Patent Description:
There are processing machines designed to process plastic cards, such as bank cards. Such a processing machine is, for example, a printer which prints a pattern on the card, or an encoding machine which encodes a chip on the card. For this purpose, the processing machine is equipped with a processing module which acts on the card.

To process such cards on a large scale, it is known to use a card feeder upstream of the processing module.

In general, such a card feeder includes a reservoir where the cards are stacked on top of one another and a separation system which picks the cards one after another while separating them. Different separation systems have been implemented, but they are not always satisfactory, and it is therefore necessary to find a card feeder with a different separation system. Further relevant prior art is described in <CIT> disclosing the preamble of claim <NUM>,.

An object of the present invention is to provide a card feeder for a card processing machine which has means for ensuring good support on a drive roll.

To this end, a card feeder for a processing machine is proposed, said card feeder including:.

In accordance with the invention defined in claim <NUM>, the ballast is mounted movable in rotation about a tilting axis parallel to the axis of the separation roll, the tilting axis is arranged so that the center of gravity of the ballast is vertically above the tilting axis and horizontally between the tilting axis and the reservoir, when the ballast is in the stowed position, and the return system is gravity.

Advantageously, the transmission system includes:.

The invention also proposes a card processing machine including a card feeder according to one of the preceding variants, a processing module, and a transport system including means for moving the cards from the card feeder to the processing module.

The above-mentioned features of the invention, as well as others, will appear more clearly upon reading the following description of one embodiment, said description being made with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:.

In the following description, the terms relating to a position are considered with reference to a processing machine <NUM> including a card feeder <NUM> according to the invention, where the processing machine <NUM> is in the position of use, i.e., as shown in <FIG>.

The processing machine <NUM> includes a card feeder <NUM> according to the invention, a processing module <NUM>, and a transport system <NUM> which includes means for moving the cards from the card feeder <NUM> to the processing module <NUM>, where the means conventionally include rolls which pinch the cards and motors which drive the rolls in rotation. Thus, the processing module <NUM> is downstream of the card feeder <NUM> with respect to the direction of movement D of the cards by the transport system <NUM>. For example, the processing module <NUM> is a printer or an encoding module, etc. The processing module <NUM> and the transport system <NUM> will not be described in more detail because they can take on any form known to a person skilled in the art.

<FIG> show the card feeder <NUM> from different angles. The card feeder <NUM> includes a frame <NUM> which is secured to the frame of the processing machine <NUM>. The frame <NUM> of the card feeder <NUM> may be a portion of the frame of the processing machine <NUM> or an attached and fixed element.

The card feeder <NUM> includes a reservoir <NUM> which is herein delimited by three vertical walls 156a-c, namely a back wall 156c and two lateral walls 156a-b arranged on either side of the back wall 156c. These vertical walls 156a-c are secured to the frame <NUM> and thus form, when viewed from above, a U-like shape, where the lateral walls 156a-b form the branches of the U-like shape and where the back wall 156c forms the bottom of the U-like shape.

In the lower part, the reservoir <NUM> has a tray <NUM> which forms the base of the reservoir <NUM> and above which a support 154a is provided which serves as a support for a stack <NUM> of cards, such as plastic cards, <NUM> placed thereon. Thus, the stack <NUM> of cards <NUM> is formed by a vertical stack of cards <NUM> which are placed flat on top of one another and over the support 154a. Thus, the stack <NUM> of cards <NUM> is arranged between the vertical walls 156a-c and over the support 154a. The installation of the support 154a with a reduced surface area relative to the tray <NUM> allows minimizing the frictions of the cards <NUM> when they move.

The card feeder <NUM> also includes a door <NUM> which is movably mounted on the frame <NUM> and which forms the fourth wall of the reservoir <NUM>. Thus, the door <NUM> is movably mounted on the frame <NUM> between an open position, enabling access to the inside of the reservoir <NUM> and the deposition of cards <NUM> on the support 154a, and a closed position, preventing access to the reservoir <NUM> while enclosing the cards <NUM> in the reservoir <NUM>, and vice versa. Thus, the door <NUM> closes the U-like shape formed by the vertical walls 156a-c.

In the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein, the door <NUM> is movable in rotation about a door axis 162a, herein vertical.

In the lower portion of the reservoir <NUM>, the card feeder <NUM> also includes a separation system <NUM> which is arranged so as to separate the cards <NUM> stored in the reservoir <NUM> from each other, while moving them successively through the bottom wall 156c according to a drive direction F which is then extended by direction of movement D.

The separation system <NUM> includes a separation roll 158a which is arranged at the level of the tray <NUM> according to a direction transverse to the drive direction F. The separation roll 158a is mounted movable in rotation on the frame <NUM> about its axis 158b. Thus, the cards <NUM> are in contact with the top of the separation roll 158a and the top of the support 154a.

The separation system <NUM> also includes a drive system, such as a motor, mounted on the frame <NUM>, which is arranged so as to drive the separation roll 158a in rotation in the direction of the arrow R to drive the card <NUM> following the drive direction F. The processing machine <NUM> or the card feeder <NUM> includes a control unit arranged so as to control the drive system according to the needs.

Thus, the stack <NUM> of cards <NUM> rests on the separation roll 158a and the support 154a, and the separation is thus performed from below the stack <NUM>, i.e., the separation roll 158a drives the card <NUM> which is the lowest, i.e., which rests on the separation roll 158a and the support 154a, to pull it out of the stack <NUM> and move it following the drive direction F through the bottom wall 156c through a window <NUM> that the bottom wall 156c has for this purpose.

Conventionally, the window <NUM> is sized in height to let only one card <NUM> pass through at a time.

The separation roll 158a drives the card <NUM> up to the transport system <NUM> which handles it to transfer it to the processing module <NUM> and expel it from the machine <NUM> after processing.

To assist in the separation of the cards <NUM> by the separation roll 158a, the support 154a is arranged so that the lowest card <NUM> has an orientation with a descending slope towards the separation roll 158a.

The card feeder <NUM> also includes a ballast <NUM> which is movably mounted on the frame <NUM> between a support position (continuous lines in <FIG>) and a stowed position (phantom lines in <FIG>).

In the support position, the ballast <NUM> bears on the top of the stack <NUM>, i.e., on the card <NUM> which is the highest, and in the stowed position, the ballast <NUM> is on one side of stack <NUM>, herein at the front of the stack <NUM>, without pressing on the stack <NUM>. The support position of the ballast <NUM> varies according to the number of remaining cards <NUM>.

Thus, in the support position, the ballast <NUM> is in the reservoir <NUM> and, in the stowed position, it is outside the reservoir <NUM>. Between the support position and the stowed position, the ballast <NUM> passes through the bottom wall 156c via a passage <NUM> that the bottom wall 156c has for this purpose above the window <NUM>.

In the support position, the ballast <NUM> presses the cards <NUM> against the separation roll 158a to assist with the separation.

In the stowed position, the ballast <NUM> does not bear on the cards <NUM> and it is the cumulative weight of the cards <NUM> of the stack <NUM> which acts to press the cards <NUM> against the separation roll 158a.

According to a particular embodiment, the weight of the ballast <NUM> is equivalent to the weight of <NUM> ±<NUM> cards.

The card feeder <NUM> also includes a transmission system <NUM> which is arranged so as to move the ballast <NUM> from the support position into the stowed position when the door <NUM> passes from the closed position into the open position. Thus, when a user opens the door <NUM>, the ballast <NUM> passes into the stowed position to allow free access above the support 154a and the separation roll 158a in order to enable removal of a stack <NUM> of cards <NUM>.

When the deposited stack <NUM> of cards <NUM> is relatively high, i.e., above the ballast <NUM>, said ballast <NUM> remains stuck in the stowed position due to the fact that it bears against the side of the stack <NUM> (cf. the stowed position in <FIG>), herein the front of the stack <NUM>, and this support prevents it from returning back to the support position.

As the stack <NUM> decreases, the card <NUM> that is the highest in the stack <NUM> goes down. When this card <NUM> passes below the level of the ballast <NUM>, said ballast <NUM> is then free to return back to its support position by bearing on said highest card <NUM> and following it as it descends.

Moreover, the transmission system <NUM> is not intended to bring the ballast <NUM> back to the support position, so as not to force the ballast <NUM> against the stack <NUM> when the door <NUM> passes from the open position into the closed position.

To ensure the return of the ballast <NUM> back to the support position, the card feeder <NUM> includes a return system <NUM> which is arranged so as to automatically return the ballast <NUM> back to the support position when it is in the stowed position. This return system <NUM> is different from the transmission system <NUM> so as not to link the return of the ballast <NUM> to closure of the door <NUM>.

With such an arrangement, the ballast <NUM> assists in picking the cards <NUM> by the separation system <NUM>, without hindering the placement of the cards <NUM> in the reservoir <NUM> and without forcing the ballast <NUM> against the stack <NUM>.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the ballast <NUM> is mounted movable in rotation about a tilting axis 160a directed according to a transverse direction, i.e. parallel to the axis 158b of the separation roll 158a.

In this case, the ballast <NUM> includes a weight 160b and two arms 160c which are secured to the weight 160b and where each is mounted movable in rotation about the tilting axis 160a.

The tilting axis 160a is arranged so that the center of gravity G of the ballast <NUM>, i.e., herein of the weight 160b and of the arms 160c, is vertically above the tilting axis 160a and horizontally between the tilting axis 160a and the reservoir <NUM>, and therefore the stack <NUM>, when the ballast <NUM> is in the stowed position.

Thus, in this position, gravity tends to bring the ballast <NUM> back into the support position when the ballast <NUM> no longer bears against the stack <NUM>. As the height of the stack <NUM> decreases, the pressure exerted by the ballast <NUM> will increase.

Thus, in this embodiment, the return system <NUM> is gravity which is exerted on the ballast <NUM> at its center of gravity G.

In another embodiment, a spring may be arranged so as to return the ballast <NUM> back to the support position when it is moved away.

In the embodiment of the invention described herein, the transmission system <NUM> includes a slider <NUM> which is mounted movable in translation on the frame <NUM> parallel to a direction of translation T perpendicular to the tilting axis 160a, and herein generally horizontal.

In the embodiment of the invention described herein, the translational movement is achieved by fastening the slider <NUM> on the frame <NUM> by two fastening screws 174a which are screwed into the frame <NUM> through oblong holes 174b that pass through the slider <NUM>, and where the major axis of each oblong hole 174b is parallel to the direction of translation T.

Of course, it is possible to achieve this translational movement by other means, such as rails for example.

Moreover, the slider <NUM> is linked to the ballast <NUM> via a sliding pivot connection <NUM>. To this end, the transmission system <NUM> includes a shaft 176a secured to the ballast <NUM> and a housing 176b which is formed in the slider <NUM>.

The shaft 176a is herein parallel to the tilting axis 160a but offset with respect to the latter. Thus, any movement of the shaft 176a will drive the ballast <NUM> in rotation about the tilting axis 160a and vice versa.

The housing 176b is sized so as to prevent any movement parallel to the direction of translation T between the slider <NUM> and the shaft 176a and to authorize movements perpendicular to the direction of translation T, herein vertical movements, between the slider <NUM> and the shaft 176a.

Thus, as soon as the slider <NUM> moves according to the translation direction T, the shaft 176a is forced to move at the same time and, due to the rotation of the ballast <NUM> about the tilting axis 160a, the shaft 176a moves perpendicular to the direction of translation T in the housing 176b.

Conversely, as soon as the shaft 176a moves in rotation under the effect of the ballast <NUM>, the slider <NUM> is forced to move at the same time according to the direction of translation T and the shaft 176a moves perpendicular to the direction of translation T in the housing 176b.

Thus, the slider <NUM> moves between a first position corresponding to the support position of the ballast <NUM> when there is no longer any card <NUM> in the reservoir <NUM> and a second position corresponding to the stowed position of the ballast <NUM>.

The transmission system <NUM> also includes a cam 162b secured to the door <NUM> and which therefore moves with it during movement thereof between the open and closed positions.

The slider <NUM> includes a stop 174c which forms a follower element for the cam 162b when the latter moves from the closed position into the open position. Thus, the cam 162b and the stop 174c are arranged so that the stop 174c follows the cam 162b during movement thereof from the closed position into the open position and the slider <NUM> then passes from the first position (support position of the ballast <NUM>) into the second position (stowed position of the ballast <NUM>), but the stop 174c and therefore the slider <NUM> are not forced to follow the cam 162b during movement of the latter from the open position into the closed position.

The cam 162b is herein in the form of a circle arc coaxial with the door axis 162a, and the stop 174c is in the form of a wall of the slider 174c, where the wall is positioned so as to be pushed by the cam 162b during movement thereof from the closed position into the open position and so as to thus move the slider <NUM> from the first position into the second position.

The operation is then as follows from the closed position of the door <NUM> and from the support position of the ballast <NUM> and into the first position of the slider <NUM>.

A user manipulates the door <NUM> to place it in the open position. The cooperation between the cam 162b and the stop 174c forces the slider <NUM> to move into the second position, and the cooperation between the housing 176b and the shaft 176a causes movement of the ballast <NUM> into its stowed position. The user can then deposit the cards <NUM> in the reservoir <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A card feeder (<NUM>) for a processing machine (<NUM>), the card feeder (<NUM>) comprising:
- a frame (<NUM>);
- a reservoir (<NUM>) at the base of which a tray (<NUM>) is arranged, and above the tray (<NUM>), a support (154a) intended to receive a stack (<NUM>) of cards (<NUM>);
- a separation system (<NUM>) including a separation roll (158a) arranged at a level of the tray (<NUM>) and a drive system arranged so as to move the separation roll (158a) in rotation;
- a ballast (<NUM>) movably mounted on the frame (<NUM>) between a support position in which the ballast (<NUM>) bears on a top of the stack (<NUM>) of cards (<NUM>) and a stowed position in which the ballast (<NUM>) is on one side of the stack (<NUM>) of cards (<NUM>);
- a door (<NUM>) movably mounted on the frame (<NUM>) between an open position enabling access to the reservoir (<NUM>) and a closed position preventing access to the reservoir (<NUM>);
- a transmission system (<NUM>) arranged so as to move the ballast (<NUM>) from the support position into the stowed position when the door (<NUM>) passes from the closed position into the open position; and
- a return system (<NUM>) arranged so as to bring the ballast (<NUM>) back into the support position when it is in the stowed position, characterized in that the ballast (<NUM>) is mounted movable in rotation about a tilting axis (160a) parallel to an axis (158b) of the separation roll (158a), wherein the tilting axis (160a) is arranged so that a center of gravity (G) of the ballast (<NUM>) is vertically above the tilting axis (160a) and horizontally between the tilting axis (160a) and the reservoir (<NUM>) when the ballast (<NUM>) is in the stowed position, and wherein the return system (<NUM>) is gravity.