This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-236390, filed in Dec. 8, 2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Embodiments described herein relate generally to a magnetic-ink reading device and a printer.
A printer apparatus used as an issuing apparatus for a receipt or a ticket prints a sheet-like medium (recording paper) and discharges the medium. In such a printer apparatus, a part of the medium sometimes protrudes from an inlet and outlet port of an apparatus housing during the printing. Therefore, a user sometimes grabs or pulls out the medium by mistake. This sometimes causes a breakdown of a conveying mechanism or a paper jam. In such an apparatus, a retraction path is separately provided in the apparatus to prevent the medium from being exposed to the user side. In general, for a reduction of the size of the apparatus, the retraction path is designed at a small curvature.
Characters (MICR characters; Magnetic Ink character recognition) are sometimes printed on the surface of a medium such as a check or a bill of exchange with magnetic ink. Such MICR characters are read by a magnetic-ink reading device as explained below. If the user inserts the check or the like into the apparatus from the inlet and outlet port, the MICR characters are magnetized by a magnet. Subsequently, a residual magnetic field generated by residual magnetism of the MICR characters is detected by a MICR head (a magnetism detection head). The MICR characters are identified from a magnetic characteristic and a magnetic pattern of the residual magnetic field. It is possible to discriminate the check or the like with the MICR characters.
Such a magnetic-ink reading device is incorporated and used in printers of an ATM and a POS. Such a magnetic-ink reading device magnetizes the MICR characters and detects the residual magnetic field to perform reading and printing. Even if such a device is provided, it is likely that the user grabs or pulls out the check or the like exposed from the inlet and outlet port during the reading or during the printing and the check or the like is made unusable.
On the other hand, if the check or the like is temporarily retracted to the retraction path having the small curvature during the reading or during the printing, a deficiency is sometimes caused during the reading or during the printing. Therefore, there is a demand for an apparatus capable of performing appropriate reading and printing according to various situations.
Related art is described in, for example, JP-A-09-142706.
An object is to provide a magnetic-ink reading device and a printer that can prevent, when magnetic ink printed on a medium is read and processed, the medium from being pulled out by a user by mistake and can be simplified in structure and reduced in size.
A magnetic-ink reading device according to at least one embodiment includes a housing and a conveying mechanism provided in the housing. A medium inlet and outlet port for inserting and pulling out a medium printed using magnetic ink is provided in the housing. The conveying mechanism (conveyor) conveys the medium along a conveying path. The magnetic-ink reading device includes a magnetizing mechanism configured to magnetize the magnetic ink of the medium on the conveying path and a magnetism detection head disposed near the magnetizing mechanism along the conveying path and configured to read magnetism of the magnetized magnetic ink. The magnetic-ink reading device further includes a reversing mechanism provided on the medium inlet and outlet port side of the conveying path and configured to reverse front and rear surfaces of the medium on a reversing path on an inside. The reversing mechanism includes a retraction path for temporarily retracting the medium when the magnetism of the medium is read in the magnetism detection head.
At least one embodiment is explained below with reference to the drawings.
The printer 10 is incorporated in an ATM of a bank or the like or a POS (Point Of Sales) terminal of a store, a warehouse, or the like. P in
The printer 10 includes a housing 11. The conveying path K is formed in the housing 11. A medium inlet and outlet port 12 for inserting and discharging the check P from the outside is provided at the right end in
As illustrated in
The conveying mechanism 40 includes a table 41 on which the sheet-like check P is conveyed in the left-right direction in
The magnetic-ink reading device 50 includes a magnetizing mechanism 60 configured to magnetize the magnetic ink of the check P on the conveying path K and a MICR head (magnetism detection head) 70 disposed near a conveying direction downstream side in the conveying path K of the magnetizing mechanism 60 and configured to read magnetism of the magnetized magnetic ink.
The magnetizing mechanism 60 includes a magnet 61 magnetized on the surface of the check P conveyed along the conveying path K.
The MICR head 70 detects residual magnetism of MICR characters. The MICR characters are read as a magnetic characteristic and a magnetic pattern and output to the control section 20 as an electric signal. The magnetic characteristic and the magnetic pattern of the MICR characters are registered in the control section 20 in advance. The MICR characters are identified by being collated with the magnetic characteristic and the magnetic pattern.
The printing mechanism 90 includes an inkjet head 91 configured to perform printing instructed from the control section 20.
As illustrated in
A pair of rollers 121 and 122 are provided in the housing 110. An endless belt 123 is laid over the pair of rollers 121 and 122. The roller 121 is driven by a driving motor. The driving is controlled by the control section 20. Paths (the reversing path H and the retraction path T), through which the check P can pass, are formed between the surface of the endless belt 123 and the inner wall of the housing 110.
As illustrated in
If the check P moves in the right direction in
The printer 10 configured as explained above performs magnetic ink reading and printing on the check P as explained below. Note that
If the check P is inserted or discharged, if reversal is not performed, or if retraction is not performed, as illustrated in
The check P is inserted by a user from the medium inlet and outlet port 12 of the housing 11 with the surface printed with the MICR characters directed downward. The inserted check P is conveyed by the conveying mechanism 40 toward the left direction in
If the check P reaches the magnetizing mechanism 60, the MICR characters pass through the magnetizing mechanism 60. At this time, the MICR characters are magnetized by the magnetism of the magnet 61. The conveyance by the conveying mechanism 40 is once stopped in the paper sensor 44 at a point in time when the check P reaches the left end in
Subsequently, as illustrated in
Subsequently, if printing is performed on the check P, as illustrated in
The check P on the conveying path K is conveyed toward the left side in
After the printing is completed, as illustrated in
Subsequently, the check P is reversed to perform reading and printing on the rear surface of the check P. After the reading and the printing of the check P are completed as explained above, as illustrated in
In this way, with the printer 10 according to this embodiment, the check P can be temporarily retracted using the reversing mechanism 100 set in general. Therefore, if magnetic ink printed on a medium is read and processed, it is unnecessary to add a new retraction path in order to prevent the medium from being pulled out by the user by mistake. The apparatus can be simplified and reduced in size. If processing such as reading and printing is performed on the check P, the check P is introduced into the retraction path T from the retraction introduction port 113 located on a far side from the MICR head 70 and the printing mechanism 90. Therefore, an unnatural bending force and a strong tensile force are not applied to the check P. A deficiency such as a reading error or a printing error does not occur during retraction of the check P. On the other hand, if the check P is reversed, since the processing such as reading and printing is not performed, the reversal introduction port 112 on a side close from the MICR head 70 and the printing mechanism 90 can be used. Therefore, the distance from the MICR head 70 and the printing mechanism 90 to the reversing mechanism 100 can be reduced. The entire apparatus can be reduced in size.
In at least one embodiment explained above, the retraction path T is used as a place to which the check P is temporarily retracted. However, if the check P is thin and has sufficient flexibility, the check P may be retracted to the reversing path H side. Timings of magnetization, reading, printing, retraction, and reversal are not limited to the timings explained above and can be changed as appropriate according to a processing method required for the check P. Further, the magnetic-ink reading device may be used for a sheet-like medium other than the check P.
At least one embodiment is explained above. However, the at least one embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Other embodiments can be implemented in other various forms. Various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be performed without departing from the spirit of the invention. The embodiments and modifications of the embodiments are included in the scope and the gist of the invention and included in the inventions described in claims and the scope of equivalents of the inventions.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2017-236390 | Dec 2017 | JP | national |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 16205878 | Nov 2018 | US |
Child | 17039729 | US |