Card printing mechanism with card return path

Abstract

Card processing mechanisms and methods whereby after a card has been processed on one surface thereof at a card processing station such as, but not limited to, a card printing mechanism, the card can be recirculated back upstream of the card processing station along a return card travel path that is separate from the primary card travel path through the card processing station where the card can then be reintroduced back into the primary card travel path and transported through the card processing station a second time. As the card is being returned along the return card travel path, the card can be flipped over so that when the card is transported back through the card processing station, the opposite surface of the card can be processed.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A plastic card processing system, comprising:
 a card feed mechanism that feeds plastic cards to be processed onto a card processing path at up to a first card rate;   a first card processing mechanism disposed along the card processing path, the first card processing mechanism processes plastic cards at up to the first card rate; and   a second card processing mechanism disposed along the card processing path, the second card processing mechanism processes plastic cards at up to a second card rate that is greater than the first card rate.   
     
     
         19 . The plastic card processing system of  claim 18 , further comprising a third card processing mechanism disposed along the card processing path, the third card processing mechanism processes plastic cards at up to the first card rate. 
     
     
         20 . The plastic card processing system of  claim 19 , wherein the first card processing mechanism is located upstream of the second card processing mechanism, the third card processing mechanism is located downstream of the second card processing mechanism, and the second card processing mechanism is between the first card processing mechanism and the third card processing mechanism. 
     
     
         21 . The plastic card processing system of  claim 18 , wherein the second card rate is approximately twice the first card rate. 
     
     
         22 . The plastic card processing system of  claim 18 , wherein the second card processing mechanism comprises a card printing mechanism that has a primary card travel path, at least one print station on the primary card travel path that performs a printing operation on a surface of a plastic card on the primary card travel path, and a return card travel path that is separate from the primary card travel path and returns a plastic card to a location on the primary card travel path that is upstream of the at least one print station after the plastic card has been printed on by the at least one print station. 
     
     
         23 . The plastic card processing system of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one print station comprises a drop-on-demand printer with at least one drop-on-demand print head that prints UV curable ink; and the second card processing mechanism further includes a UV curing station. 
     
     
         24 . The plastic card processing system of  claim 22 , wherein the first card processing mechanism comprises a smart card programing mechanism that is configured to simultaneously program integrated circuit chips on multiple plastic cards.