Patent Application
20220184993
The present invention refers, in general, to a card positioning device for card treating devices and to a card treating device comprising such positioning device, the card positioning device being configured to arrange the card in a useful position to be treated by the treating device.
In particular, the present invention refers to a device for positioning plastic or metallic cards inside a printer, for example of the laser type, in order to arrange it in an useful position to be printed by changing its inclination with respect to the laser source, keeping the same focal distance, to obtain a marking from the holographic effect on the card, creating a three-dimensional image of an hologram; the invention further refers to a card treating device comprising the positioning device.
Systems are known in the art for producing a 3D printout with holographic effect on cards, for example cards with a CR 80 format or cards according to ISO 7810 standard, having laser printing systems of a known type, capable of creating different etching angles of an image on the card by moving the laser light source in order to change the incidence angle of the laser ray and its distance from the card.
These known printing systems for producing a holographic effect on cards, however, are not satisfactory since they have the problem of requiring a complex calibration, which must be modified for the different operations to be performed, making the printing system rigid and scarcely efficient.
EP-A1-3 434 731 discloses a card positioning device according to the preamble of claim 1.
Object of the present invention is solving the above prior art problem, by providing a card positioning device and a card treating device comprising the positioning device which is reliable and cheap, and which allows handling the cards accurately and quickly inside a card treating device, for example in case of a printer, for always keeping them at the same focal distance from the laser source.
The above and other objects and advantages of the invention, as will result from the following description, are obtained with a card positioning device and a card treating device comprising the positioning device, as claimed in the respective independent claims. Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variations of the present invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.
It is intended that all enclosed claims are an integral part of the present description.
It will be immediately obvious that numerous variations and modifications (for example related to shape, sizes, arrangements and parts with equivalent functionality) can be made to what is described, without departing from the scope of the invention as contained in the enclose claims.
The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments thereof, provided as a non-limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:
a and 5b show schematic perspective views of a card positioning device for card treating devices, in different embodiments of the present invention.
With reference to the Figures, preferred embodiments of the card positioning device 10 for card treating devices and of the card treating device comprising the positioning device 10 according to the present invention, are shown and described.
In particular, the card positioning device 10, for example cards with a CR 80 format or cards according to ISO 7810 standard, for card treating devices according to the present invention can be inserted inside a printer, for example a laser printer.
With reference to the Figures, the card positioning device 10 for card treating devices of the invention comprises:
The handling means 3, 23 are controlled by a control unit of a known type.
In preferred embodiment, the supporting element 1 of the card positioning device 10 of the invention is further rotatable connected to a basic structure 8, for example through a spherical or semi-spherical joint 16; alternatively, the supporting element 1 is rotatable connected to a connecting element 33, which in turn is fastened to the basic structure 8; in a preferred way, the supporting element 1 is connected to the connecting element 33 through a spherical or semi-spherical joint 16; preferably, the connecting element 33 comprises a first end connected through the spherical or semi-spherical joint 16 to the supporting element 1 of the card, and a second end fastened to the basic structure 8.
As shown in
In another embodiment of the invention, the card positioning device 10 comprises at least three handling means 3, 23 each rotatable connected to the supporting element 1 of the card.
In a preferred way, the supporting element 1 of the card comprises a bearing plane 2 of the card, and the handling means 3, 23 are actuated by actuating means of a known type, composed for example of an electric motor 4, controlled by the control unit.
Preferably, at least two of the at least three handling means 3, 23 are rotatable connected to the basic structure 8, preferably through connecting means 6, 16 rotatable connected to the handling means 3, 23 and associated with the basic structure 8; in a preferred way, the handling means 3, 23 are rotatable connected to the supporting element 1 of the card next to its angle.
In an embodiment of the card positioning device 10 of the invention schematically shown in
In an embodiment of the card positioning device 10 of the invention, the handling means comprise a linear actuator 23, for example of an electro-mechanical or pneumatic known type, configured to determine the movement of the supporting element 1, preferably in a substantially vertical direction, rotatable connected, for example through the spherical or semi-spherical joints 16, to the supporting element 1 of the card and to the basic structure 8; preferably, the linear actuator 23 comprises a first end connected through the spherical or semi-spherical joint 16 to the supporting element 1 of the card and a second end connected through the spherical or semi-spherical joint 16 to the basic structure 8.
In a preferred way, the card positioning device 10 of the invention comprises at least three linear actuators 23, as schematically shown in
When operating, the handling means 3, 23 allow moving the supporting element 1 of the card, and therefore the card itself, placed and kept on the support, with a movement composed of a substantially vertical movement generated by the actuating means 4, and a rotary movement, obtained for example through the spherical or semi-spherical joints 16, made by changing the vertical movements of the different handling means 3, 23, in order to incline the supporting element 1 of the card and the card itself, with respect to the ray of a laser source of a printer, by the necessary angle to make the printout of a 3D image, for example a hologram.
Advantageously, the card positioning device 10 for card treating devices of the invention allows making a reliable and cheap card positioning device and a card treating device comprising the positioning device, which allows handling the cards accurately and quickly inside the card treating device, for example a printer, to keep them with a desired inclination and distance, for example from a laser source of a printer to obtain a 3D image or a hologram.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102019000003955 | Mar 2019 | IT | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IT2020/000020 | 2/25/2020 | WO | 00 |
