WO2013083763A1

WO2013083763A1 - Card processing system with a buffer allowing for optional access to the cards

Info

Publication number: WO2013083763A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/074760
Authority: WO
Inventors: Josef WENDL; Maria HORNAUER; Markus Sturm; Alexander Goedecke
Original assignee: Muehlbauer Ag
Priority date: 2011-12-09
Filing date: 2012-12-07
Publication date: 2013-06-13
Also published as: DE102011120763B4; DE102011120763A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a card processing system (10) for buffering and turning cards and card-like objects. The card processing system (10) comprises a buffer region (20) with optional access to a plurality of card spaces (21) in order to insert a card into or remove a card from each of the card spaces, and a loading and unloading device (52, 53) for loading and unloading a card space. The card processing system further comprises a first drive unit (30) for positioning the loading and unloading device (52, 53) in line with a selected card space of the buffer region. A second drive unit (40) then moves the loading and unloading device (52, 53) so closely to the selected card space that it is possible to load and/or unload the card space. Finally, a third drive unit (50) is provided for driving the loading and unloading device (52, 53) in order to insert a card into or to remove a card from the selected card space.

Description

Kartenverarbeitungsanlaae with a random access to the cards enabling buffer

description

background

Hereinafter, a card processing apparatus for buffering and / or turning maps and card-like objects will be described. The card processing system is designed to process cards made of various materials, such as plastic, cardboard or metal. Here, the cards can be single-layer or consist of several layers. Card-like objects can also be processed, provided that the objects are essentially planar and rigid, which are also so-called chip cards or magnetic stripe cards.

Card processing equipment often consists of several processing modules or processing stations, each with its own function, such as stamping, thin film application, laser engraving, printing, etc. The cards, which are in different stages of processing, are transferred from module to module or from station to station. whereby each card has to be logically delivered to and transported away from the respective module / station at a given time and in a particular orientation. If the cards are transferred directly from one processing module to the next, in case of a malfunction of a single processing module or a processing station, the overall processing must be stopped. Consequently, it is common to provide card buffers between the individual processing modules.

State of the art

Such a buffer is known from WO 99/48783. However, this buffer is only suitable for processing paper sheets. Here, successive sheets are stored by being wound on a roll. Therefore, processing of the above-mentioned cards or card-like objects, which are usually flexible but not capable of being kept bent for a long time, would not be possible. In this buffer, a buffer area is provided for buffering up to six blades. Here, the sheets are sequentially processed according to the input order. Random access to the leaves cached in the buffer area is not provided. In card processing systems, the required processing steps on the individual cards, which are temporarily stored in a buffer area, may be different. Thus, it would be desirable to remove certain cards randomly from the buffer and to promote these to the respective downstream processing module. In addition, the modules

have different average processing times, so that a buffer area that only allows either FIFO or FILO access can not guarantee optimal further distribution of the cards to downstream processing modules. The strict access sequence also has the consequence that, depending on the required post-processing steps of the buffered cards, waiting times can occur at the downstream processing modules.

Another buffer system is disclosed in DE 102 50 620 AI. Here, the card buffer includes a plurality of card receiving bins, a feeder for inserting a card into a card receiving bin, and an issuing apparatus for issuing a card from a card bin. Further, an endless conveyor is provided, which carries the plurality of card receiving compartments and has a bent portion. However, only one buffer space is provided. In particular, there is no possibility to change the orientation of the cards when loading or unloading the buffer. Consequently, a separate turn module must be provided when a turned map is needed in a subsequent processing step.

problem

It is therefore an object to provide an improved card processing system to allow the buffering of multiple cards, thereby allowing a random access to the cards and the card slots in the buffer area.

Suggested solution

To solve this problem, a card processing system with the features of claim 1 is proposed.

Such a card processing system for buffering cards is provided with a buffer area with random access to a plurality of card slots for respectively inserting and removing a card from one of the card slots. she has Furthermore, a loading and unloading device comprising a card holder. The loading and unloading device is used for loading or unloading a map space of the buffer area. This card processing system has a first drive unit, which is set up to position the card holder of the loading and unloading device in alignment with at least one respective card location of the buffer area. It also has a second drive unit, which is set up to move the card holder of the loading and unloading device so close to the respective card slot that a loading or unloading of this card slot is possible. It also has a third drive unit, which is set up to drive the loading and unloading device to bring a card from the card holder in the respective card slot or to take a card from the selected card slot in the card holder.

This card processing facility makes it easy to buffer multiple cards; It allows random access to the cards and card slots in the buffer area.

In one embodiment, the buffer area is arcuate or approximately part-circular. Here, the first drive unit is adapted to cause a rotational movement of the loading and unloading relative to the buffer area. For example, the first drive unit may be configured to rotate the loading and unloading device by at least 180 °. The trajectory of loading and unloading

But unloading can also be larger, such as 270 ° or 345 °. The movement path of the loading and unloading of at least 180 ° relative to the buffer area has the consequence that a card that is held outside a card slot in the loading and unloading, can also be turned by a rotation of the loading and unloading. Thus, the first drive unit serves both to effect the turning of a card and the positioning of a card relative to a particular card location of the buffer area or a transfer point to an external station / module. In this way, the turning and positioning functions for a card are provided by a single drive unit. Overall, the presented card processing system allows both the buffering of multiple cards as well as the gripping and / or turning a map. Design and characteristics

The buffer area can also be straight. In this case, the first drive unit causes a linear displacement of the loading and unloading device along the buffer area. A feature of this embodiment is that a linear buffer area is relatively easy to manufacture. In addition, the capacity of a rectilinear buffer, as opposed to an arcuate buffer, is almost unlimited because an arcuate buffer can provide card slots at most 360 °, while a linear buffer can extend far in both directions and the card spaces can be closer together than the arcuate buffer , In the embodiment with rectilinear buffer area, the card processing system may comprise a fourth drive unit which is adapted to turn the loading and unloading by at least 180 °. In this case, the movement radius of the fourth drive unit may also be greater, such as 270 ° or 360 °. In this case, however, can be dispensed with the fourth drive unit, if no turning functionality of the card processing system is required. The provision of a separate drive unit for turning the cards additionally offers the advantage that a failure of the fourth drive unit does not cause any restriction of the buffer functionality of the card processing system, since the buffering of the cards takes place solely by the first to third drive units.

Regardless of the shape of the buffer area (rectilinear or curved), the first drive unit may be stationary with respect to the buffer area. In this case, since the buffer area is stationary while the loading and unloading device is moving, energy saving is possible since the buffer is relatively heavy unlike the loading and unloading device.

The second drive unit may be configured to generate a translatory movement of the card receiver of the loading and unloading device relative to the buffer area. In this case, the translational movement range of the loading and unloading device is dimensioned to pick up a card in one of the card processing plant immediately adjacent transfer position, and move the card to a selected card location of the buffer area. Similarly, the translational range of motion of the loading and unloading device is dimensioned to pick up a card from a selected card location of the buffer area, as well as to move the card to one of the card processing facility immediately adjacent transfer position. The card receiver of the loading and unloading device can be configured to hold a card outside a card slot of the buffer area and the loading and unloading device can be configured to have a card located in the card receiver of the loading and unloading device by a rotation of the loading and unloading device to turn relative to the buffer area.

The second drive unit may be configured to cause a translational movement of the loading and unloading device towards or away from the respective card location of the buffer area.

The second and the third drive unit can each be connected to the loading and unloading device in such a way that the first drive unit positions the second and the third drive unit with the loading and unloading device when positioning the loading and unloading device.

The third drive unit and the loading and unloading device may be connected to one another in such a way that the second drive unit moves the third drive unit and the loading and unloading device when moving the loading and unloading device.

Here, the third drive unit provides both the drive, which causes the loading of a card in a card slot (or discharge a card from a card slot), as well as the drive with which a card is picked up at a card processing facility immediately adjacent transfer position or delivered there ,

In the embodiment with rectilinear buffer area, the second and the third drive unit can each be connected to the loading and unloading device in such a way that the fourth drive unit uses the second and the third drive unit with the loading and unloading device when turning the loading and unloading device.

This configuration enables the turning of a card held in the loading and unloading device by functioning as a card holder by the loading and unloading device. In this case, no additional card holder is required to ensure card-turning functionality.

In one embodiment, the buffer area contains an odd number of card slots. This allows for a uniform distribution of card slots Card slot based on the length of the buffer in the middle, which is called the "neutral" card slot. Here, a card without lengthy positioning by the first drive unit can be inserted directly into the neutral card slot. The preferred, frequent use of this card slot saves time and energy.

The card processing equipment is adapted to be attached to a robot arm of, for example, a multi-axis robot.

In particular, in systems for small series processing of cards, a spatially and processing-time-efficient, flexibly operable solution is provided by the arrangement described above.

Brief description of the drawings

Other objects, features, advantages and applications will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

Fig. La shows schematically an embodiment of a card processing system in a perspective front view.

FIG. 1b schematically shows the card processing system from FIG. 1a in a perspective side view in cooperation with different processing modules or stations.

Fig. 2 shows schematically the buffer area of the card processing system of Fig. La with a coordinate system.

Fig. 3 shows schematically the card processing system according to Fib. lb with a held in the loading and unloading card.

Fig. 4 shows schematically the card processing system according to Fig. Lb with a card which is relative to a card slot in the buffer area in a loading position.

Fig. 5 shows schematically the card processing system according to Fig. Lb with a card which is moved to a card slot in the buffer area. Fig. 6 shows schematically a further embodiment of a card processing system in a side view.

Detailed description of embodiments

FIGS. 1a and 1b show an exemplary embodiment of a card processing system 10.

The cards 100 are substantially cuboid, z. B. with rounded corners and characterized by their three dimensions, namely length, width, and thickness. Normally, all cards processed by the card processing system have the same dimensions. The cards 100 are each inserted longitudinally into corresponding card slots 21 of a buffer area 20, also called buffer or card buffer.

For this purpose, the card processing system 10 comprises an arcuate, more precisely approximately semicircular-cylindrical buffer area 20, with a plurality of card slots 21 which are each set up to at least partially receive and hold a card 100 by means of a holding device. For this purpose, the semicircular-cylindrical buffer area 20 has at its inner periphery 23 passages through which a card 100 can be inserted into or removed from a selected one of the card slots 21.

As shown in FIG. 1a, the buffer area 20 is called by a convex outer circumferential surface 22, also called outer peripheral surface, and a concave inner periphery 23, also called inner circumference, concave periphery or inner peripheral surface, and end surfaces 26, 27 and semi-circular side surface 28, 29 demarcated. The semicircular side surface 28, 29 are arranged parallel to each other and determine by the distance the width of a ticket slot 21. The width of a ticket slot 21 corresponds approximately to the width of one of the cards 100th

The arc length of the buffer area 20 may be less than or more than 180 °. Opposite the concave periphery 23 of the buffer area 20 is a transfer position, whereby cards 100 are received from the outside. In order to ensure a sufficiently large opening for the transfer position, the maximum arc length of the buffer area 20 is limited to less than 360 °, so that an opening with a width of less than 360.degree. at least the thickness of a card 100 is formed at the transfer position between the end faces 26, 27 of the buffer area 20.

The card slots 21 are arranged approximately equidistant over the arc length of the buffer area 20, wherein the distribution of the card slots 21 may also be uneven. A card slot 21 comprises a holding device consisting of two elongate flange components, such as longitudinal grooves, which together define a card plane. In order to retain a card 100 in the card plane, the elongate flange components of a card slot 21 comprise the longitudinal edges of one of the cards 100.

In general, each holding device comprises at least one guide strip and at least one spring element. As a guide rail serve two elongated flange components, between which an elongated gap is formed, whose width corresponds to the thickness of a card approximately. The spring element comprises two opposing stamped bent parts, which cause a card 100 held in the elongated gap to be compressed by inwardly curved surfaces. In this case, the elongated retaining elements can also be realized by other components. Any structure capable of holding a card 100 of a particular thickness in a particular orientation, such as a bar with an opposing spring-loaded clip, may be employed herein.

On the side of the concave inner circumference 23, movable assemblies of the card processing system 10 are located relative to the buffer region 20. On the concave periphery 23 are passage openings through which cards can be inserted into or removed from the buffer area 20 of the card processing system.

Corresponding to the outer and inner circumference of the outer and inner circumferential surfaces 22, 23, an outer or inner radius can be defined. Here, the difference between the radii is less than or approximately equal to the side of a card 100. The inner radius is greater than half a card length, so that a card that is held in the center of the arcuate buffer area, is freely rotatable. Likewise, the inner radius can be significantly larger than half the card length; for example, the inner radius may approximate the card length.

In Fig. Lb it is shown that the buffer area 20 is fixed to a robot arm 24. In this case, the connection between the robot arm 24 and the buffer area can take place anywhere along the outer lateral surface 22 of the buffer area 20. gene; Likewise, the robot arm 24 can be flanged to one of the end faces 26, 27 or side faces 28, 29.

A support structure 25 oriented along an imaginary secant or an imaginary diameter of the circular-part-cylindrical buffer area 20 is attached to both ends of the buffer area 20. However, the support structure 25 may also have an arcuate or a curved shape. Likewise, the support structure 25 may be secured to the buffer area 20 at more than two locations, or at one location only. The attachment location (s) may be at different locations along the buffer area 20. For example, two attachment points of the support structure may be provided at the end surface 26 and at the center of the buffer area 20, respectively. Alternatively, the support structure 25 may include a support plate secured thereto along the buffer area 20.

By the support structure 25, a stable base for attaching the moving parts of the card processing system is ensured. Preferably, the support structure 25 is made of light metal, steel, fiber reinforced plastic, or a similar stiff material, so that there is a rigid connection between the buffer area 20 and the moving parts.

2, a coordinate system with X, Y, Z and Θ coordinates is shown, in which move the moving parts, which are arranged on the support structure 25. The origin of the coordinates lies in or at the center of the circular arcs defining the buffer region 20. The positioning wheel 32 rotates about this center. The side surfaces 28, 29 of the buffer area 20 are arranged parallel to the X-Y plane. A Z-axis is oriented perpendicular to the X-Y plane and arranged at the intersection of the X and Y axes; a rotation around the Z-axis is marked with Θ.

On the support structure 25, a first drive unit 30 and a positioning wheel 32 are applied. The positioning wheel 32 is mounted on the support structure such that the rotational axis of the positioning wheel 32 is at the origin of the coordinate system shown in FIG. The positioning wheel 32 is rotatable about the Z-axis.

The first drive unit 30 is configured to set the positioning wheel 32 in rotation while determining the rotation angle Θ of the positioning wheel 32. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b, the positioning wheel 32 is connected in a gearbox manner to the first drive unit 30 by a (toothed) belt drive 31. the. In other embodiments, the first drive unit 30 may be directly connected to the positioning wheel 32 with a gear transmission. Alternatively, there is an indirect connection to the drive unit 30 through a chain drive, or other force or torque transmitting means.

On the positioning wheel 32, a second drive unit 40 and a support frame 41,42 are mounted, wherein translational movements of the support frame 41,42 are effected in the X-Y plane by the second drive unit 40. The support frame 41,42 is mounted longitudinally displaceable in this embodiment by means of two guide rails 43, 44 fixed to the positioning wheel 32.

As shown in FIG. 1b, the carrier frame 41, 42 comprises a first frame part 41, which is connected in a gearbox to the second drive unit 40, so that the second drive unit 40 can effect a translational movement of the carrier frame 41, 42 in the X-Y plane. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the first frame part 41 has a rack, which meshes with a pinion driven by the second drive unit 40, but also a ball screw or other linear drive could be used.

Further, the support frame 41,42 includes a second frame part 42 to which a third drive unit 50 and a card holder 51 are attached. Here, the second frame part 42 forms a separate part, which is connected to the first frame part 41 and can be moved together with the first frame part 41. The first and the second frame part 41, 42 can also be made in one piece. The second drive unit 40 is adapted to cause translational movement of the support frame 41, 42 relative to the positioning wheel 32 toward and away from the card seats 21, i. the first frame part 41 and the second frame part 42 are always moved simultaneously by the second drive unit 40 to the buffer area 20 toward or away from the positioning wheel 32.

The third drive unit 50 and the card receiver 51 are attached to the support frame 41, 42.

As shown in Fig. Lb, the card receiver 51 has opposed pairs of friction rollers 52a-52d and 53a-53d. Hereinafter, the first series of friction rollers 52 are the upper friction rollers and the second series are friction rollers 53, which are the lower friction rollers. called roll. However, the upper and lower rows of friction rollers 52, 53 can be oriented randomly with respect to the direction of gravity.

In the embodiment in Fig. 1b, the lower friction rollers 53 of the card holder 51 are connected by a (tooth) belt drive 55 with the third drive unit 50. Alternatively, a direct or indirect connection with the third drive unit 50 may be provided by another force or torque transmitting means. In this case, not all lower friction rollers 53 must be driven; it may be sufficient to put only the first and the last friction rollers 53a and 53d of the lower row 53 into gear communication with the third drive unit 50.

The upper and lower friction rollers 52, 53 each have four friction rollers 52a-d, 53a-d. In this case, only two pairs of friction rollers can be sufficient. Other embodiments may have three, five, or more pairs of friction rollers 52, 53.

The friction rollers 52,53 are arranged in pairs, each with an upper friction roller 52a of a lower friction roller 53a aligned opposite. However, the friction rollers 52a, 53a of a pair do not have to be exactly opposite each other; For example, the upper friction rollers 52 may be offset from the lower friction rollers 53, resulting in an alternate arrangement of the upper and lower friction rollers 52, 53.

The upper and lower friction rollers 52, 53 are arranged so that the surface of the upper friction rollers 52 is in contact with the surface of one of the lower friction rollers 53, respectively. Also, an arrangement is possible in which a distance between the surfaces of the upper and lower friction rollers 52, 53 is equal to or less than the thickness of a card 100.

In some embodiments, the friction roller surface is made of an elastic material, such as foam, rubber, or other soft plastic. Likewise, the friction rollers 52,53 may be provided without surface coating. In particular, the friction rollers 52,53 then made of metal, plastic, or other rigid material.

Next, the card loading operation will be explained with reference to FIG. In Fig. Lb is illustrated that the support frame 41.42 is retracted with respect to the buffer area 20 opposite card transfer position. As illustrated in FIG. 3, first, the support frame 41, 42 is moved by the second drive unit 40 in the X direction to the card transfer position. To receive a card 100, the third drive unit 50 drives the friction rollers 52, 53 of the card receiver 51 to insert the card 100 between the upper and lower rows of the friction rollers 52, 53.

FIG. 4 illustrates insertion of the card 100 into a card slot 21 opposite the card transfer position. In this case, the support frame 41, 42 is moved by the second drive unit 40 in the direction of the buffer area 20 in a translatory manner along the X axis. Subsequently, the third drive unit 50 drives the friction rollers 52,53 of the card holder 51 to load the card slot 21 with card 100.

The Kartenentladungsablauf from a card slot 21 to an external further processing step beyond the card transfer position is analogous to the Kartenplatzbeladungsablauf described above, by the workflow is carried out only in reverse order and with the reverse drive direction of the respective drive units.

In Fig. 5, two other functions of the card processing system 10 are shown, namely the loading of a card transfer position not directly opposite card slot 21, and the turning of a card 100. Here, the first drive unit 30 causes rotation of the positioning wheel 32 about the Z axis. In this case, the support frame 41,42, which is attached to the positioning wheel, entrained. Likewise, the card holder 51, which is attached to the support frame 41,42 entrained. In this case, the rotational angle Θ of the positioning wheel 32 is determined such that the card 100 held in the card holder 51 is positioned in alignment with the desired card slot 21. Subsequently, the card holder 51 is moved in the direction of the card slot 21 and the card 100 introduced into this card slot by the friction rollers 52,53 are placed in the corresponding direction of rotation. The removal of a card from this card slot is reversed.

To perform a turning operation, the positioning wheel 32 is to

Θ = 180 ° rotated to turn the held between the friction rollers 52,53 in the card holder 51 card 100. Such a turning operation may be performed before a ticket place loading process or after a card place discharge process. FIG. 6 shows an embodiment with a linear, elongate buffer area 20. In this case, the first drive unit 30 generates a translatory movement of the support structure 25 in order to position a card 100, which is held in the card receptacle 51, flush with a desired card slot 21. An additional fourth drive unit 60 is provided which effects the rotational movement of the positioning wheel 32 to turn a card held in the card grip mechanism.

The first to fourth drive units are comprised of electric motors, and a pneumatic or hydraulic drive unit or each engine adapted to effect a translational or rotational movement could also be used.

The first to fourth drive units are connected to an external processor, which is not shown in the figures. In this case, the external processor sends signals to the drive units by means of a wireless or wired communication protocol. Thus, by a cleverly arranged simultaneous movement of the drive units, which allows the loading and unloading and / or turning the maps 100, time can be saved. The external processor responds to signal inputs from a plurality of sensors to bring about the required movements of the drive units depending on the positioning of cards at the entrance or in the card locations.

The above-explained details of the card processing system are indeed shown in context; It should be noted, however, that they are independent of each other and can also be freely combined with each other.

Claims

claims

1. card processing system (10) for buffering cards (100), with

a buffer area (20) with random access to a plurality of card slots (21) for inserting or removing one card at a time from each of the card slots; and

a loading and unloading device (52, 53) having a card holder (51) for loading or unloading a card slot (21) of the buffer area (20), and comprising:

a first drive unit (30) which is adapted to the card holder (51) of the loading and unloading device (52,53) to at least one respective card slot (21) of the buffer area

(20) to position in alignment;

a second drive unit (40) which is adapted to move the card holder (51) of the loading and unloading device (52, 53) so close to the respective card slot (21) that loading or unloading of this card slot (21 ) is possible; and a third drive unit (50) arranged to drive the loading and unloading device (52, 53) to insert a card from the card holder (51) into the respective card slot (21) or a card from the selected card slot

(21) in the card holder (51) to take over.

2. card processing system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the buffer region (20) is arcuate, and the first drive unit (30) is adapted to cause a rotational movement of the loading and unloading device (52,53) relative to the buffer region (20) ,

3. card processing system (10) according to claim 2, wherein the first drive unit (30) is adapted to rotate the loading and unloading device (52,53) relative to the buffer area (20) by at least 180 °.

The card processing system (10) of claim 1, wherein the buffer area (20) is rectilinear, and the first drive unit (30) is adapted to linearly displace the card receiver (51) of the loading and unloading device (52, 53) relative to Buffer area (20) along this effect.

5. card processing system (10) according to claim 4, further comprising a fourth drive unit (60) which is adapted to rotate the loading and unloading device (52,53) relative to the buffer area (20) by at least 180 °.

6. card processing system (10) according to claim 3 or 5, wherein the card holder (51) of the loading and unloading device (52,53) is adapted to hold a card outside a card slot (21) and the loading and unloading device (52 , 53) uses a card located in the card holder (51) by a rotation of the loading and unloading device (52, 53).

7. card processing system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first drive unit (30) with respect to the buffer area (20) is stationary.

8. card processing system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second drive unit (40) is adapted to cause a translational movement of the loading and unloading device (52,53) towards or away from the respective card slot (21).

9. card processing system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the third drive unit (50) and the loading and unloading device (52,53) are connected such that the second drive unit (40) in the movement of the loading and unloading device ( 52, 53), the third drive unit (50) and the loading and unloading device (52, 53) are moved along.

10. card processing system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second and the third drive unit (40, 50) in each case with the loading and unloading device (52,53) are connected such that the first drive unit (30) in the positioning the loading and unloading device (52,53) with the second and the third drive unit (40,50) with the loading and unloading device (52,53) positioned.

Card processing system (10) according to claim 5, wherein the second and the third drive unit (40, 50) are each connected to the loading and unloading device (52, 53) in such a way that the fourth drive unit (60) is in use. and unloading means (52, 53) apply the second and third drive units (40, 50) to the loading and unloading means (52, 53).

12. card processing system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the buffer area (20) includes an odd number of card slots (21).

A card processing system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the card processing equipment is mounted on a robotic arm (24).

Multi-axis robot with a robot arm (24) with a card processing system (10) according to one of claims 1 to 12.