Laminator printer

Details Laminator printer Laminator printer

1998-09-25

2001-10-02

Sells, James (Department: 1734)

Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture

Surface bonding means and/or assembly means therefor

With printing

C156S277000, C156S384000, C156S522000, C156S552000, C156S555000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06296032

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to printing and laminating devices, more particularly to devices for printing on cards and on laminate and fusing the two together through a lamination process.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Laminated, printed cards are required in such diverse applications as drivers' licenses, employee identification badges, business promotional cards, convention credentials, and in a host of other uses. Typically, such cards consist of an opaque card laminated on one side with a clear plastic laminate. Users of these cards often want the eye-pleasing effect of information printed on both the clear laminate and the card itself, with at least one side printed in multiple colors. This allows information to be visible on two sides of the finished product, the back side of the opaque card, and on the side of the laminate attached to the opaque card. The typical card stock used for the opaque card is a heavy plastic, which does not accept most printing dyes easily. Thus, it is most efficient to print the opaque card stock with a single color resin, and use multi-colored dyes on the more flexible clear plastic laminate. Unfortunately, this necessitates two printing mechanisms, one to imprint resin on the opaque card and another to imprint the often multi-colored dyes on the clear card. The use of the duel print head adds expense to the process and reduces speed. Additionally, the second print head reduces reliability, as a far more complex mechanism has to be developed to handle the two cards.
Additionally, once the two card are printed, it is important that they be precisely aligned just before and during the lamination process. Obviously, if they are not properly aligned, the printing on one side will not match the orientation or angle of the printing on the opposite side. Prior art devices have utilized moving clamps for this purpose, which stay (and move) with the cards as they go through the lamination process. This reduces the speed and increases the complexity of such systems. Additionally, this requires a larger card than is necessary, for the area under the clamp typically is not properly laminated and must be trimmed off.
Another problem with prior art laminators is that they use a stainless steel metal belt that is spread between two rollers to fuse the clear plastic to the opaque card. Such systems require that the laminated card be stopped and placed under the metal belt, decreasing speed and efficiency. Additionally, such systems are prone to jamming due such complex stopping and starting. Another disadvantage of the stainless steel belt is a great deal of heat is spread over a relatively large surface, heating up the entire unit and potentially damaging bearings and other parts.
A further problem in prior art systems is the trimming mechanism at the end of the process, in which a reciprocating dye cutter is utilized to perform the final trimming of the card. Such systems are expensive and take up a great deal of space. Additionally, the result is a rough, somewhat uneven edge. A further disadvantage of the punch-type cutter is that they cannot perform fine trimming, and require that a great deal of excess be left around the card, resulting in the waste of a great deal of material.
Yet another problem with prior art machines, is that both the clear and opaque cards often attract lint and other debris due, for instance, to static electricity. If this debris is present during the printing process, printing will become uneven, and possibly sections of the card will not be printed. Prior art devices have used complicated mechanisms that use a cleaning roller that is intermittently cleaned by some sort of cleaning element. This intermittent cleaning may either be automatic or performed when the operator notices a problem. Obviously, such systems allow problems to occur in between the cleanings.
What is needed is a printer laminator that will print both opaque cards and transparent laminate with a single print head, continuously clean the cards, laminate without the use of an elongated metal belt and clamps, and trim the resultant laminated card smoothly, even if there is very little excess to be trimmed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a device for printing on a print media and laminating the print media to thermoplastic material. In a first embodiment, the present invention provides input means print means having a single print head capable of printing on both the thermoplastic material and on the print media, lamination means and output means for directing the laminated product out of the printer laminator. The lamination means may also comprise a heated roller. The printer laminator may also comprise
In a second embodiment, the present invention provides a printer cleaning mechanism having a cleaning roller, a drive roller and a cleaning core. The cleaning mechanism further comprises a motor means and a removable adhesive surface.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a cutter means having a rotating cutter comprising a circumferential cutting blade, a rotating anvil, a friction area on the surface of the rotating cutter, and a motor means. The cutter means also comprises a deformable pad.
These and other features and advantages of this invention will become further apparent from the detailed description and accompanying figures that follow. In the figures and description, numerals indicate the various features of the invention, like numerals referring to like features throughout both the drawings and the description.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3413171 (1968-11-01), Hannon
patent: 4100011 (1978-07-01), Foote
patent: 4287285 (1981-09-01), Mosehauer
patent: 4770078 (1988-09-01), Gautier
patent: 4999075 (1991-03-01), Coburn, Jr.
patent: 5239926 (1993-08-01), Nubson et al.
patent: 5250133 (1993-10-01), Kawamura et al.
patent: 5637174 (1997-06-01), Field et al.
patent: 6030474 (2000-02-01), Isono et al.
patent: WO 96.32255 (1996-10-01), None

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Laminator printer does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Laminator printer, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Laminator printer will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2616623