 1, which is one side in the up-down direction, will be referred to as the "up" side, and the side in the Z2 direction as shown in Figure 1, which is the opposite side, will be referred to as the "down" side. The IC contact block 11 is positioned so that the IC contact spring faces the card movement path 6 from above, and the magnetic head 12 is positioned so that the magnetic gap faces the card movement path 6 from below. In this embodiment, the lower side (Z2 direction side) is the first direction side, which is one side in the thickness direction of the card 3, and the upper side (Z1 direction side) is the second direction side, which is the opposite side of the first direction side.

[0021] In this configuration, the Z-direction (vertical direction) of the card reader 2 mounted on the host device does not perfectly coincide with the vertical direction; rather, the Z-direction of the card reader 2 mounted on the host device is slightly tilted relative to the vertical direction. Specifically, the Z-direction of the card reader 2 mounted on the host device is slightly tilted relative to the vertical direction so that the front side (X2 direction side) is positioned slightly "downward in the vertical direction (the side where gravity acts)" than the back side (X1 direction side). Because the tilt of the Z-direction of the card reader 2 mounted on the host device relative to the vertical direction is slight, the Z2 direction side (downward side) of the card reader 2 mounted on the host device roughly coincides with the "downward side in the vertical direction," and the Z1 direction side (upward side) of the card reader 2 mounted on the host device roughly coincides with the "upward side in the vertical direction." However, the Z-direction of the card reader 2 mounted on the host device may perfectly coincide with the vertical direction.

[0022] The main frame 7 includes a bag-shaped card storage section 7b that accommodates the rear portion of the card 3 inserted into the card reader 2 (i.e., the card 3 inserted through the card slot 8), and a partition wall section 7c that extends flange-like from the front end of the card storage section 7b. The interior of the card storage section 7b is part of the card movement path 6. No openings are formed on the top and bottom, left and right, or rear surfaces of the card storage section 7b that allow access to the card movement path 6 from the outside of the card storage section 7b. The partition wall section 7c is formed in a rectangular frame shape that extends in the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0023] The main frame 7 includes a card storage section 7b and a partition wall section 7c, as well as a head placement section 7g where the magnetic head 12 is positioned, and a card guide section 7h for guiding the card 3 inserted through the card slot 8 (see Figure 5). The head placement section 7g and the card guide section 7h protrude forward from the front of the partition wall section 7c. The head placement section 7g and the card guide section 7h are spaced apart in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the head placement section 7g is positioned on the right side, and the card guide section 7h is positioned on the left side. Note that in Figure 5, for ease of explanation, the main frame 7 and the printed circuit board 14 are shown with dashed lines.

[0024] Furthermore, the main frame 7 comprises an upper frame 15 and a lower frame 16 that are divided vertically, an upper cover 17 fixed to the upper side of the upper frame 15, and a lower cover 18 fixed to the lower side of the lower frame 16. In this embodiment, the card storage section 7b is formed by approximately half of the rear part of the upper frame 15, approximately half of the rear part of the lower frame 16, the upper cover 17, and the lower cover 18.

[0025] The upper frame 15, lower frame 16, upper cover 17, and lower cover 18 are made of resin. The card movement path 6 is formed between the upper frame 15 and the lower frame 16 and is formed inside the main frame 7. The upper surface of the card movement path 6 is formed on the upper frame 15. The lower surface of the card movement path 6 is formed on the lower frame 16. The lower frame 16 is fixed to the upper frame 15 in an assembled state from below.

[0026] The upper frame 15 movably holds the IC contact block 11. The upper frame 15 has an opening in which a portion of the IC contact block 11 is placed. This opening penetrates the upper frame 15 vertically and leads to the card movement path 6. The upper cover 17 closes this opening from above and covers the IC contact block 11 from above. The more specific configuration of the main frame 7 will be described later.

[0027] The circuit board 13 is a rigid substrate such as a glass epoxy substrate. The circuit board 13 is formed in a rectangular, flat shape. The circuit board 13 is positioned above the upper frame 15 and the upper cover 17. The thickness direction of the circuit board 13 coincides with the vertical direction. The circuit board 13 is fixed to the upper end of the upper frame 15. The circuit board 13 covers the card storage section 7b from above.

[0028] The printed circuit board 14 is a flexible printed circuit board. The printed circuit board 14 has a detection circuit formed on it for detecting at least one of the following: that it has been disconnected or that it has been short-circuited. The detection circuit is formed over almost the entire surface of the printed circuit board 14. The printed circuit board 14 is connected to the circuit board 13. The printed circuit board 14 covers the card storage section 7b from both sides in the left-right direction, from below, and from the rear. The printed circuit board 14 is composed of a rectangular first board section 14b located on the left-right outer side of the card storage section 7b, a rectangular second board section 14c (see Figure 5) located below the card storage section 7b, and a rectangular third board section 14d located at the rear of the card storage section 7b. The thickness direction of the first board section 14b coincides with the left-right direction. The thickness direction of the second board section 14c coincides with the up-down direction, and the thickness direction of the third board section 14d coincides with the front-back direction.

[0029] The IC contact block 11 is movable relative to the upper frame 15 between a contact position in which the IC contact spring can contact the external connection terminal 3b of the card 3, and a retracted position in which the IC contact spring is retracted to a position where it does not contact the external connection terminal 3b. The IC contact block 11 is biased toward the retracted position by a spring member such as a torsion coil spring. When no card 3 is inserted into the card reader 2, the IC contact block 11 is positioned in the retracted position.

[0030] When a card 3 is inserted into the card reader 2, the card 3 moves along the card movement path 6 toward the back and comes into contact with the IC contact block 11, causing the IC contact block 11 to move from the retracted position to the contact position. When the IC contact block 11 reaches the contact position, the IC contact spring makes contact with the external connection terminal 3b with a predetermined contact pressure, allowing the reading of data recorded on the card 3 or the recording of data to the card 3. When the card 3 inserted into the card reader 2 is withdrawn, the IC contact block 11 in the contact position moves to the retracted position due to the biasing force of the spring member.

[0031] The case body 10 is formed in the shape of a rectangular box with an open front end. Inside the case body 10 are a card storage section 7b, an IC contact block 11, a circuit board 13, and a printed circuit board 14. The front end of the case body 10 is formed in the shape of a flange. The case body 10 is attached to the main frame 7. Specifically, the front end of the case body 10 is fixed to the rear surface of the partition wall 7c. The bezel 9 is attached to the front part of the main frame 7. Specifically, the rear end of the bezel 9 is fixed to the front surface of the partition wall 7c. The specific configuration of the bezel 9 will be described later.

[0032] In this embodiment, the area behind the partition wall 7c and outside the card storage area 7b, enclosed by the partition wall 7c and the case body 10, is a waterproof area that does not allow the ingress of liquids such as water. The circuit board 13 is located above the upper frame 15 and the upper cover 17, and is situated within the waterproof area. On the other hand, the area inside the card storage area 7b, including the card movement path 6, and the area in front of the partition wall 7c are water-tolerant areas that allow the ingress of liquids such as water. The upper cover 17 and the lower cover 18 function as liquid-proof covers that prevent liquids from entering the waterproof area from inside the card storage area 7b.

[0033] (Main frame configuration) Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the bezel 9, lower frame 16, and lower cover 18 shown in Figure 4. Figure 7 is an enlarged view of section E in Figure 6. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the FF section in Figure 7. Figure 9 is a perspective view of the lower frame 16 shown in Figure 6. Figure 10 is a perspective view of the lower cover 18 shown in Figure 6. Figure 11 is a plan view of the sealing member 21 shown in Figure 7.

[0034] As described above, the lower frame 16 has the lower surface of the card movement path 6 formed thereon. That is, the main frame 7 has a movement path forming surface 16b, which is the lower surface of the card movement path 6. The IC contact block 11 is positioned above the movement path forming surface 16b. In this embodiment, the lower frame 16 is the first frame on which the movement path forming surface 16b is formed.

[0035] Furthermore, the main frame 7 has a storage section 7d that is recessed downward from the movement path forming surface 16b, and a drainage passage 7e for discharging liquids such as water that accumulate in the storage section 7d to the outside of the card reader 2. As described above, the Z2 direction side (downward side) of the card reader 2 roughly coincides with the vertical downward side (the side where gravity acts). The storage section 7d is positioned vertically below the card 3 that is in contact with the movement path forming surface 16b. The drainage passage 7e is a through hole that extends from the storage section 7d to the front end face of the main frame 7.

[0036] The storage compartment 7d is a storage space for storing foreign objects inserted through the card slot 8. The storage compartment 7d is capable of accommodating foreign objects inserted through the card slot 8. Foreign objects inserted through the card slot 8 include, for example, coins, broken cards, card fragments, or receipts.

[0037] The lower frame 16 comprises a frame base 16c that forms a portion of the lower side of the card storage section 7b, a protruding portion 16d that forms the lower part of the head placement section 7g of the main frame 7, and a protruding portion 16e that forms the lower part of the card guide section 7h of the main frame 7. The protruding portions 16d and 16e protrude forward from the frame base 16c. The protruding portions 16d and 16e are spaced apart in the left-right direction.

[0038] When viewed from above, the frame base 16c has a rectangular shape with the front-to-back direction as its longer side. The width of the frame base 16c in the left-to-right direction is wider than the width of the card 3. The frame base 16c has one opening 16f and two openings 16g that penetrate the frame base 16c in the vertical direction. The two openings 16g are formed at the rear end of the frame base 16c. The two openings 16g are spaced apart in the left-to-right direction.

[0039] The opening 16f is formed in front of the two openings 16g. The size of the opening 16f is larger than the size of the openings 16g. A wall portion 16n is formed between the opening 16f and the opening 16g. The opening 16f is formed between the right end and the left end of the frame base portion 16c. The opening 16f also extends to the front end of the frame base portion 16c. When viewed from above, the shape of the opening 16f is rectangular. The opening 16f constitutes the upper part of the housing portion 7d.

[0040] The frame base 16c is provided with an opposing portion 16h that faces the IC contact block 11 from below. The opposing portion 16h serves to increase the contact pressure between the IC contact spring 8 and the card 3. The opposing portion 16h protrudes forward from between the two openings 16g in the left-right direction. Furthermore, the opposing portion 16h protrudes forward beyond the wall portion 16n and extends into the opening 16f.

[0041] The front of the opposing portion 16h is part of the housing portion 7d, and a portion of the housing portion 7d is positioned in front of the opposing portion 16h that faces the IC contact block 11. In other words, a portion of the housing portion 7d is positioned in front of the IC contact block 11. Also, when viewed from above, portions of the housing portion 7d are positioned on both sides of the IC contact block 11 in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, no portion of the housing portion 7d is positioned behind the IC contact block 11.

[0042] The movement path forming surface 16b is formed on the front right side of the opening 16f. The movement path forming surface 16b is also formed on both sides in the left-right direction of the opening 16f. The portion of the frame base 16c located on the front right side of the opening 16f, and the portions located on both sides in the left-right direction of the opening 16f, constitute the movement path forming portion 16j on which the movement path forming surface 16b is formed. The movement path forming surface 16b is also formed on the upper surface of the opposing portion 16h. In this embodiment, the opposing portion 16h is also the movement path forming portion 16j on which the movement path forming surface 16b is formed. Thus, at least a portion of the lower frame 16 where the opening 16f is not formed constitutes the movement path forming portion 16j on which the movement path forming surface 16b is formed.

[0043] The front end portion of the frame base 16c, located between the protrusions 16d and 16e in the left-right direction, forms the front wall portion 16k of the lower frame 16. That is, the lower frame 16 is equipped with a front wall portion 16k. The front wall portion 16k is located in front of the opening 16f. The lower end of the front wall portion 16k is located below the lower ends of the protrusions 16d and 16e. A drainage passage 16p is formed in the front wall portion 16k as a second drainage passage that constitutes part of the drainage passage 7e. The drainage passage 16p is a round through-hole that penetrates the front wall portion 16k in the front-rear direction. The drainage passage 16p is composed of a large-diameter portion 16r that constitutes the rear end of the drainage passage 16p and a small-diameter portion 16s with a smaller inner diameter than the large-diameter portion 16r. The small-diameter portion 16s is connected to the front end of the large-diameter portion 16r.

[0044] The lower cover 18 is formed in the shape of a roughly rectangular box with an opening on the top side. Furthermore, the lower cover 18 is formed in a flat, box-like shape with a thin thickness in the vertical direction. When viewed from above, the outer shape of the lower cover 18 is rectangular, with the front-to-back direction being the longer side. The lower cover 18 is fixed to the underside of the frame base 16c so as to cover the frame base 16c from below. The openings 16f and 16g are covered from below by the lower cover 18. The lower cover 18 is fixed to the frame base 16c by screws. Therefore, the lower cover 18 can be easily attached to and detached from the frame base 16c.

[0045] The inner portion of the box-shaped lower cover 18, located in front of the wall portion 16n, forms the first housing portion 18b, which constitutes the lower portion of the housing portion 7d. In other words, the lower cover 18 has the first housing portion 18b formed therein. The housing portion 7d is composed of the opening 16f and the first housing portion 18b. The lower cover 18 in this embodiment is a housing portion forming member on which the first housing portion 18b is formed and which is fixed to the lower side of the lower frame 16.

[0046] The right end of the first storage section 18b is positioned to the right of the right end of the opening 16f, and the right end (part of the right end) of the first storage section 18b is positioned below the movement path forming section 16j, which is located to the right of the opening 16f. The left end of the first storage section 18b is positioned to the left of the left end of the opening 16f, and the left end (part of the left end) of the first storage section 18b is positioned below the movement path forming section 16j, which is located to the left of the opening 16f. The front end of the first storage section 18b is positioned in front of the front end of the opening 16f, and the front end (part of the front end) of the first storage section 18b is positioned below the movement path forming section 16j, which is located to the front right of the opening 16f. Furthermore, the lower side of the opposing section 16h is also the first storage section 18b, and a part of the first storage section 18b is positioned below the opposing section 16h, which is also the movement path forming section 16j.

[0047] The lower surface (bottom surface) of the first storage section 18b is a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction. That is, the lower surface of the storage section 7d is a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction. The lower cover 18 is provided with a front wall section 18c as a first front wall section that constitutes the front surface of the lower cover 18. The front wall section 18c is located behind the front wall section 16k of the lower frame 16. That is, the front wall section 16k is located in front of the front wall section 18c. In this embodiment, the front wall section 16k is a second front wall section located in front of the front wall section 18c.

[0048] A drainage passage 18d is formed in the front wall portion 18c as a first drainage passage that constitutes part of the drainage passage 7e. The drainage passage 18d is a round through-hole that penetrates the front wall portion 18c in the front-rear direction. The drainage passage 7e is composed of the drainage passage 18d and the drainage passage 16p. The drainage passage 18d constitutes the rear part of the drainage passage 7e, and the drainage passage 16p constitutes the front part of the drainage passage 7e. The inner diameter of the drainage passage 18d is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the small-diameter portion 16s of the drainage passage 16p. The center of the round-shaped drainage passage 18d coincides with the center of the round-shaped drainage passage 16p.

[0049] A cylindrical protrusion 18e is formed in the front wall portion 18c where the drainage passage 18d is formed, projecting forward. The front end of the drainage passage 18d forms the inner circumferential surface of the protrusion 18e. The front end of the protrusion 18e is located on the inner circumferential side of the rear end of the large-diameter portion 16r of the drainage passage 16p. The lower end 18f of the drainage passage 18d (see Figure 7) is located below the lower surface of the flatly formed housing portion 7d. More specifically, the lower end 18f of the drainage passage 18d is located vertically below the lower surface of the housing portion 7d. In this embodiment, the lower end 18f is the first discharge end, which is the first direction end of the drainage passage 18d, which is the first drainage passage.

[0050] The lower cover 18 has a recess 18g that is located at the rear of the drainage passage 18d and is connected to the drainage passage 18d. The recess 18g is recessed downward from the lower surface of the housing section 7d. The recess 18g is formed in a straight line extending from the rear end of the drainage passage 18d toward the rear. When viewed from the front or rear direction, the side surface of the recess 18g is arc-shaped. The lower end 18h ​​of the recess 18g (see Figure 7) is located at the same position as the lower end 18f of the drainage passage 18d in the vertical direction.

[0051] Between the lower frame 16 and the lower cover 18 are sealing members 21 and 22 to prevent liquid leakage from between the lower frame 16 and the lower cover 18. The sealing member 21 is a rubber packing. The sealing member 21 is positioned between the lower frame 16 and the lower cover 18 in the vertical direction. As shown in Figure 11, when viewed from the vertical direction, the sealing member 21 consists of a rectangular annular first sealing portion 21b surrounding the opening 16f and two rectangular annular second sealing portions 21c surrounding the opening 16g.

[0052] The sealing member 22 is a rubber packing. The sealing member 22 is formed in an annular shape. The sealing member 22 is positioned inside the large-diameter portion 16r of the drainage passage 16p. The sealing member 22 is in contact with, for example, the outer circumferential surface of the protrusion 18e and the inner circumferential surface of the large-diameter portion 16r at a predetermined contact pressure. The sealing member 22 serves to prevent liquid leakage from the connection between the drainage passage 18d and the drainage passage 16p. The sealing member 22 may also be in contact with the front end surface of the protrusion 18e and the front surface of the large-diameter portion 16r at a predetermined contact pressure.

[0053] (Bezel configuration) Figure 12 is a perspective view of the bezel 9 shown in Figure 6. Figure 13 is a perspective view of the bezel 9 shown in Figure 12 from a different direction.

[0054] As described above, the rear end of the bezel 9 is fixed to the front of the partition wall 7c. The bezel 9 constitutes the front of the card reader 2. The bezel 9 covers the head placement section 7g and the card guide section 7h of the main frame 7. The bezel 9 has a placement recess 9b where the head placement section 7g is placed and a placement recess 9c where the card guide section 7h is placed (see Figure 13). The placement recesses 9b and 9c are recessed from the rear surface of the bezel 9 toward the front. The placement recesses 9b and 9c are spaced apart in the left-right direction.

[0055] Furthermore, the bezel 9 has a finger insertion area 9d that is recessed from the front surface (front) of the bezel 9 toward the back. The finger insertion area 9d is formed between the placement recess 9b and the placement recess 9c in the left-right direction. The finger insertion area 9d is sized to allow the user's finger to be inserted when using the card reader 2. The user's finger is inserted into the finger insertion area 9d when inserting the card 3 into the card reader 2 and when removing the card 3 from the card reader 2. The lower surface of the finger insertion area 9d is an inclined surface 9e that slopes downwards as it approaches the front.

[0056] The rear and lower portion of the finger insertion section 9d is a front-facing section 9f located in front of the drainage passage 7e. In other words, the bezel 9 is equipped with a front-facing section 9f. The front-facing section 9f is located in front of the front wall section 16k. A gap is formed between the front wall section 16k and the front-facing section 9f in the front-rear direction. A cover-side drainage passage 9g, which is a through-hole for drainage, is formed in the front-facing section 9f. In this embodiment, two cover-side drainage passages 9g are formed with a gap between them in the left-right direction.

[0057] The cover-side drainage channel 9g is formed as a rectangular hole that penetrates the front-side mounting section 9f in the front-to-back direction. The lower surface of the cover-side drainage channel 9g is a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction. As shown in Figure 7, the lower surface of the cover-side drainage channel 9g is connected to the inclined surface 9e. Also, as shown in Figure 7, the cover-side drainage channel 9g is positioned below the drainage channel 7e. More specifically, the cover-side drainage channel 9g is positioned vertically below the drainage channel 7e.

[0058] (Printed circuit board configuration) The card reader body 4 includes a printed circuit board 24 as a second printed circuit board connected to the magnetic head 12, and a printed circuit board 25 positioned in front of the housing section 7d of the main body frame 7 (see Figure 5). The magnetic head 12 is positioned in front of the housing section 7d. Printed circuit boards 24 and 25 are flexible printed circuit boards. Furthermore, printed circuit boards 24 and 25 are formed as a single unit. That is, printed circuit boards 24 and 25 are flexible printed circuit boards formed as a single unit. Note that the illustration of printed circuit board 25 is omitted in Figure 6.

[0059] The printed circuit board 24 has a detection circuit formed on it for detecting at least one of the following: a break in the circuit or a short circuit. The detection circuit is formed over almost the entire surface of the printed circuit board 24. The printed circuit board 24 is routed from the magnetic head 12 toward the back. The printed circuit board 24 is connected to the circuit board 13. The lower frame 16 has a through hole formed therein for routing the printed circuit board 24 toward the back of the partition wall 7c.

[0060] The printed circuit board 25 has a detection circuit formed on it for detecting at least one of the following: that it has been disconnected or that it has been short-circuited. The detection circuit is formed over almost the entire surface of the printed circuit board 25. The printed circuit board 25 is connected to the left end of the printed circuit board 24. The printed circuit board 25 extends to the left from the printed circuit board 24. In the front-to-back direction, the printed circuit board 25 is positioned between the housing section 7d and the card slot 8. Also, in the front-to-back direction, the printed circuit board 25 is positioned between the main frame 7 and the bezel 9. Specifically, in the front-to-back direction, the printed circuit board 25 is positioned between the front wall section 16k and the front side positioning section 9f.

[0061] The printed circuit board 25 is fixed to the front surface of the front wall portion 16k. The printed circuit board 25 is fixed to the front surface of the front wall portion 16k, for example, by double-sided tape. The thickness direction of the printed circuit board 25 coincides with the front-to-back direction. The printed circuit board 25 consists of a first substrate portion 25b positioned between the protrusions 16d and 16e, and a second substrate portion 25c connected to the lower end of the first substrate portion 25b. The first substrate portion 25b and the second substrate portion 25c are formed in an elongated rectangular shape in the left-to-right direction.

[0062] The length of the second substrate section 25c in the left-right direction is longer than the length of the first substrate section 25b in the left-right direction. The right end of the second substrate section 25c is connected to the left end of the printed circuit board 24. The upper end of the printed circuit board 25 (i.e., the upper end of the first substrate section 25b) is positioned slightly below the card movement path 6. The lower end of the printed circuit board 25 (i.e., the lower end of the second substrate section 25c) is positioned below the lower surface of the housing section 7d. Furthermore, the lower end of the printed circuit board 25 is positioned below the lower surface of the second substrate section 14c of the printed circuit board 14 (see Figure 7). In addition, the lower end of the printed circuit board 25 is positioned between the upper and lower surfaces of the cover-side drainage path 9g in the vertical direction.

[0063] In the printed circuit board 25, a drain hole 25d is formed in the portion that overlaps with the drain passage 7e (the portion that overlaps with the drain passage 16p) in the front-to-back direction, and the drain hole 25d penetrates the printed circuit board 25 in the front-to-back direction. In addition, a notch 25e is formed in the portion of the printed circuit board 25 that overlaps with the cover-side drain passage 9g in the front-to-back direction. The drain hole 25d and the notch 25e are formed in the second substrate portion 25c. The drain hole 25d is a round hole that penetrates the second substrate portion 25c in the front-to-back direction. The notch 25e is cut out from the lower end of the second substrate portion 25c toward the upper side. The notch 25e is formed in two locations, spaced apart in the left-to-right direction.

[0064] (Main effects of this form) As described above, in this embodiment, the main frame 7 has a storage section 7d that is recessed downward from the movement path forming surface 16b, which is the lower surface of the card movement path 6, and is positioned vertically below the card 3 that is in contact with the movement path forming surface 16b. Therefore, in this embodiment, foreign objects inserted from the card insertion slot 8 can fall into the storage section 7d and be stored there. Consequently, in this embodiment, even if a foreign object is inserted from the card insertion slot 8, it is possible to prevent the card movement path 6 from becoming jammed by the foreign object, and to continue the subsequent transaction of card 3 at the card reader 2.

[0065] In this configuration, the main frame 7 has a drainage channel 7e for discharging the liquid accumulated in the storage section 7d from the storage section 7d to the outside of the card reader 2. Therefore, in this configuration, it is possible to discharge the liquid accumulated in the storage section 7d to the outside of the card reader 2 using the drainage channel 7e. Consequently, in this configuration, even though the storage section 7d is formed in the main frame 7, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of malfunctions of the card reader 2 caused by liquid accumulating inside the card reader 2.

[0066] In this embodiment, the lower end 18f of the drainage channel 18d is positioned vertically below the lower surface of the flatly formed storage section 7d. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to make it easier for the liquid accumulated in the storage section 7d to flow towards the drainage channel 18d due to the action of gravity. Thus, in this embodiment, it is easier to discharge the liquid accumulated in the storage section 7d through the drainage channel 18d. In addition, in this embodiment, a recess 18g is formed in the lower case 18 that connects to the far end of the drainage channel 18d, and the lower end 18h ​​of the recess 18g is positioned vertically at the same position as the lower end 18f of the drainage channel 18d. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is easier to guide the liquid accumulated in the storage section 7d to the drainage channel 18d by utilizing the recess 18g.

[0067] In this embodiment, the drainage channel 7e is a through-hole extending from the housing section 7d to the front end face of the main frame 7. In addition, in this embodiment, a cover-side drainage channel 9g is formed in the front positioning section 9f of the bezel 9, which is located in front of the drainage channel 7e. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to use the drainage channel 7e and the cover-side drainage channel 9g to discharge the liquid accumulated in the housing section 7d to the outside of the front side of the card reader 2 where the card insertion slot 8 is formed. In particular, in this embodiment, since the lower surface of the cover-side drainage channel 9g is connected to the inclined surface 9e of the finger insertion section 9d, it is easier to discharge the liquid discharged from the cover-side drainage channel 9g to the outside of the front side of the card reader 2. Therefore, in this embodiment, even if the card reader 2 is attached to a predetermined host device, it is possible to easily discharge the liquid to the outside of the host device.

[0068] In this configuration, the cover-side drain channel 9g is positioned vertically below the drain channel 7e. Therefore, in this configuration, the liquid discharged from the drain channel 7e is made more likely to flow towards the cover-side drain channel 9g due to gravity. Consequently, in this configuration, the liquid discharged from the drain channel 7e is easily discharged to the outside of the card reader 2 via the cover-side drain channel 9g. Furthermore, in this configuration, because the cover-side drain channel 9g is positioned vertically below the drain channel 7e, even if liquid flows backward towards the back of the cover-side drain channel 9g, it is possible to prevent the backflowing liquid from entering the drain channel 7e.

[0069] In this configuration, a portion of the storage section 7d is positioned in front of the IC contact block 11. Therefore, in this configuration, compared to, for example, the case where the storage section 7d is positioned behind the IC contact block 11, it is easier for foreign objects inserted through the card slot 8 to fall into the storage section 7d.

[0070] In this embodiment, a portion of the first storage section 18b, which constitutes the lower part of the storage section 7d, is located below the movement path forming section 16j, and the area below the movement path forming section 16j is also part of the first storage section 18b. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to increase the size of the storage section 7d. Consequently, in this embodiment, it is possible to accommodate large foreign objects in the storage section 7d, and it is also possible to accommodate many foreign objects in the storage section 7d.

[0071] In this configuration, a housing section 7d is formed in the main frame 7, which is recessed downward from the movement path forming surface 16b, which is the lower surface of the card movement path 6. Therefore, there is a risk that a criminal could tamper with the housing section 7d from the front of the card reader 2 and illegally obtain data containing confidential information. However, in this configuration, a printed circuit board 25 is positioned in front of the housing section 7d, on which a detection circuit is formed to detect at least one of the following: that the housing section 7d has been disconnected or short-circuited.

[0072] Therefore, in this configuration, if a criminal tampers with the storage unit 7d from the front of the card reader 2, it becomes possible to disconnect or short-circuit the detection circuit on the printed circuit board 25. Consequently, in this configuration, when a disconnection or short circuit in the detection circuit on the printed circuit board 25 is detected, predetermined processing such as disabling the card reader 2 can be performed, thereby preventing the unauthorized acquisition of data containing confidential information.

[0073] In this embodiment, the printed circuit board 25 is a flexible printed circuit board. Therefore, in this embodiment, the installation space for the printed circuit board 25 can be reduced, and the printed circuit board 25 can be easily installed. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the printed circuit board 25 is fixed to the front of the front wall portion 16k, it is possible to prevent the printed circuit board 25 from moving to the back when a criminal tampers with the storage portion 7d from the front of the card reader 2. Consequently, in this embodiment, it becomes easier for a criminal to disconnect or short-circuit the detection circuit of the printed circuit board 25 when tampering with the storage portion 7d from the front of the card reader 2.

[0074] In this embodiment, a drain hole 25d is formed in the printed circuit board 25 in the front-to-back direction, in the portion of the printed circuit board 25 that overlaps with the drain passage 7e in the front-to-back direction, and penetrates the printed circuit board 25 in the front-to-back direction. Therefore, in this embodiment, even if the printed circuit board 25 is fixed to the front of the front wall portion 16k, it is possible to discharge the liquid accumulated in the housing portion 7d to the outside on the front side of the card reader 2. In addition, in this embodiment, a notch 25e is formed in the portion of the printed circuit board 25 that overlaps with the cover-side drain passage 9g in the front-to-back direction. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to prevent tampering such as inserting a ballpoint pen or the like into the cover-side drain passage 9g from the front side of the card reader 2 and disconnecting the detection circuit formed on the printed circuit board 25.

[0075] In this embodiment, the printed circuit boards 24 and 25 are integrally formed flexible printed circuit boards. Therefore, in this embodiment, the configuration of the card reader 2 can be simplified compared to the case where the printed circuit board 25, which is positioned on the front side of the housing 7d, and the printed circuit board 24, from which the magnetic head 12 is pulled out, are formed separately. In addition, in this embodiment, since the lower end of the printed circuit board 25 is positioned below the lower surface of the housing 7d, even if a criminal tampers with the housing 7d from the diagonally lower front side of the card reader 2, it will be possible to disconnect or short-circuit the detection circuit of the printed circuit board 25.

[0076] (Other embodiments) The above-described embodiments are examples of preferred embodiments of the present invention, but are not limited thereto, and various modifications can be made without altering the essence of the invention.

[0077] In the above-described configuration, the card reader 2 may be equipped with a sensor for detecting when a foreign object has entered the storage section 7d. In this case, it becomes possible to notify the owner of the card reader 2 of the timing to remove the foreign object from the storage section 7d based on the detection result of the sensor. Also, in the above-described configuration, the entire storage section 7d may be located in front of the IC contact block 11. Also, at least a part of the storage section 7d may be located behind the IC contact block 11. Furthermore, in the above-described configuration, the lower part of the movement path forming section 16j does not have to be part of the first storage section 18b. Also, in the above-described configuration, the drainage passage 7e and the cover-side drainage passage 9g may be located at the same position in the vertical direction. Also, in the above-described configuration, the card reader 2 does not have to be equipped with a bezel 9.

[0078] In the above-described configuration, the lower end 18h ​​of the recess 18g may be positioned above the lower end 18f of the drainage passage 18d. Also, in the above-described configuration, the recess 18g does not have to be formed in the lower cover 18. In this case, the lower end 18f of the drainage passage 18d may be positioned at the same height as the lower surface of the housing 7d in the vertical direction. Furthermore, in the above-described configuration, the front wall portion 16k does not have to be formed in the lower frame 16. In this case, the drainage passage 7e is formed by the drainage passage 18d. Also, the front wall portion 18c does not have to be formed in the cover 18. In this case, the drainage passage 7e is formed by the drainage passage 16p.

[0079] In the above-described configuration, the card reader 2 may be equipped with a communication antenna for communicating data with the card 3 instead of the IC contact block 11. In this case, for example, a part of the housing section 7d is positioned in front of the communication antenna. In this case, the communication antenna is at least a data reading mechanism for reading the data recorded on the card 3.

[0080] In the above-described configuration, the card reader 2 is a manual card reader, but the card reader 2 may also be a card transport type card reader having a card transport mechanism that automatically transports the card 3. In this case, for example, the card reader 2 does not need to have an IC contact block 11. In this case, for example, a part of the housing section 7d is positioned in front of the magnetic head 12. In this case, the magnetic head 12 is at least a data reading mechanism for reading the data recorded on the card 3.

[0081] In the above-described configuration, the drainage passage 7e may be a through-hole that penetrates from the housing section 7d to the lower end face, left-right end face, or rear end face of the main frame 7. Also, in the above-described configuration, the card reader body 4 does not need to be equipped with a magnetic head 12. Furthermore, in the above-described configuration, PET (polyethylene terephthalate) cards with a thickness of approximately 0.18 to 0.36 mm, paper cards of a predetermined thickness, metal cards, etc., may be processed by the card reader 2.

[0082] In the above-described configuration, the printed circuit board 24 and the printed circuit board 25 may be formed separately. In this case, the printed circuit board 25 is routed to the rear so as to be connected to the circuit board 13. Also in the above-described configuration, the printed circuit board 25 may be formed integrally with the printed circuit board 14. Furthermore, in the above-described configuration, the printed circuit board 25 may be fixed to the rear surface of the front wall portions 16k and 18c. Even in this case, the printed circuit board 25 is positioned on the front side of the housing portion 7d.

[0083] In the above-described configuration, the portion of the printed circuit board 25 between the two notches 25e may be cut out so that the two notches 25e are connected. Also, in the above-described configuration, the notches 25e may not be formed on the printed circuit board 25. Furthermore, in the above-described configuration, the printed circuit board 25 may be a rigid board. Also, in the above-described configuration, a printed circuit board having a detection circuit formed on it for detecting at least one of the following: a disconnection or a short circuit, may be placed on the front surface of the portion of the upper frame 15 between the head placement portion 7g and the card guide portion 7h. Also, in the above-described configuration, the drainage passage 7e may not be formed on the main frame 7.

[0084] (Configuration of this technology) Furthermore, this technology can be configured as follows: (1) A card reader for reading data recorded on a card and recording data to the card, The main body frame comprises a card movement path formed in which the card inserted through the card slot moves, If we define one side of the card's movement direction as the front side, the opposite side as the back side, and one side of the card's thickness direction as the first direction, The card is inserted into the card slot from the front to the back. The card reader is characterized in that the main frame has a movement path forming surface which is the surface on the first direction side of the card movement path, a storage portion which is recessed toward the first direction from the movement path forming surface and is located vertically below the card that is in contact with the movement path forming surface, and a drainage passage for discharging liquid accumulated in the storage portion from the storage portion to the outside of the card reader. (2) The card reader according to (1), characterized in that the drainage passage is a through hole that extends from the housing to the front end face of the main frame. (3) The main frame comprises a first frame on which the movement path forming surface is formed, and a housing portion forming member on which a first housing portion constituting the portion of the housing portion on the first direction side is formed and which is fixed to the first direction side of the first frame, If the side opposite to the first direction is designated as the second direction, The first frame has an opening that constitutes the portion of the housing in the second direction, A sealing member is placed between the first frame and the housing-forming member to prevent liquid leakage from between the first frame and the housing-forming member. The housing portion forming member includes a first front wall portion that constitutes the front surface of the housing portion forming member, The first frame includes a second front wall portion located on the front side of the first front wall portion, The card reader according to (2), characterized in that the drainage passage is composed of a first drainage passage that penetrates the first front wall and a second drainage passage that penetrates the second front wall. (4) The card reader according to (3), characterized in that the first drainage channel end, which is the first direction end of the first drainage channel, is positioned vertically below the first direction surface of the housing portion which is formed in a planar shape. (5) The housing portion forming member is provided with a recess that is located on the far side of the first drainage passage and is connected to the first drainage passage, and is recessed from the surface of the housing portion on the first direction side toward the first direction, The card reader according to (4), characterized in that the end of the recess on the first direction side is located at the same position as the first drainage path end in the thickness direction of the card. (6) A front cover is provided which has the card slot formed and is attached to the front part of the main frame, The front cover includes a front-facing portion located in front of the drainage passage, The card reader according to any one of (2) to (5), characterized in that a cover-side drainage passage, which is a through-hole for draining liquid, is formed in the front-side arrangement portion. (7) The card reader according to (6), characterized in that the cover-side drainage passage is located vertically below the drainage passage. (8) The front cover is provided with a finger insertion section into which the user's finger is inserted when inserting the card into the card reader and when removing the card from the card reader. The aforementioned finger insertion portion is recessed from the front surface of the front cover toward the back, The surface of the finger insertion portion on the first direction side is an inclined surface that slopes toward the first direction as it approaches the front side. The portion of the finger insertion section that is on the inner side and on the first direction side is the front-side arrangement portion. The card reader according to (6) or (7), characterized in that the surface of the cover-side drainage passage on the first direction side is connected to the inclined surface. (9) A data reading mechanism for reading at least the data recorded on the card, The card reader according to any one of (1) to (8), characterized in that at least a portion of the storage section is located in front of the data reading mechanism. (10) The data reading mechanism is an IC contact block having a plurality of IC contact springs that contact the external connection terminals of the IC chip formed on the card, If the side opposite to the first direction is designated as the second direction, The IC contact block is positioned on the second direction side of the movement path forming surface, The main frame comprises a first frame on which the movement path forming surface is formed, and a housing portion forming member on which a first housing portion constituting the portion of the housing portion on the first direction side is formed and which is fixed to the first direction side of the first frame. The first frame has an opening that constitutes the portion of the housing in the second direction, The first frame includes a portion facing the IC contact block from the first direction side, The card reader according to (9), characterized in that a part of the first housing is arranged on the first direction side of the opposing part. (11) The main frame comprises a first frame on which the movement path forming surface is formed, and a housing portion forming member on which a first housing portion constituting the portion of the housing portion on the first direction side is formed and which is fixed to the first direction side of the first frame, If the side opposite to the first direction is designated as the second direction, The first frame has an opening that constitutes the portion of the housing in the second direction, At least a portion of the first frame in which the opening is not formed is a movement path forming portion in which the movement path forming surface is formed. The card reader according to any one of (1) to (10), characterized in that a part of the first storage portion is arranged on the first direction side of the movement path forming portion. (12) The housing section is equipped with a printed circuit board located on the front side, The card reader according to any one of (1) to (11), characterized in that the printed circuit board has a detection circuit formed thereon for detecting at least one of the following: that it has been disconnected or that it has been short-circuited. (13) A front cover is provided which has a card slot and is attached to the front part of the main frame, The card reader according to (12), characterized in that the printed circuit board is a flexible printed circuit board and is positioned between the main body frame and the front cover in the direction of movement of the card. (14) The drainage passage is a through hole that extends from the housing to the front end face of the main frame, The card reader according to (13), characterized in that a drain hole is formed in the portion of the printed circuit board that overlaps with the drain passage in the direction of movement of the card, and the drain hole penetrates the printed circuit board in the direction of movement of the card. (15) The front cover is provided with a front section located in front of the drainage passage, The aforementioned front-facing section has a cover-side drainage passage, which is a through-hole for draining liquid. The card reader according to (14), characterized in that a notch is formed in the portion of the printed circuit board that overlaps with the cover-side drainage passage in the direction of movement of the card. (16) A magnetic head for reading magnetic data recorded on the card and recording magnetic data on the card, and a second printed circuit board connected to the magnetic head, The magnetic head is positioned in front of the housing section. The second printed circuit board has a detection circuit formed on it for detecting at least one of the following: that it has been disconnected or that it has been short-circuited. The card reader according to any one of (12) to (15), characterized in that the printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board are a flexible printed circuit board formed integrally.

[0085] In this technology, for example, the drainage channel is a through-hole that extends from the storage section to the front end face of the main frame. In this case, the liquid accumulated in the storage section can be discharged to the outside of the card reader, where the card slot is formed. Therefore, for example, even if the card reader is attached to a predetermined host device, the liquid can be easily discharged to the outside of the host device.

[0086] In this technology, for example, the main frame comprises a first frame on which a movement path forming surface is formed, and a housing portion forming member on which a first housing portion constituting the first direction side portion of the housing portion is formed and which is fixed to the first direction side of the first frame. If the side opposite the first direction side is the second direction side, an opening constituting the second direction side portion of the housing portion is formed in the first frame, and a sealing member is arranged between the first frame and the housing portion forming member to prevent liquid leakage from between the first frame and the housing portion forming member. The housing portion forming member comprises a first front wall portion constituting the front side surface of the housing portion forming member, and the first frame comprises a second front wall portion arranged in front of the first front wall portion. The drainage passage comprises a first drainage passage penetrating the first front wall portion and a second drainage passage penetrating the second front wall portion.

[0087] In this technology, it is preferable that the first drainage channel end, which is the first direction end of the first drainage channel, is positioned vertically below the first direction surface of the containment section, which is formed in a planar shape. With this configuration, it becomes possible to make it easier for the liquid accumulated in the containment section to flow toward the first drainage channel due to the action of gravity. Therefore, it becomes easier to discharge the liquid accumulated in the containment section from the first drainage channel.

[0088] In this technology, it is preferable that the storage section forming member has a recess formed therein that is located on the far side of the first drainage passage, connects to the first drainage passage, and is recessed toward the first direction from the surface of the storage section on the first direction side, and that the end of the recess on the first direction side is located at the same position as the end of the first drainage passage in the thickness direction of the card. With this configuration, it is easier to guide the liquid accumulated in the storage section to the first drainage passage by utilizing the recess.

[0089] In this technology, the card reader includes, for example, a front cover that has a card slot and is attached to the front part of the main frame. The front cover includes a front mounting section located in front of the drainage passage, and the front mounting section has a cover-side drainage passage, which is a through-hole for draining liquid. In this case, the liquid accumulated in the storage section can be discharged to the outside of the front side of the card reader by utilizing the drainage passage and the cover-side drainage passage.

[0090] In this technology, it is preferable that the cover-side drainage channel is positioned vertically below the drainage channel. This configuration makes it easier for the liquid discharged from the drainage channel to flow towards the cover-side drainage channel due to gravity. Therefore, it becomes easier to discharge the liquid discharged from the drainage channel to the outside of the card reader via the cover-side drainage channel. Furthermore, this configuration makes it possible to prevent the backflowing liquid from entering the drainage channel even if the liquid flows backward towards the back of the cover-side drainage channel.

[0091] In this technology, for example, the front cover has a finger insertion section into which the user's finger is inserted when inserting a card into and removing a card from the card reader. The finger insertion section is recessed from the front surface of the front cover toward the back, and the surface of the finger insertion section toward the first direction is an inclined surface that slopes toward the first direction as it approaches the front. The rear and first direction portion of the finger insertion section is positioned at the front, and the surface of the cover-side drainage passage toward the first direction is connected to the inclined surface. In this case, the inclined surface can be used to facilitate the discharge of liquid from the cover-side drainage passage to the outside of the front side of the card reader.

[0092] In this technology, the card reader preferably includes a data reading mechanism for reading data recorded on the card, and at least a portion of the storage section is positioned in front of the data reading mechanism. With this configuration, for example, compared to a case where the storage section is positioned behind the data reading mechanism, it becomes easier for foreign objects inserted through the card slot to fall into the storage section.

[0093] In this technology, the data reading mechanism is an IC contact block having a plurality of IC contact springs that contact the external connection terminals of the IC chip formed on the card. If the side opposite the first direction is considered the second direction, the IC contact block is positioned on the second direction side of the movement path forming surface. The main frame comprises a first frame on which the movement path forming surface is formed, and a housing portion forming member on which a first housing portion constituting the first direction side portion of the housing portion is formed and which is fixed to the first direction side of the first frame. The first frame has an opening that constitutes the second direction side portion of the housing portion. The first frame has an opposing portion that faces the IC contact block from the first direction side, and preferably a part of the first housing portion is positioned on the first direction side of the opposing portion. With this configuration, since the first direction side of the opposing portion is also part of the first housing portion, it becomes possible to increase the size of the housing portion. Therefore, it becomes possible to accommodate large foreign objects in the housing portion, and also to accommodate a large number of foreign objects in the housing portion.

[0094] In this technology, the main frame comprises a first frame on which a movement path forming surface is formed, and a housing portion forming member on which a first housing portion constituting the first direction side of the housing portion is formed and which is fixed to the first direction side of the first frame. If the side opposite the first direction side is the second direction side, then an opening constituting the second direction side of the housing portion is formed in the first frame, and at least a portion of the part of the first frame where the opening is not formed is a movement path forming portion on which a movement path forming surface is formed, and preferably a portion of the first housing portion is arranged on the first direction side of the movement path forming portion. With this configuration, since the first direction side of the movement path forming portion is also part of the first housing portion, it becomes possible to increase the size of the housing portion. Therefore, it becomes possible to accommodate large foreign objects in the housing portion, and also to accommodate a large number of foreign objects in the housing portion.

[0095] In this technology, the card reader is provided with a printed circuit board located on the front side of the storage section, and it is preferable that the printed circuit board has a detection circuit formed on it for detecting at least one of the following: that it has been disconnected or that it has been short-circuited. In this technology, since the storage section is formed in the main frame and is recessed toward the first direction from the movement path forming surface, there is a risk that a criminal may tamper with the storage section from the front side of the card reader and illegally obtain data containing confidential information. However, with this configuration, when a criminal tampers with the storage section from the front side of the card reader, it becomes possible to disconnect or short-circuit the detection circuit on the printed circuit board. Therefore, when a disconnection or short-circuit of the detection circuit is detected, it is possible to perform predetermined processing, such as disabling the card reader, to prevent the illegal acquisition of data containing confidential information.

[0096] In this technology, the card reader has a front cover that is attached to the front part of the main frame and has a card slot formed therein. The printed circuit board is preferably a flexible printed circuit board and is positioned between the main frame and the front cover in the direction of card movement. With this configuration, since the printed circuit board is a flexible printed circuit board, it is possible to reduce the installation space for the printed circuit board and to easily install the printed circuit board. Furthermore, with this configuration, since the main frame is positioned behind the printed circuit board, it is possible to prevent the printed circuit board from moving to the back when a criminal tampers with the storage compartment from the front of the card reader. Therefore, when a criminal tampers with the storage compartment from the front of the card reader, it becomes easier to disconnect or short-circuit the detection circuit.

[0097] In this technology, for example, the drainage channel is a through-hole that extends from the storage section to the front end face of the main frame, and a drainage hole is formed in the printed circuit board in the direction of card movement where it overlaps with the drainage channel. In this case, since the drainage channel is a through-hole that extends from the storage section to the front end face of the main frame, it becomes possible to discharge the liquid accumulated in the storage section to the outside on the front side of the card reader where the card insertion slot is formed. Therefore, for example, even if the card reader is attached to a predetermined host device, it becomes possible to easily discharge the liquid to the outside of the host device. Also, in this case, since a drainage hole is formed in the printed circuit board in the direction of card movement where it overlaps with the drainage channel, it becomes possible to discharge the liquid accumulated in the storage section to the outside on the front side of the card reader even if the printed circuit board is placed between the main frame and the front cover.

[0098] In this technology, for example, the front cover has a front-facing section located in front of the drainage channel, and a cover-side drainage channel, which is a through-hole for draining liquid, is formed in the front-facing section. A notch is formed in the printed circuit board in the portion that overlaps with the cover-side drainage channel in the direction of card movement. In this case, since the cover-side drainage channel is formed in the front-facing section, it becomes possible to discharge the liquid accumulated in the storage section to the outside in front of the card reader using the drainage channel and the cover-side drainage channel. Also, in this case, since a notch is formed in the portion of the printed circuit board that overlaps with the cover-side drainage channel in the direction of card movement, it becomes possible to prevent tampering such as inserting a ballpoint pen or the like into the cover-side drainage channel from the front of the card reader and disconnecting the detection circuit formed on the printed circuit board.

[0099] In this technology, the card reader includes, for example, a magnetic head for reading magnetic data recorded on a card and recording magnetic data to a card, and a second printed circuit board connected to the magnetic head. The magnetic head is positioned in front of the housing, and the second printed circuit board has a detection circuit formed on it for detecting at least one of the following: that it has been disconnected or short-circuited. The printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board are a single, integrated flexible printed circuit board. In this case, since the flexible printed circuit board positioned in front of the housing is formed integrally with the flexible printed circuit board from which the magnetic head is pulled out, the configuration of the card reader can be simplified compared to the case where the flexible printed circuit board positioned in front of the housing and the flexible printed circuit board from which the magnetic head is pulled out are formed separately. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0100] 2 card readers 3 cards 3b External connection terminal 6 Card Movement Paths 7 Main frame 7d Storage area 7e Drainage path 8 card slots 9. Bezel (front cover) 9d Finger insertion area 9e Slope 9f Front placement part 9g Cover-side drainage channel 11 IC Contact Block (Data Reading Mechanism) 12 magnetic heads 16 Lower frame (first frame) 16b Travel path forming surface 16f opening 16h Opposite section 16j Travel path forming part 16k Front wall (2nd front wall) 16p Drainage channel (second drainage channel) 18 Lower cover (compartment forming housing) 18b First containment area 18c Anterior wall (first anterior wall) 18d Drainage channel (1st drainage channel) 18f Lower end of the drainage channel (end of the first drainage channel) 18g recess 18h Lower end of the recess (the end of the recess on the first direction side) 21, 22 Sealing members 24 Printed circuit board (2nd printed circuit board) 25 Printed circuit boards 25d Drainage hole 25e Notch X Card movement direction X1 Rear X2 Front side Z card thickness direction Z1 2nd direction side Z2 1st direction side

Claims

1. A card reader for reading data recorded on a card and recording data to the card, The main body frame comprises a card movement path formed in which the card inserted through the card slot moves, If we define one side of the card's movement direction as the front side, the opposite side as the back side, and one side of the card's thickness direction as the first direction, The card is inserted into the card slot from the front to the back. The card reader is characterized in that the main frame has a movement path forming surface which is the surface on the first direction side of the card movement path, a storage portion which is recessed toward the first direction from the movement path forming surface and is located vertically below the card that is in contact with the movement path forming surface, and a drainage passage for discharging liquid accumulated in the storage portion from the storage portion to the outside of the card reader.

2. The card reader according to claim 1, characterized in that the drainage passage is a through hole that extends from the housing to the front end face of the main frame.

3. The main frame comprises a first frame on which the movement path forming surface is formed, and a housing portion forming member on which a first housing portion constituting the portion of the housing portion on the first direction side is formed and which is fixed to the first direction side of the first frame. If the side opposite to the first direction is designated as the second direction, The first frame has an opening that constitutes the portion of the housing in the second direction, A sealing member is placed between the first frame and the housing-forming member to prevent liquid leakage from between the first frame and the housing-forming member. The housing portion forming member includes a first front wall portion that constitutes the front surface of the housing portion forming member, The first frame includes a second front wall portion located on the front side of the first front wall portion, The card reader according to claim 2, characterized in that the drainage passage is composed of a first drainage passage that penetrates the first front wall and a second drainage passage that penetrates the second front wall.

4. The card reader according to claim 3, characterized in that the first drainage channel end, which is the first direction end of the first drainage channel, is positioned vertically below the first direction surface of the housing portion which is formed in a planar shape.

5. The housing portion forming member is positioned on the far side of the first drainage passage and is connected to the first drainage passage, and has a recess formed therein that is recessed toward the first direction from the surface of the housing portion toward the first direction. The card reader according to claim 4, characterized in that the end of the recess on the first direction side is located at the same position as the first drainage path end in the thickness direction of the card.

6. The card slot is formed and a front cover is attached to the front portion of the main frame, The front cover includes a front-facing portion located in front of the drainage passage, The card reader according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that a cover-side drainage passage, which is a through-hole for draining liquid, is formed in the front-facing portion.

7. The card reader according to claim 6, characterized in that the cover-side drainage passage is located vertically below the drainage passage.

8. The front cover has a finger insertion section into which the user's finger is inserted when inserting the card into the card reader and when removing the card from the card reader. The aforementioned finger insertion portion is recessed from the front surface of the front cover toward the back, The surface of the finger insertion portion on the first direction side is an inclined surface that slopes toward the first direction as it approaches the front side. The portion of the finger insertion section that is on the inner side and on the first direction side is the front-side arrangement portion. The card reader according to claim 6, characterized in that the surface of the cover-side drainage passage on the first direction side is connected to the inclined surface.

9. It includes at least a data reading mechanism for reading the data recorded on the card, The card reader according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that at least a portion of the storage section is located in front of the data reading mechanism.

10. The data reading mechanism is an IC contact block having a plurality of IC contact springs that contact the external connection terminals of the IC chip formed on the card. If the side opposite to the first direction is designated as the second direction, The IC contact block is positioned on the second direction side of the movement path forming surface, The main frame comprises a first frame on which the movement path forming surface is formed, and a housing portion forming member on which a first housing portion constituting the portion of the housing portion on the first direction side is formed and which is fixed to the first direction side of the first frame. The first frame has an opening that constitutes the portion of the housing in the second direction, The first frame includes a facing portion that faces the IC contact block from the first direction side, The card reader according to claim 9, characterized in that a part of the first housing portion is arranged on the first direction side of the opposing portion.

11. The main frame comprises a first frame on which the movement path forming surface is formed, and a housing portion forming member on which a first housing portion constituting the portion of the housing portion on the first direction side is formed and which is fixed to the first direction side of the first frame. If the side opposite to the first direction is designated as the second direction, The first frame has an opening that constitutes the portion of the housing in the second direction, At least a portion of the first frame in which the opening is not formed is a movement path forming portion in which the movement path forming surface is formed. The card reader according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a part of the first housing portion is arranged on the first direction side of the movement path forming portion.

12. The housing section includes a printed circuit board positioned in front of the housing section, The card reader according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the printed circuit board has a detection circuit formed thereon for detecting at least one of the following: that it has been disconnected or that it has been short-circuited.

13. The card slot is formed and a front cover is attached to the front portion of the main frame, The card reader according to claim 12, characterized in that the printed circuit board is a flexible printed circuit board and is positioned between the main body frame and the front cover in the direction of movement of the card.

14. The drainage passage is a through hole that extends from the housing to the front end face of the main frame. The card reader according to claim 13, characterized in that a drain hole is formed in the portion of the printed circuit board that overlaps with the drain passage in the direction of movement of the card, and the drain hole penetrates the printed circuit board in the direction of movement of the card.

15. The front cover includes a front-facing portion located in front of the drainage passage, The aforementioned front-facing section has a cover-side drainage passage, which is a through-hole for draining liquid. The card reader according to claim 14, characterized in that a notch is formed in the portion of the printed circuit board that overlaps with the cover-side drainage passage in the direction of movement of the card.

16. The device comprises a magnetic head for reading magnetic data recorded on the card and / or recording magnetic data on the card, and a second printed circuit board connected to the magnetic head. The magnetic head is positioned in front of the housing section. The second printed circuit board has a detection circuit formed on it for detecting at least one of the following: that it has been disconnected or that it has been short-circuited. The card reader according to claim 12, characterized in that the printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board are a flexible printed circuit board formed integrally.

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