Smart Card Personalization Device with Movable Stations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing smart card personalization systems lack flexibility, require significant floor space, and have reliability issues due to complex designs and unnecessary movement of personalization stations.
Innovation Solution
A device with a transportation module and driving means that positions object-storage areas and loading/unloading means relative to receiving positions, allowing simultaneous loading and unloading of objects and enabling flexible operation with reduced complexity and space requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If personalization stations are arranged circularly and moved in a circle, then parallel personalization of smart cards is enabled, but the system complexity increases due to continuous acceleration and deceleration of all stations
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into a stationary base structure and movable personalization stations that can be independently positioned. This segmentation allows parallel processing without requiring all stations to move simultaneously, reducing the complexity of coordinated acceleration and deceleration while maintaining parallel personalization capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The personalization stations are designed with movable components that can be dynamically positioned to different locations along the conveyer path. This dynamic positioning capability enables flexible configuration of processing stations without requiring the entire circular structure to move, thereby reducing system complexity while preserving parallel processing ability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If personalization stations are displaced to enable flexible operation, then adaptability improves, but reliability decreases due to increased mechanical movement components
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the stationary conveyer infrastructure from the movable personalization stations. This segmentation allows stations to be repositioned for flexible operation while the stable base structure maintains system reliability. The movable stations can be adjusted to different positions without compromising the overall system stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical displacement of entire personalization stations with a simplified positioning mechanism that uses a linear motor to move only the necessary components along a guided path. This substitution reduces the number of moving parts and mechanical linkages, thereby improving reliability while maintaining adaptability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If data transmission to personalization stations occurs through sliding contacts or wireless transmission, then operational flexibility is maintained, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces sliding contacts with a fixed contactless data transmission system using magnetic coupling between the stationary base and movable stations. This substitution eliminates the mechanical wear and complexity associated with sliding contacts while maintaining reliable data transmission to moving personalization stations, thereby reducing system complexity without sacrificing operational flexibility.
4Device complexity
If a fixed number of personalization stations are used with fixed contact timing, then system design is simplified, but flexibility to react to individual personalisation times is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The personalization stations are equipped with dynamic positioning capability that allows them to be moved to different locations along the conveyer path based on individual processing requirements. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to adapt to varying personalization times for different cards while maintaining a relatively simple fixed number of stations, balancing design simplicity with operational flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor the processing status of each personalization station and automatically adjust the positioning and timing of stations accordingly. This feedback control allows the system to react to individual personalization times without requiring a complex reconfiguration of the entire system, maintaining design simplicity while achieving adaptability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A device for handling objects includes a plurality of receiving positions, which are each designed so as to receive an object. At least one transportation module is movable with respect to the plurality of receiving positions and has a first object-storage area and a second object-storage area and means for unloading an object from the first object-storage area into a receiving position and for simultaneously unloading a second object from the receiving position into the second object-storage area. A driving means is provided for moving the transportation module with respect to the plurality of receiving positions, in order to thus position the first and the second object-storage area and the means for loading the first object and for unloading the second object into a loading/unloading position with respect to one of the receiving positions.