Stored-value card machine

A stored-value card machine includes a card output device including a body unit and a read/write device. The body unit includes a body and a transmission device mounted in the body. The body includes a card outlet in a front end thereof and a card inlet in a rear end thereof. The body further includes a card passageway having two ends intercommunicating with the card outlet and the card inlet, respectively. The transmission device includes two front transmission wheels and two rear transmission wheels located at the two ends of the passageway, respectively. The read/write device is mounted above an intermediate portion of the card passageway. The read/write device includes a read/write seat, a reader/writer mounted in the read/write seat, and a driver mounted in the read/write seat. The driver is configured to move the reader/writer downwards into the card passageway or upwards out of the card passageway.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a stored-value card machine and, more particularly, to a stored-value card machine capable of adding value through precise reading/writing by a reader/writer while vending cards.

With the progress of technology, conventional cash transaction has been gradually replaced by a consumption mode using stored-value cards. In vending of an ordinary stored-value card, a card is manually inserted into a card reader that writes information into the card, which is relatively inconvenient. In an approach, card vending machines have been developed to vend stored-value cards with a fixed value, which is a fixed-amount transaction. The consumers cannot purchase stored-value cards with the desired stored values. Thus, it is an important issue to permit a stored-value card machine to add an unfixed value into a card and to vend the card and to permit a consumer to add value to the card.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a stored-value card machine using a card output device and a read/write device to proceed with reading/writing of cards, such that the stored-value card machine can vend cards of different types or different values while permitting adding value to a card of a consumer.

The secondary objective of the present invention is to push the reader/writer by a card to a position permitting the reader/writer to precisely contact with the card and to proceed with adding value through reading and writing, such that the stored-value card machine can vend cards of different types or different values while permitting adding value to a card of a consumer.

To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a stored-value card machine comprising a card output device including a body unit and a read/write device. The body unit includes a body and a transmission device mounted in the body. The body includes a card outlet in a front end thereof and a card inlet in a rear end thereof. The body further includes a card passageway having two ends intercommunicating with the card outlet and the card inlet, respectively. The transmission device includes two front transmission wheels and two rear transmission wheels located at the two ends of the passageway, respectively. The read/write device is mounted above an intermediate portion between the two ends of the card passageway. The read/write device includes a read/write seat, a reader/writer mounted in the read/write seat, and a driver mounted in the read/write seat. The driver is configured to move the reader/writer downwards into the card passageway or upwards out of the card passageway. Before the card output device outputs a card, the driver moves the reader/writer upwards out of the card passageway. After the card enters the card passageway via the card inlet, the transmission device pushes the card towards the card outlet. After the card passes through the reader/writer, the transmission device stops pushing the card, and the driver is activated to move the reader/writer downwards into the card passageway. Then, the transmission device moves the card towards the card inlet, thereby moving the card backwards to push the reader/writer to a position where the reader/writer is permitted to move downwards for precisely contacting with the card for proceeding with reading and writing.

In an example, the body unit further includes a detector mounted at a side of the body and configured to detect presence of the card in the card passageway.

In an example, the read/write seat includes a base and two lateral boards extending upwards from the base and spaced from each other. Each of the two lateral boards includes a guiding hole that is elongated. The reader/writer is disposed between the two lateral boards and includes a main board, two guiding pegs respectively extending from two sides of the main board, and a read/write head mounted to a bottom face of the main board. A stop portion extend downwards from an end of the main board. When the driver moves the reader/writer downwards, the read/write head and the stop portion enters the card passageway, such that the card pushes the stop portion towards the card inlet and is positioned, and the read/write head moves downwards to contact with the card and proceeds with reading and writing.

In an example, the read/write seat includes two first hooks respectively on the two lateral boards. The reader/writer includes two second hooks on the main board. Two elastic elements are provided, and each of the two elastic elements is attached between one of the two first hooks and one of the two second hooks, biasing the reader/writer upwards.

In an example, the driver is disposed on a side of one of the two lateral boards of the read/write seat. The driver includes a driving member and an actuating member. The driving member and the actuating member are separately and pivotably connected to the read/write seat. An end of the driving member is connected to an end of the actuating member. The actuating member includes an actuating portion pressing against the guiding peg received in the guiding hole of the one of the two lateral boards. When the driver drives the actuating member to pivot downwards, the actuating portion presses against and moves the guiding peg downwards along the guiding hole.

In an example, the driving member of the read/write device includes a connection seat, an electromagnetic valve, and an actuating rod. The connection seat is pivotably connected to the read/write seat. The electromagnetic valve is positioned on the connection seat. The actuating rod is connected to the electromagnetic valve and is configured to be driven by the electromagnetic valve to move towards or away from the electromagnetic valve. The actuating member includes an actuating groove remote to a pivotal connection between the actuating member and the read/write seat. An end of the actuating rod is slidably received in the actuating groove.

In an example, the actuating member includes a positioning hole between two ends thereof. The read/write seat includes a positioning hook adjacent to the pivotal connection between the actuating member and the read/write seat. An elastic element is attached between the positioning hook and the positioning hole to bias the actuating member to pivot upwards.

In an example, the stored-value card machine further comprises a card seat including a card receiving portion and a positioning portion extending from a side of the card receiving portion. The card output device is disposed on the positioning portion. The card receiving portion includes a partitioning board therein to form a receiving space above the partitioning board and a recovery space below the partitioning board. The receiving space is configured to receive a plurality of cards. The recovery space is configured to receive damaged cards. A push wheel is disposed on a bottom face of the partitioning board and is configured to move one of the plurality of cards in the receiving space out of the receiving space. The partitioning board is aligned with the card passageway. A first motor and a second motor are disposed in the positioning portion. The first motor is connected to the two front transmission wheels and the two rear transmission wheels via a first belt. The second motor is connected to the push wheel in the card receiving portion via a second belt.

In an example, the card seat includes a detecting device mounted to the bottom face of the partitioning board and configured to detect the plurality of cards received in the receiving space. A low inventory level detector is mounted at a side of the receiving space and above the partitioning board for detecting an inventory level of the plurality of cards received in the receiving space.

In an example, an adjusting device is disposed at another side of the receiving space and includes a fixing board, a limiting board, and an adjusting knob. An end of the limiting board is spaced from a surface of the partitioning board. The adjusting knob includes a cam having surfaces with different radii. At least one spring is attached to the limiting board to bias the limiting board upwards to abut against a bottom edge of the cam. The adjusting knob is configured to move the limiting board vertically to change a spacing between the end of the limiting board and the surface of the partitioning board.

In an example, a guiding board is pivotably connected to a bottom side of the partitioning board and includes a guiding portion and a recovery portion on two sides of a pivotal connection between the guiding board and the partitioning board. The guiding portion extends beyond a top surface of the partitioning board from a side of the partitioning board. The recovery portion is located below the partitioning board. The gravitational force acting on the recovery portion keeps the guiding portion beyond the top surface of the partitioning board.

In an example, the card seat includes an upper lid covering a top end of the card receiving portion, and a pressing board is received in the receiving space and abuts against the cards in the receiving space.

In an example, the card seat includes a recovery box slidably received in a lower portion of the card receiving portion. The recovery box includes a bottom wall, a front wall extending upwards from a front side of the bottom wall and a rear wall extending upwards from a rear side of the bottom wall. A guiding plate extends slantly from the front wall.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference toFIGS. 1-10, a stored-value card machine of an embodiment according to the present invention includes a card output device10mounted in a card seat3. The card output device10includes a body unit1and a read/write device2.

The body unit1includes a body11and a transmission device12mounted in the body11(seeFIGS. 1, 2, and 10). The body11includes a card outlet111in a front end thereof and a card inlet112in a rear end thereof. The body11further includes a card passageway113having two ends intercommunicating with the card outlet111and the card inlet112, respectively. The transmission device12includes two front transmission wheels121and two rear transmission wheels122located at the two ends of the passageway113, respectively. A detector13is mounted at a side of the body11and is configured to detect presence of a card A in the card passageway113.

With reference toFIGS. 2-6 and 9, the read/write device2is mounted above an intermediate portion between the two ends of the card passageway113. The read/write device2includes a read/write seat21, a reader/writer22mounted in the read/write seat21, and a driver23mounted in the read/write seat21. The driver23is configured to move the reader/writer22downwards into the card passageway113or upwards out of the card passageway113. The read/write seat21includes a base211(seeFIG. 3) and two lateral boards212extending upwards from the base211and spaced from each other. Each of the two lateral boards212includes two guiding holes213that are elongated.

The reader/writer22is disposed between the two lateral boards212and includes a main board221, two guiding pegs222respectively extending from each of two sides of the main board221, and a read/write head223mounted to a bottom face of the main board221. A stop portion224extends downwards from an end of the main board221. Note that each of the two lateral boards212can include only one guiding hole213, and each of the two sides of the main board221can include only one guiding peg222received in an associated guiding hole213. The read/write seat21includes two first hooks214respectively on the two lateral boards212. The reader/writer22includes two second hooks225on the main board221. Two elastic elements24are provided. Each of the two elastic elements24is attached between one of the two first hooks214and one of the two second hooks225, biasing the reader/writer22upwards.

The driver23is disposed on a side of one of the two lateral boards212of the read/write seat21and includes a driving member231and an actuating member232. The driving member231and the actuating member232are separately and pivotably connected to the read/write seat21. An end of the driving member231is connected to an end of the actuating member232. The actuating member232includes an actuating portion2321pressing against the guiding pegs232received in the guiding holes213of the one of the two lateral boards222(seeFIGS. 3 and 5).

The driving member231of the read/write device2includes a connection seat2311, an electromagnetic valve2312, and an actuating rod2313. The connection seat2311is pivotably connected to the read/write seat21. The electromagnetic valve2312is positioned on the connection seat2313. The actuating rod2313is connected to the electromagnetic valve2312and is configured to be driven by the electromagnetic valve2312to move towards or away from the electromagnetic valve2312. The actuating member232includes an actuating groove2322remote to a pivotal connection between the actuating member232and the read/write seat21. An end of the actuating rod2313is slidably received in the actuating groove2322.

The actuating member232includes a positioning hole2323between two ends thereof. The read/write seat21includes a positioning hook215adjacent to the pivotal connection between the actuating member232and the read/write seat21. An elastic element24is attached between the positioning hook215and the positioning hole2323to bias the actuating member232to pivot upwards.

With reference toFIGS. 1 and 7-10, the card seat3includes a card receiving portion31and a positioning portion32extending from a side of the card receiving portion31. The card output device10is disposed on the positioning portion32. The card receiving portion31includes a partitioning board311therein to form a receiving space312above the partitioning board311and a recovery space313below the partitioning board311. A push wheel314is disposed on a bottom face of the partitioning board311and is configured to move a card A in the receiving space312out of the receiving space312. The partitioning board311is aligned with the card passageway113.

A first motor321and a second motor323are disposed in the positioning portion32. The first motor321is connected to the two front transmission wheels121and the two rear transmission wheels122via a first belt322. The second motor323is connected to the push wheel314in the card receiving portion31via a second belt324. A detecting device315is mounted to the bottom face of the partitioning board311and is configured to detect cards A received in the receiving space312. A low inventory level detector38is mounted at a side of the receiving space312and above the partitioning board311for detecting an inventory level of the cards A received in the receiving space312.

An adjusting device33is disposed at another side of the receiving space312and includes a fixing board331, a limiting board333, and an adjusting knob332. An end of the limiting board333is spaced from a surface of the partitioning board311. The adjusting knob332includes a cam334having surfaces with different radii. At least one spring335is attached to the limiting board333to bias the limiting board333upwards to abut against a bottom edge of the cam334. The adjusting knob332is configured to move the limiting board333vertically to change a spacing between the end of the limiting board333and the surface of the partitioning board311.

A guiding board34is pivotably connected to a bottom side of the partitioning board311and includes a guiding portion341and a recovery portion342on two sides of a pivotal connection between the guiding board34and the partitioning board311. The guiding portion341extends beyond a top surface of the partitioning board311from aside of the partitioning board311. The recovery portion342is located below the partitioning board311. The gravitational force acting on the recovery portion342keeps the guiding portion341beyond the top surface of the partitioning board311.

The card seat3includes an upper lid35covering a top end of the card receiving portion31. The upper lid35includes an outer stop wall351and an inner stop wall353which extend vertically from two sides of the upper lid35, respectively. A pressing board36(seeFIG. 10) is received in the receiving space312and abuts against the cards Ain the receiving space312. A recovery box37(seeFIGS. 7 and 8) slidably is received in a lower portion of the card receiving portion31. The recovery box37includes a bottom wall371, a front wall372extending upwards from a front side of the bottom wall371and a rear wall373extending upwards from a rear side of the bottom wall371. A guiding plate374extends slantly from the front wall372.

With reference toFIGS. 9-18, in sue, cards A are stacked vertically and placed into the receiving space312, and the pressing board36is used to abut against the uppermost card A (seeFIG. 10). Thus, the cards A rest on the top surface of the partitioning board311. Furthermore, the adjusting knob332of the adjusting device33is used to adjust the spacing between the end of the limiting board333and the partitioning board311to be slightly larger than a thickness of a card A.

With reference toFIGS. 10 and 11, when the card output device10outputs a card A, the push wheel314moves the card A to pass through the spacing between the end of the limiting board333and the partitioning board311, and the card A enters the card passageway113via the card inlet112. At this time, the two front transmission wheels121and the two rear transmission wheels122of the transmission device12continuously move the card A towards the card outlet111. When the card A passes a position below the reader/writer22, the transmission device12stops pushing the card A.

With reference toFIGS. 12-14, after the transmission device12stops pushing the card A, the electromagnetic valve2312of the driver23operates to retract the actuating rod2313moving in the actuating groove2322and pressing against an inner wall of the actuating groove2322. The actuating member232pivots downwards, such that the actuating portion2321(seeFIGS. 3 and 13) presses downwards against the associated guiding pegs222of the reader/writer22. Thus, the associated guiding pegs222move downwards in the associated guiding holes213to move the read/write head223and the stop portion224into the card passageway113.

With reference toFIGS. 15-17, after the read/write head223and the stop portion224move into the card passageway113, the transmission device12pushes the card A towards the card inlet112. When the card A is stopped by the stop portion224, the card A pushes the reader/writer22backwards to a predetermined position, and the guiding pegs222move downwards along the guiding holes213, such that the reader/writer22is permitted to move downwards for precisely contacting with the card A for proceeding with reading and writing, thereby adding value to the card A. After adding value to the card A, the stored-value card A is moved forwards by the transmission device12and exits the card outlet111.

Furthermore, after use of the card A, reading and writing can be conducted on the card A to proceeding with value adding. Specifically, the card A is inserted by a user into the card outlet111, the electromagnetic valve2312of the driver23operates to move the read/write head223and the stop portion224into the card passageway113. The transmission device12pushes the card A towards the card inlet112. When the card A is stopped by the stop portion224, the card A pushes the reader/writer22backwards to a predetermined position, such that the reader/writer22is permitted to move downwards for precisely contacting with the card A for proceeding with reading and writing, thereby adding value to the card A.

With reference toFIG. 18, when the read/write head223cannot proceed with reading and writing of the card A (namely, the card A is damaged), the transmission device12pushes the card A towards the card inlet112. The card A is restricted by the guiding portion341and is guided by the guiding plate374to fall into the recovery space313. A detector can be disposed on aside of the recovery space313to detect the amount of recovered cards A and to inform a manager to open and retrieve the recovery box37and the recovered cards A.