Abstract: A processing machine includes: (A) a lamination module including: (A1) a supply roller on which a band carrying a protective film or a layer of varnish to be deposited is wound, (A2) a recovery roller on which the band is wound after the protective film or layer of varnish has been applied to a plastic card, (A3) a heating roller disposed between the supply roller and the recovery roller, (A4) a backing roller disposed against the heating roller, and (A5) a constraining roller; (B) an insertion system defining, with the heating roller, an upstream transfer path along which the plastic card moves as far as the heating roller; (C) a discharge system defining, with the backing roller, a downstream transfer path along which the plastic card moves from the backing roller. The constraining roller is disposed across the downstream transfer path.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method (400) for protecting printed data on a transfer film of a heat-transfer printer for a plastic card comprising a print head (112), the protection method (400) comprising: a first printing step (402) during which the transfer film and the plastic card advance simultaneously over a printing length L0 under the print head and during which the print head heats according to the text to be printed, a rewinding step (404) during which the transfer film is rewound over a rewinding length L0+/?d different from the printing length L0, and during which the plastic card is brought upstream of the print head, a subsequent printing step (408) during which the transfer film and the plastic card (10) advance simultaneously over another printing length under the print head and during which the print head heats according to the text to be printed, and an ejection step (410) during which the plastic card is expelled from the printer.

Abstract: Method for protecting printed data on a varnish area of a transfer film of a heat-transfer machine, including: a varnishing step during which the varnish area and a plastic card advance simultaneously under the thermal head and during which the thermal head heats in order to deposit the varnish on the plastic card, generating a deformation of the transfer film at a text printed on the plastic card; a rewinding step during which the transfer film is rewound in order to position the varnish area upstream of the thermal head, and the plastic card is repositioned upstream of the thermal head; and a defacing step during which the varnish area and the plastic card advance simultaneously under the thermal head and during which the thermal head heats at the level of the text and at the deformation in accordance with a sign scheme making the deformation illegible.

Abstract: Method for protecting printed data on a varnish area of a transfer film of a heat-transfer machine, including: a varnishing step during which the varnish area and a plastic card advance simultaneously under the thermal head and during which the thermal head heats in order to deposit the varnish on the plastic card, generating a deformation of the transfer film at a text printed on the plastic card; a rewinding step during which the transfer film is rewound in order to position the varnish area upstream of the thermal head, and the plastic card is repositioned upstream of the thermal head; and a defacing step during which the varnish area and the plastic card advance simultaneously under the thermal head and during which the thermal head heats at the level of the text and at the deformation in accordance with a sign scheme making the deformation illegible.

Abstract: A processing machine includes: (A) a lamination module including: (A1) a supply roller on which a band carrying a protective film or a layer of varnish to be deposited is wound, (A2) a recovery roller on which the band is wound after the protective film or layer of varnish has been applied to a plastic card, (A3) a heating roller disposed between the supply roller and the recovery roller, (A4) a backing roller disposed against the heating roller, and (A5) a constraining roller; (B) an insertion system defining, with the heating roller, an upstream transfer path along which the plastic card moves as far as the heating roller; (C) a discharge system defining, with the backing roller, a downstream transfer path along which the plastic card moves from the backing roller. The constraining roller is disposed across the downstream transfer path.

Abstract: A thermal head for a thermal transfer machine is provided to transfer a film onto a card. The thermal head may include a frame intended to be secured to the machine. The thermal head may also include a heating bar mounted on the frame, intended to create heat and having a heating surface designed to diffuse said heat towards the outside. The thermal head may yet also include a pad produced from a flexible material and fixed removably against the heating surface so as to be placed between the heating surface and the film.

Abstract: A thermal head for a thermal transfer machine is provided to transfer a film onto a card. The thermal head may include a frame intended to be secured to the machine. The thermal head may also include a heating bar mounted on the frame, intended to create heat and having a heating surface designed to diffuse said heat towards the outside. The thermal head may yet also include a pad produced from a flexible material and fixed removably against the heating surface so as to be placed between the heating surface and the film.

Abstract: A contactless plastic-card encoding module (2) mounted on the frame of a plastic-card printer (1), the module comprising: an electronic card (23) that fulfills the function of plastic-card encoding, a hollow support (21) comprising fixations (211) for fixing the support to the frame of the printer, a piece (22) absorbing any reliefs on the electronic card, the piece (22) being positioned at the bottom of the hollow support (21) and receiving the electronic card (23), and a holder (24) for holding the electronic card in position on the piece.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a card-flipping device intended to be fixed to a printer, said device including card-driving means for transferring cards from the printer to the inside of this flipping device, and to hold them in position in this flipping device, to flip them and to transfer them once flipped from the inside of this flipping device to the printer, wherein the drive means are movable so as to enable the printer, in order to manipulate a card during a processing operation performed by said printer, to use a space inside the device that is occupied by the drive means when they transfer a card from or to the printer.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a card-flipping device intended to be fixed to a printer, said device including card-driving means for transferring cards from the printer to the inside of this flipping device, and to hold them in position in this flipping device, to flip them and to transfer them once flipped from the inside of this flipping device to the printer, wherein the drive means are movable so as to enable the printer, in order to manipulate a card during a processing operation performed by said printer, to use a space inside the device that is occupied by the drive means when they transfer a card from or to the printer.