Patent Publication Number: US-2021178771-A1

Title: Drop-on-demand printer with bottle ink supply and keyed bottle cap

Description:
FIELD 
     This disclosure relates generally to drop-on-demand (DOD) printers that print on substrates. In one particular application of the described technology, this disclosure relates to card processing systems that utilize DOD printing with a DOD printer to print on plastic cards including, but not limited to, financial (e.g., credit, debit, or the like) cards, driver&#39;s licenses, national identification cards, business identification cards, gift cards, and other plastic cards. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The use of DOD printers that print ink on various substrates, including plastic cards, is known. In some DOD printers, the ink in the DOD printer is contained within a bulk tank. As the ink in the bulk tank runs low, the bulk tank needs to be refilled with ink. The ink that is used for refilling the bulk tank is often contained in bottles that are very similar in appearance to one another regardless of the color of ink they contain. The ink from a bottle is poured into the bulk tank to refill the bulk tank. However, the need to refill the bulk tank can lead to spillage of the ink. In addition, since the bottles containing the refill ink are similar in appearance to one another, an end user or technician tasked with refilling the bulk tank may grab the wrong bottle and pour the wrong color ink into the bulk tank. 
     SUMMARY 
     Systems, apparatus and methods are described herein relating to DOD printers and DOD printing, and simplifying the replacement of ink used in the DOD printer and thereby prevent errors that may occur in replenishing the ink used in the DOD printer. The DOD printer, as well as the systems, apparatus and methods described herein, can be used to print on any type of substrate. In one example implementation described and illustrated herein in detail, the substrates can be plastic cards which bear or are intended to bear personalized data unique to the intended cardholder and/or which bear or are intended to bear other card information. Examples of plastic cards can include, but are not limited to, financial (e.g., credit, debit, or the like) cards, driver&#39;s licenses, national identification cards, business identification cards, gift cards, and other plastic cards. Instead of plastic cards, the substrates may be passport pages that bear personalized data unique to the intended passport holder. However, the techniques and concepts described herein can be applied in other applications separate from security documents (plastic cards and passport pages) that bear personalized data. 
     The inks described herein can be any suitable ink used in DOD printing. When the substrate is a plastic card, the ink is suitable for use on the types of cards described herein, for example the ink can be an ultraviolet (UV) curable ink. 
     The DOD printer can have a single print head or a plurality of print heads. In addition, the DOD printer can perform monochromatic or multi-color printing. In one example of multi-color printing, five print heads can be provided. Each print head can be designated to print a specific color ink, such as cyan, magenta, yellow, black and white (CMYKW). 
     The DOD printer can be used in a card processing system that can process cards such as by printing on the cards using the DOD printer. In one embodiment, the card processing system may also include one or more of: reading data from and/or writing data to a magnetic stripe on the cards, programming an integrated circuit chip on the cards, emboss characters on the cards, indenting characters on the cards, laminating the cards, using a laser that performs laser processing such as laser marking on the cards, applying a topcoat to a portion of or the entire surface of the cards, checking the quality of personalization/processing applied to the cards, applying a security feature such as a holographic foil patch to the cards, and other card processing operations. 
     In one system described herein, an ink bottle is mounted in the DOD printer with the ink bottle acting as an ink supply reservoir that supplies ink to a DOD print head. The system can be any system that uses a DOD printer to print on a substrate, such as a card processing system that may also include one or more additional card processing mechanisms. 
     In another system described herein, a cap is provided that is configured to be affixed to an end of a bottle via suitable affixing means, such as by threads or other type of affixing means. The cap can be provided with one or more mechanical keying features used to limit mounting of the cap and the bottle assembly to a correct receiver in the DOD printer. For example, the mechanical keying feature can be formed by a plurality of bores formed in the cap that are configured to receive pins therein. The specific arrangement of the pins in select ones of the bores dictates whether or not the cap can be received by a particular receiver in the DOD printer. 
     The mechanical keying feature can also be formed by the shape of an outer periphery of the body of the cap, with the shape of the outer periphery being different for each cap. The receiver in the DOD printer would have a shape that corresponds to the shape of the cap body outer periphery so that only a cap body with the correct outer periphery shape can be mounted in the receiver. 
     The cap may also include other features in addition to or separate from the mechanical keying feature(s). For example, the cap may include a surface for mounting a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, from which data can be read and/or data written to by a suitable reader/writer, for example mounted on the receiver. 
     The cap may include a quick-connect valve, for example a male quick-connect valve, that controls the flow of ink from the bottle through the cap, and a check valve adjacent to the quick-connect valve that provides venting by allowing air into the bottle through the cap. The quick-connect valve of the cap is intended to engage with a corresponding quick-connect valve, such as a female quick-connect valve, of the receiver, with the quick-connect valve in the cap automatically opening upon mounting of the cap and bottle assembly to its corresponding receiver. 
     The cap may include a cap liner on the interior thereof that is intended to interface and seal with an end of the bottle. The cap liner can be provided with one or more openings therethrough that are aligned with the quick-connect valve and the check valve in the cap. The opening(s) permits passage of ink and air through the cap liner. 
     In one embodiment, a card processing system is described herein and includes a card input that is configured to hold a plurality of cards to be processed, a card output that is configured to hold a plurality of processed cards, at least one of a magnetic stripe reading/writing system and an integrated circuit chip programming system between the card input and the card output, and a drop-on-demand card printer between the card input and the card output that is configured to print on a card using ultraviolet curable ink. The drop-on-demand card printer can include at least one drop-on-demand print head, an ink bottle mounted in the drop-on-demand card printer and fluidly connected to the at least one drop-on-demand print head, where the ink bottle has a neck defining an ink outlet, and the neck has an exterior surface with threads thereon. In addition, an ultraviolet curing station can be located between the card input and the card output, where the ultraviolet curing station is configured to cure ultraviolet curable ink applied to a card by the drop-on-demand card printer. 
     In another embodiment, a cap is described herein that is configured for connection to a threaded neck of a bottle. The cap can include a cap body having a first end and a second end, and a connection sleeve projecting from the first end. The connection sleeve includes an interior surface with threads thereon that are configured to engage with the threaded neck of the bottle. An ink passage extends through the cap body, with the ink passage having an ink passage inlet end formed in the first end within the connection sleeve and an ink passage outlet end in the second end. A quick-connect valve is in the ink passage that controls flow of ink through the ink passage from the ink passage inlet end to the ink passage outlet end. In addition, a vent passage extends through the cap body separate from the ink passage, with the vent passage having a vent passage inlet end formed in the second end and a vent passage outlet end in the first end within the connection sleeve. A check valve is in the vent passage that controls flow of air through the vent passage from the vent passage inlet end to the vent passage outlet end. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an example system in the form of a card processing system in which the concepts described herein can be used. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration of a DOD printer, such as the DOD card printer of  FIG. 1 , that can use the concepts described herein. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of one cap and bottle assembly mounted in a receiver of the DOD printer. 
         FIG. 4  is another perspective view of the cap and bottle assembly and receiver of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cap and bottle assembly and receiver taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  illustrates components of a quick-connect valve release mechanism. 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom perspective view of the cap. 
         FIG. 8  is a top perspective view of the cap. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the cap taken along line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 8  with the valves of the cap removed. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a cap with a recessed check valve. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the cap of  FIG. 10  prior to use. 
         FIG. 12  is a view similar to  FIG. 11  but showing the plug and seal of  FIG. 11  in an exploded position. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a cap liner used in the cap. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a cap liner that can be used in the cap. 
         FIG. 15  illustrates an embodiment of the cap where an outer periphery of the body of the cap forms the mechanical keying feature. 
         FIG. 16  illustrates another embodiment of the cap where an outer periphery of the body of the cap forms the mechanical keying feature. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A cap is provided that is configured to be affixed to an end of an ink bottle that supplies ink for use in a DOD printer. The cap can be affixed to the ink bottle via any suitable affixing means, such as by threads or other type of affixing means. The cap can be provided with one or more mechanical keying features used to limit mounting of the cap and the bottle assembly to a correct receiver in the DOD printer. For example, the mechanical keying feature can be formed by a plurality of bores formed in the cap that are configured to receive one or more pins therein, and/or by the shape of the outer periphery of the cap body as described below. The specific arrangement of the pins in select ones of the bores dictates whether or not the cap can be received by a particular receiver in the DOD printer. 
     The cap may also include other features in addition to or separate from the keying feature(s). For example, the cap may include a surface for mounting an RFID tag, and data can be read from and/or written to the RFID tag by a suitable reader/writer, for example mounted on the receiver. The cap may also include a quick-connect valve, for example a male quick-connect valve, that controls the flow of ink from the bottle through the cap, and a check valve adjacent to the quick-connect valve that provides venting by allowing air into the bottle through the cap. The quick-connect valve of the cap is intended to engage with a corresponding quick-connect valve, such as a female quick-connect valve, of the receiver, with the quick-connect valve in the cap automatically opening upon mounting of the cap and bottle assembly to its corresponding receiver. The cap may also include a cap liner on the interior thereof that is intended to interface and seal with an end of the bottle. The cap liner can be provided with one or more openings therethrough that are aligned with the quick-connect valve and the check valve in the cap. The opening(s) permits passage of ink and air through the cap liner. 
     The ink bottle, with or without the cap, can be mounted in the DOD printer with the ink bottle acting as an ink supply reservoir that supplies ink to a DOD print head of the DOD printer. The DOD printer can be part of any system that uses the DOD printer to print on a substrate. In one specific, non-limiting application, the DOD printer can be part of a card processing system  10  that may also include one or more additional card processing mechanisms. An example of the card processing system  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Although the ink bottle and cap concepts described herein will be described below with respect to a DOD card printer used in the card processing system  10 , the ink bottle and cap concepts described herein can be used in other DOD printers used to print on substrates other than cards. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an example of the card processing system  10 . The system  10  is configured to process cards by at least printing on the cards using a DOD card printer  12  included in the system  10 . The system  10  can also include at least one other card processing capability in addition to the printing by the DOD card printer  12 . For example, the additional card processing can include a magnetic stripe read/write system  14  that is configured to read data from and/or write data to a magnetic stripe on the cards, and/or an integrated circuit chip programming system  16  that is configured to program an integrated circuit chip on the cards. When the DOD card printer  12  prints using ultraviolet (UV) curable ink, a UV cure station  18  can also be provided. The construction and operation of the systems  14 ,  16 ,  18  is well known in the art. Magnetic stripe read/write systems and integrated circuit chip programming systems are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,902,107 and 6,695,205, and can be found in the MX family of central issuance systems available from Entrust Datacard Corporation of Shakopee, Minn. An example of a UV radiation applicator in a card printing system is the Persomaster card personalization system available from Atlantic Zeiser GmbH of Emmingen, Germany. 
     The cards to be processed as described herein include, but are not limited to, plastic cards which bear personalized data unique to the intended cardholder and/or which bear other card information. Examples of plastic cards can include, but are not limited to, financial (e.g., credit, debit, or the like) cards, driver&#39;s licenses, national identification cards, business identification cards, gift cards, and other plastic cards. 
     In the system  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a card input  20  is provided that is configured to hold a plurality of cards waiting to be processed. Cards are fed one-by-one from the card input  20  into the rest of the system  10  where each card is individually processed. Processed cards are transported into a card output  22  that is configured to hold a plurality of the processed cards. 
     The card processing system  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1  is a type of system that can be referred to as a central issuance card processing system. In a central issuance card processing system, the card input  20  and the card output  22  are generally at opposite ends of the system with the card processing mechanisms, such as the systems  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18  in  FIG. 1 , between the card input  20  and the card output  22 . A central issuance card processing system is typically designed for large volume batch processing of cards, often employing multiple processing stations or modules to process multiple cards at the same time to reduce the overall per card processing time. Examples of central issuance card processing systems include the MX family of central issuance systems available from Entrust Datacard Corporation of Shakopee, Minn. Other examples of central issuance systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,825,054, 5,266,781, 6,783,067, and 6,902,107, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In one example, the card processing system  10  can process cards at a rate of at least about 500 cards per hour, or at least about 1000 cards per hour, or at least about 1500 cards per hour, or at least about 2000 cards per hour, or at least about 2500 cards per hour, or at least 3500 cards per hour. 
     In  FIG. 1 , the systems  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18  are downstream of the card input  20  and between the card input  20  and the card output  22 . The sequence or arrangement of the systems  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18  relative to one another and relative to the card input  20  can be varied from the sequence that is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     The system  10  may include additional card processing systems not illustrated in  FIG. 1 , which are well known in the art of card processing and which may also be located between the card input  20  and the card output  22 . For example, the system  10  may include a card embossing system that is configured to emboss characters on the cards; an indenting system that is configured to indent characters on the cards; a laminator system that is configured to apply a laminate to the cards; a laser system that uses a laser to perform laser processing such as laser marking on the cards; a topcoat station that is configured to apply a topcoat to a portion of or the entire surface of the cards; a quality control station that is configured to check the quality of personalization/processing applied to the cards; a security station that is configured to apply a security feature such as a holographic foil patch to the cards; and other card processing operations. The additional card processing systems may be located anywhere in the system  10 , such as, but not limited to, between the UV cure station  18  and the card output  22 . 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration of the DOD card printer  12 . The DOD card printer  12  includes at least one DOD print head  26 . The printing performed by the DOD card printer  12  can be monochromatic or multi-color.  FIG. 2  shows five DOD print heads  26   a - e  arranged side-by-side to sequentially print onto a surface  28  of a card  30  as the card  30  is transported past the print heads  26   a - e , for example underneath the print heads  26   a - e , in the direction of the arrow  32 . However, a smaller number of the DOD print heads  26 , including one of the DOD print heads  26 , or a larger number of the DOD print heads  26 , can be used. 
     The DOD print heads  26   a - e  can print using any suitable ink or coating used in drop-on-demand printing and that is suitable for use on the types of cards described herein. For example, the ink can be a UV curable ink, a heat curable ink that can be cured by applying heat to the heat curable ink, or other ink or materials that can be deposited by DOD print heads. In the case of the five DOD print heads  26   a - e , each DOD print head can print a specific color ink. For example, the DOD print head  26   a  can print cyan colored ink, the DOD print head  26   b  can print magenta colored ink, the DOD print head  26   c  can print yellow colored ink, the DOD print head  26   d  can print black ink, and the DOD print head  26   e  can print white ink. An example of a drop-on-demand printer that prints using UV curable ink in a card printing system is the Persomaster card personalization system available from Atlantic Zeiser GmbH of Emmingen, Germany. If printing on the opposite surface  34  of the card  30  is required, a card flipper or card reorienting mechanism (not shown) can be located in the system  10  to flip or rotate the card  30  180 degrees so that the surface  34  now faces upward and the surface  28  faces downward, and the card  30  is then transported back upstream of the print heads  26   a - e  to print on the surface  34 . Examples of card flippers are disclosed in U.S. Published Application No. 2013/0220984 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,398,972 the entire contents of each are incorporated herein by reference. In other embodiments, a card flipper followed by a second DOD card printer could be provided in order to print on both sides of the card. This would eliminate the need to transport the card  30  back upstream of the print heads  26   a - e  of the single DOD card printer. 
     The specific construction and operation of the print heads  26   a - e  is well known and can be identical to the construction and operation of DOD print heads known in the art. The DOD print heads each includes a bottom surface that faces downward toward the card to be printed on, and a nozzle plate, through which ink is ejected, is provided on the bottom surface. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 2 , ink to be ejected from each print head  26   a - e  is supplied from a respective ink supply  36   a - e  corresponding to each print head  26   a - e  via a respective pump  38   a - e  that pumps the ink from the respective ink supply  36   a - e  to the respective print head  26   a - e . The ink supplies  36   a - e  can be substantially identical in construction to one another and can have a configuration as described in detail below with respect to  FIGS. 3-10 . The pumps  38   a - e  can be any suitable type of pump, for example diaphragm pumps, for pumping the ink from the ink supplies  36   a - e.    
     As described in further detail below, each ink color for the ink supplies  36   a - e  comes in a separate bottle from the ink supplier, and the bottles may be substantially identical in appearance to one another. A system is described below whereby the bottles are mounted in the DOD card printer  12  and are used as the ink supplies. However, because the bottles may be substantially identical in appearance, this can lead to an end user or other personnel mounting an incorrect bottle containing an incorrect color ink at an incorrect location in the DOD card printer  12 . To prevent such errors, as described further below, the caps that come with the bottles are removed, and a unique cap is secured to each of the bottles. The unique caps are designed to ensure that only the correct bottle containing the correct color ink can be mounted at the correct location in the DOD card printer  12  to supply the correct ink to the correct print head  26   a - e.    
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-5 , one of the ink supplies  36   a - e , such as the ink supply  36   a,  is illustrated. The other ink supplies  36   b - e  are substantially identical in construction to the ink supply  36   a.  The ink supply  36   a  includes an ink bottle  40 , a unique cap  42  secured to the bottle  40 , and a receiver  44  that receives the cap  42 . 
     In the illustrated example, the bottle  40  is the bottle that the ink comes in from the ink supplier or other retailer of the ink. The bottle  40  is longitudinally elongated and is generally cylindrical in construction with a length greater than its maximum diameter. The bottle  40  includes a body  40   a  with a closed end  40   b,  a neck  40   c  defining an ink outlet  40   d  (best seen in  FIG. 5 ) at an end opposite the closed end  40   b,  and a shoulder  40   e  between the neck  40   c  and the body  40   a.  The neck  40   c  has an exterior surface with affixing means, such as threads  40   f,  thereon for affixing the cap  42  to the bottle  40 . The interior of the bottle  40  contains an ink that is suitable for use with the DOD card printer  12 , and the ink has a color that is intended to be used with the particular print head  26   a.    
     The cap  42  is configured to be affixed to the bottle  40 , in particular to the neck  40   c,  once the original cap that is detachably secured to the neck  40   c  is removed. Alternatively, the cap  42  could be attached to the bottle  40  during the manufacturing process and thus in this instance the cap  42  could also be considered the original cap. The cap  42  is provided with affixing means that can engage with the affixing means on the neck  40   c  to affix the cap  42  to the neck  42 . For example, the cap  42  can include threads that engage with the threads  40   f  on the neck  40   c.  The cap  42  can be made of any suitable material, for example from plastic, and the cap  42  is configured to be keyed to the specific color of ink contained within the bottle  40 . For example, the cap  42  can include mechanical keying features (described further below) that are specific to the color of ink contained within the bottle  40 . The mechanical keying features may be modifiable, or fixed or unchangeable. The cap  42  may also be color coded to denote the color of ink contained within the bottle  40 . 
     The receiver  44  is part of the DOD card printer  12  and is designed to receive the cap  42  when mounting the bottle  40  in the DOD card printer  12 . The receiver  44  includes a recessed mounting location  44   a  in which the cap  42  can fit. As described in further detail below, the mounting location  44   a  includes mechanical keying features that interact with the mechanical keying features on the cap  42  to dictate whether or not the cap  42  correctly fits within the mounting location  44   a.    
     The receiver  44  further includes a quick-connect coupler  44   b  (see  FIG. 6 ) mounted thereon that interacts with a quick-connect valve on the cap  42  described below. In the illustrated example, the quick-connect coupler  44   b  is a female quick-connect coupler that in use detachably connects to the quick-connect valve, which can be a male quick-connect valve, on the cap  42 . A suitable quick-connect coupler and quick-connect valve is available from Colder Products company of St. Paul, Minn. 
     Returning to  FIGS. 3-5 , to help guide the bottle  40  and the cap  42  into position relative to the receiver  44 , a guide  46  can be fixed to the receiver  44 . The guide  46  can be a ring or partial ring that is spaced from the receiver  44  by one or more stand-offs  48 . During installation of the bottle  40 , the cap  42  and the bottle  40  are inserted through the upper end of the guide  46  and then slid down toward the receiver  44 . When correctly installed, the body  40   a  of the bottle  40  is generally surrounded by the guide  46  to help stabilize and support the bottle  40  during use. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7-9 , an example of the cap  42  is illustrated. The cap  42  includes a cap body  50  having a first end  52  and a second end  54 . When the cap  42  is in use and mounted in the receiver  44 , the first end  52  may be referred to as a top end and the second end  54  may be referred to as a bottom end. A cylindrical connection sleeve  56  projects from the first end  52  which is used to connect the cap  42  to the neck  40   c  of the bottle  40 . An interior surface of the sleeve  56  includes affixing means, such as threads  58 , thereon that are configured to engage with the affixing means, such as the threads  40   f,  on the neck  40   c  of the bottle  40 . In this example, the cap  42  can be affixed to the neck  40   c  of the bottle  40  by threading the sleeve  56  onto the neck  40   c.    
     An ink passage  60  is formed through the cap body  50  to allow passage of ink from the bottle  40  through the cap body  50 . The ink passage  60  has an ink passage inlet end  62  formed in the first end  52  within the connection sleeve  56  and an ink passage outlet end  64  in the second end  54 . A quick-connect valve  66  is disposed in the ink passage  60  to control the flow of ink through the ink passage  60  from the ink passage inlet end  62  to the ink passage outlet end  64 . The quick-connect valve  66  is a male quick-connect valve that is configured to couple to the female quick-connect coupler  44   b  of the receiver  44  when the cap  42  is correctly mounted in the receiver  44 . In addition, the female quick-connect coupler  44   b  of the receiver  44  is configured to automatically open the quick-connect valve  66  to permit the flow of ink through the ink passage  60 . This type of quick-connect coupler  44   b  and quick-connect valve  66  are available from Colder Products company of St. Paul, Minn. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the female quick-connect coupler  44   b  can include a releasable spring biased latch  68  that is configured to engage within a slot  70  formed in the male quick-connect valve  66  (shown in  FIG. 7 ) which locks the female quick-connect coupler  44   b  and the male quick-connect valve  66  to one another. To release the connection between the female quick-connect coupler  44   b  and the male quick-connect valve  66 , a release mechanism  80  can be provided on the receiver  44 . Referring to  FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 , in the illustrated example, the release mechanism  80  is a manual release mechanism that includes a lever  82  that is pivoted to the retainer  44  via a pivot pin  84 . A pin  86  is spring-loaded to the left in  FIG. 6  into engagement with the end of the lever  82 . An opposite end of the pin  86  is disposed adjacent to the latch  68 . When the lever  82  is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction in  FIG. 6 , the end of the lever  82  forces the pin  86  to the right which pushes the latch  68  inward to permit disengagement between the female quick-connect coupler  44   b  and the male quick-connect valve  66 . 
     Returning to  FIGS. 7-9 , a vent passage  90  is formed through the cap body  50  separate from the ink passage  60 . The vent passage  90  permits venting by allowing air into the bottle  40  through the vent passage  90  to facilitate the flow of ink through the ink passage  60 . The vent passage  90  has a vent passage inlet end  92  formed in the second end  54  and a vent passage outlet end  94  in the first end  52  within the connection sleeve  56 . A check valve  96  (see  FIG. 7 ) is provided in the vent passage  90 , for example at or near the vent passage inlet end  92 , that controls the flow of air through the vent passage  90  from the vent passage inlet end  92  to the vent passage outlet end  94 . The check valve  96  can have any construction that automatically controls the flow of air through the vent passage  90 . An example of a suitable check valve that can be used is available from Lee Company, part number CCP15510004S. 
     An alternative embodiment of the cap  42  is illustrated in  FIGS. 10-12 .  FIG. 7  illustrates the end of the check valve  96  as being substantially flush with the surface at the second end  54 . However, in  FIG. 10 , the check valve  96  is illustrated as being recessed within the vent passage  90  so that the end of the check valve  96  is recessed from the surface of the second end  54 . This recessing of the check valve  96  forms a space  98  between the surface at the second end  54  and the end of the check valve  96 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 11 and 12 , the space  98  permits insertion of an end of a removable plug  99  into the vent passage  90 . The plug  99  seals the vent passage  90  during shipping and prior to installation into the printer, thereby preventing leakage of the ink through the vent passage  90 . When it comes time to install the bottle, the plug  99  is removed. The plug  99  can be made of any material that is compatible with and can withstand UV ink or any other type of ink within the bottle. For example, the plug  99  can be made of silicone rubber or ethylene propylene rubber. Other forms of seals for sealing the vent passage  90  in the cap  42  in either  FIGS. 7-9  or  FIG. 10  can also be used. 
       FIGS. 11-12  also illustrates a removable seal  150  that can be used to seal the male quick-connect valve  66  during shipping and prior to installation into the printer, thereby gathering and collecting any ink that leaks from the cap  42  via the ink passage  60 . The seal  150  is illustrated as a structure, such as generally cylindrical, that fits over and surrounds the valve  66  and that includes an open first end  152  and a closed second end  154 . The first end  152  is releasably fixed to the cap  42 , with the remainder of the seal  150  surrounding and enclosing the valve  66 . The closed second end  154  acts as a reservoir to gather and collect any ink that leaks through the valve  66  or through the ink passage  60 . When it comes time to install the bottle, the seal  150  is removed. The seal  150  can be made of any material that is compatible with and can withstand UV ink or any other type of ink within the bottle. For example, the seal  150  can be made of silicone rubber or ethylene propylene rubber. In addition, the seal  150  can be made visually clear, for example transparent or translucent, to visually show before removing the seal  150  any leakage of ink that may have occurred. Only a portion of the seal  150 , such as the portion near the closed second end  154 , can be made visually clear, or the entire seal  150  can be made visually clear. 
     The cap  42  further includes one or more mechanical keying features that dictate whether or not the cap  42  correctly fits within the mounting location  44   a  of the receiver  44 . For example, with reference to  FIG. 7 , the one or more mechanical keying features can comprise a plurality of bores  100  formed in the cap body  50  at the second end  54 . The bores  100  are configured to receive keying pins  102  that can be installed within the bores  100 . Two of the keying pins  102  are illustrated in  FIG. 7  installed in two of the bores  100 . When a keying pin  102  is received in one of the bores  100 , the keying pin  102  effectively blocks the bore  100 . In addition, referring to  FIG. 5 , the receiver  44  can include one or more keying pins  104  that are fixed to the receiver  44  and project upwardly therefrom within the recessed mounting location  44   a  for being received within the bores  100  that are not blocked by the keying pins  102 . Preferably, the number and locations of the keying pins  104  corresponds to the number and locations of the unblocked bores  100 . As a result, only a cap  42  with the correct arrangement of the keying pins  102  and the unblocked bores  100  can be installed in the recessed mounting location  44   a  of the receiver  44 . 
     As best seen in  FIGS. 5, 7 and 9 , the bores  100  preferably extend from the second end  54  and through the first end  52  of the cap  42 . This permits an end  106  of each of the keying pins  102  to project above the first end  52 , providing a visual indicator to indicate the locations of the keying pins  102 . 
     As depicted in  FIG. 7 , three of the bores  100  can be provided on one side of the cap  42  and three of the bores  100  can be provided on the other side of the cap  42 . On each side of the cap, the three bores  100  can be disposed along a straight line with the straight lines parallel to one another. However, a smaller or larger number of the bores  100  can be used, and other arrangements of the bores  100  are possible. 
       FIGS. 15 and 16  illustrate another example of mechanical keying features. In these examples, the shape of an outer periphery of the cap body  50  forms the mechanical keying feature. The shape of the outer periphery of the cap body  50  can be specific to, and signify, the color of ink contained in the bottle. So the shape of the outer periphery of the cap body  50  can be made different for each cap  42 . The recessed mounting location  44   a  of the receiver  44  (see  FIG. 3 ) can have an inner periphery shape that matches the shape of the outer periphery of the cap body  50  so that only a cap  42  with the correct outer periphery shape can be mounted in the receiver  44 . 
     In the example of the cap  42  illustrated in  FIG. 15 , the row of bores on the right side of the cap body  50  (in the bottom view of  FIG. 15 ) are shown as being removed and the right side of the cap body  50  is illustrated as being substantially flat. This shape of the outer periphery of the cap body  50  can signify and be assigned to a particular color of ink, and the cap body  50  can be received in a recessed mounting location  44   a  of the receiver  44  that has a corresponding shape. In the example of the cap  42  illustrated in  FIG. 16 , the row of bores on the left side of the cap body  50  (in the bottom view of  FIG. 16 ) are shown as being removed and the left side of the cap body  50  is illustrated as being substantially flat. This shape of the outer periphery of the cap body  50  can signify and be assigned to a particular color of ink different than the cap body  50  in  FIG. 15 , and can be received in a recessed mounting location  44   a  of the receiver  44  that has a corresponding shape. The construction and features of the caps  42  in  FIGS. 15 and 16  can be otherwise identical to the construction and features of the cap  42  illustrated in  FIGS. 7-9 . The specific shapes of the outer periphery of the cap body  50  shown in  FIGS. 15 and 16  are examples only. Many different outer periphery shapes can be used to form the mechanical keying feature. In addition, the outer periphery shape can be used together with the keying pins  102  described above. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 13 , the cap  42  may further include a cap liner  110  within the sleeve  56  at the base of the sleeve  56  and on first surface  52 . The cap liner  110  can be made from a compressible material including, but not limited to, compressible foam or ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber. In some embodiments, the cap liner  110  can comprise an EPDM rubber having a durometer from about  40  to about  70 . The cap liner  110  is intended to interface and seal with the end of the bottle  40 . The cap liner  110  can have a circular shaped-perimeter with a diameter approximately equal to the interior diameter of the sleeve  56 . Accordingly, the entire end of the bottle  40  seals with the cap liner  110  when the cap  42  is fully installed on the bottle  40 . The cap liner  110  can be provided with a passageway  112  therethrough that is aligned with the ink passage  60  to permit passage of ink through the cap liner  110 , and a passageway  114  therethrough that is aligned with the vent passage  90  to permit passage of air through the cap liner  110 . Although  FIG. 13  illustrates the separate passageways  112 ,  114 , the passageways  112 ,  114  could be combined into a single passageway. 
     Another embodiment of the cap liner  110  is illustrated in  FIG. 14 . In this embodiment, the cap liner  110  is shown as being donut-shaped with a circular shaped-perimeter having a diameter approximately equal to the interior diameter of the sleeve  56 , and a single passageway  160  therethrough. The entire end of the bottle  40  seals with the cap liner  110  when the cap  42  is fully installed on the bottle  40 , and the single passageway  160  permits passage of ink through the cap liner  110  via the ink passage  60  and passage of air through the cap liner  110  via the vent passage  90 . 
     Returning to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the cap  42  includes an RFID tag mounting surface  120  on a side thereof. An RFID tag  122  is mounted on the mounting surface  120 , and a reader/writer  124  ( FIG. 3 ) that reads data from and/or writes data to the RFID tag  122  is mounted on the receiver  44  or elsewhere in the DOD card printer  12 . The mounting surface  120  can be flat and oriented vertically during use in order to correctly position the RFID tag  122  relative to the reader/writer  124 . The RFID tag  122  can store data such as the type and color of ink in the bottle  40 , the manufacturer of the ink, the date the ink was manufactured, a “use by” date of the ink, suggested operational parameters of the DOD card printer  12  based on the ink, an estimated amount of ink in the bottle  40 , and other data. Some of the data on the RFID tag  122  may also be updated during use of the DOD card printer  12 . If the reader/writer  124  determines that the wrong bottle is present based on reading data from the RFID tag  122 , the DOD card printer  12  can be prevented from operating and an error message can be displayed on a suitable display of the system  10 . In the illustrated example, the RFID tag  122  is generally ring or donut shaped. An example of a ring-shaped RFID tag is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,963,351 the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-5 , a sensor  130  may be provided to sense ink within the bottle  40 . The sensor  130  can be any sensor that is suitable for sensing ink within the bottle  40 . For example, the sensor  130  can be a capacitance sensor. The sensor  130  can be mounted on the receiver  44  or elsewhere on the DOD card printer  12 . The sensor  130  can be positioned near the shoulder  40   e  of the bottle  40 . The sensor  130  senses the ink in the bottle  40  at the location of the shoulder  40   e.  If the ink level drops below the shoulder  40   e,  the sensor  130  no longer senses the ink and a signal can be sent to a controller to indicate that the ink in the bottle  40  is running low and needs to be replaced. 
     When designed for use in the DOD card printer  12 , the cap  42  can have various dimensions that are unique to such an application. For example, referring to  FIG. 9 , the sleeve  56  can have an inner diameter ID of about 1.5 inches or more (about 3.81 cm or more); the cap body  50  can have a height H of about 0.81 inches or more (about 2.06 cm or more) measured between the first end  52  and the second end  54 ; the cap body  50  can have a major width W 1  of about 2.7 inches or more (about 6.9 cm or more); and a minor width W 2  (see  FIG. 8 ) of about 1.8 inches or more (about 4.6 cm or more). However, other dimensions are possible. 
     When UV curable ink is used for the printing, the card processing system  10  described herein may be configured as what may be referred to as a desktop card processing system. Such a desktop card processing system would include at least a card input and a card output (which may be at opposite ends of the system or at the same end of the system), a DOD card printer that prints on the cards using UV curable ink, and a UV cure station for curing the UV curable ink applied to the card. Additional card processing systems, such as those described above, may also be included. A desktop card processing system is typically designed for relatively small scale, individual card processing. In desktop processing systems, a single card to be processed is input into the system, processed, and then output. These systems are often termed desktop machines or desktop printers because they have a relatively small footprint intended to permit the machine to reside on a desktop. Many examples of desktop machines are known, such as the SD or CD family of desktop card machines available from Entrust Datacard Corporation of Shakopee, Minn. Other examples of desktop card machines are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,434,728 and 7,398,972, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     Additional aspects of the described apparatus, systems and methods include a DOD printing system with a drop-on-demand printer that is configured to print on a substrate using ultraviolet curable ink. The drop-on-demand printer can include at least one drop-on-demand print head, an ink bottle mounted in the drop-on-demand printer and fluidly connected to the at least one drop-on-demand print head, the ink bottle having a neck defining an ink outlet, and the neck having an exterior surface with affixing means, such as threads, thereon. A unique cap is provided with affixing means, such as threads, that are engageable with the affixing means on the neck to secure the cap to the bottle. The cap includes a mechanical keying feature and/or a quick-connect valve that controls flow of ink from the ink bottle through an ink passage in the cap. The cap can also include a vent passage to allow air to enter the bottle. 
     The examples disclosed in this application are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not limitative. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description; and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.