US 4,236,667 A · Low insertion force card reader

Abstract

A low insertion force, handfed card reader is disclosed comprising a housing having a profiled passageway therein opening to a frontal side. The passageway is defined by a top wall having an array of contacts mounted therein, and a bottom wall slanted downwardly from a backward end of the passageway toward the frontal opening. A tray is provided within the passageway having a like-slanted bottom surface which is positioned against the bottom wall of the passageway. An encoded card can be freely inserted into the passageway a distance onto the tray, and as the tray is slid backward along the bottom wall, the encoded card is thereby moved upwardly against the contacts. A profiled retention spring system is further provided and pressures the encoded card against the top surface of the passageway to maintain the card reader in its read-mode until subsequently released by the user.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A card reader for reading an encoded card, said card reader comprising:

a housing having a profiled passageway therein having an opening to a frontal side of the housing, said passageway being defined by a top wall having card reading means therein, and bottom guide means slanted downward from a backward region of said passageway toward said frontal opening;
transporting means receivable within said passageway having a complimentarily slanted bottom surface for engagement with said slanted passageway bottom guide means, and having a top surface receiving the card thereon and being displaced a distance below said passageway top wall at said passageway opening, and said transporting means being moveable backwardly and upwardly into said passageway along said passageway bottom guide means toward said backward region, whereby,
the encoded card upon said transporting means top surface is transposed toward said passageway top wall and into a reading relationship with said card reading means in said top wall.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Low insertion force card reader

Life of this patent

Low insertion force card reader

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12