Patents by Inventor Keiji Ohta

Keiji Ohta has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240092607
    Abstract: A card issuing device for using with a plurality of cards includes a card storage part which accommodates the plurality of cards, a card send-out mechanism which sends out a card among the plurality of cards from the card storage part, a card conveyance mechanism which conveys the card sent out by the card send-out mechanism toward a card discharge port along a card conveyance passage connected with the card discharge port, an optical sensor which is located on a lower side with respect to the card conveyance passage and reads a code indicated on a rear face of the card, and a dust adhesion prevention mechanism which prevents dust from adhering to a reading face of the optical sensor when the optical sensor is not used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Satoshi YOKOYAMA, Keiji OHTA
  • Patent number: 11900186
    Abstract: A card reader includes a card lock mechanism preventing pulling-out of a card jammed in a card conveyance passage, and an operation part for manually releasing lock of the card caused by the card lock mechanism. The card lock mechanism includes a motor, and a lock member which is provided with a blocking pawl for preventing pulling-out of the card and is moved between a contact position where the blocking pawl contacts the card and a retreated position where the blocking pawl is retreated from the card conveyance passage. The operation part includes a rotation member in a tube shape having an inner circumference wall surrounding an output shaft of the motor, and an engaging member provided on the inner circumference wall and extended along a circumferential direction of the output shaft and engageable with an outer peripheral face of the output shaft. The engaging member is elastically deformable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mamoru Mizawa, Keiji Ohta, Hiroshige Takeda
  • Patent number: 11724903
    Abstract: A card processing device may include a print unit and a card inverting unit that inverts front/rear of the card. The print unit may include a thermal head and a card conveyance mechanism. The card inverting unit may include a card holding part, a card drawing and feeding mechanism, and a rotating mechanism that rotates the card holding part. A conveyance path may be provided inside the card holding part. The conveyance path may be linear. The card drawing and feeding mechanism may include two drive rollers, and two pad rollers. A distance between a center of the drive roller and a center of the thermal head may be shorter than a length of the card. The thermal head may print on the card while the card conveyance mechanism conveys the card. The rotating mechanism may rotate the card holding part such that the conveyance path is inclined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiji Ohta, Satoshi Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20230117057
    Abstract: A card processing device is structured to process a card having a plurality of information recording parts from which information is capable of being optically read. The card processing device includes a placing part which is formed with a placing face on which the card is placed, a reading part which is provided on an upper side with respect to the placing face and is capable of optically reading information from at least one information recording part of the plurality of information recording parts, and an attaching part for detachably attaching a cover member which covers the at least one information recording part of the plurality of information recording parts provided on the card which is placed on the placing face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Inventors: Ryo UCHIYAMA, Keiji OHTA
  • Publication number: 20230035982
    Abstract: A card reader includes a card lock mechanism preventing pulling-out of a card jammed in a card conveyance passage, and an operation part for manually releasing lock of the card caused by the card lock mechanism. The card lock mechanism includes a motor, and a lock member which is provided with a blocking pawl for preventing pulling-out of the card and is moved between a contact position where the blocking pawl contacts the card and a retreated position where the blocking pawl is retreated from the card conveyance passage. The operation part includes a rotation member in a tube shape having an inner circumference wall surrounding an output shaft of the motor, and an engaging member provided on the inner circumference wall and extended along a circumferential direction of the output shaft and engageable with an outer peripheral face of the output shaft. The engaging member is elastically deformable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mamoru MIZAWA, Keiji OHTA, Hiroshige TAKEDA
  • Publication number: 20220318578
    Abstract: A card transport unit transports a card ejected one-by-one from a card housing section to a card processing section, and includes: a carriage that is moved in a carriage transport path provided between the card housing section and the card processing section; a contactless card reader that includes a contactless communication antenna making contactless communication with the card; and a support member that holds the contactless communication antenna at a position opposing the carriage transport path. The carriage includes a card transport mechanism that transports the card in a card transport direction intersecting a movement direction of the carriage, and the card transport mechanism includes a motor. The motor is arranged on an opposite side of the card, which is transported by the card transport mechanism, from the contactless communication antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Satoshi YOKOYAMA, Keiji OHTA
  • Publication number: 20220207248
    Abstract: A card reader includes a front wall where a card insertion slot opens, a conveyance path extending from the insertion slot toward a back side, a conveyance mechanism configured to convey a card inserted into the insertion slot along the conveyance path, a magnetic head configured to read information from the card conveyed by the conveyance mechanism, and a recess recessed from the front wall toward the back side and configured to expose inside both sides of a rear end of the card conveyed to the back side along the conveyance path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventor: Keiji OHTA
  • Patent number: 11186096
    Abstract: A card-issuing device may include a card stack unit, a card feeding mechanism. A card reader unit configured to perform at least one of reading of data recorded on a card and recording of data onto a card, a printing unit, and a card-flipping unit. The printing unit may include a supply roll, a winding roll, and a thermal head. The thermal head may be arranged between the supply roll and the winding roll in a front-rear direction of the card-issuing device, the supply roll and the winding roll may be arranged above the thermal head, and the card stack unit, the card-flipping unit, the thermal head, and the card reader unit may be arranged in that order in the front-rear direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiji Ohta, Satoshi Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20210291554
    Abstract: A card-issuing device may include a card stack unit, a card feeding mechanism. A card reader unit configured to perform at least one of reading of data recorded on a card and recording of data onto a card, a printing unit, and a card-flipping unit. The printing unit may include a supply roll, a winding roll, and a thermal head. The thermal head may be arranged between the supply roll and the winding roll in a front-rear direction of the card-issuing device, the supply roll and the winding roll may be arranged above the thermal head, and the card stack unit, the card-flipping unit, the thermal head, and the card reader unit may be arranged in that order in the front-rear direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2017
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Inventors: Keiji OHTA, Satoshi YOKOYAMA
  • Patent number: 10682867
    Abstract: A card processing device may include a card reader and a printer. The printer may include an ink ribbon cartridge; a thermal head; and a cover member. The ink ribbon cartridge may include a supply roll and a take-up roll. The thermal head may heat the ink ribbon and transfer ink to the card. The card reader may be on a front side of the thermal head, and a part of the card reader may be on a lower side of the supply roll or the take-up roll. The cover member may pivot between a closed position and open position. A conveyance path may be provided inside the card reader and the printer. A part of the conveyance path inside the card reader may be a first conveyance path. The card reader may include an upper frame. The upper frame may pivot between a closed position and open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiji Ohta, Satoshi Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 10668360
    Abstract: A card collection may include a box-shaped card storing portion having an open top, in which the collected cards are stacked. The the card storing portion may include a front portion configuring, a rear portion configuring, two side portions, and a plate-shaped placement board having a placement surface on which the cards are to be placed. The placement surface is inclined upward toward a front side. A rear end of the placement board is connected to the rear portion, a front end of the placement board is separated from the front portion and at least front portions at the left and right ends of the placement board are separated from the side portions, and the placement board, the front side of which moves in the top-bottom direction, can be elastically deformed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Uchiyama, Keiji Ohta
  • Patent number: 10635953
    Abstract: A card feed-out device may include a card housing; a feed-out claw; a claw feed mechanism; a gate member; and a gate moving mechanism. A front opening is formed in a lower end of a front surface of the card housing. A lower opening is formed in a front end of a lower surface portion of the card housing. The gate member may include a front surface and a bottom surface. The gate may be formed between a lower end surface of the front surface and a top surface of the bottom surface. During standby, the gate member is at a retracted position. When the first card is fed out, the gate member moves until at least a part of the bottom surface passes through an upper end of the lower opening, and a lower surface of the gate is disposed above the top surface of the housing bottom surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keiji Ohta
  • Patent number: 10586134
    Abstract: A card issuing device may include a plurality of card feeding mechanisms, each including a card accommodating unit; and a card transmitting mechanism; and a card processing mechanism. The plurality of card feeding mechanisms are aligned in the front-and-back direction. The card processing mechanism is positioned in front of a card feeding mechanism positioned farthest to the front. The card transmitting mechanism is structured to transmit the card toward the front. A first card feeding mechanism may include a card conveying path. The card conveying path is positioned below the card at the bottom accommodated in the card accommodating unit of the first card feeding mechanism. The card conveying path may include a card conveying mechanism configured to convey the card through the card conveying path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiji Ohta, Ryo Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 10552726
    Abstract: A card-type medium counting mechanism that calculates the number of card-type medium held so as to stack in a thickness direction, which is capable of improving the accuracy with which the number of card-type medium is counted, is provided. A card-type medium counting mechanism that calculates the number of card-type medium includes optical sensors that calculate the number of the card-type medium held so as to stack in a thickness direction of the card-type medium, a carriage to which the sensors are mounted, a circuit board that is fixed to the carriage, and a carriage driving mechanism that moves the carriage such that the sensors move along an end surface of the card-type medium. In this card-type medium counting mechanism, a processing circuit that processes an output signal from the sensors and outputs a digital signal is mounted to the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keiji Ohta
  • Publication number: 20200016909
    Abstract: A card processing device may include a print unit and a card inverting unit that inverts front/rear of the card. The print unit may include a thermal head and a card conveyance mechanism. The card inverting unit may include a card holding part, a card drawing and feeding mechanism, and a rotating mechanism that rotates the card holding part. A conveyance path may be provided inside the card holding part. The conveyance path may be linear. The card drawing and feeding mechanism may include two drive rollers, and two pad rollers. A distance between a center of the drive roller and a center of the thermal head may be shorter than a length of the card. The thermal head may print on the card while the card conveyance mechanism conveys the card. The rotating mechanism may rotate the card holding part such that the conveyance path is inclined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2017
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventors: Keiji OHTA, Satoshi YOKOYAMA
  • Publication number: 20190275809
    Abstract: A card processing device may include a card reader and a printer. The printer may include an ink ribbon cartridge; a thermal head; and a cover member. The ink ribbon cartridge may include a supply roll and a take-up roll. The thermal head may heat the ink ribbon and transfer ink to the card. The card reader may be on a front side of the thermal head, and a part of the card reader may be on a lower side of the supply roll or the take-up roll. The cover member may pivot between a closed position and open position. A conveyance path may be provided inside the card reader and the printer. A part of the conveyance path inside the card reader may be a first conveyance path. The card reader may include an upper frame. The upper frame may pivot between a closed position and open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2017
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Keiji OHTA, Satoshi YOKOYAMA
  • Publication number: 20190118071
    Abstract: A card collection may include a box-shaped card storing portion having an open top, in which the collected cards are stacked. The the card storing portion may include a front portion configuring, a rear portion configuring, two side portions, and a plate-shaped placement board having a placement surface on which the cards are to be placed. The placement surface is inclined upward toward a front side. A rear end of the placement board is connected to the rear portion, a front end of the placement board is separated from the front portion and at least front portions at the left and right ends of the placement board are separated from the side portions, and the placement board, the front side of which moves in the top-bottom direction, can be elastically deformed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Ryo UCHIYAMA, Keiji OHTA
  • Publication number: 20190012583
    Abstract: A card issuing device may include a plurality of card feeding mechanisms, each including a card accommodating unit; and a card transmitting mechanism; and a card processing mechanism. The plurality of card feeding mechanisms are aligned in the front-and-back direction. The card processing mechanism is positioned in front of a card feeding mechanism positioned farthest to the front. The card transmitting mechanism is structured to transmit the card toward the front. A first card feeding mechanism may include a card conveying path. The card conveying path is positioned below the card at the bottom accommodated in the card accommodating unit of the first card feeding mechanism. The card conveying path may include a card conveying mechanism configured to convey the card through the card conveying path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Keiji OHTA, Ryo UCHIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20180365538
    Abstract: A card feed-out device may include a card housing; a feed-out claw; a claw feed mechanism; a gate member; and a gate moving mechanism. A front opening is formed in a lower end of a front surface of the card housing. A lower opening is formed in a front end of a lower surface portion of the card housing. The gate member may include a front surface and a bottom surface. The gate may be formed between a lower end surface of the front surface and a top surface of the bottom surface. During standby, the gate member is at a retracted position. When the first card is fed out, the gate member moves until at least a part of the bottom surface passes through an upper end of the lower opening, and a lower surface of the gate is disposed above the top surface of the housing bottom surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventor: Keiji OHTA
  • Publication number: 20180322379
    Abstract: A card-type medium counting mechanism that calculates the number of card-type medium held so as to stack in a thickness direction, which is capable of improving the accuracy with which the number of card-type medium is counted, is provided. A card-type medium counting mechanism that calculates the number of card-type medium includes optical sensors that calculate the number of the card-type medium held so as to stack in a thickness direction of the card-type medium, a carriage to which the sensors are mounted, a circuit board that is fixed to the carriage, and a carriage driving mechanism that moves the carriage such that the sensors move along an end surface of the card-type medium. In this card-type medium counting mechanism, a processing circuit that processes an output signal from the sensors and outputs a digital signal is mounted to the circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventor: Keiji OHTA