E-card encoder module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11328191-B2
Application number	US-202016888971-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2020
Priority date	Jun 1, 2020
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A card encoding system comprises a belt to receive an encodable card on a first surface of the belt; a contactless encoding module including an encoding antenna, wherein the encoding antenna is positioned opposite a second surface of the belt; and a belt drive controller configured to rotate a drive roller to move the belt to position the encodable card for encoding using the encoding antenna.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A card encoding system, the system comprising:
a belt to receive an encodable card on a first surface of the belt
a contactless encoding module including an encoding antenna, wherein the encoding antenna is positioned opposite a second surface of the belt
a belt drive controller configured to rotate a drive roller to move the belt to position the encodable card for encoding using the encoding antenna; and
a first roller pair and a second roller pair, wherein each of the first and second roller pairs includes a pinch roller and an idler roller, the pinch roller of the first and second roller pairs is a bearing-hub roller, the belt is positioned between the pinch roller and the idler roller of the first and second roller pairs, and the encoding antenna is positioned opposite the second surface of the belt and between the first and second roller pairs.

2. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the pinch roller and the idler roller of at least one of the first and second roller pairs are offset in position.

3. The system of claim 1 , including a first spring and a second spring to respectively apply force on the pinch roller of the first roller pair and the pinch roller of the second roller pair in a direction toward the belt.

4. The system of claim 1 , including:
a contact encoding module including multiple contact pins to contact the encodeable card for encoding; and
a lift mechanism configured to move the contact pins in a direction orthogonal to the first surface of the belt and lower the contact pins onto the encodeable card when the encodeable card is in position for encoding.

5. The system of claim 4 , including:
a contact pin assembly including guide pins and the contact pins; and
wherein the lift mechanism engages and disengages the contact pin assembly to move the contact pin assembly relative to the belt.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the contact pins are contact spring pins that include a contact portion and a mounting portion, and the contact portion is separable from the mounting portion.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the belt drive controller includes a position sensor to detect that an encodable card is in position for encoding.

8. A method of operating a card encoding system, the method comprising:
receiving an encodable card into the card encoding system using a belt drive mechanism, wherein a belt of the belt drive mechanism includes a first belt surface and a second belt surface, and the encodeable card is received on the first belt surface;
moving the belt between a first roller pair and a second roller pair to position the encodeable card for encoding; and
encoding the encodeable card using a contactless encoding module that includes an encoding antenna, the encoding antenna positioned opposite the second surface of the belt and between an idler roller of the first roller pair and an idler roller of the second roller pair.

9. The method of claim 8 , including applying a spring force toward the belt on a pinch roller of the first roller pair and a pinch roller of the second roller pair.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein encoding the encodeable card includes encoding the encodeable card using a contact encoding module that includes multiple contact pins.

11. The method of claim 10 , including encoding the encodeable card at a same position using both the contactless encoding module and the contact encoding module.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein positioning the encodeable card includes:
moving the belt using a belt drive controller; and
detecting the position of the encodeable card for encoding using a position sensor.

13. A card encoding system, the system comprising:
a belt to receive an encodable card on a first surface of the belt;
a contact encoding module including multiple contact pins to contact the encodeable card for encoding;
a belt drive controller configured to rotate a drive roller to move the belt to position the encodable card for encoding using the multiple contact pins; and
a lift mechanism configured to move the contact pins in a direction orthogonal to the first surface of the belt and lower the contact pins onto the encodeable card when the encodeable card is in position for encoding.

14. The card encoding system of claim 13 , including:
a contact pin assembly including guide pins and the contact pins; and
wherein the lift mechanism engages and disengages the contact pin assembly to move the contact pin assembly relative to the belt.

15. The card encoding system of claim 14 , wherein the contact pins are contact spring pins that include a contact portion and a mounting portion, and the contact portion is separable from the mounting portion.

16. The card encoding system of claim 13 , including:
a first roller pair and a second roller pair and the belt is positioned between rollers of each of the first and second roller pairs, wherein each of the first and second roller pair includes a pinch roller and an idler roller;
a first spring and a second spring to apply force on the pinch rollers of the first and second roller pairs in a direction toward the belt; and
wherein the pinch roller of at least one of the first and second roller pairs is a bearing-hub idler roller.

17. The card encoding system of claim 13 , wherein the belt drive controller includes a position sensor to indicate that an encodable card is in position for encoding.

Assignees

• Assa Abloy Ab

Inventors

• Skoglund John P
• Lien Brent

Classifications

• G06K13/077

  with intermittent movement; Braking or stopping movement · CPC title

• G06K17/0003 Primary

  Automatic card files incorporating selecting, conveying and possibly reading and/or writing operations · CPC title

• G06K19/06046

  Constructional details · CPC title

• G06K1/128

  by electric registration, e.g. electrolytic, spark erosion (recording apparatus for measuring instruments G01D15/06; information storage in general G11) · CPC title

• G06K13/08

  Feeding or discharging cards · CPC title