Card printing apparatus
First Claim
1. A card printing apparatus for printing a graphic design on the surface of a card, comprising:
- a card stage adapted to mount a card on the upper surface of the card stage;
feeding means for feeding said card stage along a straight linear path being parallel to the upper surface thereof;
card stock means for stocking a plurality of cards;
means responsive to the feeding of said card stage for withdrawing one card at a time from said card stock means so that a card is mounted onto said card stage;
printing means for printing the graphic design on the surface of the card mounted on said card stage; and
ejector means responsive to the feeding of said card stage for ejecting the card mounted on said card stage to a card collection zone, wherein the upper surface of said card stage comprises a first plane surface operative to receive the card thereon and a second plane surface aligned parallel to said first plane surface and extending along at least two adjoining sides of said card, and spaced at a distance from said first plane surface which is substantially equal to a thickness of the card.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A card printing apparatus for printing a graphic design on the surface of a card comprising a card stage adapted to mount a card on its upper surface. The upper surface of the card stage has two planes separated by about the card thickness. The card stage is fed along a straight linear path toward a card stock. When the card stage has reached a certain point along the path, a card is withdrawn from the card stock means so that the card is mounted onto the card stage. A thermal print head prints the graphic design on the surface of the card mounted on the card stage, and an ejector means responsive to the feeding of the card stage ejects the card mounted on the card stage to a card collection zone.
35 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A card printing apparatus for printing a graphic design on the surface of a card, comprising:
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a card stage adapted to mount a card on the upper surface of the card stage; feeding means for feeding said card stage along a straight linear path being parallel to the upper surface thereof; card stock means for stocking a plurality of cards; means responsive to the feeding of said card stage for withdrawing one card at a time from said card stock means so that a card is mounted onto said card stage; printing means for printing the graphic design on the surface of the card mounted on said card stage; and ejector means responsive to the feeding of said card stage for ejecting the card mounted on said card stage to a card collection zone, wherein the upper surface of said card stage comprises a first plane surface operative to receive the card thereon and a second plane surface aligned parallel to said first plane surface and extending along at least two adjoining sides of said card, and spaced at a distance from said first plane surface which is substantially equal to a thickness of the card. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A card printing apparatus for printing a graphic design on the surface of a card, comprising:
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a card stage adapted to mount the card on the upper surface thereof; feeding means for feeding said card stage along a straight linear path being parallel to the upper surface thereof; card stock means for stocking a plurality of cards; means responsive to the feeding of said card stage for withdrawing the card from said card stock means one by one so that the card is mounted onto said card stage; printing means for printing the graphic design on the surface of the card being mounted on said card stage; and ejector means responsive to the feeding of said card stage for ejecting the card being mounted on said card stage to a card collection zone, wherein, said ejector means comprises a roller secured adjacent to the upper surface of the card stage and rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the straight linear path, and means for preventing rotation of said roller when the card mounted on said card stage is being ejected.
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18. A card printing apparatus for printing a graphic design on the surface of a card, comprising:
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a card stage adapted to mount a card on the upper surface of the card stage having a first plane surface; feeding means for feeding said card stage along a straight linear path being parallel to the upper surface thereof; card stock means for stocking a plurality of cards; means for withdrawing one card at a time from said card stock means so that a card is mounted onto said card stage; printing means for printing the graphic design on the surface of the card mounted on said card stage; lock means having an arm operative to move relative to said card stage, responsive to the feeding of said card stage, between a first position where the arm is in contact with the card on the card stage so that the card does not move along said straight linear path against said card stage and a second position where the card is allowed to move along said straight linear path against said card stage, said arm moving between said first position and said second position staying parallel to said first plane surface; and ejector means for ejecting the card mounted on said card stage to a card collection zone. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification