EP0739744A2 - Device for printing both sides of identification cards - Google Patents

Device for printing both sides of identification cards Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0739744A2
EP0739744A2 EP96105910A EP96105910A EP0739744A2 EP 0739744 A2 EP0739744 A2 EP 0739744A2 EP 96105910 A EP96105910 A EP 96105910A EP 96105910 A EP96105910 A EP 96105910A EP 0739744 A2 EP0739744 A2 EP 0739744A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
card
station
printing
rotor
print head
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP96105910A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0739744A3 (en
EP0739744B1 (en
Inventor
Frank Dorner
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Kunz KG
Original Assignee
Kunz KG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
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Application filed by Kunz KG filed Critical Kunz KG
Publication of EP0739744A2 publication Critical patent/EP0739744A2/en
Publication of EP0739744A3 publication Critical patent/EP0739744A3/en
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Publication of EP0739744B1 publication Critical patent/EP0739744B1/en
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41F—PRINTING MACHINES OR PRESSES
    • B41F17/00—Printing apparatus or machines of special types or for particular purposes, not otherwise provided for
    • B41F17/08—Printing apparatus or machines of special types or for particular purposes, not otherwise provided for for printing on filamentary or elongated articles, or on articles with cylindrical surfaces
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J3/00—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed
    • B41J3/60—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for printing on both faces of the printing material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J13/00—Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in short lengths, e.g. sheets
    • B41J13/10—Sheet holders, retainers, movable guides, or stationary guides
    • B41J13/12—Sheet holders, retainers, movable guides, or stationary guides specially adapted for small cards, envelopes, or the like, e.g. credit cards, cut visiting cards
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
    • B65H2301/30—Orientation, displacement, position of the handled material
    • B65H2301/33—Modifying, selecting, changing orientation
    • B65H2301/332—Turning, overturning
    • B65H2301/3321—Turning, overturning kinetic therefor
    • B65H2301/33214—Turning, overturning kinetic therefor about an axis perpendicular to the direction of displacement and parallel to the surface of material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
    • B65H2301/30—Orientation, displacement, position of the handled material
    • B65H2301/33—Modifying, selecting, changing orientation
    • B65H2301/332—Turning, overturning
    • B65H2301/3322—Turning, overturning according to a determined angle
    • B65H2301/33224—180°
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2511/00—Dimensions; Position; Numbers; Identification; Occurrences
    • B65H2511/50—Occurence
    • B65H2511/51—Presence
    • B65H2511/514—Particular portion of element
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2513/00—Dynamic entities; Timing aspects
    • B65H2513/40—Movement
    • B65H2513/41—Direction of movement
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
    • B65H2701/10—Handled articles or webs
    • B65H2701/19—Specific article or web
    • B65H2701/1914—Cards, e.g. telephone, credit and identity cards

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a device for double-sided printing of identification cards, in particular made of plastic, according to the preamble of claim 1.
  • Such a device is already known. It has two printing stations. One side of the card is printed with one printing station, whereupon the card is turned at the turning station and fed to the second printing station for printing on the other side.
  • the known device is expensive due to the two printing stations. It also takes up a relatively large amount of space.
  • the object of the invention is to provide a fully automatic device for double-sided printing of identification cards, which takes up little space with a simple structure.
  • the invention is based on the general idea of connecting a card turning station to a printing station with a thermal print head, which feeds the card again after turning the printing station, the printing station being designed in such a way that it also pulls the card in from the back and a new printing process can supply.
  • the device according to the invention has only one printing station. It is therefore considerably more cost-effective and space-saving than the known device for printing a card on both sides.
  • the device according to the invention is therefore particularly suitable for the decentralized dispensing of cards printed on both sides, that is to say where small numbers of identification cards are also issued in many places.
  • An identification card is to be understood here as both ID cards, that is to say cards that enable identification of their holder or identify them as belonging to a group, such as authorization cards, that is, cards that enable the holder to use certain services.
  • the thermal print head consists of a row of heating elements running transversely to the card transport direction, with a density of, for example, 100 Heating elements per cm or more. That is, the distance between the centers of two adjacent heating elements is 0.01 mm or less.
  • the heating elements preferably extend along the edge of a ceramic substrate.
  • the heating elements can be controlled individually with an EDP system.
  • the thermal print head can be used to write in two coordinates, one coordinate extending in the card transport direction and the other extending transversely to it.
  • the control and timing of the transport of the card is carried out with a stepper motor, which moves the card past the row of heating elements in steps corresponding to the density of the heating elements, that is to say in steps of 0.01 mm or less.
  • the card is pressed against the heating elements with a counter-pressure roller.
  • an ink transfer film When printing identification cards made of plastic or identification cards coated with plastic, an ink transfer film is provided which moves between the card and the thermal print head and is pressed by the counter-roller both against the heating elements and against the card.
  • the color transfer film has an ink transfer layer which adheres to the plastic card surface when heated by the heating elements.
  • the ink transfer layer has a thermoactive adhesive. It can be formed in two layers, that is to say it can consist of a color layer and a thermoactive adhesive layer on the outside, or a mixture of color pigments and the thermoactive adhesive.
  • the color transfer film can in particular be formed by a hot stamping film, which in the simplest case consists of a carrier film and the color transfer layer.
  • a release agent layer is also provided between the ink transfer layer and the carrier film.
  • the thermoactive adhesive In order for a hot stamping foil to be used as an ink transfer foil, the thermoactive adhesive must melt the plastic surface of the card. Accordingly, the cards are preferably made of a plastic that softens the surface at the temperature reached by the hot stamping foil heated by the heating elements, in particular of polyvinyl chloride, ABS or polypropylene.
  • a thermal transfer film can be used to produce a color print, the color transfer layer of which consists of sections of the colors cyan, magenta, yellow and black arranged one after the other.
  • the transport device of the printing station can be formed by pairs of rollers, which are arranged in the card transport direction at a distance which is smaller than the length of the card.
  • Each pair of rollers consists of a driven roller and a non-driven roller.
  • the driven rollers of the roller pairs are driven by the stepper motor, for example, via gear wheels. It is also possible to use a rotating conveyor belt instead of the roller pairs.
  • the counter roller pressing the card against the thermal print head can then be arranged on the ribbon strand that faces the print head, specifically on the side of this ribbon strand facing away from the print head.
  • the card transport device of the printing station is controlled by at least two sensors, namely an input sensor which switches on the stepper motor of the card transport device if one is closed printing card is fed to the printing station from the input side, and an output sensor which switches off the stepper motor when the card leaves the printing station in the direction of the turning station.
  • the card transport device attached to the rotor of the turning station can in turn consist of at least two pairs of rollers which are arranged at a distance which is smaller than the length of the card or a rotating conveyor belt against which the card is pressed with empty rotating rollers.
  • An input and an output sensor are provided on the card transport device of the turning station.
  • the motor of the card transport device of the turning station is switched on.
  • the card transport device When the card printed on one side has reached the output sensor, the card transport device is switched off and the turning motor is switched on in order to turn the rotor by 180 °.
  • the card transport device After a rotor rotation through 180 °, which can be detected by sensors between the rotor and the rotor housing, the card transport device is switched on again and the card printed on one side is fed back to the printing station without the direction of rotation of the card transport device changing.
  • the contacts for coding the microcircuit can be attached to the rotor of the turning station.
  • the time to turn the card for coding the microcircuit is used, and on the other hand, a separate one can be used Contacting device with its own transport device, sensors, etc. are disregarded.
  • the sensors at the printing station and the turning station are preferably formed by light barriers.
  • the card printed on one side is also printed on the other side by the same printing station after being turned in the turning station.
  • the card transport device of the printing station is designed in such a way that the reversed card printed on one side is transported back from the output sensor past the print head to the input sensor of the printing station.
  • the output sensor of the print station switches the stepper motor on in the reverse direction of rotation and, when the card printed on one side has reached the input sensor of the print station, it switches the stepper motor in the other direction of rotation, so that the card is in the thermal print head for printing on the other side of the card the forward transport direction is fed again.
  • the counter-pressure roller and / or the thermal print head are designed to be movable away from one another, for example by lowering the counter-pressure roller or lifting the thermal print head.
  • the cards are printed only in the outward transport direction, since the entire printing control, including the The winding roller of the thermal transfer film is only designed for one card transport device.
  • the card After the card has been printed on both sides, it is fed back to the turning station. It can be issued unturned or turned by the turning station.
  • the card transport device of the turning station after being switched on by the input sensor, transports the card through the rotor of the turning station, and, after the card has left the transport device, the output sensor of the turning station switches off the transport device.
  • the cards are placed upside down, i.e. in a stack with their backs up or forward.
  • the card's main information such as the cardholder's name and photo, which is generally printed on the front of the card, is not visible because the front is on the side facing away from the viewer. In this variant, it is therefore preferred to print first the back and then the front of the card.
  • the card printed on both sides is turned over, correct storage is achieved, i.e. the card is placed face up or forward when the front is printed first and then the back of the card.
  • the card issuing station need not be arranged immediately after the turning station. Rather, the cards printed on both sides can be fed from the turning station to further processing stations, for example an embossing station which embosses alphanumeric data protruding from the card surface with embossing types.
  • the device for printing an identification card 1 made of plastic on both sides consists of a printing station 2 and a reversing station 3 directly downstream of this.
  • the printing station 2 has a housing with two side walls, only the rear side wall 4 being shown in FIG. 1.
  • the side walls are provided with guides 5 which expand in the form of funnels 6, 7 for inserting the longitudinal edges of the card 1. Then the two side plates on both sides of card 1 take over the lateral guidance.
  • a sensor 8, 9 is provided at the input end and at the output end.
  • the device for transporting the card 1 has three rollers 10, 11, 12 on one, lower side of the card 1 and three rollers 13, 14, 15 on the other, upper side of the card 1.
  • the rollers 10, 11, 12 are not over a Gear transmission shown driven by a stepper motor, not shown, and form with the rollers 13, 14, 15, which are not driven, pairs of rollers, between which the card 1 is passed to move it in the direction of arrow A from the input sensor 8 to the output sensor 9 (Direction and transport direction).
  • the distance between the roller pairs 10, 13 and 11, 14 or 11, 14 and 12, 15 is dimensioned such that the card 1 is always grasped by at least one roller pair.
  • a thermal print head 17 is arranged between the two pairs of rollers 11, 14 and 12, 15 on one upper side of the card 1.
  • the thermal print head 17 is designed as an upright plate and has heating elements 18 on its side facing the card 1.
  • the heating elements 18 form a row which extends transversely to the transport direction A.
  • the heating elements 18 can be controlled individually with a computer system, not shown.
  • a non-driven counter-pressure roller 19 is arranged on the side of the card 1 opposite the thermal print head 17.
  • a thermal transfer film 20 is provided, which is unwound from a supply roll 21, via a deflection roller 22 around the lower edge of the thermal printhead 17 with the heating elements 18 and then via a deflection roller 23 to a winding roller 24, which is driven by a motor, not shown is to keep the film 20 on the side of the take-up reel 24 of the thermal print head 17 taut.
  • the card 1 is pressed by the counter-pressure roller 19 against the heating elements 18 of the thermal print head 17 with the interposition of the thermal transfer film 20.
  • the heating elements 18 are arranged on the thermal print head 17, for example, at a distance of approximately 0.008 mm from the center of the heating element to the center of the heating element.
  • the stepper motor then drives the rollers 10, 11, 12, for example, in such a way that the card 1 is also transported in the direction of the arrow A in steps of approximately 0.008 mm.
  • the individually controllable heating elements 18 can transfer a transverse row of color dots from the thermal transfer film 20 to the card surface.
  • the residence time for the color transfer between the transport steps is generally between 0.2 and 2 ms, for example 0.5 ms.
  • a further sensor 25 is arranged in front of the thermal print head 17.
  • the sensors 8, 9 and 25 are preferably each formed from two light barriers which are arranged on one or the other side of the card.
  • a brush roller 26 which is driven by the stepper motor via the gear mechanism, is arranged between the two pairs of rollers 10, 13 and 11, 14, which rotates in the direction of arrow 32 in the opposite direction to the rollers 10, 11 and 12 during transport of the card 1 and does not rotate with one driven counter roller 27 cooperates.
  • a roller (not shown) with an adhesive surface to which the dirt particles adhere can be provided in addition to the brush roller 26.
  • an impeller 28 is provided, which measures the length of the transported film 20 and thus precisely determines the position of the individual sections.
  • the light barrier 8 switches the stepping motor on, so that the rollers 10, 11, 12 rotate with their counter-rollers 13, 14, 15 according to the arrows 30, 31.
  • the brush roller 26 rotates in the opposite direction according to the arrow 32.
  • the card is transported from the input sensor 8 to the thermal print head 17. It pulls the thermal transfer film 20 in the direction of arrow 33 under the thermal print head 17.
  • the film 20 is transported through the card 1.
  • the sensor 25 in front of the thermal print head 17 serves to position as precisely as possible the location on the card 1 from which the card is printed on the thermal print head 17.
  • the sensor 9 switches off the stepper motor at the output.
  • the turning station 3 consists of a housing 33 with two side walls 34, 35, between which a rotor 36 is rotatably mounted with a shaft 37 which runs transversely to the transport direction A and is driven by a turning motor 38.
  • the rotor 36 consists of two disk-shaped side walls 39, 40 which are connected to one another by a plurality of struts 41.
  • Both side walls 39, 40 of the rotor 36 have groove-shaped guides 42, 43 for the card 1, which are provided on the input and output sides with funnel-shaped extensions 44, 45 for inserting the card 1 into the guides 42, 43 from one or the other side .
  • a pair of rollers 46, 47 and 48, 49 are provided on the guides 36, 43 on the rotor 42 on the guides 42, 43, which are driven by a motor 50 attached to the rotor 36 a gear train 51 shown schematically in Figure 2 are driven.
  • Both rollers 46 and 47 or 48 and 49 of each pair of rollers are preferably driven so that the weight of the card 1 cannot change the transport speed during turning.
  • the card 1 is taken over when, after it has been printed on the top by the thermal print head 17, it leaves the printing station 2 via the output sensor 9.
  • Sensors 52, 53 are attached to the rotor on both sides of the card transport device of the turning station 3. As can be seen from FIG. 2, each sensor 52, 53 consists of two light barriers on one or the other long side of the card 1. Each light barrier is in turn composed of a light source on one side and a photo cell on the other side of the card 1 .
  • the rotor 36 can be rotated by the reversing motor 38 according to the double arrow 56 in FIG. 1 in one or the other direction by 180 °. Stops, not shown, are provided to limit the rotational path to 180 ° between the rotational positions.
  • two lugs 54, 55 are attached, which cooperate with two light barriers 57, 58, which are attached to the side wall 34 of the housing 33.
  • the turning station 3 has a device for contacting the Chips 59, which is attached to the rotor 36.
  • a device for contacting the Chips 59 can consist of a plate 60, on the side facing the card 1, sliding contacts are provided which are controlled by a computer system (not shown) in order to charge the chip 59 while the card 1 is being turned in the turning station 3.
  • webs 61, 62 can be provided between the two rotor walls 34, 35.
  • the electrical lines for supplying the electrical devices on the rotor 36 that is to say the motor 50, the sensors 52, 53 and the coding device 60, are made by a bundle of cables 67, which rotates with the rotor 36.
  • the card 1 according to FIG. 1 has been printed on one side by the thermal print head 17 of the printing station 2, its chip 59 has been loaded with the chip contacting device 60 on the rotor 36 of the turning station 3 and has been turned with the turning station, it is fed back to the printing station 2 in order to open it to print on the other side.
  • the transport motor 50 is switched over after the card 1 has been turned, whereby the card is fed to the output sensor 9 of the printing station 2 without changing the direction of rotation of the transport rollers 46 to 49, so that it moves past the print head 17 to the input sensor 8 in accordance with the arrow B. becomes.
  • the output sensor 7 switches the stepper motor on in the reverse direction of rotation and, when the card 1 printed on one side and moved in the return direction according to the arrow B has reached the input sensor 8, this switches the stepper motor in the other direction of rotation, so that the Transport device feeds the card 1 to the thermal print head 17 for printing on the other side of the card again in the forward transport direction according to the arrow A.
  • the thermal print head 17 is designed to be movable up and down according to the arrow 68; H. it is raised when the card is returned.
  • the card 1 After the card 1 has been printed on both sides, it is again fed to the turning station 3. Then she can are issued by the turning station 3 unturned or turned on the side of the turning station 3 facing away from the printing station 2.

Abstract

An identification card printing device includes a print-station and a station for turning and transporting the printed cards further on. The print-station includes thermal print head a card transporting device for stepped movement of the card passed the print head, an input sensor for switching the card output sensor for switching the transporter 'off'. The turning station includes a rotor on which is fixed the card transporter and a device for tuning the rotor through 180 deg. The card transport device is designed as a circulating transporter on the rotor (36) of the turning station (3).

Description

Die Erfindung bezieht sich auf eine Vorrichtung zum beidseitigen Bedrucken von Identifikationskarten, insbesondere aus Kunststoff, nach dem Oberbegriff des Anspruchs 1.The invention relates to a device for double-sided printing of identification cards, in particular made of plastic, according to the preamble of claim 1.

Eine derartige Vorrichtung ist bereits bekannt. Sie weist zwei Druckstationen auf. Mit der einen Druckstation wird die eine Seite der Karte bedruckt, worauf die Karte an der Wendestation gewendet und der zweiten Druckstation zum Bedrucken der anderen Seite zugeführt wird. Durch die beiden Druckstationen ist die bekannte Vorrichtung kostspielig. Auch nimmt sie relativ viel Platz in Anspruch.Such a device is already known. It has two printing stations. One side of the card is printed with one printing station, whereupon the card is turned at the turning station and fed to the second printing station for printing on the other side. The known device is expensive due to the two printing stations. It also takes up a relatively large amount of space.

Aus

Figure imgb0001
Figure imgb0001
Patent Abstracts of Japan M-267" bzw. JP 58-167347 A geht ein Kopiergerät hervor, bei dem das Kopierpapier nach dem es an der Kopierstation auf der Vorderseite bedruckt worden ist, über eine Transporteinrichtung einer Wendestation zugeführt wird, die als eine Platte ausgebildet ist, die um eine sich in Papiertransportrichtung erstreckende Achse drehbar ist. Dadurch gelangt das gewendete Papier zum Bedrucken der Rückseite mit derselben Vorderkante in die Kopierstation wie beim Bedrucken der Vorderseite. Nach DE 3907415 A1 werden einem Thermodrucker die Karten normalerweise automatisch von einem Stapel zugeführt. Um sie jedoch auch per Hand einführen zu können, kann der Transportantrieb reversiert werden.Out
Figure imgb0001
Figure imgb0001
Patent Abstracts of Japan M-267 "or JP 58-167347 A shows a copying machine in which the copying paper, after it has been printed on the front side at the copying station, is fed via a transport device to a turning station which is designed as a plate which can be rotated about an axis extending in the paper transport direction. As a result, the reversed paper for printing on the rear side reaches the copying station with the same front edge as when printing on the front side. According to DE 3907415 A1, the cards are normally automatically fed from a stack to a thermal printer. However, in order to be able to insert them by hand, the transport drive can be reversed.

Aufgabe der Erfindung ist es, eine vollautomatische Vorrichtung zum beidseitigen Bedrucken von Identifikationskarten bereitzustellen, die bei einfachem Aufbau nur wenig Platz beansprucht.The object of the invention is to provide a fully automatic device for double-sided printing of identification cards, which takes up little space with a simple structure.

Dies wird erfindungsgemäß durch die im Anspruch 1 gekennzeichnete Vorrichtung erreicht. In den Unteransprüchen sind vorteilhafte Ausgestaltungen der Erfindung wiedergegeben.This is achieved according to the invention by the device characterized in claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are given in the subclaims.

Der Erfindung liegt dabei der allgemeine Gedanke zugrunde, an eine Druckstation mit einem Thermodruckkopf eine Kartenwendestation anzuschließen, welche die Karte nach dem Wenden der Druckstation wieder zuführt, wobei die Druckstation so ausgelegt ist, daß sie die Karte auch von ihrer Rückseite einziehen und einem neuerlichen Druckvorgang zuführen kann.The invention is based on the general idea of connecting a card turning station to a printing station with a thermal print head, which feeds the card again after turning the printing station, the printing station being designed in such a way that it also pulls the card in from the back and a new printing process can supply.

Die erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung weist nur eine Druckstation auf. Sie ist damit wesentlich kostengünstiger und platzsparender als die bekannte Vorrichtung zum beidseitigen Bedrucken einer Karte. Die erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung ist daher insbesondere für die dezentrale Ausgabe beidseitig bedruckter Karten geeignet, also dort, wo an vielen Stellen auch kleinere Stückzahlen von Identifikationskarten ausgegeben werden.The device according to the invention has only one printing station. It is therefore considerably more cost-effective and space-saving than the known device for printing a card on both sides. The device according to the invention is therefore particularly suitable for the decentralized dispensing of cards printed on both sides, that is to say where small numbers of identification cards are also issued in many places.

Unter einer Identifikationskarte sind dabei sowohl Ausweiskarten, also Karten, die eine Identifizierung ihres Inhabers ermöglichen oder ihn als Angehörigen einer Gruppe ausweisen, wie Berechtigungskarten, also Karten, die dem Inhaber die Inanspruchnahme bestimmter Leistungen ermöglichen, zu verstehen.An identification card is to be understood here as both ID cards, that is to say cards that enable identification of their holder or identify them as belonging to a group, such as authorization cards, that is, cards that enable the holder to use certain services.

Der Thermodruckkopf besteht aus einer quer zur Kartentransportrichtung verlaufenden Reihe von Heizelementen, mit einer Dichte von beispielsweise 100 Heizelementen pro cm oder mehr. Das heißt, der Abstand der Mittelpunkte von zwei benachbarten Heizelementen beträgt 0,01 mm oder weniger. Die Heizelemente erstrecken sich vorzugsweise entlang der Kante eines Keramiksubstrats.The thermal print head consists of a row of heating elements running transversely to the card transport direction, with a density of, for example, 100 Heating elements per cm or more. That is, the distance between the centers of two adjacent heating elements is 0.01 mm or less. The heating elements preferably extend along the edge of a ceramic substrate.

Die Heizelemente sind mit einer EDV-Anlage einzeln ansteuerbar. Mit dem Thermodruckkopf kann in zwei Koordinaten geschrieben werden, wobei sich die eine Koordinate in der Kartentransportrichtung und die andere quer dazu erstreckt. Die Steuerung und Taktung des Transports der Karte erfolgt mit einem Schrittmotor, der die Karte in der Dichte der Heizelemente entsprechenden Schritten, also in Schritten von 0,01 mm oder weniger, an der Heizelementenreihe vorbeibewegt. Dabei wird die Karte mit einer Gegendruckwalze gegen die Heizelemente gedrückt.The heating elements can be controlled individually with an EDP system. The thermal print head can be used to write in two coordinates, one coordinate extending in the card transport direction and the other extending transversely to it. The control and timing of the transport of the card is carried out with a stepper motor, which moves the card past the row of heating elements in steps corresponding to the density of the heating elements, that is to say in steps of 0.01 mm or less. The card is pressed against the heating elements with a counter-pressure roller.

Beim Bedrucken von Identifikationskarten aus Kunststoff oder von mit Kunststoff beschichteten Identifikationskarten ist eine Farbtransferfolie vorgesehen, die zwischen der Karte und dem Thermodruckkopf hindurchbewegt und durch die Gegenwalze sowohl gegen die Heizelemente wie gegen die Karte gedrückt wird. Die Farbtransferfolie weist eine Farbübertragungsschicht auf, die bei Erwärmung durch die Heizelemente an der Kunststoffkartenoberfläche haftet. Die Farbübertragungsschicht weist einen thermoaktiven Klebstoff auf. Sie kann zweischichtig ausgebildet sein, also aus einer Farbschicht und einer thermoaktiven Klebstoffschicht an der Außenseite bestehen oder aus einem Gemisch aus Farbpigmenten und dem thermoaktiven Klebstoff.When printing identification cards made of plastic or identification cards coated with plastic, an ink transfer film is provided which moves between the card and the thermal print head and is pressed by the counter-roller both against the heating elements and against the card. The color transfer film has an ink transfer layer which adheres to the plastic card surface when heated by the heating elements. The ink transfer layer has a thermoactive adhesive. It can be formed in two layers, that is to say it can consist of a color layer and a thermoactive adhesive layer on the outside, or a mixture of color pigments and the thermoactive adhesive.

Die Farbtransferfolie kann insbesondere durch eine Heißprägefolie gebildet sein, die im einfachsten Fall aus einer Trägerfolie und der Farbübertragungsschicht besteht. Im allgemeinen ist zwischen der Farbübertragungsschicht und der Trägerfolie noch eine Trennmittelschicht vorgesehen.The color transfer film can in particular be formed by a hot stamping film, which in the simplest case consists of a carrier film and the color transfer layer. In general, a release agent layer is also provided between the ink transfer layer and the carrier film.

Damit eine Heißprägefolie als Farbtransferfolie verwendet werden kann, muß der thermoaktive Klebstoff die Kunststoffoberfläche der Karte anschmelzen. Demgemäß bestehen die Karten vorzugsweise aus einem Kunststoff, der bei der Temperatur, den die durch die Heizelemente erwärmten Heißprägefolie erreicht, an der Oberfläche erweicht, insbesondere aus Polyvinylchlorid, ABS oder Polypropylen.In order for a hot stamping foil to be used as an ink transfer foil, the thermoactive adhesive must melt the plastic surface of the card. Accordingly, the cards are preferably made of a plastic that softens the surface at the temperature reached by the hot stamping foil heated by the heating elements, in particular of polyvinyl chloride, ABS or polypropylene.

Für die Herstellung eines Farbdrucks kann eine Thermotransferfolie verwendet werden, deren Farbübertragungsschicht aus nacheinander angeordneten Abschnitten der Farben Cyan, Magenta, Gelb und Schwarz besteht. Durch mehrmaligen Transport der Karte entlang dem Thermodruckkopf mit jeweils einem anderen Farb-Abschnitt der Farbübertragungsschicht und entsprechend angesteuerten Heizelementen entsteht durch Überlagerung der Rasterpunkte auf der Karte ein Farbdruck, und zwar ein CMYK-Bild.A thermal transfer film can be used to produce a color print, the color transfer layer of which consists of sections of the colors cyan, magenta, yellow and black arranged one after the other. By repeatedly transporting the card along the thermal print head, each with a different color section of the color transfer layer and correspondingly controlled heating elements, a color print is created by superimposing the halftone dots on the card, namely a CMYK image.

Die Transporteinrichtung der Druckstation kann durch Walzenpaare gebildet sein, die in Kartentransportrichtung in einem Abstand angeordnet sind, der kleiner ist als die Länge der Karte. Jedes Walzenpaar besteht aus einer angetriebenen Walze und einer nicht angetriebenen Walze. Die angetriebenen Walzen der Walzenpaare werden beispielsweise über Zahnräder von dem Schrittmotor angetrieben. Auch ist es möglich, anstelle der Walzenpaare ein umlaufendes Transportband zu verwenden. Die die Karte gegen den Thermodruckkopf drückende Gegenwalze kann dann an dem Bandtrum angeordnet sein, das dem Druckkopf zugewandt ist, und zwar auf der vom Druckkopf abgewandten Seite dieses Bandtrums.The transport device of the printing station can be formed by pairs of rollers, which are arranged in the card transport direction at a distance which is smaller than the length of the card. Each pair of rollers consists of a driven roller and a non-driven roller. The driven rollers of the roller pairs are driven by the stepper motor, for example, via gear wheels. It is also possible to use a rotating conveyor belt instead of the roller pairs. The counter roller pressing the card against the thermal print head can then be arranged on the ribbon strand that faces the print head, specifically on the side of this ribbon strand facing away from the print head.

Die Kartentransporteinrichtung der Druckstation wird durch wenigstens zwei Sensoren angesteuert, und zwar einen Eingangssensor, der den Schrittmotor der Kartentransporteinrichtung einschaltet, wenn eine zu bedruckende Karte der Druckstation von der Eingangsseite zugeführt wird, sowie einen Ausgangssensor, der den Schrittmotor ausschaltet, wenn die Karte die Druckstation in Richtung Wendestation verläßt.The card transport device of the printing station is controlled by at least two sensors, namely an input sensor which switches on the stepper motor of the card transport device if one is closed printing card is fed to the printing station from the input side, and an output sensor which switches off the stepper motor when the card leaves the printing station in the direction of the turning station.

Die am Rotor der Wendestation befestigte Kartentransporteinrichtung kann ihrerseits aus wenigstens zwei Walzenpaaren bestehen, die in einem Abstand angeordnet sind, der kleiner ist als die Länge der Karte oder einem umlaufenden Transportband, an das die Karte mit leer umlaufenden Walzen gedrückt wird.The card transport device attached to the rotor of the turning station can in turn consist of at least two pairs of rollers which are arranged at a distance which is smaller than the length of the card or a rotating conveyor belt against which the card is pressed with empty rotating rollers.

An der Kartentransporteinrichtung der Wendestation ist ein Eingangs- und ein Ausgangssensor vorgesehen. Wenn die von der Druckstation kommende, einseitig bedruckte Karte den Eingangssensor der Kartentransporteinrichtung der Wendestation erreicht, wird der Motor der Kartentransporteinrichtung der Wendestation eingeschaltet.An input and an output sensor are provided on the card transport device of the turning station. When the card coming from the printing station and printed on one side reaches the input sensor of the card transport device of the turning station, the motor of the card transport device of the turning station is switched on.

Wenn die einseitig bedruckte Karte den Ausgangssensor erreicht hat, wird die Kartentransporteinrichtung ausgeschaltet und der Wendemotor eingeschaltet, um den Rotor um 180° zu drehen.When the card printed on one side has reached the output sensor, the card transport device is switched off and the turning motor is switched on in order to turn the rotor by 180 °.

Nach einer Rotordrehung um 180°, die durch Sensoren zwischen dem Rotor und dem Rotorgehäuse erfaßt werden kann, wird die Kartentransporteinrichtung wieder eingeschaltet und die einseitig bedruckte Karte, ohne daß sich die Umlaufrichtung der Kartentransporteinrichtung ändert, der Druckstation wieder zugeführt.After a rotor rotation through 180 °, which can be detected by sensors between the rotor and the rotor housing, the card transport device is switched on again and the card printed on one side is fed back to the printing station without the direction of rotation of the card transport device changing.

Wenn die Identifikationskarte mit einer codierbaren integrierten Mikroschaltung versehen ist, können die Kontakte zur Codierung der Mikroschaltung an dem Rotor der Wendestation befestigt sein. Damit wird einerseits die Zeit zum Wenden der Karte zum Codieren der Mikroschaltung ausgenutzt, zum anderen kann von einer separaten Kontaktiereinrichtung mit eigener Transporteinrichtung, Sensoren usw. abgesehen werden.If the identification card is provided with a codable integrated microcircuit, the contacts for coding the microcircuit can be attached to the rotor of the turning station. Thus, on the one hand, the time to turn the card for coding the microcircuit is used, and on the other hand, a separate one can be used Contacting device with its own transport device, sensors, etc. are disregarded.

Die Sensoren an der Druckstation und der Wendestation werden vorzugsweise durch Lichtschranken gebildet.The sensors at the printing station and the turning station are preferably formed by light barriers.

Nach der Erfindung wird die einseitig bedruckte Karte nach dem Wenden in der Wendestation von der gleichen Druckstation auch auf der anderen Seite bedruckt. Dazu ist die Kartentransporteinrichtung der Druckstation so ausgelegt, daß die gewendete, einseitig bedruckte Karte vom Ausgangssensor an dem Druckkopf vorbei zum Eingangssensor der Druckstation zurücktransportiert wird. Das heißt, der Ausgangssensor der Druckstation schaltet den Schrittmotor in umgekehrter Umlaufrichtung ein und, wenn die einseitig bedruckte Karte den Eingangssensor der Druckstation erreicht hat, schaltet diese den Schrittmotor in die andere Umlaufrichtung um, so daß die Karte dem Thermodruckkopf zum Bedrucken der anderen Kartenseite in der Hin-Transportrichtung wieder zugeführt wird.According to the invention, the card printed on one side is also printed on the other side by the same printing station after being turned in the turning station. For this purpose, the card transport device of the printing station is designed in such a way that the reversed card printed on one side is transported back from the output sensor past the print head to the input sensor of the printing station. This means that the output sensor of the print station switches the stepper motor on in the reverse direction of rotation and, when the card printed on one side has reached the input sensor of the print station, it switches the stepper motor in the other direction of rotation, so that the card is in the thermal print head for printing on the other side of the card the forward transport direction is fed again.

Insbesondere wenn ein Thermotransferband verwendet wird, das beim Bedrucken zwischem dem Thermodruckkopf und der Karte in der Hin-Transportrichtung mitläuft, ist es vorteilhaft, den Abstand zwischen dem Thermodruckkopf, an dem das Thermotransferband anliegt, und der Karte so zu vergrößern, daß die Karte beim Rücktransport vom Ausgangs- zum Eingangssensor der Druckstation nicht gegen die Thermotransferfolie gedrückt wird. Dazu sind die Gegendruckwalze und/oder der Thermodruckkopf voneinander weg bewegbar ausgebildet, beispielsweise durch Absenken der Gegendruckwalze oder Anheben des Thermodruckkopfes.In particular, if a thermal transfer ribbon is used, which runs during printing between the thermal print head and the card in the outward transport direction, it is advantageous to increase the distance between the thermal print head, on which the thermal transfer ribbon rests, and the card so that the card during Return transport from the output to the input sensor of the printing station is not pressed against the thermal transfer film. For this purpose, the counter-pressure roller and / or the thermal print head are designed to be movable away from one another, for example by lowering the counter-pressure roller or lifting the thermal print head.

Das heißt, bei der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung erfolgt das Bedrucken der Karten nur in der Hin-Transportrichtung, da die gesamte Drucksteuerung einschließlich der Aufwickelwalze der Thermotransferfolie nur für eine Kartentransporteinrichtung ausgelegt ist.That is, in the device according to the invention, the cards are printed only in the outward transport direction, since the entire printing control, including the The winding roller of the thermal transfer film is only designed for one card transport device.

Nachdem die Karte auf beiden Seiten bedruckt worden ist, wird sie der Wendestation erneut zugeführt. Sie kann von der Wendestation ungewendet oder gewendet ausgegeben werden.After the card has been printed on both sides, it is fed back to the turning station. It can be issued unturned or turned by the turning station.

Im ersten Fall transportiert die Kartentransporteinrichtung der Wendestation, nachdem sie vom Eingangssensor eingeschaltet worden ist, die Karte durch den Rotor der Wendestation hindurch, und, nachdem die Karte die Transporteinrichtung verlassen hat, schaltet der Ausgangssensor der Wendestation die Transporteinrichtung ab.In the first case, the card transport device of the turning station, after being switched on by the input sensor, transports the card through the rotor of the turning station, and, after the card has left the transport device, the output sensor of the turning station switches off the transport device.

Wenn bei dieser Variante erst die Vorder- und dann die Rückseite der Karten bedruckt wird, werden die Karten verkehrt herum, also in einem Stapel mit ihrer Rückseite nach oben oder vorne, abgelegt. Die Hauptinformationen der Karte, wie der Name und das Foto des Karteninhabers, die im allgemeinen auf die Vorderseite der Karte gedruckt werden, sind damit nicht sichtbar, da die Vorderseite an der vom Betrachter abgewandten Seite liegt. Bei dieser Variante wird daher vorzugsweise erst die Rückseite und dann die Vorderseite der Karte bedruckt.In this variant, if the front and then the back of the cards are printed, the cards are placed upside down, i.e. in a stack with their backs up or forward. The card's main information, such as the cardholder's name and photo, which is generally printed on the front of the card, is not visible because the front is on the side facing away from the viewer. In this variant, it is therefore preferred to print first the back and then the front of the card.

Wenn die beidseitig bedruckte Karte gewendet wird, wird indes eine richtige Ablage erreicht, also die Ablage der Karte mit der Vorderseite nach oben bzw. vorne, wenn die Vorderseite zuerst und dann die Rückseite der Karte bedruckt wird.If the card printed on both sides is turned over, correct storage is achieved, i.e. the card is placed face up or forward when the front is printed first and then the back of the card.

Die Kartenausgabestation braucht nicht unmittelbar nach der Wendestation angeordnet zu sein. Vielmehr können die beidseitig bedruckten Karten von der Wendestation noch weiteren Bearbeitungsstationen zugeführt werden, beispielsweise einer Prägestation, die mit Prägetypen erhaben von der Kartenoberfläche vorstehende alphanumerische Daten einprägt.The card issuing station need not be arranged immediately after the turning station. Rather, the cards printed on both sides can be fed from the turning station to further processing stations, for example an embossing station which embosses alphanumeric data protruding from the card surface with embossing types.

Nachstehend ist eine Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung anhand der Zeichnung näher erläutert. Darin zeigen jeweils schematisch:

Fig. 1
einen Längsschnitt durch die Druckstation und die Wendestation der Vorrichtung, wobei sie die zu bedruckende Karte gerade in der Druckstation befindet; und
Fig. 2
eine Draufsicht auf die Wendestation nach Fig. 1, jedoch mit Karte.
An embodiment of the device according to the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. Each shows schematically:
Fig. 1
a longitudinal section through the printing station and the turning station of the device, the card to be printed is currently in the printing station; and
Fig. 2
a plan view of the turning station of FIG. 1, but with a map.

Gemäß Figur 1 besteht die Vorrichtung zum beidseitigen Bedrucken einer Identifikationskarte 1 aus Kunststoff aus einer Druckstation 2 und einer dieser unmittelbar nachgeordneten Wendestation 3.According to FIG. 1, the device for printing an identification card 1 made of plastic on both sides consists of a printing station 2 and a reversing station 3 directly downstream of this.

Die Druckstation 2 weist ein Gehäuse mit zwei Seitenwänden auf, wobei in Figur 1 nur die hintere Seitenwand 4 zu sehen ist.The printing station 2 has a housing with two side walls, only the rear side wall 4 being shown in FIG. 1.

An dem eingangsseitigen und dem ausgangsseitigen Ende sind die Seitenwände mit Führungen 5 versehen, die sich zum Einführen der Längskanten der Karte 1 in Form von Trichtern 6, 7 erweitern. Dann übernehmen die beiden Seitenplatten auf beiden Seiten der Karte 1 die seitliche Führung. Am eingangsseitigen und am ausgangsseitigen Ende ist jeweils ein Sensor 8, 9 vorgesehen.At the input-side and the output-side end, the side walls are provided with guides 5 which expand in the form of funnels 6, 7 for inserting the longitudinal edges of the card 1. Then the two side plates on both sides of card 1 take over the lateral guidance. A sensor 8, 9 is provided at the input end and at the output end.

Die Einrichtung zum Transport der Karte 1 weist drei Walzen 10, 11, 12 an der einen, unteren Seite der Karte 1 und drei Walzen 13, 14, 15 an der anderen, oberen Seite der Karte 1 auf. Die Walzen 10, 11, 12, werden über ein nicht dargestelltes Zahnradgetriebe von einem nicht dargestellten Schrittmotor angetrieben und bilden mit den Walzen 13, 14, 15, die nicht angetrieben sind, Walzenpaare, zwischen denen die Karte 1 hindurchgeführt wird, um sie in Richtung des Pfeiles A von dem Eingangssensor 8 zum Ausgangssensor 9 zu bewegen (Hin- und Transportrichtung). Der Abstand der Walzenpaare 10, 13 und 11, 14 bzw. 11, 14 und 12, 15 ist so bemessen, daß die Karte 1 immer von wenigstens einem Walzenpaar erfaßt ist.The device for transporting the card 1 has three rollers 10, 11, 12 on one, lower side of the card 1 and three rollers 13, 14, 15 on the other, upper side of the card 1. The rollers 10, 11, 12 are not over a Gear transmission shown driven by a stepper motor, not shown, and form with the rollers 13, 14, 15, which are not driven, pairs of rollers, between which the card 1 is passed to move it in the direction of arrow A from the input sensor 8 to the output sensor 9 (Direction and transport direction). The distance between the roller pairs 10, 13 and 11, 14 or 11, 14 and 12, 15 is dimensioned such that the card 1 is always grasped by at least one roller pair.

Zwischen den beiden Walzenpaaren 11, 14 und 12, 15 ist auf der einen, oberen Seite der Karte 1 ein Thermodruckkopf 17 angeordnet. Der Thermodruckkopf 17 ist als hochkantstehende Platte ausgebildet und weist an seiner der Karte 1 zugewandten Seite Heizelemente 18 auf. Die Heizelemente 18 bilden eine Reihe, die sich quer zur Transportrichtung A erstreckt. Die Heizelemente 18 sind mit einer nicht dargestellten EDV-Anlage einzeln ansteuerbar.A thermal print head 17 is arranged between the two pairs of rollers 11, 14 and 12, 15 on one upper side of the card 1. The thermal print head 17 is designed as an upright plate and has heating elements 18 on its side facing the card 1. The heating elements 18 form a row which extends transversely to the transport direction A. The heating elements 18 can be controlled individually with a computer system, not shown.

Auf der dem Thermodruckkopf 17 gegenüberliegenden Seite der Karte 1 ist eine nicht angetriebene Gegendruckwalze 19 angeordnet.A non-driven counter-pressure roller 19 is arranged on the side of the card 1 opposite the thermal print head 17.

Zum Bedrucken ist eine Thermotransferfolie 20 vorgesehen, die von einer Vorratsrolle 21 abgewickelt, über eine Umlenkrolle 22 um die untere Kante des Thermodruckkopfes 17 mit den Heizelementen 18 herum und dann über eine Umlenkrolle 23 einer Aufwickelrolle 24 zugeführt wird, die durch einen nicht dargestellten Motor angetrieben wird, um die Folie 20 auf der Seite der Aufwickelrolle 24 des Thermodruckkopfes 17 straff zu halten.For printing, a thermal transfer film 20 is provided, which is unwound from a supply roll 21, via a deflection roller 22 around the lower edge of the thermal printhead 17 with the heating elements 18 and then via a deflection roller 23 to a winding roller 24, which is driven by a motor, not shown is to keep the film 20 on the side of the take-up reel 24 of the thermal print head 17 taut.

Die Karte 1 wird durch die Gegendruckwalze 19 gegen die Heizelemente 18 des Thermodruckkopfes 17 unter Zwischenschaltung der Thermotransferfolie 20 gedrückt.The card 1 is pressed by the counter-pressure roller 19 against the heating elements 18 of the thermal print head 17 with the interposition of the thermal transfer film 20.

An dem Thermodruckkopf 17 sind die Heizelemente 18 beispielsweise in einem Abstand von ca. 0,008 mm von Mitte Heizelement zu Mitte Heizelement angeordnet. Der Schrittmotor treibt dann die Walzen 10, 11, 12 beispielsweise so um, daß die Karte 1 in Richtung des Pfeiles A ebenfalls in Schritten von ca. 0,008 mm transportiert wird. Pro Schritt kann durch die einzeln ansteuerbaren Heizelemente 18 eine Querreihe von Farbpunkten von der Thermotransferfolie 20 auf die Kartenoberfläche übertragen werden. Die Verweilzeit für die Farbübertragung zwischen den Transportschritten beträgt im allgemeinen zwischen 0,2 und 2 ms, also beispielsweise 0,5 ms.The heating elements 18 are arranged on the thermal print head 17, for example, at a distance of approximately 0.008 mm from the center of the heating element to the center of the heating element. The stepper motor then drives the rollers 10, 11, 12, for example, in such a way that the card 1 is also transported in the direction of the arrow A in steps of approximately 0.008 mm. For each step, the individually controllable heating elements 18 can transfer a transverse row of color dots from the thermal transfer film 20 to the card surface. The residence time for the color transfer between the transport steps is generally between 0.2 and 2 ms, for example 0.5 ms.

Auf der dem Eingangssensor 8 zugewandten Seite ist vor dem Thermodruckkopf 17 ein weiterer Sensor 25 angeordnet. Die Sensoren 8, 9 und 25 sind vorzugsweise jeweils aus zwei Lichtschranken gebildet, die auf der einen bzw. anderen Seite der Karte angeordnet sind.On the side facing the input sensor 8, a further sensor 25 is arranged in front of the thermal print head 17. The sensors 8, 9 and 25 are preferably each formed from two light barriers which are arranged on one or the other side of the card.

Ferner ist eine von dem Schrittmotor über das Zahnradgetriebe angetriebene Bürstenwalze 26 zwischen den beiden Walzenpaaren 10, 13 und 11, 14 angeordnet, welche beim Transport der Karte 1 in Richtung des Pfeiles 32 entgegengesetzt zu den Walzen 10, 11 und 12 umläuft und mit einer nicht angetriebenen Gegenwalze 27 zusammenwirkt. Um Partikel und dergleichen Verschmutzungen von der Kartenoberfläche zu entfernen, kann neben der Bürstenwalze 26 noch eine nicht dargestellte Walze mit einer Klebstoffoberfläche vorgesehen sein, an der die Schmutzpartikel haften.Furthermore, a brush roller 26, which is driven by the stepper motor via the gear mechanism, is arranged between the two pairs of rollers 10, 13 and 11, 14, which rotates in the direction of arrow 32 in the opposite direction to the rollers 10, 11 and 12 during transport of the card 1 and does not rotate with one driven counter roller 27 cooperates. In order to remove particles and the like from the card surface, a roller (not shown) with an adhesive surface to which the dirt particles adhere can be provided in addition to the brush roller 26.

Um einen Farbdruck mit einer Farbfolie 20, die abschnittsweise Farbübertragungsmaterial in den Grundfarben: Magenta, Cyan, Gelb und Schwarz aufweist, durchzuführen, ist ein Laufrad 28 vorgesehen, das die Länge der transportierten Folie 20 mißt und damit die Position der einzelnen Abschnitte genau bestimmt.In order to carry out color printing with a color film 20, which has sections of color transfer material in the basic colors: magenta, cyan, yellow and black, an impeller 28 is provided, which measures the length of the transported film 20 and thus precisely determines the position of the individual sections.

Wenn die Karte 1 zum Bedrucken dem Eingang 29 zugeführt wird, schaltet die Lichtschranke 8 den Schrittmotor ein, so daß die Walzen 10, 11, 12 mit ihren Gegenwalzen 13, 14, 15 entsprechend den Pfeilen 30, 31 umlaufen.When the card 1 is fed to the input 29 for printing, the light barrier 8 switches the stepping motor on, so that the rollers 10, 11, 12 rotate with their counter-rollers 13, 14, 15 according to the arrows 30, 31.

Die Bürstenwalze 26 läuft in Gegenrichtung gemäß dem Pfeil 32 um.The brush roller 26 rotates in the opposite direction according to the arrow 32.

Auf diese Weise wird die Karte vom Eingangssensor 8 zu dem Thermodruckkopf 17 transportiert. Sie zieht dabei die Thermotransferfolie 20 in Richtung des Pfeiles 33 unter dem Thermodruckkopf 17 hindurch. Dabei wird die Folie 20 durch die Karte 1 transportiert. Die von einem Motor angetriebene Aufwickelrolle 24 dient nur dazu, eine Bandlose auf der der Aufwickelrolle 24 zugewandten Seite des Thermodruckkopfes 17 zu verhindern.In this way, the card is transported from the input sensor 8 to the thermal print head 17. It pulls the thermal transfer film 20 in the direction of arrow 33 under the thermal print head 17. The film 20 is transported through the card 1. The winding roller 24, which is driven by a motor, only serves to prevent a bandless on the side of the thermal print head 17 facing the winding roller 24.

Der Sensor 25 vor dem Thermodruckkopf 17 dient dazu, daß die Stelle auf der Karte 1 möglichst genau positioniert wird, von der an der Thermodruckkopf 17 die Karte bedruckt.The sensor 25 in front of the thermal print head 17 serves to position as precisely as possible the location on the card 1 from which the card is printed on the thermal print head 17.

Wenn die Karte 1 die Druckstation 2 verläßt, schaltet der Sensor 9 am Ausgang den Schrittmotor aus.When the card 1 leaves the printing station 2, the sensor 9 switches off the stepper motor at the output.

Die Wendestation 3 besteht gemäß Figur 1 und 2 aus einem Gehäuse 33 mit zwei Seitenwänden 34, 35, zwischen denen ein Rotor 36 mit einer Welle 37 drehbar gelagert ist, die quer zur Transportrichtung A verläuft und von einem Wendemotor 38 angetrieben wird.According to FIGS. 1 and 2, the turning station 3 consists of a housing 33 with two side walls 34, 35, between which a rotor 36 is rotatably mounted with a shaft 37 which runs transversely to the transport direction A and is driven by a turning motor 38.

Der Rotor 36 besteht aus zwei scheibenförmigen Seitenwänden 39, 40, die durch mehrere Streben 41 miteinander verbunden sind.The rotor 36 consists of two disk-shaped side walls 39, 40 which are connected to one another by a plurality of struts 41.

Beide Seitenwände 39, 40 des Rotors 36 weisen nutförmige Führungen 42, 43 für die Karte 1 auf, die eingangsseitig und ausgangsseitig mit trichterförmigen Erweiterungen 44, 45 zum Einführen der Karte 1 in die Führungen 42, 43 von der einen bzw. anderen Seite versehen sind.Both side walls 39, 40 of the rotor 36 have groove-shaped guides 42, 43 for the card 1, which are provided on the input and output sides with funnel-shaped extensions 44, 45 for inserting the card 1 into the guides 42, 43 from one or the other side .

Zum Transport der Karte 1 in der Wendestation 3 ist an dem Rotor 36 an den Führungen 42, 43 auf der einen bzw. anderen Seite jeweils ein Walzenpaar 46, 47 bzw. 48, 49 vorgesehen, die durch einen am Rotor 36 befestigten Motor 50 über ein in Figur 2 schematisch dargestelltes Zahnradgetriebe 51 angetrieben werden.To transport the card 1 in the turning station 3, a pair of rollers 46, 47 and 48, 49 are provided on the guides 36, 43 on the rotor 42 on the guides 42, 43, which are driven by a motor 50 attached to the rotor 36 a gear train 51 shown schematically in Figure 2 are driven.

Dabei werden vorzugsweise beide Walzen 46 und 47 bzw. 48 und 49 jedes Walzenpaares angetrieben, damit das Gewicht der Karte 1 beim Wenden die Transportgeschwindigkeit nicht verändern kann.Both rollers 46 and 47 or 48 and 49 of each pair of rollers are preferably driven so that the weight of the card 1 cannot change the transport speed during turning.

Mit dem Walzenpaar 46, 47 wird die Karte 1 übernommen, wenn sie, nachdem sie auf der Oberseite von dem Thermodruckkopf 17 bedruckt worden ist, die Druckstation 2 über den Ausgangssensor 9 verläßt.With the pair of rollers 46, 47, the card 1 is taken over when, after it has been printed on the top by the thermal print head 17, it leaves the printing station 2 via the output sensor 9.

An beiden Seiten der Kartentransporteinrichtung der Wendestation 3 sind am Rotor 36 Sensoren 52, 53 befestigt. Jeder Sensor 52, 53 besteht, wie aus Figur 2 ersichtlich, aus zwei Lichtschranken an der einen bzw. der anderen Längsseite der Karte 1. Jede Lichtschranke ist ihrerseits wieder aus einer Lichtquelle auf der einen und einer Fotozelle auf der anderen Seite der Karte 1 zusammengesetzt.Sensors 52, 53 are attached to the rotor on both sides of the card transport device of the turning station 3. As can be seen from FIG. 2, each sensor 52, 53 consists of two light barriers on one or the other long side of the card 1. Each light barrier is in turn composed of a light source on one side and a photo cell on the other side of the card 1 .

Der Rotor 36 ist mit dem Wendemotor 38 entsprechend dem Doppelpfeil 56 in Figur 1 in der einen bzw. anderen Richtung um 180° drehbar. Dabei sind nicht dargestellte Anschläge zur Begrenzung des Drehweges auf 180° zwischen den Drehpositionen vorgesehen.The rotor 36 can be rotated by the reversing motor 38 according to the double arrow 56 in FIG. 1 in one or the other direction by 180 °. Stops, not shown, are provided to limit the rotational path to 180 ° between the rotational positions.

An der Wand 39 des Rotors 36 sind zwei Nasen 54, 55 angebracht, die mit zwei Lichtschranken 57, 58 zusammenwirken, die an der Seitenwand 34 des Gehäuses 33 befestigt sind.On the wall 39 of the rotor 36, two lugs 54, 55 are attached, which cooperate with two light barriers 57, 58, which are attached to the side wall 34 of the housing 33.

Wenn die Karte 1 von der Druckstation 2 dem Sensor 52 der Wendestation 3 zugeführt wird, schaltet dieser den Transportmotor 50 ein, so daß die Transportwalzen 46, 47 die Karte 1 weiter transportieren, bis sie den Sensor 53 am anderen Ende des Rotors 36 erreicht. Der Sensor 53 schaltet dann den Transportmotor 50 ab und den Wendemotor 38 ein, so daß der Rotor 36 um 180° gedreht wird. Die Drehstellung des Rotors 36, also ob der Sensor 52 der Druckstation 2 zugewandt ist oder der Sensor 53, wird von den Sensoren 57, 58 erfaßt, die als Lichtschranken mit den Nasen 54 bzw. 55 zusammenwirken.When the card 1 is fed from the printing station 2 to the sensor 52 of the turning station 3, this turns on the transport motor 50 so that the transport rollers 46, 47 transport the card 1 further until it reaches the sensor 53 at the other end of the rotor 36. The sensor 53 then switches the transport motor 50 off and the turning motor 38 on, so that the rotor 36 is rotated through 180 °. The rotational position of the rotor 36, that is to say whether the sensor 52 faces the printing station 2 or the sensor 53, is detected by the sensors 57, 58, which cooperate with the lugs 54 and 55 as light barriers.

Wenn mit der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung Identifikationskarten 1 bedruckt werden, die zusätzlich einen Chip, also eine codierbare integrierte Mikroschaltung 59 aufweisen, deren Umriß in Figur 2 als gestricheltes Rechteck dargestellt ist, weist die Wendestation 3, wie in Figur 2 dargestellt, eine Einrichtung zur Kontaktierung des Chips 59 auf, die am Rotor 36 befestigt ist. Diese kann aus einer Platte 60 bestehen, an deren der Karte 1 zugewandten Seite Schleifkontakte vorgesehen sind, die von einer nicht dargestellten EDV-Anlage angesteuert werden, um den Chip 59 aufzuladen, während die Karte 1 in der Wendestation 3 gewendet wird. Zur Befestigung der Chipkontaktiereinrichtung 60 können Stege 61, 62 zwischen den beiden Rotorwänden 34, 35 vorgesehen sein.If identification cards 1 are printed with the device according to the invention, which additionally have a chip, i.e. an encodable integrated microcircuit 59, the outline of which is shown in FIG. 2 as a dashed rectangle, the turning station 3, as shown in FIG. 2, has a device for contacting the Chips 59, which is attached to the rotor 36. This can consist of a plate 60, on the side facing the card 1, sliding contacts are provided which are controlled by a computer system (not shown) in order to charge the chip 59 while the card 1 is being turned in the turning station 3. To fasten the chip contacting device 60, webs 61, 62 can be provided between the two rotor walls 34, 35.

Damit für die Chipkontaktiereinrichtung 60 im Bereich des Chips 59 der zwischen den Sensoren 52 und 53 angeordneten Karte 1 hinreichend Platz zur Verfügung steht, ist die Walze 47 geteilt und durch zwei scheibenförmige Rollen 64 und 65 auf der Achse 66 gebildet.This ensures that there is sufficient space for the chip contacting device 60 in the area of the chip 59 of the card 1 arranged between the sensors 52 and 53 Roller 47 divided and formed by two disc-shaped rollers 64 and 65 on the axis 66.

Die elektrischen Leitungen zur Versorgung der elektrischen Einrichtungen am Rotor 36, also des Motors 50, der Sensoren 52, 53 und der Kodiereinrichtung 60 erfolgt durch ein Bündel von Kabel 67, welches sich mit dem Rotor 36 mitdreht.The electrical lines for supplying the electrical devices on the rotor 36, that is to say the motor 50, the sensors 52, 53 and the coding device 60, are made by a bundle of cables 67, which rotates with the rotor 36.

Wenn die Karte 1 gemäß Figur 1 von dem Thermodruckkopf 17 der Druckstation 2 einseitig bedruckt, ihr Chip 59 mit der Chipkontaktiereinrichtung 60 am Rotor 36 der Wendestation 3 geladen und mit der Wendestation gewendet worden ist, wird sie der Druckstation 2 wieder zugeführt, um sie auf der anderen Seite zu bedrucken. Dazu wird der Transportmotor 50 nach dem Wenden der Karte 1 umgeschaltet, wodurch die Karte ohne Änderung der Drehrichtung der Transportwalzen 46 bis 49 dem Ausgangssensor 9 der Druckstation 2 zugeführt wird, so daß sie entsprechend dem Pfeil B an dem Druckkopf 17 vorbei zum Eingangssensor 8 bewegt wird. D. h., der Ausgangssensor 7 schaltet den Schrittmotor in umgekehrter Umlaufrichtung ein und, wenn die einseitig bedruckte, entsprechend dem Pfeil B in Rücktransportrichtung bewegte Karte 1 den Eingangssensor 8 erreicht hat, schaltet dieser den Schrittmotor in die andere Umlaufrichtung um, so daß die Transporteinrichtung die Karte 1 dem Thermodruckkopf 17 zum Bedrucken der anderen Kartenseite wieder in der Hin-Transportrichtung gemäß dem Pfeil A zuführt.If the card 1 according to FIG. 1 has been printed on one side by the thermal print head 17 of the printing station 2, its chip 59 has been loaded with the chip contacting device 60 on the rotor 36 of the turning station 3 and has been turned with the turning station, it is fed back to the printing station 2 in order to open it to print on the other side. For this purpose, the transport motor 50 is switched over after the card 1 has been turned, whereby the card is fed to the output sensor 9 of the printing station 2 without changing the direction of rotation of the transport rollers 46 to 49, so that it moves past the print head 17 to the input sensor 8 in accordance with the arrow B. becomes. In other words, the output sensor 7 switches the stepper motor on in the reverse direction of rotation and, when the card 1 printed on one side and moved in the return direction according to the arrow B has reached the input sensor 8, this switches the stepper motor in the other direction of rotation, so that the Transport device feeds the card 1 to the thermal print head 17 for printing on the other side of the card again in the forward transport direction according to the arrow A.

Damit die Karte beim Rücktransport vom Ausgangssensor 9 zum Eingangssensor 8 die Thermotransferfolie 20 nicht berührt, ist der Thermodruckkopf 17 gemäß dem Pfeil 68 auf- und abbewegbar ausgebildet, d. h. er wird beim Rücktransport der Karte angehoben.So that the card does not touch the thermal transfer film 20 during the return transport from the output sensor 9 to the input sensor 8, the thermal print head 17 is designed to be movable up and down according to the arrow 68; H. it is raised when the card is returned.

Nachdem die Karte 1 auf beiden Seiten bedruckt worden ist, wird sie erneut den Wendestation 3 zugeführt. Sie kann dann von der Wendestation 3 ungewendet oder gewendet auf der der Druckstation 2 abgewandten Seite der Wendestation 3 ausgegeben werden.After the card 1 has been printed on both sides, it is again fed to the turning station 3. Then she can are issued by the turning station 3 unturned or turned on the side of the turning station 3 facing away from the printing station 2.

Claims (4)

Vorrichtung zum beidseitigen Bedrucken von Identifikationskarten mit einer Druckstation und einer Wendestation zum Wenden und Weitertransport der bedruckten Karte, wobei die Druckstation einen Thermodruckkopf, eine Kartentransporteinrichtung zum schrittweisen Vorbeibewegen der Karte an dem Thermodruckkopf, einen Eingangssensor an ihrer von der Wendestation abgewandten Seite zum Einschalten der Kartentransporteinrichtung bei Zufuhr einer Karte und einen Ausgangssensor zum Ausschalten der Kartentransporteinrichtung aufweist, und die Wendestation einen Rotor mit einer quer zur Kartentransportrichtung verlaufenden Drehachse, eine am Rotor befestigte Kartentransporteinrichtung und eine Einrichtung zum Drehen des Rotors bei zugeführter Karte um 180° aufweist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Kartentransporteinrichtung am Rotor (36) der Wendestation (3) als umlaufende Transporteinrichtung ausgebildet ist, die so gesteuert ist, daß sie die um 180° gewendete, einseitig bedruckte Karte (1) ohne Änderung ihrer Umlaufrichtung der Druckstation (2) wieder zuführt, die Kartentransporteinrichtung der Druckstation (2) zum Rücktransport der Karte (1) vom Ausgangssensor (9) zum Eingangssensor (8) von der Hin- in die Rück-transportrichtung (A bzw. B) umschaltbar ist, der Ausgangssensor (9) bei Zufuhr der gewendeten, einseitig bedruckten Karte (1) von der Wendestation (3) die in die Rücktransportrichtung (B) umgeschaltete Kartentransporteinrichtung der Druckstation (2) einschaltet und der Eingangssensor (8) nach Zufuhr der Karte (1) vom Ausgangssensor (9) die Kartentransporteinrichtung zum Bedrucken der anderen Seite der Karte (1) mit dem Thermodruckkopf (17) und zur Zufuhr der beidseitig bedruckten Karte (1) zur Wendestation (3) in die Hin-Transportrichtung (A) zurückschaltet.Device for double-sided printing of identification cards with a printing station and a turning station for turning and further transport of the printed card, the printing station having a thermal print head, a card transport device for moving the card step by step past the thermal print head, an input sensor on its side facing away from the turning station for switching on the card transport device when a card is supplied and has an output sensor for switching off the card transport device, and the turning station has a rotor with an axis of rotation extending transversely to the card transport direction, a card transport device fastened to the rotor and a device for rotating the rotor with the card supplied by 180 °, characterized in that the card transport device on the rotor (36) of the turning station (3) is designed as a circumferential transport device which is controlled in such a way that it rotates the card (1) printed on one side and turned by 180 ° If the direction of rotation of the printing station (2) is not changed again, the card transport device of the printing station (2) for the return transport of the card (1) from the output sensor (9) to the input sensor (8) from the back to the return transport direction (A or B ) switchable the output sensor (9) switches on the card transport device of the printing station (2) which has been switched over to the return transport direction (B) when the reversed card (1) is turned from the turning station (3) and the input sensor (8) after the card ( 1) from the output sensor (9) the card transport device for printing on the other side of the card (1) with the thermal print head (17) and for feeding the card printed on both sides (1) to the reversing station (3) in the forward transport direction (A). Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Druckstation (2) eine die Karte (1) gegen den Thermodruckkopf (17) drückende Gegendruckwalze (19) aufweist und der Thermodruckkopf (17) und die Gegendruckwalze (19) beim Rücktransport der einseitig bedruckten Karte (1) vom Ausgangssensor (9) zum Eingangssensor (8) voneinander bewegbar sind.Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the printing station (2) has a counter-pressure roller (19) pressing the card (1) against the thermal print head (17) and the thermal print head (17) and the counter-pressure roller (19) during the return transport of the card printed on one side (1) from the output sensor (9) to the input sensor (8) are movable from one another. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Kartentransporteinrichtung und der Rotor (36) der Wendestation (3) so gesteuert sind, daß die beidseitig bedruckte Karte (1) vor ihrem Weitertransport gewendet wird.Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the card transport device and the rotor (36) of the turning station (3) are controlled so that the card (1) printed on both sides is turned over before it is transported further. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß an dem Rotor (36) der Wendestation (3) eine Chipkontaktierungseinrichtung (60) für die Codierung von mit Chips (59) versehenen Karten (1) angeordnet ist.Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a chip contacting device (60) for coding cards (1) provided with chips (59) is arranged on the rotor (36) of the turning station (3).
EP96105910A 1995-04-24 1996-04-15 Device for printing both sides of identification cards Expired - Lifetime EP0739744B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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DE19514999 1995-04-24
DE19514999A DE19514999C2 (en) 1995-04-24 1995-04-24 Device for double-sided printing of identification cards

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EP0739744A3 EP0739744A3 (en) 1998-06-10
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EP (1) EP0739744B1 (en)
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AT (1) ATE203207T1 (en)
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DE (2) DE19514999C2 (en)
ES (1) ES2162959T3 (en)
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DE19514999C2 (en) 1997-08-28
KR960037283A (en) 1996-11-19
ZA963044B (en) 1996-10-22
ES2162959T3 (en) 2002-01-16
DE59607292D1 (en) 2001-08-23
EP0739744A3 (en) 1998-06-10
EP0739744B1 (en) 2001-07-18
ATE203207T1 (en) 2001-08-15
DE19514999A1 (en) 1996-10-31
AU5085096A (en) 1996-11-07
IN186778B (en) 2001-11-03
KR100418096B1 (en) 2004-04-01
US5709484A (en) 1998-01-20
AU698132B2 (en) 1998-10-22

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