U.S. patent application number 11/600308 was filed with the patent office on 2007-07-05 for fluid ingress resistant magnetic stripe reader assembly.
Invention is credited to Mehran Mirkazemi-Moud, Christian E. Schulz.
Application Number | 20070152051 11/600308 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38223360 |
Filed Date | 2007-07-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070152051 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schulz; Christian E. ; et
al. |
July 5, 2007 |
Fluid ingress resistant magnetic stripe reader assembly
Abstract
A magnetic stripe reader assembly for a point of sale terminal
is provided. In some embodiments, the magnetic stripe reader
assembly includes a holder configured to retain a magnetic head
within the terminal and restrict access to electronic
components.
Inventors: |
Schulz; Christian E.;
(Rocklin, CA) ; Mirkazemi-Moud; Mehran; (Rocklin,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KOLISCH HARTWELL, P.C.
200 PACIFIC BUILDING
520 SW YAMHILL STREET
PORTLAND
OR
97204
US
|
Family ID: |
38223360 |
Appl. No.: |
11/600308 |
Filed: |
November 14, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60737120 |
Nov 15, 2005 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
235/449 ;
235/439 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06K 7/00 20130101; G06K
7/01 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
235/449 ;
235/439 |
International
Class: |
G06K 7/08 20060101
G06K007/08; G06K 7/00 20060101 G06K007/00 |
Claims
1. An point of sale terminal comprising: a housing; an electronics
compartment within the housing; a magnetic stripe reader coupled to
the housing, the reader including a holder secured within the
terminal, wherein the holder includes a cavity in which a magnetic
head is mounted for translational movement, the cavity surrounding
the magnetic head to isolate the head from the electronics
compartment, and further wherein the cavity includes an opening to
allow a flexible printed circuit board to pass through the holder
and into the electronics compartment.
2. The terminal of claim 1 wherein the opening is offset from the
lower surface of the cavity.
3. The terminal of claim 1 further comprising a gasket adjacent to
the opening.
4. The terminal of claim 3 wherein the gasket is adhered to the
back of the cavity.
5. The terminal of claim 1 wherein the housing includes flanges,
and further wherein the holder includes flanges that mate against
the flanges on the terminal housing.
6. The terminal of claim 1 wherein the holder includes an alignment
assembly for locating a head of the magnetic stripe reader.
7. The terminal of claim 6 wherein alignment assembly includes
locating pins for the head.
8. The terminal of claim 7 wherein the pins are integrally formed
within the holder.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Magnetic stripe reader (MSR) assemblies may be used in point
of sale terminals, such as portable handheld devices that may be
used in restaurants to apply charges to credit cards. These
assemblies may be subjected to harsh environments, such as dust and
fluid spills. Typical MSR assemblies have a through hole to the
electronics compartment, which allows the magnetic head of the MSR
assembly to make contact with a swiped magnetic card. This through
hole is a natural ingress point for spilled fluids to enter the
electronics compartment of the terminal. It is therefore desirable
to have an MSR assembly design that reduces or eliminates the
ingress of fluid and fine particles.
SUMMARY
[0002] The disclosed point of sale terminal includes an MSR
assembly that isolates the mechanical interfacing components,
magnetic head, and card, from the electrical components that could
be damaged by contaminants, such as by fluid contact.
[0003] The advantages of the present invention will be understood
more readily after a consideration of the drawings and the Detailed
Description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 is a sketch of an exemplary point of sale
terminal.
[0005] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary MSR
assembly suitable for use with the terminal of FIG. 1.
[0006] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the of the MSR assembly shown
in FIG. 2.
[0007] FIG. 4 depicts another embodiment of the MSR assembly.
[0008] FIG. 5 illustrates a magnetic head and spring of the MSR
assembly of FIG. 4.
[0009] FIG. 6 is a front view of the MSR assembly of FIG. 4.
[0010] FIG. 7 is a top cross-sectional view of the MSR assembly of
FIG. 4 along line A-A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] An exemplary point of sale terminal housing 10 that includes
a magnetic stripe reader (MSR) assembly 12 is shown in FIG. 1. The
terminal has limited openings to restrict entrance of foreign
materials, particularly fluids, which may damage the electronic
components of the terminal.
[0012] As shown in FIG. 2, the MSR assembly may include a holder
14. The holder may be secured within the terminal by overlapping
flanges 16, 18 having corresponding geometry. The flanges extend
along at least a portion of the periphery of the holder. Such a
configuration may reduce openings in the seams between the terminal
and the MSR assembly that would otherwise allow fluids and other
contaminants to pass into the electronics compartment. The holder
therefore assists in positioning and retaining the MSR assembly
within the terminal assembly. For example, the holder may slide
into slots on mating top and bottom halves of the terminal. All
edges of the holder may be seated against portions of the terminal
to reduce gaps along the seam. The holder may be formed from any
suitable material, such as plastic. The holder may provide a bottom
and side positioning surfaces for swiping of a card.
[0013] The holder may include an alignment assembly for locating
the magnetic head of the MSR assembly within the terminal. For
example, the holder may include locating pins 20 for the magnetic
head, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The pins may be integrally formed
within the holder. Pins 20 may set the position of the magnetic
head in all three dimensions.
[0014] The holder may include a cavity 22 in which the magnetic
head may translate. The cavity may surround the magnetic head and
isolate the head from the electronics compartment, thereby reducing
or eliminating fluid ingress. The cavity includes an opening 24 to
allow a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) to pass through the
holder and into the electronics compartment. The opening may be
offset from the lower surface of the cavity so that the cavity must
fill with a substantial amount of fluid before the fluid reaches
the opening and passes into the electronics compartment. In some
configurations, the back side of opening 24 may include a flat area
for placement of a flat gasket to provide further protection
against fluid ingress. The gasket may be slid onto the FPCB and
adhered to the back of the cavity.
[0015] The MSR assembly may be curved to correspond to the shape of
the terminal. The card swipe path may therefore be curved and the
overall size of the terminal reduced for improved ergonomics.
[0016] The cover 26 may provide a method for capturing the magnetic
head and spring assembly within the holder. For example, cover 26
may retain the magnetic head on locating pins 20 of the holder. The
cover may be configured to be inset within the holder to provide a
smooth continuous bearing surface for swiping a card past the
magnetic head.
[0017] The cover may be ultrasonically welded to the holder to
permanently bond the cover to the holder. The cover may assist in
reducing the amount of fluid ingress into the cavity of the holder.
The cover may reduce exposure of the magnetic head and spring
assembly to physical damage from tools, dirt, misaligned cards, and
the like.
[0018] As previously discussed, the MSR assembly includes a sensor
28 formed from a magnetic head with an integrated spring, as shown
in FIGS. 3-7, that reads magnetic data from the card being swiped
through the MSR assembly. This portion of the MSR assembly converts
the magnetic data into an analog electronic signal, as is commonly
used in the art.
[0019] Also previously noted, the MSR assembly includes a flexible
printed circuit board (FPCB) to transmit the electronic signal from
the MSR assembly to the electronics compartment. The FPCB may be
soldered to the back of the magnetic head, routed through opening
24 in the back of the cavity in the holder, and coupled to a
connector on a printed circuit board in the electronics
compartment. The above-described gasket may be adhered to the back
side of the holder cavity to further seal the cavity opening.
[0020] The disclosure provides a terminal for reading magnetic data
from a card, the terminal comprising a terminal housing and a
magnetic stripe reader, the magnetic stripe reader including a
magnetic head and a holder adapted to retain the magnetic stripe
reader within the terminal housing, wherein the holder has a
geometry corresponding to that of an opening in the terminal
housing.
[0021] In some configurations, the holder includes flanges that
mate against corresponding flanges on the terminal housing.
[0022] In some configurations, the holder includes an alignment
assembly adapted to position the magnetic head relative to the
terminal housing.
[0023] In some configurations, the holder includes a cavity with an
opening that is offset from the edges of the cavity.
[0024] In some configurations, the magnetic stripe reader assembly
includes a cover adapted to retain the magnetic head within the
holder.
[0025] The disclosure provides a terminal for reading magnetic
data, the terminal comprising a magnetic stripe reader having a
magnetic head adapted to read and convert magnetic data from a
card, electronics configured to receive the converted data, a track
configured to guide a card past the magnetic head, and a barrier
configured to restrict access to the electronics.
[0026] In some configurations, the track is curved.
[0027] In some configurations, the barrier forms at least a portion
of the track.
[0028] It is believed that the disclosure set forth above
encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility.
While each of these inventions has been disclosed in its preferred
form, the specific embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated
herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous
variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions
includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations
of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties
disclosed herein. Similarly, where any claim recites "a" or "a
first" element or the equivalent thereof, such claim should be
understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements,
neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. Further,
ordinal indicators, such as first, second or third, for identified
elements are used to distinguish between the elements, and do not
indicate a required or limited number of such elements, and do not
indicate a particular position or order of such elements unless
otherwise specifically indicated.
[0029] Inventions embodied in various combinations and
subcombinations of features, functions, elements, and/or properties
may be claimed through presentation of new claims in this or a
related application. Such new claims, whether they are directed to
a different invention or directed to the same invention, whether
different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the original
claims, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of
the inventions of the present disclosure. The described examples
are illustrative and directed to specific examples of apparatus
and/or methods rather than a specific invention, and no single
feature or element, or combination thereof, is essential to all
possible combinations. Thus, any one of various inventions that may
be claimed based on the disclosed example or examples does not
necessarily encompass all or any particular features,
characteristics or combinations, unless subsequently specifically
claimed.
* * * * *