Data storage cards and method of handling thereof

Claim 2

In a data storage card having an aperture for receiving a photographic image, said aperture having at least in part an adhesive border, and including a disposable sheet which protects said adhesive border and which is mounted on said border but has release characteristics in relation thereto, characterized in that at one or more sides of said aperture said sheet extends outwardly of said border to form an unadhered flap overlying said card, and said sheet is spaced from the edges of said card.

Claim 3

A data storage card as defined in claim 1 wherein said aperture is nearer to one edge of said card than to the edge opposite thereto, and the flap is at that side of said aperture closest to that opposite edge.

Claim 4

A data storage card as claimed in claim 1 wherein the adhesive border is transparent.

Claim 7

A method as defined in claim 4, wherein said separating step is effected by bending said card with said sheet on the radially outer surface.

Claim 8

A method as defined in claim 5 wherein the card is manually pushed from one end between members positioned to deflect the card and thus cause said bending, and then pulled back to cause said insertion of said knife edge beneath said flap.

Claim 9

A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the knife edge is inserted diagonally at a corner of the sheet.

Claim 10

A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the card is caused to move past a sharpened V-shaped notch so that a knife edge is simultaneously inserted beneath both corners of the flap.

Claim 11

Apparatus for preparing a data storage card for mounting an image in an aperture thereof by removal of a disposable sheet which protects an adhesive border of the aperture and which has an unadhered edge flap which overlies said card, the sheet being spaced from the edges of said card, comprising means defining a path along which said card can pass; means for deflecting the card and causing bending thereof as it passes along the path with the sheet on the radially outer surface, whereby the edge flap spatially separates from said card; and a knife edge positioned along said path so as to come between said separated flap and said card, whereby said sheet is stripped from said card.

Claim 12

Apparatus for preparing a data storage card for mounting an image in an aperture thereof by removal of a disposable sheet which protects an adhesive border of the aperture and which has an unadhered edge flap which overlies said card, the sheet being spaced from the edges of said card, comprising means defining a path along which said card can pass; means for deflecting the card and causing bending thereof as it passes along the path with the sheet on the radially outer surface, whereby the edge flap spatially separates from said card; and a knife edge positioned along said path so as to come between said separated flap and said card, whereby said sheet is stripped from said card.

Claim 13

Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the knife edge extends diagonally across said path.

Claim 14

Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein a knife blade extends across said path and includes a sharpened V-shaped notch forming two knife edges.

Claim 15

Apparatus as defined in claim 9 comprising driven rollers which allow cards to be moved automatically in succession along said path.