Patent ID: 6824062
Filing Date: 2004-11-30
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
A shutter opening/closing mechanism for a card reader, comprising:a card entrance for inserting a card into the card reader; a card transporting path in the card reader, into which the inserted card travels, said card entrance disposed at a first end of said card transporting path; a shutter plate, disposed on a side of said card entrance, which opens and closes the card entrance by moving between a closing position for closing the card transporting path and an opening position for opening the card transporting path, said closing position and said opening position of said shutter plate being located at the side of said card entrance; a drive source for moving said shutter plate; and a connecting member for connecting a drive force of said drive source to said shutter plate, wherein an opening/closing-side end face of said shutter plate is closed substantially parallel to said card transporting path at said closing position, and said opening/closing-side end face of said shutter plate is moved, by said drive source, substantially parallel to said card transporting path and said drive source is a solenoid, said connecting member includes a slide member moved by said solenoid and two turning members coupled together by said slide member, said opening/closing-side end face of said shutter plate is moved, by said two turning members, substantially parallel to said card transporting path and said two turning members are coupled so as to follow said slide member in movement, and a blocking portion for blocking said slide member movement is provide between said two connecting members and said slide member and wherein further, the respective movements of said turning members, said slide member and said shutter plate are all in a substantially single plane.