Method of and apparatus for processing an object

Abstract

An object processing machine for processing a plurality of objects, the machine comprising: a plurality of processing modules, each processing module having a modular structure co-operable with the modular structure of another processing module to form a modular assembly constituting the object processing machine; each processing module being operable to perform a corresponding processing operation on an object and being provided with at least one transfer unit located at a respective port of the processing module; each transfer unit being arranged to transfer an object to or from the corresponding processing module and/or to or from a transfer unit of another processing module of the modular assembly; the transfer units being arranged to co-operate with one another and/or with another processing unit such that objects can be guided from an input of the machine to an output of the machine via a plurality of different transport pathways through the machine, wherein the transport pathway taken by a said object being processed corresponds to the pre-determined processing operations to be performed on the said object. A method of processing a plurality of objects using such a machine is also described.

1 . An object processing machine for processing a plurality of objects, the machine comprising:
 a plurality of processing modules, each processing module having a modular structure co-operable with the modular structure of another processing module of the plurality of processing modules to form a modular assembly constituting the object processing machine;   each processing module being operable to perform a corresponding processing operation on an object and being provided with at least one transfer unit located at a respective port of the processing module;   each transfer unit being arranged to transfer an object to and/or from the corresponding processing module, and/or to and/or from a transfer unit of another processing module of the modular assembly;   the transfer units being arranged to co-operate with one another and/or with another processing unit such that objects can be guided from an input of the machine to an output of the machine via a plurality of different transport pathways through the machine, wherein the transport pathway selected from the plurality of different transport pathways for a said object being processed corresponds to the processing operations to be performed on the said object.   
     
     
         2 . An object processing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of transport pathways through the machine includes a transport pathway by which a said object to be processed passes through all of the processing modules constituting the said object processing machine, and another transport pathway by which the said object to be processed passes through a subset of the processing modules constituting the said object processing machine. 
     
     
         3 . An object processing machine according to  claim 1 ,  claim 1 , wherein the transport pathway for a said object depends on the actual operational status of the object processing machine. 
     
     
         4 . An object processing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the transfer units are arranged to co-operate with one another such that an object can by pass a said processing module via the corresponding transfer unit of the said processing module without being transferred into the said processing module, the object being processed being transferred from one processing module to another processing module of the modular assembly by means of the transfer units according to a predefined set of rules corresponding to the object being processed. 
     
     
         5 . An object processing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one port of each processing module can act interchangeably as an input port or an output port, such that an object can be moved bi-directionally through the object processing machine. 
     
     
         6 . An object processing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein each processing module is interchangeable within the modular structure with another processing module. 
     
     
         7 . An object processing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein each processing module can be removed and replaced independently of the other processing modules. 
     
     
         8 . An object processing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing modules are arranged side by side and on top of each other in a two dimensional modular array. 
     
     
         9 . An object processing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein each processing module is provided with a corresponding control unit to control the processing and transfer of a said object in the corresponding module according to the said object. 
     
     
         10 . An object processing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein each processing module is further operable as a stand-alone machine tool. 
     
     
         11 . An object processing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the machine tool is provided with a power base for supplying power to each of the processing modules, each processing module being provided with an inter-cooperative power interface for co-operating with the power base or another inter-cooperative power interface for transferring the power supply from the power base to another processing module. 
     
     
         12 . A modular processing unit for use in the object processing machine according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . A method of processing a plurality of objects in an object processing machine, the object processing machine comprising: a plurality of processing modules arranged to form an assembly constituting the object processing machine, each processing module being provided with at least one transfer unit located at a respective port of the processing module; the method comprising:
 receiving an object to be processed;   transferring the object to be processed to a first processing module via a first transfer unit of the first processing module;   processing the object according to a processing operation for the object;   transferring the object from the first processing module to a transfer unit of a second adjacent processing module so that the object can be either processed by the second adjacent processing module or transferred directly to the transfer unit of a third processing module adjacent to the second processing module;   wherein each object of a series of objects is transferred between transfer units of at least some of the processing modules via one of a plurality of transport pathways between an input and output of the machine, wherein the transport pathway, from the plurality of transport pathways, for the respective object is determined according to the processing operations to be performed on the said object.   
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of transport pathways through the machine includes one transport pathway by which a said object to be processed passes through all of the processing modules constituting the said object processing machine and another transport pathway by which an object to be processed passes through a subset of the processing modules constituting the said object processing machine according to the processes dedicated to the object. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein an object being processed can by pass a said processing module via the corresponding transfer unit of the said processing module without being transferred to the said processing module. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the transport pathway for a said object depends on the actual operational status of the object processing machine. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the object to be processed can be moved in a first direction and in a second opposite direction through a processing module. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the processing and transfer of a said object is controlled by a respective control unit of the corresponding processing module according to the said object. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the object may be transferred through the object processing machine via one transport pathway selected from a plurality of different possible transport pathways through the plurality of processing modules. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the processing operation performed by a respective processing module comprises one of graphically marking the object, transferring data to the object, embossing the card and verifying the object 
     
     
         21 . A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions to enable a computer system to perform the method of  claim 13 .