Process of producing tactile dots, tactile dot groups, and tactile identifier marks

• US 9,630,436 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2014
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Entrust Corp.
• Original Assignee: Entrust Datacard Corporation (Entrust Corp.)
• Inventors: Meilach, Alan, Koolmeister, Miles, Rust, Jeff, Rekowski, Faith, Wirth, Dave
• Primary Examiner(s): Banh, David
• Application Number:
  US14/227,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20140366753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/16 Braille printing typewriters or selective printing mechanisms for Braille printing B41J3/32
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/02 Devices for Braille writing typewriters for Braille B41J3/32

Abstract

Techniques are described for the production of tactile dots, tactile dot groups, and tactile identifier marks on substrates that are tactilely recognizable by visually impaired individuals. Each tactile dot can be formed individually in the substrate, for example by separately embossing each tactile dot using a single punch and die pair. By using a single punch and die pair, the size, complexity and cost of the tactile dot embossing mechanism can be reduced, and the spacing between the tactile dots can be varied.

Claims

1. A process of forming a tactile dot group in a plastic card or a passport, the tactile dot group having two or more tactile dots arranged to form a tactilely recognizable character, comprising:

embossing a first one of the tactile dots of the tactile dot group in a first column on the plastic card or passport using a punch and a die that has a single punch hole, the single punch hole of the die is defined by a center, a planar lip surrounding the single punch hole, and sloped walls surrounding and adjoining the planar lip;

after the first tactile dot is formed, embossing a second one of the tactile dots of the tactile dot group in the first column on the plastic card or passport using the punch and the die;

the first tactile dot and the second tactile dot of the tactile dot group are part of a tactile identifier mark that forms personal information of a holder of the plastic card or passport, and the plastic card or passport is a personalized plastic card or a personalized passport.

2. The process of claim 1, further comprising:

after the second tactile dot is formed, embossing a third one of the tactile dots of the tactile dot group on the plastic card or passport.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein a straight line distance from the center to a center point of each sloped wall adjoining the planar lip is equal to or less than approximately 0.039 inches.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the sloped walls are disposed at an angle of from about 40 degrees to about 60 degrees relative to the planar lip.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the tactile identifier mark complies with ISO/IEC 7811-9 or is a Braille character.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the first tactile dot and the second tactile dot comply with ISO/IEC 7811-9.

14. The process of claim 1, wherein after the first tactile dot is formed and prior to embossing the second one of the tactile dots, moving the plastic card or passport and the punch and die relative to one another in two mutually orthogonal directions in order to position the plastic card or passport relative to the punch and die for formation of the second one of the tactile dots.

16. The process of claim 1, wherein the personal information of the holder of the plastic card or passport comprises the holder'"'"'s name, the holder'"'"'s address, or an account number.

7. A personalized plastic card or passport processing system comprising:

a plastic card or passport input;

a plastic card or passport output;

a transport mechanism configured to transport a plastic card or passport from the plastic card or passport input to the plastic card or passport output; and

a tactile dot embossing mechanism disposed along the transport mechanism, the tactile dot embossing mechanism is configured to permit variable spacing between adjacent tactile dots in a tactile dot group that is part of a tactile identifier mark that forms personal information of a holder of the plastic card or passport, the tactile dot embossing mechanism includes at least one punch and die pair that includes a punch and a die, and the die has a single punch hole;

the single punch hole of the die is defined by a center, a planar lip surrounding the single punch hole, and sloped walls surrounding and adjoining the planar lip.

8. The personalized plastic card or passport processing system of claim 7, wherein the system is a desktop plastic card or passport processing mechanism.

9. The personalized plastic card or passport processing system of claim 8, wherein the tactile dot embossing mechanism comprises a single punch and die pair that can be used to form all characters in a 6 or 8 dot tactile dot group.

10. The personalized plastic card or passport processing system of claim 7, wherein the system is a multi-station, central issuance plastic card or passport processing mechanism.

11. The personalized plastic card or passport processing system of claim 7, wherein

a straight line distance from the center to a center point of each sloped wall adjoining the planar lip is equal to or less than approximately 0.039 inches.

12. The personalized plastic card or passport processing system of claim 7, wherein the sloped walls are disposed at an angle of from about 40 degrees to about 60 degrees relative to the planar lip.

13. The personalized plastic card or passport processing system of claim 7, further including a print mechanism disposed along the plastic card or passport transport mechanism and capable of printing on the plastic card or passport and/or a lamination mechanism disposed along the plastic card or passport transport mechanism and capable of applying a laminate to the plastic card or passport;

and the print mechanism and the lamination mechanism are disposed upstream of the tactile dot embossing mechanism.

15. The personalized plastic card or passport processing system of claim 7, wherein the plastic card or passport and the punch and die are movable relative to one another in two mutually orthogonal directions.

17. The personalized plastic card or passport processing system of claim 7, wherein the personal information of the holder of the plastic card or passport comprises the holder'"'"'s name, the holder'"'"'s address, or an account number.