Card-cleaning assembly for card printing devices
First Claim
1. A card-cleaning assembly for a printer, comprising:
- a card-cleaning means comprising a card-cleaning roller mounted to a frame of the printer, and adjacent to a surface of the card so that the roller collects debris from the card surface; and
a cleaning means for removing debris from the card-cleaning roller, the cleaning means, comprising;
(i) a pivot arm pivotably attached to the printer frame; and
(ii) an adhesive tape cartridge mounted to the pivot arm, the tape cartridge including a supply tape core and a take up tape core;
wherein a force exerted on the pivot arm causes the arm to pivot so that the tape cartridge and cleaning roller engage each other, and the tape removes debris from the roller as the tape is peeled from the supply tape core to the take up tape core and the cleaning roller rotates.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A card-cleaning assembly for printers is provided. The assembly can be used in any suitable card printing apparatus, particularly thermal dye printers. Such card printers are used to print driver'"'"'s licenses, employee badges, student cards, and the like. The assembly includes a card-cleaning roller and an adhesive tape cartridge. The cleaning roller contacts the card and removes dust and dirt particles and other debris from the surface of the card. The tape cartridge is attached to a pivoting arm on the printer which pivots so that the adhesive tape engages the cleaning roller and removes the debris from the roller as the roller rotates.
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Citations
65 Claims
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1. A card-cleaning assembly for a printer, comprising:
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a card-cleaning means comprising a card-cleaning roller mounted to a frame of the printer, and adjacent to a surface of the card so that the roller collects debris from the card surface; and
a cleaning means for removing debris from the card-cleaning roller, the cleaning means, comprising;
(i) a pivot arm pivotably attached to the printer frame; and
(ii) an adhesive tape cartridge mounted to the pivot arm, the tape cartridge including a supply tape core and a take up tape core;
wherein a force exerted on the pivot arm causes the arm to pivot so that the tape cartridge and cleaning roller engage each other, and the tape removes debris from the roller as the tape is peeled from the supply tape core to the take up tape core and the cleaning roller rotates. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15)
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13. A thermal printer apparatus, comprising:
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a) a print station for thermally printing indicia on a surface of a card substrate;
b) a linear transport system for transporting the card beneath the print station and c) a card-cleaning means for cleaning the surface of the card as the card is transported in the printer, the card-cleaning means, comprising;
a card-cleaning roller mounted to a frame of the printer, and in contact with a surface of the card so that the roller collects debris from the card surface; and
a cleaning means for removing debris from the card-cleaning roller, the cleaning means, comprising;
(i) a pivot arm pivotably attached to the printer frame; and
(ii) an adhesive tape cartridge mounted to the pivot arm, the tape cartridge including a supply tape core and a take up tape core;
wherein a force exerted on the pivot arm causes the arm to pivot so that the tape cartridge and cleaning roller engage each other, and the tape removes debris from the roller as the tape is peeled from the supply tape core to the take up tape core and the roller rotates.
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16. A card-cleaning assembly for a printer, comprising:
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a card-cleaning means comprising a translating, plate member mounted to a frame of the printer, said plated member being capable of contacting a surface of the card so that the plate collects debris from the card surface; and
a cleaning means for removing debris from the card-cleaning plate member, the cleaning means, comprising;
(i) a pivot arm pivotably attached to the printer frame; and
(ii) an adhesive tape cartridge mounted to the pivot arm, the tape cartridge including a supply tape core and a take up tape core;
wherein a force exerted on the pivot arm causes the arm to pivot so that the tape cartridge and plate member engage each other, and the tape removes debris from the plate as the tape is peeled from the supply tape core to the take up tape core and the plate member translates.
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17. A card-cleaning assembly for a printer, comprising:
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a roller mounted to a frame of the printer and adjacent to a surface of a card in the printer such that the roller collects debris from the surface of the card;
a pivot arm connected to the frame of the printer;
a supply tape core and a take up tape core containing a media having at least one adhesive surface, wherein at least one of said supply tape core and said take up tape core is coupled to said pivot arm, means for applying a force to said pivot arm, wherein the force exerted on the pivot arm causes the arm to pivot toward said roller so that the media engages said roller to thereby remove debris from the roller. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for cleaning a card located in a card printer comprising:
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providing a pivot arm connected to the frame of the printer;
providing a supply tape core and a take up tape core containing a media having at least one adhesive surface wherein at least one of said supply tape core and said take up tape core is coupled to said pivot arm;
contacting a roller to a surface of the card such that the roller collects debris from the surface of the card;
applying a force to the pivot arm, wherein the force exerted on the pivot arm causes the arm to pivot toward said roller so that the media engages the roller to thereby remove debris from the roller. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A card-cleaning assembly for a printer, comprising:
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a roller mounted to a frame of the printer and adjacent to a surface of a card in the printer such that the roller collects debris from the surface of the card;
a supply tape core and a take up tape core containing a media having at least one adhesive surface, said media in operable communication with said roller for removing debris from said roller; and
an encoder in communication with said roller for detecting rotation of said roller. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for cleaning a card in a card printer comprising:
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contacting a roller with a surface of a card to be cleaned such that the roller collects debris from the surface of the card;
selectively contacting a media having at least one adhesive surface with said roller for removing debris from said roller; and
detecting rotation of said roller with an encoder. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
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38. A cartridge for cleaning cards in a card printer comprising:
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a housing;
a media having at least one surface coated with an adhesive material;
a supply roll located in said housing and containing a supply of said media;
a take up roll spaced apart from said supply roll in said housing, said take up roll for receiving said media as said media is paid out from said supply roll, wherein said supply roll comprises a core comprising a body having an outer surface for maintaining said media, and wherein said media comprises an adhesive on a first surface, wherein said media is wound about the outer surface of said supply roll such that said first surface is opposite the outer surface of said core of said supply roll. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A device for cleaning cards in a card printer comprising:
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a media having at least one surface coated with an adhesive material;
a supply roll containing a supply of said media;
a take up roll spaced apart from said supply roll, said take up roll for receiving said media as said media is paid out from said supply roll, wherein at least one of said supply roll and take up roll comprises a core having one or more splines located in an inner surface of said core, whereby said spline facilitates connection of said core to a spindle of a cleaning apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A card-cleaning device for a printer, comprising:
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a roller mounted to a frame of the printer and adjacent to a surface of a card in the printer such that the roller collects debris from the surface of the card;
a pivot arm connected to the frame of the printer; and
a spindle connected to said frame for receiving a cleaning media located on a core wherein the media includes at least one adhesive surface for contacting said roller to thereby remove debris from the roller, wherein said spindle comprises one or more splines, whereby said spline facilitates connection of said spindle to the core of the cleaning media. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A card cleaning cartridge for use with a card printer comprising;
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a housing adaptable for connection to a card cleaning assembly of the printer;
a supply tape core located at a first position in said housing, said supply tape core containing a media having at least one surface coated with an adhesive material;
a take up tape core located at a second position in said housing spaced apart from said supply tape core, said take up tape core receives the media as the media is paid out from said supply roll. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59)
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60. A combination for cleaning cards in a card printer comprising:
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a supply tape core adapted to hold a length of cleaning tape having an adhesive surface;
a take-up tape core adapted to receive said cleaning tape after it has been used; and
a tape measuring arrangement configured to develop an electrical signal indicating travel of a predetermined length of cleaning tape. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62)
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63. A combination for cleaning cards in a card printer comprising:
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a replaceable cleaning cartridge, comprising;
a housing, and mounted within said housing a supply tape core adapted to hold a length of cleaning tape having an adhesive surface and a take-up tape core adapted to receive said cleaning tape after it has been used; and
a tape measuring arrangement configured to develop an electrical signal indicating travel of a predetermined length of cleaning tape. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65)
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Specification