JPH04132006A - Automatic magnetic head cleaning system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To cancel reading failure in its early stage, and besides, to make cleaning by manual work unnecessary by detecting the frequent occurrence of the reading failure, and executing automatic cleaning by a cleaning card when the reading failure occurs frequently. CONSTITUTION:A magnetic card processing unit 1 is constituted of a cleaning card storing part 3 to store the cleaning card 2, a magnetic head part 4 to read the magnetic card 8 inserted from a magnetic card insertion port 7, a carrying part 5 to carry the magnetic card 9 and the cleaning card 2, and a control part 6 to control the operation of the magnetic card processing unit. When the control part 6 detects that the number of times of the reading failure exceeds a prescribed number of times, it cleans the magnetic head part 4 by carrying and moving the cleaning card 2 in a right and left direction several times after carrying the cleaning card stored in the cleaning card storing part 3 to the carrying part 5, and carrying it right below the magnetic head part 4. Thus, the spoiled state of the magnetic head part 4 can be cleaned automatically, and the reading failure can be prevented from occurring.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an automatic magnetic head cleaning system for a magnetic card processing unit.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, when reading errors occur frequently in the magnetic card reading process of a magnetic card processing unit, an operator or the like cleans the magnetic head using a cleaning card or a cotton swab soaked in alcohol.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The cause of a magnetic card reading failure may be a problem with the magnetic card itself, such as a weak magnetic field or poor contact with the magnetic head due to warping, but it may also be due to dirt on the magnetic head due to repeated use for a long time. The reality is that this is often caused by

In the conventional magnetic head cleaning method, the operator first recognizes the occurrence of frequent reading errors and then cleans the magnetic head, which prevents the magnetic head from remaining dirty for a long time. There is a drawback that

In particular, automatic teller machines equipped with magnetic card processing units used in financial institutions, etc. are unable to continue processing magnetic cards inserted by customers due to poor reading, resulting in the automatic teller machine itself becoming inoperable. It may happen.

[Means to solve the problem]

The magnetic head automatic cleaning system of the present invention includes a control unit that controls a magnetic card processing operation, a magnetic head unit that reads a magnetic card, a transport unit that transports the magnetic card, and a magnetic head that is operated by the magnetic head unit. The magnetic head cleaning means automatically cleans the magnetic head section when a card reading failure occurs, and the magnetic head cleaning means includes a cleaning storage section for accommodating a cleaning card, and the magnetic head cleaning means cleans the magnetic head section automatically when a card reading failure occurs. When the control unit detects that the number of reading failures exceeds a predetermined number, the transport unit transports the cleaning card from the cleaning card storage unit to the magnetic head unit to clean it. It is characterized by

〔Example〕

Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a magnetic card processing unit showing one embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a magnetic card processing unit 1 includes a cleaning card accommodating section 3 that accommodates a cleaning card 2, a magnetic head section 4 that reads a magnetic card 8 inserted from a magnetic card insertion lower, a magnetic card 8 and a cleaning card 8. It is composed of a transport section 5 that transports the card 2, and a control section 6 that controls the operation of the magnetic card processing unit.

Next, an explanation will be given of the operation when the magnetic head section 4 becomes dirty and reading failures of the magnetic cards 8 inserted from the magnetic card insertion lower occur frequently.

When the control unit 6 detects that the number of reading failures exceeds a predetermined number, it transports the cleaning card 2 stored in the cleaning card storage unit 3 to the transport unit 5 and transports it directly below the magnetic head unit 4. After that, the magnetic head section 4 is cleaned by being conveyed and moved in the left and right directions several times. When this cleaning is completed, the cleaning card 2 is conveyed to and stored in the cleaning card accommodating section 3.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention detects when reading failures of magnetic cards occur frequently and performs automatic cleaning using a cleaning card. This makes it possible to quickly eliminate reading failures and eliminate manual cleaning. This has the effect of not having to be done.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a magnetic card processing unit showing one embodiment of the present invention. 1...Magnetic card processing unit, 2...Cleaning card, 3...Cleaning card storage section, 4...
・Magnetic head section, 5...conveyance section, control section for 6, 7...
・Magnetic card slot, 8...Magnetic card.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A control unit that controls magnetic card processing operations, a magnetic head unit that reads the magnetic card, a transport unit that transports the magnetic card, and a control unit that controls the magnetic card processing operation by the magnetic head unit. An automatic magnetic head cleaning system comprising a magnetic head cleaning means for automatically cleaning the magnetic head section when a reading failure occurs. 2. A cleaning accommodating section for accommodating a cleaning card, wherein the magnetic head cleaning means causes the transport section to accommodate the cleaning card when the control section detects that the number of times the magnetic card has failed to read exceeds a predetermined number of times. 2. The automatic magnetic head cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning card is conveyed from the magnetic head section to the magnetic head section to be cleaned.