Stamping device and a media processing device

A stamping device comprising a stamp, a drive mechanism for moving the stamp between a printing position and a standby position, and a return urging member that urges the stamp towards the standby position in order to return the stamp to the standby position if the drive mechanism becomes inoperable.

Priority is claimed under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Japanese Application No. 2007-041853 filed on Feb. 22, 2007 and Japanese Application No. 2007-041854 filed on Feb. 22, 2007, both of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a stamping device that stamps letters and the like on print media by pressing a stamp against the print media by means of a drive mechanism using a motor or other actuator. The invention also relates to a media processing device such as a check processing device having the stamping device.

2. Description of Related Art

A stamping device of this type is used in a check reader such as described in JP-A-2003-141367, for example. While conveying checks, promissory notes, and similar financial instruments (referred to as simply “checks” below) through a media transportation path, a check reader reads magnetic ink characters using a magnetic head disposed in the transportation path, images the check using a scanner, and then drives the stamping device to stamp the check with “PROCESSED,” for example, after scanning is completed.

If the drive mechanism of the stamping device fails to operate, such as when the drive mechanism stops because of a power failure during operation, the stamp may be left pressed against the paper or other print medium. If the stamp is left pressed against the print medium, ink will continue to be supplied from the transfer surface of the stamp to the print medium and the print medium may become soiled with ink. If the print medium is forcibly removed, the surface of the print medium becomes smeared with ink as the print medium is pulled over the surface of the stamp. After the print medium is removed, the stamp will also be left pressed directly against the guide surface that guides the print medium instead of against the print medium, and ink will soil the guide surface. If the guide surface becomes soiled with ink, the ink on the guide surface will then soil the back side of the next print medium when it passes over the guide surface for printing.

If the stamp, which is pushed by a drive mechanism using a motor or other actuator, of the stamping device is not pressed against the surface of the print medium with uniform pressure, ink transfer and stamp life, for example, will vary. In order to maintain uniform stamp pressure, the printing position where the stamp is pressed to the print medium must be managed with good precision. Variation in the printing position of the stamp necessarily occurs, however, as a result of dimensional variation in the parts in the stamp drive mechanism, differences in the assembly of the parts, and deviation in the detection precision of the detectors that detect stamp movement and position. It is therefore not possible to manage the stamping pressure of the stamp with good precision.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A stamping device according to the present invention automatically releases the pressure of the stamp against the print medium in the event the stamp drive mechanism becomes unable to operate.

A stamping device according to at least one embodiment of the invention keeps the pressure of the stamp against the print medium constant even if there is deviation in the printing position where the stamp is pressed against the print medium.

A stamping device according to at least one embodiment of the invention has a stamp, a drive mechanism for moving the stamp between a printing position and a standby position, and a return urging member that constantly urges the stamp towards the standby position in order to return the stamp to the standby position if the drive mechanism becomes inoperable.

An urging force constantly urges the stamp to return toward the standby position in a stamping device according to at least one embodiment of the present invention. If the strength of this urging force is set appropriately, the stamp that is pressed against the print medium at the printing position is urged away from the print medium and the pressure of the stamp against the print medium is released when the power supply to the drive mechanism that uses a motor or other type of actuator is interrupted. The stamp can also be returned automatically to the standby position by this urging force. Problems caused by the stamp being left pressed against the print medium and ink bleeding from the transfer surface of the stamp and soiling the print medium can be avoided. It is also not necessary to manually return the stamp to the standby position when a power failure occurs, for example, because the stamp automatically returns to the standby position.

The drive mechanism of the stamping device preferably has a slider on which the stamp is carried, and a slider drive mechanism for moving the slider, and the return urging member is a spring member that pulls the slider toward the standby position.

In the stamping device according to another aspect of at least one embodiment of the invention, the drive mechanism has a stamp mounting block to which the stamp is mounted, a slider that supports the stamp mounting block slidably toward the standby position relative to the slider, an elastic member that limits relative movement of the stamp mounting block toward the standby position, and a slider drive mechanism for moving the slider.

By causing the slider to move toward the printing position, the slider drive mechanism can position the stamp so that the stamp transfer surface is positioned to a printing position in contact with the print medium. After the slider drives the stamp in contact with the surface of the print medium, moving the slider further in the same direction increases the pressure of the stamp against the print medium. The elastic member holds the stamp mounting block to which the stamp is affixed so that the stamp mounting block does not move relatively toward the standby position. If the pressure on the stamp increases, the elastic member elastically deforms and the stamp mounting block moves toward the standby position relative to the slider. The pressure of the stamp against the print medium is thus held constant by elastic deformation of the elastic member.

If the printing position of the stamp is set to a position where the elastic member is deformed a prescribed amount, the stamp mounting block moves relative to the slider even if the printing position of the stamp, which is limited by slider movement, varies front-to-back. As a result, the stamp is pressed with uniform pressure by the elastic force of the elastic member against the surface of the print medium at the printing position.

If the slider is provided with a printing position side stopper and a standby position side stopper that limit the relative movement range of the stamp mounting block, a spring member that is disposed to urge the stamp mounting block toward the printing position side stopper can be used as the urging member.

If a common slider guide shaft is used to guide both the slider and the stamp mounting block, the printing position side stopper and the standby position side stopper of the slider are freely slidably supported on the slide guide shaft, a printing position side arm part and a standby position side arm part are disposed to the stamp mounting block on the slide guide shaft between the printing position side stopper and the standby position side stopper, and the elastic member can be a coil spring mounted in tension between the printing position side stopper of the slider and the standby position side arm part of the stamp mounting block.

A stepping motor, which affords a faster operating speed than a solenoid plunger or a dc motor, can be used as the drive power source of the drive mechanism.

In this case, the urging force of the return urging member that urges the stamp toward the standby position is preferably greater than the restrictive force that restricts stamp movement and is produced by the detent torque of the stepping motor and the drive load of the drive mechanism. If the stamp is pressed against the print medium when the power supply to the stepping motor is interrupted, this arrangement enables the automatic return of the stamp to the standby position.

If the drive mechanism does not have a source of detent torque such as a stepping motor, the urging force of the return spring member is set greater than the sliding load of the slider.

The stamp is preferably a rotating roller having a stamp transfer surface formed on the annular outside surface. This arrangement enables the roller pressed against the surface of the moving print medium to print on the print medium surface as the roller turns in conjunction with movement of the print medium.

A media processing device according to another aspect of at least one embodiment of the invention has the stamping device described herein. By disposing the stamping device on the print medium transportation path of a media processing device such as a check reader, the stamp can be prevented from being left pressed against the processed check or other print medium if the drive mechanism cannot operate.

Furthermore, by disposing the stamping device described above on the print media transportation path of a media processing device such as a check reader, processed checks and other print media can be stamped with “PROCESSED,” for example, with good print quality.

A stamping device according to at least one embodiment of the present invention has a return spring member that constantly urges the stamp in a direction that causes the stamp to return to a standby position. If the urging force of this return spring member is set appropriately, the stamp can be automatically released from the stamping position and the print medium or the guide surface of the print medium can be prevented from being soiled with ink in the event the power supply to the motor is interrupted while the stamp is pressed against the print medium. The stamp can also be automatically returned to the standby position.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

A preferred embodiment of a stamping device according to at least one embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying figures.

FIG. 1AandFIG. 1Bare an oblique view and a plan view, respectively, of the stamping device, andFIG. 2AandFIG. 2Bare an oblique view and a plan view, respectively, of the stamping device with the stamp and the stamp mounting block removed from the stamping device.

The stamping device1according to this embodiment of the invention has a stamp2and a drive mechanism for moving the stamp2along a front to back axis between the standby position shown in the figure and the forward printing position. The drive mechanism in this embodiment has a stamp mounting block3to which the stamp2is attached, a slider4to which the stamp mounting block3is mounted, and a slider drive mechanism5that moves the slider4on the front-to-back axis indicated by arrow A.

The slider drive mechanism5has a guide mechanism50that supports the slider4slidably on the front-to-back axis, and a stepping motor51as the drive power source. The stepping motor51is attached facing up on the bottom of the rectangular top plate53portion of a gantry frame52(seeFIG. 2A). Screw holes are formed in the gantry frame52for attaching the gantry frame52to a check reader, for example. The rotating shaft (not shown in the figure) of the stepping motor51protrudes through a window46formed in the top plate53, and a pinion54is attached to the distal end of the shaft as shown inFIG. 2B.

The guide mechanism50has a flat top surface53aformed on the top plate53, a front support bracket55and a back support bracket56that rise vertically from the front and back edges at one side part of the top plate53, and a slider guide shaft57extending horizontally front to back between the front support bracket55and back support bracket56, as shown inFIG. 2A.

As shown inFIG. 2AandFIG. 2B, the slider4has a main part42with a flat top part41, a front arm43(printing position stopper) and back arm44(standby position stopper), and flat left and right side sliding surfaces45formed on the bottom of the main part42.

The front arm43and back arm44protrude to the side from the front and back ends on one side of the main part42. The slider guide shaft57passes freely slidably through the front arm43and the back arm44, and the flat sliding surfaces45rest slidably on the flat top surface53aof the top plate53of the gantry frame52. The slider4can thus slide front-to-back along the slider guide shaft57.

As will also be known fromFIG. 2AandFIG. 2B, a window46is formed in the main part42of the slider4where the pinion54protrudes from below, and a rack47that engages the pinion54is formed on one front-to-back side of the window46. When the stepping motor51turns, the slider4is driven to slide front to back by means of the rack47and pinion54.

The front sliding limit of the slider4is the position where the front arm43contacts the front support bracket55of the gantry frame52, and the back sliding limit of the slider4is the position where the back arm44contacts the back support bracket56of the gantry frame52. In this embodiment of the invention, the retracted position of the slider4is the sliding limit position determined by the back support bracket56. The distance the slider4slides forward from this retracted position is managed by counting the number of steps the stepping motor51turns based on a detection signal from a position detector58disposed on the gantry frame52to control the advancement position of the slider4(the printing position of the stamp2).

As shown inFIG. 2AandFIG. 2B, a front spring catch49that protrudes down is formed at the front center part of the main part42of the slider4. A rear spring catch59that protrudes up is also formed at the back center part of the top plate53of the gantry frame52. A return coil spring6is mounted in tension between these front and back spring catches49and59. When the stepping motor51is inoperable, such as when the power supply to the stepping motor51stops unexpectedly, the tension of the return coil spring6can forcibly return the slider4to the retracted position from any other position.

This embodiment of the invention uses a return coil spring6that produces greater spring force than the sum of the detent torque load of the stepping motor51and the sliding load that occurs when the slider4is pushed back along the slider guide shaft57. As a result, if an unexpected power outage occurs, the slider4positioned anywhere forward from the retracted position is reliably pushed back and automatically returned to the retracted position by the force of the return spring6.

As shown inFIG. 1AandFIG. 1B, the stamp mounting block3has a main mounting block part31, a front arm part33(printing position side arm) and a back arm part34(retracted position side arm). The main mounting block part31rests slidably on the front-to-back axis on the flat top part41of the main part42. The front arm part33and the back arm part34project to the side from the front and back ends of one side of the main mounting block part31. The slider guide shaft57passes freely slidably through the front arm part33and back arm part34. The front arm part33and back arm part34are positioned between the front arm43and back arm44of the slider4. The stamp mounting block3can therefore slide front-to-back along the slider guide shaft57, can slide forward until the front arm part33meets the front arm43of the slider4, and can slide to the back until the back arm part34meets the back arm44of the slider4.

A front spring catch43ais formed projecting up from the front arm43of the slider4, and a back spring catch34ais formed projecting up from the back arm part34of the stamp mounting block3. A coil tension spring35is mounted in tension between the front and back spring catches43aand34a. The stamp mounting block3is thus held with the front arm part33pushed against the front arm43of the slider4, and can slide forward and back with the slider4. If the stamp mounting block3is pushed back with greater force than the tension of the coil tension spring35, the stamp mounting block3can slide to the back relative to the slider4.

The stamp2is fixed to the top32of the main mounting block part31of the stamp mounting block3. The stamp2includes a stamp case21and a stamp roller22. The outside circumference part of the stamp roller22protrudes a prescribed amount to the front from a front opening21ain the stamp case21. The roller shaft23of the stamp roller22is supported vertically by the stamp case21so that the roller shaft23can rotate.

The stamp roller22includes a flat cylindrical ink tank24and an annular transfer member25made of a porous material concentrically covering the outside of the ink tank24. The transfer member25is impregnated with ink so that the ink permeates the outside transfer surface25a. An ink transfer part that is a negative image of the printed letters is formed on the transfer surface25a. When the transfer surface25ais pressed against the surface of the print medium, ink passes from the ink transfer part and the stamped letters are transferred to the print medium. To extend ink life, an arrangement that has an ink storage tank located at a position that contacts the transfer member25to ink the transfer member25is also possible.

Printing and Automatically Returning the Stamp

FIG. 3AtoFIG. 3Cdescribe the operation of the stamping device1.FIG. 3Ashows the standby position, andFIG. 3BandFIG. 3Cshow the stamp2pressed against the print medium. Note that the slider4is indicated by the shaded portion with a dotted contour line.

In the standby position shown inFIG. 3A, the slider4is held by the return coil spring6in the retracted position4A pressed against the back support bracket56of the gantry frame52. The stamp mounting block3riding on the slider4is also pressed by the coil tension spring35against the front arm43of the slider4, and the stamp2mounted on the stamp mounting block3is in the standby position2A. There is a gap a between the back arm part34of the stamp mounting block3and the back arm44of the slider4in this position.

When the stepping motor51is driven from this position to slide the slider4to the front, the slider4is detected by the position detector58. How far the slider4slides forward is managed by counting the number of steps the stepping motor51drives from when the position detector58detects the slider4. The stamp mounting block3mounted thereon advances in unison when the slider4advances. The stamp2therefore also advances in unison with the slider4.

As shown inFIG. 3B, the slider4reaches the forward position4B when the stepping motor51drives a predetermined number of steps. This number of steps is set so that the stamp2reaches the printing position2B just before the slider4reaches the forward position4B. More specifically, the number of steps is set so that the transfer surface25aof the stamp2touches the surface of the print medium8positioned at the media guide surface7that defines a portion of the media transportation path in a media processing device such as a check reader. In other words, if the media guide surface7and print medium8are not present, the stamp2advances to the position indicated by the imaginary line2awhen the slider4reaches the forward position4B. Because advancement of the stamp2is prevented when the stamp2contacts the surface of the print medium8, the stamp mounting block3to which the stamp2is attached cannot advance with the slider4.

As a result, the stamp mounting block3slides to the back relative to the slider4while stretching the coil tension spring35as the slider4advances, and the front arm part33is separated by gap b1from the front arm43of the slider4. Therefore, when the slider4reaches the forward position4B, the stamp2mounted on the stamp mounting block3is pressed against the surface of the print medium8with a constant pressure determined by the force of the coil tension spring35at the printing position2B pressed to the surface of the print medium8. The surface of the print medium8traveling along the media guide surface7is thus printed.

What happens when the forward position4B of the slider4driven by the slider drive mechanism5shifts on the front-to-back axis is described next. If the forward position of the slider4shifts a forward distance b2from the forward position4B shown inFIG. 3C, the stamp2is pressed to the surface of the print medium8with the stamp mounting block3slid to the back relative to the slider4an amount (distance b2) equal to the distance the forward position of the slider4has shifted forward. More specifically, when the media guide surface7and print medium8are not present, the stamp2advances to the position indicated by imaginary line2bat a distance b2forward from the position of the imaginary line2ashown inFIG. 3C, and the stamp mounting block3retracts this additional distance b2relative to the slider4. However, when the stamp2is at the printing position2B pressed to the surface of the print medium8in this case, the stamp2is held pressed to the surface of the print medium with the uniform pressure of the spring force of the coil tension spring35.

Conversely, if the forward position4B of the slider4shifts to the back, the distance the stamp mounting block3slides back relative to the slider4decreases. When the stamp2is at the printing position2B pressed to the surface of the print medium8in this situation, the spring force of the coil tension spring35again causes the stamp2to be pressed with the same uniform pressure against the surface of the print medium8.

The stamp mounting block3can thus slide a gap a to the back relative to the slider4(that is, the direction towards the retracted position of the stamp2). A shift forward or back in the forward position4B of the slider4is thus absorbed by the stamp mounting block3sliding to the back relative to the slider4, and the stamp2on the stamp mounting block3is pressed to the surface of the print medium8with constantly uniform pressure by the spring force of the coil tension spring35.

The slider4is also always pulled toward the retracted position4A by the return coil spring6in the stamping device1according to this embodiment of the invention. Therefore, if the power supply to the stepping motor51is interrupted when the slider4is moving from the retracted position4A to the forward position4B or when the slider4is being held at the forward position4B, the slider4will not stop at that position and will be pulled back to the retracted position4A. In other words, the force of the return coil spring6pulls the slider4to the retracted position4A where the back arm44of the slider4contacts the back support bracket56of the gantry frame52, and the condition shown inFIG. 3Ais automatically restored.

This prevents the transfer surface25aof the stamp2from being left pressed against the surface of the print medium8if the power supply is interrupted while printing. Ink is also prevented from soiling the media guide surface7, for example. It is also not necessary to return the stamp2to the standby position2A if an equipment failure occurs.

Other Embodiments of a Stamping Device

A stepping motor51is used as the drive power source for sliding the slider4in the embodiment described above. A motor other than a stepping motor can be used if a slower operating speed is acceptable, however. A plunger could also be used. If a drive power source that produces detent torque, such as a stepping motor, is not used, the urging force of the return coil spring6must simply be set greater than the total sliding resistance of the slider4.

A construction having the stamp2affixed to a stamp mounting block3is used in the above example so that the stamp pressure remains constant, but the stamp2can be mounted directly to the slider4if variation in the stamp pressure is not a problem, for example.

The coil tension spring35in the above example holds the stamp mounting block3so that it does not move to the back relative to the slider4. Alternatively, the back end of the stamp mounting block3could be supported by a compression spring member or by a compressively deformable elastically-deformable member so that if the stamp2is pressed to the print medium8and the stamp mounting block3is pushed back, the spring member or elastically deformable member is compressed and the stamp2is pressed with uniform pressure to the print medium8.

Media Processing Device Having the Stamping Device

FIG. 4is an oblique view of a check reader as an example of a media processing device having the stamping device described above.

This check processing device101has a case102and a cover case103that covers the top of the lower case102, and various parts and assemblies are disposed inside the case. A transportation path105for conveying checks104(print media) is formed in the cover case103.

The check transportation path105is a narrow vertical slot that curves in a basically U-shaped configuration when seen from above, and includes a straight upstream-side transportation path portion106, a curved transportation path portion107that continues from the upstream-side transportation path portion106, and a slightly curving downstream-side transportation path portion108that continues from the curved transportation path portion107.

The upstream end of the upstream-side transportation path portion106communicates with a check loading unit109, which is a wide vertical slot. The downstream end of the downstream-side transportation path portion108is connected through left and right diversion paths110a,110bto first and second check discharge units111and112, which are wide vertical slots.

The checks104that are read have an MICR line104A printed along the bottom edge on the front104aof the check104. Also recorded on the front104aagainst a patterned background are the check amount, payer and payee, various numbers, and the payer signature. An endorsement is recorded on the back104bof the check104.

FIG. 5describes the internal construction of the check processing device101. An infeed roller113for feeding checks104loaded in a stack in the check loading unit109one by one into the transportation path105, and a pressure member114for pressing the checks104against the infeed roller113, are disposed to the check loading unit109.

The transportation mechanism for conveying the checks104along the transportation path105includes a transportation motor121, a drive pulley122mounted on the rotating shaft of the transportation motor121, a set of transportation rollers131to137disposed along the transportation path105, and a set of pressure rollers141to147that are pressed against and rotate with the transportation rollers131to137.

Rotation of the pressure roller147is transferred through a transfer gear148to a discharge roller149. An endless belt123transfers rotation of the transportation motor121shaft to the transportation rollers131to137.

The transportation rollers131to134are located at the upstream end and the middle of the upstream-side transportation path portion106, and at the junction of the upstream-side transportation path portion106with the curved transportation path portion107. Transportation roller135is located on the downstream side of the curved transportation path portion107. Transportation roller136is in the middle of the downstream-side transportation path portion108, and transfer roller137is located at the discharge opening of the second check discharge unit112. A discharge roller149is disposed at the discharge opening of the first check discharge unit111.

A front contact image sensor152is disposed as the front image scanner, and a back contact image sensor153is disposed as a back image scanner, between the transportation rollers132and133. A magnetic head154for magnetic ink character reading is disposed between transportation rollers133and134. The stamping device1is disposed at the downstream-side transportation path portion108on the downstream side of the transportation roller136. The stamping device1can move between a printing position pressed against the check104, and a retracted position where the stamping device1is retracted from the printing position.

A flapper166that is driven by a drive motor not shown to switch the discharge path is disposed on the upstream side of the diversion paths110aand110b. The flapper166selectively switches the downstream end of the transportation path105to the first check discharge unit111or the second check discharge unit112, and guides the check104to the selected discharge unit.

The basic operation of this check processing device1is described below.

When the operator inputs a start scanning command from a host computer system (not shown in the figure), for example, the infeed roller113turns and the pressure member114moves to press the checks104against the infeed roller113. A check4is thus advanced by the infeed roller113into the transportation path105. The transportation motor121also operates and rotationally drives the transportation rollers131to137.

The check104that was fed into the transportation path105is passed sequentially to the transportation rollers131to136and conveyed through the transportation path105. The front and back of the check104are imaged and the magnetic ink characters are read by the front contact image sensor152, the back contact image sensor153, and the magnetic head154, respectively.

The captured data is then sent to the host computer system. The computer system processes the scanned front image, back image, and magnetic ink character data, and determines if the check was read correctly. If the check104is fed with the top and bottom upside down, the magnetic ink characters cannot be recognized and a read error results. If the check104is fed with the front and back reversed, the magnetic ink character data cannot be acquired and a read error results. If the check104is creased, torn, or skewed when fed so that a portion of the magnetic ink characters cannot be read, a read error results. A read error also results if the check amount or other prescribed information cannot be recognized from the front and back image data because, for example, the check104is creased, torn, or skewed when fed.

If it is determined that the check104was scanned correctly, the stamp2of the stamping device1moves to the printing position (stamping position2B). The check104is advanced while the stamping device1prints PROCESSED, for example, on the check104, and the check104is directed into the first check discharge unit111by the flapper166.

If it is determined that a read error occurred or reading was not possible, the flapper166changes position. The stamp2of the stamping device1is held in the standby position2A and does not print on the check104. The check104is thus diverted by the flapper166and discharged into the second check discharge unit112.

It will be obvious that the stamping device of the invention can be used in media processing devices other than check processing devices.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that it may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.