US 5,709,484 AGranted

Apparatus for double-sided printing of identification cards

AssigneeKunz GmbH

InventorFrank Dorner

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

An apparatus for double-sided printing of identification cards (1) has a printing unit (2) with a thermal printhead (17), a card transport device, an input sensor (8) and an output sensor (9) as well as a reversing unit (3) for reversing and further transporting the printed card (1) which is provided with a rotor (36) with a rotating card transport device. The card transport device on the rotor (36) is controlled so that it feeds the card (1) printed on one side and turned by 180.degree. to the printing unit (2) again without changing its direction of rotation. The card transport apparatus of the printing unit (2) is switchable from the forward to the return transport direction (A and B, respectively) for return transport of the card (1) from the output sensor (9) to the input sensor (8). When the card (1) reaches the input sensor (8) upon return transport, the card transport device is switched back for printing the other side of the card (1) and feeding it to the reversing unit (A) again.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An apparatus for double-sided printing of an identification card having an encodable chip thereon the apparatus comprising:

a printing unit having:
a thermal printhead for printing on one side of a card at a time;
a card transport device for moving the card past the thermal printhead in steps;
an input sensor for switching on the card transport device when a card is fed to the printing unit;
and an output sensor for switching off the card transport device as a card moves away from the printing unit;
and
a reversing unit for reversing a card, the reversing unit having:
a rotor with a rotation axis extending perpendicular to the direction of card transport;
a card transport device fastened to the rotor for drawing a card from the printing unit to the rotor and returning a card from the rotor to the printing unit;
and a device for turning the rotor by 180.degree. when a card is fed onto the rotor, the improvement wherein:
the card transport device of the reversing unit is formed on the rotor as a rotating transport device which is rotated in only a single direction to both draw a card onto the rotor and to return a rotated card to the printing unit;
and
the card transport device of the printing unit is switchable to allow the forward and return transport of a card wherein, the output sensor switches on the card transport device of the printing unit into the return transport direction when a rotated card printed on a first side is returned from the reversing unit and the input sensor switches back the card transport device to the forward transport direction after a rotated card is fed from the output sensor for printing a second side of a card with the thermal printhead and feeding a card printed on both sides back to the reversing unit.

10 more elements

An apparatus for printing and encoding an identification card having opposed sides and an encodable chip attached thereto, said apparatus comprising:

a print unit having a static printhead positioned to print on one side of an identification card at a time;
a first card transport device for moving an identification card along a path of travel past said printhead, said first card transport device being configured to move an identification card in a forward direction past said printhead and in a reverse direction, opposite the forward direction, past said printhead;
a reversing unit positioned adjacent said print unit for receiving an identification card after an identification card is moved in the forward direction past said printhead, said reversing unit including:
a rotor with a rotational axis extending perpendicular to the path of travel of an identification card;
an actuator for rotating said rotor and an identification card 180.degree.;
and a second card transport device attached to said rotor for transferring an identification card from said print unit to said rotor and for transferring an identification card from rotor back to said print unit;
and
a chip encoding assembly attached to said rotor, said chip encoding assembly being positioned to bear against an encodable chip when an identification card is received on said rotor and that is configured to load data onto an encodable chip.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/639,093Filed 24 Apr 1996
Priority: DE 195 14 999.824 Apr 1995
Granted: 20 Jan 1998
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

B41J 3/60
Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed: for printing on both faces of…
B41J 13/12
Sheet holders, retainers , movable guides, or stationary guides: specially adapted for small cards, envelopes, or the like , e.g. credit cards,…
B65H 2301/33214
Kinetic therefor: about an axis perpendicular to the direction of displacement and parallel to the surface of material
B65H 2301/33224
According to a determined angle: 180°