Datacard Corporation

Entrust Datacard Corporation

Entrust Corporation

Milo B Squires

Richard C Nubson

Benjamin H Sannel

Dennis J Warwick

Ronald B Howes, Jr

Paul R Caron

David Evert Wickstrom

Harold D Schofield

Glenn R Carney

Luc DeBleeckere

Gretchen J Moeller

Jon Wawra

Arthur Joseph Paulson

Timothy J Flitsch

Roger D McCumber

Kyle Johnson

Jeffrey A Davie

Luc Debleeckere

Bill Myntti

Eugene T Tennis

James M Jordan

Paul M Kienitz

Arthur Paulson

Luc G Debleeckere

Jeffrey Davie

Jeffery Davie

Techniques are described herein for reducing bowing effects on a substrate while the substrate is being transported, for example in an elevator mechanism, from a first travel path to a second travel path, where the first travel path is offset from the second travel path so that the first travel path is not collinear with the second travel path. The substrate can be any substrate that is bowed and for which one wishes to eliminate or reduce the bow. One specific substrate that can benefit from the techniques described herein are personalized documents such as plastic cards including but not limited to financial (e.g. credit and debit) cards, drivers' licenses, national identification cards, gift cards, loyalty cards, employee badges, and other plastic cards which bear personalized data unique to the card holder and/or which bear other card or document information.

Elevator with debowing mechanism

A card processing system includes a drop-on-demand card printing system that has at least one drop-on-demand print head with a nozzle plate. An automated cleaning mechanism is provided in the drop-on-demand card printing system that is configured to clean the nozzle plate without the cleaning mechanism physically contacting the nozzle plate. Since the nozzle plate is not physically contacted by the cleaning mechanism, damage to the nozzle plate during cleaning is avoided thereby avoiding degrading the resulting print quality of the print head.

Drop-on-demand print head cleaning mechanism and method

Methods and devices are described for securely destroying used ribbon from a document personalization machine in order to render any information retained on the used ribbon as unreadable. In one embodiment, the method includes tapering the used ribbon into a used ribbon strand by feeding the used ribbon through a tapering mechanism. The method also includes heating the used ribbon strand to fuse the used ribbon strand into a used ribbon string thereby rendering any data retained on the used ribbon unreadable.

Method and device for used ribbon destruction

A cleaning mechanism for cleaning one or both side surfaces of a plastic card substrate prior to a processing operation occurring on the cleaned side surface. The cleaning mechanism is designed so that two cleaning rollers, one cleaning roller on a first cleaning station and one cleaning roller on a second cleaning station, are simultaneously cleaned by a single cleaning tape assembly.

Card cleaning mechanism

A system and method for personalizing cards and other secure identification documents. The card personalization system and method provide improved data integrity, system reliability, and system performance. Improvements to card handling and processing within the modules, improved card transfer between modules, improvements to control of the modules, and other improvements are set forth, all of which contribute, individually and collectively, to achieving these goals.

Card personalization system and method for the same

Identity document processing equipment with a mechanism designed to maintain tension in a ribbon used in a processing operation in the processing equipment. The tension maintaining mechanism is separate from the supply roll and the take-up roll for the ribbon, eliminating the need for clutches or brakes attached to the supply or take-up rolls to achieve tensioning. Since the tension maintaining mechanism is separate from the supply roll and the take-up roll, the inertia of the supply roll or the take-up roll does not affect the tension on the ribbon during use of the processing equipment.

Ribbon tensioning mechanisms

Improvements relating to identification tags on consumable supply items used in identity document production equipment. The use of identification tags on the consumable supply items allows the document production equipment to recognize the consumable supply items that are loaded into each piece of equipment. The equipment can then initiate a variety of activities that are based on the loaded supply item. The activities are designed to enhance the operation of the equipment for the equipment operator and to provide added value to those customers who utilize consumable supply items that are recognized by the equipment.

Radio frequency identification tags on consumable items used in printers and related equipment

Core and spindle technology for use with ribbon materials. The invention has use in many environments in which a ribbon or sheet material is wound onto a core, for example in printers and related equipment used to produce data bearing identity documents. The core and spindle are constructed to prevent the core from locking on the spindle as a result of the core contracting as ribbon material is wound onto the core. The core and spindle permits contraction of the core without squeezing or binding the core to the spindle, so that the core can easily be removed from the spindle once the ribbon is wound onto the core.

Ribbon core and spindle

A magnetically encoded plastic card production system is provided which includes a supply mechanism for supplying a series of blank plastic cards. An encoder is operatively coupled to the supply mechanism which encodes a magnetic strip on each card. A separating mechanism is operatively coupled following the encoder which has a roller surface for adhesively attracting loose particles from a surface of each card. A design placing mechanism is operatively coupled immediately following the separating mechanism which places a graphic design on each card. In this arrangement, the loose particles are separated from each card subsequent to encoding the magnetic strip on each card and prior to placing the graphic design on each card. A collecting mechanism is operatively coupled to the design placing mechanism which collects each card after each card has passed through the encoder, separating mechanism, and design placing mechanism. A method for producing magnetically encoded plastic cards is also provided.

System and method for cleaning and producing data bearing cards

An apparatus and method are described for removing particulate matter from one or more surfaces of a workpiece, such as a credit card blank, prior to printing a graphic design thereon. The apparatus includes a pair of cleaning rollers which engage both sides of the card, the cleaning rollers having an adhesive coating for removing loose particulate matter from the surfaces of the card. The apparatus also includes a stripper system for stripping collected particulate matter away from the cleaning rollers after a predetermined number of cards have been cleaned.

System and method for cleaning data bearing cards

An apparatus and method for printing a graphic design on a hard plastic workpiece such as a credit card blank includes a thermal printing element which is supported by a head assembly that has been designed a single link, to have low mechanical compliance in a horizontal plane and yet to allow the print head to align with a print roller. A cleaning assembly is further provided which includes a pair of cleaning rollers having an adhesive coating; and a novel arrangement for stripping particulate matter away from the cleaning rollers after a predetermined number of cards have been cleaned. A number of stepper motors are provided to perform the cleaning and printing functions. The stepper motors are controlled by a local control system which monitors a number of sensors provided on the cleaning and printing stations and is subservient to an overall system controller. The invention further includes a novel method of operation, a cassette for use with the printing station and a novel thermal printing foil.

Growing community of inventors

Chaska, MN, United States of America

Milo B Squires