Sheet feeding or delivering – Feeding – Separators
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-10
2001-11-13
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Feeding
Separators
C271S121000, C271S010090, C271S010110, C271S010130, C271S113000, C271S116000, C271S171000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06315283
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a feeder and encoding assembly that is used in connection with printers, and it is for ID card image printers that provide for adjustability for the individual card width and thicknesses, and permits encoding either using a magnetic coding, or a proximity coding such as would be used with radio frequency or SmartCard encoding systems.
The prior art has shown various card feeders and encoders, including encoders that will encode or program smart card chips, as well as provide magnetic information on strips carried on cards. The ability to adapt feeders for different size and thickness cards to reliably feed the cards into an encoding station is needed, and the encoder itself has to be able to accommodate such changes in card size, particularly the width of the cards, and variation into location of the encoding media. Present card feeders have problems with card separation, namely reliably feeding only one card at a time, particularly when changing from one card thickness to another.
An example of an encoder arrangement is shown in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/854,969, filed May 13, 1997, and assigned to the same assignee as this application now U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,522 issued Aug. 24, 1999.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a card feeder that will receive a stack of cards, which are of the same size. The feeder has a hopper which can be easily adjusted for different width cards. The card feeder hopper has feed rollers at the bottom that form an inclined support plane at an inclination toward the fed card receiving support so the cards are inclined and tend to be fed “downhill”. The inclined plane also is at other than 90° relative to the leading edge plane of the cards held in the hopper in order to enhance the feeding capabilities.
The cards are fed through cleaning rollers that pick up dust and small particles and wipers used for removing electrostatic charge from the cards. Then the cards are fed through a feed slot that can be adjusted in height to accommodate different thickness of cards reliably.
Another aspect of the disclosure is that the cards are fed from the hopper into an encoding station, prior to printing. A “flipper” table on which the cards are placed after leaving the feeder directs the cards to the encoding station. A flipper table is shown and described in copending application Ser. No. 08/854,969, filed May 13, 1997, and now U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,522 and incorporated above. Various sensors are used for determining that the card is properly positioned, and the card to be encoded then can be fed into an encoding station either for magnetic encoding or to a proximity encoder that does not have to contact the card. Proximity encoders are used where radio frequency signals are applied, or where other non-contact signal format is utilized. The encoder station has a side edge guide that is spring loaded to automatically accommodate cards of different widths.
By having the drive rollers at the bottom of the feed hopper inclined at a particular relationship to the stack of the cards, and to the table or support that receives the cards, the cards are fed reliably. The rollers are operated at speeds which ensure that if slippage occurs, the cards will still be properly introduced into the system. Card sensors are utilized at critical points for determining the presence of cards for initiating the encoding and subsequent printing sequence.
Since the cards are encoded prior to printing, the encoding can be verified before printing and if the card does not encode properly, it can be rejected and not printed. Printing is a costly process, so printing cost can be saved if either the encoding or the card is faulty.
Cleaning rollers that ensure that the cards are in appropriate condition for not only encoding but also for subsequently printing, are provided, and the cleaning rollers are in a module form that can be removed from the assembly without special tools.
Any type of printer can be utilized, but it is envisioned that a ID card printer would receive the encoded cards and then the printing process would occur.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4032135 (1977-06-01), Ruenzi
patent: 5769408 (1998-06-01), Selak et al.
patent: 5814796 (1998-09-01), Benson et al.
patent: 5941522 (1999-08-01), Magstrom et al.
patent: 6017031 (2000-01-01), Oosawa et al.
Haas Darren W.
Lien Brent D.
Reynolds-Kotz Thomas J.
Skoglund John P.
Fargo Electronics Inc.
Miller Jonathan R.
Walsh Donald P.
Westman Champlin & Kelly P.A.
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