Credential substrate rotator and processing module

• US 7,878,505 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2005
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Original Assignee: HID Global Corporation (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: Meier, James R., Johnson, Chadwick M., Pribula, Martin A., Lokken, Anthony L., Lukaskawcez, Stacy W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Karmis; Stefanos
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUAREZ, ERNESTO A
• Application Number:
  US11/222,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20060071420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,972 Days
• Field of Search: 271/296, 271/298, 271/300, 271/302, 271/176, 271/265.01
• US Class Current: 271/302
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2404/1421 rotating, pivoting or oscillating around an axis, e.g. parallel to the roller axis
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1914 Cards, e.g. telephone, credit and identity cards
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 5/18 by rotary dials or tables

Abstract

A credential substrate rotator includes a substrate support, a substrate feeder and a substrate sensor. The substrate support is configured to support a substrate in a substrate support plane and rotate about a central axis. The substrate feeder is configured to feed a substrate along the substrate support plane. The substrate sensor includes a substrate position indicator that is aligned with the central axis and has first and second positions. The first position indicates an absence of a substrate from a predetermined location of the substrate support. The second position indicates a presence of a substrate in the predetermined location of the substrate support. Also disclosed, is a credential substrate processing module that includes a credential substrate rotator, a first data encoder and a module controller. The credential substrate rotator includes a substrate support configured to support a substrate in a substrate support plane and rotate about a central axis, and a substrate feeder. The first data encoder is configured to encode data to a substrate presented by the substrate rotator.

Claims

1. A credential substrate rotator comprising:

a substrate support configured to support a substrate in a substrate support plane and rotate the substrate support plane about a central axis, which extends through the substrate support plane;

a substrate feeder configured to feed a substrate along the substrate support plane; and

a substrate sensor including a substrate position indicator having a first position indicative of an absence of a substrate from a predetermined location of the substrate support, and a second position indicative of a presence of a substrate in the predetermined location of the substrate support, wherein the first and second positions are displaced from each other in the direction of the central axis.

2. The credential substrate rotator of claim 1, wherein:

the substrate rotator further comprises a shaft coaxial with the central axis and connected to the substrate support; and

the substrate position indicator comprises a pin trigger received within the shaft and coaxial with the central axis.

3. The credential substrate rotator of claim 2, wherein a portion of the pin trigger is extended beyond the shaft along the central axis when the substrate position indicator is in the first position, and the portion of the pin trigger is retracted within the shaft when the substrate position indicator is in the second position.

4. The credential substrate rotator of claim 1, wherein the substrate sensor includes a lever arm attached to the substrate support and including first and second ends, the second end connected to the substrate position indicator, the lever arm configured to pivot between first and second positions respectively corresponding to the first and second positions of the substrate position indicator.

5. The credential substrate rotator of claim 4, wherein the lever arm is biased toward the first position, in which the first end is positioned adjacent to the predetermined location of the substrate support.

6. The credential substrate rotator of claim 1 including position sensor configured to detect one of the first and second positions of the substrate position indicator.

7. The credential substrate rotator of claim 1 including a housing configured to attach to a stand-alone credential manufacturing device.

8. The credential substrate rotator of claim 1, wherein the substrate support includes indexed angular positions including a substrate receiving position, in which the substrate support is positioned to receive a substrate fed from an adjoining credential manufacturing device and a substrate collection output position, in which the substrate support plane is aligned with a substrate collection output.

9. The credential substrate rotator of claim 8, wherein the indexed angular positions of the substrate support include a substrate reject output position, in which the substrate support plane is aligned with a substrate reject output.

10. The credential substrate rotator of claim 8, wherein:

the indexed angular positions of the substrate support include a first encoding position; and

the credential substrate rotator including a first data encoder configured to encode data to a substrate presented by the substrate feeder when the substrate support is in the first encoding position.

11. The rotator of claim 10, wherein:

the indexed angular positions of the substrate support include a second encoding position; and

the credential substrate rotator includes a second data encoder configured to encode data to a substrate presented by the substrate feeder when the substrate support is in the second encoding position.

12. A credential substrate processing module configured to couple in substrate hand-off alignment to a stand-alone credential manufacturing device including the credential substrate rotator of claim 1.

22. The credential substrate rotator of claim 1, wherein the first and second positions of the substrate position indicator are displaced from each other along the central axis.

13. A credential substrate processing module configured to couple in substrate hand-off alignment to a stand-alone credential manufacturing device, the module comprising:

a credential substrate rotator including;

a substrate support configured to support a substrate in a substrate support plane and rotate the substrate support plane about a central axis, which extends through the substrate support plane, the substrate support having indexed angular positions including a substrate receiving position, in which the substrate support is positioned to receive a substrate fed from an adjoining stand-alone credential manufacturing device, and a first encoding position;

a substrate feeder configured to feed a substrate along the substrate support plane; and

a substrate sensor including a substrate position indicator coaxially aligned with the central axis and having a first position indicative of an absence of a substrate from a predetermined location of the substrate support, and a second position indicative of a presence of a substrate in the predetermined location of the substrate support, wherein the first and second positions are displaced from each other in the direction of the central axis;

a first data encoder configured to encode data to a substrate presented by the substrate rotator when the substrate support is oriented with the first encoding position; and

a module controller configured to control the substrate rotator and the first encoder module, and communicate with a controller of the stand-alone credential manufacturing device.

14. The module of claim 13, wherein the credential substrate rotator further comprises:

a shaft coaxial with the central axis and connected to the substrate support;

wherein the substrate position indicator comprises a pin trigger received within the shaft and coaxial with the central axis.

15. The module of claim 14, wherein a portion of the pin trigger is extended beyond the shaft along the central axis when the substrate position indicator is in the first position, and a portion of the pin trigger is retracted within the shaft when the substrate position indicator is in the second position.

16. The module of claim 13, wherein the substrate sensor includes a lever arm attached to the substrate support and including first and second ends, the second end connected to the substrate position indicator, wherein the lever arm is configured to pivot between first and second positions respectively corresponding to the first and second positions of the substrate position indicator.

17. The module of claim 16, wherein the lever arm is biased toward the first position, in which the first end is positioned adjacent to the predetermined location of the substrate support.

18. The module of claim 14 including a pin trigger sensor configured to detect one of the first and second positions of the pin trigger.

19. The module of claim 13, wherein:

the indexed angular positions of the substrate support include a second encoding position; and

the module includes a second data encoder configured to encode data to substrate presented by the substrate rotator when the substrate support is oriented with the second encoding position.

20. The module of claim 13 including a substrate collection output and a substrate reject output;

wherein the indexed angular positions of the substrate support include a substrate collection output position, in which the substrate support plane is aligned with the substrate collection output, and a substrate reject output position, in which the substrate support plane is aligned with the substrate reject output.

21. The module of claim 13 including a cable connecting the module controller to the first data encoder, wherein the first data encoder is configured to indicate a configuration setting through the cable.

23. The credential substrate rotator of claim 13, wherein the first and second positions of the substrate position indicator are displaced from each other along the central axis.

24. A credential substrate rotator comprising:

a shaft configured to rotate about a central axis;

a substrate support coupled to the shaft, the substrate support configured to support a substrate in a substrate support plane and rotate the substrate support plane about the central axis;

a substrate feeder configured to feed a substrate along the substrate support plane; and

a substrate sensor including a substrate position indicator coaxially aligned with the central axis and configured to move along the central axis between first and second positions, wherein the first position is indicative of an absence of a substrate from a predetermined location of the substrate support, and the second position is indicative of a presence of a substrate in the predetermined location of the substrate support.

25. The credential substrate rotator of claim 24, wherein the substrate position indicator is received within the shaft.