Incremental printing of symbolic information – Thermal marking apparatus or processes
Patent
1996-04-19
1998-10-20
Tran, Huan H.
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Thermal marking apparatus or processes
347220, B41J 232
Patent
active
058253939
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns an apparatus for reading and identifying data carriers in card form which can be printed upon and which have a thermosensitive layer, comprising a transport mechanism for linear movement of the data carrier in a shallow passage defining a transport path, a reading-identification means having a thermal printing head for visually readable identification of the data carrier, and a pressure roller which is disposed opposite the thermal printing head.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Apparatuses of that kind are known for example from EP-B-199 234 in accordance with which the thermal printing head is arranged rigidly at the transport path and the oppositely disposed pressure roller is resiliently movably suspended. WO-88/04458 discloses an apparatus which has an angled guide path and a thermal printing head arranged in the bend region, wherein the data carrier must be bent over both in the forward movement and also in the return movement.
A further apparatus of this kind is disclosed in EP-A-437 724 which again has a straight guide path into which the thermal printing head can be pivoted. In both the last constructions the oppositely disposed pressure roller is arranged rigidly.
For operation of the thermal printing head, the data carrier is to be slightly curved at least in the region of contact so that the thermal printing head can bear approximately tangentially thereagainst. If the curvature of the data carrier is to be produced by the angled configuration of the guide path or by the fact that the thermal printing head and the pressure roller are pressed against each other, the data carrier must be slightly bendable and must be of small thickness.
Data carriers in card form generally have not only the region which can be printed upon by virtue of the action of heat, but in addition, in accordance with the two above-mentioned EP-specifications, they may also have a magnetic strip and/or include an electronic module (WO-92/21105) which for example can be used as check or telephone cards, ski passes etc and which are of greater thickness and increased bending stiffness.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Now, the object of the present invention is to provide a card checking and processing apparatus of the kind set forth in the opening part of this specification, into which data carriers in card form of any thickness can be inserted.
In accordance with the invention that object is attained in that the thermal printing head is arranged outside the transport path and the oppositely disposed pressure roller is arranged movably towards the thermal printing head. This permits processing of all kinds of data carriers in card form, as they are preferably moved along a flat transport path. If the data carrier is to be processed by means of the thermal printing head the pressure roller is actuated to press the data carrier against the thermal printing head. Preferably the thermal printing head is disposed in a bulge or concave portion of the passage so that the data carrier is slightly curved. The arrangement outside the transport path prevents unnecessary soiling and wear of the thermal printing head which, as the pressure roller is in any case moved, is arranged fixedly or limitedly yieldingly in the bulge portion.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A first preferred embodiment provides that the reading-identification means has a bar code reader and a magnetic strip reader and/or readers for an in particular re-writable electronic module (IC) so that data carriers with a bar code, with a magnetic strip and/or with an electronic module can be read by machine and if necessary can also be subjected to thermal processing if for example the memory content or the changes therein are to be made visually readable or a bar code is to be applied. A data carrier which is only to be checked runs freely through in the flat transport path. After checking return thereof or however also discharge thereof at the other end is possible.
For the movement of th
Kocznar Wofram
Miesbauer Harald
Skidata Computer Gesellschaft m.b.H.
Tran Huan H.
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