Abstract:
A magnetic stripe reader including a base element defining a first spring seat, a magnetic module support element arranged for limited pivotable motion relative to the base element and defining a second spring seat, a generally truncated conical spring having a first, relatively large diameter end seated in the first spring seat and a second, relatively small diameter end seated in the second spring seat and a magnetic module fixedly mounted onto the magnetic module support element.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     Reference is hereby made to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/580,995, filed Dec. 23, 2014 and entitled Magnetic Stripe Card Reader, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to magnetic stripe card readers generally. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various types of magnetic stripe card readers are known. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention seeks to provide an improved magnetic stripe card reader. 
     There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a magnetic stripe reader including a base element defining a first spring seat, a magnetic module support element arranged for limited pivotable motion relative to the base element and defining a second spring seat, a generally truncated conical spring having a first, relatively large diameter end seated in the first spring seat and a second, relatively small diameter end seated in the second spring seat and a magnetic module fixedly mounted onto the magnetic module support element. 
     Preferably, the magnetic module support element includes a generally planar portion and a pair of legs disposed generally perpendicularly to generally planar portion, each of the pair of legs defining an elongate slot. Additionally, the base element includes a pair of cylindrical protrusions and a pair of corresponding protrusions and each of the pair of cylindrical protrusions and each of the pair of corresponding protrusions is located in sliding engagement with a corresponding one of the elongate slots associated with one of the pair of legs. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the sliding engagement guides and limits mutual spring loaded displacement between the base element and the magnetic module support element. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the magnetic module support element includes a retaining tab extending in a plane parallel to the plane of generally planar portion and the base element includes a tab engagement surface portion engaging the retaining tab. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the generally truncated conical spring provides displacement of the magnetic module support element relative to the base element when the magnetic stripe reader is engaged by a leading edge of a payment card. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a simplified illustration of a card reader constructed and operative in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are respective downward-facing and upward-facing pictorial illustrations of a magnetic stripe reader module forming part of the card reader of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 2C and 2D  are sectional illustration taken along respective lines IIC-IIC and IID-IID in  FIG. 2A ; 
         FIGS. 3A and 3B  are respective downward-facing and upward-facing exploded view illustrations of a magnetic stripe reader module forming part of the card reader of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  are simplified pictorial illustrations of a base portion of the magnetic stripe reader module of  FIGS. 2A-3B , shown in two different orientations; 
         FIG. 5  is a simplified illustration of a stage in the assembly of the magnetic stripe reader module of  FIGS. 2A-4B ; 
         FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C  are simplified illustrations of the card reader of  FIG. 1  in three operative orientations, when a card is not engaged with the card reader, when a card initially engages the magnetic stripe reader module and when a card is engaged in magnetic stripe card reader engagement with the card reader; and 
         FIG. 7  is a simplified illustration of a card reader constructed and operative in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 1 , which is a simplified illustration of a card reader  100  constructed and operative in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention. As seen in  FIG. 1 , the card reader  100  comprises a housing, preferably including a top portion  102  and a bottom portion  104 . Disposed within the housing, inter alia, is a main board  106  and a magnetic stripe reader module support base  108  having an aperture  110  communicating with a card swipe slot  112 . A magnetic stripe reader module  114  extends partially through aperture  110  into slot  112 . It is appreciated that throughout the description, the terms “top”, “bottom”, “upper”, “lower” and similar terms refer to the orientations of the various elements as shown in  FIG. 1 , with the understanding that the orientation of the card reader  100  and of the magnetic stripe reader module can be any suitable orientation. 
     Referring now additionally to  FIGS. 2A-3B , it is seen that in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, magnetic stripe reader module  114  preferably comprises a magnetic reader head portion  116 , typically including three parallel mutually spaced magnetic track reading sensors  118 . Magnetic reader head portion  116  is coupled to a flexible flat cable  120 , which operatively connects it to circuitry (not shown) preferably mounted on main board  106 . 
     Magnetic reader head portion  116  and flexible flat cable  120  are fixedly mounted onto a magnetic head mounting bracket  122 . It is a particular feature of an embodiment of the present invention, that magnetic head mounting bracket  122  is spring mounted onto a base element  124  via a truncated cone spring  126 . A pair of mounting screws  128  serve to attach the magnetic stripe reader module  114  onto the magnetic stripe reader module support base  108  at aperture  110 . 
     Magnetic head mounting bracket  122  preferably comprises a generally planar portion  130  and a pair of upstanding end portions  131  and  132  integrally formed with planar portion  130  at opposite ends thereof. A pair of legs  134  and  136  are disposed generally perpendicularly to generally planar portion  130  and extend therefrom in a direction opposite to that of upstanding end portions  132 . Legs  134  and  136  are preferably formed with elongate slots respectively designated by reference numerals  138  and  140  and foot portions respectively designated by reference numerals  142  and  144  which lie in a plane parallel to that of planar portion  130  and span respective slots  138  and  140 . 
     A retaining tab  146  extends in a plane parallel to that of planar portion  130  from a depending portion  148  located at one corner of generally planar portion  130 . A central depending protrusion  150  is preferably formed at a center of an underside surface  152  of generally planar portion  130 . A corresponding recess  154  is preferably formed at the center of an upper surface  156  of generally planar portion  130 . A slot  158  is preferably formed at a junction of planar portion  130  and upstanding end portion  131  and preferably accommodates flexible flat cable  120 , which extends therethrough. 
     A pair of spot welding locations  160  are preferably located on each of upstanding end portions  131  and  132  and define locations onto which magnetic reader head portion  116  is spot welded thereto. 
     Reference is now made additionally to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , which are simplified pictorial illustrations of base element  124 . As seen in  FIGS. 1-4B , base element  124  includes a central portion  170  having a pair of upstanding side portions  172  and  174 , terminating in corresponding mounting flanges  176  and  178 . Mounting flange  176  includes three apertures, here designated by reference numerals  180 ,  182  and  184 , while mounting flange  178  includes two apertures, here designated by reference numerals  190  and  191 . Mounting flange  178  extends beyond corresponding side portion  174  and defines a tab engagement surface portion  192 . 
     Formed on an upper surface  193  of central portion  170  are a pair of partially circular spring seat defining portions, here designated by reference numerals  194  and  196 . Formed in mutually facing orientations on inner facing surfaces of upstanding side portions  172  and  174  are respective generally cylindrical protrusions  198  and  200  and a pair of corresponding protrusions  202  and  204 , each having a partially circular cross-section and extending from corresponding cylindrical protrusions  198  and  200  to upper surface  193 . 
     Referring now particularly to  FIGS. 2C and 2D , it is appreciated that when assembled, the truncated cone spring  126  is seated at its narrow end about protrusion  150  extending downwardly from underside surface  152  of generally planar portion  130  of magnetic head mounting bracket  122  and is seated at its wide end between circular spring seat defining portions  194  and  196  which extend from upper surface  193  of central portion  170  of base element  124 . 
     Generally cylindrical protrusions  198  &amp;  200  and corresponding protrusions  202  &amp;  204  of base element  124  are preferably located in slidable engagement with respective elongate slots  138  and  140  of respective legs  134  and  136  of magnetic head mounting bracket  122  for guiding and limiting mutual spring loaded displacement therebetween as described hereinbelow with respect to  FIGS. 6A-6C . 
     Reference is now made additionally to  FIG. 5 , which is a simplified illustration of a stage in the assembly of the magnetic stripe reader module of  FIGS. 2A-4B . It is seen that tab  146  is preferably brought into engagement with tab engagement surface portion  192  of base element  124  just prior to arrangement of slots  138  and  140  of magnetic head mounting bracket  122  into slidable operative engagement with protrusions  198  &amp;  202  and  200  &amp;  204  of base element  124 . 
     Reference is now made to  FIGS. 6A, 6B &amp; 6C , which are simplified illustrations of the card reader of  FIGS. 1-5  in three operative orientations, when a card is not engaged with the card reader  100 , when a card initially engages the magnetic stripe reader module  114  and when a card is engaged in magnetic stripe card reader engagement with the card reader  100 , respectively. As seen by comparing  FIGS. 6A and 6B , initial insertion of a payment card into slot  112  and engagement of a leading edge of the payment card with the magnetic stripe reader module  114  causes initial skewed displacement of the magnetic stripe reader module  114  against the urging of truncated cone spring  126 , as seen in  FIG. 6B . 
     The displacement of the magnetic stripe reader module  114  and compression of truncated cone spring  126  caused by the engagement of a leading edge of the payment card with the magnetic stripe reader module  114  is seen by a comparison of the distance between a lower surface of central portion  170  of base element  124  and a lower surface of foot portions  144  of leg  136 , as indicated by H 0  in  FIG. 6A , and the distance between the lower surface of central portion  170  of base element  124  and the lower surface of foot portions  144  and  142  of legs  136  and  134 , as indicated by H 1  and H 2  on left and right sides in  FIG. 6B , respectively. As seen in  FIGS. 6A-6B , H 0  and H 1  are equal, since the left side of the reader, as seen in  FIG. 6B , has not been displaced downwardly, while H 2  is less than H 0 , since the right side of the reader, as seen in FIG.  6 B, has been displaced downwardly by the engagement of a leading edge of the payment card with the magnetic stripe reader module  114 . 
     Once the leading edge of the payment card passes the highest portion of the magnetic stripe reader module  114 , as seen in  FIG. 6C , the magnetic stripe reader module  114  is further displaced against the urging of truncated cone spring  126  and is no longer skewed but is displaced downward with respect to slot  112 , as compared with its orientation in the absence of card engagement, as seen in  FIG. 6A . 
     The displacement of the magnetic stripe reader module  114  and compression of truncated cone spring  126  caused by the leading edge of the payment card passing the highest portion of the magnetic stripe reader module  114  is seen by a comparison of the distance between a lower surface of central portion  170  of base element  124  and a lower surface of foot portions  144  of leg  136 , as indicated by H 1  in  FIG. 6B , and the distance between the lower surface of central portion  170  of base element  124  and the lower surface of foot portion  144  of leg  136 , as indicated by H 3  in  FIG. 6C . As seen in  FIGS. 6B-6C , H 1  is greater than H 3  and H 2  equals H 3 , since the left side of the reader, as seen in  FIG. 6C , has been displaced downwardly by the engagement of the payment card with the magnetic stripe reader module  114  to the same extent as the right side of the reader was previously displaced. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, spring  126  exerts a force of approximately 1.0 Newtons in the absence of a card in slot  112 . During card swipe, when a magnetic stripe card is in operative engagement with the magnetic stripe reader module  114 , the force exerted by spring  126  increases to about 1.6 Newtons, due to compression of springs  126 . 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 7 , which is a simplified illustration of a card reader  300  constructed and operative in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. As distinguished from card reader  100  described hereinabove with reference to  FIGS. 1-6C , card reader  300  is characterized in that it contains a sideways mounted magnetic stripe reader module  314 , which may in all relevant respects be identical to magnetic stripe reader module  114  of  FIGS. 1-6C . 
     It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly claimed and includes both combinations and subcombinations of features described and shown hereinabove as well as modifications thereof which are not in the prior art.