POSITIONING DEVICE FOR CARDS

Abstract

The present invention relates to a positioning device for rotatably and rectilinearly positioning a card with respect to a treatment unit having an axis of treatment. The positioning device comprises a card holder for holding a card in a fixed position, wherein the card holder defines a virtual card surface plane coincident with the surface of a card facing the treatment unit once the card is placed in the card holder, and wherein the card holder defines a virtual card center point coincident with the intersection point of the axis of treatment and the virtual card surface plane. The positioning device further comprises a manipulator to which the card holder is attached, wherein the manipulator comprises: a cardanic element with a first axis of rotation and a second axis of rotation; and a virtual pivot point being the intersection of the first and the second axis of rotation.

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. A positioning device for rotatably and rectilinearly positioning a card, with respect to a treatment unit having an axis of treatment, the positioning device comprising: a card holder for holding a first card in a fixed position, wherein the card holder defines a virtual card surface plane coincident with the surface of a card facing the treatment unit once the card is placed in the card holder, and wherein the card holder defines a virtual card center point coincident with an intersection point of the axis of treatment and the virtual card surface plane; and a manipulator to which the card holder is attached, wherein the manipulator comprises: a cardanic element with a first axis of rotation and a second axis of rotation; and a virtual pivot point being an intersection of the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation.

22. The positioning device of claim 21, further comprising three linear guides, wherein each linear guide is flexibly attached to the cardanic element at a respective contact point.

23. The positioning device of claim 21, wherein the virtual pivot point of the cardanic element, the first axis of rotation, and the second axis of rotation lie in the virtual card surface plane.

24. The positioning device of claim 21, wherein the virtual pivot point is coincident with the virtual card center point.

25. The positioning device of claim 21, wherein the card holder is removably attached to the manipulator by a gripper.

26. The positioning device of claim 22, wherein each linear guide is flexibly attached to the manipulator via a spherical bearing element.

27. The positioning device of claim 22, wherein the linear guides are arranged parallel to each other.

28. The positioning device of claim 22, wherein the linear guides are driven by, controlled actuators.

29. The positioning device of claim 21, further comprising an x-y shifting unit.

30. The positioning device of claim 29, wherein the x-y shifting unit is attached to the manipulator.

31. The positioning device of claim 30, further comprising a controller unit for controlling the movement of at least one of the x-y shifting unit or the linear guides.

32. An engraving unit comprising: a positioning device comprising: a card holder for holding a first card in a fixed position, wherein the card holder defines a virtual card surface plane coincident with the surface of a card facing the treatment unit once the card is placed in the card holder, and wherein the card holder defines a virtual card center point coincident with an intersection point of the axis of treatment and the virtual card surface plane; and a manipulator to which the card holder is attached, wherein the manipulator comprises: a cardanic element with a first axis of rotation and a second axis of rotation; and a virtual pivot point being an intersection of the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation; a treatment unit; a card handler; and an interface to a transport unit for transporting cards.

33. The engraving unit of claim 32, wherein each of the treatment unit and the positioning device is isolated from vibration with respect to the transport unit.

34. The engraving unit of claim 33, wherein the card handler is isolated from vibration with respect to the transport unit.

35. The engraving unit of claim 32, wherein the card holder is transferable from the positioning device to the card handler and from the card handler to the positioning device.

36. The engraving unit of claim 35, wherein the card handler comprises a rotator with at least three positions, each configured to receive one card holder.

37. The engraving unit of claim 36, wherein the at least three positions of the rotator have a lead-in face.

38. The engraving unit of claim 32, wherein the card handler comprises a camera that is adapted to take an image of a card holder once received in one of the at least three positions of the rotator.

39. A method of operating a positioning device, the positioning device comprising a card holder for holding a first card in a fixed position, wherein the card holder defines a virtual card surface plane coincident with the surface of a card facing the treatment unit once the card is placed in the card holder, and wherein the card holder defines a virtual card center point coincident with an intersection point of the axis of treatment and the virtual card surface plane, and the positioning device further comprising a manipulator to which the card holder is attached, wherein the manipulator comprises a cardanic element with a first axis of rotation and a second axis of rotation, and a virtual pivot point being an intersection of the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation, the method comprising moving the manipulator according to the cardanic element, wherein the virtual pivot point of the cardanic element, the first axis of rotation, and the second axis of rotation are placed on a predefined point in a space around the positioning device.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the intersection of the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation is coincident with the virtual card center point.

Description

[0042] The invention is described with respect to the figures. The figures show:

[0043] FIG. 1 a schematic view of an embodiment of a positioning device according to the present invention with two parallel linear guides and one perpendicular linear guide,

[0044] FIG. 2a a schematic top view of an embodiment of a positioning device according to the invention,

[0045] FIG. 2b a schematic side view of an embodiment according to FIG. 2a,

[0046] FIG. 3 a schematic side view of an embodiment of a positioning device with parallel linear guides, a treatment unit and a card handler according to the present invention,

[0047] FIG. 4 a schematic side view of an embodiment of a positioning device with non parallel linear guides, a treatment unit and a card handler according to the present invention.

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a positioning device according to the present invention with two parallel linear guides 26.2, 26.3 and one perpendicular linear guide 26.1. A laser 100 with an axis L of the laser beam are directed on the center of a card holder 10 of a manipulator 20. In the card holder 10 is a card 111 with a surface plane 11. In the center of the card 111 is a virtual card center point 12. Linear guides 26.2 and 26.3 are arranged parallel to each other in z-direction and connected to the manipulator 20 at contact points 24.2 and 24.3, respectively. A third linear guide 26.1 is arrange perpendicular to the other linear guides 26.2 and 26.3. The cardanic system 27 has two axis of movement A1 and A2. The intersection of these axis A1 and A2 is the virtual pivot point 28 of the cardanic element or system 27. By means of the manipulator, the card holder 10 and thus the card 111 can be moved around, especially in the beam of the laser 100. These movements are rotational movements as well as linear movements, for instance towards the laser and away from the laser 100. Further, a card handler 60 is shown with a rotator 65 and four different positions 66.3 (not shown), 66.6, 66.9 and 66.12 to hold a card holder 10.

[0049] FIG. 2a shows a schematic drawing of an embodiment of a positioning device according to the invention. A positioning device 1 for rotatably positioning a card 111 with respect to a treatment unit (above the drawing plane) with an axis of treatment L is shown. A card holder 10 is holding a card 111 in a fixed position. Within the card holder 10 a virtual card surface plane 11 is shown which is coincident with the surface of the card 111 facing the treatment unit 100, i.e. above the plane of drawing.

[0050] A virtual card center point 12 is coincident with the intersection point of the axis of treatment L and the virtual card surface plane 11. The card holder 10 is attached to the manipulator 20 by the use of a gripper 15. The manipulator 20 comprises

[0051] a cardanic element 27 with a first axis of rotation A1 and a second axis of rotation A2 and a virtual pivot point 28 being the intersection of the first and the second axis of rotation A1 and A2. Further, three linear guides 26.1, 26.2, 26.3 can be seen in top view. Each linear guide 26.1, 26.2, 26.3 is flexibly attached to the cardanic element 27 at a contact point 24.1, 24.2, 24.3.

[0052] FIG. 2b shows a schematic side view of an embodiment according to FIG. 2a. In this view, the linear guides 26.1, 26.2 and 26.3 can be seen from the side and also the laser 100 and the axis of the laser beam L can be seen. The axis L coincides with the intersection of the axis of rotation A1 and A2 of the cardanic system 27. The virtual card surface plane 11 coincides with the surface of the card 111 facing the laser 100, i.e. the upper side of the card 111. The virtual card center point 12 coincides with the intersection of the axis L and the surface of the card.

[0053] When moving the linear guides 26.1, 26.2, 26.3 the cardanic system 27 moves around the two axis of rotation A1 and A2 and thus creates a virtual pivot point 28 of the cardanic system 27 on the surface of the card 111 at the intersection of the laser beam L and the surface of the card.

[0054] FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of a positioning device 1, a laser as a treatment unit 100 and a card handler 60 according to the present invention. In the positioning device 1 the three linear guides 26.1, 26.2, 26.3 can be seen, whereas the columns 26.2 and 26.3 are pictured in flight. The cardanic element 27 is shown schematically without the guidings and the mechanical structure. The card holder 10 holds a card 111 whereas the surface of the card 111 coincides with the virtual card surface plane 11. The first and second axis of rotation A1 and A2 of the cardanic system 27 are shown. A2 is shown in dotted line whereas A1 is perpendicular to the drawing plane.

[0055] The working beam along the axis L of the laser 100 is hitting the surface of the card 111 at the virtual card center point 12 which is also the virtual pivot point 28 of the cardanic system 27. The card holder 10 is shown in a tilted angle around the axis A1 but not tilted around the axis A2. The laser beam along axis L engraves an image on the card 111. Further, a x-y shifting unit 30 is shown schematically with which the manipulator can be moved in x-y direction thus shifting the virtual pivot point of the system in the x-y plane.

[0056] In FIG. 3, also a card handler 60 is shown with a rotator 65 and four positions of the rotator 66.1, 66.2, 663. and 66.4. In these positions, card holders 10 are attached. A camera 68 is shown which is directed onto position 66.3, i.e. the 9-o'clock position of the rotator turning clockwise.

[0057] The camera takes an image of position 66.3 showing the card in the card holder in position 66.3 and any off-sets of the card from an ideal position of the card in the card holder. This information is used in the next step. When the rotator 65 rotates 90° clockwise, the card holder on position 66.3 moves to position 66.4. The positioning device 10 takes the card holder and positions it in the laser beam L. A control unit 40 determines the off-set from the image taken on the 9-o'clock position and compensates this off-set when controlling the cardanic element 27 by controlling the linear guides 26.1, 26.2, 26.3 thus moving the card holder in such a way that the laser engraves an image as planned and compensates for the off-set of the card in the card holder. The off-set can also be compensated by adjusting the laser beam when engraving or preferably a combination of both.

[0058] FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of a positioning unit 20 with non parallel linear guides 26.1, 26.2 and 26.3, a treatment unit 100 and a card handler 60 according to the present invention. The linear guides are not parallel and can manipulate the manipulator when attacking on the contact points. The cardanic system is only shown schematically and not shown in detail. The card holder 10 can be moved within the working area of the laser 100 and the axis of the beam L. The card handler 60 is shown and has the functions as described above.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0059] A1 first axis of rotation (of the cardanic element) [0060] A2 second axis of rotation (of the cardanic element) [0061] L axis of treatment (of the treatment unit) [0062] 1 Positioning device [0063] 7 interface to a transport unit [0064] 8 transport unit [0065] 10 card holder [0066] 11 virtual card surface plane [0067] 12 virtual card center point [0068] 15 gripper [0069] 20 manipulator [0070] 23 spherical bearing element, especially a ball joint [0071] 24 contact point of the linear guide on the manipulator [0072] 26 linear guide [0073] 27 cardanic element [0074] 28 virtual pivot point of the cardanic element [0075] 30 x-y shifting unit [0076] 40 controller unit [0077] 60 card handler [0078] 65 rotator [0079] 66 position on the rotator for a card holder [0080] 68 camera [0081] 100 treatment unit, especially a laser [0082] 111 flat piece, especially a card