Method and tool for measuring conveying force in conveying device

Abstract

To reduce variations in a measurement and the number of steps when measuring or evaluating a conveyance force in a conveyance mechanism such as a card reader for carrying a conveyance item such as a magnetic card or an IC card.SOLUTION: A jig for a measurement is inserted in a conveyance path to be in contact with a conveyance roller (step 101). After that, under the condition in which a jig does not move when a conveyance motor is driven in a predetermined direction of rotation, the conveyance motor is activated to rotate in the predetermined direction of rotation and the output torque of the conveyance motor is gradually increased (steps 102, 103). Generation of a slip between the conveyance roller and the jig is detected (step 104). The output torque when a slip is generated is acquired (step 105), and the conveyance force is calculated or is evaluated on the basis of the output torque.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a measurement method for measuring or evaluating the conveying force of a conveying device that conveys an object such as a magnetic card or an IC card, and a jig used in this measurement method. [Background technology]

[0002] A conveyance mechanism that conveys a sheet-like, card-like, or belt-like object along a conveyance path is configured to convey the object by rotating a pair of rollers while sandwiching the object between them. A conveyance mechanism in which each of the pair of rollers is driven by a motor may be used, but in that case, the configuration of the conveyance mechanism becomes complex. A conveyance mechanism with a simpler structure is one in which the conveyance rollers are composed of a drive roller driven to rotate by a motor and a driven roller facing the drive roller, and the object sandwiched between the drive roller and the driven roller moves with the rotation of the drive roller, and the driven roller also rotates as the object moves. A conveyance mechanism with a drive roller and a driven roller is used, for example, in a card reader that reads and writes data from magnetic cards, IC cards, etc.

[0003] In a transport mechanism, it is important that the pressure applied from one roller to the other roller when the transported object is clamped is appropriate. If the pressure is too low, the transported object, such as a magnetic card or IC card, will slip, making it impossible to transport. On the other hand, if the pressure is too high, the load on the transport motor will increase and excessive force will be applied to each component of the transport mechanism, potentially causing the transport mechanism to malfunction. Therefore, it is necessary to inspect the transport mechanism before shipping to determine whether the pressure applied by the transport rollers is appropriate. In the case of a transport mechanism configured as a card reader, for example, it is not easy to measure the pressure itself. Therefore, it is common to attach a tension gauge to an actual card and measure the transport force applied to the card as it is transported by the drive rollers. The appropriateness of the pressure is then determined based on the magnitude of the transport force.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a load abnormality detection device for accurately identifying the cause of load abnormalities in each motor in a conveyance mechanism in which a motor is attached to each of a pair of rollers that clamp the conveyed object. Patent Document 2 discloses switching the upper limit of the output torque of a drive motor depending on the conveyance state in a conveyance mechanism configured as a card reader in order to protect the conveyed object and the conveyance mechanism itself. Although not related to measuring the conveyance force in a conveyance mechanism, Patent Document 3 discloses a medium for cleaning the conveyance path in a card reader that is a conveyance mechanism. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-215606 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-26432 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 6-77008 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] When evaluating the pressing force of a drive roller against a driven roller in a transport mechanism configured as a card reader, as described above, a tension gauge is attached to an actual card to determine the transport force applied to the card. In this case, the transport force applied to the card is measured by visually reading the scale on the tension gauge, which makes it time-consuming to evaluate the pressing force and causes variations in the evaluation results.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for measuring or evaluating the conveying force of a conveying mechanism, which method can reduce variation in measurement and reduce the number of steps, and a measurement jig to be used in this method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One embodiment of the measurement method of the present invention is a measurement method for measuring or evaluating the conveying force in a conveying mechanism having a conveying path, which is a passage through which conveyed objects are conveyed, a conveying motor, and a conveying roller that contacts the conveyed objects on the conveying path and is rotated and driven by the conveying motor to convey the conveyed objects.The measurement method involves inserting a measurement jig into the conveying path so that it contacts the conveying roller, and when the conveying motor is driven in a predetermined rotational direction, the jig does not move.The conveying motor is started to rotate in the predetermined rotational direction, gradually increasing the output torque of the conveying motor, and detecting the occurrence of slippage between the conveying roller and the jig.The conveying force is calculated or evaluated based on the output torque when slippage occurs.

[0009] According to this measurement method, slippage between the conveying roller and the jig is detected, and the conveying force is calculated or evaluated based on the motor output torque (rotation start torque) at that time. This eliminates the influence of measurement variations caused by reading the tension gauge scale, etc., and also makes it easier to automate the measurement process and reduces labor costs.

[0010] In the measurement method of this aspect, the transport roller in the transport mechanism may be composed of a drive roller that is driven to rotate by a transport motor and a driven roller relative to the drive roller. The measurement method according to the present invention makes it possible to more accurately determine the transport force of a transport roller composed of a drive roller and a driven roller.

[0011] In the measurement method of this aspect, when the transport mechanism includes multiple transport rollers, it is preferable to calculate or evaluate the transport force for each transport roller. By calculating or evaluating the transport force for each transport roller, it is possible to identify defects in the transport mechanism in more detail. Furthermore, these multiple transport rollers may be driven by a single transport motor. According to this aspect, even when multiple transport rollers are driven by a single transport motor, the transport force can be measured and evaluated for each transport roller.

[0012] In the measurement method of this embodiment, the conveying motor is preferably a DC motor, and the output torque is changed by controlling the current or voltage applied to the conveying motor. By using a DC motor, the output torque can be easily changed and the rotation start torque can be easily detected.

[0013] In the measurement method of this aspect, it is preferable that the portion of the jig inserted into the conveying path has the same thickness as the conveyed object. By using such a jig, it becomes possible to measure or evaluate the conveying force under conditions that are closer to the actual environment, and it becomes possible to reliably determine whether the pressing pressure of the conveying roller is appropriate.

[0014] Another aspect of the measuring jig of the present invention is a jig used to measure or evaluate the conveying force in a conveying mechanism having a conveying path, which is a passage through which the conveyed object is conveyed, an insertion port provided at the end of the conveying path, a conveying motor, and a conveying roller that contacts the conveyed object on the conveying path and is rotated and driven by the conveying motor to convey the conveyed object.The measuring jig has a main body portion that can be inserted into the conveying path through the insertion port, and a locking portion that is connected to one end of the main body portion and has a shape that prevents it from passing through the insertion port, and the length of the main body portion along the insertion direction is specified so that when the entire main body portion is inserted through the insertion port, the tip of the main body portion comes into contact with the conveying roller to be measured.

[0015] According to the jig of this aspect, since it has a locking portion having a shape that makes it impossible for it to pass through the insertion opening, it becomes possible to easily carry out the measuring method of this aspect described above.

[0016] In the jig of this aspect, it is preferable that the main body has a thickness equivalent to that of the transported object. By configuring the jig in this way, it becomes possible to measure or evaluate the transport force under conditions that are closer to the actual environment, and it becomes possible to reliably determine whether the pressing pressure of the transport roller is appropriate.

[0017] When used in a conveying mechanism where there are other conveying rollers between the insertion port and the conveying roller to be measured, the jig of this aspect preferably has a window portion provided in the main body as a through opening corresponding to the position of the other conveying roller when the main body is inserted into the conveying path. By providing such a window portion, it becomes easy to measure or evaluate the conveying force of each conveying roller. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present invention, when measuring or evaluating the conveying force of a conveying mechanism, it is possible to reduce the variation in measurement and reduce the number of steps. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are a side cross-sectional view and a plan cross-sectional view, respectively, showing a card reader, which is an example of a transport mechanism. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a card reader. [Figure 3] 10 is a flowchart showing a process for measuring a conveying force. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating a measuring jig. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Next, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention relates to a method for measuring and evaluating the conveying force of a conveying mechanism that conveys a sheet-shaped, card-shaped, or belt-shaped object along a conveying path. Here, the case will be described in which the object is a card-shaped information recording medium such as a magnetic card, a magnetic card with an IC (integrated circuit), or an IC card, and the conveying mechanism is configured as a card reader that reads and writes data from the card-shaped information recording medium. The card reader is mounted and used in a host device such as an ATM (automated teller machine). Of course, the object to be conveyed in the present invention is not limited to a card-shaped information recording medium, and the conveying mechanism is not limited to one configured as a card reader.

[0021] First, a card reader configured as a transport mechanism will be described. FIG. 1(a) is a side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a card reader 10, and FIG. 1(b) is a plan cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the card reader 10. The card reader 10 transports a card C, such as a magnetic card with an IC chip, as a transport object, and writes and reads data from the card C while transporting the card C. The card C is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape, and the longitudinal direction of the card C is the transport direction of the card C. The card reader 10 is provided with a linear transport path 40 extending in the front-to-rear direction of the card reader 10, through which the card C is transported. An insertion slot 41 is formed at one end of the transport path 40. When the card reader 10 is mounted on a host device 30 (see FIG. 2) such as an ATM, a user can insert the card C into the card reader 10 through the insertion slot 41 from outside the host device 30. In the figure, the insertion direction of the card C when inserting the card C into the card reader 10 through the insertion slot 41 is indicated by an arrow. An auxiliary insertion slot 42 is formed at the other end of the transport path 40. The auxiliary insertion port 42 is used to insert a card C, a jig, or the like into the card reader 10 when inspecting or maintaining the card reader 10. Naturally, the insertion direction when inserting a card C or a jig through the auxiliary insertion port 42 is opposite to the insertion direction when using the insertion port 41. A pair of guide sections 43, which are side plates, are provided on both sides of the transport path 40, and the distance between the guide sections 43 defines the path width of the transport path 40. This path width is the same as or slightly larger than the width of a card C.

[0022] Three pairs of transport rollers are provided in the transport path 40, approximately at the center of the width of the transport path 40, along the transport direction of the card C. The transport rollers closest to the insertion slot 41 consist of a drive roller 51a provided on the lower surface of the transport path 40 and a driven roller 51b provided on the upper surface of the transport path 40, while the transport rollers closest to the auxiliary insertion slot 42 consist of a drive roller 53a provided on the lower surface of the transport path 40 and a driven roller 53b provided on the upper surface of the transport path 40. The transport rollers provided approximately halfway between the insertion slot 41 and the auxiliary insertion slot 42 consist of a drive roller 52a provided on the lower surface of the transport path 40 and a driven roller 52b provided on the upper surface of the transport path 40. Each transport roller has the function of sandwiching and sending out the card C between the drive rollers 51a, 52a, 53a and the driven rollers 51b, 52b, 53b. As will be described later, the drive rollers 51a, 52a, and 53a rotate due to the driving force of a motor 60, and the driven rollers 51b, 52b, and 53b rotate following the rotation of the drive rollers 51a, 52a, and 53a or following the sliding of the card C which moves due to the rotation of the drive rollers 51a, 52a, and 53a. A magnetic head 46 is provided on the underside of the transport path 40 in correspondence with the position of the magnetic stripe on the card C. An IC contact block 47 is provided on the upper side of the transport path 40 in correspondence with the position of the IC chip terminal on the card C.

[0023] Power transmission members that transmit the driving force of motor 60 to drive rollers 51a, 52a, and 53a include toothed belts 71 and 72. The output of motor 60 is first transmitted to large-diameter gear portion 56b, which is a gear portion provided on shaft 56 that supports drive roller 52a, via gear 61 attached to the rotating shaft of motor 60 and toothed belt 71. Shaft 56 is also provided with small-diameter gear portion 56a, which is a gear portion with a smaller diameter than large-diameter gear portion 56b, and small-diameter gear portion 56a rotates in conjunction with the rotation of large-diameter gear portion 56b. Gear portions 55a and 57a are also provided on shaft 55 that supports drive roller 51a and shaft 57 that supports drive roller 53a, respectively. The small-diameter gear portion 56a of the shaft 56 of the drive roller 52a and the gear portions 55a, 57a of the shafts 55, 57 of the drive rollers 51a and 53a are connected by a toothed belt 72, and they rotate in conjunction with each other. Tensioners 74, 75 for the toothed belt 72 are disposed before and after the drive roller 52a, thereby applying a constant tension to the toothed belt 72. Ultimately, in this card reader 10, the drive rollers 51a, 52a, and 53a are all driven by a single motor 60. Here, the card reader 10 is provided with three pairs of conveying rollers, i.e., combinations of drive rollers and driven rollers, but the number of conveying rollers is not limited to three and may be two or fewer pairs or four or more pairs.

[0024] Note that drive rollers 51a, 52a, and 53a on the underside of conveying path 40 are hidden by driven rollers 51b, 52b, and 53b on the upper side of conveying path 40, and therefore drive rollers 51a, 52a, and 53a are not shown in Fig. 1(b). Also, shafts 55-57 of drive rollers 51a, 52a, and 53a are on the underside of conveying path 40, and therefore these shafts 55-57 are drawn with dashed lines in the area of ​​conveying path 40 in Fig. 1(b). For ease of explanation, the shafts of driven rollers 51b, 52b, and 53b are not drawn in Fig. 1.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a card reader 10 as an electronic device. The card reader 10 is equipped with a control unit 20 that controls the overall operation of the card reader 10. The control unit 20 can communicate with a host device 30, such as an ATM, in which the card reader 10 is installed. The control unit 20 is configured, for example, by a microcomputer or microprocessor and operates by software. A magnetic head 46 and an IC contact block 47 are also connected to the control unit 20. The motor 60 is equipped with an encoder 62 connected to its rotation shaft, which can detect the rotational position of the motor 60. The motor 60 is a direct current (DC) motor and is controlled by the control unit 20 via a drive circuit 21. The control unit 20 outputs position commands and current commands (or torque commands) for the motor 60 to the drive circuit 21, and the drive circuit 21 drives the motor 60 by servo control based on the commands from the control unit 20. When actually driving the motor 60, the motor 60 is driven using pulse width modulation (PWM) to control the torque of the motor 60. For servo control, rotational position information of the motor 60 is input from the encoder 62 to the drive circuit 21. The rotational position information of the motor 60 is also input from the encoder 62 to the control unit 20.

[0026] In this card reader 10, the control unit 20 controls the drive of the motor 60 in response to commands from the host device 30 to load and eject a card C into the card reader 10, and also reads and writes data from and to a card C positioned on the transport path 40. Furthermore, the program that controls the operation of the control unit 20 includes routines for diagnosing and inspecting the card reader 10. Below, we will explain the procedure for measuring or evaluating the transport force in the card reader 10 described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The measurement or evaluation of the transport force is performed, for example, for each transport roller to determine whether the pressing force of the drive rollers 51a, 51b, and 51c against the driven rollers 51b, 52b, and 53b of that transport roller is appropriate. Therefore, the measurement or evaluation of the transport force must be performed for each transport roller.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the process of measuring or evaluating the conveying force (also referred to as the measurement process) in this embodiment. First, in step 101, a measurement jig is inserted into the conveying path 40 through the insertion port 41 or the auxiliary insertion port 42. At this time, the measurement jig contacts only the conveying roller to be measured. In the case of the card reader 10 shown in FIG. 1, the measurement jig is sandwiched between the drive roller and the driven roller of the conveying roller to be measured, and the jig does not contact the drive rollers or driven rollers of other conveying rollers. Furthermore, after contacting the conveying roller to be measured, the jig is configured not to advance further in the insertion direction into the conveying path 40. The jig used here has the same thickness as the card C and is made of the same material as the card C. Details of its shape and the like will be described later. The process of step 101 is performed, for example, by an operator or by a robot. After this, the control unit 20 starts executing an inspection routine.

[0028] When the inspection routine begins, the control unit 20 starts the motor 60 in step 102, gradually increases the output torque of the motor 60 in step 103, and detects whether the motor 60 has started rotating in step 104. The rotation direction of the motor 60 is set to a direction that transports the jig further along the insertion direction into the transport path 40. Because the jig is designed to not move further along the transport direction, when the output torque is small, friction between the transport roller and the jig prevents the transport roller, specifically the drive roller, from rotating even when driving force is applied from the motor 60, and therefore the motor 60 does not rotate either. Whether the motor 60 has started rotating can be detected by monitoring the output of the encoder 62. If the control unit 20 does not detect that the motor 60 has started rotating in step 104, it repeats the process from step 102.

[0029] As the output of the motor 60 increases, at some point the conveying force overcomes the frictional force between the conveying roller and the jig, causing slippage between the conveying roller and the jig, which causes the conveying roller to start rotating, and the motor 60 to start rotating as well. When the control unit 20 detects that the motor 60 has started rotating in step 104, it acquires and stores the output torque value of the motor 60 at that time in step 105. Then, in step 106, it stops the motor 60 and terminates the execution of the inspection routine. The current-torque characteristics of the motor 60, which is a DC motor, are known, and the control unit 20 can determine the output torque value of the motor 60 based on the current command output to the drive circuit 21. A specific method for calculating the output torque value is described, for example, in Patent Document 2. The output torque of the motor 60 when slippage begins is referred to as the rotation start torque value. The rotation start torque value is divided by the radius of the conveying roller (particularly the drive roller) to calculate the conveying force applied from the motor 60 to the jig via the conveying roller. This calculated conveying force is equivalent to the tension value obtained by a conventional inspection method using a tension gauge. Finally, in step 107, the jig is removed from the conveyance path 40 by hand or by a robot, thereby completing the measurement process. If there are multiple conveyance rollers to be measured, the measurement process is carried out for each conveyance roller. In this case, a different jig is used for each conveyance roller.

[0030] Next, we will explain the evaluation using the rotation start torque value obtained in step 105 or the conveying force calculated from the rotation start torque value. It is assumed that the card reader 10 has a predetermined optimum value for the conveying force or the rotation start torque value. If the conveying force or the rotation start torque value obtained through the measurement process is smaller than the optimum value, the cause may be an insufficient pressing force of the drive roller against the driven roller, causing the conveyed object to slip, insufficient tension in the belt transmitting the driving force to the conveying roller, tooth skipping in the case of a toothed belt, or a dirty surface of the conveying roller. On the other hand, if the conveying force or the rotation start torque value is larger than the optimum value, the cause may be an excessive pressing force of the drive roller against the driven roller, an issue with the belt tension, or an abnormality in the path transmitting the driving force from the motor 60 to the conveying roller, including the motor 60. The method based on this embodiment allows the conveying force of the conveying mechanism to be measured or evaluated without using a tension gauge or the like, thereby reducing the inspection man-hours required for inspecting the conveying mechanism and reducing measurement variability. Furthermore, since the measurement process can be carried out using software such as an inspection routine, the inspection process can be automated without mechanically modifying the card reader 10 side.

[0031] Next, the measurement jig used in this embodiment will be described. As described above, the jig used in this embodiment is inserted into the conveyance path 40 so as to contact only the conveyance roller to be measured, and is configured so that after contacting the conveyance roller to be measured, it does not move further into the conveyance path 40 in the insertion direction even when the conveyance roller is driven by the motor 60. Such a jig is prepared for each conveyance roller to be measured. In the case of the card reader 10 shown in FIG. 1, three pairs of conveyance rollers, each consisting of a drive roller and a driven roller, are provided, and therefore three types of jigs are prepared. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a jig used in the card reader 10 shown in FIG. 1 and inserted into the conveyance path 40 from the auxiliary insertion slot 42 side. 4A is a plan view showing the configuration of the conveyance path 40 for reference, FIG. 4B shows a jig 81 used for the conveyance rollers (drive roller 51a and driven roller 51b) closest to the insertion opening 41, FIG. 4C shows a jig 82 used for the conveyance rollers (drive roller 52a and driven roller 52b) located at approximately the middle of the conveyance path 40, and FIG. 4D shows a jig 83 used for the conveyance rollers (drive roller 53a and driven roller 53b) closest to the auxiliary insertion opening 42. Each of the jigs 81 to 83 includes a main body 86 inserted into the conveyance path 40 and a locking portion 87 connected to one end of the main body 86. The main body 86 has a substantially rectangular shape, and the width W of the main body 86 is the same as the width of the card C and is the same as or slightly smaller than the passage width of the conveyance path 40. The thickness of the main body 86 is the same as the thickness of the card C. The thickness of the card C, which is the object to be transported in the card reader 10, is, for example, 0.7 to 0.8 mm, and therefore the thickness of the main body 86 is also 0.7 to 0.8 mm. The material of the main body 86, particularly the material of the surface of the main body 86, is preferably the same as that of the card C.

[0032] The locking portion 87 engages with the peripheral portion of the opening of the auxiliary insertion slot 42 of the card reader 10, thereby preventing the jigs 81 to 83 from being inserted into the conveyance path 40 beyond the lengths L1 to L3 of the main body 86 along the insertion direction when the jigs 81 to 83 are inserted into the conveyance path 40 from the end where the locking portion 87 is not provided. For example, the locking portion 87 is configured to have a shape that prevents the jigs 81 to 83 from passing through the auxiliary insertion slot 42. If the jigs 81 to 83 are configured as plate-shaped members, the width of the locking portion 87 is made larger than the opening width of the auxiliary insertion slot 42, and the jigs 81 to 83 have an overall T-shape. By providing such a locking portion 87, the jigs 81 to 83 will not move any further when the motor 60 is driven in a rotational direction that moves the jigs 81 to 83 in the insertion direction.

[0033] The body 86 of the jig 81 corresponding to the transport rollers (drive roller 51a and driven roller 51b) closest to the insertion opening 41, i.e., the transport rollers farthest from the auxiliary insertion opening 42, has a length L1 that is slightly longer than the distance from the auxiliary insertion opening 42 to the transport rollers. As a result, when the body 86 of the jig 81 is fully inserted into the transport path 40, the tip of the body 86 is sandwiched between the drive roller 51a and the driven roller 51b. At this time, to prevent the jig 81 from coming into contact with the remaining two transport rollers (the transport rollers consisting of the drive roller 52a and the driven roller 52b and the transport rollers consisting of the drive roller 53a and the driven roller 53b), window portions 88 are provided in the body 86 at positions corresponding to those transport rollers. In the illustrated example, a substantially rectangular window portion 88 is provided as an opening that penetrates the body 86 and is common to the remaining two transport rollers.

[0034] Similarly, the body 86 of the jig 82 corresponding to the conveying rollers (drive roller 52a and driven roller 52b) located midway between the insertion opening 41 and the auxiliary insertion opening 42 has a length L2 that is slightly longer than the distance from the auxiliary insertion opening 42 to the conveying rollers. As a result, when the body 86 of the jig 82 is fully inserted into the conveying path 40, the leading end of the body 86 is sandwiched between the drive roller 52a and the driven roller 52b. At this time, to prevent the jig 82 from contacting the conveying rollers (drive roller 53a and driven roller 53b) on the auxiliary insertion opening 42 side, the body 86 is provided with a window 88 at a position corresponding to the conveying rollers. Furthermore, the body 86 of the jig 82 corresponding to the conveying rollers (drive roller 53a and driven roller 53b) closest to the auxiliary insertion opening 42 has a length L3 that is slightly longer than the distance from the auxiliary insertion opening 42 to the conveying rollers. As a result, when the main body 86 of the jig 83 is fully inserted into the conveying path 40, the tip of the main body 86 is sandwiched between the drive roller 52a and the driven roller 52b. In the jig 83, since there are no other conveying rollers between the target conveying roller and the auxiliary insertion opening 42 through which the jig 83 is inserted, a window portion that is an opening that penetrates the main body 86 is not provided.

[0035] The jigs 81 to 83 used in this embodiment have been described above, but the jig used to measure the conveying force may be inserted into the conveying path 40 from the insertion port 41 instead of the auxiliary insertion port 42, and when the jig is inserted into the conveying path 40 from the insertion port 41, a jig having corresponding dimensions and shape is used. Also, although the jigs have been described as having an overall plate-like shape, the jigs do not have to have an overall plate-like shape as long as they have a main body portion shaped to be insertable into the conveying path 40 and a locking portion shaped to be unable to pass through the insertion port 41 or the auxiliary insertion port 42, and in particular the locking portion may protrude in the thickness direction of the main body portion.

[0036] According to the embodiment described above, when inspecting the pressing pressure of the transport roller of the card reader 10, the inspection can be performed without using a tension gauge or the like. Alternatively, a series of processes for determining the transport force and rotation start torque can be realized by software processing, specifically by having the control unit 20 execute an inspection routine. As a result, according to this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the number of steps when executing the inspection process of the card reader 10, and it is also possible to reduce variation during measurement. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 10...card reader; 20...control unit; 21...drive circuit; 40...conveying path; 41...insertion port; 42...auxiliary insertion port; 43...guide section; 51a, 52a, 53a...drive roller; 51b, 52b, 53b...follower roller; 60...motor; 62...encoder; 71, 72...toothed belt; 81, 82, 83...jig; 86...main body; 87...locking section; 88...window section.

Claims

1. A measurement method for measuring or evaluating a conveying force in a conveying mechanism having a conveying path that is a passage through which an object is conveyed, a conveying motor, and a conveying roller that contacts the object on the conveying path and is rotationally driven by the conveying motor to convey the object, comprising: inserting a measuring jig into the conveying path so as to come into contact with the conveying roller; When the conveying motor is driven in a predetermined rotation direction, the conveying motor is started so as to rotate in the predetermined rotation direction while the jig does not move, and the output torque of the conveying motor is gradually increased; detecting the occurrence of slippage between the conveying roller and the jig; A measurement method in which the conveying force is calculated or evaluated based on the output torque when the slip occurs.

2. 2. The measuring method according to claim 1, wherein the transport roller in the transport mechanism comprises a drive roller that is rotationally driven by the transport motor, and a driven roller for the drive roller.

3. 3. The measurement method according to claim 1, wherein the transport mechanism includes a plurality of the transport rollers, and the transport force is calculated or evaluated for each of the transport rollers.

4. The measuring method according to claim 3 , wherein a plurality of the transport rollers in the transport mechanism are driven by a single transport motor.

5. 5. The measurement method according to claim 1, wherein the transport motor is a DC motor, and the output torque is changed by controlling a current or a voltage applied to the transport motor.

6. The measuring method according to claim 1 , wherein the portion of the jig that is inserted into the transport path has a thickness equivalent to that of the object.

7. A jig used to measure or evaluate a conveying force in a conveying mechanism having a conveying path which is a passage through which an object is conveyed, an insertion port provided at an end of the conveying path, a conveying motor, and a conveying roller which comes into contact with the object on the conveying path and is driven to rotate by the conveying motor to convey the object, a main body portion that can be inserted into the transport path through the insertion opening; a locking portion connected to one end of the main body portion and having a shape that prevents it from passing through the insertion opening; and A jig in which the length of the main body portion along the insertion direction is specified so that when the entire main body portion is inserted through the insertion opening, the tip of the main body portion comes into contact with the conveying roller to be measured.

8. The jig according to claim 7 , wherein the main body has a thickness equivalent to that of the object to be conveyed.

9. The jig is used when there is another conveying roller between the insertion port and the conveying roller to be measured in the conveying mechanism, The jig according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the main body has a window portion as a through opening, the window portion corresponding to the position of the other transport roller when the main body is inserted into the transport path.

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