Carrier-less patch protection including cassette and separation process

Abstract

The present invention is a laminate media, in the form of a continuous strip of carrier-less, pre-cut plastic patch protections, connected by perforations. The invention further describes both a method for separating the patches from each other by stressing the perforated patch area without stopping the driving process and a cassette within which the separation process occurs.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An unsupported media comprising a continuous strip of patches, each patch having a front end and a back end, the front end of one patch being coupled to the back end of another patch by perforations.  
     
     
         2 . The unsupported media of  claim 1 , wherein each patch has rounded edges.  
     
     
         3 . The unsupported media of  claim 1 , wherein the continuous strip of patches is wound around a spool.  
     
     
         4 . The unsupported media of  claim 1 , wherein the continuous strip of patches is stacked in accordion fashion.  
     
     
         5 . The unsupported media of  claim 1 , wherein the configuration of the perforation is 1 mm tie for 4 mm cut.  
     
     
         6 . The unsupported media of  claim 1 , the patch being narrower than a card the media is to be placed on.  
     
     
         7 . The unsupported media of  claim 1 , wherein the patch has a cutout allowing a portion of a card to remain uncovered after lamination.  
     
     
         8 . A device used to separate perforated media, the media being in a continuous strip connected by perforations, the device comprising: 
 first and second drive rollers, the first drive roller being parallel to and spaced from the second drive roller by a distance L, the distance L being greater than a length of one unit of media, but not more than two units of media;    first and second pressure rollers being coupled to the first and second drive rollers, respectively, the first pressure roller being parallel to the second pressure roller, 
 wherein the media is adapted to be driven between the first drive roller and the first pressure roller and then between the second drive roller and the second pressure roller; and  
   first and second drive means coupled to the first and second drive rollers, respectively, wherein the speed of the second drive means is greater than the speed of the first drive means.    
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second drive means are motors.  
     
     
         10 . A device used to separate perforated media, the device comprising: 
 first and second drive rollers, the first drive roller being parallel to and spaced from the second drive roller by a distance L, the distance L being greater than a length of one unit of media, but not more than two units of media;    first and second pressure rollers being coupled to the first and second drive rollers, respectively, the first pressure roller being parallel to the second pressure roller, 
 wherein the media is adapted to be driven between the first drive roller and the first pressure roller and then between the second drive roller and the second pressure roller;  
   the first drive roller having a first diameter;    the second drive roller having a second diameter greater than the first diameter; and    drive means coupled to both the first and second drive rollers.    
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the drive means comprise at least one motor.  
     
     
         12 . A device used to separate perforated media, the device comprising the following: 
 first and second drive rollers, the first drive roller being parallel to and spaced from the second drive roller by a distance L, the distance L being greater than a length of one unit of media, but not more than two units of media;    first and second pressure rollers being coupled to the first and second drive rollers, respectively, the first pressure roller being parallel to the second pressure roller, 
 wherein the media is adapted to be driven between the first drive roller and the first pressure roller and then between the second drive roller and the second pressure roller; and  
   a translator coupled to the second drive roller generating a second linear speed, the first drive roller having a first linear speed, the second linear speed being greater than the first linear speed.    
     
     
         13 . A device used to separate perforated media, the device comprising: 
 a drive roller;    a pressure roller being positioned parallel to the pressure roller;    a static pinching device adapted to immobilize a subsequent unit of media,    the static pinching device being located a distance L from the drive roller, the distance L being greater than a length of one unit of media, but not more than two units of media; and    a motor coupled to the drive roller to drive the media.    
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 8 ,  10 ,  12  or  13 , wherein the media comprises a continuous strip of carrier-less perforated patches.  
     
     
         15 . A method of separating a patch from a continuous strip of carrier-less perforated patches, wherein the strip passes between a first drive roller and a first pressure roller and then between a second drive roller and a second pressure roller, where the first and second drive rollers are separated by a distance L, the distance L being greater than one patch length, but not more than two patch lengths, the method comprising the steps of: 
 driving the first drive roller at a first speed;    driving the second drive roller at a second speed, wherein the second speed is greater than the first drive speed; and    automatically separating the patch from the strip when a perforation is between the first and second drive rollers.    
     
     
         16 . A method of separating a patch from a continuous strip of carrier-less perforated patches, wherein the strip passes between a first drive roller having a first diameter and a first pressure roller and then between a second drive roller having a second diameter and a second pressure roller, where the second diameter is greater than the first diameter, and where the first and second drive rollers are separated by a distance L, the distance L being greater than one patch length, but not more than two patch lengths, the method comprising the steps of: 
 driving the first and second drive roller; and    automatically separating the patch from the strip when a perforation is between the first and second drive rollers.    
     
     
         17 . A method of separating a patch from a continuous strip of carrier-less perforated patches, wherein the strip passes by a static pinching device and then between a drive roller and a pressure roller, where the drive roller and the static pinching device are separated by a distance L, the distance L being greater than one patch length, but not more than two patch lengths, the method comprising the steps of: 
 driving the drive roller; and    automatically separating the patch from the strip when a perforation is between the drive roller and the static pinching device.    
     
     
         18 . A device comprising: 
 a body having a media holder;    a first drive roller coupled to the body at a first end;    a roller casing coupled to the body at a first end;    a first pressure roller coupled to the roller casing at a first end, wherein the first pressure roller is adapted to contact the first drive roller;    a second drive roller coupled to the body at a second end;    a door pivotally coupled to the body at the second, the door being adapted to pivot between an open loading position and a closed operational position; and    a second pressure roller coupled to the door and adapted to contact the second drive roller when the door is in the closed operational position.    
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , the first pressure roller being adapted to contact the first drive roller at an offset from each other.  
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the first pressure roller is adapted to contact the first drive roller 45 degrees, downstream of a media flow, from the drive roller.  
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the first drive roller has a diameter greater than the second drive roller.  
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 at least one belt coupled to the first and second drive rollers; and    at least one motor coupled to the first drive roller and adapted to drive the at least one belt and the second drive roller.    
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 at least one belt coupled to the first and second drive rollers; and    at least one motor coupled to the second drive roller and adapted to drive the at least one belt and the first drive roller.    
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 22  or  23 , the roller casing further comprising at least one arm to cover the at least one belt.  
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 18 , further comprising a first set of ridges coupled to the body between the first and second drive rollers and adapted to maintain a media substantially flat and to guide media from the second drive roller to the first drive roller.  
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 25 , wherein the first set of ridges are adapted to contact 20% of area of media as it passes over the first set of ridges.  
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 18 , further comprising a second set of ridges coupled to the door between an end of the door and the second pressure roller, the second set of ridges being adapted to maintain a media substantially flat position and to guide media from the second drive roller to the first drive roller when the door is closed.  
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 27 , wherein the second set of ridges are adapted to contact 20% of area of media as a media passes over the second set of ridges.  
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the device is adapted to be operable in any orientation.  
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 18 , further comprising a handle coupled to a top of the door and being adapted to open and close the door.  
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the door is adapted to create a core through a center of the media holder when the door is in the closed position.  
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the roller casing is adapted to be removably coupled to the body.