Patent ID: 6439567
Filing Date: 2002-08-27
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
A card guide for holding a stack of cards to be separated by a card picker, each card having substantially the same thickness and substantially the same periphery, said card guide comprising a frame having a periphery sufficiently larger than the card periphery to permit the cards to enter said frame while maintaining the cards substantially aligned, said frame including a bottom member with a card support area having a rear edge, and including a side member, said frame having an open front face and an open rear face, the rear face adapted to abut a transport surface, said card guide being adapted to hold a plurality of cards from the stack with a bottom edge of each card supported on the card support area of said bottom member, said side member having a notch extending substantially the full height of the open rear face and extending from the card support area rear edge toward the front face by a distance at least as great as the thickness of the cards, said bottom member having an air hole therethrough, the air hole having a center spaced from the card support area rear edge by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the cards and having a diameter at least as great as the thickness of the cards.