WO2017021988A1 - Device for handling plastic cards for card processing devices and card processing device comprising such handling device - Google Patents

Device for handling plastic cards for card processing devices and card processing device comprising such handling device Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2017021988A1
WO2017021988A1 PCT/IT2016/000171 IT2016000171W WO2017021988A1 WO 2017021988 A1 WO2017021988 A1 WO 2017021988A1 IT 2016000171 W IT2016000171 W IT 2016000171W WO 2017021988 A1 WO2017021988 A1 WO 2017021988A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
handling
card
advancing direction
roller assembly
plastic
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IT2016/000171
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Rudi BRESSAN
Original Assignee
Matica Electronics S.R.L.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Matica Electronics S.R.L. filed Critical Matica Electronics S.R.L.
Publication of WO2017021988A1 publication Critical patent/WO2017021988A1/en

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H5/00—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines
    • B65H5/06—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines by rollers or balls, e.g. between rollers
    • B65H5/062—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines by rollers or balls, e.g. between rollers between rollers or balls
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H5/00—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines
    • B65H5/26—Duplicate, alternate, selective, or coacting feeds
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
    • B65H2301/30—Orientation, displacement, position of the handled material
    • B65H2301/34—Modifying, selecting, changing direction of displacement
    • B65H2301/341—Modifying, selecting, changing direction of displacement without change of plane of displacement
    • B65H2301/3411—Right angle arrangement, i.e. 90 degrees
    • B65H2301/34112—Right angle arrangement, i.e. 90 degrees changing leading edge
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
    • B65H2404/10—Rollers
    • B65H2404/12—Rollers with at least an active member on periphery
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
    • B65H2404/10—Rollers
    • B65H2404/15—Roller assembly, particular roller arrangement
    • B65H2404/152—Arrangement of roller on a movable frame
    • B65H2404/1521—Arrangement of roller on a movable frame rotating, pivoting or oscillating around an axis, e.g. parallel to the roller axis
    • B65H2404/15212—Arrangement of roller on a movable frame rotating, pivoting or oscillating around an axis, e.g. parallel to the roller axis rotating, pivoting or oscillating around an axis perpendicular to the roller axis
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
    • B65H2404/50—Surface of the elements in contact with the forwarded or guided material
    • B65H2404/54—Surface including rotary elements, e.g. balls or rollers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
    • B65H2701/10—Handled articles or webs
    • B65H2701/19—Specific article or web
    • B65H2701/1914—Cards, e.g. telephone, credit and identity cards

Definitions

  • the present invention refers, in general, to a device for handling plastic cards for card processing devices.
  • the present invention refers to a device for handling plastic cards, comprising a wheel assembly for deviating the advancing motion of a plastic card in a card processing device between two mutually transverse directions; the invention further refers to a processing device for plastic cards comprising said device for handling plastic cards.
  • Devices for handling plastic cards are known, for example cards with CR 80 format, for a card processing device such as a printer, a device for magnetically writing the card and/or encoding the chip, a device capable of performing an embossing of the card or the like, which allow advancing the cards along two different, generally mutually perpendicular directions .
  • Such handling devices can be used both inside the card processing device and inside it, in a supply line upstream of the device or a card dispatching line after they have been processed, to advance the card along two different directions .
  • the plastic card is expelled from the card processing device with its longitudinal axis oriented along a direction perpendicular to the one it had upon entering the processing device, or is dispatched from the card dispatching device along different directions.
  • Known handling devices used inside the card processing device are placed downstream of a card processing device, to advance the card inside the device till it arrives in the card processing position following a direction perpendicular to the supply direction, and/or are placed downstream of the card processing position, after the card has been processed, to expel the card following a direction perpendicular to the supply direction.
  • the advancement of the plastic card along two different directions is obtained through groups of overlapped rollers having axes perpendicular to the advancing direction of the card; should the card has to be advanced in two different directions, it is necessary to provide two groups of rollers, every group having its axis perpendicular to a different advancing direction, which alternately engage the plastic card according to the desired advancing direction. For this reason, the two groups of overlapped rollers must be placed one after the other or placed on two different planes .
  • An object of the present invention is making a device for handling plastic cards for card processing devices, which allows deviating the motion of the plastic card between two different directions, which is simple to make and has a reduced cost .
  • Another object is providing a device for handling plastic cards for card processing devices, which allows deviating the motion of the plastic card between two diverse directions, which enables a quick and simply implemented advancement cycle.
  • FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an example of a card processing device and of a device for handling plastic cards according to the present invention
  • FIG. 1 show a perspective view of a wheel of a device for handling plastic cards for card processing devices according to the present invention.
  • a device for handling plastic cards 10 for card processing devices 100 is described, in an example embodiment thereof, in which the device for handling plastic cards 10 is inserted in a printer, for example of the heat-transfer type, for advancing the plastic cards to be processed along two different, mutually transverse directions, in particular deviating the card path from a first direction to a second, different direction; preferably, the plastic cards to be processed are advanced along two different, mutually perpendicular directions.
  • the device for handling plastic cards 10 for card processing devices can be inserted inside devices for magnetically writing and/or encoding the plastic card chips, devices capable of performing the embossing of the plastic card or the like.
  • a device for handling plastic cards of the same type can further be used in a device for dispatching plastic cards along different directions, for example used for deviating from a main flow the plastic cards to be processed and for sending them to different devices, such as printers, devices for magnetically writing and/or encoding the plastic card chip or magnetic band, devices capable of performing the embossing of the plastic card or the like, or plastic cards, after they have been processed, for dividing them into groups to be send to different collecting stations.
  • Figure 1 shows a view of the card processing device 100 and of the complete device for handling plastic cards 10, while in figures 1A and IB some components of the processing device, in this example a printer, have been removed, and only the components of a device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention are shown.
  • the device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention comprises a first handling roller assembly 11 and a second handling roller assembly 12, each one comprising at least two rollers 18, 19, mutually overlapped in contact and arranged with their axes in parallel; the axes of the two rollers 18, 19 are in turn perpendicular to a first axis X-X which corresponds to a first advancing direction of a plastic card 30.
  • the device for handling plastic cards 10 further comprises a third handling roller assembly 14, comprising at least two rollers 18, 24, mutually overlapped in contact and arranged with their axes in parallel; the axes of the two rollers 18, 24 are in turn perpendicular to a second axis Y-Y, which corresponds to a second advancing direction of the plastic card 30, which is different from the first advancing direction.
  • the first advancing direction along axis X-X is transverse to the second advancing direction along axis Y- Y; in a preferred way, the first advancing direction along axis X-X is perpendicular to the second advancing direction along axis Y-Y.
  • the handling roller assemblies 11, 12, 14 comprise at least one roller 18, motored for example in a known way through an electric motor, and at least one contrast roller 19, 24, in contact with the motored roller and preferably overlapped thereto, between which the card is passed; the motored roller 18 and the contrast roller 19, 24 have their axes assembled as revolving, for example on bushes, on the supports 24, composed for example of sheet flanks 24.
  • the axes of the contrast rollers 19, 24 are assembled on a mobile support of a known type, for example made with a soft rubber grommet capable of being suited to the card thickness by distortion, which allows adapting the nip between the rollers useful for passing the plastic card to the card thickness.
  • the motored roller 18 transmits its rotary motion to the contrast roller 19, 24, which is assembled idle above and in contact therewith, for advancing the plastic card 30, which is gripped between the two rollers, in the advancing direction along the axis perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rollers.
  • the handing roller assemblies 11 and 12 are shown, where each one comprises a lower motored roller 18 and two upper contrast rollers 19 in contact therewith, while the handling roller assembly 14 comprises a lower motored roller 18 and an upper contrast roller 24 in contact therewith.
  • the plastic card 30 is adapted to be moved from the handling roller assemblies 11, 12, 14 on a plane, which passes by the contact areas between the contrast rollers 19, 24 and the motored roller 18, and is also passing by the first axis X-X and by the second axis Y-Y, which respectively correspond to the first advancing direction and to the second advancing direction of the plastic card 30.
  • the device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention comprises an inversion roller assembly 20, comprising a first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 and a second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22; the wheels of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 are overlapped and in contact with the wheels of the second assembly 22.
  • the axis of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 and the axis of the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 are respectively oriented along the first advancing direction X-X and along the second advancing direction along axis Y-Y; preferably, the axis of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 and the axis of the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 are mutually transverse; in a preferred way, the axis of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 and the axis of the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 are mutually perpendicular.
  • the inversion roller assembly 20 of the invention is placed downstream, along the first advancing direction X-X of the plastic card 30, of the first handling roller assembly 11 and upstream of the second handling roller assembly 12; moreover, the inversion roller assembly 20 of the invention is placed downstream, along the second advancing direction Y- Y of the plastic card 30, of the third handling roller assembly 14 and is adapted to deviate the motion of the plastic card 30 from its first advancing direction along axis X-X to the second advancing direction along axis Y-Y and/or vice versa, from its second advancing direction along axis Y- Y to its first advancing direction along axis X-X.
  • the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 comprises at least two omnidirectional wheels 25 of a known type arranged on a same first shaft 31 perpendicular to the first axis X-X, which corresponds to the first advancing direction of the plastic card 30, and the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 comprises at least two omnidirectional wheels 25, preferably equal to those of the first assembly 21 and arranged on a same second shaft 32, perpendicular to the second axis Y-Y, which corresponds to a second advancing direction of the plastic card 30 different from the first advancing direction.
  • the first shaft 31 of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 and the second shaft 32 of the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 are then oriented respectively along axis Y-Y and along axis X-X and are mutually transverse; in a preferred way, the shaft 31 of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 and the shaft 32 of the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 are mutually perpendicular .
  • Thee omnidirectional wheels 25 of the device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention comprise a plurality of rollers 26 arranged along their circumference with their rotation axis perpendicular to the rotation axis of the wheel 25 itself.
  • the rollers 26 have a curved outline, which follows the outline of the wheel 25, so that the external circumference of the wheel 25 follows a curvilinear or preferably circular outline.
  • the rollers 26 are assembled rotating on radial supports
  • Figure 2 shows a preferred embodiment of an omnidirectional wheel 25 of the device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention, which comprises three equal and equally spaced rollers 26, and then comprises three radial supports 28 arranged with their axes made mutually rotated by an angle of about 120°.
  • each of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 and the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 of the device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention comprises three omnidirectional wheels 25, with the two external wheels assembled rotated on their shaft by the same angles, so that the rollers 26 of the two external wheels are mutually aligned, while the central wheel is assembled for example rotated by an angle of about 60° with respect to the two external wheels, so that the radial supports 28 of the two external wheels of the omnidirectional wheel assemblies 21, 22 correspond to the rollers 26 of the central wheel, as shown in figures 1A, IB.
  • omnidirectional wheels 25 having a number of small rollers, which is greater than three, preferably at the same distance one to the other along the wheel circumference, can be used in the device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention.
  • the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 and the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 of the inversion roller assembly 20, whose wheels are overlapped and in contact with those of the first assembly, are motored, for example by connecting their axes 31, 32, in a known way, to an electric motor, preferably the same motor which controls the motored rollers 18.
  • the plastic card 30 is passed between the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 and the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22, whose axes are assembled rotating, for example on bushes, on supports 24.
  • the axes of the omnidirectional wheel assemblies 21, 22 are assembled on a mobile support of a known type, for example made with a spring-loaded oscillating bridge, which allows adapting the nip between the rollers useful for passing the plastic card to the card thickness.
  • the omnidirectional wheel assembly 21, 22 when one of the omnidirectional wheel assemblies 21, 22 is rotated, the other is left idle, and the omnidirectional wheel assembly 21, 22 which is rotated transmits the rotary motion of its wheels 25 to the rollers 26 of the wheels 25 of the other omnidirectional wheel assembly which has been left idle and to the plastic card 30, when this latter one is in the inversion roller assembly 20, changing its motion direction.
  • the plastic card 30 is adapted to be moved from the handling roller assembly 11, 12, 14 and from the inversion roller assembly 20, on a plane which passes by the contact areas between the contrast rollers 19, 24 and the motored roller 18 and by the contact areas between the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 and the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 of the inversion roller assembly 20, and is also passing by the first axis X-X and by the second axis Y-Y.
  • the inversion roller assembly 20 is adapted to modify the direction of the motion of the plastic card 30 from the first advancing direction of X-X to the second advancing direction Y-Y, or vice versa.
  • the card processing device 100 comprising the device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention further comprises an element for processing the card, such as a printing device, a device for magnetically writing and/or encoding the card chip, a device capable of embossing the card or the like, placed between the first handling roller assembly 11 and the second handling roller assembly 12.
  • an element for processing the card such as a printing device, a device for magnetically writing and/or encoding the card chip, a device capable of embossing the card or the like, placed between the first handling roller assembly 11 and the second handling roller assembly 12.
  • the plastic card 30 is advanced in a known way inside the device for handling plastic cards 10 according to the first advancing direction X-X, till the card 30 is caught in the first handling roller assembly 11.
  • the second step starts, in which the first handling roller assembly 11, in particular the motored roller 18, advances the card 30 along the first advancing direction X-X till is caught between the wheels 25 of the inversion roller assembly 20.
  • first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 or the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 of the inversion roller assembly 20 are alternately actuated to advance the plastic card 30, which is caught between the wheels 25 of the inversion roller assembly 20, in one of the two advancing directions along axis X-X or along axis Y-Y, proceeding in the first case its motion along direction X-X or deviating it along direction Y-Y.
  • the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 is rotated, in particular its wheels 25 are rotated, arranged on the first shaft 31 and oriented along the first advancing direction X-X of the plastic card 30, while the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22, in particular its wheels 25 oriented along the second advancing direction of the card Y-Y and placed in contact with the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21, is left free of idly rotating on the shaft 32.
  • rollers 26 of the wheels 25 of the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22, which are in contact with le wheels 25 of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21, remain catching on the plastic card 30, which can thereby proceed in its motion along the first advancing direction X-X, pushed by the rotation of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 till it gets in contact with the rollers of the second handling roller assembly 12.
  • a fourth step for deviating a motion of the plastic card 30 from the first advancing direction X-X to the second advancing direction Y-Y, in a fourth step the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 is rotated, in particular its wheels 25 are rotated, arranged on the second shaft 32 oriented along the second advancing direction Y-Y of the plastic card 30, while the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21, in particular its wheels 25 oriented along the first advancing direction of the card X-X and placed in contact with the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21, is left free of idly rotating on the shaft 31.
  • rollers 26 of the wheels 25 of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21, which are in contact with le wheels 25 of the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22, remain catching on the plastic card 30, which can then proceed in its motion along the second advancing direction Y-Y, pushed by the rotation of the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 till it gets in contact with the rollers of the third handling roller assembly 14.
  • the plastic card 30 is expelled outside the device for handling plastic cards 10 along one of the two advancing directions X-X or Y-Y, respectively by the second handling roller assembly 12 or by the third handling roller assembly 14, in particular by rotating their motored rollers 18.
  • the plastic card 30 can be first advanced along the second advancing direction Y-Y through the third handling roller assembly 14, then deviating its motion along the first advancing direction X-X, towards the first handling roller assembly 11 or towards the second handling roller assembly 12, according to the direction in which the wheels of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 are rotated .
  • the inversion roller assembly 20 of the device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention can be used for deviating an advancement motion of a plastic card 30 in a card processing device from a first advancing direction X-X to a second advancing direction Y-Y transverse thereto; in a preferred way, the first advancing direction X-X is perpendicular to the second advancing direction Y-Y.
  • the embodiment of the device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention which comprises omnidirectional wheel assemblies 21, 22 each one having three omnidirectional wheels 25, allows advancing the plastic card 30 uniformly, keeping the desired direction along one of the two directions X-X or Y-Y, without laterally deviating it.
  • the operation of the embodiment of the card processing device 100 of the invention which comprises the device for handling plastic cards 10 which includes an element for processing the card, such as a printing device, a device for magnetically writing and/or encoding the card chip, a device capable of embossing the card or the like, provides for a further step in which the card is written or processed with one of the above devices, to obtain the printing, or the magnetic writing of the card and/or the encoding of the chip, or the embossing of the card or the like.
  • the device for handling plastic cards 10 for card processing devices of the present invention allows making a device for handling plastic cards for card processing devices which is economically and reliably built.
  • the device for handling plastic cards 10 for card processing devices of the invention allows having a quick and easily implemented advancement cycle of the plastic cards.
  • obvious modifications and/or variations are possible to the above description, regarding sizes, shapes, materials, components, and connections, as well as in the details of the shown construction and the operating mode, without departing from the scope of the invention, as stated in the following claims.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Separation, Sorting, Adjustment, Or Bending Of Sheets To Be Conveyed (AREA)

Abstract

A device for handling plastic cards (10) for card processing devices (100) comprises a first handling roller assembly (11) and a second handling roller assembly (12), each one comprising two rollers (18, 19) mutually overlapped in contact and arranged with their axes in parallel, the axes of the two rollers (18, 19) being perpendicular to a first advancing direction (X-X) of a plastic card (30); a third handling roller assembly (14) comprising two rollers (18, 24) mutually overlapped in contact and arranged with their axes in parallel, the axes of the two rollers (18, 24) being perpendicular to a second advancing direction (Y-Y) of the plastic card (30) different from the first advancing direction (X-X); an inversion roller assembly (20), for deviating a motion of the plastic card (30) from the first advancing direction (X-X) to the second advancing direction (Y-Y) or vice versa, wherein the inversion roller assembly (20) comprises a first omnidirectional wheel assembly (21) and a second omnidirectional wheel assembly (22) overlapped and mutually in contact, the axis of the first and second omnidirectional wheel assembly (21, 22) being oriented respectively along the first and second advancing direction (X-X, Y-Y) of the plastic card (30).

Description

DEVICE FOR HANDLING PLASTIC CARDS FOR CARD PROCESSING DEVICES AND CARD PROCESSING DEVICE COMPRISING SUCH HANDLING DEVICE
The present invention refers, in general, to a device for handling plastic cards for card processing devices.
In particular, the present invention refers to a device for handling plastic cards, comprising a wheel assembly for deviating the advancing motion of a plastic card in a card processing device between two mutually transverse directions; the invention further refers to a processing device for plastic cards comprising said device for handling plastic cards.
Devices for handling plastic cards are known, for example cards with CR 80 format, for a card processing device such as a printer, a device for magnetically writing the card and/or encoding the chip, a device capable of performing an embossing of the card or the like, which allow advancing the cards along two different, generally mutually perpendicular directions .
Such handling devices can be used both inside the card processing device and inside it, in a supply line upstream of the device or a card dispatching line after they have been processed, to advance the card along two different directions .
In this way, the plastic card is expelled from the card processing device with its longitudinal axis oriented along a direction perpendicular to the one it had upon entering the processing device, or is dispatched from the card dispatching device along different directions.
Known handling devices used inside the card processing device are placed downstream of a card processing device, to advance the card inside the device till it arrives in the card processing position following a direction perpendicular to the supply direction, and/or are placed downstream of the card processing position, after the card has been processed, to expel the card following a direction perpendicular to the supply direction.
In known card processing devices, the advancement of the plastic card along two different directions is obtained through groups of overlapped rollers having axes perpendicular to the advancing direction of the card; should the card has to be advanced in two different directions, it is necessary to provide two groups of rollers, every group having its axis perpendicular to a different advancing direction, which alternately engage the plastic card according to the desired advancing direction. For this reason, the two groups of overlapped rollers must be placed one after the other or placed on two different planes .
The Applicant has observed that, in general, known handling devices for plastic cards for card processing devices have the disadvantage of requiring rather complex and therefore costly mechanisms.
Moreover, known handling devices for plastic cards for card processing devices require a relatively slow card processing cycle, which is complicated to implement.
Known devices, therefore, have many problems.
An object of the present invention is making a device for handling plastic cards for card processing devices, which allows deviating the motion of the plastic card between two different directions, which is simple to make and has a reduced cost .
Another object is providing a device for handling plastic cards for card processing devices, which allows deviating the motion of the plastic card between two diverse directions, which enables a quick and simply implemented advancement cycle.
According to the present invention, this and other objects are obtained through a device for handling plastic cards for card processing devices defined by the characterizing part of enclosed claim 1. It is intended that the enclosed claims are an integral part of the technical teachings provided herein in the present description of the invention.
Further features and advantages of the invention will clearly appear from the following detailed description, provided merely as a non-limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:
- figure 1 shows a perspective view of an example of a card processing device and of a device for handling plastic cards according to the present invention;
- figures la-lb show two partial views of components of a device for handling plastic cards for card processing devices according to the present invention; and
- figure 2 show a perspective view of a wheel of a device for handling plastic cards for card processing devices according to the present invention.
With reference to figures 1, 1A, IB a device for handling plastic cards 10 for card processing devices 100 according to the present invention is described, in an example embodiment thereof, in which the device for handling plastic cards 10 is inserted in a printer, for example of the heat-transfer type, for advancing the plastic cards to be processed along two different, mutually transverse directions, in particular deviating the card path from a first direction to a second, different direction; preferably, the plastic cards to be processed are advanced along two different, mutually perpendicular directions.
Similarly, the device for handling plastic cards 10 for card processing devices according to the present invention can be inserted inside devices for magnetically writing and/or encoding the plastic card chips, devices capable of performing the embossing of the plastic card or the like.
A device for handling plastic cards of the same type can further be used in a device for dispatching plastic cards along different directions, for example used for deviating from a main flow the plastic cards to be processed and for sending them to different devices, such as printers, devices for magnetically writing and/or encoding the plastic card chip or magnetic band, devices capable of performing the embossing of the plastic card or the like, or plastic cards, after they have been processed, for dividing them into groups to be send to different collecting stations.
Figure 1 shows a view of the card processing device 100 and of the complete device for handling plastic cards 10, while in figures 1A and IB some components of the processing device, in this example a printer, have been removed, and only the components of a device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention are shown.
The device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention comprises a first handling roller assembly 11 and a second handling roller assembly 12, each one comprising at least two rollers 18, 19, mutually overlapped in contact and arranged with their axes in parallel; the axes of the two rollers 18, 19 are in turn perpendicular to a first axis X-X which corresponds to a first advancing direction of a plastic card 30.
The device for handling plastic cards 10 according to the invention further comprises a third handling roller assembly 14, comprising at least two rollers 18, 24, mutually overlapped in contact and arranged with their axes in parallel; the axes of the two rollers 18, 24 are in turn perpendicular to a second axis Y-Y, which corresponds to a second advancing direction of the plastic card 30, which is different from the first advancing direction.
Preferably, the first advancing direction along axis X-X is transverse to the second advancing direction along axis Y- Y; in a preferred way, the first advancing direction along axis X-X is perpendicular to the second advancing direction along axis Y-Y.
The handling roller assemblies 11, 12, 14 comprise at least one roller 18, motored for example in a known way through an electric motor, and at least one contrast roller 19, 24, in contact with the motored roller and preferably overlapped thereto, between which the card is passed; the motored roller 18 and the contrast roller 19, 24 have their axes assembled as revolving, for example on bushes, on the supports 24, composed for example of sheet flanks 24. Preferably, the axes of the contrast rollers 19, 24 are assembled on a mobile support of a known type, for example made with a soft rubber grommet capable of being suited to the card thickness by distortion, which allows adapting the nip between the rollers useful for passing the plastic card to the card thickness.
Preferably, the motored roller 18 transmits its rotary motion to the contrast roller 19, 24, which is assembled idle above and in contact therewith, for advancing the plastic card 30, which is gripped between the two rollers, in the advancing direction along the axis perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rollers.
In the example described in the figures, the handing roller assemblies 11 and 12 are shown, where each one comprises a lower motored roller 18 and two upper contrast rollers 19 in contact therewith, while the handling roller assembly 14 comprises a lower motored roller 18 and an upper contrast roller 24 in contact therewith.
Preferably, the plastic card 30 is adapted to be moved from the handling roller assemblies 11, 12, 14 on a plane, which passes by the contact areas between the contrast rollers 19, 24 and the motored roller 18, and is also passing by the first axis X-X and by the second axis Y-Y, which respectively correspond to the first advancing direction and to the second advancing direction of the plastic card 30. The device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention comprises an inversion roller assembly 20, comprising a first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 and a second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22; the wheels of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 are overlapped and in contact with the wheels of the second assembly 22.
The axis of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 and the axis of the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 are respectively oriented along the first advancing direction X-X and along the second advancing direction along axis Y-Y; preferably, the axis of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 and the axis of the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 are mutually transverse; in a preferred way, the axis of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 and the axis of the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 are mutually perpendicular.
The inversion roller assembly 20 of the invention is placed downstream, along the first advancing direction X-X of the plastic card 30, of the first handling roller assembly 11 and upstream of the second handling roller assembly 12; moreover, the inversion roller assembly 20 of the invention is placed downstream, along the second advancing direction Y- Y of the plastic card 30, of the third handling roller assembly 14 and is adapted to deviate the motion of the plastic card 30 from its first advancing direction along axis X-X to the second advancing direction along axis Y-Y and/or vice versa, from its second advancing direction along axis Y- Y to its first advancing direction along axis X-X.
The first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 comprises at least two omnidirectional wheels 25 of a known type arranged on a same first shaft 31 perpendicular to the first axis X-X, which corresponds to the first advancing direction of the plastic card 30, and the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 comprises at least two omnidirectional wheels 25, preferably equal to those of the first assembly 21 and arranged on a same second shaft 32, perpendicular to the second axis Y-Y, which corresponds to a second advancing direction of the plastic card 30 different from the first advancing direction.
The first shaft 31 of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 and the second shaft 32 of the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 are then oriented respectively along axis Y-Y and along axis X-X and are mutually transverse; in a preferred way, the shaft 31 of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 and the shaft 32 of the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 are mutually perpendicular .
Thee omnidirectional wheels 25 of the device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention, of a known type, comprise a plurality of rollers 26 arranged along their circumference with their rotation axis perpendicular to the rotation axis of the wheel 25 itself. Preferably, the rollers 26 have a curved outline, which follows the outline of the wheel 25, so that the external circumference of the wheel 25 follows a curvilinear or preferably circular outline.
The rollers 26 are assembled rotating on radial supports
28, in particular on supports of the rollers 27 obtained at the ends of the radial supports 28 themselves.
Figure 2 shows a preferred embodiment of an omnidirectional wheel 25 of the device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention, which comprises three equal and equally spaced rollers 26, and then comprises three radial supports 28 arranged with their axes made mutually rotated by an angle of about 120°.
Preferably, each of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 and the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 of the device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention comprises three omnidirectional wheels 25, with the two external wheels assembled rotated on their shaft by the same angles, so that the rollers 26 of the two external wheels are mutually aligned, while the central wheel is assembled for example rotated by an angle of about 60° with respect to the two external wheels, so that the radial supports 28 of the two external wheels of the omnidirectional wheel assemblies 21, 22 correspond to the rollers 26 of the central wheel, as shown in figures 1A, IB. Alternatively, omnidirectional wheels 25 having a number of small rollers, which is greater than three, preferably at the same distance one to the other along the wheel circumference, can be used in the device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention.
The first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 and the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 of the inversion roller assembly 20, whose wheels are overlapped and in contact with those of the first assembly, are motored, for example by connecting their axes 31, 32, in a known way, to an electric motor, preferably the same motor which controls the motored rollers 18.
The plastic card 30 is passed between the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 and the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22, whose axes are assembled rotating, for example on bushes, on supports 24.
Preferably, the axes of the omnidirectional wheel assemblies 21, 22 are assembled on a mobile support of a known type, for example made with a spring-loaded oscillating bridge, which allows adapting the nip between the rollers useful for passing the plastic card to the card thickness.
As will be explained in detail below, when one of the omnidirectional wheel assemblies 21, 22 is rotated, the other is left idle, and the omnidirectional wheel assembly 21, 22 which is rotated transmits the rotary motion of its wheels 25 to the rollers 26 of the wheels 25 of the other omnidirectional wheel assembly which has been left idle and to the plastic card 30, when this latter one is in the inversion roller assembly 20, changing its motion direction.
Preferably, the plastic card 30 is adapted to be moved from the handling roller assembly 11, 12, 14 and from the inversion roller assembly 20, on a plane which passes by the contact areas between the contrast rollers 19, 24 and the motored roller 18 and by the contact areas between the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 and the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 of the inversion roller assembly 20, and is also passing by the first axis X-X and by the second axis Y-Y.
The inversion roller assembly 20 is adapted to modify the direction of the motion of the plastic card 30 from the first advancing direction of X-X to the second advancing direction Y-Y, or vice versa.
Preferably, the card processing device 100 comprising the device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention further comprises an element for processing the card, such as a printing device, a device for magnetically writing and/or encoding the card chip, a device capable of embossing the card or the like, placed between the first handling roller assembly 11 and the second handling roller assembly 12.
The operation of an embodiment of the device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention is as follows.
In a first step, the plastic card 30 is advanced in a known way inside the device for handling plastic cards 10 according to the first advancing direction X-X, till the card 30 is caught in the first handling roller assembly 11.
In this position, the second step starts, in which the first handling roller assembly 11, in particular the motored roller 18, advances the card 30 along the first advancing direction X-X till is caught between the wheels 25 of the inversion roller assembly 20.
Now, two steps occur, in which the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 or the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 of the inversion roller assembly 20 are alternately actuated to advance the plastic card 30, which is caught between the wheels 25 of the inversion roller assembly 20, in one of the two advancing directions along axis X-X or along axis Y-Y, proceeding in the first case its motion along direction X-X or deviating it along direction Y-Y.
In order to obtain a motion of the plastic card 30 which goes on along the first advancing direction X-X, in a third step the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 is rotated, in particular its wheels 25 are rotated, arranged on the first shaft 31 and oriented along the first advancing direction X-X of the plastic card 30, while the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22, in particular its wheels 25 oriented along the second advancing direction of the card Y-Y and placed in contact with the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21, is left free of idly rotating on the shaft 32. In this way, the rollers 26 of the wheels 25 of the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22, which are in contact with le wheels 25 of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21, remain catching on the plastic card 30, which can thereby proceed in its motion along the first advancing direction X-X, pushed by the rotation of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 till it gets in contact with the rollers of the second handling roller assembly 12.
Alternatively to the third step, for deviating a motion of the plastic card 30 from the first advancing direction X-X to the second advancing direction Y-Y, in a fourth step the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 is rotated, in particular its wheels 25 are rotated, arranged on the second shaft 32 oriented along the second advancing direction Y-Y of the plastic card 30, while the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21, in particular its wheels 25 oriented along the first advancing direction of the card X-X and placed in contact with the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21, is left free of idly rotating on the shaft 31.
In this way, the rollers 26 of the wheels 25 of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21, which are in contact with le wheels 25 of the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22, remain catching on the plastic card 30, which can then proceed in its motion along the second advancing direction Y-Y, pushed by the rotation of the second omnidirectional wheel assembly 22 till it gets in contact with the rollers of the third handling roller assembly 14.
In a fifth step, the plastic card 30 is expelled outside the device for handling plastic cards 10 along one of the two advancing directions X-X or Y-Y, respectively by the second handling roller assembly 12 or by the third handling roller assembly 14, in particular by rotating their motored rollers 18.
In a similar way, the plastic card 30 can be first advanced along the second advancing direction Y-Y through the third handling roller assembly 14, then deviating its motion along the first advancing direction X-X, towards the first handling roller assembly 11 or towards the second handling roller assembly 12, according to the direction in which the wheels of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly 21 are rotated .
Advantageously, the inversion roller assembly 20 of the device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention can be used for deviating an advancement motion of a plastic card 30 in a card processing device from a first advancing direction X-X to a second advancing direction Y-Y transverse thereto; in a preferred way, the first advancing direction X-X is perpendicular to the second advancing direction Y-Y.
Advantageously, the embodiment of the device for handling plastic cards 10 of the invention which comprises omnidirectional wheel assemblies 21, 22 each one having three omnidirectional wheels 25, allows advancing the plastic card 30 uniformly, keeping the desired direction along one of the two directions X-X or Y-Y, without laterally deviating it.
Optionally, the operation of the embodiment of the card processing device 100 of the invention which comprises the device for handling plastic cards 10 which includes an element for processing the card, such as a printing device, a device for magnetically writing and/or encoding the card chip, a device capable of embossing the card or the like, provides for a further step in which the card is written or processed with one of the above devices, to obtain the printing, or the magnetic writing of the card and/or the encoding of the chip, or the embossing of the card or the like. Advantageously, the device for handling plastic cards 10 for card processing devices of the present invention allows making a device for handling plastic cards for card processing devices which is economically and reliably built. Advantageously, the device for handling plastic cards 10 for card processing devices of the invention allows having a quick and easily implemented advancement cycle of the plastic cards. Of course, obvious modifications and/or variations are possible to the above description, regarding sizes, shapes, materials, components, and connections, as well as in the details of the shown construction and the operating mode, without departing from the scope of the invention, as stated in the following claims.

Claims

1. Device for handling plastic cards (10) for card processing devices (100) comprising:
a first handling roller assembly (11) and a second handling roller assembly (12), each one comprising at least two rollers (18, 19) mutually overlapped in contact and arranged with their axes in parallel, the axes of the two rollers (18, 19) being perpendicular to a first advancing direction (X-X) of a plastic card (30) ;
a third handling roller assembly (14) comprising at least two rollers (18, 24) mutually overlapped in contact and arranged with their axes in parallel, the axes of the two rollers (18, 24) being perpendicular to a second advancing direction (Y-Y) of the plastic card (30) different from the first advancing direction (X-X) ;
a inversion roller assembly (20) , for deviating a motion of the plastic card (30) from the first advancing direction (X-X) to the second advancing direction (Y-Y) or vice versa, characterized in that
said inversion roller assembly (20) comprises a first omnidirectional wheel assembly (21) and a second omnidirectional wheel assembly (22) overlapped and mutually in contact, the axis of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly (21) and the axis of the second omnidirectional wheel assembly (22) being oriented respectively along the first advancing direction (X-X) and along the second advancing direction (Y-Y) of the plastic card (30) .
2. Device for handling plastic cards (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first advancing direction (X-X) of the plastic card (30) is transverse to the second advancing direction (Y-Y) .
3. Device for handling plastic cards (10) according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that the first advancing direction (X-X) of the plastic card (30) is perpendicular to the second advancing direction (Y-Y) .
4. Device for handling plastic cards (10) according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that the inversion roller assembly (20) is placed downstream of the first handling roller assembly (11) and upstream of the second handling roller assembly (12), and the inversion roller assembly (20) is placed downstream of the third handling roller assembly (14).
5. Device for handling plastic cards (10) according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that the first omnidirectional wheel assembly (21) comprises at least two omnidirectional wheels (25) arranged on a same first shaft (31) perpendicular to the first advancing direction (X-X) of the plastic card (30) , and in that the second omnidirectional wheel assembly (22) comprises at least two omnidirectional wheels (25) arranged on a same second shaft (32) perpendicular to the second advancing direction (Y-Y) .
6. Device for handling plastic cards (10) according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that the first omnidirectional wheel assembly (21) and the second omnidirectional wheel assembly (22) each one comprise three omnidirectional wheels (25).
7. Device for handling plastic cards (10) according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that the external wheels of the first omnidirectional wheel assembly (21) and of the second omnidirectional wheel assembly (22) are assembled rotated on their shaft by the same angles, so that the rollers (26) of the two external wheels are mutually aligned.
8. Device for handling plastic cards (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that the first omnidirectional wheel assembly (21) and the second omnidirectional wheel assembly (22) of the inversion roller assembly (20) are motored .
9. Card processing device (100) comprising the device for handling plastic cards (10) according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that it further comprises an element for processing the card, such as a printing device, a device for writing the magnetic band and/or encoding the chip of the card, a device capable of embossing the card or the like, placed between the first handling roller assembly (11) and the second handling roller assembly (12) .
10. Method for handling plastic cards (30) with the device for handling plastic cards (10) according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
- a first step, in which the plastic card (30) is advanced inside the device for handling plastic cards (10) along the first advancing direction X-X, till the plastic card (30) is caught in the first handling roller assembly (11);
a second step, in which the first handling roller assembly (11) advances the plastic card (30) along the first advancing direction (X-X) till it is caught between the wheels (25) of the inversion roller assembly (20);
a third step, in which the first omnidirectional wheel assembly (21) of the inversion roller assembly (20) is actuated for advancing the plastic card (30), which is caught between the wheels (25) of the inversion roller assembly (20), along the first advancing direction (X-X), proceeding with its motion along direction (X-X) ;
a fourth step, alternative to the third step, in which the second omnidirectional wheel assembly (22) of the inversion roller assembly (20) is actuated to advance the plastic card (30) , which is caught between the wheels (25) of the inversion roller assembly (20) , along the second advancing direction (Y-Y) , deviating its motion along direction (Y-Y) ; a fifth step, in which the plastic card (30) is expelled outside the device for handling plastic cards (10) along one of the two advancing directions (X-X) or (Y-Y) , respectively by the second handling roller assembly (12) or by the third handling roller assembly (14).
PCT/IT2016/000171 2015-08-06 2016-07-08 Device for handling plastic cards for card processing devices and card processing device comprising such handling device WO2017021988A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT102015000042623 2015-08-06
ITUB2015A002969A ITUB20152969A1 (en) 2015-08-06 2015-08-06 Plastic card transport device for card processing devices and card treatment device comprising said transport device

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US11752539B2 (en) 2020-01-27 2023-09-12 Panduit Corp. Embossing system
US11904377B2 (en) 2020-01-27 2024-02-20 Panduit Corp. Embossing system

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