JP7312365B2 - Card reversing transfer system - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to card flipping transport systems.

Conventionally, card printers have been used to produce driver's licenses, credit cards, cash cards, employee ID cards, identification cards, and other ID cards.

This card printer has a card transfer device in which a card magazine in which a large number of cards are stacked in multiple layers is mounted. Cards are taken out one by one from the card magazine.

After that, the card taken out from the card transporting device is sent to the printing part in the card printer through the sending device to be printed, and necessary information is written in the IC chip built in the card in the writing part in the card printer as required.

By the way, the cards are placed in the card magazine with the front surface facing upward, and are taken out one by one from below the card magazine via a delivery device. Each card magazine is provided with a delivery device, and the cards taken out from each card magazine by the delivery device are turned 90° on the horizontal plane and sent to the printing unit in the card printer by a merging transport mechanism. In such a case, if the card is arranged with its surface facing upward inside the card magazine, the surface of the card is likely to be damaged. In addition, the structure in which a delivery device is provided for each card magazine is complicated.

JP 2013-180897 A

The present disclosure has been made in consideration of these points, and aims to provide a card reversing transfer system that does not damage the front surface of the card and that can simplify the structure of the card feeding section.

The present disclosure includes a card transport mechanism having a suction device that stacks a plurality of cards in multiple layers so that the back surfaces of the cards face upward and removes the cards from the card magazines by sucking the back surfaces of the cards in a plurality of card magazines that are arranged in a straight line, and a delivery device that horizontally feeds the adsorption device along the direction in which the card magazines are arranged. A card reversing transfer system with

The present disclosure is a card reversing transfer system in which the reversing mechanism includes a rotatable rotating body having an insertion slot into which the card is inserted.

The present disclosure is a card reversing transfer system in which the feeding device is provided with an elevating mechanism that vertically holds the adsorption device.

The present disclosure is a card reversing transfer system in which the reversing mechanism is composed of a mounting table having an opening through which the adsorption device that is raised and lowered by the elevating mechanism passes through, and the adsorption device is provided so as to be capable of being inverted 180° with respect to the elevating mechanism.

The present disclosure is a card reversing transfer system in which each card magazine is provided with a card lifting mechanism for lifting the card upward.

As described above, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to simplify the structure of the card delivery section without damaging the front surface of the card.

1 is a schematic diagram showing a card reversing transfer system according to a first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 2A is a diagram showing the surface of an IC card; FIG. 2B is a diagram showing the back surface of the IC card; FIG. 3 is an overall configuration diagram showing the entire card printer. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the operation of the card reversing transfer system according to the first embodiment; FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an elevating mechanism; FIG. 6 is a view of the lifting mechanism viewed from a direction different from that of FIG. 6 by 90°; FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a card reversing transfer system according to a second embodiment; FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a card reversing transfer system according to a third embodiment; FIG. 9A is a schematic diagram showing a comparative example; FIG. 9B is a side view showing a comparative example;

<First Embodiment>
A first embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 4 are diagrams showing a card reversing transfer system according to the first embodiment.

First, referring to FIG. 3, a card printer 20 incorporating a reverse transfer system will be described. The card printer 20 prints required surface information 2a and facial image information 2b for each individual on the surface 2 of an IC card (hereinafter also simply referred to as a card) 1 including an IC chip 1a as shown in FIGS.

Here, the necessary surface information 2a can be the name and address of the individual concerned. Further, the back side information 3a may be detailed information such as remarks that cannot be written on the front side. In the present embodiment, card printer 20 produces, for example, a driver's license.

In the card printer 20, the surface information 2a is written in the IC chip 1a of the IC card 1. FIG.

Further downstream of the card printer 20 is connected a printer 40 with a back surface writing function that writes the back surface information 3a into the IC chip 1a of the IC card 1 and prints the back surface information 3a on the back surface of the IC card 1 (see FIG. 3).

Further, the printer 40 with the back surface writing function is connected to a write-once information label issuing unit 28 that reads the back-surface information 3a from the IC chip 1a of the IC card 1, prints the add-on information that cannot be printed on the back surface 3 of the IC card 1 out of the back-surface information 3a, produces a write-once information label, and issues the write-once information label (see FIG. 3).

It should be noted that the card printer 20 can also print only on a card that does not have an IC chip instead of the IC card.

Next, FIG. 3 shows an outline of the card printer 20. As shown in FIG.

As shown in Fig. 3, the card printer 20 is a Card Magazine 21, which is located above the Cacing 20a, the IC card 1, and the IC card 1, and the IC card 1 from each card magazine 21, and the card re -transfer system 50 and the card reversal transfer system 50 and the card reversal transfer system 50 and the card reversal transfer system 50. It is provided on the downstream side of the m 50, and has a Y -printing portion 22, M printing portion 23, and C printing portion 24, which prints face image information 2b on the surface 2 of the IC card 1. Of these, the Y printing section 22 prints the surface 2 of the IC card 1 in yellow, the M printing section 23 prints the surface 2 of the IC card 1 in magenta, and the C printing section 24 prints the surface 2 of the IC card 1 in cyan.

An ink fixing unit 25 for fixing the ink printed by the Y printing unit 22, the M printing unit 23 and the C printing unit 24 on the surface of the IC card 1 is provided downstream of the C printing unit 24, and a surface printing unit 26 for printing the surface information 2a and the ID information 2c on the surface 2 of the IC card 1 is provided downstream of the ink fixing unit 25. In this case, the Y printing section 22, M printing section 23, C printing section 24, ink fixing section 25 and surface printing section 26 constitute printer sections 22-26.

The IC card 1 that has passed through the surface printing section 26 is then sent to the first reader/writer 27 and sent from the drop section 38 to the transfer line 33 below the casing 20A.

Among them, the first reader/writer 27 writes the surface information 2a and the ID information 2c to the IC chip 1a of the IC card 1. FIG.

Further, along the transport line 33, a first protective sheet forming section 29 is provided for providing a first protective sheet (not shown) on the surface 2 of the IC card 1 in order to protect the surface information 2a and the face image information 2b printed on the surface 2 of the IC card 1, and a second protective sheet forming section 30 for providing a second protective sheet (not shown) on the first protective sheet is provided downstream of the first protective sheet forming section 29.

Further, on the downstream side of the transport line 33, there is provided a sorting/discharging section 37 that receives the IC card 1 having the surface information 2a, the face image information 2b, and the ID information 2c printed on the surface 2 and having the surface information 2a and the ID information 2c written in the IC chip 1a, and distributes the IC card 1 to the first stacking section 35a, the second stacking section 35b, or the back print stacking section 36.

Among these, the first stacking section 35a and the second stacking section 35b stack the IC cards 1 that do not need to be printed on the back surface 3 based on the type of the IC cards 1 . The back surface print stacking unit 36 stacks the IC cards 1 that require the back surface information 3a to be written in the IC chip 1a by the downstream side printer 40 with a back surface writing function and the back surface information 3a to be printed on the back surface 3 of the IC card 1.

After that, the IC card 1 sent to the back side printing stacking section 36 is sent to the printer 40 with a back side writing function and the postscript information label issuing section 28 in sequence.

By the way, the sorting/discharging section 37 has a function of reading the ID information 2c written in the IC chip 1a of the IC card 1, and based on the read ID information 2c, the sorting/discharging section 37 determines whether or not the IC card 1 has back side information 3a to be printed.

Then, only the IC cards 1 having the back surface information 3a to be printed are sent to the back surface printing stacking unit 36 by the sorting/discharging unit 37, and the IC cards 1 not having the back surface information 3a to be printed are sent to the first stacking unit 35a and the second stacking unit 35b.

The printer 40 with back side writing function has a second reader/writer 41 for writing the necessary back side information 3a into the IC chip 1a of the IC card 1, and a back side printing section 42 for printing the necessary back side information 3a on the back side 3 of the IC card 1. Further, an entrance stacker 40a is provided upstream of the second reader/writer 41 and the back surface printing section 42, and an exit stacker 40b is provided downstream of the second reader/writer 41 and the back surface printing section 42. FIG.

By the way, the card printer 20 and the printer 40 with a back surface writing function are driven and controlled by the controller 20a.

Next, the card reversing transfer system 50 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. As described above, the card reversing transport system 50 takes out the IC cards 1 loaded in the four card magazines 21a to 21d from the card magazines 21a to 21d, transports them, and reverses them.

In this case, the four card magazines 21a to 21d are placed on the placing sections 21A to 21D arranged in a straight line above the card printer 20, respectively. In each of the card magazines 21a to 21d, a plurality of IC cards 1 are stacked in multiple layers with their back surfaces 3 facing upward.

The card reversing transfer system 50 according to the present embodiment includes a card transfer mechanism 60A having a suction device 60 that sucks the back surface 3 of the IC card 1 in the card magazines 21a to 21d from above and takes it out from the upper opening of the card magazines 21a to 21d, and a sending device that sends the suction device 60 in the horizontal direction, such as a conveying belt 51. Among them, the transport belt 51 is stretched between the driving rollers 51a and 51b, and can reciprocate in the horizontal direction along the straight line L direction.

Next, the connection structure between the suction device 60 and the conveyor belt 51 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, an elevating mechanism 56 is fixed to the conveying belt 51, and the elevating mechanism 56 can be horizontally moved by the conveying belt 51. As shown in FIG. The lifting mechanism 56 has a lifting mechanism main body 56A that can be horizontally moved by the conveyor belt 51, and a lifting belt 57 that is arranged in the lifting mechanism main body 56A and can move vertically.

A holder 61 is attached to the lifting belt 57, and the holder 61 is rotatably provided with a suction device 60 having a suction portion 60a. 5 and 6, a holder 61 protrudes from the lift belt 57 in the direction of a straight line x perpendicular to the straight line L, and the suction device 60 is provided on the holder 61 so as to be rotatable about the straight line x. The suction device 60 has a suction portion 60a that suctions the back surface 3 of the IC card 1, and can be directed downward or upward by rotating with respect to the holder 61. FIG.

Further, on the downstream side of the conveying belt 51 in the conveying direction (the direction of the straight line L), a rotary member 55 having an insertion opening 55a into which the IC card 1 is inserted is arranged.

Further, in the insertion port 55a of the rotating body 55, a conveying roller (not shown) is provided for pulling in the IC card 1 sucked by the sucking portion 60a of the sucking device 60. As shown in FIG. Then, the IC card 1 sucked by the sucking portion 60a of the sucking device 60 is pulled into the insertion opening 55a of the rotating body 55 in the straight line L direction. After that, the rotating body 55 is rotated by 180° around the rotation axis parallel to the straight line L. As a result, the IC card 1 sucked by the sucking part 60a of the sucking device 60 with the rear surface 3 facing upward and inserted into the insertion port 55a of the rotating body 55 can be reversed by 180° by the rotating body 55 so that the posture of the IC card 1 can be changed so that the surface 2 faces upward.

As described above, the Y printing section 22 is arranged on the downstream side of the rotary body 55 in the IC card 1 conveying direction, and the Y printing section 22 has substantially the same structure as the M printing section 23 and the C printing section 24 . That is, the Y printing section 22 has a print head 22a for heating the ink ribbon 22r, a sending section 22b for the ink ribbon 22r, and a winding section 22c for the ink ribbon 22r.

Next, the operation of this embodiment having such a configuration will be described with reference to FIG.

First, card magazines 21a to 21d in which a plurality of IC cards 1 are stacked in multiple layers are mounted on mounting portions 21A to 21D of the card printer 20, and the card magazines 21a to 21d are arranged on a straight line L. FIG. The IC cards 1 stacked in each of the card magazines 21a to 21d are raw IC cards 1 without printing and writing, and the IC cards 1 are stored in the card magazines 21a to 21d with their back surfaces 3 facing upward.

In this case, the card magazine 21a stores an IC card 1 for making a driver's license for good people, the card magazine 21b stores an IC card 1 for making a driver's license for ordinary people, the card magazine 21c stores an IC card 1 for making a driver's license for new drivers, and the card magazine 21d stores an IC card 1 for experienced people (for those who have returned their license).

Next, a detection unit (not shown) confirms whether or not the IC card described above is stored in each of the card magazines 21a to 21d.

Next, it is determined whether or not there is an issue request for the IC card 1, and if there is an issue request for the IC card 1, an elevating mechanism 56 holding a suction device 60 moves along a conveying belt 51 to card magazines 21a to 21d containing the IC card 1 for which the issue request is issued.

In this case, the card magazines 21a to 21d are open at the top, and the sides of the card magazines 21a to 21d on the lifting mechanism 56 side (the backs of the card magazines 21a to 21d in FIG. 1) are also open.

For example, when an IC card 1 requested to be issued is housed in the card magazine 21d, the elevating mechanism 56 reaches the back surface of the card magazine 21d, and the holder 61 attached to the elevating belt 57 of the elevating mechanism 56 enters the card magazine 21d from the back surface. Next, the holder 61 is lowered by the lifting belt 57, and the suction portion 60a of the suction device 60 attached to the tip of the holder 61 sucks the back surface 3 of the uppermost IC card 1. FIG.

After that, the holder 61 is lifted by the lifting belt 57 and the lifting mechanism 56 moves along the conveyor belt 51 as a whole. Next, the IC card 1 sucked by the sucking part 60a of the sucking device 60 is introduced into the insertion port 55a of the rotating body 55 by the conveying roller, the rotating body 55 rotates 180°, and the posture of the IC card 1 changes so that the surface 2 faces upward.

Next, the IC card 1 in the insertion opening 55a of the rotating body 55 is sent to the Y printing section 22 side by the conveying rollers in the insertion opening 55a of the rotating body 55. FIG.

Thereafter, yellow printing, magenta printing, and cyan printing are applied to the surface 2 of the IC card 1 by the Y printing unit 22, the M printing unit 23, and the C printing unit 24, respectively, and thus the face image information 2b is printed on the surface 2 of the IC card 1.

Next, the IC card 1 is sent to the ink fixing section 25, where the face image information 2b printed by the Y printing section 22, the M printing section 23 and the C printing section 24 is fixed on the surface of the IC card 1.

After that, the IC card 1 is sent to the surface printing unit 26, and the surface information 2a and the ID information 2c are printed on the surface 2 of the IC card 1 in the surface printing unit 26. FIG.

Next, the IC card 1 is sent to the first reader/writer 27, and the first reader/writer 27 writes the surface information 2a, the face image information 2b, and the ID information 2c to the IC chip 1a of the IC card 1. FIG.

The IC card 1 having the surface information 2a, the face image information 2b, and the ID information 2c printed on the surface 2 in this way, and having the surface information 2a and the ID information 2c written on the IC chip 1a, is then conveyed along the conveying line 33 from the drop section 38 to the first protective sheet forming section 29, and the first protective sheet is formed on the surface of the IC card 1 in the first protective sheet forming section 29. Next, the IC card 1 is sent along the transport line 33 to the second protective sheet forming section 30 , and the second protective sheet is formed on the first protective sheet of the IC card 1 in the second protective sheet forming section 30 .

Next, the IC card 1 is conveyed by the conveying line 33 and reaches the sorting/discharging section 37 . The IC cards 1 are sorted by this sorting/discharging section 37 . That is, the IC cards 1 having the surface information 2a, the face image information 2b and the ID information 2c printed only on the surface 2 of the IC card 1, the surface information 2a and the ID information 2c written on the IC chip 1a, and the back surface information 3a not required to be printed on the back surface 3 and the back surface information 3a not required to be written on the IC chip 1a are sent to the first stacking unit 35a and the second stacking unit 35b.

On the other hand, the ID card 1 which has the surface information 2a, the face image information 2b and the ID information 2c printed on the surface 2, the surface information 2a and the ID information 2c written on the IC chip 1a, the back surface information 3a also printed on the back surface 3, and the back surface information 3a needs to be written on the IC chip 1a is sent to the back surface print stacking unit 36.

Next, the IC card 1 sent to the back side print stacking unit 36 is then sent to the printer 40 with a back side writing function. In the printer 40 with a back surface writing function, the IC card 1 has the back surface information 3a written in the IC chip 1a by the second reader/writer 41, and then the back surface information 3a is printed on the back surface 3 of the IC card 1 by the back surface printing unit 42.

In this way, the card printer 20 and the printer 40 with a back side writing function complete the printing and writing operations on the IC card 1, and the printed and written IC card 1 is obtained.

Each component of the card printer 20 and the printer 40 with a back surface writing function is driven and controlled by the controller 20a as described above.

The IC card 1 sent to the first stacking unit 35a and the second stacking unit 35b after it is determined that there is no back side information to be printed is ejected to the outside without passing through the printer 40 with a back side writing function.

Next, the IC card 1 that has passed through the printer 40 with a back surface writing function is sent to the postscript information label issuing section 28 . The postscript information label issuing unit 28 reads the backside information 3a from the IC chip 1a of the IC card 1, prints the postscript information that cannot be printed on the backside of the IC card 1 out of the backside information 3a, and produces and issues a postscript information label. The write-once information label thus obtained is then attached to a desired position on the back surface 3 of the IC card 1 .

In this manner, the IC card 1 having the surface information 2a, the face image information 2b and the ID information 2c printed on the surface 2, the back surface information 3a printed on the back surface 3, the surface information 2a, the back surface information 3a and the ID information 2c written on the IC chip 1a, and the postscript information label attached to the back surface 3 can be manufactured with high accuracy and efficiency.

Next, a comparative example of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 9A and 9B.

As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the card magazines 21a and 21b are placed on the mounting portions 21A and 21B, and the IC cards 1 are stacked in the card magazines 21a and 21b placed on the mounting portions 21A and 21B with the surface 2 facing upward. The IC cards 1 in the card magazines 21a and 21b are sent from the lowermost IC card 1 to the collecting transfer line 32 side by sending devices 32a and 32b provided for each card magazine 21a and 21b, and then sent from this collecting transfer line 32 to the Y printing section 22 side.

In the comparative example shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, sending devices 32a and 32b are provided for each of the card magazines 21a and 21b, and the IC cards 1 sent out from below the card magazines 21a and 21b by the sending devices 32a and 32b are sent to the Y printing section 22 side by a collecting transport line 32 orthogonal to the sending direction of the sending devices 32a and 32b.

At the exit of each card magazine 21a, 21b, a stopper 62 is provided for sending out only the lowermost IC card 1, and the sending devices 32a, 32b are provided with claws 63 for sending out the IC card 1 in each card magazine 21a, 21b. In such a comparative example, each card magazine 21a, 21b has a delivery device 32a, 32b, and the IC cards 1 delivered from the delivery devices 32a, 32b are transported along the aggregate transport line 32 after changing their orientation by 90° in plan view. As a result, the structure of the delivery device for each of the card magazines 21a and 21b is complicated, and the delivery line for each card magazine 21a and 21b also has a portion that changes its direction by 90 degrees, making it complicated. Furthermore, since the IC cards 1 in the card magazines 21a and 21b are stored with their surfaces facing upward, the IC cards 1 are easily damaged.

In contrast, according to the present embodiment, the IC card 1 is sent out from each of the card magazines 21a to 21d only in one direction parallel to the arrangement direction L of the card magazines 21a to 21d. Therefore, the structure of the IC card 1 sending device can be simplified. Further, since the IC cards 1 stored in the card magazines 21a to 21d have their back surfaces 3 facing upward, the front surfaces 2 of the IC cards 1 are not damaged in the card magazines 21a to 21d.

<Second Embodiment>
Next, a card reversing transfer system 50 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The card reversing transport system 50 takes out the IC cards 1 loaded in the four card magazines 21a to 21d from the card magazines 21a to 21d, transports them, and reverses them.

In this case, the four card magazines 21a to 21d are placed on the placing sections 21A to 21D arranged in a straight line above the card printer 20, respectively. In each of the card magazines 21a to 21d, a plurality of IC cards 1 are stacked in multiple layers with their back surfaces 3 facing upward.

The card reversing transfer system 50 according to the present embodiment includes a card transfer mechanism 60A having a suction device 60 that sucks the back surface 3 of the IC card 1 in the card magazines 21a to 21d from above and takes it out from the upper opening of the card magazines 21a to 21d, and a sending device that sends the suction device 60 in the horizontal direction, such as a conveying belt 51. Among them, the transport belt 51 is stretched between the driving rollers 51a and 51b, and can reciprocate in the horizontal direction along the straight line L direction.

Next, a connection structure between the suction device 60 and the conveying belt 51 will be described. An elevating mechanism 56 is fixed to the conveying belt 51 , and the elevating mechanism 56 can be horizontally moved by the conveying belt 51 . The lifting mechanism 56 has a lifting mechanism main body 56A that can be horizontally moved by the transport belt 51, and a lifting belt 57 that is arranged in the lifting mechanism main body 56A and can move in the vertical direction.

A holder 61 is attached to the lifting belt 57, and the holder 61 is rotatably provided with a suction device 60 having a suction portion 60a. A holder 61 is provided so as to protrude from the lifting belt 57 in the direction of a straight line x orthogonal to the straight line L, and the suction device 60 is provided on the holder 61 so as to be rotatable about the straight line x. The suction device 60 has a suction portion 60a that suctions the back surface 3 of the IC card 1, and can be directed downward or upward by rotating with respect to the holder 61. FIG.

A mounting table 70 having an opening 70a through which the suction device 60 passes is arranged on the downstream side of the conveying belt 51 in the conveying direction (the direction of the straight line L).

As described above, the Y printing section 22 is arranged on the downstream side of the mounting table 70 in the IC card 1 conveying direction. That is, the Y printing section 22 has a print head 22a for heating the ink ribbon 22r, a sending section 22b for the ink ribbon 22r, and a winding section 22c for the ink ribbon 22r.

Next, the operation of this embodiment having such a configuration will be described.

First, card magazines 21a to 21d in which a plurality of IC cards 1 are stacked in multiple layers are mounted on mounting portions 21A to 21D of the card printer 20, and the card magazines 21a to 21d are arranged on a straight line L. FIG. The IC cards 1 stacked in each of the card magazines 21a to 21d are raw IC cards 1 without printing and writing, and the IC cards 1 are stored in the card magazines 21a to 21d with their back surfaces 3 facing upward.

In this case, the card magazine 21a stores an IC card 1 for making a driver's license for good people, the card magazine 21b stores an IC card 1 for making a driver's license for ordinary people, the card magazine 21c stores an IC card 1 for making a driver's license for new drivers, and the card magazine 21d stores an IC card 1 for experienced people (for those who have returned their license).

Next, a detection unit (not shown) confirms whether or not the IC card described above is stored in each of the card magazines 21a to 21d.

Next, it is determined whether or not there is an issue request for the IC card 1, and if there is an issue request for the IC card 1, an elevating mechanism 56 holding a suction device 60 moves along a conveying belt 51 to card magazines 21a to 21d containing the IC card 1 for which the issue request is issued.

In this case, the card magazines 21a to 21d are open at the top, and the sides of the card magazines 21a to 21d on the lifting mechanism 56 side (the backs of the card magazines 21a to 21d in FIG. 7) are also open.

For example, when an IC card 1 requested to be issued is housed in the card magazine 21d, the elevating mechanism 56 reaches the back surface of the card magazine 21d, and the holder 61 attached to the elevating belt 57 of the elevating mechanism 56 enters the card magazine 21d from the back surface. Next, the holder 61 is lowered by the lifting belt 57, and the suction portion 60a of the suction device 60 attached to the tip of the holder 61 sucks the back surface 3 of the uppermost IC card 1 from above. In this case, the adsorption portion 60a of the adsorption device 60 faces downward.

After that, the holder 61 is lifted by the lifting belt 57 and the lifting mechanism 56 moves along the conveyor belt 51 as a whole.

Next, the lifting mechanism 56 reaches above the mounting table 70 . Next, the suction device 60 attached to the lifting belt 57 of the lifting mechanism 56 rotates 180° around the straight line x, the suction portion 60a faces upward, and accordingly the IC card 1 sucked by the suction portion 60a is positioned above the suction portion 60a. Next, the elevating belt 57 of the elevating mechanism 56 is lowered, and the IC card 1 on the adsorption section 60a is placed on the placing table 70. As shown in FIG. The suction device 60 stops its suction function, passes through the opening 70 a of the mounting table 70 , and descends below the mounting table 70 .

In this manner, the suction device 60 rotates 180° and descends through the opening 70a of the mounting table 70, thereby changing the attitude of the IC card 1 on the mounting table 70 so that the surface 2 faces upward.

Next, the IC card 1 on the mounting table 70 is then sent to the Y printing section 22 side by a transport roller (not shown). Subsequent steps are performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment described above.

<Third Embodiment>
Next, a card reversing transfer system 50 according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The card reversing transport system 50 takes out the IC cards 1 loaded in the four card magazines 21a to 21d from the card magazines 21a to 21d, transports them, and reverses them.

In this case, the four card magazines 21a to 21d are placed on the placing sections 21A to 21D arranged in a straight line above the card printer 20, respectively. In each of the card magazines 21a to 21d, a plurality of IC cards 1 are stacked in multiple layers with their back surfaces 3 facing upward.

The card reversing transfer system 50 according to the present embodiment includes a card transfer mechanism 60A having a suction device 60 that sucks the back surface 3 of the IC card 1 in the card magazines 21a to 21d from above and takes it out from the upper opening of the card magazines 21a to 21d, and a sending device that sends the suction device 60 in the horizontal direction, such as a conveying belt 51. Among them, the transport belt 51 is stretched between the driving rollers 51a and 51b, and can reciprocate in the horizontal direction along the straight line L direction.

Also, the suction device 60 is fixed to the conveying belt 51 . Further, each card magazine 21a-21d is provided with a card lifting mechanism 72 for lifting the IC card 1 in each card magazine 21a-21d.

A holder 61 is attached to the conveying belt 51, and the holder 61 is rotatably provided with a suction device 60 having a suction portion 60a. The holder 61 is provided so as to protrude from the conveyor belt 51 in the direction of a straight line x perpendicular to the straight line L, and the suction device 60 is provided on the holder 61 so as to be rotatable about the straight line x.

Further, on the downstream side of the conveying belt 51 in the conveying direction (the direction of the straight line L), a rotary member 55 having an insertion opening 55a into which the IC card 1 is inserted is arranged.

Further, in the insertion port 55a of the rotating body 55, a conveying roller (not shown) is provided for pulling in the IC card 1 sucked by the sucking portion 60a of the sucking device 60. As shown in FIG. Then, the IC card 1 sucked by the sucking portion 60a of the sucking device 60 is pulled into the insertion opening 55a of the rotating body 55 in the straight line L direction. After that, the rotating body 55 is rotated by 180° around the rotation axis parallel to the straight line L. As a result, the IC card 1 sucked by the sucking part 60a of the sucking device 60 with the rear surface 3 facing upward and inserted into the insertion port 55a of the rotating body 55 can be reversed by 180° by the rotating body 55 to change the posture of the IC card 1 so that the surface 2 faces upward.

As described above, the Y printing section 22 is arranged on the downstream side of the rotary body 55 in the IC card 1 conveying direction, and the Y printing section 22 has substantially the same structure as the M printing section 23 and the C printing section 24 . That is, the Y printing section 22 has a print head 22a for heating the ink ribbon 22r, a sending section 22b for the ink ribbon 22r, and a winding section 22c for the ink ribbon 22r.

Next, the operation of this embodiment having such a configuration will be described.

First, card magazines 21a to 21d in which a plurality of IC cards are stacked in multiple layers are mounted on mounting portions 21A to 21D of the card printer 20, and the card magazines 21a to 21d are arranged on a straight line L. FIG. The IC cards 1 stacked in each of the card magazines 21a to 21d are raw IC cards 1 without printing and writing, and the IC cards 1 are stored in the card magazines 21a to 21d with their back surfaces 3 facing upward.

In this case, the card magazine 21a stores an IC card 1 for making a driver's license for good people, the card magazine 21b stores an IC card 1 for making a driver's license for ordinary people, the card magazine 21c stores an IC card 1 for making a driver's license for new drivers, and the card magazine 21d stores an IC card 1 for experienced people (for those who have returned their license).

Next, a detection unit (not shown) confirms whether or not the IC card described above is stored in each of the card magazines 21a to 21d.

Next, it is determined whether or not there is an issue request for an IC card 1, and if there is an issue request for an IC card 1, a suction device 60 moves along a conveying belt 51 to card magazines 21a to 21d containing the IC card 1 for which the issue request is issued.

In this case, the card magazines 21a-21d are open at the top.

For example, when an IC card 1 requested to be issued is stored in the card magazine 21d, the holder 61 attached to the conveyor belt 51 is positioned above the card magazine 21d. Next, the suction portion 60a of the suction device 60 attached to the tip of the holder 61 sucks the back surface 3 of the uppermost IC card 1. As shown in FIG.

During this time, the IC cards 1 in the card magazine 21 d are lifted upward by the card elevating mechanism 72 , and the uppermost IC card 1 is pressed against the suction portion 60 a of the suction device 60 . After the IC card 1 is sucked by the sucking portion 60 a of the sucking device 60 , the IC card 1 in the card magazine 21 d is slightly lowered by the card lift mechanism 72 .

After that, the holder 61 holding the suction device 60 moves along the conveyor belt 51 . Next, the IC card 1 sucked by the sucking part 60a of the sucking device 60 is inserted into the insertion opening 55a of the rotating body 55 by the conveying roller, and the rotating body 55 rotates 180°, and the posture of the IC card 1 changes so that the surface 2 faces upward.

Next, the IC card 1 in the insertion opening 55a of the rotating body 55 is sent to the Y printing section 22 side by the conveying rollers in the insertion opening 55a of the rotating body 55. FIG. Subsequent steps are performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment described above.

1 IC card 2 Front side 3 Back side 20 Card printers 21A to 21D Mounting units 21a to 21d Card magazine 50 Card reversing transfer system 51 Conveyor belts 51a, 51b Drive roller 55 Rotating body 55a Insertion port 56 Lifting mechanism 60 Suction device 60A Card transfer mechanism 60a Suction unit 61 Holder 70 Mounting table 70a Opening 72 Card lifting mechanism

Claims (3)

Each Multiple cards are stacked in multiple layers with the back side facing upward and arranged in a straight line.a plurality of card magazines surrounded by four sides and having a planar rectangular shape with an upper opening;
the plurality ofa card transfer mechanism having a suction device that suctions the back surface of the card in the card magazine and takes out the card from the card magazine, and sends out the suction device in the horizontal direction along the arrangement direction of the card magazine;
provided on the downstream side of the card transfer mechanism in the delivery direction of the card transfer mechanism;
a reversing mechanism for reversing the card by 180° so that the surface of the card faces upward;
The card transfer mechanism is arranged along the direction of arrangement of the plurality of card magazines arranged on a straight line.
a conveyor belt that extends along the conveyor belt;
and a lifting mechanism,
The suction device is mounted so as to be vertically movable via a holder by the elevating mechanism.
, each card magazineon one side ofinsert the retainersideA card reversing transfer system having an aperture formed therein. 2. The card reversing transfer system according to claim 1, wherein said reversing mechanism includes a rotatable rotating body having an insertion opening into which said card is inserted. Each Multiple cards are stacked in multiple layers with the back side facing upward and arranged in a straight line.a plurality of card magazines surrounded by four sides and having a planar rectangular shape with an upper opening;
the plurality ofa card transfer mechanism having a suction device that suctions the back surface of the card in the card magazine and takes out the card from the card magazine, and sends out the suction device in the horizontal direction along the arrangement direction of the card magazine;
arranged downstream of the plurality of card magazines and adsorbing the cards Let it pass through the adsorption deviceplacing the card on thea mounting table having an opening,
The card transfer mechanism is arranged along the direction of arrangement of the plurality of card magazines arranged on a straight line.
a conveyor belt that extends along the conveyor belt;
and a lifting mechanism, wherein the adsorption device is attached to the lifting mechanismIt is provided via a holder extending linearly, and the suction device is arranged around the holder.180° reversibleand
The suction device is mounted so as to be vertically movable via the holder by the elevating mechanism.on one side ofinsert the retainersideopening formedbe,
After being turned around by 180° around the holder, the suction device descends along the vertical direction through the holder, and places the card on the mounting table when passing through the opening of the mounting table.Card reversal transfer system.

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