Apparatus and method for stacking card-like data carriers

The device (1) in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, further comprising:

• a card magazine feeding device for feeding card magazines (8;
• 8a, 8b) to a stacking position (24) of the stacking area, wherein the card magazine feeding device comprises a transfer area for transferring a card magazine (8;
• 8a, 8b) fed to it to an associated stacking position (24) of the stacking area (C),
• wherein the transfer area comprises at least one of the following elements:
• a first sensor arrangement (21) which is configured to detect the presence and/or absence of a card magazine (8;
• 8a, 8b) at at least one location of the card magazine feeding device (13;
• 13a, 13b);
• a first stop member (18) for blocking a feeding of one or more further card magazines (8;
• 8a, 8b) when the transfer area is still occupied by a preceding card magazine (8;
• 8a, 8b);
• a first driver member (19) which is configured to temporarily stop a card magazine (8;
• 8a, 8b) transferred into the transfer area prior to its transfer to the stacking position (24) and to release it for onward transfer only when an automated check reveals that one or more predetermined checking criteria for checking whether the stacking position (24) is ready to receive a card magazine (8;
• 8a, 8b) are satisfied;
• a first transfer member (20) which is configured to transport a card magazine (8;
• 8a, 8b) which is located in the transfer area further to the stacking position (24) in the stacking area under the application of force thereto.

The device (1) in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a lifting device (14;

• 14a, 14b) which is set up and arranged:
• to position and support, at a stacking position (24) of the stacking area (C) associated with the lifting device (14;
• 14a, 14b), a card magazine (8;
• 8a, 8b) for receiving data carriers (5) released by the stacking unit (2) for transfer into the card magazine (8;
• 8a, 8b);
• and to move the card magazine (8;
• 8a, 8b) itself or a movable stack carrier element (8s) of the card magazine (8;
• 8a, 8b) along a displacement direction in dependence on the degree of filling of the card magazine (8;
• 8a, 8b), in such a way that the positioning level, at which a respective new one of the data carriers (5) comes to lie in the card magazine (8;
• 8a, 8b) during its stacking process, is kept at least substantially constant for successive data carriers (5).

The device (1) in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, further comprising:

• a card magazine output device (15;
• 15a, 15b) which is arranged to accept a card magazine (8;
• 8a, 8b) filled with data carriers (5) from the stacking area (C) and to feed it to an output position (34) at the card magazine output device (15;
• 15a, 15b);
• wherein the card magazine output device (15;
• 15a, 15b) has a buffer area for temporarily receiving a card magazine (8;
• 8a, 8b) taken from a stacking position (24) of the stacking area, and the buffer area comprises at least one of the following elements:
• a second sensor arrangement (32) which is configured to detect the presence and/or the absence of a card magazine (8;
• 8a, 8b) at at least one location located downstream of the buffer area, in particular at the output position (34) of the card magazine output device (15;
• 15a, 15b);
• a second stop member (33) which is configured to block a further transport path of a card magazine (8;
• 8a, 8b) located in the buffer area, which further transport path proceeds downstream towards the output position (34), when it is determined that a portion of the card magazine output device (15;
• 15a, 15b) which is located downstream of the buffer area is still occupied by a preceding card magazine (8;
• 8a, 8b), and otherwise to release the transport path;
• a second transfer member which is configured to transport a card magazine (8;
• 8a, 8b) which is located at a stacking position (24) of the stacking area into the buffer area after it has been filled with data carriers (5) under the action of force on the latter.

A method of stacking card-like data carriers (5) comprising the following steps:

• transporting individual card-like data carriers (5) by means of a conveying device (4) downstream along a conveying path;
• and
• selectively transferring and stacking card-like data carriers (5) conveyed along the conveying path;
• wherein the card-like data carriers (5) are conveyed at the conveying device (4) in such a way that they are fixed to the conveying device (4) in a hanging mode of transport;
• and
• wherein, during the selective transfer and the stacking of the data carriers (5) certain ones of the card-like data carriers (5) conveyed along the conveying device (4) are released from it in order to transfer them directly into a card magazine (8;
• 8a, 8b) and to stack them therein when the card magazine is arranged at a stacking position (24) which, in relation to the direction of gravity, is situated below the conveying path.