Method of and apparatus for processing an object
First Claim
1. A card processing system that processes a card, comprising:
- a plurality of card processing modules that are arranged into an array of columns and rows;
each one of the card processing modules includes;
a first card input/output, a second card input/output, a card transport path between the first card input/output and the second card input/output, a card processing unit located along the card transport path between the first card input/output and the second card input/output that is configured to perform a card processing operation, and a first rotatable card flip over unit located along the card transport path between the first card input/output and the second card input/output that can linearly transport the card along the card transport path and can flip the card 180 degrees and/or direct the card in a desired direction;
the first card input/output, the second card input/output, the card processing unit and the first rotatable card flip over unit are arranged relative to one another along a straight line, and the card transport path is linear;
each one of the card processing modules further includes a second rotatable card flip over unit located along the card transport path between the first card input/output and the second card input/output that can flip the card 180 degrees and/or direct the card in a desired direction;
a first plurality of the card processing modules in the array are arranged relative to one another to define a first internal card transport pathway through the first plurality of the card processing modules, and a second plurality of the card processing modules in the array are arranged relative to one another to define a second internal card transport pathway through the second plurality of the card processing modules, and at least a portion of the second internal card transport pathway does not extend through at least some of the card processing modules of the first plurality.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An object processing machine for processing a plurality of objects, the machine comprising: a plurality of processing modules, each processing module having a modular structure co-operable with the modular structure of another processing module to form a modular assembly constituting the object processing machine; each processing module being operable to perform a corresponding processing operation on an object and being provided with at least one transfer unit located at a respective port of the processing module; each transfer unit being arranged to transfer an object to or from the corresponding processing module and/or to or from a transfer unit of another processing module of the modular assembly; the transfer units being arranged to co-operate with one another and/or with another processing unit such that objects can be guided from an input of the machine to an output of the machine via a plurality of different transport pathways through the machine, wherein the transport pathway taken by a said object being processed corresponds to the pre-determined processing operations to be performed on the said object. A method of processing a plurality of objects using such a machine is also described.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. A card processing system that processes a card, comprising:
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a plurality of card processing modules that are arranged into an array of columns and rows; each one of the card processing modules includes; a first card input/output, a second card input/output, a card transport path between the first card input/output and the second card input/output, a card processing unit located along the card transport path between the first card input/output and the second card input/output that is configured to perform a card processing operation, and a first rotatable card flip over unit located along the card transport path between the first card input/output and the second card input/output that can linearly transport the card along the card transport path and can flip the card 180 degrees and/or direct the card in a desired direction; the first card input/output, the second card input/output, the card processing unit and the first rotatable card flip over unit are arranged relative to one another along a straight line, and the card transport path is linear; each one of the card processing modules further includes a second rotatable card flip over unit located along the card transport path between the first card input/output and the second card input/output that can flip the card 180 degrees and/or direct the card in a desired direction; a first plurality of the card processing modules in the array are arranged relative to one another to define a first internal card transport pathway through the first plurality of the card processing modules, and a second plurality of the card processing modules in the array are arranged relative to one another to define a second internal card transport pathway through the second plurality of the card processing modules, and at least a portion of the second internal card transport pathway does not extend through at least some of the card processing modules of the first plurality. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification