What is claimed is:
1. A scraping apparatus for a track assembly, comprising:
a frame;
an idler having an upraised center portion and a pair of contact surfaces positioned on opposite sides of the upraised center portion, the idler being rotatably mountable to the frame in a manner wherein the contact surfaces are positioned for engagement with the track assembly;
a scraper assembly having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion defining a pair of spaced scraping portions aligned and positioned to interact with the contact surfaces of the idler, the first end portion further defining an upraised portion continuously formed with the pair of scraping portions, the upraised portion conforms to the upraised center portion of the idler, the second end portion being mounted to the frame.
2. The scraping apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the scraper assembly further includes an elastomeric scraping pad having the upraised portion integral and continuous with the pair of spaced scraping portions.
3. The scraping apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the pair of scraping surfaces defined by the scraping pad have scraping inserts affixed thereto, the scraping inserts being adapted for contact with respective contact surfaced defined by the idler.
4. The scraping apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the scraping inserts are made of metal.
5. The scraping apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the elastomeric pad is mounted to an upper surface of the frame.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A laminating roller assembly of a credential production device comprising:
a frame;
a movable support supported by the frame;
a laminating roller attached to the support; and
a lift mechanism comprising:
a cam member attached to the frame and having a cam surface that engages the support; and
a motor configured to drive rotation of the cam member;
wherein the cam member comprises three predetermined angular positions, each of which direct the support and the attached laminating roller to a different position relative to the frame.
2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the lift mechanism further comprises:
a position indicator attached to the cam member; and
a sensor configured to detect one of the predetermined angular positions of the cam member using the position indicator.
3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the laminating roller is non-motorized and comprises a heating element.
4. A credential substrate laminator comprising:
a frame;
a credential substrate transport mechanism configured to transport a credential substrate along a processing path; and
a first laminating roller assembly positioned on a first side of the processing path, the first laminating roller assembly comprising:
a first movable support supported by the frame;
a first laminating roller attached to the first movable support; and
a first lift mechanism attached to the frame and configured to move the first movable support and the attached first laminating roller relative to the first frame and the processing path, the first lift mechanism comprising:
a cam member attached to the frame and having a cam surface that engages the support; and
a motor configured to drive rotation of the cam member;
wherein the cam member comprises three predetermined angular positions, each of which direct the support and the attached first laminating roller to a different position relative to the frame.
5. The laminator of claim 4, wherein the first lift mechanism further comprises:
a position indicator attached to the cam member; and
a sensor configured to detect one of the predetermined angular positions of the cam member using the position indicator.
6. The laminator of claim 4, wherein the first laminating roller is non-motorized and comprises a heating element.
7. The laminator of claim 4, further comprising a second laminating roller assembly positioned on a second side of the processing path that is opposite the first side, the second laminating roller assembly comprising:
a second movable support supported by the frame;
a second laminating roller attached to the second movable support; and
a second lift mechanism attached to the frame and configured to move the second movable support and the attached second laminating roller relative to the second frame, the processing path and the first laminating roller.
8. The laminator of claim 7, wherein the first and second laminating rollers are non-motorized and each comprise a heating element.
9. The laminator of claim 7, further comprising:
a first overlaminate ribbon between the first laminating roller and the processing path; and
a second overlaminate ribbon between the first laminating roller and the processing path.
10. The laminator of claim 9, wherein the first and second overlaminate ribbons each comprise a plurality of overlaminate patches supported on a carrier.
11. The laminator of claim 7, wherein:
the first lift mechanism comprises:
a cam member attached to the frame and having a cam surface that engages the support; and
a motor configured to drive rotation of the cam member; and
the second lift mechanism comprises:
a cam member attached to the frame and having a cam surface that engages the support; and
a motor configured to drive rotation of the cam member.
12. The laminator of claim 11, wherein:
the cam member of the first lift mechanism comprises three predetermined angular positions, each of which direct the first movable support and the attached first laminating roller to a different position relative to the frame; and
the cam member of the second lift mechanism comprises three predetermined angular positions, each of which direct the second movable support and the attached second laminating roller to a different position relative to the frame.
13. The laminator of claim 12, wherein each of the first and second lift mechanisms further comprises:
a position indicator attached to the cam member; and
a sensor configured to detect one of the predetermined angular positions of the cam member using the position indicator.
14. The laminator of claim 7, wherein the first and second laminating rollers are aligned with a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the processing path.
15. A method of laminating a credential substrate using a credential substrate laminator comprising: a frame; a credential substrate transport mechanism; a laminating roller assembly including a movable support supported by the frame; a laminating roller attached to the movable support; and a lift mechanism configured to move the laminating roller relative to the frame, the method comprising:
moving the laminating roller with the lift mechanism to a loading position, in which the laminating roller is displaced a loading distance from a substrate processing path;
loading an overlaminate ribbon between the laminating roller and the substrate processing path, the ribbon comprising a plurality of overlaminate patches attached to a carrier;
moving the laminating roller to a cue position with the lift mechanism in which the laminating roller is displaced a cue distance from the substrate processing path that is less than the loading distance;
transporting a credential substrate along the processing path using the credential substrate transport mechanism;
aligning one of the overlaminate patches with the credential substrate;
moving the laminating roller with the lift mechanism to a laminating position, in which a portion of the laminating roller is positioned in the processing path;
feeding the aligned overlaminate patch and credential substrate past the laminating roller; and
heating the overlaminate patch and pressing the overlaminate patch against a surface of the credential substrate using the laminating roller during the feeding step.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein aligning an overlaminate patch with the credential substrate comprises sensing a leading edge of the substrate and sensing a mark on the carrier.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein:
the laminating roller is non-motorized; and
the method further comprises rotating the laminating roller in response to frictional resistance between the carrier and the laminating roller.