Abstract: A plastic card printer that is provided with a printhead guard that is movable between a covering position, where the printhead guard covers one or more sensitive portions of a printhead of the plastic card printer, and a non-covering position, where the printhead guard does not cover the one or more sensitive portions of the printhead thereby allowing the printhead to perform a printing function on a plastic card. The printhead guard can be at the covering position when the printhead is at a non-printing position, for example during servicing of the card printer, to protect the one or more sensitive elements when the printhead is at the non-printing position, and the printhead guard can be at the non-covering position when the printhead is at a printing position where the printhead is ready to perform printing.

Abstract: A plastic card printer that is provided with a printhead guard that is movable between a covering position, where the printhead guard covers one or more sensitive portions of a printhead of the plastic card printer, and a non-covering position, where the printhead guard does not cover the one or more sensitive portions of the printhead thereby allowing the printhead to perform a printing function on a plastic card. The printhead guard can be at the covering position when the printhead is at a non-printing position, for example during servicing of the card printer, to protect the one or more sensitive elements when the printhead is at the non-printing position, and the printhead guard can be at the non-covering position when the printhead is at a printing position where the printhead is ready to perform printing.

Abstract: An indent printing apparatus that is capable of indent printing on both sides of a document. A desktop card printer that uses the indent printing apparatus, a method of personalizing a document in the printer, and a ribbon cartridge used with the indent printing apparatus are also disclosed. The indent printing apparatus has first and second indenting mechanisms and uses first and second indent printing ribbon cartridges to enable indent printing on both side surfaces of the document.

Abstract: An indent printing apparatus that is capable of indent printing on both sides of a document. A desktop card printer that uses the indent printing apparatus, a method of personalizing a document in the printer, and a ribbon cartridge used with the indent printing apparatus are also disclosed. The indent printing apparatus has first and second indenting mechanisms and uses first and second indent printing ribbon cartridges to enable indent printing on both side surfaces of the document.

Abstract: A card reorienting mechanism and an input hopper of plastic card processing equipment, for example a desktop plastic card printer. The card reorienting mechanism is a modular unit that permits the entire mechanism to be inserted or removed as a single unit from the printer. In addition, the input hopper is designed as an interchangeable system that permits alteration in the card capacity of the hopper.