Plastic card printing with radiation curable material and multiple curing passes
AssigneeEntrust Corporation
InventorsDaniel Sarkinen, Ethan Yanna, Don Galles, Scott Svensson, Bruce Klemann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Techniques are described for reducing or eliminating a bow in a plastic card that results from applying radiation, such as UV radiation, to a surface of the plastic card to cure radiation curable material that has been applied to the surface. In one embodiment, after printing of all radiation curable material on the plastic card is completed, radiation is applied to both surfaces of the plastic card. After applying the radiation, the plastic card complies with ISO 7810:2019, Clause 8.10.
Claims19
A plastic card printing method, comprising:
- inputting a plastic card having a first surface and a second surface into a plastic card printing system that has a print station that is configured to print radiation curable material;
- in the print station, printing the radiation curable material on the plastic card;
- after printing of the radiation curable material on the plastic card is complete, applying radiation to the plastic card using an array of radiation emitters where each one of the radiation emitters has a common nominal wavelength, wherein after applying the radiation a total height of the plastic card is 0.06 inch or less;
- and
- thereafter outputting the plastic card from the plastic card printing system.
A plastic card printing method, comprising:
- inputting a plastic card having a length and a width into a print station of a plastic card printing system, the print station is configured to print radiation curable material;
- printing the radiation curable material on at least one surface of the plastic card;
- after printing the radiation curable material, mechanically transporting the plastic card to a curing station having a curing lamp that has a width that is less than the width of the plastic card and a length that is less than the length of the plastic card;
- and
- curing the radiation curable material on the at least one surface by applying radiation to the radiation curable material in multiple curing passes of the plastic card and the curing lamp relative to one another.
A plastic card printing system, comprising:
- a print station that is configured to print a radiation curable material on a plastic card, and a mechanical card transport mechanism configured to transport the plastic card in the print station in a card transport direction;
- a curing station having a curing lamp that has a width that is less than a width of the plastic card and a length that is less than a length of the plastic card;
- and
- the curing lamp is movable in a direction perpendicular to the card transport direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.