Patent ID: 7607580

Claim:
An IC card reader configured to bring an IC contact into contact with a contact terminal portion of an IC card inserted into an apparatus mainbody and transported to a read/write position whereby to perform recording/reproduction of information on the IC card, the IC card reader comprising: an inlet sensor for sensing the contact terminal portion of the IC card to detect validity of each inserted card is provided in an appropriate position on a more upstream side than the read/write position in an insertion direction of the IC card; wherein the inlet sensor is configured into a magnetic differential type wherein an excitation coil and a detection coil are mounted by being individually wound on a same axial center of a core body; wherein one side of the excitation coil and the detection coil is mounted in a central core portion located in a substantially center in the axial direction of the core body, and the other side of the excitation coil is mounted on individual axial-end core portions in a pair located in both end portions of the core body in the axial direction; and wherein one side of the axial-end core portions in the pair and the detection target object have a locational relationship to be mutually faceable.