Abstract: A card flipper includes a frame, a receptacle, and a motor. The receptacle is supported by the frame for a rotation about a flipping axis. The receptacle is configured to support a card in a support plane and receive and discharge cards along a card feed axis. The motor is configured to drive rotation of the receptacle, the support plane and the card feed axis about the flipping axis. The flipping axis is oblique to the card feed axis and is displaced from the support plane.

Abstract: An ink jet card printer includes a card transport and a print unit. The card transport includes a first belt, a first motor configured to drive the first belt to feed a card along a processing axis, a second belt, and a second motor configured to drive the second belt to feed a card along the processing axis. The print unit includes an ink jet print head and a gantry. The ink jet print head is configured to perform a print operation simultaneously on a card supported in a print position on the first belt and on a card supported in a print position on the second belt. The gantry is configured to move the ink jet print head along a fast scan axis that is parallel to the processing axis and a slow scan axis that is perpendicular to the processing axis.

Abstract: A patch lamination device includes a laminate feed roller, a laminating roller, and a laminate spreader. The laminate feed roller is configured to feed a patch laminate ribbon along a laminate path. The laminating roller is configured to laminate individual patch laminates of the ribbon to a surface of a card substrate. The laminate spreader is positioned between the laminate feed roller and the laminating roller. The laminate spreader is configured to reduce the formation of trough wrinkles in a patch laminate that is tensioned between the laminate feed roller and the laminating roller during lamination of the patch laminate to a card substrate using the laminating roller.

Abstract: A card stacker includes a stack support that supports a stack of card substrates, a card lift mechanism, a card feed mechanism, and a retraction mechanism. The card lift mechanism is configured to support the card substrate in a lift position below the stack support, and drive the card substrate to a raised position, in which the card substrate is supported on the stack support at the bottom of the stack. The card feed mechanism includes a first transport roller having a feed position, in which the first transport roller engages a top surface of the card substrate in the lift position, and a retracted position when the card substrate is in the raised position, in which the first transport roller is on the bottom side of the stack support. The retraction mechanism is configured to move the first transport roller between the feed and retracted positions.

Abstract: An ink jet card printer includes an ink jet print head, a gantry, and a card feeder. The ink jet print head is configured to perform a print operation on a card supported in a print position along a processing axis. The gantry is configured to move the print head through a print zone. The card feeder includes a feeder frame, a first pinch roller pair, and a lift mechanism. The first pinch roller pair is supported by the feeder frame and is configured to feed individual cards along a card feed axis. The lift mechanism is configured to move the feeder frame and the first pinch roller pair between a lowered position, in which the card feeder is displaced from the print zone, and a raised position, in which at least a portion of the card feeder extends into the print zone.

Abstract: An ink jet card printer includes an ink jet print head, a gantry, and a card feeder. The ink jet print head is configured to perform a print operation on a card supported in a print position along a processing axis. The gantry is configured to move the print head through a print zone. The card feeder includes a feeder frame, a first pinch roller pair, and a lift mechanism. The first pinch roller pair is supported by the feeder frame and is configured to feed individual cards along a card feed axis. The lift mechanism is configured to move the feeder frame and the first pinch roller pair between a lowered position, in which the card feeder is displaced from the print zone, and a raised position, in which at least a portion of the card feeder extends into the print zone.

Abstract: A card flipper includes a frame, a receptacle, and a motor. The receptacle is supported by the frame for a rotation about a flipping axis. The receptacle is configured to support a card in a support plane and receive and discharge cards along a card feed axis. The motor is configured to drive rotation of the receptacle, the support plane and the card feed axis about the flipping axis. The flipping axis is oblique to the card feed axis and is displaced from the support plane.

Abstract: A card stacker includes a stack support that supports a stack of card substrates, a card lift mechanism, a card feed mechanism, and a retraction mechanism. The card lift mechanism is configured to support the card substrate in a lift position below the stack support, and drive the card substrate to a raised position, in which the card substrate is supported on the stack support at the bottom of the stack. The card feed mechanism includes a first transport roller having a feed position, in which the first transport roller engages a top surface of the card substrate in the lift position, and a retracted position when the card substrate is in the raised position, in which the first transport roller is on the bottom side of the stack support. The retraction mechanism is configured to move the first transport roller between the feed and retracted positions.

Abstract: An ink jet card printer includes a card transport and a print unit. The card transport includes a first belt, a first motor configured to drive the first belt to feed a card along a processing axis, a second belt, and a second motor configured to drive the second belt to feed a card along the processing axis. The print unit includes an ink jet print head and a gantry. The ink jet print head is configured to perform a print operation simultaneously on a card supported in a print position on the first belt and on a card supported in a print position on the second belt. The gantry is configured to move the ink jet print head along a fast scan axis that is parallel to the processing axis and a slow scan axis that is perpendicular to the processing axis.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to a transfer lamination process and apparatus that reduces substrate warpage. In some embodiments, the transfer lamination process is performed using a transfer lamination device, which includes a transfer unit, a substrate rotator, and a transfer ribbon having a carrier layer and a transfer layer attached to the carrier layer. In some embodiments of the transfer lamination process, a transfer section of the transfer layer is transferred from the carrier layer to a first surface of a substrate using the transfer unit. In some embodiments of this transferring step, the transfer section is heated and pressed against the first surface of the substrate using the transfer unit, and the carrier layer is detached from the transfer section. The substrate is then inverted using the substrate rotator.

Abstract: A credential production device includes a processing path, a transport mechanism, a processing assembly and at least one assembly guide. The transport mechanism is configured to feed individual substrates along the processing path. The processing assembly includes a supply spool support, a take-up spool support, a plurality of ribbon supports, and a print head or a transfer roller. Each assembly guide is configured to guide movement of the processing assembly substantially perpendicularly to the processing path between an operating position and a loading position relative to the processing path.

Abstract: A credential production device includes a processing path, a transport mechanism, a processing assembly and at least one assembly guide. The transport mechanism is configured to feed individual substrates along the processing path. The processing assembly includes a supply spool support, a take-up spool support, a plurality of ribbon supports, and a print head or a transfer roller. Each assembly guide is configured to guide movement of the processing assembly substantially perpendicularly to the processing path between an operating position and a loading position relative to the processing path.

Abstract: A patch lamination device includes a laminate feed roller, a laminating roller, and a laminate spreader. The laminate feed roller is configured to feed a patch laminate ribbon along a laminate path. The laminating roller is configured to laminate individual patch laminates of the ribbon to a surface of a card substrate. The laminate spreader is positioned between the laminate feed roller and the laminating roller. The laminate spreader is configured to reduce the formation of trough wrinkles in a patch laminate that is tensioned between the laminate feed roller and the laminating roller during lamination of the patch laminate to a card substrate using the laminating roller.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to a transfer lamination process and apparatus that reduces substrate warpage. In some embodiments, the transfer lamination process is performed using a transfer lamination device, which includes a transfer unit, a substrate rotator, and a transfer ribbon having a carrier layer and a transfer layer attached to the carrier layer. In some embodiments of the transfer lamination process, a transfer section of the transfer layer is transferred from the carrier layer to a first surface of a substrate using the transfer unit. In some embodiments of this transferring step, the transfer section is heated and pressed against the first surface of the substrate using the transfer unit, and the carrier layer is detached from the transfer section. The substrate is then inverted using the substrate rotator.

Abstract: Some embodiments of a card rotator include a card receptacle, a feed roller, and a motor. The card receptacle is configured to rotate about a pivot access that is approximately perpendicular to a plane of a card substrate supported by the card receptacle. The feed roller is configured to discharge a card substrate from the card receptacle. The feed roller has an axis of rotation that is approximately perpendicular to the pivot axis. The motor is configured to drive rotation of the card receptacle about the pivot axis relative to the axis of rotation of the feed roller.

Abstract: Some embodiments of a card rotator include a card receptacle, a feed roller, and a motor. The card receptacle is configured to rotate about a pivot access that is approximately perpendicular to a plane of a card substrate supported by the card receptacle. The feed roller is configured to discharge a card substrate from the card receptacle. The feed roller has an axis of rotation that is approximately perpendicular to the pivot axis. The motor is configured to drive rotation of the card receptacle about the pivot axis relative to the axis of rotation of the feed roller.

Abstract: A credential production device is disclosed. The credential production device includes a frame, a support member and a credential processing device component. The support member is coupled to the frame and includes a first portion cantilevered from the frame. The credential processing device component is coupled to the first portion of the support member.

Abstract: One embodiment of a credential manufacturing device comprises a first hopper, a first processing path, a first processing device, a substrate shuttle and a shuttle drive. The first hopper is configured to contain a plurality of card substrates and includes an output port. The first processing device is in the first processing path and is configured to perform a first process on individual card substrates in the first processing path. The substrate shuttle is positioned between the first hopper and the first processing path and is configured to receive individual card substrates from the output port of the first hopper, transport received card substrates along a shuttle path, and deliver received card substrates to the first processing path. The shuttle drive is configured to drive movement of the substrate shuttle along the shuttle path.

Abstract: A credential production device includes a unitary frame formed of plastic, a first processing component and a second processing component. The unitary frame includes a rear wall, a pair of side walls extending from opposing sides of the rear wall, a top wall extending from a top side of the rear wall and coupled to the side walls, a bottom wall extending from a bottom side of the rear wall and coupled to the side walls, a first device registration member and a second device registration member. The rear wall, the side walls, the top wall and the bottom wall define an interior cavity and an opening to the interior cavity. The first processing component includes a first frame registration member that is configured to cooperate with the first device registration member to place the first processing component in a known position relative to the unitary frame and the second device registration member.

Abstract: A credential printing device is provided. The credential printing device includes a credential substrate transport, a transfer ribbon and a transfer roller. The credential substrate transport is configured to feed a credential substrate along a processing path. The transfer ribbon is adjacent to the processing path. The transfer roller is positioned below the processing path and is configured to transfer an image from the transfer ribbon to a bottom surface of the credential substrate in the processing path.