Card issuer, card processor and card stacker method and apparatus
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorYoshito Honda
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A credit card stacker holding up to a predetermined number of cards in a lower section. Cards are supplied by a separator mechanism from the upper section of the card stacker, as they are depleted from the lower section by the issuing mechanism. The separator mechanism supports one edge of a card in the upper section only while the other edge of the card is supported by a predetermined number of cards in the lower section. When the number of cards in the lower section drops below the predetermined number, the separator allows cards to drop to the lower section.
Claims33
A card issuer, which sequentially issues stacked cards, comprising:
- a first stack portion in which the number of stacked cards to be issued is regulated at a predetermined value or less;
- a second stack portion, which stacks cards for replacing picked-out cards therewith to the first stack portion in the case where the cards stacked in the first stack portion are picked out;
- and
- pick-out means for picking out a card stacked in the first stack portion.
A card processor comprising:
- a card stacker for stacking cards having emboss forming areas in a vertical direction;
- control means for controlling a load applied to the emboss forming area of the card located at the lowermost portion within a predetermined range;
- and
- pick-out means for picking out the card located at the lowermost portion among the cards stacked in the card stacker.
A card stacker for stacking a plurality of cards stacked in a vertical direction, comprising:
- a holding floor for holding the cards in a vertical direction;
- side walls for regulating a horizontal position of the cards, the side walls being erected from the holding floor;
- a card stack area for stacking the cards, the card stack area being formed of the holding floor and the side walls;
- and
- a projection projecting toward the card stack area, the projection being disposed at a position of a predetermined height of the side wall in the card stack direction.
A card stacker apparatus for issuing one of a plurality of cards, the card stacker apparatus comprising:
- a card stacker having a first end and a second end;
- a card separator located between the first end and the second end of the card stacker, the card separator supporting a first edge of a card if a second edge of the card is supported at a predetermined position in the card stacker;
- and,
- the card separator not supporting the first edge of the card if the second edge of the card is supported below the predetermined position in the card stacker.
A card stacker method for issuing one of a plurality of cards, the card stacker method comprising the steps of:
- supporting a first card edge of a card on a card separator in a top card stacker section when a second card edge of the card is supported at a predetermined position in the card stacker;
- and,
- releasing a first card edge of the card from the card separator in the top card stacker section when the second card edge of the card is supported below the predetermined position in the card stacker.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.