The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 08, 2003
Filed:
Sep. 10, 1999
Brent D. Lien, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Darren W. Haas, Eden Prairie, MN (US);
Matthew K. Dunham, Eagan, MN (US);
Fargo Electronics, Inc., Eden Praire, MN (US);
Abstract
A card printing and encoder apparatus for printing information on a card to provide identification of a person, and includes two encoding stations, one to encode a smart card chip embedded in the card, and the other station to encode a magnetic strip on the card. Card support and drive rollers support the card, and the card is bent out of its plane to contact the smart card encoding station contacts. A magnetic head for encoding a magnetic strip is held under a resilient force against an opposite side of the card from the smart card encoding station. The loading of the print head against a rotatable print platen is controlled in synchronism with card drive and support rollers so that the card drive and support rollers release and the card is driven only by the rotatable print platen during the printing operation.