The present invention discloses a card-feeding device and a badge and card printer. The card-feeding device comprises: a base on which cards are stacked, a card outlet being provided at one end of the base; a rotary card-feeding mechanism which is located below the bottommost card and provided with a rotary swing arm and a push rod provided on the rotary swing arm, the push rod pushing the bottommost card towards the card outlet as the swing arm rotates; and a roller card-feeding mechanism which is installed between the rotary card-feeding mechanism and the card outlet and provided with a roller with an outer edge protruding from the top surface of the base, the bottommost card being transported to the card outlet when the roller rotates.

The present invention discloses a card-feeding device and a badge and card printer. The card-feeding device comprises: a base on which cards are stacked, a card outlet being provided at one end of the base; a rotary card-feeding mechanism which is located below the bottommost card and provided with a rotary swing arm and a push rod provided on the rotary swing arm, the push rod pushing the bottommost card towards the card outlet as the swing arm rotates; and a roller card-feeding mechanism which is installed between the rotary card-feeding mechanism and the card outlet and provided with a roller with an outer edge protruding from the top surface of the base, the bottommost card being transported to the card outlet when the roller rotates.

A transfer system for transferring a stack (101) of flat elements to a processing device includes a delivery ramp (103) with a receiving surface (104) for receiving the stack (101), a first comb structure (121) having at least one first supporting platform (123) on which at least an edge portion (115) of the stack (101) is supportable, wherein the first comb structure (121) is mounted to the delivery ramp (103), and a second comb structure (122) having at least two second supporting platforms (124) on which at least the edge portion (115) of the stack (101) is supportable, wherein the second comb structure (122) is configured for supplying the stack (101) to the processing device. The first supporting platform (123) and the second supporting platforms (124) are arranged along a first direction (109), one after another, in an interleaved manner such that the edge portion (115) is supportable on the first supporting platform (123) and the second supporting platforms (124). The first comb structure (121) and the second comb structure (122) are movable along a lifting direction (110) with respect to each other such that the edge portion (115) of the stack (101) is supportable selectively by the first supporting platform (123) or by the second supporting platforms (124), wherein the two second supporting platforms (124) are spaced along the first direction (109) such that the first supporting platform (123) is movable along the lifting direction (110) through a space between the two second supporting platforms (124).

A transfer system for transferring a stack (101) of flat elements to a processing device includes a delivery ramp (103) with a receiving surface (104) for receiving the stack (101), a first comb structure (121) having at least one first supporting platform (123) on which at least an edge portion (115) of the stack (101) is supportable, wherein the first comb structure (121) is mounted to the delivery ramp (103), and a second comb structure (122) having at least two second supporting platforms (124) on which at least the edge portion (115) of the stack (101) is supportable, wherein the second comb structure (122) is configured for supplying the stack (101) to the processing device. The first supporting platform (123) and the second supporting platforms (124) are arranged along a first direction (109), one after another, in an interleaved manner such that the edge portion (115) is supportable on the first supporting platform (123) and the second supporting platforms (124). The first comb structure (121) and the second comb structure (122) are movable along a lifting direction (110) with respect to each other such that the edge portion (115) of the stack (101) is supportable selectively by the first supporting platform (123) or by the second supporting platforms (124), wherein the two second supporting platforms (124) are spaced along the first direction (109) such that the first supporting platform (123) is movable along the lifting direction (110) through a space between the two second supporting platforms (124).

A card mechanism used in an array with other card mechanisms. Each card mechanism handles plastic cards that are to be personalized and provided to end users. The plastic cards can be cards such as financial cards including credit and debit cards, identification cards, driver's licenses, and other plastic cards that are personalized. The card mechanism(s) can supply cards to be personalized in one or more other card mechanisms and/or in a card personalization machine used with the card mechanism(s) in which case the card mechanism(s) is configured as a card input hopper, collect cards that have been personalized in which case the card mechanism is configured as a card output hopper, and/or perform one or more personalization operations on the cards in which case the card mechanism is configured as a card personalization mechanism.

A portioning system for portioning stackable flat carton elements in a stack (101) for further processing. A feeder device (105) includes a lifting platform (106) and a pushing platform (107), wherein the feeder device (105) is movable along a linear path (108) for pushing the stack (101) to a delivery position. The feeder device (105) is further movable along a lifting direction (110) having at least a component parallel to the gravity direction. The feeder device (105) is configured such that the lifting platform (106) is movable partially below the flat elements defining the stack (101) such that an edge portion (111) of the stack (101) is arranged on the lifting platform (106) for being liftable by the lifting platform (106). The feeder device (105) is further configured such that the stack (101) is pushable by the pushing platform (107) along the linear path (108) until the stack (101) is arranged at the delivery position.

A feeder system for feeding a stack (101) of stackable flat, carton elements to a processing device: A delivery ramp (103) includes a receiving surface (104) on which an edge portion (111) and a center portion (116) of the stack (101) is arrangeable. A transport device (125) includes a supporting platform on which at least a further edge portion (115) of the stack (101) is supportable, wherein the supporting platform is arranged adjacent to the receiving surface (104) such that the further edge portion (115) of the stack (101) may be received. A downholder element (117), adjusts a size of a gap (705) between the downholder element and a supporting platform, such that the further edge portion (115) of the stack (101) is clampable between them. The transport device (125) is movable between the receiving position, at which the stack (101) may be received by the delivery ramp (103), and a hand over position at the processing device such that the stack (101) is movable from the receiving position to the hand over position.

An object of the invention is to provide a sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus capable of creating a gap between a specific sheet material and a sheet material coming into contact with the lower surface thereof even when the location precision of a stack of laminated sheet materials is low in the height direction of the stack of laminated sheet materials and in the direction orthogonal to the height direction.

A sheet detecting apparatus including: a detection unit including a lever member having an abutment surface abutting a conveying sheet and a holding member configured to hold the lever member, the detection unit moved by the lever member pushed by the sheet; a first urging portion configured to urge the holding member to a waiting position after the sheet is separated from the abutment surface; a support portion configured to support the lever member movable with respect to the holding member to move the lever member to a retracted position for allowing the sheet to pass the lever member contacting a surface of the sheet when the holding member is in the waiting position; and a second urging portion configured to urge the lever member so that the lever member is moved from the retracted position to a position in which the abutment surface abuts a succeeding sheet.

A sheet detecting apparatus including: a detection unit including a lever member having an abutment surface abutting a conveying sheet and a holding member configured to hold the lever member, the detection unit moved by the lever member pushed by the sheet; a first urging portion configured to urge the holding member to a waiting position after the sheet is separated from the abutment surface; a support portion configured to support the lever member movable with respect to the holding member to move the lever member to a retracted position for allowing the sheet to pass the lever member contacting a surface of the sheet when the holding member is in the waiting position; and a second urging portion configured to urge the lever member so that the lever member is moved from the retracted position to a position in which the abutment surface abuts a succeeding sheet.