Patent Application
20070187870
The invention relates to an embossing apparatus, particularly a multiple line card embossing apparatus.
Many identity and financial documents, for example cards, are provided with embossed characters. The embossed characters typically provide information on the intended holder of the card, for example the card holder's name or the card holder's account number, etc. The embossed characters are formed on the cards using an embosser.
In many cases, multiple lines of embossed characters are required on a card. In such cases, the embosser must be designed to accommodate the need for multiple line embossing. Many multiple line embossers use a card carriage that holds a card during embossing. The card is taken from an input, and transferred to the carriage which moves up and down, and side-to-side, together with the card during embossing. The card is then transferred from the carriage to be output. However, card carriages are prone to creating grip marks on the card, dropping the card during embossing, and allowing the card to slip resulting in uneven or “wavy” embossing. In addition, the process of getting a card into and out of a carriage is time consuming, which reduces card throughput through the embosser.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,455 discloses another known multiple line embosser, the DataCard Model 750, that uses a track that moves up and down with a card. The card is advanced in a forward direction only using a tab belt. In this embosser, characters in a vertical column are embossed, followed by advancement of the card to emboss the next vertical column of characters, and so on.
Embossing on a column-by-column basis tends to be slow. When the embosser is part of a central issuance, modular card processing system, which are designed to process thousands of cards per hour, any delay in the speed of embossing can cause a reduction in the throughput of the system.
An improved multiple line embossing apparatus is provided. The embossing apparatus is configured to emboss characters on a document, such as an identity document, including cards such as financial (e.g. credit and debit) cards, drivers' licenses, national identification cards, and other cards, and on passports. The embossing apparatus is configured to emboss on a line-by-line basis. When used to emboss cards, the embossing apparatus avoids many of the problems encountered with prior embossers, including avoiding the formation of grip marks on the card, dropped cards, and uneven or “wavy” embossing. Further, because the need to transfer the card to and from a card carriage is avoided, the throughput of the embossing apparatus is increased.
The embossing apparatus uses guides that guide the document, and a tab belt that indexes the document down a feed path. A second tab on the belt is provided to move the document in a reverse direction to start a new line of embossing. The guides and the tab belt are able to move perpendicular to a feed path to move the document to a new line of embossing.
Preferably, the embossing apparatus is a module for use in a central issuance, modular document processing system. However, the embossing apparatus could be used in other machines as well.
In one embodiment, an embossing apparatus for documents includes an input through which a document to be embossed is input to the embossing apparatus, an output through which the document exits the embossing apparatus, an emboss mechanism configured to emboss the document, and a document transport that transports the document within the embossing apparatus. The transport includes first and second document guides extending generally from adjacent the input to the emboss mechanism, with the first and second guides guiding first and second opposite edges of the document, a tab belt that extends generally from adjacent the input to the emboss mechanism, a reversible motor in driving engagement with the tab belt, a forward driving tab fixed to the belt that engages a third edge of a document for forward movements of the document, a reverse driving tab fixed to the belt that engages a fourth edge of a document for reverse movements of the document, and a drive mechanism connected to at least the first and second document guides that is configured to move the first and second document guides in a direction generally perpendicular to the forward and reverse directions of movement of the document.
In another embodiment, a document embossing process is provided. The process includes inputting a document to be embossed into an embosser through an input, transporting the document in a forward direction from the input to an emboss mechanism using a tab belt, and embossing a first line of characters onto the document using the emboss mechanism while the document is driven by the tab belt in the forward direction. After embossing the first line of characters, the document is driven in a reverse direction using the tab belt, and the document is moved in a direction generally perpendicular to the forward direction of movement of the document to position the document for embossing a second line of characters onto the document using the emboss mechanism. The second line of characters is then embossed onto the document.
A multiple line embossing apparatus 10 is described with respect to illustrative
For sake of convenience, the document will be described herein as being an identity card. The card can be made of plastic, a composite, or other materials suitable for forming an identity card.
The characters that are embossed are letters, numbers, symbols, and combinations thereof.
The words forward, reverse, upper, lower, rear, front, horizontal, vertical and the like are used herein with respect to the direction of movement of the card through the embossing apparatus and the orientation of the card as it is transported through the embossing apparatus.
Preferably, the embossing apparatus 10 is a module for use in a central issuance, modular card processing system 12 illustrated in
The system 12 includes a number of modules, each of which is configured to perform a particular operation on a card. For example, one module 14 can be an input module, one module 16 can be a print module, one module is the embossing module 10, one module 18 can be a color topper module, and one module 20 can be an output module.
The input module 14 typically holds a number of cards waiting to be processed, and feeds cards one at a time to the print module 16 which prints on a surface of each card. After printing, the cards are fed to the embossing module 10 for embossing of characters on to the cards, and then fed to the color topper module 18 which applies a color to the tops of the embossed characters. After topping, the cards are transported to the output module 20 where the finished cards are stacked.
The described system 12 is exemplary only. A number of other modules can be incorporated into the system 12 and the modules can be arranged in a number of sequences. In addition, the system 12 can be used with other systems, for example a mailer and inserter system. An example of a modular card processing system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,902,107.
With reference to
An emboss mechanism 26 that is configured to emboss the card is disposed between the input 22 and the output 24. The emboss mechanism 26 includes an emboss wheel 28 that is generally circular and contains a plurality of punches and dies for the characters to be embossed on the card. The emboss wheel 28 includes a first half 28a containing, for example, the dies, and a second half 28b that contains, for example, the corresponding punches. The two halves 28a, 28b are generally parallel to and face each other, and are positioned on opposite sides of a card path along which a card travels through the embossing apparatus 10 so that the cards travel generally between the two halves 28a, 28b (see
A card transport 32 transports each card 15 both horizontally and vertically within the embossing apparatus 10. The card 15 is transported from adjacent the input 22 to the emboss mechanism 26 in a forward direction, and from the emboss mechanism 26 to the output 24 in the forward direction. The transport 32 picks up the card 15 that is output from the upstream module 16, transports it to and through the emboss mechanism 26, and thereafter transports the card to the output 24 for discharge to the next adjacent module 18. A pair of input rollers 33 are adjacent the input 22 to receive the card from the upstream module and drive the card into the emboss apparatus 10 a sufficient distance to be picked up by the card transport 32.
The card transport 32 includes first and second card guides 34, 36 each of which extends generally from adjacent the input 22, through the emboss mechanism 26, and to adjacent the output 24. In the illustrated embodiment, the card is transported through the embossing apparatus 10 in a vertical orientation (see
With reference to
The tab belt 40 includes three pairs of tabs thereon, as shown in
The card transport 32 further includes a drive mechanism 52 that is configured to move the card guides 34, 36, and thus the card 15, together with the tab belt 40 and the motor 46, in a direction generally perpendicular to the forward and reverse directions of movement of the card. As shown in
With reference to
With this construction, the stepper motor 54 rotates the lead screw 56, thereby causing the nut 58 to move up or down relative to the lead screw 56. Since the nut 58 and bearing set 60 are fixed to the plate 90, the bearing set 60 also moves up or down with the nut 58. This causes the plate 92 at the upper end of the bearing set 60, along with the card guides 34, 36 and tab belt 40 connected thereto, to move up or down for adjusting the vertical position of the card 15 relative to the emboss mechanism 26 to perform a new line of embossing.
In an alternate construction, only the card guides 34, 36 are moved vertically while the tab belt 40 remains fixed. This alternative construction would shift the points where the tabs on the tab belt would engage the front and rear edges of the card 15. This alternative is viable as long as the vertical positions of the card guides 34, 36 would not interfere with the function of the tab belt.
With reference to
Once the card is in position in the emboss mechanism, the emboss mechanism, at step 74, embosses a first line of characters onto the card while the card is driven by the tab belt in the forward direction. In the preferred embodiment, the tab belt indexes the card in the forward direction on a character by character basis, i.e. after the first character is embossed, the tab belt indexes the card one character space and embosses the second character, indexes the card another character space and embosses the third character, etc.
At step 76, after the first line of characters is embossed, the card is driven in a reverse direction using the tab belt, and the card is moved in a direction generally perpendicular to the forward direction of movement of the card to position the card for embossing a second line of characters (step 78) onto the card using the emboss mechanism. The reverse movement and vertical movement of the card can occur in either sequence or preferably simultaneously.
The card can be driven in the reverse direction to a home position prior to embossing the second line of characters onto the card, and during embossing of the second line the card is driven by the tab belt only in the forward direction for character by character embossing. In this embodiment, the return of the card to the home position functions similarly to a typewriter. As shown in
Alternatively, the second line of embossing can occur as the card is being driven in the reverse direction. This alternative embodiment would be especially useful in the case where a third line of embossing is necessary, so that the first line of embossing occurs with the card moving forward, the second line occurs with the card moving in reverse, and the third line occurs with the card moving forward. In this case, the sensor 77 can determine whether the card has been correctly moved in the reverse direction during embossing. Alternatively, 2 or 3 of the multi-line embossers 10 can be provided in the card processing system 12, with each embosser embossing, for example, 2 lines or possibly only one line.
At step 80, after embossing is completed, the card is transported in the forward direction to the output 24 to output the embossed card to the next module 18.
