Typewriting machines – For typing on reverse surface of record-medium
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-24
2001-11-20
Colilla, Daniel J. (Department: 2854)
Typewriting machines
For typing on reverse surface of record-medium
C400S521000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318914
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a card-reversing device for use in card printers, and more particularly, to a device for turning over a recording medium such as a telephone card to print images and/or patterns on both sides of the recording medium in conjunction with a card printer having a single printing unit capable of printing on only one side of the recording medium.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Compact thermal card printers have been widely used for printing images or patterns on a recording medium such as an identification card, a credit card and a telephone card. In order to print such images and patterns on both sides of the card, card printers of the prior art typically include two sets of printing unit and means, causing the printers to become large in size, heavy in weight, complicated in design as well as high in cost. Since the card is the stiff material, the reversing device used in the traditional copy machines is not suitable for the card printing purpose. Hence, specially designed card-reversing (i.e., card-flipping) devices have been then used to perform printing on the both sides of the card with a printing system that is capable of printing only on one side of the card.
As one related art, the CHEETAH card printer produced by the Fargo Co. employs a clutch to turn over a card for double-side printing. Referring to
FIG. 1
, the roller
14
is first driven to feed the card
10
into the rotary body
12
. Then, the clutch
16
is actuated to cause the rotary body
12
to be turned over by the roller
14
. Although the structure of the card-reversing device is simple, the cost of the clutch
16
is expensive.
Referring to
FIG. 2
, the card-reversing device of the IRIS card printer produced by the NEW CODE Co. is shown. The first roller unit
17
is driven to feed the card
10
into a rotary body. The turnover motor
24
is then actuated to drive the O-ring
20
and the turnover pulley
22
to turn the card
10
over. The second roller unit
18
is used to feed the card
10
out.
In another prior art reference, a card-reversing device for a card printer is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,058, which teaches the use of a device that includes four transmission means, two roller units and a rotary body. Referring to
FIG. 3
, the rollers
27
and
28
are used to feed the card
10
in. Driven by the belt
30
, the rollers
31
and
32
can move the card
10
forward. To turn the card
10
over, the belt
34
is driven to rotate the rotary body.
In the above related art, the cost of the CHEETAH card printer is high since a clutch is used therein. The structures of the card-reversing devices in the last two related arts, i.e. the IRIS card printer and the card printer disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,058, are very complicated, thus increasing the difficulty of assembly and the cost of production. In addition, all card-reversing devices of the related art described above can be easily damaged, when their turnover operation is suddenly and abnormally stopped.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One objective of the invention is to provide a card-reversing device capable of turning over a card without causing damages when the turnover operation is abnormally stopped.
The other objective of the invention is to provide a simple, easily assembled and inexpensive card-reversing device.
According to the present invention, a card-reversing device used in a card printer to perform printing on both sides of a card includes a transmission unit capable of feeding the card, a rotary mean capable of turning the card upside down, a friction medium transporting a rotation torque for the rotary body and means for alternatively braking the rotation of the rotary mean.
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patent: 5326179 (1994-07-01), Fukai et al.
patent: 5381209 (1995-01-01), Binder et al.
patent: 5600362 (1997-02-01), Morgavi et al.
patent: 5771058 (1998-06-01), Kobayashi
patent: 5806999 (1998-09-01), Kobayashi
patent: 5941522 (1999-08-01), Hagstrom et al.
patent: 6023114 (2000-02-01), Mori et al.
patent: 6105493 (2000-08-01), Skubic et al.
Cuo Shi-pyung
Liu Shih-mim
Colilla Daniel J.
Industrial Technology Research Institute
Liauh W. Wayne
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