Card printing apparatus
US5667316A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 13, 1995 |
| Grant date | Sep 16, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 13, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB41J13/12
- WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus for printing plastic cards consists of a thermal transfer printing station including ribbon and a thermal printhead for printing an image on a receptor surface of a receptor card, and a guided carriage for transporting the receptor card beneath the thermal printhead. The carriage includes a resilient surface for receiving the receptor card with a receptor surface facing upwardly. The carriage is guided on a pair of rails, and is driven by a threaded rod which passes through a threaded bore in the carriage, wherein rotation of the threaded rod by a motor causes movement of the carriage along the guide rails. The apparatus further includes a hopper for storing a plurality of cards for printing, and a cleaning station for cleaning the receptor surface of the card prior to printing. The threaded-rod driven carriage insures proper registration and tracking of the receptor card as it passes underneath the printhead.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.