A card reader may include a fixed body having a card moving passage, a pulling-out prevention member supported by the fixed body and structured to turn between a closing position and an open position, and structured to prevent pulling-out of the card at the closing position, a first urging member which urges the pulling-out prevention member toward the closing position, a lock member to prevent turning of the pulling-out prevention member toward the open position, and a lock member drive mechanism. The lock member may be driven by the lock member drive mechanism and swung so as to be switched from one of an unlocking attitude permitting turning of the pulling-out prevention member toward the open position and a locking attitude interfering with the pulling-out prevention member and preventing turning of the pulling-out prevention member toward the open position to the other of the unlocking attitude and the locking attitude.

A card reader may include a card passage where a card inserted into an insertion port for the card is passed, a shutter member for closing the card passage, a magnetic head disposed on a rear side relative to the shutter member and structured to perform reading of magnetic data recorded in a magnetic stripe of the card and/or recording of magnetic data to the magnetic stripe, and a foreign matter detection mechanism which is structured to detect a foreign matter attached to the card passage. The foreign matter detection mechanism is disposed on a rear side relative to the shutter member and is disposed at a position in the width direction of the card where the magnetic stripe is passed. The foreign matter detection mechanism may be structured of an electrostatic capacitance sensor.

The present invention relates to a Card feed unit for transferring a data carrier for card information of a multi-services card, such as a bank card or credit card, to a reading ahead of a reading unit for at least reading out card information, the card feed unit comprising: —a card receipt position for receipt of the card, —a transfer assembly, preferably comprising a channel, in which: —the card feed unit is suitable for, during insertion of the card in the receipt position, receiving the card in the receipt position by means of an insertion operation with a direction of movement that, at least as seen in one direction, is substantially perpendicular to the readout direction of the card for preventing that the card is readable during the insertion operation. The card feed unit preferably comprises a kernel element and a separate cover element.

The present invention relates to a Card feed unit for transferring a data carrier for card information of a multi-services card, such as a bank card or credit card, to a reading ahead of a reading unit for at least reading out card information, the card feed unit comprising: —a card receipt position for receipt of the card, —a transfer assembly, preferably comprising a channel, in which: —the card feed unit is suitable for, during insertion of the card in the receipt position, receiving the card in the receipt position by means of an insertion operation with a direction of movement that, at least as seen in one direction, is substantially perpendicular to the readout direction of the card for preventing that the card is readable during the insertion operation. The card feed unit preferably comprises a kernel element and a separate cover element.

A card reader may include a card conveying mechanism; a guide; a magnetic head; a positioning member to position the card relative to the magnetic head; and a shutter. The positioning member may include a card abutting part to abut a third direction end of the card; and a card support part to contact a first direction side of the card. A distance between the card abutting part and a third direction end of the guide is shorter than a width in the short-side direction of the card. When the shutter has closed, a fourth direction end of the shutter is disposed on a first direction side of the guide. When the shutter has opened the opening, the shutter is disposed on the first direction side of the guide. The third direction end of the card may be guided to the card support part by the shutter.

An ejecting mechanism provides an ejecting executing portion driven by an ejecting driving portion for pushing a secondary machine out of a primary machine and for separating a secondary connector and a primary connector connected to each other. It allows the secondary machine to be ejected out of the primary machine automatically and prevents damage of the secondary connector and the primary connector caused by applying an external pulling force on the secondary machine directly. Furthermore, when a first external force overcomes a resilient driving force to push the secondary machine into a slot, the ejecting executing portion contacting with the secondary machine swings toward a rear end of a connecting surface of the primary connector. Additionally, an ejecting locking portion moving with the swing of the ejecting executing portion can be locked by a locking executing portion, such that the automatic ejection of the secondary machine is restrained.

An electronic card connector, defining an insertion direction, an ejection direction, and a transverse direction perpendicular to the insertion direction, includes an insulative housing and a number of terminals retained in the insulative housing. The terminals include a row of first contacts disposed along the insertion direction. Each first contact has a first affixed portion and a first contacting portion located at a peak therein. Each of the first contacts extends along the transverse direction. The first contacting portions of the neighboring first contacts are located offset along the insertion direction. The first contacting portions and associated first affixed portions of the first contacts are distanced differently in the transverse direction.

An electronic card connector, defining an insertion direction, an ejection direction, and a transverse direction perpendicular to the insertion direction, includes an insulative housing and a number of terminals retained in the insulative housing. The terminals include a row of first contacts disposed along the insertion direction. Each first contact has a first affixed portion and a first contacting portion located at a peak therein. Each of the first contacts extends along the transverse direction. The first contacting portions of the neighboring first contacts are located offset along the insertion direction. The first contacting portions and associated first affixed portions of the first contacts are distanced differently in the transverse direction.

A card insertion unit is provided, which prevents the mixture of lights in different colors even with light sources to emit lights in different colors at the periphery of a card insertion slot. A card insertion unit, having a card insertion slot through which a card is inserted, includes: a plurality of light sources provided to surround the card insertion slot, when viewed in an insertion direction of the card, with a light emitting unit facing in a direction opposite to the insertion direction so as to each emit lights in multiple colors; a translucent cover member that is provided with the card insertion slot and is overlapped with the light sources in the direction opposite to the insertion direction; and a reflective member provided between the light sources and the card insertion slot to reflect light that is to travel from the light sources toward the card insertion slot.

A card encoding system comprises a belt to receive an encodable card on a first surface of the belt; a contactless encoding module including an encoding antenna, wherein the encoding antenna is positioned opposite a second surface of the belt; and a belt drive controller configured to rotate a drive roller to move the belt to position the encodable card for encoding using the encoding antenna.