Card reader

Abstract

To provide a card reader which comprises a function of reading a two-dimensional code or a one-dimensional code, and carries out a performance making a periphery of a card slot shine.SOLUTION: A card reader 1 comprises: a card reader body 5; a rigid board 11 fixed to the card reader body 5; a light emitting element 10 arranged on a surface of the rigid board 11; an optical transparency cover member 14 covering the rigid board 11 from a side opposite to the card reader body 5; and a code imaging unit 15 imaging a one-dimensional code or a two-dimensional code. A card insertion port 3 extending in a Y direction is provided in the cover member 14. The code imaging unit 15 is held by the cover member 14, and is arranged at an adjacent position in the Y direction to the card insertion port 3. A first flexible printed board 13 arranged on the surface of the rigid board 11 comprises an antenna 9 for NFC communication.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a card reader having a card insertion slot. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent document 1 discloses a card reader that reads and writes information from a magnetic card or contact IC card inserted into the device through a card insertion port, and that is configured to be used as a contactless information processing device that reads information from contactless IC cards, smartphones, etc. using contactless communication such as NFC (Near Field Communication).

[0003] The contactless information processing device described in Patent Document 1 creates an effect by illuminating the area around the card insertion slot. To achieve this, an LED is mounted on a circuit board with a long, narrow opening corresponding to the card insertion slot, and the card insertion slot is located in a bezel (cover member) attached to cover the board. Therefore, when the LED is energized, the entire bezel lights up in a manner that emits diffused light, thereby improving the visibility of the card insertion slot and providing a dramatic effect. The circuit board is mounted with a circuit to which the LED is connected and a circuit equipped with a loop antenna for reading information via contactless communication. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-57725 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In addition to NFC, means for reading two-dimensional codes such as QR Code (registered trademark) and one-dimensional codes such as barcodes are used as means for reading information without contact. However, the device in Patent Document 1 does not include means for reading two-dimensional or one-dimensional codes. Generally, a handheld code imaging unit is used to read two-dimensional or one-dimensional codes, but it must be held in the hand and operated, making it inconvenient to use. Therefore, it has been proposed to provide a fixed code imaging unit around the card insertion slot.

[0006] However, providing a fixed code imaging unit may increase the size of the bezel where the card insertion slot is located, resulting in an increase in the external size of the card reader. In such cases, it is difficult to add a code imaging unit to an existing card reader, making it difficult to add a function to read two-dimensional or one-dimensional codes.

[0007] For example, in Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-112496, the applicant proposed a card reader with a fixed code imaging unit below the card insertion slot. However, adding a code imaging unit to such a position in the configuration of Patent Document 1 would increase the vertical height of the bezel, which would increase the external size of the card reader and significantly affect the device to which it is attached (such as a game device). Therefore, adding a code imaging unit would be difficult.

[0008] In view of the above problems, the object of the present invention is to provide a card reader that can easily read two-dimensional codes and one-dimensional codes, and to reduce the impact of adding a code imaging unit to existing card readers that create a lighting effect around the card insertion slot. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problem, one embodiment of the card reader of the present invention comprises a card reader main body, a substrate fixed to the card reader main body, a light-emitting element arranged on the surface of the substrate, a light-transmitting cover member covering the substrate from the side opposite the card reader main body, and a code imaging unit that images a one-dimensional code or a two-dimensional code, wherein the cover member is provided with a card insertion slot, and the code imaging unit is held by the cover member and arranged in a position adjacent to the card insertion slot in the longitudinal direction of the card insertion slot.

[0010] In this embodiment, the cover member having the card insertion slot is optically transparent, and a substrate having a light-emitting element disposed inside the cover member is disposed. Therefore, it is possible to create an effect of illuminating the area around the card insertion slot. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the code imaging unit is held in the cover member at a position longitudinally adjacent to the card insertion slot. Positioning the code imaging unit in this position makes its presence easy to see, making it easy to hold a medium over the code imaging unit when reading a one-dimensional or two-dimensional code. Furthermore, this arrangement allows for space to be secured for the code imaging unit simply by shifting the position of the slit-shaped card insertion slot in its longitudinal direction, thereby minimizing the impact on the outer shape of the cover member. Furthermore, the configuration of the substrate carrying the light-emitting element and the card reader main body can be shifted simply to the side where the card insertion slot is shifted. Therefore, there is little impact on the outer shape of the card reader and on the device to which it is attached. Therefore, the impact of adding a code imaging unit to an existing card reader can be minimized.

[0011] In this aspect, the code imaging unit preferably includes a camera module and a light-emitting unit, and the light-emitting unit and the camera module are preferably aligned in the longitudinal direction. This makes it easier to reduce the dimension of the code imaging unit in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, thereby reducing the impact on the outer shape of the cover member.

[0012] In this aspect, the light-emitting unit is preferably disposed on the opposite side of the camera module from the card insertion slot in the longitudinal direction, so that the light-emitting unit can be spaced apart from the card insertion slot, making it less likely that a user standing in front of the card insertion slot will find the light from the light-emitting unit too dazzling when using the code imaging unit to read a one-dimensional or two-dimensional code.

[0013] In this aspect, it is preferable that the optical axis of the camera module, the center of the light-emitting portion, and the center of the card insertion slot are aligned on the same straight line. This makes it easy to reduce the dimensions of the cover member in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, thereby reducing the impact on the outer shape of the cover member.

[0014] In this embodiment, it is preferable to provide a contactless communication antenna disposed on the surface of the substrate, which makes it possible to read information via NFC (near field communication) and one-dimensional and two-dimensional codes, providing high convenience.

[0015] In this aspect, it is preferable that the first flexible printed circuit board has a first portion surrounding a card passage opening provided on the board, and the antenna is provided on the first portion, which makes it easy to install the antenna.

[0016] In this case, it is preferable that the light-emitting element is connected to a control board provided in the card reader body via the first flexible printed circuit board. In this way, the antenna and the wiring connection to the light-emitting element can be performed using a common flexible printed circuit board. This simplifies the light-emitting function and the wiring connection to the antenna, and improves ease of assembly.

[0017] In this aspect, the first flexible printed circuit board preferably includes a second part connecting the first part and the light-emitting unit and a third part connected to the card reader body, and the light-emitting unit is connected to the control board via the second part and the third part. In this way, in addition to installing the antenna and connecting the wiring to the light-emitting element, the wiring connection to the code imaging unit and the light-emitting unit can also be performed using a common flexible printed circuit board. This simplifies the wiring connection for providing the light-emitting function and multiple contactless communication functions, improving ease of assembly.

[0018] In this aspect, it is preferable to have a second flexible printed circuit board connecting the camera module and the card reader main body. In this way, if the wiring connection to the camera module is made using a wiring member (second flexible printed circuit board) separate from the wiring member for connecting to the light-emitting element and for installing the antenna, it is easy to connect the image data from the camera module to the camera control circuit. Therefore, it is easy to add a code image capture unit to a model equipped with an NFC (near field communication) antenna and a light-emitting effect function.

[0019] In this aspect, it is preferable that the cover member includes a flange portion fixed to the board and a protruding portion protruding from the flange portion, the protruding portion extending in the longitudinal direction, a holding portion for holding the code imaging unit being provided at one end of the protruding portion in the longitudinal direction, and the card insertion slot is opened on a tip surface of the protruding portion at a position adjacent to the holding portion in the longitudinal direction. In this way, it is easy to ensure a space for arranging the code imaging unit without changing the outer shape of the cover member.

[0020] In this aspect, the code imaging unit preferably includes a holder disposed inside the protrusion, and the camera module and the light-emitting unit are held by the holder in a diagonally downward orientation, and the image is captured through an opening provided on the tip surface of the holder. This makes it easy to hold a medium bearing a one-dimensional or two-dimensional code over the code imaging unit. Furthermore, the light-emitting unit is less likely to be dazzling when reading the one-dimensional or two-dimensional code.

[0021] In this aspect, it is preferable that the code imaging unit is tilted diagonally downward. This makes it easier to hold a medium bearing a one-dimensional or two-dimensional code over the code imaging unit. Also, the light-emitting unit is less likely to be dazzling when reading the one-dimensional or two-dimensional code. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] According to the present invention, the cover member having the card insertion slot is optically transparent, and a substrate having a light-emitting element disposed inside the cover member is disposed. Therefore, it is possible to create an effect of illuminating the area around the card insertion slot. Furthermore, in the present invention, the code imaging unit is held in the cover member at a position adjacent to the card insertion slot in the longitudinal direction. By disposing the code imaging unit in such a position, the presence of the code imaging unit is easily recognized, making it easy to hold a medium over the code imaging unit when reading a one-dimensional or two-dimensional code. Furthermore, by disposing the code imaging unit in such a position, it is possible to secure space for the code imaging unit simply by shifting the position of the slit-shaped card insertion slot in its longitudinal direction, thereby minimizing the impact on the outer shape of the cover member. Furthermore, the configuration of the substrate carrying the light-emitting element and the card reader main body can be shifted simply to the side where the card insertion slot is shifted. Therefore, there is little impact on the outer shape of the card reader and on the device to which it is attached. Therefore, the impact of adding the code imaging unit to an existing card reader can be minimized. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1]1A and 1B are a plan view and a front view of a card reader to which the present invention is applied; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a card insertion section of the card reader of FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is an exploded perspective view of a rigid board, a code imaging unit, a first flexible printed board, and a second flexible printed board. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the code imaging unit taken along the XY plane. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the code imaging unit taken along the XZ plane. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] (Overall composition) An embodiment of a card reader 1 to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1(a) is a plan view of the card reader 1 to which the present invention is applied. Fig. 1(b) is a front view of the card reader 1 to which the present invention is applied. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the card insertion section 4 of the card reader 1 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the rigid board 11, the code imaging section 15, the first flexible printed board 13, and the second flexible printed board 16.

[0025] In this specification, the three directions X, Y, and Z are perpendicular to each other. The X direction is the front-to-rear direction of the card reader 1. The card 2 is inserted into the card reader 1 in the X1 direction and removed from the card reader 1 in the X2 direction. The Y direction is the width direction of the card reader 1, with one side of the Y direction being Y1 and the other side being Y2. The Z direction is the height (thickness) direction of the card reader 1, with one side of the Z direction being Z1 and the other side being Z2.

[0026] The card reader 1 shown in Fig. 1 is a device for reading data recorded on a card 2 (see Fig. 2) and recording data on the card 2. For example, the card reader 1 is installed in a gaming device or the like located in a casino, a game center, or the like.

[0027] Card 2 is, for example, a substantially rectangular vinyl chloride card with a thickness of approximately 0.7 to 0.8 mm. A magnetic stripe (not shown) on which magnetic data is recorded is formed on the back of card 2. Card 2 also has a built-in IC chip, and an external connection terminal (not shown) for the IC chip is formed on the front of card 2. Card 2 may be formed with only either the magnetic stripe or the external connection terminal. Card 2 may also be a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) card with a thickness of approximately 0.18 to 0.36 mm, or a paper card of a predetermined thickness.

[0028] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a card insertion slot 3 into which a card 2 is inserted is opened at the front end (end in the X2 direction) of the card reader 1. The card reader 1 includes a card insertion section 4 in which the card insertion slot 3 is formed, and a card reader main body 5 in which a card passage connected to the card insertion slot 3 is formed. The card reader main body 5 includes a magnetic head that reads and writes magnetic data recorded on the magnetic stripe of a card 2 inserted into the card passage, an IC contact block that comes into contact with the external connection terminal of the IC chip of the card 2 to communicate data with the card 2, and the like.

[0029] As shown in Fig. 1(a), the card insertion section 4 is disposed at the X2 end of the card reader main body 5. A control board 6 is attached to the Z1 end of the card reader main body 5. The control board 6 has a CPU and other components mounted thereon that control the card reader 1.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 2, the card insertion section 4 includes a rigid substrate 11 on which a plurality of light-emitting elements 10 are mounted, and a base plate 12 disposed on the X1 side of the rigid substrate 11. In this embodiment, the base plate 12 and the frame of the card reader main body 5 are integrated. An insulating sheet (not shown) is disposed between the rigid substrate 11 and the base plate 12. The base plate 12 and the rigid substrate 11 are in the shape of a substantially rectangular flat plate with the longer side extending in the Y direction. The plurality of light-emitting elements 10 are disposed on the surface of the rigid substrate 11 on the X2 side.

[0031] The card insertion section 4 also includes a first flexible printed circuit board 13 arranged on the surface of the rigid circuit board 11 on the X2 side, a cover member 14 in which the card insertion slot 3 is formed, a code imaging unit 15 held by the cover member 14, and a second flexible printed circuit board 16 connected to the code imaging unit 15. The cover member 14 covers the rigid circuit board 11, the first flexible printed circuit board 13, and the code imaging unit 15 from the side opposite to the base plate 12 (the X2 direction).

[0032] 2, base plate 12 is provided with positioning holes 7a and 7b into which positioning protrusions (not shown) provided on cover member 14 fit, and rigid substrate 11 is formed with cutouts 11b and 11c cut out at portions that overlap with the tips of positioning holes 7a and 7b. Cover member 14 and rigid substrate 11 are fastened at two diagonal positions to bosses provided on base plate 12 with screws 8a and 8b.

[0033] Card passing openings 11a, 12a, and 13a are formed in the rigid substrate 11, the base plate 12, and the first flexible printed circuit board 13, respectively. Furthermore, a card insertion opening 3, through which the card 2 is inserted, is formed in the cover member 14. The card passing openings 11a, 12a, and 13a are elliptical in shape with the Y direction as the longitudinal direction, and overlap with the card insertion opening 3 in the X direction. The card passing openings 11a, 12a, and 13a form a card insertion path through which the card 2 passes.

[0034] The light-emitting elements 10 are LEDs that emit light toward the cover member 14. Three light-emitting elements 10 are mounted on the X2-side surface of the rigid substrate 11 on the Z1 and Z2 sides of the card passing slot 11a, aligned in the Y direction. On the Z1 and Z2 sides of the card passing slot 11a, the three light-emitting elements 10 are disposed at the center of the card passing slot 11a in the Y direction and at both ends in the Y direction, respectively. The rigid substrate 11 is electrically connected to the control substrate 6 of the card reader main body 5 via a first flexible printed circuit board 13. An LED control circuit mounted on the control substrate 6 controls the light emission intensity of the light-emitting elements 10.

[0035] As shown in Figure 3, the first flexible printed circuit board 13 includes a planar first portion 17 that is slightly smaller than the rigid substrate 11, a second portion 18 that is connected to the Y1 side end of the first portion 17, and two third portions 19 and 20 that are bent from the Z1 side edge of the first portion 17 toward the X1 side.

[0036] The first portion 17 is disposed on the surface on the X2 side of the rigid substrate 11, and completely surrounds the card passage opening 13a. An antenna 9 for NFC communication is provided in the first portion 17. The first portion 17 has, on the outer periphery of the antenna 9, one opening 17a cut out at a portion overlapping one of the six light-emitting elements 10, and five notches 17b cut out at portions overlapping the other five light-emitting elements 10 (see FIG. 3).

[0037] 3, the first portion 17 has an extending portion 17c that extends toward the Y1 side of the card passing slot 13a. The second portion 18 bends from the Z2-side edge of the extending portion 17c toward the X2 side and is connected to the code imaging unit 15. The third portion 20 bends from the Z1-side edge of the extending portion 17c toward the X1 side and is connected to the control board 6 of the card reader main body 5. The third portion 19 bends from the Z1-side edge of the first portion 17 toward the X1 side at a position close to the center of the card passing slot 13a in the Y direction and is connected to the control board 6.

[0038] The cover member 14 is made of a translucent light-transmitting material. In this embodiment, the cover member 14 is made of a milky white light-transmitting material. The cover member 14 may be a color other than milky white, such as gray. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cover member 14 is flat and has a substantially long The cover member 14 includes a rectangular frame-shaped flange 21 and a protruding portion 22 that protrudes in the X2 direction from the center of the flange 21. The protruding portion 22 is elongated in the Y direction and surrounds the outer periphery of the card insertion slot 3. The light-emitting element 10 is disposed at a position that overlaps with the protruding portion 22 of the cover member 14.

[0039] As described above, the cover member 14 is fixed to the base plate 12 together with the rigid substrate 11 by the screws 8a and 8b. The cover member 14 has mounting holes 21a that penetrate the flange portion 21. The card reader 1 is fixed to a counterpart device (e.g., a game device) on which the card reader 1 is mounted by screwing screws (not shown) that are passed through the mounting holes 21a into the counterpart device. The mounting holes 21a are elongated holes that are long in the Y direction, and are provided in two locations on both sides of the protrusion 22 in the Y direction. The rigid substrate 11 and the base plate 12 are cut out at locations that overlap with the mounting holes 21a in the X direction.

[0040] In the card reader 1, the surface on the X2 side of the flange portion 21 of the cover member 14 becomes the mounting surface for the counterpart device to which the card reader 1 is attached. When the card reader 1 is attached to the counterpart device, only the protrusion 22 of the cover member 14 is exposed from an opening provided in the front panel of the counterpart device.

[0041] When the counterpart device is a gaming device installed in a casino, a game center, or the like, the card reader 1 is used with the card 2 still inserted in the card reader 1. When the card 2 is inserted in the card reader 1, the light-emitting element 10 irradiates light toward the cover member 14, causing the area around the card insertion slot 3 to light up.

[0042] The protrusion 22 of the cover member 14 includes a frame portion 23 that surrounds the Z1 side, the Y2 side, and the Z1 side of the card insertion slot 3. The frame portion 23 includes an upper frame portion 23a that extends in the Y direction on the Z1 side of the card insertion slot 3, a lower frame portion 23b that extends in the Y direction on the Z2 side of the card insertion slot 3, and a vertical frame portion 23c that extends in the Z direction on the Y2 side of the card insertion slot 3 and connects the upper frame portion 23a and the lower frame portion 23b.

[0043] (Code imaging unit) FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the code imaging unit 15 taken along the XY plane, taken at position AA in FIG. 1(b). FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the code imaging unit 15 taken along the XZ plane, taken at position BB in FIG. 1(b). As shown in FIGS. 1(b) and 2, the code imaging unit 15 is disposed adjacent to the card insertion slot 3 in the Y direction. The code imaging unit 15 captures an image of a one-dimensional code or a two-dimensional code from a medium disposed in the X2 direction relative to the card insertion slot 4. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, when the Z1 direction is defined as the upward direction and the Z2 direction is defined as the downward direction, the code imaging unit 15 is tilted diagonally downward.

[0044] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cover member 14 has a holding portion 24 at the Y1-side end of the protruding portion 14b, which holds the code imaging unit 15. The holding portion 24 is connected to the Y1-side ends of the upper frame portion 23a and the lower frame portion 23b, and surrounds the Y1 side of the card insertion slot 3. A tip surface 25 on the X2 side of the holding portion 24 is an inclined surface that is inclined obliquely downward with respect to the YZ plane, which is a vertical plane. The code imaging unit 15 is housed inside the holding portion 24, and captures an image obliquely downward through a rectangular opening 26 provided in the tip surface 25.

[0045] The code imaging unit 15 includes a camera module 27, a light emitting unit 28, a holder 29 that holds the camera module 27 and the light emitting unit 28, and a cover plate 30 that fits into an opening 26 provided in the tip surface 25 of the holder 24. The cover plate 30 is provided with a first light transmitting portion 31 that faces the light emitting unit 28 and a second light transmitting portion 32 that faces the camera module 27. The first light transmitting portion 31 and the second light transmitting portion 32 are made of a transparent material. The entire cover plate 30 may be made of a transparent material.

[0046] Camera module 27 and light-emitting unit 28 are aligned in the Y direction. More specifically, optical axis L of camera module 27 and center P of light-emitting unit 28 are located on center line M that passes through the center of card insertion slot 3 in the Z direction and extends in the Y direction (see FIG. 1(b)). Light-emitting unit 28 is located on the opposite side of camera module 27 from card insertion slot 3.

[0047] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the holder 29 includes a first side plate 29a, a second side plate 29b, and a third side plate 29c that are parallel to the XZ plane. A support plate 29d that supports the camera module 27 from the rear side is disposed between the first side plate 29a and the second side plate 29b. A support plate 29e that supports the light-emitting unit 28 from the rear side is disposed between the second side plate 29b and the third side plate 29c. The support plates 29d, 29e are inclined with respect to the YZ plane, and are inclined so as to face diagonally downward when the Z1 direction is upward and the Z2 direction is downward. The camera module 27 is fixed to the support plate 29d so that its optical axis L faces diagonally downward (see FIG. 5). The light-emitting unit 28 is fixed to the support plate 29e so that it faces diagonally downward, similar to the camera module 27.

[0048] The light-emitting unit 28 is a light-emitting element such as an LED. The second portion 18 of the first flexible printed circuit board 13 is connected to the light-emitting unit 28. The light-emitting unit 28 is connected to the control board 6 of the card reader main body 5 via wiring provided in the second portion 18 and the third portion 20. The light-emitting unit 28 is fixed to the support plate 29e via a reinforcing plate 34 fixed to the back surface of the second portion 18. Light from the light-emitting unit 28 is irradiated from the first light-transmitting portion 31 toward a medium placed in the X2 direction of the cover plate 30.

[0049] The second flexible printed circuit board 16 is connected to the bottom of the camera module 27. The camera module 27 is connected to the control board 6 of the card reader main body 5 via wiring provided on the second flexible printed circuit board 16. The camera module 27 captures an image of the one-dimensional code or two-dimensional code attached to the medium through the second light-transmitting portion 32.

[0050] (Main effect of this form) As described above, the card reader 1 of this embodiment includes the card reader main body 5, the rigid substrate 11 fixed to the card reader main body 5, the light-emitting element 10 arranged on the surface of the rigid substrate 11, the light-transmitting cover member 14 covering the rigid substrate 11 from the side opposite to the card reader main body 5, and the code imaging unit 15 that images a one-dimensional code or a two-dimensional code. The cover member 14 is provided with a card insertion slot 3 extending in the Y direction. The code imaging unit 15 is held by the cover member 14 and is arranged in a position adjacent to the card insertion slot 3 in the Y direction.

[0051] In this embodiment, the cover member 14 on which the card insertion slot 3 is provided is optically transparent, and a rigid substrate 11 on which light-emitting elements 10 are arranged is disposed inside the cover member 14. The light-emitting elements 10 are disposed so as to surround the card insertion slot 3. Therefore, it is possible to produce an effect in which the area around the card insertion slot 3 is illuminated.

[0052] In this embodiment, the code imaging unit 15 is held in the cover member 14 at a position adjacent to the card insertion slot 3 in the Y direction (the longitudinal direction of the card insertion slot 3). Therefore, the presence of the code imaging unit 15 is easy to see, and it is easy to hold a medium over the code imaging unit 15 when reading a one-dimensional code or a two-dimensional code. In addition, such a position makes it easy to ensure installation space for the code imaging unit 15 without affecting the outer shape of the cover member 14. In other words, by shifting the slit-shaped card insertion slot 3 in its longitudinal direction, it is possible to ensure installation space for the code imaging unit 15 next to the card insertion slot 3, so that the provision of the code imaging unit 15 has little effect on the outer shape of the cover member 14. In addition, the rigid substrate on which the light-emitting element 10 is mounted is As for the configuration of the board 11 and the card reader main body 5, it is only necessary to shift the arrangement of the components to the side to which the card insertion slot 3 is shifted. Therefore, there is little effect on the external shape of the card reader 1, and there is little effect on the device (for example, a game device) in which the card reader 1 is installed. Therefore, it is easy to add the code imaging unit 15 by changing the design of an existing card reader 1.

[0053] In the card reader 1 of this embodiment, the code imaging unit 15 includes a camera module 27 and a light emitting unit 28. Because the light emitting unit 28 and the camera module 27 are aligned in the Y direction, the dimension of the code imaging unit 15 in the Z direction is unlikely to increase. Therefore, the addition of the code imaging unit 15 has little effect on the outer shape of the cover member 14, which has a small dimension in the Z direction.

[0054] In this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 28 of the code imaging unit 15 is disposed on the opposite side of the camera module 27 in the Y direction from the card insertion slot 3. By disposing the light-emitting unit 28 on the side farther from the card insertion slot 3 in this way, a user standing in front of the card insertion slot 3 is less likely to find the light from the light-emitting unit 28 dazzling when using the code imaging unit 15.

[0055] In this embodiment, the optical axis L of the camera module 27, the center P of the light-emitting unit 28, and the center of the card insertion slot 3 are aligned on the same straight line. By aligning the Z-direction centers P of the card insertion slot 3, the camera module 27, and the light-emitting unit 28 in this manner, the Z-direction dimension of the cover member 14 is unlikely to increase. For example, in this embodiment, these configurations are provided on the protrusion 22 of the cover member 14, so the height of the protrusion 22 in the Z direction is unlikely to increase. When the card reader 1 is mounted on a device such as a game device, the cover member 14 is attached so that only the protrusion 22 is exposed. Therefore, by preventing the external dimensions of the protrusion 22 from increasing in size, the impact on the device in which the card reader 1 is mounted can be reduced.

[0056] The card reader 1 of this embodiment includes an antenna 9 for contactless communication arranged on the surface of the rigid substrate 11. Therefore, in addition to reading one-dimensional codes and two-dimensional codes, it is also possible to read information by NFC (near field communication), making it highly convenient.

[0057] The card reader 1 of this embodiment has a first flexible printed circuit board 13 having a first portion 17 surrounding a card passage opening 11a provided in a rigid substrate 11. The antenna 9 for contactless communication is provided in the first portion 17, making it easy to install the antenna 9.

[0058] In this embodiment, the light-emitting elements 10 for effecting are connected to the control board 6 provided in the card reader body 5 via the first flexible printed circuit board 13. Therefore, the installation of the antenna 9 and the wiring connection to the light-emitting elements 10 for effecting can be performed using a common flexible printed circuit board, which simplifies the wiring connection and makes the assembly easy.

[0059] The first flexible printed circuit board 13 also includes a second part 18 that connects the first part 17 and the light-emitting part 28, and a third part 19 that is connected to the card reader main body 5, and the light-emitting part 28 of the code imaging part 15 is connected to the control board 6 via the second part 18 and the third part 19. Therefore, in addition to installing the antenna 9 and connecting it to the light-emitting element 10 by wiring, the wiring connection to the light-emitting part 28 of the code imaging part 15 can also be performed by using a common flexible printed circuit board, which simplifies the wiring connection and makes the assembly easy.

[0060] The card reader 1 of this embodiment has a second flexible printed circuit board 16 that connects the camera module 27 to the card reader main body 5. If the wiring connection to the camera module 27 is made using a wiring member (second flexible printed circuit board 16) that is separate from the wiring member for connecting to the light-emitting element 10 and for installing the antenna 9, it is easy to connect the image data from the camera module 27 to the control circuit for the camera. Therefore, it is easy to add the code imaging unit 15 to a model that has an antenna 9 for NFC (near field wireless communication) and a lighting effect function.

[0061] In this embodiment, the cover member 14 includes a flange portion 21 fixed to the rigid circuit board 11 and a protrusion portion 22 protruding from the flange portion 21. The protrusion portion 22 extends in the Y direction, and a holding portion 24 that holds the code imaging unit 15 is provided at the Y2-direction end of the protrusion portion 22, and the card insertion slot 3 opens at a position adjacent to the holding portion 24 in the Y1 direction on the tip surface of the protrusion portion 22. With this configuration, it is possible to ensure a space for arranging the code imaging unit 15 without significantly changing the outer shapes of the cover member 14 and the protrusion portion 22.

[0062] In this embodiment, the code imaging unit 15 is tilted diagonally downward, making it easy to hold a medium bearing a one-dimensional or two-dimensional code over the code imaging unit 15. Furthermore, the light from the light-emitting unit 28 is less likely to be dazzling when reading a one-dimensional or two-dimensional code. Specifically, the code imaging unit 15 of this embodiment includes a holder 29 disposed inside the protrusion 22, and the camera module 27 and the light-emitting unit 28 are held by the holder 29 in a diagonally downward orientation, capturing an image through an opening 26 provided in the tip surface 25 of the holder 24. This configuration allows the camera module 27 and the light-emitting unit 28 to be installed facing diagonally downward. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1...card reader, 2...card, 3...card insertion slot, 4...card insertion section, 5...card reader main body, 6...control board, 7a, 7c...positioning holes, 8a, 8b...screws, 9...antenna, 10...light emitting element, 11...rigid board, 11a...card passage slot, 11b, 11c...notch section, 12...base plate, 11a...card passage slot, 13...flexible printed circuit board, 13a...card passage slot, 14...cover member, 15...code imaging section, 16...flexible printed circuit board, 17a...opening, 17b...notch section, 17c...extension section, 17...third 1 part, 18...second part, 19...third part, 20...third part, 21...flange portion, 21a...mounting hole, 22...protruding portion, 23...frame portion, 23a...upper frame portion, 23b...lower frame portion, 23c...vertical frame portion, 24...holding portion, 25...tip surface, 26...opening, 27...camera module, 28...light emitting portion, 29...holder, 29a...first side plate, 29b...second side plate, 29c...third side plate, 29d, 29e...support plate, 30...cover plate, 31...first light transmitting portion, 32...second light transmitting portion, 34...reinforcing plate, L...optical axis of camera module, M...center line, P...center of light emitting portion

Claims

1. A card reader body; a substrate fixed to the card reader body; a light-emitting element disposed on a surface of the substrate; a light-transmitting cover member that covers the substrate from the side opposite to the card reader body; a code imaging unit that images a one-dimensional code or a two-dimensional code, The cover member is provided with a card insertion slot, The card reader is characterized in that the code imaging unit is held by the cover member and is disposed adjacent to the card insertion slot in the longitudinal direction of the card insertion slot.

2. the code imaging unit includes a camera module and a light emitting unit; 2. The card reader according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting unit and the camera module are aligned in the longitudinal direction.

3. 3. The card reader according to claim 2, wherein the light emitting unit is disposed on the opposite side of the camera module from the card insertion slot in the longitudinal direction.

4. 4. The card reader according to claim 2, wherein the optical axis of the camera module, the center of the light emitting portion, and the center of the card insertion slot are aligned on the same straight line.

5. 5. The card reader according to claim 2, further comprising an antenna for contactless communication disposed on the surface of the substrate.

6. a first flexible printed circuit board having a first portion surrounding a card passage opening provided on the board; 6. The card reader according to claim 5, wherein the antenna is provided in the first portion.

7. 7. The card reader according to claim 6, wherein the light emitting element is connected to a control board provided in the card reader body via the first flexible printed circuit board.

8. the first flexible printed circuit board includes a second part connecting the first part and the light emitting part, and a third part connected to the card reader main body; The card reader according to claim 7 , wherein the light emitting unit is connected to the control board via the second portion and the third portion.

9. 9. The card reader according to claim 6, further comprising a second flexible printed circuit board that connects the camera module and the card reader body.

10. the cover member includes a flange portion fixed to the substrate and a protrusion protruding from the flange portion, the protrusion extends in the longitudinal direction, and a holding portion that holds the code imaging unit is provided at one end of the protrusion in the longitudinal direction; 10. The card reader according to claim 2, wherein the card insertion slot is opened at a position on a tip end surface of the protrusion adjacent to the holding portion in the longitudinal direction.

11. the code imaging unit includes a holder disposed inside the protrusion, The camera module and the light emitting unit are held by the holder in a diagonally downward orientation.

11. The card reader according to claim 10, wherein the card reader is held by the holder and captures an image through an opening provided on a tip surface of the holder.

12. 11. The card reader according to claim 1, wherein the code imaging section is inclined obliquely downward.

Images