Re-transfer printer with pressure roller homing

Abstract

The printing mechanism of a plastic card retransfer printer comprises a platen having a homing mechanism attached to the platen, which automatically returns the platen to the same home position at the end of each printing pass. The homing mechanism ensures that the printed portion of the retransfer film passes over the same surface of the platen in each printing pass. Thus, any variations in the surface of the platen will manifest themselves in the same location of the resulting print on the retransfer film.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a retransfer printer that performs retransfer printing on plastic cards or passport pages. BACKGROUND

[0002] Re-transfer printing is a well-known printing process used to print plastic cards. In one known implementation, printing is performed in a printing station onto a retransfer film, which is typically printed with different colors in multiple printing passes. When printing is complete, the portion of the retransfer film containing the print is advanced to a transfer station and is transferred to a substrate, such as a plastic card-shaped substrate. SUMMARY

[0003] A printing mechanism of a plastic card retransfer printer is described herein. The printing mechanism includes a platen having a homing mechanism attached to the platen that automatically returns the platen to the same home position at the end of each printing pass. The homing mechanism ensures that the printed portion of the retransfer film travels over the same surface of the platen in each printing pass. Thus, any variations in the surface of the platen will manifest themselves in the same location of the resulting print on the retransfer film.

[0004] The platen homing technique described herein can be used for any multi-pass retransfer printing that includes multiple printing passes that make a print on a single portion of a retransfer film during each pass and then transfers that single portion to a substrate.

[0005] The homing mechanism can have any configuration suitable for automatically returning the platen to the same home position after each printing pass. In one embodiment, the homing mechanism can use magnetism to return the platen to the home position. However, other techniques of returning the platen to the same home position after each printing pass can be used. The home position can be the same for each print job, where each print job includes multiple printing passes. In another embodiment, the home position can vary between print jobs, as long as the same home position is maintained for each printing pass within a print job. The platen can be free- spinning or free-wheeling, or the platen can be driven and provided with a decoupling or disengaging mechanism to allow the platen to free spin for a sufficient amount of time to allow the platen to return to the home position without the need for a position sensor or a mechanism such as a pedometer to keep track of the position of the platen.

[0006] In one embodiment described herein, a plastic card retransfer printing mechanism can include a print station having a thermal print head and a platen roller opposite the thermal print head, where the platen roller is movable toward and away from the thermal print head between a printing position and a non-printing position, and the platen roller can be rotated circumferentially from a home position during a print pass. A print ribbon is arranged to travel between the thermal print head and the platen roller, and a retransfer film is arranged to travel between the print ribbon and the platen roller. A homing mechanism is operably coupled to (i.e., directly or indirectly attached to) the platen roller, where the homing mechanism is configured to rotate the platen roller circumferentially and to automatically return the platen roller to the home position at the end of a print pass. A transfer station is also provided at which a print, printed on the retransfer film at the print station, can be transferred onto a plastic card.

[0007] In another embodiment described herein, a method of retransfer printing on a plastic card includes: in a first print pass in a print station, starting printing on a portion of a retransfer film with a platen roller at a home position, and ending printing with the platen roller circumferentially displaced from the home position. The platen roller is then rotated circumferentially to return the platen roller to the home position. Then, in a second print pass in the print station, starting printing on the portion of the retransfer film with the platen roller at the home position, and ending printing with the platen roller circumferentially displaced from the home position.

[0008] The plastic cards described herein can include, but are not limited to, financial cards (e.g., credit cards, debit cards, etc.), driver’s licenses, national identity cards, business identity cards, gift cards, and other plastic cards that carry personalized data unique to the cardholder and / or that carry other card information. In some embodiments, the substrate printed by the retransfer printing mechanisms described herein can be a page of a passport. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 A portion of a retransfer printing mechanism in which the platen roller homing described herein can be implemented is shown.

[0010] Figure 2A And Figure 2B A platen roller in a conventional retransfer printing mechanism is shown.

[0011] Figure 3A And Figure 3B The platen roller homing described herein is shown.

[0012] Figure 4 An example of a homing mechanism that can be used on a platen roller is shown.

[0013] Figure 5is a top view of an example of a plastic card that has been printed by a retransfer printing mechanism.

[0014] Figure 6 shows a portion of a multi-color print ribbon that can be used in a retransfer printing mechanism.

[0015] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken through a retransfer film. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The following is a detailed description of a plastic card retransfer printing machine and a retransfer printing mechanism of the plastic card retransfer printing machine. The retransfer printing mechanism is configured to perform retransfer printing on a plastic card. The retransfer printing mechanism will be described and illustrated as a multi-pass retransfer printing mechanism that performs multiple printing passes, each printing pass printing on a single portion or segment of a retransfer film and then transferring that single portion containing the print to a plastic card shaped substrate.

[0017] As described in further detail below, the retransfer printing mechanism includes a platen roll having a homing mechanism attached to the platen roll that automatically returns the platen roll to the same home position at the end of each printing pass. The homing mechanism ensures that the printed portion of the retransfer film travels over the same surface of the platen roll in each printing pass.

[0018] The retransfer printing machine and retransfer printing mechanism can also be referred to as a card personalization machine or card personalization system. The card personalization machine can be a table top card personalization machine designed to personalize plastic cards one at a time, for example in the order of tens or hundreds per hour, or a central issuance system designed to personalize multiple plastic cards simultaneously, for example in the order of thousands per hour.

[0019] The general construction and operation of a plastic card retransfer printing mechanism is well known in the art. Reference is made to Figure 1 which shows an example of a plastic card retransfer printing mechanism 10. The mechanism 10 is part of a card personalization machine. Examples of card personalization machines that can perform retransfer printing are described in U.S. Published Application No. 2016 / 0300128, filed April 8, 2016, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The specific construction and operation of a retransfer printing machine, including the print ribbon, the retransfer film, printing an image on the retransfer film, and transferring the printed image onto the surface of a card, is well known in the art. One example of retransfer printing is disclosed in U.S. Patent 6,894,710, among many other such patents. U.S. Patent 6,894,710 is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

[0020] The illustrated retransfer printing configuration of the mechanism 10 includes a printing side that includes a print ribbon supply 12 from which a supply of print ribbon 14 is supplied and a print ribbon take-up 16 into which used print ribbon 14 is taken up. The print ribbon is directed past a print head 18, which in the illustrated example can be stationary, and which uses the print ribbon 14 to print on a retransfer film 20. After printing, the used print ribbon 14 is then wound onto the take-up 16.

[0021] The print ribbon 14 can be any print ribbon suitable for performing the printing described herein. For example, with reference to Figure 6 , the print ribbon 14 can be a multi-color print ribbon that includes a repeating order of discrete swaths 50a, 50b, 50c... 50n of printable material. In one embodiment, some of the swaths on the print ribbon 14 can contain colorant material, such as colored (i.e., opaque) dyes or pigments, for performing color printing on the transfer area(s) of the retransfer film 20. For example, in one embodiment, examples of colorant material swaths include, but are not limited to, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK) colorant material swaths. Some of the swaths can also be layers of material for improving adhesion, such as a primer (P) material layer, a fluorescent (F) material layer, an inhibitor (i) to block stray adhesion, or a peel off (PO) layer, among others. The fluorescent material, if used, is generally transparent to allow viewing of the print, which can end underneath the fluorescent material, when printed onto the retransfer film 20 is transferred onto a substrate. In addition, some of the swaths can contain additional or special colorant material that is not a CMYK colorant material. Examples of additional or special colorant material include, but are not limited to, a silver colorant material and / or a gold colorant material.

[0022] The print ribbon 14 can include any combination of printable material that one can wish to print onto the retransfer film 20. For example, in one non-limiting embodiment, the order of swaths on the print ribbon 14 can be as follows: a cyan swath 50a; a magenta swath 50b; a yellow swath 50c; a black swath 50d; a primer material swath, or a fluorescent material swath, or an inhibitor / peel off swath 50e, with the order repeating over the length of the print ribbon 14. Many other orders of swaths on the print ribbon 14 are possible.

[0023] Referring back toFigure 1 The retransfer film 20 is supplied by a film supply 22 on the retransfer side and after retransfer, the remaining film 20 is wound onto a film take-up 24 also on the retransfer side. The retransfer film 20 is guided past a platen roller 26 positioned opposite the print head 18 and in the illustrated example, the platen roller 26 can be moved toward and away from the print head 18 to press the retransfer film 20 and the print ribbon 14 between the print head 18 and the platen roller 26 during printing onto the retransfer film 20. The retransfer film 20 can be any retransfer film 20 having a layer(s) of transferable material that can be transferred from the retransfer film 20 to a substrate.

[0024] The construction of retransfer films is well known in the art. Reference is made to Figure 7 The retransfer film 20 includes a carrier layer 30 and a layer of transferable material 32. In use, printing is performed on a portion of the layer of transferable material 32. Once printing is complete, the portion of the layer of transferable material 32 containing the print is transferred to a plastic card. The layer of transferable material 32 can be a single layer or include multiple layers. For example, as Figure 7 depicted, the layer 32 can include a layer 32a that receives the print and a layer 32b that forms a protective layer when the layer is transferred to a plastic card. The layer of transferable material 32 can include other layers having useful properties.

[0025] Returning to Figure 1 Once printing is complete, the segment of the retransfer film 20 with the print advances to a transfer station 28 where the layer of transferable material containing the print is transferred to a card 36. In this example, the transfer station 28 includes a heated transfer mechanism 38 (e.g., a transfer roller) that can be moved toward and away from a fixed platen 40 positioned on the opposite side of a card travel or transport path 42. The heated transfer mechanism 38 presses the portion of the retransfer film 20 containing the print against the card 36 supported by the platen 40, with the retransfer film 20 and card 36 being conveyed together past the heated transfer mechanism 38 to transfer the layer(s) of transferable material of the retransfer film 20 containing the print to the card 36. The retransfer film 20 and card 36 are then conveyed to a peel station 44 where the layer(s) of transferable material of the retransfer film 20 is peeled away from the card 36 leaving the layer of transferable material containing the print on the card 36. The remaining portion of the retransfer film 20, less the transferred layer of material, is then wound onto the film take-up 24. The card 36 is conveyed along the card travel path 42 by a card transport mechanism such as a roller set 46.

[0026] In some embodiments, such as where it is desired to print on both surfaces of the card 36, an optional card re-orientation mechanism 48 (or card flipper 48) can be located in the card travel path 38 downstream of the stripping station 44. The card re-orientation mechanism 48 can receive the card 36 after the printed transferable material layer has been applied to the surface 34 of the card 36 and flip the card 36 over (i.e., flip the card 180 degrees) so that the opposite surface 35 is now facing upward. The card 36 can then be conveyed back upstream of the transfer station 28 for re-transfer printing of the printed image to the opposite surface 35. In embodiments where printing is not required on the opposite surface 35, the card re-orientation mechanism 48 is not required and can be removed, or the card 36 can be conveyed through the card re-orientation mechanism 48 without flipping the card 36 over.

[0027] In Figure 5 an example of a card 36 after printing is illustrated. The card 36 can include printing on the surface 34 and / or the surface 35 (see Figure 1 ). The printing can include an image 52, such as a portrait image of the intended cardholder. The printing can also include graphics, such as a background image (not shown) of the card 36. The printing can also include textual data, such as letters, numbers or combinations thereof, such as an account number, the name and address of the intended cardholder, an expiration date, one or more bar codes or other machine-readable elements, a fluorescent element, and the like. The card 36 can also include an integrated circuit chip 54, which can be contact or contactless, and / or a magnetic stripe 56.

[0028] Returning to Figure 1Printing on the retransfer film 20 proceeds as follows. With the platen roller 26 actuated to the retracted or non-printing position away from the print head 18, the print ribbon 14 and the retransfer film 20 are aligned with each other between the print head 18 and the platen roller 26 using known alignment techniques. The platen roller 26 is then actuated toward the print head 18 to the printing position, and then the print ribbon 14 and the retransfer film 20 are advanced together past the print head 18 in a first printing pass to print onto the retransfer film 20. During printing, the platen roller 26 rotates with the retransfer film 20 as the retransfer film 20 is advanced with the print ribbon 14. The platen roller 26 is mounted to rotate freely about a longitudinal axis of the platen roller. At the end of the first printing pass, the platen roller 26 is driven to the non-printing position, and then the retransfer film 20 is backed up to align the portion of the retransfer film to be printed with the next panel of the print ribbon 14. The platen roller 26 is then actuated toward the print head 18 to the printing position, and then the print ribbon 14 and the retransfer film 20 are advanced together past the print head 18 in a second printing pass to print on the retransfer film 20. The process is repeated until printing is complete, at which time the completed print can be advanced to the transfer station 28 to transfer the print.

[0029] During each printing pass, as the retransfer film 20 is advanced with the print ribbon 14 along, for example, Figure 2A and Figure 2B from right to left as indicated by the arrows, the platen roller 26 rotates with the retransfer film 20. To facilitate illustration of each element, the print ribbon 14 and the retransfer film 20 are depicted with a gap between the print ribbon 14 and the retransfer film 20. In practice, the print ribbon 14 and the retransfer film 20 will be in close contact with each other. In the conventional retransfer printing mechanism shown in Figure 2A and Figure 2B , the surface of the platen roller 26 is at a different circumferential position in each printing pass due to the rotation of the platen roller 26. Thus, the retransfer film 20 travels past a different portion of the platen roller 26 in each printing pass. For example, see Figure 2A , a marker 60 is indicated on the platen roller 26. The marker 60 is depicted to aid in explaining the concepts described herein; in use, the marker 60 can or can not be present. At the beginning of the first printing pass, the marker 60 is indicated at the position shown on the left, which can be referred to as the home position, and at the end of the first printing pass, the marker 60 can end up at the indicated position due to the rotation of the platen roller 26. In the second printing pass, the marker 60 is indicated at the position shown on the right, which can be referred to as the end position. Figure 2A Figure 2B ​At the start of the second printing pass, the mark 60 is at the indicated position, and at the end of the second printing pass, the mark 60 can be at the position shown on the right due to rotation of the platen 26, after the platen 26 is retracted to the non-printing position and the retransfer film 20 is rewound to reposition the retransfer film 20 for the second printing pass. Additional printing passes are similar. Because the retransfer ribbon 20 travels past a different portion of the platen 26 in each printing pass, any variations in the platen surface will manifest themselves at different locations on the resulting print on the retransfer film 20.

[0030] In contrast, in the retransfer printing mechanism 10 described herein, at the end of each printing pass, the platen 26 is automatically rotated back to the home or starting position. The return of the platen 26 to the home position can be referred to as homing. For example, with reference to Figure 3A and Figure 3B At the start of the first printing pass, the mark 60 indicates the position shown on the left in Figure 3A , the home position, and at the end of the first printing pass in Figure 3A , the mark 60 can end at the indicated position due to rotation of the platen 26. The platen 26 is then retracted to the non-printing position, and the retransfer film 20 is rewound to reposition the retransfer film 20 for the second printing pass. The platen 26 is also automatically returned to the home position so that at the start of the second printing pass in Figure 3B , the platen 26 is returned to the home position (shown by the mark 60), and at the end of the second printing pass, the mark 60 can be at the position shown on the right due to rotation of the platen 26. Additional printing passes are similar. Because the printed portion of the retransfer ribbon 20 travels past the same portion of the platen 26 in each printing pass, any variations in the platen surface will manifest themselves at the same location on the resulting print on the retransfer film 20.

[0031] Homing of the platen 26 can be accomplished using a homing mechanism that is operably coupled to (i.e., directly or indirectly attached to) the platen 26. The homing mechanism can have any configuration suitable for automatically returning the platen 26 to the same home position after each printing pass. In the following description, the homing mechanism is described as a motorized platen 26 that is coupled to a motor 28. The motor 28 is operably coupled to the platen 26 so that the motor 28 can rotate the platen 26. The motor 28 can be any suitable motor that is capable of rotating the platen 26. The motor 28 can be a stepper motor, a servo motor, or any other suitable motor. The motor 28 can be coupled to the platen 26 in any suitable manner. For example, the motor 28 can be directly coupled to the platen 26, such as by being attached to the platen 26. Alternatively, the motor 28 can be indirectly coupled to the platen 26, such as by being attached to a shaft that is coupled to the platen 26. Figure 4In a further described embodiment, the homing mechanism can use magnetism to return the platen roller 26 to the home position. However, other homing mechanisms that do not utilize magnetism can also be used. In one embodiment, the home position can be the same for each print job, where each print job includes a plurality of print passes. In another embodiment, the home position can vary between print jobs, as long as the same home position is maintained for each print pass within a print job.

[0032] Referring to Figure 4 FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a homing mechanism 70 associated with the platen roller 26. In this example, the homing mechanism 70 is a magnetic homing mechanism that is directly attached to the platen roller 26. In particular, the homing mechanism 70 includes a magnet 72 that is attached to the platen roller 26 and is able to rotate with the platen roller 26, such as at one end of the platen roller 26. In the illustrated example, the north (N) and south (S) poles of the magnet 72 can be positioned as shown. The homing mechanism 70 also includes at least one magnet 74 that is fixed in place (i.e., does not rotate with the platen roller 26) at a location that is distal from the platen roller 26 such that it is able to magnetically interact with the magnet 72. For example, the magnet 74 can be mounted on a fixed portion of the chassis of the card printer in which the platen roller 26 is mounted, such as above the magnet 72. The magnet 74 is oriented such that the south (S) pole of the magnet 74 is oriented toward the magnet 72. With this configuration and orientation of the magnets 72, 74, the platen roller 26 is automatically returned to the same home position at the end of each print pass due to the magnetic attraction between the north (N) and south (S) poles of the magnets 72, 74 and the magnetic repulsion between the same poles of the magnets 72, 74. As used herein, the home position is considered to be ±5 degrees from the nominal home position.

[0033] With continued reference to Figure 4 In another embodiment, a second magnet 76 that is fixed in position can be diametrically opposed from the magnet 74. The second magnet 76 can be used in addition to or in place of the magnet 74. In yet another embodiment, in place of the magnets 74, 76, a magnet 78 that is fixed in position can be fixed at a location that faces an axial end of the platen roller 26 and the magnet 72 to automatically return the platen roller 26 to the home position. In yet another embodiment, in place of the magnets 74, 76, 78, an electromagnet 80 that is fixed in position can be used to interact with the magnet 72 to automatically return the platen roller 26 to the home position.

[0034] Many other combinations, orientations, positions, configurations, etc. of magnets and electromagnets can be used so long as the platen 26 can be magnetically returned to the home position after each printing pass. Furthermore, the homing mechanism 70 is not limited to using magnetism to return the platen 26 to the home position. Other mechanisms can be used, such as a resilient biasing mechanism using springs or other resilient biasing devices. Additionally, a drive mechanism with a drive motor can be connected to the platen 26 to drive the platen 26 to the home position.

[0035] The examples disclosed in this application are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the application is indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description; and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

1. A plastic card re-transfer printing mechanism, comprising: A printing station includes a thermal printhead and a pressure roller opposite the thermal printhead, the pressure roller being movable toward and away from the thermal printhead between a printing position and a non-printing position, the pressure roller being freewheel type and mounted to rotate freely about the longitudinal axis of the pressure roller, and the pressure roller being circumferentially rotated from a return position during a printing pass; The printed strip between the thermal printing head and the pressure roller; A re-transfer film between the printed strip and the pressure roller; A return mechanism is operably coupled to the pressure roller, the return mechanism being configured to circumferentially rotate the pressure roller at the end of a printing pass and cause the pressure roller to automatically return to the return position, wherein the return position is ±5 degrees from the nominal return position. The transfer station allows the printed material, which is printed on the re-transfer film at the printing station, to be transferred onto a plastic card at the transfer station.

2. The plastic card re-transfer printing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein, The repositioning mechanism is configured to operate using magnetic attraction or repulsion.

3. The plastic card re-transfer printing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein, The repositioning mechanism includes a first magnet, which is attached to the pressure roller and is capable of rotating with the pressure roller.

4. The plastic card re-transfer printing mechanism according to claim 3, wherein, The repositioning mechanism further includes a second magnet, which is fixedly positioned adjacent to the pressure roller, such that the second magnet does not rotate with the pressure roller, wherein the second magnet is positioned to magnetically interact with the first magnet.

5. The plastic card re-transfer printing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein, The printed strip is a multi-color printed strip.

6. The plastic card re-transfer printing mechanism according to claim 5, wherein, The multicolor printed strip includes multiple cyan, magenta, yellow, and black patches.

7. A method for performing re-transfer printing on a plastic card in a re-transfer printing press, the re-transfer printing press comprising: a printing station including a thermal printing head and a pressure roller opposite to the thermal printing head, the pressure roller being movable toward and away from the thermal printing head between a printing position and a non-printing position, the pressure roller being freewheel type and mounted to rotate freely about a longitudinal axis of the pressure roller, and the pressure roller being circumferentially rotatable from a return position during a printing pass; The printed strip between the thermal printing head and the pressure roller; A re-transfer film between the printed strip and the pressure roller; The method includes a printing station, wherein the printed material on the re-transfer film at the printing station can be transferred onto the plastic card at the transfer station, the method comprising: In the first printing pass of the printing station, printing begins on a portion of the retransfer film with the pressure roller in the return position and ends on the same portion of the retransfer film with the pressure roller circumferentially shifted from the return position. Then, the pressure roller is rotated circumferentially about its own longitudinal axis to return the pressure roller to the return position, wherein the return position is ±5 degrees from the nominal return position; Then, in the second printing pass in the printing station, printing begins on the portion of the retransfer film with the pressure roller in the return position and ends with the pressure roller circumferentially shifting from the return position.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein, Rotating the pressure roller circumferentially to return it to the return position includes using magnetic attraction or repulsion to rotate the pressure roller circumferentially to the return position.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein, Rotating the pressure roller circumferentially to return it to the return position includes using a first magnet attached to the pressure roller and capable of rotating with it to rotate the pressure roller circumferentially to the return position.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, Circumferentially rotating the pressure roller to return it to the return position includes using a second magnet fixed in place adjacent to the pressure roller such that the second magnet does not rotate with the pressure roller when the pressure roller is circumferentially rotated to the return position, wherein the second magnet interacts magnetically with the first magnet.

11. The method of claim 7, comprising: In the first printing pass, a first color is printed on the portion of the retransfer film; In the second printing pass, a second color is printed on the portion of the retransfer film, wherein the second color is different from the first color.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein after the second printing pass, the pressure roller is rotated circumferentially to return the pressure roller to the return position; And in the third printing pass, printing begins on the portion of the retransfer film when the pressure roller is in the return position, and ends when the pressure roller has circumferentially shifted from the return position.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising advancing a portion of the re-transfer film containing the printed material to the transfer station and transferring the portion onto the plastic card.

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