Medium processing apparatus and control method for medium processing apparatus

A medium processing apparatus for use with a card-shaped recording medium having a magnetic stripe, the medium processing apparatus comprising:

• a medium conveying passage along which the card-shaped recording medium having a magnetic stripe is conveyed;
• a first magnetic head which faces the medium conveying passage from one side in a thickness direction of the recording medium passing through the medium conveying passage;
• a second magnetic head which faces the medium conveying passage from the other side in the thickness direction of the recording medium;
• a detection mechanism which is disposed on an upstream side in the conveyance direction of the recording medium with respect to the first magnetic head and the second magnetic head and is structured to detect whether the recording medium is inserted into the medium processing apparatus in a state that one face of the recording medium faces on a first magnetic head side or the other face of the recording medium faces on the first magnetic head side;
• a first thermal head which faces the medium conveying passage from one side in the thickness direction of the recording medium;
• a second thermal head which faces the medium conveying passage from the other side in the thickness direction of the recording medium;
• a first moving mechanism which moves the first thermal head between a first contact position for contacting the first thermal head with the recording medium and a first retreated position where the first thermal head is retreated in a direction separated from the medium conveying passage;
• a second moving mechanism which moves the second thermal head between a second contact position for contacting the second thermal head with the recording medium and a second retreated position where the second thermal head is retreated in a direction separated from the medium conveying passage;
• and
• a control section for controlling the first thermal head, the second thermal head, the first moving mechanism and the second moving mechanism;
• wherein the control section operates the first moving mechanism or the second moving mechanism based on a detection result by the detection mechanism to arrange the first thermal head to the first contact position or to arrange the second thermal head to the second contact position, and
• wherein the control section determines whether the recording medium is taken into the medium conveying passage from one end side of the recording medium or from the other end side based on a reading result of magnetic data by the first magnetic head or the second magnetic head and, based on the determined result, the control section prints on the recording medium by using the first thermal head or the second thermal head while performing temperature control of the first thermal head or the second thermal head and performing conveyance control of the recording medium.

A medium processing apparatus for use with a card-shaped recording medium having a magnetic stripe, the medium processing apparatus comprising:

• a medium conveying passage along which a card-shaped recording medium having a magnetic stripe is conveyed;
• a first magnetic head which faces the medium conveying passage from one side in a thickness direction of the recording medium passing through the medium conveying passage;
• a second magnetic head which faces the medium conveying passage from the other side in the thickness direction of the recording medium;
• a first thermal head which faces the medium conveying passage from one side in the thickness direction of the recording medium;
• a second thermal head which faces the medium conveying passage from the other side in the thickness direction of the recording medium;
• a first moving mechanism which moves the first thermal head between a first contact position for contacting the first thermal head with the recording medium and a first retreated position where the first thermal head is retreated in a direction separated from the medium conveying passage;
• a second moving mechanism which moves the second thermal head between a second contact position for contacting the second thermal head with the recording medium and a second retreated position where the second thermal head is retreated in a direction separated from the medium conveying passage;
• and
• a control section for controlling the first thermal head, the second thermal head, the first moving mechanism and the second moving mechanism;
• wherein the control section determines whether the first magnetic head has read magnetic data or the second magnetic head has read magnetic data and, based on the determined result, the control section operates the first moving mechanism or the second moving mechanism to arrange the first thermal head to the first contact position or to arrange the second thermal head to the second contact position, and
• wherein the control section determines whether the recording medium is taken into the medium conveying passage from one end side of the recording medium or from the other end side based on a reading result of magnetic data by the first magnetic head or the second magnetic head and, based on the determined result, the control section prints on the recording medium by using the first thermal head or the second thermal head while performing temperature control of the first thermal head or the second thermal head and performing conveyance control of the recording medium.

A control method for a medium processing apparatus including:

• a medium conveying passage along which a card-shaped recording medium having a magnetic stripe is conveyed;
• a first magnetic head which faces the medium conveying passage from one side in a thickness direction of the recording medium passing through the medium conveying passage;
• a second magnetic head which faces the medium conveying passage from the other side in the thickness direction of the recording medium;
• a first thermal head which faces the medium conveying passage from one side in the thickness direction of the recording medium, the first thermal head being movable between a first contact position for contacting the first thermal head with the recording medium and a first retreated position where the first thermal head is retreated in a direction separated from the medium conveying passage;
• and
• a second thermal head which faces the medium conveying passage from the other side in the thickness direction of the recording medium, the second thermal head being movable between a second contact position for contacting the second thermal head with the recording medium and a second retreated position where the second thermal head is retreated in a direction separated from the medium conveying passage;
• the control method comprising:
• a first taking-in direction determining step which determines whether the recording medium has been inserted into the medium processing apparatus in a state that one face of the recording medium faces on a first magnetic head side or the other face of the recording medium faces on the first magnetic head side;
• a second taking-in direction determining step which determines whether the recording medium has been taken into the medium conveying passage from one end side of the recording medium or from the other end side based on a reading result of magnetic data by the first magnetic head or the second magnetic head;
• a thermal head moving step in which, based on a determined result in the first taking-in direction determining step, the first thermal head is moved to the first contact position or the second thermal head is moved to the second contact position;
• and
• a printing step in which, based on a determined result in the second taking-in direction determining step, printing is performed on the recording medium by the first thermal head or the second thermal head which is moved in the thermal head moving step while performing temperature control of the first thermal head or the second thermal head and performing conveyance control of the recording medium.