Identification card printer-assembler for over the counter card issuing
First Claim
1. A system to intermittently assemble identification documents, an identification document comprising a substrate with a top surface and a bottom surface, the top and bottom surfaces being laminated, said system comprising:
- a first ink jet printer operable to print first information on a top surface of a substrate sheet, said first ink jet printer including a print tray or input to receive the substrate sheet;
a conveyor to convey the once printed substrate sheet from the first ink jet printer;
a second ink jet printer to receive the once printed substrate sheet from the conveyor, the once printed substrate sheet being conveyed in such a manner so as to position a bottom surface of the substrate sheet to receive second information from the second ink jet printer, the second ink jet printer being operable to print the second information on the bottom surface of the substrate sheet;
a laminator operable to receive the twice printed substrate sheet and to provide a top laminate in contact with the top surface of the twice printed substrate sheet and a bottom laminate in contact with the bottom surface of the twice printed substrate sheet, the laminator laminating the top laminate to the top surface of the twice printed substrate sheet and laminating the bottom laminate to the bottom surface of the twice printed substrate sheet;
a cutter to cut excess material from the laminated, twice printed substrate sheet, the cut, laminated twice printed substrate sheet forming the identification document.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to assembling identification documents in an over-the-counter issuing environment. In one implementation of the present invention, we provide an ink jet printer-based assembling system. An identification document substrate receives ink jet printed information. The printed substrate is laminated. In another implementation, a carrier web carries lamination pieces. Both the carrier web and the document substrate include form feed holes or other registration notches. The holes or notches are used to align the substrate with the lamination pieces, and to align a laminated document substrate for final cutting.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A system to intermittently assemble identification documents, an identification document comprising a substrate with a top surface and a bottom surface, the top and bottom surfaces being laminated, said system comprising:
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a first ink jet printer operable to print first information on a top surface of a substrate sheet, said first ink jet printer including a print tray or input to receive the substrate sheet;
a conveyor to convey the once printed substrate sheet from the first ink jet printer;
a second ink jet printer to receive the once printed substrate sheet from the conveyor, the once printed substrate sheet being conveyed in such a manner so as to position a bottom surface of the substrate sheet to receive second information from the second ink jet printer, the second ink jet printer being operable to print the second information on the bottom surface of the substrate sheet;
a laminator operable to receive the twice printed substrate sheet and to provide a top laminate in contact with the top surface of the twice printed substrate sheet and a bottom laminate in contact with the bottom surface of the twice printed substrate sheet, the laminator laminating the top laminate to the top surface of the twice printed substrate sheet and laminating the bottom laminate to the bottom surface of the twice printed substrate sheet;
a cutter to cut excess material from the laminated, twice printed substrate sheet, the cut, laminated twice printed substrate sheet forming the identification document. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 37)
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17. A system to intermittently assemble identification documents, an identification document comprising a substrate with a top surface and a bottom surface, the top and bottom surfaces being laminated, said system comprising:
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a first ink jet printer operable to print first information on a top surface of a substrate sheet, said first ink jet printer including an input to receive the substrate sheet and an output from which a printed substrate sheet exits the first ink jet printer;
a first conveyor to convey a once printed substrate sheet from the first ink jet printer output back to the first ink jet printer input, the first conveyor conveying the once printed substrate sheet so as to be positioned to receive printed information on a bottom surface of the substrate sheet, the top and bottom substrate surfaces being different surfaces, the first ink jet printer being operable to print second information on the bottom surface of the substrate sheet;
a second conveyor to convey a twice-printed substrate sheet from the first ink jet printer output;
a laminator operable to receive the twice printed substrate sheet and to provide a top laminate in contact with the top surface of the twice printed substrate sheet and a bottom laminate in contact with the bottom surface of the twice printed substrate sheet, the laminator laminating the top laminate to the top surface of the twice printed substrate sheet and laminating the bottom laminate to the bottom surface of the twice printed substrate sheet;
a cutter to cut excess material from the laminated, twice printed substrate sheet, the cut, laminated twice printed sheet forming the identification document. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 38)
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35. A system to intermittently assemble identification documents, an identification document comprising a substrate with a top surface and a bottom surface, the top and bottom surfaces being laminated, said system comprising:
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a first ink jet printer operable to print first information on a top surface of a substrate sheet;
a second ink jet printer to operable to print second information on a bottom surface of a substrate sheet, the second ink jet printer being constructed and arranged relative to the first ink jet printer such that the substrate sheet can travel along a predetermined path and have its top side printed by the first ink jet printer and its bottom side printed by the second ink jet printer without having to change the orientation of the substrate along the predetermined path; and
a laminator operable to receive the twice printed substrate sheet and to provide a top laminate in contact with the top surface of the twice printed substrate sheet and a bottom laminate in contact with the bottom surface of the twice printed substrate sheet, the laminator laminating the top laminate to the top surface of the twice printed substrate sheet and laminating the bottom laminate to the bottom surface of the twice printed substrate sheet, the laminated, twice printed substrate sheet comprising the identification document. - View Dependent Claims (36, 39)
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40. A method of assembling an identification document, the assembled identification document including at least a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface, the substrate being laminated, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a substrate sheet having printing thereon, the substrate sheet having been perforated or cut so as to include the outline of card;
separating the card from the substrate sheet, the card having a top surface and a bottom surface;
providing a top laminate so as to contact the card'"'"'s top surface and providing a bottom laminate so as to contact the card'"'"'s bottom surface, said top laminate, substrate and bottom laminate forming a card sandwich, said providing laminates steps being preformed at a first station;
heating and pressing the card sandwich to facilitate lamination of the card sandwich at a second station, the second station being separate from the first station; and
cooling the laminated card sandwich at a third station, the third station being separate from the first and second stations. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A method of assembling an identification document in an intermittent assembling environment, said method comprising the steps of:
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controlling ink jet printing of an identification document substrate so as to print first information on a first surface of the document substrate and to print second information on a second surface of the document substrate, the second information including at least one set of data that is unique with respect to the first information;
controlling lamination of the printed document substrate so as to provide a top laminate in contact with the first surface of the document substrate and to provide a bottom laminate in contact with the second surface of the document substrate; and
controlling alignment of the laminated document substrate through at least form feed holes placed along at least one of an edge of the document substrate and a carrier web that carries the top or bottom laminate, wherein the alignment relates to at least one of cutting, material registration and the placement of security features on the laminated document substrate.
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47. A system to produce an identification document from a substrate having first and second sides and comprising a predetermined material, the system comprising:
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means for printing to the first side of the substrate, said means for printing operable to print the identification document using an ink having an affinity for the predetermined material;
means for laminating at least one side of the identification document; and
means for transferring the printed substrate to the means for laminating;
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Specification