Patent ID: 6786408
Filing Date: 2004-09-07
Classification: G06K,G07D,G07F

Abstract:
A coin-shaped IC card reader/writer which performs processing of reading data from a coin-shaped IC card and writing data to the coin-shaped IC card while the coin-shaped IC card is rolling along and passing through an interior of a coin-shaped IC card guide path, comprising:coin-shaped IC card distributing means in the coin-shaped IC card guide path, for performing the processing of reading data from the coin-shaped IC card and writing data to the coin-shaped IC card while temporarily stopping the rolling movement of the coin-shaped IC card, and based on results of the processing, distributing the coin-shaped IC card to another coin-shaped IC card guide path disposed separately from the first-mentioned coin-shaped IC card guide path, wherein the coin-shaped IC card distributing means comprise: a shaft rotatably supported at one end of the first-mentioned coin-shaped IC card guide path, the shaft being adapted to form one side of side walls of the coin-shaped IC card guide path; L-shaped partition plate formed at around a peripheral edge of a leading end surface of the shaft and protruding from the leading end surface, for retaining the coin-shaped IC card at a position opposite a central portion of the shaft and for opening and closing an upstream end of said another coin-shaped IC card guide, in conjunction with turning of the shaft; and a drive unit for driving the shaft; an antenna coil opposite the coin-shaped IC card retained by the partition plate and the central portion of the shaft, through which data is read from and written into the retained coin-shaped IC card; and wherein the shaft is rotated while the coin-shaped IC card is maintained opposite to the central portion of the shaft.