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Card reader with tapered card slot guide surface

  • US 5,173,597 A
  • Filed: 11/23/1990
  • Issued: 12/22/1992
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. In a data terminal having a reader assembly for reading a data carrier having at least one data track formed thereon and having a predetermined track width,a read head having a data pickup transducer on a front face thereof, said transducer having a pickup area with a width generally comparable to said predetermined track width;

  • a housing assembly including a guide slot formed therein and adapted to receive a lower portion of said data carrier to guide said data carrier during a manual swipe of said data carrier through said reader assembly, said guide slot having card entry and exit points and comprising first and second opposing and substantially straight side wall sections and a bottom wall section, one of said straight side wall sections having an access window therein for admitting said data pickup transducer on said read head into said guide slot; and

    read head positioning means for mounting said read head with said data pickup transducer thereon located in said access window in a preselected position relative to said bottom wall section of said guide slot and intermediate said card entry and exit points,said bottom wall section of said guide slot having an upper wall surface serving to guide one edge of said data carrier and characterized by a downwardly tapering portion extending from an apex point substantially underneath said data pickup transducer toward one end of said guide slot thereby improving the accuracy of registration between said data pickup transducer and said data stripe for accurate detection of data recorded on said data stripe as said data carrier is being swiped through said guide slot.

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  • 6 Assignments
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