JP2003094864A - Card forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To form a card with face image having an image protective layer of a high quality. SOLUTION: A card forming apparatus comprises a card supply means 1 for supplying the card 30, a card forming means 5 for executing a predetermined process on the card 30 supplied from the means 1 to discharge the card 30, and a controller 6 for controlling inputting/outputting of the means 1 and the means 5. The controller 6 senses a supply mount of the card 30 from the means 1 to the means 5 and a discharge amount of the cards 30 from the means 5, calculates a dwelling amount of the card 30 dwelling in the means 5, compares the dwelling amount with a preset allowed amount, and controls the means 1 so that the card supply to the means 5 is stood by when the dwelling amount exceeds the allowed amount. With this constitution, a predetermined amount of the cards 30 can be always supplied to the means 5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a card making apparatus suitable for application to the manufacture of a face-image-bearing card having an image protection layer, which is required to prevent forgery / alteration.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in the service industries such as government offices, banks, companies, medical institutions and schools, ID cards, passports, alien registration cards, library cards, cash cards, credit cards, automobile licenses, etc. ID cards such as licenses, employee IDs, employee IDs, membership IDs, medical cards and student IDs are becoming widespread. In this type of ID card, a face image for personal identification and a character information image such as characters and symbols relating to the owner are recorded. For this reason,
In many cases, printing for the purpose of preventing forgery / alteration of the ID card is performed.

Normally, the face image is a sublimation type thermal transfer recording system,
An image forming apparatus such as a silver halide color photographic system is used to form a full-color image having multiple gradations. Further, the character information image is composed of a binary image, for example,
It is formed by a fusion type thermal transfer recording system, a sublimation type thermal transfer recording system, a silver halide color photographic system, an electrophotographic system, an ink jet system or the like. Further, holograms, fine prints, etc. are adopted for the purpose of preventing forgery / alteration. In addition, the ID card is preliminarily subjected to standard format printing as required.

In order to protect these face images and character images, a protective layer is provided on the surface of the ID card, if necessary. Examples of the protective layer provided on the ID card include JP-A-6-222535 and JP-A-6-222536.
No. 6-222537, a method of applying a UV-curable resin on the surface of a card and then irradiating it with ultraviolet rays (UV) to cure the resin to form a protective layer, and JP-A-2-139551. A method of providing a laminate protective layer as described above, a method of applying an isocyanate compound on a photographic surface of silver halide and then heat curing to provide a protective layer, and a curable transfer as described in JP-A-8-224982. A method of transferring a foil member to provide a transfer protection layer is disclosed.

[0005]

By the way, according to the conventional ID card producing apparatus, the surface protective layer is formed by transferring the curable transfer foil member (hereinafter also simply referred to as a protective member) to the card after the image formation. However, there are the following problems.

When the cards after the image formation are continuously fed into the transfer device, when the transfer processing cannot be completed in the device, the card may be clogged, causing trouble in the transfer device. .

A card-making device of this type uses a roll of a protective member. However, the transfer processing pitch changes due to the change in the winding diameter, the distance between the cards increases, and a large amount of unused protective member occurs, resulting in a large loss portion.

The protective member (ribbon) is generally formed to have sufficient strength. However, when transferring the protective member to the surface of the card, it is necessary to prevent the protective member from being attached to other than the surface of the card. In particular, if an extra protective member extends out to the rear end (tail end) or the side surface of the card, fragments of the protective member may fall into the device and adversely affect the finished quality.

Further, according to the method of forming the surface protective layer by applying the UV liquid and irradiating with the UV light, when the card is clogged in the apparatus, the undried card must be taken out as it is, and the operator cannot remove it. It is a heavy burden. Moreover, it takes time to adjust the coating amount of the ultraviolet curable resin.

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a card making apparatus capable of making a face image-containing card with a high quality image protective layer.

[0011]

In order to solve the above problems, a first card making apparatus according to the present invention is an apparatus for making a card by performing a predetermined process, and supplying a card. Means, a card forming means for subjecting the card supplied from the card supplying means to predetermined processing and discharging, and a controller for controlling input / output of the card supplying means and the card forming means. Is the amount of cards supplied from the card supply means to the card forming means,
When the amount of the card discharged from the card forming means is detected, the amount of stay of the card staying in the card forming means is calculated, and the preset amount of allowance is compared with the amount of stay. When the amount of stay exceeds the allowable amount Is characterized by controlling the card supply means so as to wait for the card supply to the card forming means.

According to the first card making apparatus of the present invention, it is premised that the control device controls the input / output of the card supplying means and the card forming means when the card is made by performing the predetermined processing. Then, the card is supplied from the card supply means to the card forming means. In the card forming means, the card supplied from the card supplying means is subjected to a predetermined process and discharged. The controller detects the supply amount of the card from the card supply unit to the card forming unit and the discharge amount of the card from the card forming unit, calculates the stay amount of the card staying in the card forming unit, and sets the preset amount. The allowable amount and the stay amount are compared, and when the stay amount exceeds the allowable amount, the card supply means is controlled so as to wait for the card supply to the card forming means.

Therefore, it is possible to always supply a fixed amount of cards to the card forming means. Moreover, since it is possible to eliminate the situation where the card forming means processes a certain amount of cards or more, it is possible to prevent troubles caused by this. As a result, it is possible to create a face image-containing card with a high-quality image protection layer.

A second card making apparatus according to the present invention is an apparatus for making a card by transferring a predetermined protective member,
A member supply means having a protection member wound in a roll shape, a drive means for driving the protection member in the member supply means in forward and reverse directions, and a winding detection means for detecting a winding diameter of the protection member, And a control device that controls the drive means based on the detection information relating to the winding diameter obtained from the winding detection means.

According to the second card making apparatus of the present invention, in the case of making a card by transferring a predetermined protection member, the protection member is wound into a roll by the member supply means, and this member is formed. Assuming that the protective member in the supply means is driven in the forward and reverse directions by the drive means,
The winding detection means detects the winding diameter of the protective member. The control device controls the drive means based on the detection information on the winding diameter.

Therefore, after transfer processing of one card,
It is possible to perform drive control such that the protective member is rewound to an unused portion. This makes it possible to quantify the reverse feed amount of the protective member and eliminate the generation of the protective member that is not transferred to the card and is not used. As a result, the protective film can be used without waste, so that a face-image-containing card with a high-quality image protective layer can be manufactured at low cost.

A third card making apparatus according to the present invention is an apparatus for making a card by transferring a predetermined protective member,
A casing having an insertion port and a discharge port for the card, and a transport means for transporting the card from the insertion port of the chassis to the discharge port,
A member supply means for supplying a protection member to the card conveyed by the conveyance means, and a transfer means for transferring the protection member supplied by the member supply means onto the card,
When the transfer speed of the protection member by the transfer means is V1 and at least the card discharge speed by the transport means is V2, V1 <V2 is defined.

According to the third card making apparatus of the present invention, in the case of making a card by transferring a predetermined protective member, in a case having an insertion port and an ejection port for the card, the card is conveyed. The means conveys the card from the insertion port of the housing to the ejection port. The protection member is supplied by the member supplying means to the card conveyed by the conveying means. The protection member supplied by the member supply unit is transferred to the card by the transfer unit.

Assuming this, when the transfer speed of the protective member by the transfer means is V1 and the card discharge speed by the transfer means is V2, V1 <V2 is established, so that the transfer speed V1 at the tail end of the card is Difference V from discharge speed V2
With 2-V1, it is possible to cut the protective member with good reproducibility without generating burrs as in the conventional method. As a result, it is possible to create a face image-containing card with a high-quality image protection layer.

[0020]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A card making apparatus as an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (1) First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration example of a card making apparatus 100 as a first embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, when a card is created by performing a predetermined process, a control device for controlling the input / output of the card supply means and the card forming means is provided, and this control device supplies the card supply amount to the card forming means, Detecting the discharge amount of the card from the card forming means, calculating the stay amount of the card in the card forming means, comparing the preset allowable amount with the stay amount, and when the stay amount exceeds the allowable amount, By making the supply of cards to the card forming means stand by, it is possible to always supply a certain amount of cards to the card forming means and to prevent troubles caused by processing a certain amount or more of cards. It was done.

The first card making apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 is an apparatus for making a card 30 by performing a predetermined process.
This processing includes the case of forming an image on a desired card 30 and the case of forming the protective member 2 on the card after the image formation.

The card making apparatus 100 has at least a card supply means 1, a card forming means 5 and a control device 6. Of course, the card preprocessing unit 3 may be connected to the stage before the card supply means 1 for use. For example, when the card forming means 5 is limited to the protective film forming function, the card pretreatment unit 3 is configured by an image forming apparatus.

The card supplying means 1 is adapted to supply the card 30 after the image formation to the card forming means 5. As the card supply means 1, one having a function of making the card 30 stand by on the basis of the standby control signal S3 is used according to the progress of the card formation.

A card forming means 5 is provided on the downstream side of the card supply means 1, and the card 30 supplied from the card supply means 1 is subjected to a predetermined process, for example, a protection member 2 on the card.
It is designed to be discharged. The card forming means 5 has a member supplying means 4, a housing 15, a transfer means 17, and a conveying means 40.

The housing 15 is provided with an insertion opening 25 for taking in the card 30 and an ejection opening 26 for ejecting the card 30 having the protective film formed thereon. The member supply means 4 supplies the protective member 2 to the card 30 conveyed by the conveying means 40. A cassette type transfer cartridge or the like is used as the member supply means 4.

A transfer means 17 is provided at a predetermined position above the conveying means 40, and the protection member 2 supplied by the member supply means 4 is transferred onto the card 30 based on the transfer control signal S5. As the protective member 2, a transfer foil with a hologram wound in a roll shape or the like is used. A conveying unit 40 is provided below the member supplying unit 4, the transfer unit 17, and the like, and conveys the card 30 from the insertion port 25 of the housing 15 to the ejection port 26 based on the conveyance control signal S4.

In the case 15, the first part is provided near the insertion opening 25.
Is provided to detect the supply amount of the card 30 to the card forming means 5. For example, the acceptance detection signal S1 is output to the control device 6.
A second detection means 9 is provided near the discharge port 26 of the housing 15 so as to detect the discharge amount of the card 30 from the card forming means 5. Here, the discharge detection signal S2 is output to the control device 6. In the control device 6, the acceptance detection signal S
1 and the discharge detection signal S2 are processed as detection information.

A controller 6 is connected to the card supply means 1, the card forming means 5, and the first and second detecting means 8 and 9 described above, and the input / output of these means 1, 5, 8, 9 is performed. Is controlled. In the control device 6, the supply amount of the card 30 from the card supplying means 1 to the card forming means 5,
The stay amount of the card 30 is calculated by detecting the discharge amount of the card 30 from the card forming unit 5 and calculating the stay amount of the card 30 staying in the card forming unit 5, and comparing the preset allowable amount with the stay amount. When the capacity is exceeded, the card supply means 1 is controlled so as to wait for the card supply to the card forming means 5.

A fixed card 3 in the card forming means 5
This is because 0 is stayed and the situation of processing a certain amount of cards 30 or more is eliminated. Allowable amount is card forming means 5
The permissible amount is set externally, depending on the processing capacity of.

Next, an example of processing in the card making apparatus 100 will be described. FIG. 2 shows a card making device 100.
5 is a flowchart showing a processing example in FIG. In this embodiment, when the card 30 is created by performing a predetermined process, the card supplying unit 1 supplies the card 30 to the card forming unit 5, and the card forming unit 5 performs the predetermined process on the card 30. It is premised on applying and discharging.
Of course, the conveying means 40 is adapted to receive the card 30 from the card supplying means 1 and convey it to the card forming means 5.

Further, it is premised that the control device 6 controls the input / output of the card supplying means 1 and the card forming means 5 based on the detection information obtained from the first and second detecting means 8 and 9. The allowable amount in the card forming means 5 is preset from the outside according to the processing capacity of the card forming means 5.

Under this control condition, the supply and discharge of the card 30 is monitored in step A1 of the flowchart shown in FIG. The first detection means 8 detects the card insertion and outputs the acceptance detection signal S1 to the control device 6. Second
The detection means 9 detects the card ejection, and outputs an ejection detection signal S2 to the control device 6.

In parallel with this, in step A2, the control device 6 inputs the acceptance detection signal S1 from the first detection means 8 and the ejection detection signal S2 from the second detection means 9. The control device 6 detects the supply amount of the card 30 from the card supply means 1 to the card forming means 5 based on the detection information obtained by digitally processing the acceptance detection signal S1. Further, the discharge amount of the card 30 from the card forming means 5 is detected based on the detection information obtained by digitally processing the discharge detection signal S2.

Then, in step A3, the controller 6 calculates the stay amount of the card 30 staying in the card forming means 5. The stay amount is calculated by subtracting the emission amount from the supply amount. Then, in step A4, the preset allowable amount is compared with the stay amount. When the stay amount does not exceed the allowable amount, the process proceeds to step A5, and the non-inverted standby control signal S3 for continuing the card supply to the card forming means 5 is output to the card supply means 1. On the contrary, when the stay amount exceeds the allowable amount, the process proceeds to step A6 and the reverse standby control signal S3 for waiting for the card supply to the card forming means 5 is output to the card supply means 1. As a result, the card supply means 1 waits for the card supply to the card forming means 5 based on the reverse standby control signal S3.

As described above, according to the card creating apparatus 100 as the first embodiment of the present invention, the controller 6 is used when the card 30 is created by performing the predetermined processing.
Then, the input / output of the card supplying means 1 and the card forming means 5 is controlled based on the detection information obtained from the first and second detecting means 8 and 9.

Therefore, it is possible to always supply a fixed amount of cards 30 to the card forming means 5. Thereby, the transportation process of the card 30 can be stabilized. Since it is possible to eliminate the situation where the card forming means 5 processes a certain amount of cards 30 or more, it is possible to prevent troubles caused by this. The quality of the card 30 can be stabilized.

[Embodiment] FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration example of an ID card printer 200 as an embodiment according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a structural example of the ID card 30 created by the ID card printer 200. In this embodiment, an ID card printer 200, which is an example of a first card making apparatus, is configured so that a transparent curable protective member is transferred onto a card substrate 11 to manufacture an ID card 30 with a protective film function. It is the one.

The ID card printer 200 shown in FIG. 3 forms the curable protective layer 12 having the hologram image 13 shown in FIG. 4 on the ID card 30. The printer 2
00 includes an image forming apparatus 301 which is an example of a card pre-processing unit, a control device 6, a card standby mechanism 10 which is an example of a card supply unit, a transfer cartridge 400 which is an example of a member supply unit, and a card. The hot stamp device 500 is an example of a forming unit.

In this example, the ID card 30 is an identification card, passport, alien registration card, library card, cash card, credit card, license such as automobile license, employee ID, employee ID, membership ID, This applies to medical cards and student ID cards. ID card 30 shown in FIG.
Is written with personal information of the card user. Personal information refers to the address, name, date of birth, domicile of residence, date of issuance of employee ID, expiration date, etc. The ID card 30 also includes a non-contact type electronic card having an IC chip and an antenna built therein. In the case of electronic cards, personal information is I
It is recorded on a C chip or the like.

In this example, recorded images such as face images and character recorded images are formed on the ID card 30. ID card 30
For example, the employee ID in FIG. 4 has a vertical length of about 6 cm, a horizontal length of about 9 cm, and a thickness of 0.5.
It has about 1.0 mm. A face image of the card user is formed in the face image forming area P1 of the employee ID card, and character recording information and the like are printed in the other areas. The character record information is, for example, “XX employee certificate”, “personal identification number”, “name”, “issue date” ...

A transparent hardening type protective layer 12 as an example of a protective member is provided on the ID card 30 and is protected so as to cover the surface of the card substrate. For the curable protective layer 12, a curable transfer foil member (protective member) having an ultraviolet curable layer and an adhesive layer is used.

This type of curable transfer foil member is used because an impact force is applied to the card substrate from the outside because the ultraviolet curable transfer foil has a glass-like property. Even in such a case, the face image and the like can be protected from scratches caused by friction at that time.

In this example, a hologram image 13 having an uneven pattern is provided on the substrate surface side of the curable protective layer 12.
The hologram image 13 is, for example, a special image in which a hexagonal star is formed in a circle. Of course, the hologram image 13 is not limited to a geometric pattern such as a hexagonal star, and may have any shape as long as it is a shape that is difficult to imitate.

The ID card 30 and the curable protective layer 12 are adhered to each other via an adhesive layer (may be an adhesive sheet) 14. As the adhesive layer 14, it is preferable to use a hot-melt resin or a film of a hot-melt resin having a resin softening temperature of about 130 ° C. or slightly higher than that.

Further, in the image forming apparatus 301 shown in FIG. 3, a face image and character record information are formed on the sheet-shaped card substrate 11. In the hot stamping device 500, the transparent thermal transfer foil 20, which is an example of a protective member, is transferred.

The image forming apparatus 301 is a conveyor belt device 41.
have. A raw card supply unit 42 is provided above one end of the conveyor belt device 41. Raw card supply section 4
In FIG. 2, a plurality of card substrates 11 preliminarily cut into a sheet shape for writing personal information of a card user are stocked with the surface for developing a face photograph facing upward.

A sign panel or a writing layer for a driver's license may be provided on the back surface of the card substrate 11.
In this example, the card substrates 11 are automatically supplied one by one from the raw card supply unit 42 so as to be dropped onto the conveyor belt device 41.

After the automatic supply, the card substrate 11 on the conveyor belt device 41 is conveyed from the left side to the right side. An image forming unit (printer) 43 is provided on the conveyor belt device 41, and while the card substrate 11 is moved from the left side to the right side,
A face photograph of the card user is developed in the face image forming area P1 of the card substrate 11, and the name of the card user, the card issuing date, etc. are recorded in the other character recording areas. At this time, as the image forming means 5, a sublimation type thermal transfer recording system, a silver halide color photographic system, an electrophotographic system, an ink jet system or the like is used.

In the image forming apparatus 301, when the card substrate 11 has an electronic card structure, the image forming unit 4
In addition to 3, the information writing unit 44 and the information checking unit 48 are provided. For example, an information writing unit 44 indicated by a wavy line is provided on the downstream side of the conveyor belt device 41, and personal information of the card user is written in an IC chip or the like in the card substrate 11. When writing personal information in the information writing unit 44, a magnetic code, a bar code, or the like may be used together.

An image check unit 46 is provided on the downstream side of the information writing unit 44 with the first driving roller 45 interposed therebetween, and a user's face photograph formed by the image forming unit 43 and
The name and issue date of the card will be checked for mistakes. When the above-mentioned information writing unit 44 is provided, the second drive roller 4 is further provided downstream of the image check unit 46.
It is also possible to provide an information check unit 48 with 7 in between and check whether the personal information written by the information writing unit 44 is correct. A card discharge port (not shown) is provided on the downstream side of the information check unit 48, and the card substrate 11 on which a face image or the like is formed is discharged. In this example, the card substrate 11 on which a face image or the like is formed will be referred to as an ID card 30 below.
Say.

A card standby mechanism 10 is provided on the downstream side of the image forming apparatus 301, and the ID card 3 after image formation is formed.
0 is supplied to the hot stamp device 500. As the card standby mechanism 10, one having a function of causing the ID card 30 to stand by on the basis of the standby control signal S3 is used according to the progress situation at the time of transfer of the protective film.

The card standby mechanism 10 has a hopper portion 18 which constitutes a standby space. The hopper unit 18 is provided with a paper feed port 16A and a paper ejection port 16B, and a card feeding unit 19 is provided below it. A shutter 29 is provided at the paper discharge port 16B to form a gate.
The shutter 29 is opened based on the non-reverse standby control signal S3, and the shutter 29 is closed based on the reverse standby control signal S3.

When the shutter 29 is opened, the ID previously waited for
From the card 30 in order, the I
The D card 30 is inserted into the hot stamp device 500. A standby control signal S3 is sent to the card feeding unit 19.
The transport control signal S6 generated based on the above is supplied, and the card feed control is performed by this signal S6.

A hot stamp device 500 is provided on the downstream side of the card standby mechanism 10, and a thermal transfer foil (curable transfer member) 20 with a hologram is applied to the ID card 30 supplied from the card standby mechanism 10 and ejected. Is done like this. As the thermal transfer cartridge 400, a thermal transfer foil 2 wound in a roll is used. The hot stamping device 500 is shown in FIG.
0 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

With this hot stamping device 500, the insertion port 2
In the vicinity of 5 is an entrance sensor 8 which is an example of a first detecting means.
The ID card 30 is installed in the hot stamping device.
It is designed to detect the supply amount of. For example, the entrance sensor 8 outputs the acceptance detection signal S1 to the control device 6. The control device 6 includes a central processing unit (CPU) and R
It is configured to include an AM, a ROM and various registers.

The controller 6 has a transport counter 62.
And a transfer foil counter 63. Transport counter 6
2 is activated when the input sensor 9 detects the insertion of the ID card 30, and counts reference pulses. This is because the control device 6 recognizes the moving state of the ID card 30. The transfer foil counter 63 is a thermal transfer foil 2
It is provided to recognize the movement state of 0.

Discharge port 2 of this hot stamping device 500
In the vicinity of 6 is an exit sensor 9 which is an example of second detecting means.
Is provided, and the amount of the ID card 30 discharged from the hot stamp device 500 is detected. For example, the outlet sensor 9 outputs the discharge detection signal S2 to the control device 6. The control device 6 processes the acceptance detection signal S1 and the discharge detection signal S2 as detection information.

A control device 6 is connected to the card waiting mechanism 10, the hot stamp device 500, the entrance sensor 8 and the exit sensor 9, and at least the acceptance detection signal S1 and the exit sensor 9 obtained from the entrance sensor 8 are used. The input / output of the card standby mechanism 10 and the hot stamp device 500 is controlled based on the obtained discharge detection signal S2.

The control device 6 detects the supply amount of the ID card 30 from the card waiting mechanism 10 to the hot stamp device 500 and the discharge amount of the ID card 30 from the hot stamp device 500 and stays in the hot stamp device 500. The amount of stay of the ID card 30 is calculated, the preset amount of allowance is compared with the amount of stay, and when the amount of stay exceeds the amount of allowance, the card standby mechanism waits for card supply to the hot stamp device 500. Control 10

A certain ID card 30 is made to stay in the hot stamp device 500, and a certain amount of ID card 30 or more is kept.
This is because there is no need to transfer the card 30. The allowable amount differs depending on the processing capacity of the hot stamp device 500, and the allowable amount is set from the outside.

Next, a configuration example of the hot stamp device 500 used in the ID card printer 200 will be described. FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration example of the hot stamp device 500. In this example, the transfer cartridge 400 is detachably attached to a hot stamp device 500, which is an example of a card forming unit.

The hot stamp device 500 shown in FIG. 5 has a housing 15, a heat roller device 27, a conveying means 40 and a transfer cartridge 400. The housing 15 is provided with an insertion opening 25 for taking in the ID card 30 and an ejection opening 26 for ejecting the ID card 30 after the protective film is formed.

On the front surface of the housing 15, a rewinding motor shaft portion 54A and a winding motor shaft portion 54B are provided so as to be exposed. The motor shaft 54A is fitted to the original winding core 51A of the transfer cartridge 400 shown in FIG. 6, and the motor shaft 54B is fitted to the winding core 51B. This is for winding up and rewinding the thermal transfer foil 20.

A vertically movable heat roller device 27, which is an example of a transfer unit, is provided substantially above the center of the front surface of the housing, and is supplied by the transfer cartridge 400 to the ID card 30 discharged from the card standby mechanism 10. The thermal transfer foil 20 is transferred.

In the heat roller device 27, the transparent heat transfer foil 20 is transferred onto the ID card 30 on the basis of the transfer control signal S5, and the transparent heat transfer foil 20 is transferred by heat. After that, the heat roller device 27 moves upward. The thermal transfer foil 20 from the transfer cartridge 400 is peeled from the paper sheet 20A serving as a support and abuts on the ID card 30, and the ID card 30 and the thermal transfer foil 20 are attached to each other via the adhesive layer 14. At this time, the paper sheet (base film) 20A on the adhesive layer 14 is peeled off and wound up as scrap paper (see FIG. 10).

In this example, the heating temperature is about 90 ° C. to 250 ° C., and the heating time is 0.
It is about 1 to 10 seconds. The adhesive layer 14 melts when heat is applied and solidifies when it cools. The device for heating and bonding the heat transfer foil 20 is not limited to the heat roller device 27, and may be a heat press such as a normal thermal head or a vacuum heat press device.

Conveying means 40 is provided below the transfer cartridge 400, the heat roller device 27, etc., and from the insertion opening 25 to the ejection opening 26 of the housing 15 based on the conveyance control signal S4.
The ID card 30 is carried. The carrying means 40 is composed of a carrying belt device 49 and a heat roller unit 59, and carries the ID card 30 with which the thermal transfer foil 20 is abutted in a fixed direction while regulating the position thereof.

The heat roller unit 59 is fixed below the heat roller device 27, and the ID card 30 is fixed to the heat roller device 27.
And the heat roller unit 59. A pinch roller 58 that is vertically movable is provided on the downstream side of the heat roller device 27. It is used for movement of the ID card 30 and movement control of the thermal transfer foil 20.

A thermal transfer cartridge 400 is movably mounted on the conveyor belt device 49. As the thermal transfer cartridge 400, a thermal transfer foil 2 wound in a roll is used. A U-shaped portion 23 is provided below the thermal transfer cartridge 400 so as to straddle the thermal roller device 27 when the cartridge is loaded.
The tape accommodating portion 2 is provided inside the thermal transfer cartridge 400.
1 Other driven roller section (hereinafter referred to as peeling roller section) 2
2, guide members 28A and 28B are provided.

In the thermal transfer cartridge 400, the thermal transfer foil 20 unwound from the original winding core 51A is guided by the guide member 28A in the tape accommodating portion 21 to form the U-shaped portion 2.
3 through the lower part of the heat roller device 27
2 through the other guide member 28B in the tape accommodation portion 21
Is guided to reach the winding core 51B.

Then, when the ID card 30 and the thermal transfer cartridge 400 are aligned such that the card substrate surface and the hologram image forming surface face each other at a predetermined position, the ID card 30 and the thermal transfer cartridge 27 are aligned with each other. Heat transfer foil 2
It is thermocompression-bonded via 0 and the adhesive layer 14. In the following, the thermal transfer foil 20 formed on the ID card 30 is attached to the curable protective film 12
Also called.

A pressure-bonding plate 60 is provided below the peeling roller portion 22 in the case 15 so that the ID card 30 having the hardening type protective film 12 is pressure-bonded to the peeling roller portion 22. It This is for facilitating the peeling of the thermal transfer foil 20 remaining on the paper sheet 20A. This crimping plate 6
A discharge roller unit 61 is provided above the discharge port 26 and in front of the discharge port 26, and the ID card 30 with the curable protective film is moved toward the discharge port 26. The discharge roller portion 61 is composed of an upper discharge roller portion 61A and a lower discharge roller portion 61B. The ID card 30 is designed to move between both discharge roller portions 61A and 61B.

Next, a configuration example of the transfer cartridge 400 used in the ID card printer 200 will be described. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of the transfer cartridge 400. Transfer cartridge 400 shown in FIG.
Is an example of a member supply means, and is adapted to supply the thermal transfer foil 20 to the ID card 30 conveyed by the conveying means 40. The transfer cartridge 400 includes a thermal transfer foil 2
A cassette type in which 0 is wound into a roll with a support interposed is used.

The transfer cartridge 400 is provided with a transfer foil sheet core (hereinafter referred to as a transfer foil core) 51.
On the side to be brought into contact with the ID card 30, for example, a tape-shaped thermal transfer foil 20 with an adhesive, which has a hologram image 13 having an uneven hexagonal star pattern, is supplied. The transfer foil core 51 is composed of an original winding core 51A and a winding core 51B.

In this example, the heat transfer foil 20 having a size that forms the outer shape of the ID card 30 is peeled off from the tape-shaped heat transfer foil 20 fed from the original winding core 51A, and the ID card 30 is transferred at the time of this transfer. The heat transfer foil 20 corresponding to the size of the outer shape can be peeled from the paper sheet 20A, and the occurrence of burrs at the outer peripheral end of the curable protective layer 12 can be reduced.

The transfer cartridge 400 shown in FIG. 6 has a U-shaped tape accommodating portion 21. Tape storage 2
1 has a division structure that can be separated into an upper half 21A and a lower half 21B. A bobbin-shaped transfer foil core 51 is movably attached to the tape accommodating portion 21, and the tape-shaped thermal transfer foil 20 to which an adhesive is applied is fed to the U-shaped portion 23.

The thermal transfer cartridge 400 is provided with a thermal transfer foil having an ultraviolet curing layer and a forgery / alteration prevention foil, and the thermal transfer foil 20 is defined in advance to have a size that forms the outer shape of the ID card 30. A cut that imitates the outer shape, the cut is the actual ID
A card having a size smaller than that of the card 30 and a card provided with an opening portion for positioning are used.

The rotational power for the transfer foil core 51 of the transfer cartridge 400 is supplied from the main body of the hot stamp device 500. The transfer foil core 51 is an original winding core 51A around which a thermal transfer cartridge 400 before use is wound.
And a winding core 51B for winding the paper sheet 20A after transfer and peeling.

A peeling roller portion 22 is attached to a predetermined position of the tape accommodating portion 21. A member that does not load the thermal transfer foil 20 on the peeling roller portion 22, for example, an outer diameter of 5 mm
Use a cylindrical rod-shaped body with a diameter of approximately φ. Preferably, when the thermal transfer foil 20 is peeled off from the ID card 30, it is desirable to move along the R shape having a radius of 1.5 mm or more.

The peeling roller portion 22 is located below the side surface of the tape accommodating portion 21 shown in FIG. 6, and is located in the heat transfer foil 20 transfer direction (the ID card 30 transfer direction).
It is provided at a position that changes the moving direction of the.

In this example, the peeling roller portion 22 has a shaft portion 22A in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the ID card 30, and the shaft portion 22A is movably attached to the tape accommodating portion 21. The peeling roller portion 22 is rotated by the movement of the thermal transfer foil 20 in a state where the adhesive surface side of the thermal transfer foil 20 is in contact with the ID card 30, and the tape-shaped thermal transfer foil 20 is fed from the original winding core 51A.
The thermal transfer foil 20 having a size that forms the outer shape of the D card 30 is peeled off.

The peeling roller portion 22 for peeling is not limited to the rod-shaped body, and may be a non-rotating body made of a member having a small friction coefficient with respect to the thermal transfer foil 20. For example,
A non-rotating body such as a round bar made of metal such as stainless steel or brass may be used. By reducing the frictional resistance of the peeling roller portion 22 for peeling, the hot stamping device 50
The winding torque at 0 can be reduced.

Further, in this example, a card floating prevention plate 24 is provided on the side surface of the tape accommodating portion 21 adjacent to the peeling roller portion 22 as a protruding portion for preventing card floating, and when the thermal transfer foil 20 is peeled off, In particular, when the end of the ID card 30 is peeled off, the jump of the end of the ID card 30 is suppressed. By suppressing the bouncing up of the end portion, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of burrs.

The above-mentioned thermal transfer film 20 is for forming the curable thermal transfer layer 12 on the card substrate by utilizing the photo-curing property and the thermosetting property. For details, see JP-A-54-92404.
No. 56-144994, No. 56-148580.
No. 56-155789 and No. 56-166090.
No. 59, No. 59-49993, No. 59-76290, No. 59-103788, No. 60-112441, No. 6
0-239277, 60-254175, 62.
-83177, 63-293099, JP-A-1-
No. 18698, No. 1-80598, No. 1-18040
No. 0, No. 2-93893, No. 3-121884, No. 3-45391, No. 3-065400, No. 4-69.
No. 286, W91 / 1223 and the like describe a method of forming the thermal transfer foil 20.

The curing time of the curable protective layer 12 formed by this type of thermal transfer foil 20 may be before transfer or after transfer, but is preferably before transfer and in advance before transfer. If is cured, the curing step after transfer can be omitted.

Further, the hardness of the thermal transfer foil 20 is HB or higher in terms of pencil hardness. Here, the pencil hardness is JIS K
5400 pencils (6B-B, HB, F, 2H-6
H) refers to the hardness of the carbon core. The hardest layer of the thermal transfer foil 20 has an elastic modulus of 350 kg / mm 2 or more and a breaking elongation of 20%.
The following is preferable, and the elastic modulus is more preferably 400 kg / m.
More preferably, the elongation at break is not less than m2 and not more than 15%. A hologram forming layer is provided on the back surface of the curable protective layer 12, and a hologram image 13 is formed on this forming layer.

(2) Second Embodiment FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a structural example of a transfer control system of a card making apparatus 100 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
8A to 8C are waveform charts showing output pulse examples of the rotation detection signals S9 to S11 by the encoders 53A to 53C. In FIG. 7, a portion indicated by a chain double-dashed line is a portion of the transfer cartridge 400 and is a view seen from the upper surface.

In this embodiment, the hot stamp device 50
0, when a predetermined thermal transfer foil 20 is transferred to form a card, and after one card is transferred,
The drive control is performed to rewind the thermal transfer foil 20 to the unused portion, and the reverse feed amount of the thermal transfer foil 20 is quantified to prevent generation of wasteful thermal transfer foil 20 that is not transferred to the card and is not used. In addition to making it possible, a card with a face image with a high quality image protection layer can be produced at low cost.

The hot stamp apparatus 500 shown in FIG. 7 is an ID card printer 20 which constitutes the card making apparatus 100.
No. 0 is an apparatus for transferring a predetermined heat transfer foil 20 to create an ID card 30.

The transfer cartridge 400 is movably mounted on the hot stamping device 500. In the apparatus 500, the curable protective layer 12 is formed on the ID card 30 based on the heat transfer foil 20 wound into a roll.

The hot stamp device 500 has a rewinding motor #A and a winding motor #B which are examples of driving means. The rewinding motor #A drives the thermal transfer foil 20 in the transfer cartridge 400, for example, in the counterclockwise direction (normal rotation) based on the motor drive signal S7.

The winding motor #B drives the thermal transfer foil 20 in the clockwise direction (forward rotation) based on the motor drive signal S8. A stepping motor is used for each of the motors #A and #B. The motors #A and #B are made to rotate together. The accompanying rotation means that two motors carrying the same load are provided, and one motor is turned on at the full voltage and the other motor is turned on at a voltage lower than usual to adjust the rotation of the load. This is to eliminate the slack of the thermal transfer foil 20.

An encoder 53A, which is an example of winding detection means, is attached to the rotation shaft of the rewinding motor #A, and the rotation speed of the motor #A is measured to rotate the pulse waveform as shown in FIG. 8B. The detection signal S9 is generated. The original winding core 51 is attached to the shaft portion 54A of the motor #A.
A is engaged.

Many heat transfer foils 2 are formed on the original winding core 51A.
In the state in which 0A remains, the winding diameter is larger than in the case where it is small. In this state, since the rotation speed of the motor #A is slow, the pulse width of the rotation detection signal S9 becomes wide. When the thermal transfer foil 20A is fed from the original winding core 51A and the thermal transfer foil 20A in the original winding core 51A is reduced, the rotation speed is increased and the pulse width is narrowed.

An encoder 53B, which is an example of winding detection means, is attached to the rotation shaft of the winding motor #B, and the rotation speed of the motor #B is measured to detect the rotation detection signal S10 as shown in FIG. 8C. Will be generated. The winding core 51B is engaged with the shaft portion 54B of the motor #B.

With this winding core 51B, the original winding core 51
When the heat transfer foil 20A starts to be fed from A, since the winding diameter of the heat transfer foil 20A in the winding core 51B is small, the rotation speed is fast and the pulse width is narrow.
In the state in which a large amount of the heat transfer foil 20A is wound up from the original winding core 51A, the winding diameter is wider than in the case where the amount is small. Therefore, since the rotation speed of the motor #B becomes slow, the pulse width of the rotation detection signal S10 becomes wide.

Further, an encoder 53C is attached to the rotary shaft of the heat roller device 27, and the rotation speed of a motor (not shown) in the heat roller device 27 is measured to generate a rotation detection signal S11. Rotation detection signal S1
1 has a waveform with a constant pulse width as compared with the rotation detection signals S9 and S10. The rotation detection signals S9 to S11 obtained from these encoders 53A to 53C are output to the control device 6, and based on these rotation detection signals S9 to S11, the rewinding motor #A, the winding motor #B, and the heat roller device. 27 is controlled.

The controller 6 processes the rotation detection signal S11 to detect the feeding amount of the thermal transfer foil 20. Further, in the control device 6, the rotation detection signal S
By processing the rotation detection signals S9 and S10 with reference to 11, the original winding diameter and the winding diameter of the thermal transfer foil 20 are recognized. The original winding diameter and the winding diameter are recognized as follows.

In this example, when the pulse width of the rotation detection signal S11 is used as a reference in advance, the original winding diameter of the heat transfer foil 20 wound around the original winding core 51A when the rotation detection signal S9 has an arbitrary pulse width is used. measure.

Similarly, when the pulse width of the rotation detection signal S11 is used as a reference, the winding diameter of the thermal transfer foil 20 wound around the winding core 51B when the pulse width of the rotation detection signal S10 is arbitrary is measured. To do. Then, a ROM table is created in which the arbitrary pulse width of the rotation detection signal S9 and the original winding diameter of the thermal transfer foil 20 in the original winding core 51A are associated with each other. Similarly, an arbitrary pulse width of the rotation detection signal S10 and the thermal transfer foil 20 in the winding core 51B are obtained.
A ROM table is created in correspondence with the winding diameter of. These ROM tables are mounted on the control device 6.

In the control device 6, the rotation detection signals S9, S10
By using these pulse widths as an address and referring to these ROM tables, the current winding diameter of the thermal transfer foil 20 in the original winding core 51A and the winding diameter of the thermal transfer foil 20 in the winding core 51B at the present time can be recognized. Done The data read from these ROM tables becomes detection information relating to the original winding diameter, the winding diameter, and the like.

Based on such detection information (change in pulse width), the control device 6 recognizes the winding diameter of the transfer foil core 51B and determines the operation time of the rewinding motor #A. This is to rewind the unused portion of the thermal transfer foil 20. The control device 6 is provided with the transfer foil counter 63 shown in FIG. 3, and is activated by detecting the rotation detection signal S10 obtained from the encoder 53B, for example, and counts the reference pulse. This is for the controller 6 to recognize the moving state of the thermal transfer foil 20.

In this example, it is important that the thermal transfer foil 20 does not have "slack" when the thermal transfer foil 20 is unwound. This is because if the thermal transfer foil 20 sags, it becomes difficult to control the transfer. Normally, both the rewinding motor #A and the winding motor #B require a large force, and therefore a gear having a large reduction ratio is used. It feels heavy when you turn the rotary shaft by hand. Therefore, the thermal transfer foil 20 does not move even if the motor on one side is independently driven.

In such a case, a method of cutting off the motor load by using a clutch or the like can be considered, but there is a possibility that the thermal transfer foil 20 is pulled out too much and "slack" is generated inside the cartridge 400. In this embodiment, when the rewinding motor #A or the take-up motor #B is driven, a voltage weaker than the specified value (about 12 to 20 V when rated at 24 V) is applied, or the voltage is intermittently applied to follow the rotation state. (Reverse rotation drive) is realized.

9A and 9B are time charts showing an example of the motor rotation state at the time of winding / rewinding in the ID card printer 200. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example of a transfer state of the thermal transfer foil.

In FIG. 9A, the horizontal axis represents time t, and the vertical axis represents the rotation state examples of the rewinding motor #A and the winding motor #B. Winding motor #B shown in FIG. 9A
Then, the motor drive signal S8 = ON is driven to rotate in the counterclockwise direction, and the thermal transfer foil 20 is transferred to the transfer foil core 51B.
It is made to wind up. At this time, the rewinding motor #A rotates in the reverse rotation direction (see FIG. 9).
(See diagonal line A).

In this accompanying rotation, a voltage of opposite polarity, which is lower than usual, is applied to the motor #A. Motor #A generates a lower torque than usual and rotates counterclockwise in synchronization with motor #B. It becomes possible to prevent "slack" in the peeling roller portion 22 shown in FIG.

Further, from the encoder 53B to the control device 6, the rotation speed of the motor #B is measured to detect the rotation detection signal S.
8 is output. From the encoder 53A, the rotation detection signal S9 is output from the encoder 53A to the control device 6 because the motor #A is in reverse rotation and its rotation speed is measured.

In the rewinding motor #A shown in FIG. 9B, the thermal drive foil 20 is rewound around the transfer foil core 51A by rotating the motor drive signal S7 = ON in the clockwise direction. At this time, the take-up motor #B is adapted to rotate in the reverse rotation direction (see the diagonal line in FIG. 9B).
With this accompanying rotation, a voltage having a reverse polarity and lower than the normal voltage is applied to the motor #B. motor#
B generates a lower torque than usual and rotates clockwise in synchronism with motor #A.

Further, from the encoder 53A to the control device 6, the rotation speed of the motor #A is measured to detect the rotation detection signal S.
9 is output. From the encoder 53B, a rotation detection signal S10 is output from the encoder 53B to the control device 6 because the motor #B is in reverse rotation and its rotation speed is measured.

The controller 6 recognizes the winding diameter of the transfer foil core 51B based on the detection information (change in output pulse) obtained by processing the rotation detection signal S10 and the rotation detection signal S11, and determines the operation time of the rewinding motor #A. Is decided. This is to rewind the unused portion of the thermal transfer foil 20.

11A and 11B are views showing a comparative example of the conventional method and the method of the present invention regarding the thermal transfer foil 20. Figure 11
A shows the state after peeling of the thermal transfer foil 20 according to the conventional method. In the conventional method, since the unused portion is not rewound after the transfer processing of one card, the loss of the thermal transfer foil 20 is large.

On the other hand, in the method of the present invention, since the unused portion is rewound after the transfer processing of one card, the loss of the thermal transfer foil 20 is small. Thereby, the thermal transfer foil 20 can be effectively used.

The rewound amount is determined by the controller 6 always recognizing the roll diameter of the thermal transfer foil 20.
The specified amount is rewound so that the thermal transfer foil 20 can be used by the length of the card. Thereby, the consumption amount (pitch) of the thermal transfer foil 20 can be made constant, and the loss amount (loss) of the roll-shaped thermal transfer foil 20 can be reduced.

As described above, according to the card producing apparatus 100 of the second embodiment of the present invention, the encoder 53B and the encoder 53B and the encoder are used when the ID card 30 is produced by transferring the predetermined thermal transfer foil 20. The winding diameter of the thermal transfer foil 20 is detected by 53C. In the control device 6, the heat roller device 27, based on the detection information on the winding diameter,
The rewinding motor #A and the winding motor #B are controlled.

Therefore, after transfer processing of one card,
Drive control can be performed such that the thermal transfer foil 20 is rewound to an unused portion. This makes it possible to quantify the reverse feed amount of the thermal transfer foil 20, and eliminate the generation of the thermal transfer foil 20 that is not transferred to the card and is not used. As a result, it is possible to inexpensively produce a face image-containing card with a high-quality image protection layer.

(3) Third Embodiment FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing an example of a peeled state according to a card making apparatus 100 as a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a state before and after peeling of the thermal transfer foil 20. In this embodiment, the thermal transfer foil 20 has the peeling roller portion 22.
At this point, the thermal transfer foil 20 at the rear end of the card is cut, but it is important to pull out the ID card 30 horizontally.

The hot stamp apparatus 500 shown in FIG. 12 is an ID card printer 2 which constitutes the card making apparatus 100.
00 is an apparatus for transferring a predetermined heat transfer foil 20 to create an ID card 30.

As described with reference to FIG. 5, in the hot stamp apparatus 500, the housing 15 having the insertion opening 25 and the ejection opening 26 for the ID card 30 and the insertion opening 25 of the housing 15 to the ejection opening 26 are provided. Transporting means 40 for transporting cards
And a transfer cartridge 400 for supplying the thermal transfer foil 20 to the card conveyed by the conveying means 40, a peeling roller 22 and a heat roller device for transferring the thermal transfer foil 20 supplied by the transfer cartridge 400 to the ID card 30. And 27.

On the premise of this, the case 1 shown in FIG. 13A
5, the pressure bonding plate 60 is provided below the peeling roller portion 22. An elastic member such as a spring or a leaf spring is attached inside the crimping plate 60. In this embodiment, each time the ID card 30 passes, the pressure bonding plate 60 is pressed against the peeling roller portion 22 to keep the pressure roller 60 horizontal.

That is, I having the curable protective film 12 formed thereon
The D card 30 is pressed against the peeling roller portion 22. This is because when the thermal transfer foil 20 is lowered from the peeling roller 22, the excess thermal transfer foil 20 is pulled out, and burrs are generated at the rear end of the card.

In this way, the pressure bonding plate 60 is attached to the peeling roller portion 2
By pressing against the sheet 2, the thermal transfer foil 20 remaining on the paper sheet 20A can be easily peeled off. The remaining thermal transfer foil 20 remains attached to the paper sheet 20A.

Further, in FIG. 13A, θ is the thermal transfer foil 2
The peel angle is 0. In this example, also when the thermal transfer foil 20 is heated, the peeling roller portion 22 is rotated by the movement of the thermal transfer foil 20. When the moving direction of the thermal transfer foil 20 changes by a peeling angle θ with respect to the moving direction of the ID card 30 shown in FIG. 13B, the peeling roller portion 22 causes the paper sheet 2 to move.
The thermal transfer foil 20 is peeled off from 0A. At the time of this separation, the card floating prevention plate 24 suppresses the jumping up of the end portion of the ID card 30 (see FIG. 6). As a result, the ID card 30 containing the face image protected by the curable protective layer 12 is ejected from the ejection port 26.

FIG. 14 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the relationship between the discharge speeds V1 and V2 of the hot stamp device 500. In this embodiment, the relationship between the transfer speed of the thermal transfer foil 20 by the heat roller device 27 and the discharge speed of the ID card 30 by the transporting means 40 is regulated so that burrs do not occur at the tail end of the card unlike the conventional method. The heat transfer foil 20 can be cut with good reproducibility and a card with a face image with a high quality image protection layer can be produced.

In front of the discharge port 26 of the housing 15 shown in FIG. 14, an upper discharge roller portion 61A and a lower discharge roller portion 61 are provided.
B is provided, and the ID card 30 with the curable protective film is moved toward the discharge port 26. The ID card 30 is designed to move between both discharge roller portions 61A and 61B.

Here, when the transfer speed of the heat transfer foil 20 by the heat roller device 27 shown in FIG. 14 is V1 and the discharge speed of the ID card 30 by the conveying means 40 is V2,
Formula (1), that is, V1 <V2 (1)

For example, with respect to the discharging speed V1 of the thermal transfer foil 20 of the thermal transfer cartridge 400, the discharging roller portion 61
The ejection speed V2 of the ID card 30 moved by the A and 61B is defined as 1.02 · V1 <V2 <1.4 · V1. That is, the speed difference Vε between the discharging speed V1 of the thermal transfer cartridge 400 and the discharging speed V2 of the ID card 30.
Is defined to be 2% to 40%.

Thus, the speed difference Vε is defined by V
Thermal transfer cartridge 4 when ε <2% and Vε> 40%
This is because under the condition that both 00 and the ID card 30 are moved, the releasability of the thermal transfer foil 20 deteriorates, which causes the occurrence of inner and outer burrs. Speed difference Vε during these movements
By defining 2% <Vε <40%, it is possible to suppress the generation of inner and outer burrs during peeling.

For example, the thermal transfer foil 20 can be instantly cut from the thermal transfer cartridge 400 at the end of the ID card 30. The discharge roller unit 61
A and 61B are independently driven by the transport belt device 49 to other transport systems.

FIG. 15 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the relationship between the transfer force F1 and the conveyance force F2 of the ID card of the hot stamp device 500. In this example, the card carrying force at the discharge port 26 of the housing 15 shown in FIG.
When the conveying force of the thermal transfer foil 20 in 7 is F2,
Formula (2), that is, F1 <F2 (2) By defining in this way, the cutting of the thermal transfer foil 20 is stabilized at the tail end of the card. That is, the thermal transfer foil 20 can be cut so that burrs do not appear.

As described above, according to the card creating apparatus 100 of the third embodiment of the present invention, when the ID card 30 is created by transferring the predetermined thermal transfer foil 20, the ID card is inserted from the insertion slot 25. When the card 30 is inserted, the ID card 30 is moved below the heat roller device 27 by the conveyor belt device 49 or the like.

On the premise of this, the transfer speed V1 of the heat transfer foil 20 by the heat roller device 27 and the transfer speed I of the transfer means 40
The discharge speed V2 of the D card 30 is defined as V1 <V2. Further, the discharge roller units 61A and 61B are driven independently of other transport systems.

Therefore, at the tail end of the card, the transfer speed V1
The difference V2-V1 between the discharge speed V2 and the discharging speed V2 allows the thermal transfer foil 20 to be cut with good reproducibility without causing burrs as in the conventional method. Moreover, the card conveying force F1 at the outlet 26 and the conveying force F2 of the thermal transfer foil 20 at the heat roller device 27 are defined as F1 ≧ F2, so that the cutting process of the thermal transfer foil 20 is stabilized. As a result, it is possible to create a face image-containing card with a high-quality image protection layer.

(4) Process Example in ID Card Printer 200 FIGS. 16 and 17 are flowcharts (main routine) showing a process example (Nos. 1 and 2) in the hot stamp device 500 of the ID card printer 200. 18-
FIG. 22 is a flowchart (subroutine) showing the processing example.

In this embodiment, the function of the hot stamp device 500 described in the first to third embodiments is provided in the ID card printer 200, and the thermal transfer foil 20 is attached to the ID card 30 after image formation. It is assumed to be formed. Of course, the transport motor and the like are turned on, and the ID card 30 is supplied from the card standby mechanism 10 to the hot stamp device 500. In the control device 6, the card standby mechanism 10 and the hot stamp device 50 are based on the detection information obtained from the entrance sensor 8 and the exit sensor 9.
It is assumed that the input / output of 0 is controlled.

In this example, as the initial setting and preprocessing, ID is set in step A1 of the flowchart shown in FIG.
The supply and discharge of the card 30 is monitored. Entrance sensor 8
Then, the card insertion is detected, and the acceptance detection signal S1 is output to the control device 6. The exit sensor 9 detects card ejection, and outputs an ejection detection signal S2 to the control device 6.

In parallel with this, in step A2, the control device 6 inputs the acceptance detection signal S1 from the entrance sensor 8 and the ejection detection signal S2 from the exit sensor 9. In the control device 6, the hot stamping device 5 from the card standby mechanism 10 based on the detection information obtained by digitally processing the acceptance detection signal S1.
The supply amount of the ID card 30 to 00 is detected. Also,
The discharge amount of the ID card 30 from the hot stamp device 500 is detected based on the detection information obtained by digitally processing the discharge detection signal S2.

Thereafter, in step A3, the control device 6 calculates the stay amount of the ID card 30 staying in the hot stamp device 500. The stay amount is calculated by subtracting the emission amount from the supply amount. Then, in step A4, the preset allowable amount is compared with the stay amount. After that, when the stay amount does not exceed the allowable amount, the process shifts to step A5 and the non-reverse standby control signal S3 for continuing the card supply to the hot stamping device 500 is output to the card standby mechanism 10.

On the contrary, when the stay amount exceeds the allowable amount, the process goes to step A6, and the reverse waiting control signal S3 for waiting for the card supply to the hot stamp device 500 is output to the card waiting mechanism 10. As a result, the card waiting mechanism 10 waits for the card to be supplied to the hot stamp device 500 based on the reverse waiting control signal S3.

Therefore, these initial settings and preprocessing preparations have been completed in step B1 of the flowchart shown in FIG. 16, and the control device 6 executes the card insertion determination processing in step B2 with these as control conditions. In this card insertion determination process, for example, the subroutine shown in FIG. 18 is called to detect whether or not the input sensor 8 is turned on in step C1. At this time, when the ID card 30 is inserted into the insertion slot 25 from the card standby mechanism 10, the input sensor 8
Is turned on, the process proceeds to step C2 and the control device 6
Waits for 500 ms. This 500 ms is the time for the ID card 30 to pass in front of the input sensor 8.

Then, the process proceeds to step C3 to check whether or not the input sensor 8 is off. ID card 30
When is passed, the input sensor 8 is turned off. Input sensor 8
If is not turned off, the process returns to step C1 in order to continuously monitor the card passage. If the input sensor 8 is turned off, the card has been passed, and the process returns to step B2 of the main routine shown in FIG.

Then, the process proceeds to step B3, and the thermal transfer process is performed in the hot stamp device 500. In this thermal transfer process, for example, a subroutine shown in FIG. 19 is called, transfer preparation is performed in steps E1 to E9, transfer process is performed in step E10, and transfer end process is performed in steps E11 to E16. That is, in step E1, the transport counter 62 in the control device 6 is cleared. This is to set the initial state regarding the transfer processing of the card.

After that, the process proceeds to step E2 and the transport counter 62 sets the control target A (three reference pulses), for example.
Check to see if it has exceeded. This control target A is ID
It is time to move the card 30 to the heat roller device 27.
If the transport counter 62 has not exceeded A, it waits until it has exceeded A. That is, the control device 6 waits until the ID card 30 moves to the heat roller device 27.

If the carry counter 62 has exceeded A, the process moves to step E3 to move the heat roller device 27 downward. Then, the process proceeds to step E4 and the transport counter 62
Is cleared. Then, in step E5, it is checked whether the transport counter 62 has exceeded the control target B (5 pulses as the reference pulse). If the transport counter 62 has not exceeded B, it waits until it exceeds B.

If the carry counter 62 exceeds B, the process proceeds to step E6 to move the pinch roller portion 58 downward. Then, the process proceeds to step E7, and the winding motor #B is turned on. At this time, the motors for the discharge roller portions 61A and 61B are turned on after a delay of 500 ms. This motor may also serve as the motor of the conveyor belt device 49 as long as the discharge speed V2 can be controlled independently of other conveyor systems.

After that, the procedure goes to step E8, and the carry counter 62 is cleared. Then, at step E9 of the flowchart (part 2) shown in FIG.
8 and the downward movement of the heat roller device 27 are awaited. Then, in step E10, the transport counter 62 sets the control target C to transfer the thermal transfer foil 20 to the card substrate 11.
It is checked if it exceeds (55 pulses in the reference pulse). If the transport counter 62 has not exceeded C, it waits until it exceeds C. That is, the control device 6 waits until the thermal transfer foil 20 is thermally transferred to the ID card 30.

Upon completion of this thermal transfer, step E11
Then, the heat roller device 27 is moved upward. Then, the transport counter 62 is cleared in step E12. Then, in step E13, it is checked whether the transport counter 62 has exceeded the control target D (8 pulses as the reference pulse). If the carry counter 62 does not exceed D, the process waits until the carry counter 62 exceeds D.

When the carry counter 62 has exceeded D, the process moves to step E14, and the pinch roller portion 58 is moved downward. Then, the process proceeds to step E15, and the winding motor #B is turned off. At this time, the motors for the discharge roller portions 61A and 61B are turned off after a delay of 500 ms.

Then, in step E16, the heat roller device 27 and the pinch roller portion 58 enter the movement waiting state. Then, the process returns to step B3 of the main routine shown in FIG. Then, the process proceeds to step B4 and the standby timer is set. This standby timer set is for setting the time for rewinding the thermal transfer foil 20 by a predetermined amount. By this rewinding process, the thermal transfer foil 2 is efficiently used.
0 can be used (standby mode).

After that, the routine goes to step B5, where it is checked whether or not there is an error in the temperature control system, the transport control system or the like.
If there are these errors, the process proceeds to step B12, and the motor (not shown) of the conveyance means 40 is turned off. After that, in step B13 of the flowchart shown in FIG. 17, the processing shifts to error processing. In this error processing, for example, a warning message "There is an error" is displayed on a display device (not shown) through the control device 6.

If there is no error, the process goes to step B6 to determine whether or not the standby mode has been entered. If it is in the standby mode, the process returns to step B2. If it is not in the standby mode, the process proceeds to step B6 and the entrance sensor 8
Detects whether is turned on. This is to detect the next insertion of the ID card 30. If the entrance sensor 8 is on, the process returns to step B2.

If the entrance sensor 8 is off, the routine proceeds to step B8, where it is judged if the standby timer has timed out. Heat transfer foil 2 if time is not up
Since 0 is not rewound on the original winding core 51A, the process returns to step B6. If time is up, step B9
Then, the card discharge processing is executed.

In this card ejection processing, for example, the subroutine of FIG. 21 is called, and while the pinch roller portion 58 is moved downward in step F1, the process moves to step F2 and waits for the pinch roller portion 58 to move. Then, in step F3, in order to detect the rewinding of the thermal transfer foil 20, the transfer foil counter 63 starts counting up.

Then, the process goes to step F4 to check whether or not the exit sensor 9 is turned on. ID card 30
In order to monitor the passage of the discharge port, the detection is continued until the outlet sensor 9 is turned on. When the outlet sensor 9 is turned on, the process proceeds to step F5. In step F5, it waits for 10 ms. The ID card 30 has an outlet 2 for 10 ms.
This is the time required to pass 6. Then, step F6
Then it is checked whether the output sensor 9 is turned off.
If the output sensor 9 is not turned off, the detection is continued.
Then, the process proceeds to step F7 to stop the counting up of the transfer foil counter 63.

Then, the process moves to step F8 to move the pinch roller portion 58 upward. Then, in step F9, the winding motor #B is turned off. And step F1
The state is shifted to 0, and the pinch roller portion 58 is placed in a waiting state for movement. Then, the process returns to step B9 of the main routine shown in FIG.

Then, the process goes to step B10 to detect whether the entrance sensor 8 is turned on. When the entrance sensor 8 is turned on, the process returns to step B2. If the entrance sensor 8 is not turned on, the process proceeds to step B11 to execute the transfer foil rewinding process. For example, the subroutine of FIG. 22 is called, and the rewinding motor #A is turned on at step G1. After that, the process proceeds to step G2 and the transfer foil counter 6
Count down 3 (reverse rotation). Transfer foil counter 6
Count down until 3 becomes "0". When the counter reaches "0", the process goes to step G4 to turn off the rewinding motor #B. Thereby, the heat roller device 2
7, it is possible to rewind the thermal transfer foil 20 that can be applied to the next ID card 30 that has gone too far below 7, so that the unused portion of the thermal transfer foil 20 can be reduced.

Thereafter, the process returns to step B11 of the main routine shown in FIG. And step B1
At 4, it is checked whether the card forming process has been completed. When all the processes are completed, for example, the power-off information is detected and the transfer control is completed. If not all, the process returns to step B2 and the above-mentioned processing is repeated.

As described above, according to the ID card printer 200 as the embodiment of the present invention, even when the ID card 30 is created by performing the predetermined processing, the control device 6
Then, the input / output of the card standby mechanism 10 and the hot stamp device 500 is controlled based on the detection information obtained from the entrance sensor 8 and the exit sensor 9 (hereinafter referred to as a card formation monitoring function).

Therefore, a fixed amount of ID cards 30 can always be supplied to the hot stamp device 500. This makes it possible to stabilize the transportation process of the ID card 30. Since it is possible to eliminate the situation where the hot stamp device 500 processes a certain amount or more of the ID cards 30, it is possible to prevent a trouble caused by this. The quality of the ID card 30 can be stabilized.

Moreover, the number of cards being processed in the hot stamp device 500 is kept below a certain value, and the interval between the ID cards 30 entering the hot stamp device 500 is also kept constant. Therefore, stable transfer processing can be realized.

In this embodiment, the case of applying the card formation monitoring function according to the first embodiment to the hot stamp apparatus 500 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the card preprocessing unit, that is, the image forming apparatus. You may apply to 301. The same effect can be obtained in the image forming apparatus 301.

[0162]

As described above, the first aspect of the present invention
According to the card making device of the above, when a card is made by performing a predetermined process, the card making device is provided with a control device for controlling the input and output of the card supplying means and the card forming means, and this control device The supply amount and the discharge amount of the card from the card forming unit are detected to calculate the stay amount of the card in the card forming unit, and the stay amount is compared with a preset allowable amount. If it exceeds, it is controlled so as to wait for the card supply to the card forming means.

With this structure, a fixed amount of cards can be constantly supplied to the card forming means. Moreover, since it is possible to eliminate the situation where the card forming means processes a certain amount of cards or more, it is possible to prevent troubles caused by this. As a result, it is possible to create a face image-containing card with a high-quality image protection layer.

According to the second card making apparatus of the present invention, when a predetermined protective member is transferred to make a card, a controller for controlling the driving means based on the detection information on the winding diameter is provided. Be prepared.

With this configuration, the reverse feed amount of the protective member can be quantified, and drive control can be performed such that the protective member is rewound to the unused portion after the transfer processing of one card. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the generation of the protective member that is not transferred to the card and is not used. As a result, it is possible to inexpensively produce a face image-containing card with a high-quality image protection layer.

According to the third card producing apparatus of the present invention, when a predetermined protective member is transferred to produce a card, the transfer speed V1 of the protective member by the transfer means and the card discharge speed V2 by the transport means are set. Is defined as V1 <V2.

With this structure, the protective member can be cut without causing burrs as in the conventional method due to the difference between the transfer speed and the discharge speed at the tail end of the card. Cutting of the protective member is stabilized. As a result, it is possible to create a face image-containing card with a high-quality image protection layer.

The present invention is extremely suitable for application to a face image-containing card having an image protection layer, which is required to prevent forgery / alteration.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration example of a card creating apparatus 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing example in the card making device 100.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an ID card printer 200 as an embodiment according to the present invention.

4 is a perspective view showing a structural example of an ID card created by the ID card printer 200. FIG.

5 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration example of a hot stamp device 500. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a transfer cartridge 400.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a transfer control system of a card making device 100 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

8A to 8C are waveform diagrams showing output pulse examples of rotation detection signals S9 to S11 by the encoders 53A to 53C.

FIG. 9: Winding / in the ID card printer 200
It is a time chart which shows an example of a motor rotation state at the time of rewinding.

10 is a perspective view showing an example of a transfer state of the thermal transfer foil 20. FIG.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a comparative example of the conventional method and the method of the present invention regarding the thermal transfer foil 20.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing an example of a peeled state according to a card making device 100 as a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a state before and after peeling of the thermal transfer foil 20.

FIG. 14 is a discharge speed V according to the hot stamp device 500.
It is a conceptual diagram which shows the example of a relationship of 1 and discharge speed V2.

15 is a transfer force F1 according to the hot stamp device 500. FIG.
It is a conceptual diagram which shows the relationship example of conveyance force F2.

16 is a flowchart (main routine) showing a processing example (No. 1) in the hot stamp apparatus 500. FIG.

17 is a flowchart showing a processing example (No. 2) in the hot stamp apparatus 500. FIG.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart (subroutine) showing a determination example when a card is inserted.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart (part 1) showing a processing example at the time of foil transfer.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart (No. 2) showing a processing example at the time of foil transfer.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart (subroutine) showing a processing example at the time of card ejection.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart (subroutine) showing a processing example at the time of rewinding the transfer foil.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Card Supply Means 2 Protective Member 3 Card Pretreatment Unit 4 Member Supplying Means 5 Card Forming Means 6 Control Device 10 Card Standby Mechanism (Card Supplying Means) 11 Card Substrate 12 Curable Protective Layer (Protective Member) 13 Hologram Image 14 Adhesive Layer (Adhesive sheet) 15 Housing 17 Transfer means 20 Thermal transfer foil (protective member) 21 Tape accommodating portion 22 Driven roller portion (peeling roller portion) 24 Card floating prevention plate 27 Heat roller device (transfer means) 30 ID card 40 Conveying means 41 , 49 Conveyor belt device 42 Raw card supply part 43 Image forming part 46 Image checking part 51 Transfer foil core 60 Crimping plate 100 Card making device 200 ID card printer 301 Image forming device (card pretreatment unit) 400 Cartridge for thermal transfer sheet ( Transfer cartridge) 500 Hot stamping device De formation means)

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 2C005 HA01 HB01 HB02 HB03 HB09                       JA18 JA26 JB02 JB08 KA02                       KA06 KA37 KA40 KA41 KA57                       LA11 LA14 LA30 LA32                 5B035 AA14 BA03 BA05 BB05 BB12                       BC01

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A device for producing a card by performing a predetermined process, comprising: a card supply unit for supplying the card; and a card formation for performing a predetermined process on the card supplied from the card supply unit and ejecting the card. Means, and a control device for controlling the input / output of the card supply means and the card forming means, wherein the control device supplies the amount of the card supplied from the card supplying means to the card forming means and the card forming means. Detecting the discharge amount of the card, calculating the stay amount of the card staying in the card forming means, comparing the preset allowable amount with the stay amount, and when the stay amount exceeds the allowable amount, A card making apparatus, characterized in that the card supply means is controlled so as to wait for the card supply to the card forming means. 2. A first detection means for detecting the supply amount of the card to the card forming means, and a second detection means for detecting the discharge amount of the card from the card forming means. The card making device according to claim 1. 3. The card forming means includes a housing having an insertion opening and an ejection opening for the card, a conveying means for conveying the card from the insertion opening to the ejection opening, and the conveyance means for conveying the card. The card making apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a member supply unit that supplies a protection member to the card; and a transfer unit that transfers the protection member supplied by the member supply unit to the card. 4. An apparatus for producing a card by transferring a predetermined protective member, comprising: a member supplying unit having the protective member wound in a roll shape; Driving means for driving in reverse, winding detection means for detecting the winding diameter of the protection member, and control for controlling the driving means based on the detection information on the winding diameter obtained from the winding detection means And a device for creating a card. 5. A device for producing a card by transferring a predetermined protection member, comprising: a housing having an insertion opening and an ejection opening for the card; and a card from the insertion opening to the ejection opening of the housing. And a transfer unit configured to transfer a protection member supplied by the member supply unit onto the card, and a transfer unit configured to transfer the protection member supplied to the card to the card. The transfer speed of the protection member by the means is V1, and at least the card discharge speed by the transport means is V2.
The card making device is characterized in that V1 <V2. 6. The F1 <F2 when the card carrying force at the discharge port of the housing is F1 and the protecting member carrying force at the transfer means is F2. Card making device.