Card mass storage device, card transport, and card storage device, as well as sorting method for cards
AssigneeBoewe Systec GmbH
InventorsBoris FLACH, Helmut KOELLE
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In the case of a card mass storage device having a storage device and a card transfer, the storage device includes a main storage device and an interim storage device, which is disposed between the main storage device and the card transfer, to allow sorting processes that make implementing rapid access possible.
Claims28
A card mass storage device comprising:
- (a) a circulating card holder support;
- and
- (b) a plurality of card holders disposed on the card holder support;
- wherein at least first and second card holders of the plurality of card holders are disposed rigidly relative to one another on a first holding element and at least third and fourth card holders of the plurality of card holders are disposed rigidly relative to one another on a second holding element;
- and
- wherein the first and second holders are disposed on the card holder support so as to be movable relative to one another.
A card mass storage device comprising:
- (a) a first main storage device comprising a first number of card spaces;
- (b) a card transfer for input and output of cards;
- and
- (c) a first interim storage device disposed between the first main storage device and the card transfer, said first interim storage device having a second number of card spaces, said second number being at least two and not more than the first number.
A card mass storage device comprising:
- (a) a storage device comprising a main storage device ring;
- (b) a card transfer for input and output of cards;
- and
- (c) an interim storage device comprising an interim storage device ring disposed between the main storage device ring and the card transfer.
A card transport comprising:
- (a) a conveyor section;
- (b) at least one storage device;
- and
- (c) a card transfer provided between the at least one storage device and the conveyor section, said card transfer comprising a first transfer space on a first side of the card transfer facing the at least one storage device and a second transfer space different from the first transfer space on a second side of the card transfer facing the conveyor section.
A method for sorting cards that pass through a conveyor section using a storage device that has multiple storage device card spaces comprising:
- (a) transferring cards from the conveyor section into the storage device so as to leave empty storage device card spaces that may be filled at a later time and subsequently transferring the cards out of the storage device into the conveyor section;
- (b) conveying cards past the storage device by way of the conveyor section if the cards have been correctly sorted;
- and/or
- (c) conveying empty conveyor spaces to the storage device by way of the conveyor section.
A method for sorting cards that pass through a conveyor section using a card mass storage device comprising a first main storage device comprising a first number of card spaces, a card transfer for input and output of cards, and a first interim storage device disposed between the first main storage device and the card transfer, said first interim storage device having a second number of card spaces, said second number being at last two and not more than the first number, said method comprising:
- (a) first re-sorting or pre-sorting cards according to card information;
- (b) subsequently transferring the cards into the first main storage device from the conveyor section;
- and
- (c) subsequently transferring the cards from the first main storage device into the conveyor section, in sorted manner, in accordance with shipping information kept available in a data memory;
- wherein sorting takes place during the transfer of cards from the first main storage device into the conveyor section using the first interim storage device.
A method for sorting cards that pass through a conveyor section using a card mass storage device comprising a first main storage device comprising a first number of card spaces, a card transfer for input and output of cards, and a first interim storage device disposed between the first main storage device and the card transfer, said first interim storage device having a second number of card spaces, said second number being at least two and not more than the first number, said method comprising:
- (a) first transferring the cards from the conveyor section to the first main storage device by way of the first interim storage device;
- and
- (b) subsequently transferring the cards back to the conveyor section from the first main storage device by way of the first interim storage device.
A method for sorting cards using a storage device that has multiple storage device card spaces comprising:
- (a) transferring cards to the storage device so as to leave empty storage device card spaces, in targeted manner, that may be filled at a later time;
- and
- (b) subsequently removing the cards individually from the storage device, in targeted manner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.