JPH07117912A - Conveyance pat switching device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a conveyance path switching device suitable for switching the conveyance path of a conveyed medium such as a plastic card. CONSTITUTION:A conveying roller 43 and a pinch roller 44 pressed to it are pivotally supported on a bracket 45, and a conveyance path switching unit U3 is constituted so that the bracket 45 is turned around a conveying roller shaft 48 when the conveying roller 43 is rotated. When a conveyed medium is fed to the first conveyance path, the conveying roller 43 is positively rotated by a driving motor 49. When the conveyed medium is fed to the second conveyance path, the conveying roller 43 is reversely rotated, the bracket 45 is turned into contact with a stopper, and the pinch roller 44 is rolled along the peripheral face of the conveying roller 43.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transport path switching device for transporting a transport medium such as an original, copy paper, and a plastic card, and more particularly to a transport route switching device suitable for switching a transport route for a hard transport medium such as a plastic card. It is a thing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a transport path switching claw called a flapper has been widely used as a transport path switching means for a transport medium. Also, in other systems, there is a switchback switching system.

In the switching claw method, as shown in FIG. 6, there is a rotary flapper 81 of a rotary movement type on the conveying path, and the medium 8
The medium transport path is switched by locating 0 in the A state when transporting in the A ′ direction and in the B state when transporting in the B ′ direction.

In the switchback system, as shown in FIG. 7, the medium 80 pushes away the fixed flapper 83 of the elastic member,
A nipped between the transport roller 84 and the pinch roller 85
However, in the B direction, the transport roller 84 is reversely rotated and is switched and transported in the B direction.

[0005]

However, in the switching pawl system of FIG. 6, since the flapper rotates and moves, a power component such as a solenoid 82 is required as a drive source thereof. Further, as a problem, since the transport path is a curved path, it is necessary to minimize the separation angle of the transport paths A ′ and B ′ when transporting a rigid medium such as a stiff plastic card. It is not suitable for carrying.

On the other hand, in the switchback system shown in FIG. 7, the drive source of the flapper 83 is not required, but the rear end of the medium 80 may hit the front end of the flapper 83 during reverse rotation, and the flapper 83 can advance linearly in the A direction. However, since it has to be bent in the B direction, it is still not suitable for conveying a hard medium.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, to provide a linear medium for a hard medium such as a plastic card without having a special switching claw, and without requiring a special drive source for switching. An object of the present invention is to provide a transport path switching device capable of switching and transporting as it is.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is to switch a transport path for transporting a transport medium such as a document, copy paper, and a plastic card between a first transport path and a second transport path. In the apparatus, a transport roller that transports a transport medium and a transport auxiliary member that is pressed against the transport roller are pivotally supported by a bracket and are provided at a branch portion between a first transport path and a second transport path. The bracket swivels around the transport roller axis in the direction of rotation of the transport roller, and the transport path switching unit in which the transport roller shaft idles with respect to the bracket when a load greater than a predetermined value acts on the bracket, and the transport range of the bracket A stopper for regulating between a position supplied to the first transport path and a position supplied to the second transport path, and a transport medium supplied to the first transport path It rotated forward the conveying roller in the case that, when supplying the second transport path is of structure in which a driving motor for reversely rotating the conveying rollers. (Claim 1).

The stopper may be a notched edge of a machine frame formed so that the conveyance assisting member abuts (claim 2).

Between the transport roller shaft and the bracket,
A torque limiter can be provided (claim 3).

[0011]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the transport medium is supplied to the first transport path, the transport roller is rotated forward by the drive motor and the transport medium is sent to the first transport path as it is.

When the carrier medium is supplied to the second carrier path, the carrier motor reversely rotates the carrier roller.
When the carrying roller rotates in the reverse direction, the bracket rotates together with the carrying roller shaft due to the frictional force between the bracket and the carrying roller shaft, and the bracket rotates about the carrying roller shaft. At this time, the conveyance assisting member rolls along the peripheral surface of the conveyance roller while nipping the conveyance medium. Then, when the bracket turns to a position facing the second transport path, the bracket contacts the stopper and stops the turning.

When the transport medium is supplied to the first transport path again, the transport roller may be rotated in the forward direction by the drive motor, and similarly, the friction force between the bracket and the transport roller shaft causes the bracket to transport the transport roller shaft. Turn to the center and return.

As described above, since the conveyance assist member is moved around the circumference of the conveyance roller while the conveyance medium is nipped between the conveyance roller and the conveyance auxiliary member, the direction of the conveyance medium is changed. Even if the medium is hard such as a plastic card, there is no refraction.

Further, since the direction change is switched only by the forward and reverse rotation directions of the carrying roller, no special driving device other than the driving motor of the carrying roller is required, and the switching device can be obtained at a very low cost. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the notched edge of the machine frame is formed as a stopper, and the conveyance assisting member abuts against this. For this reason, it is possible to change in any direction simply by changing the position of the notch edge of the machine frame, so that the degree of freedom in designing the device is high and it is possible to contribute to downsizing.

In the third aspect, since the torque limiter is provided between the transport roller shaft and the bracket, when the bracket is returned from the position of the second transport path where its own weight is applied to the position of the first transport path. As a result, a frictional force that does not idle between the bracket and the transport roller shaft can be reliably obtained, so that a stable switching operation can be performed.

[0018]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The stocker unit 3 shown in FIG. 1 constitutes a part of a card manufacturing apparatus such as a credit card or an ID card, and the entire card manufacturing apparatus is incorporated in the printer unit 1 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The magnetic encode recording unit 2 and the stocker unit 3 are sequentially connected in cascade.

(1) Printer Unit 1 As shown in FIG. 4, the printer unit 1 includes a card supply section 10 for sending out a plastic card C before printing and a card C for the plastic card C sent out by the card supply section 10. The first printing section 20 for printing a color image with halftones such as a facial photograph of a person by the thermal sublimation transfer method, and a black and white 2
And a second printing section 30 for printing a value image by a thermal fusion transfer method and also for overcoating the printing surface with a protective layer.

In the first printing section 20, as elements constituting the card conveying path F, the entrance conveying roller 21, the cap stun roller 23, and the card conveying direction are sequentially arranged in the card conveying direction.
A platen roller 24, a cap stun roller 25, and a relay conveyance roller 29 are provided. Of these, the cap stun roller 23, the platen roller 24, and the cap stun roller 25 are the shaft 26 of the cap stun roller 25.
As a pass unit U1 which is attached to an inverted L-shaped support plate 27 which can be swung about the center of the platen, and which allows the platen roller 24 located at the center of the plate to approach a position-fixed first thermal head 4 described later. It is summarized.

The second printing section 30 also has the same structure as the first printing section 20, and is an element constituting the card transporting path F, which is an inlet transporting roller 31, a cap stun roller 33, and a platen roller sequentially in the card transporting direction. 34, cap stun roller 35, and relay conveyance roller 3
9 are provided, of which the cap stun roller 3
3, platen roller 34 and cap stun roller 35
Is a path unit U2 attached to an inverted L-shaped support plate 37 that can swing about a shaft 36 and that can bring the platen roller 34 closer to the second thermal head 7.
Are summarized as

Reference numeral 28 is a drive mechanism for tilting the pass unit U1, and 38 is a drive mechanism for tilting the pass unit U2.

A cocoon-shaped YMC film cassette 5 has a YMC film 6 in which yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) sublimable ink layers are formed in a frame-sequential manner at a predetermined pitch. The wound one is stored. Reference numeral 8 denotes a wax black protective layer film cassette, inside which a wax black (WBk) protective layer film 9 in which a heat-melting wax black layer and a transparent overcoat layer are sequentially formed at a predetermined pitch is wound. What you have done is stored.

The card C sent from the card supply section 10 to the first printing section 20 is transferred to the entrance conveyance roller 2
After passing between 1 and the pinch roller R, the path unit U1 is entered. When the starting end (printing position) of the area to be printed on the card C enters under the thermal head 4, the unit U1 tilts upwards about the shaft 26 of the cap stun roller 25, and the YMC film 6 under the thermal head 4 is tilted. Pressed up. While the predetermined information signal is supplied to the thermal head 4, the card is sent in synchronization with the feeding of the yellow (Y) ink film, and the desired face photograph is printed in yellow (Y).

When the yellow (Y) printing is completed, the card is returned to the position where the starting end of the printing area corresponds to the thermal head 4. Further, the YMC film 6 is fed to one side, and the magenta (M) ink area is cueed.
The unit U1 tilts again about the axis 26, so that the surface of the card C to be printed is Y under the thermal head 4.
Pressed on the MC film 6. A predetermined information signal is supplied to the thermal head 4, and at the same time, the card is sent in synchronization with the feeding of the magenta (M) film, and the magenta (M) printing of a desired face photograph is performed.

When the magenta (M) printing is completed, cyan (C) printing of a desired face photograph is performed by repeating the same as above.

Thus, once a full color photograph, such as the desired facial photograph, has been printed on a predetermined area of the card, the card is sent to a second printing section 30 where the thermal head 7 and film 9 heat fusible wax. Binary information such as characters is printed on the card C in black (WBk). Then, the overcoat area is cueed, the thermal head 7 is energized, and at the same time, the card is sent in synchronization with the feeding of the overcoat film, and the resin film is transferred to the printed area on the card by thermal transfer. Is overcoated.
This overcoat prevents the card from being discolored or damaged from the outside in the photo printing area or the like.

(2) Magnetic Encoding Recording Unit 2 The overcoated card C is transferred to the relay conveyance roller 39.
The card is discharged from the card discharge port 9 to the outside of the printer unit 1. Then, predetermined information is magnetically recorded on the magnetic surface by the magnetic encode recording unit 2 shown in FIG. 5, and the magnetically recorded card C is sent to the stocker unit 3.

(3) Stocker unit 3 In FIG. 1, the plastic card (hard carrier medium) C1 discharged from the magnetic encode recording unit (or printer 1) is sent to the stocker unit 3,
It is nipped and conveyed between the first conveying roller 41 and the pinch roller 42 provided near the entrance in the unit 3. Further, the card C1 is a transport path switching unit U3.
The sheet is nipped between the second transport roller 43 and a transport assisting member such as a pinch roller 44, and is transported as indicated by C2 in FIG. The transport assisting member may be an elastic member such as a leaf spring.

With the transport path switching unit U3 as the front / rear boundary, the first stacker 50 for storing a normal card is located downstream in the transport direction in the stocker unit 3, and the magnetic encoding error is abnormal upstream in the transport direction. A second stacker 60 for storing cards is provided. The former normal card stacker 50 includes a card storage frame 51 provided in the lower part of the stocker unit 3 and the card storage frame 51.
And a stack guide 52 for guiding the card inward. Incidentally, reference numeral 53 is an abutting plate for abutting a card which has been conveyed as a normal card and rectifying and guiding it to the stack guide 52. Next, in the latter abnormal card stacker 60, the card storage frame 61 extending upward from the lower part in the stocker unit 3 and into the card storage frame 61,
It is composed of a reject guide 62 which guides a card rejected as an abnormal card having a magnetic encoding error from the transport path switching unit U3.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, the transport path switching unit U3 includes the above-described second transport roller 43.
And a pinch roller 44, and a bracket 45 that supports the transport roller 43 and the pinch roller 44. Reference numeral 46 is a pinch roller shaft, and 47 is a spring for urging the pinch roller shaft 46 in the direction of the transport roller 43 to give a pressure bonding force.

The rotation shaft 48 of the lower carrying roller 43 has a timing belt B1 wound around the entrance carrying roller 41, and the carrying roller 41 and a drive motor 49.
It is rotationally driven through a timing belt B2 that is wound between and.

The rotating shaft 48 of the lower conveying roller 43 is pivotally supported on the bracket 45, and when the rotating shaft 48 rotates, the friction force of the bracket 45 against the rotating shaft 48 causes the bracket 45 to rotate. And rotates about the rotation axis 48. The upper pinch roller 44 is pressed against the conveying roller 43 by being pressed by a spring 47, and rolls along the peripheral surface of the conveying roller 43 while maintaining this state. This transport roller 4
3 rolling range, that is, bracket 45 is rotating shaft 48
The range in which the pinch roller shaft 46 abuts against the stoppers 71 and 72 provided by cutting out the machine frame 70 limits the range of swinging about the first transport path and the second transport path. decide.

Next, the operation will be described.

In FIG. 1, the card C1 ejected from the magnetic encode recording unit 2 is sent to the stocker unit 3, and the entrance conveying roller 41 and the pinch roller 42 are provided.
The card C1 is further conveyed and is nipped between the conveyance roller 43 and the pinch roller 44 of the conveyance path switching unit U3.

The fact that the rear end of the card has passed through the roller pair 41, 42 is detected by passing through the card sensor 73 provided downstream of it, that is, between the light emitter 73a and the light receiver 73b. The card is in the state indicated by C2 in FIGS.

Here, the transport path switching unit U3
Switches the carrying direction between the first carrying path and the second carrying path according to whether the carried card is normal or abnormal.

That is, in the case of a card processed normally,
In response to the signal to that effect, the transport path switching unit U3 continues transporting to the first transport path in the A direction in the same posture. The card C2 is a transport path switching unit U3.
After passing through the conveying roller 43 and the pinch roller 44, the tip hits the abutting plate 53, slides down the stack guide 52, and is stored in the first stacker 50 of the card storage frame 51.

On the other hand, in the case of an abnormal card with a magnetic encoding error, the conveying direction is switched to the second stacker 60 side (direction B) by a signal to that effect, so that the end of the card C2 has passed the card sensor 73 ( In FIG. 2), the transportation is temporarily stopped.

Here, the drive motor 49 rotates in the reverse direction to move the card to the right. As a result, as indicated by the solid line in FIG. 3, the transport path switching unit U3 rotates in the clockwise direction indicated by the arrow D about the rotation shaft 48 of the transport roller 43 while the card C2 is nipped. When rotated by a predetermined angle, the pinch roller shaft 46 contacts the stopper 72 of the machine frame 70, and the rotation of the transport path switching unit U3 stops.

Further, the drive motor 49 continues to rotate in the reverse direction, and the card C2 is conveyed by the rotation of the conveying roller 43 to the second conveying path in the direction B shown in FIG. When the rear end of the card C2 (the front end during normal rotation conveyance) passes through the nip portion between the conveyance roller 43 and the pinch roller 44, the card C2 slides down the reject guide 62 of FIG.
It is stored in the first second stacker 60.

The drive motor 49 again rotates in the forward direction, and the transport path switching unit U3 rotates in the direction of arrow E in FIG.
It returns to the first state of the first transport path (FIGS. 1 and 2) and waits for the next card to enter.

According to the above-described embodiment, the pinch roller 44 is structured so as to freely move on the circumference of the conveying roller 43, and when the card C2 is nipped between the conveying roller 43 and the pinch roller 44, the forward and reverse directions are performed. Since the nip direction of the card C2 is changed by rotating the card C2 to, the card C2 is not bent.

Further, the transport roller 43 and the pinch roller 44
A part of the bracket 45 for holding the stoppers 71, 72
Are engaged with each other to stop at a predetermined angular position, and the pinch roller 44 is rotated along with the driving of the conveying roller 43, that is, the driving motor 4 of the conveying roller 43.
Since no special drive device other than 9 is provided and the direction is switched only by switching the forward / reverse rotation of the transport roller,
The switching device can be obtained very inexpensively.

(4) Other Embodiments In the above embodiment, the sliding path friction unit between the pinch roller 44, the pinch roller shaft 46, the bracket 45 and the transport roller 43 is utilized to configure the transport path switching unit U3 of FIG. It is operating in the D direction. However, with such a configuration alone, when the transport path switching unit U3 is heavy, the rotating body that integrates the transport roller 43 and the rotary shaft 48 idles with respect to the bracket 45, and returns in the direction E of FIG. It may become inoperable.

This problem is caused by the conveyance roller 43 and the rotary shaft 4.
This can be solved by providing a torque limiter between the rotating body that integrates 8 and the bracket 45.
The torque limiter can be provided coaxially with the rotation shaft 48.

The operation when the torque limiter is provided as described above is as follows.

The transport roller 43 (shaft 48) is pivotally supported on the bracket 45 via a torque limiter. Now, in the state shown in FIG. 2, when the transport roller 43 tries to rotate in the clockwise direction, there is nothing to prevent the rotation of the bracket 45. Therefore, the torque limiter becomes inactive, and the rotation of the transport roller 43 causes the torque limiter to rotate. Through bracket 45
Be transmitted to. Therefore, with the rotation of the transport roller 43, the bracket 45 rotates together with the rotation shaft 48 in the clockwise direction. At this time, the pinch roller 44 that is pressure-bonded onto the transport roller 43 leaves the stopper 71 that is a notched edge on one side of the machine frame 70, and along the circumferential surface of the transport roller 43 while maintaining the pressure-bonded state to the transport roller 43. To roll.

The transport path switching unit U3 is rotated within a predetermined rotation angle range, and the shaft 46 of the pinch roller 44 is rotated.
Comes into contact with a stopper 72 which is a notched edge on the other side of the machine frame 70. As a result, the rotation of the bracket 45 is blocked, so that the torque limiter is activated and the rotation of the transport roller 43 is not transmitted to the bracket 45. Therefore, the transport path switching unit U3 stands still at this position (solid line position in FIG. 3).

Next, in the solid line state of FIG. 3, when the transport roller 43 rotates counterclockwise, the rotation limit of the bracket 45 disappears, so that the torque limiter becomes inactive and the rotation of the transport roller 43 becomes a torque. It is surely transmitted to the bracket 45 via the limiter. That is, this point is the effect of the present modified embodiment. Therefore, the transport roller 43
With the rotation of the bracket 45, the bracket 45 pivots counterclockwise around the rotary shaft 48. At this time, the pinch roller 44 leaves the stopper 72 and rolls along the peripheral surface of the transport roller 43.

When the transport path switching unit U3 rotates by a predetermined rotation angle range and the pinch roller shaft 46 contacts the stopper 72, the rotation of the bracket 45 is blocked, and the torque limiter is activated. The rotation of the transport roller 43 is not transmitted to the bracket 45, and the transport path switching unit U3 stands still at this position (position in FIG. 2).

[0053]

In summary, according to the present invention, the following excellent effects can be obtained.

(1) According to claim 1, the carrier medium is the first
When supplying to the transport path, the transport roller is rotated forward by the drive motor, and the transport medium is sent to the first transport path as it is. When the transport medium is supplied to the second transport path, the transport roller is rotated in the reverse direction by the drive motor. When the carrying roller rotates in the reverse direction, the bracket rotates together with the carrying roller shaft due to the frictional force between the bracket and the carrying roller shaft, and the bracket rotates about the carrying roller shaft. At this time, the conveyance assisting member rolls along the peripheral surface of the conveyance roller while nipping the conveyance medium. Then, when the bracket turns to a position facing the second transport path, the bracket contacts the stopper and stops the turning.

As described above, since the conveyance auxiliary member is moved around the circumference of the conveyance roller while the conveyance medium is nipped between the conveyance roller and the conveyance auxiliary member, the direction of the conveyance medium is changed. Even if the medium is hard such as a plastic card, it can be switched and transported.

Further, since the direction change is changed only by the rotation direction of the conveying roller, no special parts and power parts for the change are required, and the change device can be manufactured at low cost.

(2) According to the second aspect, since the notch edge of the machine frame is formed as a stopper, it can be changed in any direction simply by changing the position of the notch edge of the machine frame, and the angle of the switching conveyance can be changed. Since the size can be freely set, the degree of freedom in designing the device is high and the device can be made compact.

(3) According to the third aspect, since the torque limiter is provided between the transport roller shaft and the bracket, the bracket moves from the position of the second transport path where its own weight is applied to the position of the first transport path. When returning to the position, a frictional force that does not idle between the bracket and the transport roller shaft is reliably obtained.
Therefore, stable switching operation can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a stocker unit including a transport path switching device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a part of the stocker unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the transport path switching device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a thermal transfer type card printer incorporated in a card manufacturing apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a magnetic encode recording unit and a stocker unit that are cascade-connected to a printer as constituent elements of a card manufacturing apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a conventional transport path switching device.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a conventional transport path switching device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Printer Unit 2 Magnetic Encoding Recording Unit 3 Stocker Unit 4 Thermal Head 5 YMC Film Cassette 6 YMC Film 7 Thermal Head 8 Protective Layer Film Cassette 9 Protective Layer Film 10 Card Supply Section 20 First Printing Section 21 Inlet Conveying Roller 23 Cap Stan Roller 24 Platen Roller 25 Cap Stan Roller 26 Shaft (Rotating Center Shaft) 27 Support Plate 28 Drive Mechanism 29 Relay Conveying Roller 30 Second Printing Section 31 Inlet Conveying Roller 33 Cap Stan Roller 34 Platen Roller 35 Cap Stan Roller 36 Shaft (Swinging) Central shaft) 37 Support plate 38 Drive mechanism 39 Relay transport roller 41 Transport roller 42 Pinch roller (transport auxiliary member) 43 Transport roller 44 Pinch roller 4 5 bracket 46 pinch roller shaft 47 spring 48 rotary shaft 49 drive motor 50 first stacker 51 card storage frame 52 stack guide 53 abutting plate 60 second stacker 61 card storage frame 62 reject guide 70 machine frame 71, 72 stopper 73 card sensor 73a Light emitter 73b Light receiver U1, U2 Pass unit U3 Transport path switching unit B1, B2 Timing belt C1, C2 card

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A first transport path and a second transport path for a transport medium.
In a transport path switching device for switching to a transport path, a transport roller that transports a transport medium and a transport auxiliary member that is pressed against the transport roller are pivotally supported by a bracket, and a first transport path and a second transport path are provided.
The bracket is provided at the branch point of the transport path, and the bracket swivels around the transport roller axis in the direction of rotation of the transport roller as the transport roller rotates. A transport path switching unit that idles, a stopper that restricts the turning range of the bracket between the position where the transport medium is supplied to the first transport path and the position where the transport medium is supplied to the second transport path, and the transport medium switching unit. A transport path switching device, comprising: a drive motor that rotates the transport roller in a forward direction when supplying to one transport path, and reversely rotates the transport roller when supplying to a second transport path. 2. The transport path switching device according to claim 1, wherein the stopper is formed by a notched edge of a machine frame formed so that the transport auxiliary member abuts on the stopper. 3. The transport path switching device according to claim 1, further comprising a torque limiter provided between the transport roller shaft and the bracket.