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EP-4010168-B1 - RIBBON IMPRESSER/INDENTER FOR PLASTIC CARDS

EP4010168B1EP 4010168 B1EP4010168 B1EP 4010168B1EP-4010168-B1

Inventors

  • SVENSSON, SCOTT
  • WICKSTROM, Dave
  • GALLES, DONALD
  • MOORHOUSE, Jim

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20200807

Claims (9)

  1. An impresser mechanism (10) configured to create an impression (54) on a plastic card (11), comprising: an impresser station (12) disposed on a card travel path along which the plastic card can travel in the impresser mechanism; the impresser station includes a die (14), an anvil (16) positioned opposite the die and on which the plastic card can be positioned to support the plastic card while the impression is formed on the plastic card using the die, wherein the impression is a pattern of indentation formed in the plastic card from a first surface (50) and extending toward the opposite, second surface (52) and stopping short of the opposite, second surface; the anvil includes a non-metallic, resilient card support structure (30) made of a non-metallic material which supports and is in direct physical contact with the plastic card while the impression is formed on the plastic card using the die; characterized in that the non-metallic material has a hardness of between about 20 Shore D to about 50 Shore D.
  2. The impresser mechanism (10) of claim 1, wherein the non-metallic material has a thickness of between about 3.175 mm to about 3.683 mm and a hardness of about 40 Shore D.
  3. The impresser mechanism (10) of claim 1, wherein the non-metallic material has a thickness of about 3.429 mm.
  4. The impresser mechanism (10) of claim 1, further comprising a ribbon (18) that is positionable between the die and the plastic card.
  5. A plastic card processing system (110, 150), comprising: a card input (122, 156) through which a plastic card is input; a card output (104, 126, 158) through which the plastic card is output; a card transport mechanism configured to transport the plastic card from the card input to the card output; a printing station (130, 160) configured to print on the plastic card; and the impresser mechanism (10) of any one of claims 1 to 4.
  6. The plastic card processing system (110, 150) of claim 5, wherein the impresser mechanism (10) is internal to the plastic card processing system or external to the plastic card processing system.
  7. An impresser module (100) configured to create an impression (54) on a plastic card (11), comprising: an input (104, 122) through which the plastic card can be input into the impresser module; an output (104, 122) through which the plastic card can be output from the impresser module; a card travel path (128) extending from the input and along which the plastic card can travel in the impresser module; the impresser mechanism (10) of any one of claims 1 to 4 disposed on the card travel path.
  8. A plastic card processing system (110), comprising: a housing (112) having a front side (114), a rear side (116), a top (118) and a bottom (120); a card input (122) at the front side, the rear side or the top of the housing; a card input hopper (124) that is in communication with the card input, the card input hopper is configured to hold a plurality of plastic cards to be processed; a card travel path (128) extending from the card input and along which a plastic card input from the card input hopper can travel; a print engine (130) within the housing, the print engine is configured to print on a plastic card input from the card input hopper: the impresser module (100) of claim 7 mounted at the front side, the rear side, or the top of the housing.
  9. The plastic card processing system (110) of claim 8, wherein the card input (122) is at the front side (114) of the housing (112) and the card input hopper (124) is mounted at the front side (114) of the housing; and the impresser module (100) is mounted at the rear side (116) of the housing.

Description

Field This disclosure relates to creating impressions (also referred to as an indent) in plastic card such as financial cards including credit and debit cards, identification cards, driver's licenses, gift cards, and other plastic cards. Background Impressing/indenting on plastic cards, for example to create security features, is well known. One example of impressing plastic cards is described in U.S. Published Application No. 2015/0290872 where a heated die is used to create an impressed security feature on the plastic cards. US 2015/290872 A1 discloses a heated indenter is provided for indenting a personalized document to create a security impression thereon Summary The invention is defined in the appended claims. An impresser mechanism is described that is configured to create impressions on plastic cards including, but not limited to, financial cards including credit and debit cards, identification cards, driver's licenses, gift cards, and other plastic cards. The impresser mechanism includes an anvil that is configured to resiliently support the plastic card while the impression is formed in the plastic card by a die. By resiliently supporting the plastic card while the impression is created, the resulting impression on the plastic card is substantially evened out. The anvil can have any configuration that is suitable for resiliently supporting the plastic card while the impression is created. The anvil includes a non-metallic, resilient card support structure which supports the plastic card. The non-metallic, resilient card support structure is resiliently compliant and deforms during creation of the impression so that the resulting impression on the plastic card is substantially evened out. In another embodiment, the anvil can be resiliently mechanically mounted to allow the anvil to move or self-adjust during creation of the impression to help even out the resulting impression. The impression that is created can be intended as a security impression and/or as a non-security impression. The impression can have any configuration including, but not limited to, a logo, a symbol, or one or more alphanumeric characters. In one embodiment, a transferrable material from a ribbon can be added to the impression, for example as the impression is being formed. The transferrable material can be a colored material having any desired color including, but not limited to, gold, silver, copper, black colored material. In some embodiments, the transferrable material could actually be, or contain, a metal material such as gold, silver, copper or the like. The resilient support of the plastic card by the anvil helps to ensure that the transferrable material is more evenly applied to the impression. In one embodiment, an impresser mechanism is described that is configured to create an impression on a plastic card. The impresser mechanism can include an impresser station disposed on a card travel path along which the plastic card can travel in the impresser mechanism. The impresser station can include a die, an anvil positioned opposite the die and on which the plastic card can be positioned to support the plastic card while the impression is formed on the plastic card using the die, and a ribbon that is positionable between the die and the plastic card. The anvil is configured to resiliently support the plastic card while the impression is formed on the plastic card using the die. The resilient support can be provided by a resilient card support structure that can be formed by a non-metallic material, or the anvil can be resiliently mechanically mounted to allow the anvil to move or self-adjust. A plastic card processing system can include the impresser mechanism, along with a card input through which a plastic card is input, a card output through which the plastic card is output, a card transport mechanism that is configured to transport the plastic card from the card input to the card output, and a printing station configured to print on the plastic card. In another embodiment, an impresser module is described that is configured to create an impression on a plastic card. The module includes an input through which the plastic card can be input into the impresser module, an output through which the plastic card can be output, a card travel path extending from the input and along which the plastic card can travel in the impresser module, and an impresser station disposed on the card travel path. The impresser station can include a die, an anvil positioned opposite the die and on which the plastic card can be positioned to support the plastic card while the impression is formed on the plastic card using the die, and a ribbon that is positionable between the die and the plastic card. The anvil is configured to resiliently support the plastic card while the impression is formed on the plastic card using the die. In still another embodiment, a plastic card processing system includes the impresser module, and a housing having a