Card printer and method of printing on cards

A compact system adapted for card imaging, card laminating, or other card processing, comprises a card processor positioned on a horizontal card feed path and configured to process one or both faces of a rectangular card such as a plastic credit or debit card. A card feeder is arranged to feed cards one at a time onto the horizontal feed path upstream of the card processor, the feeder comprising a compartment for holding a stack of vertical cards each supported on a long edge and a card feed mechanism configured to successively draw a card from an end of the stack and translate it off the stack. A card re-director is configured to receive the card and to redirect it to an attitude in which it is parallel with the horizontal card feed path and positioned to be fed to the card processor along the horizontal feed path. The compartment is located above the horizontal card feed path, and the card feeder feeds cards substantially vertically downward into the card re-director. The card processor may comprise a card printer and a magnetic strip encoder. Also disclosed are methods of printing, encoding and feeding cards.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to card printers for applying information in the form of images, text and the like on one or both of the faces of cards, and particularly to a card printer that is compact both vertically and horizontally. The invention further relates to a method of printing on cards. Still further, the invention relates to the feeding of cards in succession from a stack of cards and particularly to a card feed apparatus and method for feeding cards of various thicknesses while inhibiting the feeding of more than one card at a time from the card stack.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various kinds of cards are becoming more prevalent for such purposes as security (for example, identification cards and badges), financial transactions (credit and debit cards), driver's licenses, and so forth. These cards are typically made of plastic but may also comprise paper or cardboard. The cards may have printed or embossed characters, magnetic strips, and/or other images or indicia on one or both faces. Although the length and width of these cards have been substantially standardized, card thicknesses may vary considerably.

FIG. 1shows a plastic card10typical of those in use today. The card10has a front face12, a rear face14carrying a longitudinally-extending magnetic strip16, and a generally rectangular geometry comprising a pair of opposed, parallel, longitudinally-extending long edges18and20and a pair of opposed, parallel, transversely-extending short edges22and24. The card10has a longitudinal or major central axis26and a transverse or minor central axis28.

Conventional printers for printing information on discrete cards such as that shown inFIG. 1comprise a linear series of processing stations or modules generally including a card feeder, a card flipper or inverter, a print mechanism and a card discharge station. A typical card feeder has a vertical hopper designed to receive a supply of horizontally oriented cards stacked one on top of another. A lifter under the stack urges the stack upwardly to progressively raise the stack as cards are successively withdrawn from the top. The card feeder supplies the cards to the card inverter that rotates each card as necessary and transfers it to and from the card print mechanism in a sequence of steps whereby one or both faces of the card are printed. In conventional printers, the card inverter rotates the card about its shorter or minor central axis28(FIG. 1). The print mechanism typically comprises a thermal printhead cooperating with a thermal transfer ribbon or dye sublimation ribbon to print information on a face of each card as the card is fed lengthwise past the print mechanism.

The present invention addresses several drawbacks of conventional card printers. For example, because the various stations or modules of conventional card printers are arranged in a row, such printers take up considerable desktop space. Moreover, because the cards are stored as a vertical stack in the card supply hopper, conventional card printers tend to be tall. Contributing to their height (as well as to their length) are the card inverters or flippers that rotate the cards around their minor axes. Besides using space inefficiently, existing card printers, because of their size, cost more to manufacture requiring, for example, larger, more expensive enclosures.

In addition, most conventional card feeders have a fixed slot or gate at the discharge of the card supply hopper through which the cards are passed out of the hopper. The width of the gate is usually set to accommodate one particular card thickness and must be manually readjusted to accept cards having other thicknesses. This is undesirable because it is difficult to measure and to set a gate to accurately feed cards of widely varying thicknesses without double feeding. Double feeding occurs when the card being fed from the top of a stack of cards drags the next card below along with it.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description is of a best mode presently contemplated for practicing the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of the invention whose scope may be ascertained by referring to the appended claims. For example, the present invention is described below in terms of processing of “cards” in terms of printing, encoding, laminating cards. It must be noted that the present invention is applicable for use in any system where are card is feed to the system from a stack of cards, regardless of what the system does with the card after it has been received. For example, the present invention may be used to supply cards to a device that further mills the card, such as by shaping the card, punching or drilling holes in the card, etc.

Further, it must be understood that the term “card” as used herein should not be limiting. A card, as used herein, refers to any unit of media that is fed from a stack through a path to a system. The card may be paper, plastic, metal, etc. It also may have any desired shape, such as rectangular, square, circular, triangular, etc.

FIG. 2shows in block diagram form andFIGS. 3-5show in greater detail, a specific, exemplary embodiment of a card processing system40in accordance with the present invention. The system40comprises a card printer for printing on cards10such as that shown inFIG. 1. By way of example, the card printer40may comprise a thermal transfer card printer of the kind typically used to print information in the form of text, graphics, photographs, and so forth, on plastic cards such as I.D. cards, driver's licenses, and the like, using a thermal printhead cooperating with a thermal transfer or dye sublimation ribbon carried by a disposable ribbon cartridge.

The card printer40generally comprises a printer body or frame42supporting a card feeder44; a card re-director or rotator46; a card processor48comprising a card cleaning station48a, a card print mechanism48bincluding a thermal printhead48c, a printing platen roller48dand a removable, replaceable cartridge48econtaining a printer consumable comprising a transfer medium typically in the form of a thermal transfer or dye sublimation ribbon48f; and a card discharge station50.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the card feeder44is positioned above the card rotator46. The card rotator46receives cards10in succession from the card feeder44along a first feed path52, rotates each card about its long axis26and redirects it to move along a second feed path54between the card rotator46and the print mechanism48(FIGS. 2,3and5). The cards10are transported along the first feed path52with their short edges22and24parallel with the path52and along the second feed path54with their long edges18and20parallel with the path54. In the specific, exemplary embodiment shown, the first feed path52extends in a generally vertical direction while the second feed path54, along which the card processor or print mechanism48is located, extends in a generally horizontal direction. As will be explained in greater detail below, cards supplied by the card feeder44are rotated through approximately 90° by the card rotator46before being transported to the print mechanism48for printing on one of the card faces. So processed, the card may then be advanced to the discharge station50. Alternatively, in a double-pass printing mode, the card10may be returned to the rotator46for inversion and delivery back to the print mechanism48for printing on the other face of the card followed by discharge of the card from the printer.

Card Feeder

With reference now also toFIGS. 6-14, there is shown one, specific exemplary embodiment of the card feeder44. The card feeder44includes a card feeder body60defining a card supply compartment62for holding a card stack64comprising a plurality of cards10a,10b,10c, and so forth, to be processed. The compartment62contains means66for biasing the card stack64toward a card feed mechanism68that removes the cards10a, et seq., in succession from the card supply compartment62and prevents or inhibits the removal of more than one card at a time from the stack. The card feed mechanism68operates independently of card thickness, the feed mechanism being thus capable of feeding cards of different thicknesses without adjustment.

The card supply compartment62has a generally rectangular configuration and is defined by opposed, parallel side walls70and72, a fixed front end wall74and a bottom wall76of the feeder body60. The card supply compartment62is open at the top for receiving a supply of cards to be fed through a front, transverse, slot-like discharge opening78(FIGS. 6,10and14) of fixed size defined by a lower edge80of the front wall74and a front edge82of the bottom wall76. The cards are advanced in succession through the opening78by means of the card feed mechanism68in a generally downward direction (as indicated by the arrow) along the generally vertical, first feed path52, toward the rotator46.

The cards10a, et seq., placed in the card supply compartment62are preferably oriented as best seen inFIGS. 6 and 7. More specifically, the cards are preferably stacked with the short edges22and24extending generally vertically, that is, parallel with the first feed path52. Alternatively, the card supply compartment62may be configured to receive a stack of cards having their long edges18and20extending vertically; however, stacking the cards as preferred, with their short edges upright, substantially reduces the overall height of the printer.

A pusher plate90, as seen, for example, inFIGS. 4,6,8and11, is mounted for longitudinal translation within the card supply compartment62and urges the card stack64toward the fixed front end wall74. The movable pusher plate90is resiliently biased toward the front wall74and forms the rear wall of the supply compartment. The pusher plate90applies to the rear of the card stack64a force that remains substantially constant during depletion of the stack as the cards10a, et seq., are withdrawn therefrom.

The pusher plate90is mounted for smooth, stable, jam-free translation within the compartment62by means of a spring-loaded mechanism92seen inFIGS. 6,8and9. The mechanism92comprises two pairs of meshed pinions94,96and98,100secured to the ends of a pair of parallel, upper and lower transverse shafts102and104mounted on a rear surface106of the pusher plate90. More specifically, the upper transverse shaft102is journaled for rotation in vertical legs108and110defined by the pusher plate90at opposite ends thereof. The lower transverse shaft104is journaled for rotation in a central bearing block112on the rear surface106of the pusher plate90. The pinions94and96mesh with spaced-apart, parallel, horizontal racks114and116mounted on or made integral with the side wall70of the feeder body. Similarly, the pinions98and100mesh with spaced-apart, parallel, horizontal racks118and120on the side wall72. A pair of torsion springs122and124wound about the shaft104and anchored at their inner ends to the central bearing block112and at their outer ends to the respective pinions96and100, provide the resilient bias that urges the pusher plate90against the rear of the card stack. In this connection, the torsion springs122and124are preloaded, that is, they are wound and mounted so as to be under an initial torsional load. As the pusher plate90is manually retracted by the user, the torsion springs122and124are further wound, the energy so stored being released when the pusher plate90advances as the cards in the card stack64are withdrawn from the card supply compartment. The torsion springs122and124are closely wound and have numerous turns (that is, substantial effective lengths) so that as they unwind when the pusher plate90moves forward, the force exerted by the springs remains substantially constant. It will be seen that the mechanism92constrains the pusher plate90to remain upright as the plate is translated in either direction within the compartment.

The card feed mechanism68includes friction drive surfaces, preferably in the form of three rollers130,132and134at the front of the card supply compartment62. The roller130comprises a first or primary feed roller that is mounted on a transverse shaft136journaled for rotation in the side walls70and72of the card feeder body at a fixed position above the bottom wall76. The first feed roller130is centered transversely and its drive surface projects slightly into the card supply compartment62so that the leading or first card10a(FIGS. 6,7, and14) in a stack of cards loaded into the compartment frictionally engages the first feed roller130in response to the resilient bias exerted by the pusher plate90. The roller132comprises a secondary feed roller that is mounted on a transverse shaft138journaled for rotation in the side walls70and72at a fixed position below the bottom wall76of the card supply compartment. It will be seen inFIGS. 6 and 14that a line of tangency contacting the primary and secondary rollers130and132is parallel with the inner surface of the fixed front end wall74of the card supply compartment. Both the primary and secondary rollers130and132are rotatable in unison by a stepper motor140secured to the inner surface of the side wall72so as to advance a card10a, etc., along the feed path52. In this connection, with reference also toFIG. 8, the primary and secondary roller shafts136and138have outer ends142and144, respectively, projecting from the side wall72of the card feeder body60. The outer ends142,144of the shafts136,138carry sprockets146and148, respectively. Trained about the sprockets146and148is a toothed timing belt150driven by an idler sprocket152attached to an idler gear154in turn driven by a pinion156mounted on the output shaft of the stepper motor140.

As best seen inFIGS. 7 and 10, the primary and secondary rollers130and132have the same lengths. The roller134comprises a third or tertiary roller that functions in counteracting fashion to return toward the card stack a second card improperly withdrawn from the card stack along with a correctly fed first card. The tertiary roller134is substantially narrower than the primary and secondary rollers130and132and is mounted on the side opposite the feed path52from the primary and secondary rollers and in alignment with and centered on the secondary roller132.

The tertiary roller134is mounted on the inner end of a shaft162supported by a floating plate164in turn carried by a pair of fixed guide pins166and168projecting from the lower surface of the bottom wall76and extending through oversize slots170and172in the plate164. A tension spring174anchored between a post176near the rear of the plate164and a fixed post178projecting from the bottom wall resiliently biases the plate164to urge the tertiary roller134toward the secondary roller132and into contact therewith in the absence of a card. The tertiary roller shaft162has an outer end180projecting from the feeder body side wall70through an oversize opening (not shown) permitting floating movement of the plate164in response to the presence of cards of different thicknesses between the secondary and tertiary rollers132and134.

With reference toFIGS. 10-14, and particularlyFIG. 13, keyed to the projecting outer end180of the tertiary roller shaft162is a hub181secured to a pivotable plate182defining spaced-apart abutment surfaces183and184positioned to engage a fixed post185mounted on the feeder sidewall70. The plate182is retained on the shaft162by a snap ring186. The shaft162and the tertiary roller134carried thereby are thus able to pivot within the limits imposed by the spacing between the abutment surfaces183and184. Wound around the hub181is a torsion spring187having an inner end188bearing against a pin189on the pivotable plate182and an outer end188abearing against the fixed post185on the feeder sidewall. The torsion spring187thus biases the tertiary roller shaft162so that it tends to rotationally pivot clockwise as viewed inFIG. 13. As noted, the extent of the rotational movement of the plate is limited by the spaced-apart abutment surfaces183and184.

The card feed mechanism68prevents the removal of more than one card at a time from the card stack64. More specifically, when a first, individual card10apasses between the secondary and tertiary rollers132and134(FIG. 14), a fluctuating pinch is created on the card depending upon the thickness of the card through the spring loaded, floating plate164and the tertiary roller134carried thereby. With reference toFIG. 14, assume now that a second card10b, clinging to the first card10abecause of a static charge, for example, is erroneously withdrawn from the stack along with the first card10a. The torsion spring187mounted on the outer end180of the tertiary roller shaft162winds up in response to the amount of friction between the first and second cards10aand10bversus the amount of friction between the second card10band the tertiary roller134. Because the friction between the tertiary roller134and the second card10bis greater than the friction between the first and second cards10aand10b, the torsion spring187is wound up (to the extent permitted by the limit imposed when the abutment surface183engages the post185) causing the spring187, when its stored energy is released, to force the second card10bback toward the card stack64until the first card10ahas exited the zone160between the secondary and tertiary rollers.

The primary and secondary rollers130and132are preferably made of the same material, for example, silicone. The tertiary roller134is preferably made of the same material as the primary and secondary rollers but alternatively may be constructed of a different material such as ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM). Further, the primary and secondary rollers130and132preferably have the same outer diameter. Alternatively, the rollers130and132may have different diameters in which case they are driven at such angular rates that they have the same peripheral velocity.

Ideally, the secondary and tertiary rollers132and134are mounted so that a leading card fed by the primary roller130is engaged by both the secondary and tertiary rollers. For example, if the thinnest card intended to be processed has a thickness of 0.008 inch, the maximum spacing between the opposed outer surfaces of the secondary and tertiary rollers might ideally be set at 0.007 inch. However, cumulative tolerances in the various parts of the feeder mechanism may preclude precisely setting that spacing. Accordingly,FIG. 15shows an alternative embodiment in which the need for close tolerances between the secondary and tertiary rollers is avoided. More specifically,FIG. 15illustrates a secondary roller500having a stepped diameter with a smaller diameter portion or circumferential groove502in the central part of the roller opposite a tertiary roller504. The tertiary roller504has an outer card-engaging surface506that projects slightly into the groove502in the secondary roller500to introduce a small degree of overlap between the rollers. This arrangement, which does not depend on tight tolerances, always assures contact between a leading card fed from the card feeder and both of the rollers500and504; the slight deflection of the card introduced by this offset arrangement does not affect the operation of the feed mechanism.

FIGS. 16 and 17show an alternative embodiment of a card feed mechanism that may be used in the present invention. Like the first embodiment, the alternative embodiment comprises a card feeder body190defining a card supply compartment192having a fixed discharge opening at the front end thereof through which the cards are advanced along a generally vertical feed path195. The feeder body190supports a card feed mechanism196comprising a first or primary friction drive surface198, a second or secondary friction drive surface200and a third or tertiary friction drive surface202. The drive surfaces198,200and202preferably take the form of rollers configured and positioned as previously described. The primary and secondary rollers198and200are driven by a stepper motor204also as already described. The tertiary roller202, as before, is carried by a shaft206journaled for rotation in a floating plate208resiliently biased by a tension spring210to urge the tertiary roller202toward the secondary roller200and into contact therewith when no card is present and into engagement with the back face of a card advanced along the feed path195.

An outer end214of the tertiary roller shaft206projects through an oversize opening216in a sidewall218of the card feeder body. As in the first embodiment, the opening216is larger than the diameter of the tertiary roller shaft206to allow the floating plate208to be displaced in response to the presence of cards of various thicknesses transported along the feed path195between the secondary and tertiary rollers. Fixed to the outer, projecting end of the tertiary roller shaft206is a timing belt sprocket220.

A shaft222that supports and drives the primary card feed roller198has an outer end224projecting from the side wall218. Mounted on the outer end of the shaft222adjacent to the side wall218is a collar226secured to the shaft so that the collar rotates with the shaft. Disposed adjacent to the outer surface of the collar is a clutch228including a fiber washer230that functions as a clutch disk. Adjacent to the fiber washer230is a sprocket232that is free to rotate on the primary feed roller shaft222. Disposed between a retainer washer234on the outer extremity of the shaft222and the outer face of the sprocket232is a compression spring236that urges the sprocket232into frictional engagement with the fiber washer230. A timing belt238couples the sprocket232on the shaft222and the sprocket220secured to the tertiary roller shaft206. It will be seen that the single stepper motor204drives all three rollers198,200and202in the same rotational direction. As a result, while the primary and secondary rollers198and200tend to advance a card along the feed path195, the tertiary roller202, being positioned on the side of the feed path195opposite that of the primary and secondary feed rollers tends to move the card back toward the card stack. Given the smaller contact area between the tertiary roller202and the card and the fact that both the primary and secondary feed rollers urge the card forward along the feed path195, the action of the tertiary roller202is insufficient to drive a single card back toward the card stack. If a second card is erroneously withdrawn along with the first card, however, the frictional force between the tertiary roller202and the second card exceeds the frictional force between the two cards; the latter force tends to be substantially less given the slickness of the abutting card surfaces so that the second card will be driven back toward the card stack by the counteracting tertiary roller202.

When no card is present between the secondary and tertiary rollers200and202, the tertiary roller is driven by the secondary roller in the opposite rotational direction thereto, the friction between these rollers being sufficient to effect such drive and to cause the clutch228, which tends to drive the tertiary roller in the same direction as the primary and secondary rollers, to slip.

When a single card is advanced through the card discharge opening into the zone between the secondary and tertiary rollers200and202, the tertiary roller, driven through the clutch228in a direction opposite to the forward card feed direction, slips on the back surface of the single card, which is driven forward by the higher drive force exerted by the wider primary and secondary rollers200and202.

However, when a second (unwanted) card is drawn out of the card stack along with the first card, the tertiary roller202, acting on the back surface of the second card at the leading edge thereof, tends to drive the second card back toward the card stack. Such backward or tertiary drive is effected through the clutch228because the friction between the tertiary roller and the second card is greater than the friction between the two cards. In this operation, all three rollers198,200and202rotate in the same direction.

In summary, the stepper motor204, acting through the clutch228, at all times tends to rotate the tertiary roller202in the same direction as the primary and secondary rollers198and200. This tendency is overcome, and the clutch228slips, when no card or one card is present in the pinch zone between the secondary and tertiary rollers. It is only when a second card is erroneously withdrawn from the card stack along with a first card, that the tertiary roller rotates in a direction forcing the second card back into the card stack.

With reference now toFIGS. 18-21, there are shown alternative embodiments of the card feed mechanisms68and196described above for feeding cards10a,10b, and so forth, one at a time along a generally vertical first feed path250. The embodiment ofFIG. 18comprises a card feed mechanism252including a primary frictional drive surface in the form of an endless belt254trained about rotatable drums256and258, and a secondary frictional drive surface in the form of a roller260. The embodiment ofFIG. 19comprises a card feed mechanism262including a primary frictional drive surface in the form of a roller264and a secondary frictional drive surface in the form of an endless belt266. In the embodiment ofFIG. 20, a card feed mechanism268is provided comprising primary and secondary frictional drive surfaces defined by endless belts270and272, while in the embodiment ofFIG. 21, a card feed mechanism274combines both the primary and secondary frictional drive surfaces into a single endless belt276.

Card Re-Director or Rotator

With reference to FIGS.4and22-41, the card re-director or rotator46is mounted on a frame or base300for rotation about a central, horizontal axis302. The rotator comprises a card receiving, holding and ejecting subassembly304comprising a pair of parallel, spaced-apart plates306and308defining between them a card throat310having an elongated card input opening or slot312extending parallel with the central axis302. The card throat310receives each of the cards10fed from the card feeder44and holds each card during rotation thereof. The card10is held against stops (not shown) within the card throat310by gravity. The plate subassembly304is supported at one end by a disk314and at the other end by a stub shaft316journaled for rotation in an aperture318in an end wall320of the base300(FIG. 30). The stub shaft316projects from the end wall320and carries a large, rotator drive gear322that can rotate relative to the stub shaft316. The disk314and the gear322lie in vertical, parallel planes and are centered on, and rotatable about, the central axis302. The disk314defines an elongated, transverse card discharge opening or slot324extending along a diameter of the disk in alignment with the card throat310. As will be explained, cards are transported from the throat through the rotator discharge slot324for loading into the card print mechanism48.

The plate subassembly304is rotatably supported at its one end by the disk314which has a periphery326engaging three equiangularly spaced, flanged disk support wheels328,330and332mounted for rotation on a side member334of the rotator base300. The end gear322is in mesh with a smaller gear336in turn driven by the output shaft of a computer controlled stepper motor337(FIG. 27). An optical sensor338on the rotator base300operatively associated with a photo-interrupter340on the disk314provides electrical output signals responsive to the angular position of the card rotator. The output signals generated by the optical sensor338are coupled to a printer controller along with output signals generated by card edge and other detectors (not shown) for coordinating the operation of the various elements of the printer, in a manner well known in the art.

The card throat-defining plate306carries an arm350pivotally mounted on spaced-apart brackets352and354secured to the plate306adjacent to the disk314(FIGS. 28 and 32, for example). The arm350supports a card drive roller356mounted on a shaft358journaled in the arm350. The shaft358has an outer end projecting from the arm350and carrying a roller drive gear360. Similarly, the card throat-defining plate308carries an arm362pivotally mounted on spaced-apart brackets364and366attached to the plate308adjacent to the support disk314. The arm362supports a card drive roller368mounted on a shaft370journaled in the arm362The shaft370has an outer end projecting from the arm362and carrying a roller drive gear372. The first-mentioned roller drive gear360projects in a direction opposite that of the second-mentioned roller drive gear372(FIG. 29). The arm350is resiliently biased to pivot and move toward the plate306by means of an extension spring374; similarly, the arm362is resiliently biased to pivot and move toward the plate308by means of an extension spring376. It will thus be seen that the arms350and362are pivotable symmetrically in clam shell fashion between positions in which the rollers356and368are spaced apart (FIG. 40) and in which the rollers can come into engagement with a card10(FIG. 41).

Turning now toFIGS. 33-35, the rotator drive gear322has a central sleeve380that receives the stub shaft316. The gear322further includes an arcuate slot382concentric with the axis of rotation302(FIG. 22). Projecting outwardly from an outer face384of the gear adjacent the inner edge of the arcuate slot382at the midpoint thereof is a lug386. When the gear322is mounted on the stub shaft316, the lug386is in alignment with a corresponding lug388projecting from the gear end of the throat-defining plate subassembly304.

Projecting from an inner face390of the gear322is a pair of cams392and394disposed symmetrically with the arcuate slot382and lug386. The pivotable arms350and362include outer ends396and398, respectively, positioned to be engaged by the cams392and394, respectively, so that relative rotational motion between the gear322and the subassembly304will cause the arms350and362(and hence the rollers356and368) to be moved apart against the bias of the springs374and376or toward each other under the bias of the springs.

The central sleeve380on the gear322carries a torsion spring400having crossed ends402and404engaging the sides of the aligned lugs386and388. The lugs are thereby held in alignment under the torsional bias of the torsion spring400. Accordingly, rotation of the gear322will cause the throat-defining plate subassembly304to follow, that is, the gear322and the subassembly304will rotate in unison. With the lugs386and388in alignment as shown, for example, inFIG. 38, the cams392and394on the gear322are disposed to lift the arms350and362to keep the rollers356and368apart.

Operation

In the operation of the printer, the card re-director or rotator46is rotated to an initial position shown inFIGS. 22-24,27-29,36and40, in which the card throat310is in alignment with the first feed path52. In this position, the throat310is disposed to receive a card10withdrawn from the card stack64and advanced by the card feed mechanism68along the first feed path52. It will be seen that in the specific, exemplary embodiment illustrated the feeder compartment62is slightly tipped with the bottom wall76of the feeder sloping down toward the front wall74. This orientation both assists the user's manual loading of the feeder compartment62and adds gravity bias to help urge the card stack64toward the front wall74of the compartment without appreciably increasing the overall height of the printer. The angle is preferably that at which sliding of the card stack64impends, for example, about 15° for a given angular coefficient of friction in accordance with one practical embodiment. Although such a tipped orientation is preferred, it will be evident that the compartment62may be horizontal so that the orientations of both the cards in the stack and the first feed path52are vertical.

As noted, the cards in the stack are preferably oriented with their short edges22and24substantially vertical, thereby helping to minimize the height of the printer. It will also be appreciated that this card orientation, carried over to the card rotator46, means that a card will be rotated by the rotator about its major or longitudinal axis26instead of around its minor or transverse axis28as in conventional printers. Thus, height reduction is achieved by printers of the present invention while at the same time reducing the printer's length by placement of the card feeder44above the card rotator46.

With the rotator46positioned rotationally so that the throat310is in a substantially vertical position, the arms350and362are engaged by the cams392and394and are thus in their spaced-apart orientation. (FIG. 40.) With the rollers356and368correspondingly spaced apart, a card10is fed from the feeder44into the throat. The gear322is rotated in one direction or the other depending upon which face of the card is to be printed, the gear322and the throat subassembly304rotating in unison by virtue of the torsion spring400. (FIGS. 36 and 37.) When the throat subassembly reaches the horizontal position (FIG. 38) further rotation of the subassembly is arrested by one of a pair of stops410and412on the base (FIGS. 30,38and39).

A sensor is activated at this time by the photo interrupter340; the output of the sensor turns off the stepper motor driving the gear322. Once the card throat is aligned with the horizontal plane (FIGS. 25,26,38,39and41), the stepper motor is turned on again and by counting a number of steps the motor, through the gear322, will begin to further rotate the gear322against the bias of the torsion spring400; as noted, the throat subassembly304is held by one of the stops410and412against further movement. As seen inFIG. 39, this further rotation of the gear322causes the cams392and394on the gear322to come out of engagement with the arms350and362, allowing these arms to move toward each other under the bias of the extension springs374and376thereby causing the card feed rollers356and368to engage the opposed faces of the card10in the throat310(FIG. 38). As seen inFIGS. 4,24,26,28and29, in the horizontal orientation of the throat, one or the other of the roller drive gears360and372will mesh with a drive pinion414carried by the base300. Actuation of the drive pinion414through a belt driven pulley416causes the rollers356and368to rotate and eject the card10through the end discharge slot324of the rotator and toward the print mechanism48.

If a card is to have both sides printed, the card is driven back into the card throat310along the horizontal path54in a reverse direction and back into the rotator46. The rotator rotates in reverse, moving 180° to flip or invert the card after which the card is driven out of the rotator and printed on the other side. In this operation, the drive pinion414will engage the roller drive gear360or372on the other arm350or362.

With reference toFIG. 42and again toFIG. 5, the card printer40may also be used to magnetically encode the magnetizable strips on cards processed by the printer. One of the problems encountered during encoding is card “jitter” which tends to degrade the quality of the encoding. Such “jitter” may be caused by the card striking a set of rollers. With reference toFIG. 5, a card drive roller600is positioned at a card encoding station along the horizontal feed path54between the card cleaning station48aand the printing platen roller48d. The drive roller600is a “half” roller, extending only part way across the width of the card feed path54so that the roller does not contact the magnetic strip of a card being transported. Mounted adjacent to the roller600and in transverse alignment therewith is a magnetic head602(FIG. 42) for encoding the magnetic strip as the card is transported past the head by the “half” roller600.

The card cleaning station48acomprises the stacked combination of primary “sticky” roller604and a secondary “sticky” roller606. The rollers604and606are normally resiliently biased downwardly toward the card path54but may be selectively moved upwardly away from the path54by a cam mechanism (not shown).

In a magnetic encoding operation, a card is driven out of the throat310of the card re-director or rotator46along the path54(to the left as seen inFIG. 5) by means of the drive rollers356and368. The card is further driven to the left by the “half” roller600until the card clears the cleaning station48aand the trailing edge of the card is at the roller600. The cleaning rollers604and606as well as the rotator drive rollers356and368are then cammed away from the card path54. At this point, the card is driven back by the roller600towards the throat310with the magnetic strip moving past the magnetic head602. It is during this reverse pass that the card strip is magnetically encoded by the head602. It will be appreciated that with the rollers356,368,604and606clear of the card path54during this encoding operation, the card will not strike any structure that might otherwise cause “jitter” and a possible failure of the encoding process.

As noted, the card rotator46is constructed and the card input and discharge slots312and324are so positioned that a card is oriented for rotation about its short edges to conserve space, but oriented for printing in a direction parallel with its long edges. It would be possible, of course, to eliminate the transverse discharge slot324and feed cards both into and out of the slot312with the print mechanism appropriately positioned to receive the cards from the slot312. This means that the application of information to the card face(s) would take place as each card is transported in the direction parallel with the short edges thereof.