| 摘要 |
Single-sheet, multi-panel carriers for receiving and retaining credit cards during credit card issue and mailing procedures. Cards may be inserted in the carriers manually or by machine. Plural carrier forms are preferably provided in a continuous fan-folded web, and individual carriers are separable therefrom at perforations between subsequent and/or adjacent carriers. Apertures for pin drive or indexing mechanisms may be provided, optionally in removable strips along one or more margins of the carrier. The carriers have special slits or slots for retaining one to four cards singly, or double that in a piggy-back manner, in vertical or horizontal configurations. Carriers also have a plurality of panels which assist in retaining the cards by wedge trapping during manual or machine issue processing (inserting, collating, verification and stuffing) and mailing operations. Carriers also carry verification and/or identification information thereon relating to the account, e.g., name, number of cards, account(s) number(s), credit limit, address, debit usage criteria, and the like, in one or more forms which may be read visually, electro-optically, mechanically, optically, electromechanically, magnetically and/or electronically. Carriers are specially adapted for production by sheet-fed glued, or roll-to-fold, high-speed web printing procedures. One and two-wide carrier form sets are disclosed. Imprinting of verification and/or identification indicia may be done by any impact or non-impact procedures, e.g., by drum, line, or computer-controlled, non-impact, spray-type printers. Tear-out, wallet-sized loss or ID cards are also provided in one embodiment of the carriers. Apparatus for automated scanning of credit cards and carriers, comparing information thereon and inserting the proper number of cards in the proper carrier, folding the carrier, pulling bad accounts, and stuffing in mailing envelopes. Methods of producing the carriers, inserting cards, folding, pulling and stuffing also disclosed. |
