Recording medium processing device having a vibration actuator and for use in an automatic device such as a pachinko machine

A recording medium processing device which performs writing or readout of data with respect to a magnetic card. The recording medium processing device includes a conveying mechanism which conveys the magnetic card and the conveying mechanism has a vibration actuator which is the drive source of the conveying mechanism. The vibration actuator includes an elastic member and electromechanical converting elements located on the elastic member. Drive rollers are in compressive contact with the elastic member and drive the magnetic card between a first position of entry into an automatic device, such as a pachinko machine, automatic sales machine or automatic ticket machine, and a second position for writing or reading the data from the recording medium. The recording medium processing device also has an information processing mechanism to write the data onto or read the data from the recording medium when the recording medium is at the second position.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
This application is based upon and claims priority from Japanese Patent 
Application No. 8-062372 filed Mar. 19, 1996, the contents of which are 
incorporated herein by reference. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a recording medium processing device which 
performs readout or writing of data with respect to a magnetic card or 
recording medium, and more particularly, relates to a recording medium 
processing device having a conveying mechanism which uses a vibration 
actuator as a drive source of the recording medium, and to a card type 
pachinko machine which uses a recording medium processing device of this 
kind. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
In a known type of recording medium processing device, for a magnetic card 
or other sheet form recording medium, a conveying mechanism is included to 
convey the recording medium to a recording position, readout position or 
other predetermined position for the purpose of recording data onto or 
reading data from the recording medium. 
The conveying mechanism, generally, uses a direct current motor or other 
type of electromagnetic motor as a drive source. The driving force of the 
electromagnetic motor, which is applied to a speed reduction mechanism, 
conveys the recording medium at a predetermined conveying speed. 
In recent years, prepaid cards have been used as a recording medium for 
automatic sales machines, automatic ticket reading machines or pachinko 
machines, and recording medium devices to process this recording medium 
have been introduced into these automatic sales machines, automatic ticket 
reading machines, or card type pachinko machines. 
For example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 7-236756, a card 
type pachinko machine is disclosed which is equipped with a recording 
medium processing device with magnetic cards as the subject. 
However, in each of the conventional automatic sales machines, automatic 
ticket reading machines, and card type pachinko machine, etc., because 
various mechanisms other than the recording medium processing device are 
located in the interior thereof, to avoid an increase in the size of the 
whole device, it is necessary to make each device located in the interior 
smaller. For this purpose, it is also necessary to make the recording 
medium processing device smaller. 
Because the conventional recording medium processing devices use an 
electromagnetic motor as the drive source of the conveying mechanism, such 
that the electromagnetic motor obtains its driving force by using a 
magnetic action, there is a risk that surrounding devices or interior 
devices are affected by a magnetic field of the motor. The conventional 
recording medium processing device usually has an internal signal 
processing circuit to write or read out data of the recording medium. 
Anomalies arise in the signal processing circuit due to the effect of the 
magnetic field, and erroneous operation occurs. 
In the case that the recording medium is a magnetic card, writing and 
readout operations which are performed magnetically, are easily affected 
by the electromagnetic motor. As a result, so that effects are not 
received from the magnetic field, it is necessary to dispose magnetic 
shielding or similar means between the electromagnetic motor (drive 
source) of the conveying mechanism and an information processing mechanism 
which performs the reading and writing operations, and for this reason 
there is a problem that the internal constitution of the recording medium 
processing device becomes complicated. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a 
recording medium processing device which is unaffected by a drive source 
of a conveying mechanism for a recording medium. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a recording medium 
processing device which is compact. 
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in 
part in the description which follows, and, in part, will be obvious from 
the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. 
Objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a recording 
medium processing device having a conveying mechanism which conveys a 
recording medium, and an information processing mechanism which performs 
readout and/or writing of data with respect to the recording medium, 
wherein the conveying mechanism uses a vibration actuator as a drive 
source. The vibration actuator contains a vibration element equipped with 
an elastic member and an electromechanical converting element formed on 
the elastic member, and a relative motion member is in compressive contact 
with the elastic member. The relative motion member may be a roller, and 
the recording medium is conveyed via the roller. 
A recording medium processing device having a vibration actuator which 
conveys a prepaid ball card and an information processing mechanism, for 
reading out and/or writing the data of the recording medium, may be used 
in a card type pachinko machine which uses a prepaid ball card having a 
recording unit on which data is recorded.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described hereinbelow 
with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to 
like elements throughout. The type of vibration actuator hereinafter 
described is preferably an ultrasonic actuator which uses the oscillation 
region of an ultrasonic wave. 
Further, the recording medium processing device of the embodiment of the 
present invention is applied to a pachinko machine. 
FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing an external appearance of a card 
type pachinko machine. The card type pachinko machine 1 has a 
predetermined number of pachinko balls placed within it so as to be able 
to supply a necessary number of pachinko balls. The prepaid number of 
pachinko balls corresponding to an amount of money (termed hereinbelow the 
"prepaid number of balls"), the prepaid amount of money, an ID number to 
prevent illegality, and other data are written by a card issuing machine 
on a magnetic card C which is a recording medium (see FIG. 4). 
As shown in FIG. 1, the card type pachinko machine 1 includes a frame 10, a 
playing board 11, a display unit 12 which displays the data recorded on 
the magnetic card C, a waiting ball enclosure 13, and a magnetic card 
processing device 30. 
The playing board 11 has a rail 21 which guides the pachinko balls, plural 
"safe" holes 22, and an "out" hole 23 disposed thereon. Pachinko balls are 
launched by means of a pachinko ball launching device (not shown in the 
drawing), and are guided by the rail 21 within the playing board 11. An 
actuating handle 14 is used to drive the pachinko ball launching device. 
The magnetic card processing device 30, in the same plane as the frame 10, 
has a magnetic card insertion aperture 31, a conversion switch 32 which 
converts the prepaid amount of money into the number of prepaid pachinko 
balls, an end switch 33 which ends the game, and an ejection switch which 
ejects the magnetic card C housed within the magnetic card processing 
device 30. 
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross sectional diagram showing the constitution of 
the interior of the magnetic card processing device 30. The magnetic card 
processing device 30 includes a conveying mechanism 35 which conveys the 
magnetic card C, a magnetic head 36 which performs writing and reading out 
of data with respect to the magnetic card C, a drive control unit 37, and 
a signal processing circuit 38. The signal processing unit 38 plays back 
the data which have been recorded on the magnetic card C via the magnetic 
head 36. Moreover, the desired data is recorded on the magnetic card C via 
the magnetic head 36. 
The conveying mechanism 35 includes a vibration actuator (hereinafter 
referred to as an "ultrasonic actuator") 50 as a drive source, drive 
rollers 44, 45 which are rotationally driven by the ultrasonic actuator 
50, plural feed rollers 41 located along the conveyance path of the 
magnetic card C, a first position detection sensor 42 which detects the 
writing and readout position of the magnetic card C, and a second position 
detection sensor 43 which detects the insertion and ejection positions of 
the magnetic card C. 
The drive control unit 37 outputs drive signals to the ultrasonic actuator 
50, to control the ultrasonic actuator 50. Moreover, the drive control 
unit 37 outputs data relating to the conveyance speed of the magnetic card 
C to the signal processing circuit 38. Receiving this conveyance speed 
data, the signal processing unit 38 performs writing and readout of data 
onto the magnetic card C using the magnetic head 36 and in accordance with 
the conveyance speed of the magnetic card C. 
FIG. 3A is a front view, FIG. 3B is a side view, and FIG. 3C is a plan view 
of the ultrasonic actuator 50. The ultrasonic actuator 50 is a linear 
driving type of ultrasonic actuator which obtains a driving force using 
longitudinal vibrations and bending vibrations. This type of ultrasonic 
actuator, for example, the "longitudinal L1-B4 bending mode, flat plate 
mode" actuator is known and disclosed at page 394 of the reference "222 
Piezoelectric Linear Motors for Application to Driving a Light Pick-up 
Element," Tomikawa et al., p. 393-398, Jun. 9-11, 1993 of the lecture 
papers of the Fifth Magnetic Force Related Dynamics Symposium, Hitachi, 
Japan. 
As shown in FIGS. 3A through 3C, the ultrasonic actuator 50 includes an 
elastic member 51 of a rectangular plate form, and two piezoelectric 
elements 52a, 52b, which are adhered to one surface of the elastic member 
51. The piezoelectric elements 52a, 52b have the function of converting 
electrical energy into mechanical displacements (mechanical energy), and 
by the respective inputs of predetermined drive signals which have been 
output from the drive control unit 37 (FIG. 2), cause the occurrence of 
longitudinal vibrations and bending vibrations in the elastic member 51. 
The elastic member 51 has two driving force output units 51a, 51b which are 
formed as protrusions on the opposite surface of the piezoelectric 
elements 52a, 52b (the surface on which the piezoelectric elements 52a, 
52b are not adhered). These driving force output units 51a, 51b are formed 
in positions which become antinodes of the bending vibration occurring in 
the elastic member 51, and transmit a driving force by means of the 
predetermined compressive contact with the drive rollers 44, 45 which are 
relative motion members. 
The elastic member 51, by means of the input of the drive signals, 
undergoes a first order mode longitudinal vibration and a fourth order 
mode bending vibration, displacing the tips of the driving force output 
members 51a, 51b synchronously in an elliptic form, and elliptic motion 
occurs. 
Because the elastic member 51 is fixed, the drive rollers 44, 45, which are 
in compressive contact with the driving force output members 51a, 51b, are 
rotationally driven by the elliptic motion. 
The driving direction of the ultrasonic actuator 50 can be changed over by 
the drive signals impressed on the piezoelectric elements 52a, 52b. 
Moreover, the mechanism by which the elastic member 51 and the drive 
rollers 44, 45 are caused to be in compressive contact with each other is 
described as follows. 
FIG. 4 is a schematic oblique diagram showing the constitution of a drive 
unit peripheral of the conveying mechanism 35. FIG. 5A is a front view, 
FIG. 5B is a side view, FIG. 5C is a top view and FIG. 5D is a cross 
section seen along the line I--I of FIG. 5C, of the drive unit peripheral 
of FIG. 4. 
The elastic member 51 of the ultrasonic actuator 50 is supported by two 
support pins 62 at a fixed position with respect to a driving element 
fixed member 61, which has been fixed to the base 60 of the conveying 
mechanism 35. The driving element fixed member 61, as shown in FIG. 5A, 
has a concave shape having a plate shaped edge portion 61a in a cross 
section along the driving direction of the magnetic card C. The surface of 
the elastic member 51 on which the driving force output members 51a, 51b 
are formed faces the magnetic card C, and the elastic member 51 is 
accommodated in the interior of the concave shape of the plate shaped edge 
portion 61a. Then, the elastic member 51 is fixed to the driving unit 
fixed member 61 by the two support pins 62. The two support pins 62 are 
located so as to support the elastic member 51 in the central portion of 
the longitudinal direction which becomes the common node of the 
longitudinal vibration and the bending vibration which arise in the 
elastic member 51. 
The driving element fixed member 61, as shown in FIG. 5A, at the edge 
portions 61a formed in the front and rear positions of the elastic member 
51, is fixed to the base 60 by two screws 63. The screws 63 are fastened 
in the direction from the surface of the elastic member 51 to which the 
piezoelectric elements 52 are adhered to the surface formed by the driving 
force output members 51a, 51b. 
Coil springs 64 are located between the heads of the screws 63 and the 
driving element fixed member 61, and cause compressive contact between the 
driving force output members 51a, 51b and the drive rollers 44, 45. The 
drive rollers 44, 45, as mentioned later, are together rotatably supported 
by the base 60. Because of this, the contact pressure of the driving force 
output members 51a, 51b and the drive rollers 44, 45 can be adjusted by 
adjusting the tightening of the screws 63. 
As shown in FIG. 5A, the compression mechanism of the ultrasonic actuator 
50 includes the screws 63 and the coil springs 64. Because the compression 
mechanism is located on the lower side of the edge portions 61a, the 
height direction of the driving portion peripheral of the conveying 
mechanism 35 can be kept limited to a small dimension. 
The drive rollers 44, 45 are rotatably supported at three places on the 
base 60. The drive rollers 44, 45 have large diameter portions 44a, 45a 
which are in contact with the driving force output members 51a, 51b of the 
ultrasonic actuator 50, and small diameter portions 44b, 45b having 
annular rubber members 44c, 45c which are positioned to be in contact with 
the magnetic card C. 
On the small diameter portions 44b, 45b, annular rubber members 44c, 45c 
are formed in the contact portions with the magnetic card C, and are 
respectively located in three distinct places. Along the conveyance path 
of the magnetic card C, the feed rollers 41 are located facing the small 
diameter rollers 44b, 45b, and are respectively rotatably supported at two 
places on the base 60. 
The operation of a card type pachinko machine according to the embodiment 
of the present invention is described below, with a focus on the magnetic 
card processing device. 
When the magnetic card C is inserted into the magnetic card insertion 
aperture 31, the second position sensor 43 detects that the magnetic card 
C has been inserted, and its detection signal is output to the drive 
control unit 37. The drive control unit 37, receiving the detection 
signal, outputs drive signals to the piezoelectric elements 52a, 52b of 
the ultrasonic actuator 50. In response to the drive signals output to the 
piezoelectric elements 52a, 52b, the elastic member 51 generates first 
order longitudinal vibrations and fourth order bending vibrations, and the 
tips of the driving force output members 51a, 51b exhibit elliptic motion. 
As a result, the drive rollers 44, 45, which contact the tips of the 
driving force output members 51a, 51b under a predetermined pressure, are 
rotationally driven, and the magnetic card C which is inserted between the 
drive rollers 44, 45 and the feed rollers 41 is conveyed in the direction 
of the magnetic head 36. When the first position detector 42 detects that 
the magnetic card C has reached the data readout and writing position, the 
thus output detection signal is sent to the drive control unit 37. 
Subsequently, the magnetic head 36 reads out the data recorded on the 
recording portion (not shown in the drawing) of the magnetic card C and 
outputs the obtained data to the signal processing circuit 38. The signal 
processing circuit replays the data regarding the prepaid number of balls, 
prepaid amount of money, and ID number which were recorded on the magnetic 
card C. 
When the first position sensor 42 detects the rear end of the magnetic card 
C, its detection signal is output to the drive control unit 37. The drive 
control unit 37 stops the drive of the ultrasonic actuator 50 upon 
receiving the detection signal indicative of the rear end of the magnetic 
card C reaching the first position detection sensor 42. The located 
position of the first position sensor and the second position sensor may 
be suitably set, taking into account the length or the magnetic card C, 
the position of the magnetic head 36 and of the drive rollers 44, 45. 
Further, the number of position sensors may be increased, if necessary. 
When the magnetic card C is conveyed, the drive control unit 37 impresses 
drive signals on the piezoelectric elements 52a, 52b so as to reverse the 
drive direction of the ultrasonic actuator 50 at the time of ejection. The 
rollers 44, 45 are thereby rotated in the opposite direction to that at 
the time of insertion, and the magnetic card C is ejected from the 
magnetic card insertion aperture 31. 
In this manner, because a vibration actuator, such as the ultrasonic 
actuator, has been used as the drive source of the conveying mechanism of 
the magnetic card C in a card type pachinko mechanism, the complicated 
mechanism of the prior art, such as a speed reduction mechanism, becomes 
unnecessary, and the structure of the drive unit peripherals can be 
simplified and reduced in size. Moreover, the peripheral electronic 
circuits and the like are not affected by magnetic fields, and the risk of 
erroneous operation due to magnetic fields is reduced. 
There is no limitation to the above-described embodiment of the present 
invention. Various alterations and modifications are possible, and these 
are equally within the scope of the present invention. For example, the 
embodiment has been described as a case in which the recording medium 
processing device, which includes a vibration actuator, is applied to a 
pachinko machine, but the present invention is not limited to use in a 
pachinko machine, and can also be applied to automatic ticket reading 
machines with a ticket as the recording medium. 
Additionally, in the above-described embodiment of the present invention, a 
magnetic card is used as the recording medium, but the recording medium of 
the present invention is not limited to one which uses magnetism, and 
optical cards and related optical recording media may be used. In this 
case, an optical head may be substituted for the magnetic head. 
Thus, although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been 
shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art 
that changes may be made in this embodiment without departing from the 
principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in 
the claims and their equivalents.