Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B37/00—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding
  • B32B37/14—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding characterised by the properties of the layers
  • B32B37/16—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding characterised by the properties of the layers with all layers existing as coherent layers before laminating
  • B32B37/18—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding characterised by the properties of the layers with all layers existing as coherent layers before laminating involving the assembly of discrete sheets or panels only
  • B32B37/182—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding characterised by the properties of the layers with all layers existing as coherent layers before laminating involving the assembly of discrete sheets or panels only one or more of the layers being plastic
  • B32B37/185—Laminating sheets, panels or inserts between two discrete plastic layers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B38/00—Ancillary operations in connection with laminating processes
  • B32B38/18—Handling of layers or the laminate
• • 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
  • 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
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2425/00—Cards, e.g. identity cards, credit cards
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B38/00—Ancillary operations in connection with laminating processes
  • B32B38/14—Printing or colouring
  • B32B38/145—Printing

Definitions

• the present invention relates to ink jet printers. More specifically, the invention relates to an ink jet printer for printing onto an identification card which includes a lamination station for laminating the identification card.
• Identification cards are widely used to carry information relating to the card holder, for example.
• the use of such identification cards is becoming more and more widespread and they are used for many purposes, such as driver licenses, identification badges, etc.
• identification cards have been manufactured using a labor intensive process in which an individual's data was manually stamped or imprinted onto a card. Additionally, in some cases an instant photograph was taken of the subject and adhered or laminated to a card.
• manufacturing of identification cards has become increasingly automated. An individual's data may be obtained from a computer database and formatted by the computer. The formatted information is then provided to a special printer for printing onto the identification card. Subsequently, the identification card may be laminated to protect the printed information.
• Such printers may include, for example, a dye sublimation type printer.
• a dye sublimation type printer for example, the Persona ® identifica ion card printer available from Fargo Electronics, Inc. of Eden Prairie, Minnesota is an example of one type of dye sublimation identification card printer.
• the printed card may be subsequently laminated.
• the expense of identification card printers has prevented the use of identification cards from finding even more widespread use, particularly in small operations or in implementations having a limited budget. In such situations, if identification cards are required, an expensive identification card printer must be obtained which is more suitable for large scale operations ' .
• identification card impression device If this is not possible, a simple, rudimentary prior art identification card impression device must be obtained. Such a device is very limited in its versatility. Alternatively, the identification card must be written out by hand on cardboard, for example, and placed into a plastic sleeve.
• An identification card printer is adapted to receive a supply of identification cards.
• the ink jet printer for printing material on the cards sequentially, and a lamination station for providing a cover laminated over the ink jet printing to protect the printing on the printed card from the environment (i.e., light, water, chemical, abrasion) .
• BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a simplified cross-sectional view of an identification card printer in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
• the present invention provides a low cost, high quality printer for printing identification cards.
• an ink jet printer is used to perform the printing function.
• Ink jet printers are relatively fast, reliable and relatively inexpensive to produce.
• the printer may be coupled to a computer whereby identification cards are inexpensively produced. Further, the production of such cards can be on an as needed basis in which cards are printed on demand and can be immediately put into use.
• the printer of the present invention could be used to produce identification badges at a guard desk at the entrance to an industrial facility.
• most inexpensive identification card printers have required a separate laminating step or the cards have been required to be carried in transparent, waterproof pouches and are sensitive to light, water, chemical or physical abrasion.
• FIG. 1 is a simplified side cross-sectional view of an ink jet identification card printer with a lamination station 100 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
• Printer 100 may be divided into three general areas, printing station 102, intermediary station 104 and laminating station 106.
• Printer 100 is shown coupled to a controller, such as a personal computer 6 which is used to provide information for printing onto an identification card 3 and controlling operation of printer 100.
• a controller such as a personal computer 6 which is used to provide information for printing onto an identification card 3 and controlling operation of printer 100.
• an internal circuit board 12 provides internal control of operation of printer 100.
• Printer 100 includes an input hopper 1 which is adapted for receiving an identification card.
• One such card is the UltraCard 3 coated with the invention described in ink jet printable surface commonly called "Tuff-Coat”TM in the trade available from Fargo Electronics, Inc. of Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
• the identification card 3 comprises a substrate of teslin.
• a thick paper stock is used.
• An input roller 2 moves the identification card 3 from input hopper 1 along an identification card path toward ink jet print head 4.
• Ink jet print head 4 may comprise any type of ink jet print head and may optionally include an ink jet ink cartridge for supplying ink jet ink.
• Print head 4 moves along a rod 5 in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of the path followed by identification card 3.
• Identification card 3 is held in place and moved past print head 4 using pinch or drive rollers 7 and star roller 8.
• Star roller 8 has a plurality of ridges adapted to secure card 3 and maintain registration of card 3 relative to print head 4.
• a circular roller is used which has a substantially circular outer circumference.
• a position sensor (not shown) may also be provided such that the location of card 3 can be monitored as card 3 moves along the card path through printer 100. After printing, card 3 moves out of printing station 102 and into intermediary station 104.
• card 3 is moved through drying/holding area 10 and a fan 11 produces an air flow directed toward card 3. This allows ink from the ink jet print head 4 to dry on card 3.
• Another pinch roller 7 and star roller 8 move card 3 into intermediary station 104 and into a flipping device 9.
• Flipping device 9 rotates about its axis such that card 3 may be selectively moved down into a magnetic card encoder 13 and/or up into a smart card encoder 14. Encoders 13 and 14 draw card 3 inward and include data encoder such that additional data may be encoded onto card 3. Stations other than smart card and magnetic card encoders may be provided. Further, flipper 9 may move card 3 between additional stations as desired. Following the encoding process, flipper 9 moves card 3 out of intermediary station 104 and into laminating station 106.
• Laminating station 106 includes transport rollers 15 which are used to move card 3 therethrough.
• a laminate material 18 is moved between a supply roll 16 and a take up roll 17 past rollers 19 and heater 22.
• laminate material 18 comprises thermal transfer over laminate film available from Fargo
• a platen 23 is provided to press card
• Heater 22 includes an actuator
• laminate material 18 comprises a plurality of individual laminates carried on a web.
• a sensor 20 is provided to sense the position of the individual laminates carried on web 18. Operation of laminating station 106 may be in accordance with that described in U.S. Patent No. 5,807,461, entitled LAMINATION TECHNIQUE which issued September 15, 1998 and is incorporated herein by reference.
• card 3 may be moved back into flipper 12 and the card rotated 180°. This allows both sides of card 3 to be laminated with laminate material 18. Double sided lamination is particularly advantageous with the identification card is made of thin flexible material such as paper, because the extra lamination adds strength to the card. Further, those skilled in the art will recognize that through the use of flipper 12, information may be printed onto both sides of the card 3 using print head 4, or data may be recorded on both sides of card 3 using encoders 13 and 14.
• card 3 is moved to output hopper 14.
• multiple cards may be processed simultaneously with the various cards positioned at various locations within printer 100.
• printer 100 is controlled by circuitry on circuit board 12 in accordance with instructions from PC 6. However, such control can be exclusively with printer 100, exclusively within PC 6 , or shared therebetween.
• flipping mechanism 9 operates in a manner similar to that disclosed in U.S. patent application Serial No. 08/854,969, entitled PRINTER WITH AUXILIARY OPERATION which was filed May 13 , 1997 which is incorporated herein by reference.

Landscapes

• Accessory Devices And Overall Control Thereof (AREA)
• Credit Cards Or The Like (AREA)
• Dot-Matrix Printers And Others (AREA)
• Printers Characterized By Their Purpose (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=22046544

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Families Citing this family (16)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 1998
  • 1998-10-23 WO PCT/US1998/022501 patent/WO1999021713A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1998-10-23 JP JP2000517844A patent/JP2001520952A/ja active Pending
  • 1998-10-23 CN CN98810360A patent/CN1101752C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1998-10-23 EP EP98955085A patent/EP1024957A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1998-10-23 KR KR1020007004301A patent/KR20010024542A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (5)

Non-Patent Citations (3)

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