Magnetic reader with read head biased against document by resilient deflection of circuit board

A device for reading magnetically encoded information from a document, comprising:

• a substantially planar circuit board fabricated from a material, the circuit board including a head support portion and at least one support member, where the head support portion and the at least one support member are fabricated from the material such that the head support portion is suspended relative to the circuit board to permit elastic deflection of the head support portion relative to the board;
• a read head configured to read the magnetically encoded information from the document, where the read head is mounted to the head support portion;
• and
• a circuit electrically coupled to the read head to produce signals representative of the magnetically encoded information, where the circuit is located upon the circuit board.

A device for reading magnetically encoded information from a document, comprising:

• a housing including a document support surface having a first port at which magnetically encoded information may be read;
• a circuit board including a head support portion and at least one support member, where the head support portion and support member are fabricated from the material of the circuit board such that the head support portion is suspended relative to the circuit board by the at least one support member to permit elastic deflection of the head support portion relative to the circuit board;
• a read head configured to read the magnetically encoded information from the document, where the read head is mounted to the head support portion;
• and
• a circuit electrically coupled to the read head to produce signals representative of the magnetically encoded information, where the circuit is located upon the circuit board and the circuit board is supported by the housing such that the read head is located at the first port.

A check reader for reading magnetically encoded information from a check, comprising:

• a housing having a generally planar check support surface, bounded on one side by a generally straight rail, where the housing defines a first opening extending through the housing adjacent to the rail;
• a circuit board including at least one groove defining a spring member within the circuit board bounded by the groove, where the spring member includes a head support portion and a first support member extending between the circuit board and the head support portion such that the head support portion is suspended relative to the circuit board by the first support member to permit elastic deflection of the head support portion relative to the circuit board;
• a read head configured to read the magnetically encoded information from the check, where the read head is mounted to the head support portion;
• and
• a circuit electronically coupled to the read head to produce signals representative of the magnetically encoded information, where the circuit is located upon the circuit board and the circuit board is supported generally parallel to the check support surface and within the housing such that the read head extends into the first opening.

A check reader for reading magnetically encoded information from a check, comprising:

• a housing having a generally planar check support surface bounded on one side by a generally straight surface extending upwardly and substantially perpendicular to the check support surface, where the housing defines a first opening extending through the housing adjacent to the straight surface;
• a circuit board including at least two grooves defining a spring member including a head support portion bounded by the grooves and a pair of support members extending between the board and the head support portion such that the head support portion is suspended relative to the circuit board by the pair of support members to permit elastic deflection of the head support portion relative to the board;
• a magnetic read head mounted to the head support portion;
• and
• a circuit electrically coupled to the read head and located upon the circuit board, where the circuit board is supported generally parallel to the head support surface within the housing such that the read head extends into the first opening.