EP1378330B1 - Apparatus and method for cutting out plastic cards - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for cutting out plastic cards, in particular chip cards, from a sheet or strip material, with an upper and lower, the cutting contour predetermining cutting tool, while maintaining a residual web in a corresponding top and bottom of the sheet or Strip material are designed einschneidbar, according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such cutting devices have been known for some time and are used for cutting plastic with a wide variety of properties but also other non-metallic materials. These cutting devices can produce clippings with a significantly improved dimensional stability and improved cutting edges over conventional punching devices. The dimensional stability is largely independent of the material to be cut, so that problematic to be processed plastics, e.g. multilayer laminate materials that can be cut to size. In addition, with such cutting devices different materials and material thicknesses can be processed without adapting the cutting device to the material in question.

A generic device is known from WO 85 / 01241A1. This device is used for cutting leather, rubber, paper and plastic as well as similar materials. The material to be cut is introduced between two wedge-shaped knives and cut from both sides, wherein the device is designed such that the blades can not touch in their final position. The cutting blades remain in this end position while the cut part is cut out of the starting material. To cut out a running between the wedge-shaped knives punch pushes the cut part down and thereby cuts the remaining between the separated part and the starting material web. After separation, the part is located between the lower wedge-shaped knives, from where it can be removed.

Such devices are already used among others to plastic cards, in particular smart cards, for which a high dimensional accuracy is required from cut one or more layers of plastic strip. The increasing importance of smart cards and plastic cards with multiple functions, especially from multi-layer laminates with different materials for the individual laminate layers, leads by higher volumes and progressive automation to a need for improvement and a necessary adjustment of the cutting device to the increased requirements.

The present invention is based on the object to provide a device for cutting out plastic cards of the type mentioned, which is designed improved in terms of increased requirements for the production and production quality of plastic cards.

This object is achieved by the features of claim 1.

An arrangement of several cutting tools side by side allows the simultaneous cutting out several plastic cards in a cutting and separating step. Also, the sheet material for the plastic cards, in addition to smart cards can this example. also telephone and customer cards or check and credit cards are processed directly in a device with several juxtaposed cutting tools. A separation of the sheet or strip material into individual strips is not required. The simultaneous cutting out of multiple plastic cards reduces the unusable waste of the sheet or strip material, since between the juxtaposed plastic cards, in contrast to conventionally processed individual strips, only one edge strip is needed.

A preferred embodiment provides that between a top and bottom cutting tool a fixing device for positioning and holding the sheet or strip material is provided at least during the cutting process. The fixation of the sheet or strip material during the cutting process improves the dimensional accuracy of the plastic cards, especially with several juxtaposed cutting tools.

For secure positioning and fixing of the sheet or strip material during the cutting process, the fixing device may consist of an upper and a lower guide frame element.

Conveniently, the guide frame elements of at least two adjacent cutting tools can be connected to a jointly movable guide frame. The connection of the individual guide frame elements to a common guide frame reduces the design effort for the storage of the guide frame. Also can be avoided by the connection of the individual guide frame elements problems in fixing the sheet or strip material by juxtaposed frame members, since the connected frame elements fix the material at the same time.

An advantageous embodiment provides that the guide frame is resiliently mounted. The resilient mounting of the guide frame allows a uniform fixing of the sheet or strip material, taking into account the respective individual configuration of the region of the sheet or strip material to be cut.

In order to realize shorter distances between the juxtaposed cutting tools and thus to allow better utilization of the sheet or strip material, the guide frame may be formed as a unitary component.

An expedient embodiment provides that the cutting tools each have a, the cutting contour predetermining wedge-shaped cutting blade and the respectively associated guide frame member has a window, wherein the cutting blade is designed to be retractable in the associated window. This allows the guide frame element to fix the sheet or strip material during the cutting process, whereby the cuts on the top and bottom of the sheet or strip material are exactly above the other and allow a clean offset-free cut edge.

Advantageously, the guide frame may comprise at least two juxtaposed windows, which are separated by connecting struts. The formation of a connecting strut between the juxtaposed windows of the guide frame allows small distances of herauszutrennenden plastic cards on the sheet or strip material and thus a good utilization of the material.

A variant provides that the connecting struts of the guide frame are formed by exchangeable rods. The connecting struts form a weak point in the guide frame, which is counteracted by the formation of the connecting struts as round rods and their interchangeability.

To realize even smaller distances between the juxtaposed cutting tools and thus to allow even better utilization of the sheet or strip material, the connecting struts may have a width of 2 to 5 times the thickness of the plastic cards.

A favorable embodiment provides that the cutting tools have a rectangular circumferential cutting contour with a longer and a shorter side, and the shorter sides of the juxtaposed cutting tools are aligned parallel to each other. The arrangement of the shorter sides of the cutting tools side by side leads by short connecting struts to a greater stability of the guide frame and thus also to a better fixing of the sheet or strip material.

A modification provides that between two adjacent wedge-shaped cutting blades a groove for receiving the connecting struts is formed during the cutting process. Through the groove between the juxtaposed wedge-shaped cutting blades, the cutting tools are able to cut in spite of the fixation of the sheet or strip material through the guide frame with connecting struts through several plastic cards simultaneously.

An advantage is further that the depth of the groove is made larger than the height of the connecting struts. By the shots of the connecting struts in the groove between the wedge-shaped cutting blades problem-free cutting and separating the plastic cards is possible despite the closely spaced wedge-shaped cutting blades. It is particularly advantageous if the depth of the groove corresponds at least to the height of the connecting struts plus half the thickness of the plastic cards.

A preferred embodiment provides that at least one lower and / or associated upper cutting tool is arranged on a base plate and this base plate has at least one coaxially arranged to the cutting contour of a cutting tool window, wherein the opening surface of the window corresponds at least to the surface defined by the cutting contour. These windows arranged on the base plate are suitable for passing the separated plastic cards in an area below the device. Thus, the plastic cards do not remain in the device or in the sheet or strip material. The cutting and separating plastic cards can be done without taking into account the location of already separated plastic cards in the device or in the sheet or strip material.

A modification of the device with a plunger, which is plunged into the cutting contour for separating out the precut plastic cards from the sheet or strip material provides that a vent for the existing between plunger and plastic card or enclosed air and is designed such in that a pressure difference of the pressure between the pressure stamp and the plastic card during the separation process is limited to the ambient pressure to a predetermined value. To remove the plastic card from the sheet or strip material of the plunger emerges from its rest position in the cutting contour of a cutting tool. The plunger then continues to enter the cutting contour until it hits the cut plastic card and pushes it out of the sheet or strip material destroying the residual web. Thereafter, the direction of movement of the plunger rotates and the plunger slides back through the cutting contour to his starting position. After immersing the plunger in the cutting contour, the trapped air is compressed by the moving in the direction of the plastic card plunger, while building up a negative pressure in the return movement of the plunger below the plunger. To ensure a safe process flow, the pressure difference between the pressure of the existing between plunger and plastic card air to ambient pressure should be limited to a predetermined value.

The vent can be designed to limit the value of the pressure difference to the ambient pressure such that a disturbing influence of the air between plunger and plastic card is limited to the separation process of the plastic card to a minimum. By such venting repercussions of the compressed during the separation process between plunger and plastic cards air to the plunger or the plastic card are avoided. Such disturbances e.g. the uneven movement of the plunger, an uncontrolled movement of the plastic card or premature detachment of the plastic card, especially at high process speeds can lead to uneven separation of the plastic cards.

An advantageous embodiment provides that the vent is designed such that a suction effect of the plunger is limited when moving back to the separation of the plastic cards to a minimum. Such a vent avoids the squeezing and whirling of the plastic cards by the return movement of the plunger and the resulting risk of disruption of the production process by tilting the plastic cards with the tracked sheet or strip material after pressing out the card.

Conveniently, the distance between plunger and wedge-shaped cutting blade during the cutting process may be less than the thickness of the plastic cards, preferably less than 0.3 mm. The small distance between the plunger and the cutting blade allows for a clean cutting edge and prevents jamming of the plastic cards when cutting out between the cutting blade and the plunger.

One embodiment provides that the plunger has an end face which is in contact with the plastic card when being cut out and is provided with at least one bore open towards the end face in order to design the vent. Through the hole in the face a simple ventilation is realized without affecting the design of the face.

For uniform venting, the bores on the end face can be arranged symmetrically to the longitudinal and transverse axes of the end face extending parallel to the side edges of the end face.

For a lateral air guide along the side edges of the end face and the plunger, the vent can be configured by a three-dimensional contouring on the end face.

For an improved separation process of the incised plastic cards by starting at the corners peeling the cards from the sheet or strip material raised corner areas of the faces together span an imaginary plane and run intervening side edges opposite the imaginary plane. The venting in the area of the end face takes place over the deeper side edges.

A further embodiment provides that the vent has at least one groove arranged on the end face. In constructive solutions do not allow the holes in the pressure surface or in which such holes are not desired, or to support the venting by contouring a sufficient ventilation of existing between plunger and plastic card air can be made possible by grooves in the face, the grooves Advantageously extend to the side edges of the end face.

An expedient embodiment provides that the vent comprises air ducts on the cutting tools. By air channels on the cutting tools can be particularly in a targeted design of the plunger, For example, by a three-dimensional contouring on the end face or by arranged on this grooves, achieve a particularly good air flow.

An inventive method for separating plastic cards from a sheet or strip material comprises the features of claim 23. With this method can be implemented in a device for separating plastic cards high volumes, the time required per plastic card compared to conventional methods is lower.

For a simple and accelerated procedure, at least two plastic cards can be positively locked, forcibly cut in and then pushed out at the same time.

A preferred embodiment of the method provides that, when the plastic cards are pressed out, a ventilation takes place which limits an influence of the air movement generated by the pressure stamp on the pushing out and the direction of ejection of the plastic cards to a minimum. This vent allows a faster separation of the plastic cards from the sheet or strip material and thus a total once again accelerated process flow, as a jamming or jamming of the plastic cards is avoided in the device by the vent.

Conveniently, the pushing out of the plastic cards from the sheet or strip material can be done by means of a peeling movement. In this peeling movement, the force for separating out the plastic card is initially applied selectively to at least one point in the region of the plastic card, preferably in the region of the corners. The applied force leads in these points to a detachment of the incised plastic cards from the sheet or strip material, or to a severing of the remaining residual web in these areas. In a further introduction of force, the plastic card is peeled from the sheet or strip material starting from the points of the first application of force along the incised cutting contour, similar to a pulling cut. The peeling of the plastic cards from the sheet or strip material allows clean cut edges of the plastic cards. Particularly suitable for peeling the plastic cards are plunger with three-dimensionally contoured faces, with raised corner areas of the face similar to a crown contour have been found to be particularly suitable because the tips of the contoured face attack at the corners of the plastic card and the force is distributed to several points ,

Figur 1

eine Schnittzeichnung durch einen frontseitigen Ausschnitt der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung zum Heraustrennen von Kunststoffkarten,

Figur 2

eine Schnittzeichnung durch einen seitlichen Ausschnitt der Vorrichtung aus Figur 1,

Figur 3

eine Vorrichtung gemäß Figur 1 mit eingeschnittenen Schneidmessern,

Figur 4

eine Vorrichtung gemäß Figur 2 mit eingeschnittenen Schneidmessern,

Figur 5

eine Vorrichtung gemäß Figur 3 mit Druckstempel zum Heraustrennen der Kunststoffkarten,

Figur 6

eine Vorrichtung gemäß Figur 4 mit Druckstempel zum Heraustrennen der Kunststoffkarten,

Figur 7

eine auseinandergezogene perspektivische Ansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung zum Heraustrennen von Kunststoffkarten, und

Figur 8

eine perspektivische Ansicht der montierten Vorrichtung aus Figur 7.

In the following, embodiments of the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing. Show it:

FIG. 1

a sectional drawing through a front-side section of the device according to the invention for cutting out plastic cards,

FIG. 2

a sectional view through a side section of the device of Figure 1,

FIG. 3

a device according to Figure 1 with cut cutting blades,

FIG. 4

a device according to Figure 2 with cut cutting blades,

FIG. 5

a device according to FIG. 3 with a plunger for cutting out the plastic cards,

FIG. 6

a device according to FIG. 4 with a plunger for cutting out the plastic cards,

FIG. 7

an exploded perspective view of a device according to the invention for the separation of plastic cards, and

FIG. 8

a perspective view of the assembled device of Figure 7.

The sectional drawings of a device according to the invention shown in Figures 1 to 6 describe the functional principle of the positively coupled separating out of several plastic cards from a plastic sheet 1. The device comprises two upper and two lower cutting tools with a rectangular circumferential cutting contour and in each case an upper and lower guide frame 2. Die Guide frames 2 comprise a strut 3 positioned between the juxtaposed cutting tools 4. The cutting tools 4 comprise circumferential wedge-shaped cutting blades 5 forming the cutting contour, the cutting tools 4 being able to be inserted into the guide frame elements formed by the outer frame parts of the guide frame 2 and the strut 3 with only slight play are designed. The front and side view shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 show the fixation of the plastic sheet 1 by the upper and lower guide frame 2. The cutting tools are thereby in their initial position, i. the cutting blades 4 are not in engagement with the plastic sheet. 1

Figures 3 and 4 show the inventive device for cutting out plastic cards with compressed cutting tools 4. The upper and lower cutting tools 4 cut into the corresponding upper and lower sides of the plastic sheet 1 a. In this case, the upper and lower cutting tools 4 do not touch. Between the upper and lower cutting blades 5, a small residual web of the plastic material remains, which continues to connect the cut plastic card with the plastic sheet 1 circumferentially. The contour of the plastic card is predetermined by the rectangular circumferential cutting contour of the cutting tools 4. The upper and lower cutting blades 5 are exactly above each other during the cutting process, so that no offset arises between the upper and lower incised contour of the plastic card. During the cutting process is the Plastic sheet 1 is still fixed by the upper and lower guide frame 2.

In the figure, 5 and 6, in addition to the fixed by the guide frame 2 and cut by the cutting tools 4 plastic sheet 1, the plunger 6 for cutting out the plastic cards from the plastic sheet 1 can be seen. The end face 7 of the plunger 6 is located between the cutting contour forming cutting blades 5 of the upper cutting tools 4. In this case, the end face 7 fills almost the entire cutting contour, so that between the end face. 7 and cutting blade 5 only a small gap remains. The surface of the end face 7 facing the plastic card has a contouring for guiding the air present or flowing in between the pressure stamp 6 and the plastic card. In this case, the corner regions of the end face 7 are higher than the intermediate side regions of the end face 7. To separate the plastic card from the plastic sheet 1, the end face 7 of the plunger 6 is pressed by the lifting cylinder 8 in the direction of the incised plastic card. The corner regions of the end face 7 touch the plastic card first. In a further extension of the lifting cylinder 8 of the residual web between the plastic card and plastic sheet 1 is cut starting at the corners and peels the plastic card from the fixed by the upper and lower guide frame 2 plastic sheet 1. The separated plastic card falls down out of the device.

FIG. 7 shows an exploded perspective view of a device according to the invention for cutting out plastic cards with three longitudinally juxtaposed cutting tools 4. This device is mounted on an elongate base plate 10. This cuboidal base plate has on both short sides in each case two bearing bolts 11 fastened perpendicularly to the base plate 10, on each of which a cylindrical bearing sleeve 12 is arranged so as to be displaceable coaxially. The base plate 10 has three longitudinally juxtaposed openings 13 through which fall out the plastic cards cut out of the device. The openings 13 are each separated by a web of the base plate 10. Above the openings 13, a cutting tool 4 is arranged in each case and attached to the base plate 10. The cutting tools 4 are designed so that between the adjacent wedge-shaped cutting blades 5 of the juxtaposed cutting tools 4, a groove for receiving the strut 3 of the guide frame 2 is formed. Above the lower cutting tools 4, the lower guide frame 2 is arranged in such a manner that the struts 3 of the guide frame 2 fit into the grooves between the cutting tools 4. The lower guide frame 2 is provided on its longitudinal sides with two vertically arranged sliding pins 14 which engage in corresponding sliding sleeves 15. These sliding sleeves 15 are fixed in holes 16 on the base plate 10. On both longitudinal sides of the lower guide frame 2, three springs 17 are mounted centrally and on the outer sides. These springs 17 are based in corresponding blind holes 18 on the base plate 10 from.

The upper guide frame 2 and the upper juxtaposed cutting tools 4 are arranged in mirror image to the lower elements on a likewise elongate cutting plate 20. This cutting plate 20 has on its short sides in each case two holes 21 for receiving the bearing sleeves 12. The cutting plate 20 has in contrast to the base plate 10 instead of the openings 13 three longitudinally juxtaposed plunger 6. The plunger 6 each consist of an end face 7 or a lifting cylinder 8. The plunger 6 are arranged in the cutting plate 20, that the end face 7 fits exactly into the cutting contour of the cutting tool 4. Figure 8 shows a view of a mounted device.

The cutting tools 4 are individually removably mounted in the base plate 10 and the cutting plate 20 so that they can be replaced independently of each other in case of damage or wear of the wedge-shaped cutting blade 5. All of the upper and lower cutting tools 4, as well as both the upper and lower guide frames 2 and the plungers 6, are identical components, thereby reducing the number of components necessary for manufacture and spare parts storage.

For cutting and separating plastic cards, a plastic sheet 1 is moved over one of the longitudinal sides into the invention shown in FIG. 7 and FIG Device introduced. The plastic sheet 1 extends at least over the width of the three juxtaposed cutting tools 4. If the plastic sheet 1 in the device is fixed by a pressure on the cutting plate 20 of the plastic sheet 1 between the spring-mounted upper and lower guide frame 2. By a further pressure on the cutting plate 20, the contour of the plastic card is cut by the upper and lower cutting tools from above and from below into the plastic sheet. The cutting tools 4 and the guide frame 2 remain in this position, while the end face 7 of the plunger 6 pushes through the lifting cylinder 8 through the upper cutting tools 4 through the plastic card from the plastic sheet 1, while the remaining between the upper and lower wedge-shaped cutting blade 5 web divided between plastic card and plastic sheet 1. The plastic card drops down through the openings 13 in the base plate 10 out of the device. After separating out the plastic card, the end face 7 is withdrawn by the lifting cylinder 8 in its initial position and the pressure on the cutting plate 20 relieved. The guide frame 2 release the plastic sheet 1 so that it can be repositioned between the guide frame 2 before the device fixes the plastic sheet 1 again and separates out further plastic cards.

Claims (25)

1. Device for the separation of plastic cards, especially chip cards, from a sheet or strip material, with an upper and lower cutting tool defining the cutting outline which are designed to cut into a corresponding upper and lower side of the sheet or strip material, while retaining a residual cross-piece, and comprising a pressure stamp that can plunge into the cutting outline for separating out the cut plastic cards from the sheet or strip material, and which has a front end face which is in contact with the plastic card during separation, wherein at least two upper and at least two lower cutting tools assigned in each case next to each other are provided for the forcibly coupled separation of several plastic cards, a ventilation is provided for the air present or enclosed between the pressure stamp and the plastic card and that this is formed by a three-dimensional outline on the front end face in a manner that a pressure difference between the pressure of the air present between the pressure stamp and the plastic card during the separation process and the ambient pressure is limited to a predetermined value.
2. Device according to Claim 1,
   characterized in that the ventilation to limit the value of the pressure difference to the ambient pressure is formed such that any disruptive influence of the air present or enclosed between the pressure stamp and the plastic card during separation of the plastic card is kept to a minimum.
3. Device according to Claim 1 or 2,
   characterized in that the ventilation is formed such that any suction effect from the pressure stamp on moving back after the separation of the plastic card is kept to a minimum.
4. Device according to one of the Claims 1 to 3,
   characterized in that the distance between the pressure stamp and the wedge-shaped cutting blade during cutting process is less than the thickness of the plastic cards, and preferably less than 0.3 mm.
5. Device according to one of the Claims 1 to 4,
   characterized in that the pressure stamp has a front surface that is in contact with the plastic card during separation and is provided with at least one bored hole open to the front surface to provide ventilation.
6. Device according to Claim 5,
   characterized in that the bored holes in the front surface are symmetrical to the longitudinal and transverse axes of the front surface running parallel to the side edges of the front surface.
7. Device according to Claims 1 to 6,
   characterized in that raised corner areas of the front surface span jointly a conceived area and that side edges in between are set back in relation to the conceived area.
8. Device according to one of the Claims 1 to 7,
   characterized in that the ventilation has at least one groove on the front surface.
9. Device according to one of the Claims 1 to 8,
   characterized in that the ventilation includes air ducts at the cutting tools.
10. Device according to Claims 1 to 9,
    characterized in that between an upper and a lower cutting tool a fixing device for the positioning and holding of the sheet or strip material is provided at least during the cutting process.
11. Device according to Claim 10,
    characterized in that the fixing device consists of an upper and a lower guide frame element.
12. Device according to Claim 11,
    characterized in that the guide frame elements of at least two adjacent cutting tools are linked to form a jointly movable guide frame element.
13. Device according to Claim 12,
    characterized in that the guide frame is spring supported.
14. Device according to Claims 12 or 13,
    characterized in that the guide frame is formed as a single component.
15. Device according to one of the Claims 11 to 14,
    characterized in that the cutting tools each have a wedge-shaped cutting blade defining the cutting outline and the guide frame element assigned in each case has a window, whereby the cutting blade is formed such that it can move into the assigned window.
16. Device according to Claim 15,
    characterized in that the guide frame has at least two adjacent windows which are separated from each other by connecting struts.
17. Device according to Claim 16,
    characterized in that the connecting struts of the guide frame are formed as replaceable round bars.
18. Device according to Claim 16 or 17,
    characterized in that the connecting struts have a width of 2 to 5 times the thickness of the plastic cards.
19. Device according to one of the Claims 1 to 18,
    characterized in that the cutting tools have a cutting outline running round in a rectangle with a longer and a shorter side and the shorter sides of the adjacent cutting tools are aligned parallel to each other.
20. Device according to Claim 19,
    characterized in that between two adjacent wedge-shaped cutting blades a groove is formed to incorporate the connecting strut during the cutting process.
21. Device according to Claim 20,
    characterized in that the depth of groove is greater than the height of the connecting struts.
22. Device according to one of the Claims 1 to 21,
    characterized in that at least a lower and/or an assigned upper cutting tool is/are arranged on a base plate and said base plate comprises at least a window coaxially arranged relative to the cutting outline of a cutting tool, the opening area of the window corresponding at least to the area formed by the cutting outline.
23. Method for the separation of plastic cards with one of the devices from the Claims 1 to 22 with the following stages:

    - Fixing the sheet or strip material,

    - Cutting the upper and lower side of the sheet or strip material with the assigned upper and lower cutting tools defining the cutting outline, while retaining a residual cross-piece;

    - Pressing out of the plastic cards from the sheet or strip material,

    characterized in that at least two plastic cards are separated forcibly coupled out from the sheet or strip material at the same time and as the plastic cards are being pressed out, ventilation is carried out by a three-dimensional outline on the front end of the pressure stamp, which limits any effect of the air movement created by the pressure stamp on the pressing out and the direction of ejection of the plastic cards to a minimum..
24. Method according to Claim 23,
    characterized in that at least two plastic cards are fixed forcibly coupled, cut forcibly coupled and then pressed out at the same time.
25. Method according to Claim 23 or 24,
    characterized in that the pressing out of the plastic cards from the sheet or strip material is carried out by means of a peeling movement.

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