Foil composite card
10373920 ยท 2019-08-06
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
B42D25/328
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
H01L23/57
ELECTRICITY
B32B2425/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
G06K19/07749
PHYSICS
H01L2924/0002
ELECTRICITY
B32B15/04
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B42D25/41
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
G06K19/06065
PHYSICS
G06K19/0775
PHYSICS
H01L2924/00
ELECTRICITY
H01L2924/0002
ELECTRICITY
B42D25/425
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B32B38/10
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B32B37/12
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B32B2367/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B32B7/12
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B32B2429/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
H01L2924/00
ELECTRICITY
International classification
G06K19/077
PHYSICS
B32B37/12
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B42D25/41
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B42D25/328
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B42D25/425
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B42D25/435
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B32B7/12
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B32B15/04
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
G06K19/06
PHYSICS
H01L23/498
ELECTRICITY
Abstract
Composite cards formed in accordance with the invention include a security layer comprising a hologram or diffraction grating formed at, or in, the center, or core layer, of the card. The hologram may be formed by embossing a designated area of the core layer with a diffraction pattern and depositing a thin layer of metal on the embossed layer. Additional layers may be selectively and symmetrically attached to the top and bottom surfaces of the core layer. A laser may be used to remove selected portions of the metal formed on the embossed layer, at selected stages of forming the card, to impart a selected pattern or information to the holographic region. The cards may be lasered when the cards being processed are attached to, and part of, a large sheet of material, whereby the lasering of all the cards on the sheet can be done at the same time and relatively inexpensively. Alternatively, each card may be individually lasered to produce desired alpha numeric information, bar codes information or a graphic image, after the sheets are die-cut into cards.
Claims
1. A multilayered composite card comprising: a base plastic layer having top and bottom surfaces; an embossed metallic layer having an embossed pattern formed on the top surface of said base plastic layer; first and second clear primer layers; said first clear primer layer attached to the embossed metallic layer and the second clear primer layer attached to the bottom surface of the base plastic layer; wherein a central core region of said multilayered composite card is defined by said first clear primer layer, said embossed metallic layer, said base plastic layer, and said second clear primer layer; first and second buffer layers; said first buffer layer attached to said first clear primer layer and said second buffer layer disposed between said second clear primer layer and a carrier layer; and said carrier layer comprising an integrated circuit (IC) containing electronic circuitry connected to an antenna configured to enable contactless radio frequency (RF) communication, wherein said embossed metallic layer acts as a radio frequency shield that reduces wireless receptivity of the antenna from a side of the antenna facing the embossed metallic layer and includes at least one window formed within the embossed pattern.
2. The multilayered composite card as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one window formed in the embossed metallic layer is formed by lasering the metallic layer.
3. The multilayered composite card as claimed in claim 1, wherein said carrier layer is a plastic layer; further including first and second additional plastic layers, the first additional plastic layer attached to the first buffer layer and the second additional plastic layer attached to the carrier layer, and graphic material printed on selected ones of said carrier layer, said base plastic layer or said first or second additional plastic layers.
4. The multilayered composite card as claimed in claim 1, further including an electrical contact assembly on one side of the multilayered composite card in electrical communication with the IC and operative to enable the IC to be accessed by direct contact via said contact assembly.
5. The multilayered composite card as claimed in claim 1, wherein said embossed metallic layer has one or more patterns.
6. The multilayered composite card as claimed in claim 1, wherein said embossed metallic layer is disposed on said base plastic layer, a first buffer plastic layer is disposed above said embossed metallic layer, and a second buffer plastic layer is formed below said base plastic layer, and wherein said carrier layer comprises a plastic layer attached to the second buffer plastic layer formed below the base plastic layer.
7. The multilayered composite card of claim 1, further comprising a plastic layer having information selectively written thereon, and the at least one window is formed within the embossed pattern to enable visibility of the selected information.
8. The multilayered composite card of claim 1 further comprising a first clear plastic layer having information selectively written thereon, and which is attached to the first buffer layer; and a second clear plastic layer having information selectively written thereon, and which is attached to the second buffer layer, wherein the at least one window is formed within the embossed pattern to enable visibility of the information.
9. A card comprising: a core subassembly; a plurality of additional layers stacked with, and attached to, said core subassembly; an integrated circuit (IC) containing selected electronic circuits mounted on, or within, one of said plurality of additional layers; an antenna located on, or within, one of said plurality of additional layers, said antenna connected to said IC and configured to enable contactless radio frequency communication with an external device; and wherein the core subassembly comprises an embossed metallic layer having an embossed pattern formed on a top surface of a base plastic layer, wherein said embossed metallic layer includes at least one window formed within the embossed pattern, and acts as a radio frequency shield that reduces wireless receptivity of the antenna from a side of the antenna facing the embossed metallic layer.
10. The card as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one window is a laser-formed window.
11. A multilayered composite card comprising: a base plastic layer having top and bottom surfaces; an embossed metallic layer with a predetermined embossed pattern formed within the top surface of said base plastic layer; first and second clear primer layers, said first clear primer layer attached to the embossed metallic layer and the second clear primer layer attached to the bottom surface of the base plastic layer, wherein a central core region of said multilayered composite card is defined by said first clear primer layer, said embossed metallic layer, said base plastic layer, and said second clear primer layer; a first set of additional protective and buffer layers and a second set of additional protective and buffer layers; said first set attached to the first clear primer layer and the second set attached to the second clear primer layer; and a carrier layer mounted within said second set, said carrier layer including an integrated circuit (IC) containing electronic circuitry connected to an antenna configured to enable contactless radio frequency (RF) communication, wherein said embossed metallic layer acts as a radio frequency shield that reduces wireless receptivity of the antenna from a side of the antenna facing the embossed metallic layer and includes at least one window formed within the embossed pattern.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) In the accompanying drawings (which are not drawn to scale) like reference characters denote like components, and:
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
(17) Referring to
(18) A layer 22 of aluminum (or any suitable metal or metal compound such as Zinc Sulfide) may then be vapor deposited on the diffraction pattern to form a hologram. The use of vapor deposition is very significant in that it permits a very thin layer 22, a few atoms thick, to be formed on surface 21a and thus complete the formation of the hologram, using small amounts of metal. Using vapor deposition, the thickness of the layer can be made very thin so it is nearly transparent and can provide a see-through effect. Alternatively, the metal layer can be made a little thicker so as to be more opaque.
(19) As detailed in step 3 of
(20) As detailed in step 4 of
(21) In one embodiment, the base layer 21 was approximately 0.002 inches thick and the adhesive backed layers (23a, 23b) were each made to be approximately 0.0001 to 0.0003 inches thick. In other embodiments the layers 23a, 23b could be made either thinner or much thicker.
(22) In still other embodiments, adhesive layers can be coated over the buffer or carrier layer and the two (i.e., the carrier and buffer layers on each side of a holographic layer) can be combined with the holographic layer. That is, adhesive can be applied to either side of the carrier foil interface and then pre-laminated together (3 sheets laminated to become one laminate; i.e., the prelaminate prior to platen lamination. Thus, the carrier sheet can hold the sub-assemblies for transfer to substrates for forming cards.
(23) Examining
(24) As shown, for example, in step 1, the base component may be a sheet 21 of plastic (e.g., PET or OPET or polypropylene, or polystyrene, or polymethyl, methacrylate, etc . . . ) material whose thickness typically ranges from 0.0005 inches to more than 0.005 inches. In one embodiment layer 21 was made, for example, 0.002 inches thick.
(25) Then, as shown in step 2A, which may be termed an embossing step, a diffraction pattern may be formed on one side of layer 21. A diffraction pattern may be formed directly in the plastic layer 21 by embossing (e.g., stamping) pattern(s) therein. Forming the pattern in a sheet of plastic (or in an embossing layer, as discussed below) is easier and less wearing on the embossing (stamping) equipment than forming a like pattern in a metal layer.
(26) Then, as shown in step 2B a hologram is formed on one surface (21a) of plastic sheet 21 by vapor deposition of a metal layer (e.g., aluminum onto the diffraction pattern. Thus, the hologram may be formed by embossing the top surface 21a to form a diffraction pattern and then metallizing the pattern. The surface 21a may be coated by the vapor deposition of aluminum (or similar light reflective materials such as nickel, silver, zinc, or other like materials). A significant advantage of using vapor deposition (although many other methods may be used) is that very small amounts of the metal (light reflective material) need to be used to form the hologram resulting in a significant savings in the cost of manufacturing the card (or instrument). Also, very thin layers allow a controllable amount of light to pass through. This enables the manufacture of a card, or document, in which an image (hologram) formed on a card is reflected (i.e., is visible) while also enabling a viewer to see-through the image.
(27) Then, as shown in step 3 of
(28) Then, as shown in step 4 of
(29) Thus, as shown in step 4 of
(30) By forming the hologram at, and within, the core level, the hologram will not be easily, or inadvertently, damaged since several additional layers will be attached to the top and bottom of the holographic layer. It is also not subject to easily being tampered or altered. Forming the hologram at the center of the structure minimizes the possibility of tampering while fully protecting the hologram. Another significant advantage of forming the hologram at the core of the structure is that the top and bottom surfaces stay flat due to equal shrinking and/or expansion of all the layers. Note that the card structure is formed so as to be symmetrical about the core layer.
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(32) [Note that a hologram may be formed by, for example, embossing a pattern in a carrier base material (e.g., a hard polyester) or by embossing the pattern in a coating previously applied to the carrier base material, or by embossing the pattern in a metal which was previously deposited onto the base carrier material or by depositing the metal onto a soft coating and then embossing.]
(33) Referring back to
(34) The subassembly 30 may then be used to form a card, or any instrument, by attaching a layer 27a, 27b of clear or white PVC material to the top and bottom surfaces of the subassembly 30. As illustrated in
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(36) Then, as shown in
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(48) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE I Example of Steps and materials in forming core, sub assembly and card step I II III IV 1 Start with Start with Start with Start with base/central base/central layer base/central base/central layer 21/210 21 of PET/OPET layer 21/210 layer 21 of of PET/OPET material material of PET/OPET PET/OPET material material 1A Deposit Deposit embossing layer embossing 200 on one surface of layer 200 on layer 21/210 one surface of layer 21/210 2 Emboss one surface Emboss top Emboss one Emboss top surface of of base layer 21 with surface of surface of base embossing layer 200 pattern embossing layer 21 with with pattern 200a layer 200 with pattern pattern 200a 3 Vapor deposition of Vapor Vapor Vapor deposition of HRI metal 22 on pattern deposition of deposition of coating 212 on pattern metal 22 on HRI coating 212 pattern on pattern 4 Apply clear primer Apply clear Apply clear Apply primer clear coats coats 23a, 23b to primer coats primer coats 23a, 23b to top and top and bottom 23a, 23b to top 23a, 23b to top bottom Where primer Thickness: and bottom and bottom coat 23a, 23b .00002-.0002 Thickness: Thickness: Thickness: .00002-.0002 .00002-.0002 .00002-.0002 5. Form clear PE Form clear PE Form clear PE Form clear PE adhesive adhesive layers 24a, adhesive layers adhesive layers layers 24a, 24b fairly 24b-fairly thick, 24a, 24b fairly 24a, 24b fairly thick, sticky sticky thick, sticky thick, sticky Thickness: Thickness: Thickness: Thickness: .0005-.005 .0005-.005 .0005-.005 .0005-.005 6. Form clear buffer Form clear Form clear Form clear buffer layer layer 25a, 25b of buffer layer buffer layer 25a, 25b of PVC material PVC material 25a, 25b of 25a, 25b of thickness thickness PVC material PVC material .0008-.005 .0008-.005 thickness thickness .0008-.005 .0008-.005 7. Form clear white Form clear Form clear Form clear white PVC PVC layer white PVC white PVC layer white PVC layer layer 27a, 27b layer 27a, 27b 27a, 27b 27a, 27b Thickness .004 to .012 Thickness .004 to Thickness .004 Thickness .004 .012 to .012 to .012 8. Form PVC Form PVC Form PVC Form PVC laminating laminating film 29a, laminating film laminating film film 29a, 29b 29b 29a, 29b 29a, 29b Thickness .0008 to .005 Thickness .0008 to Thickness Thickness .005 .0008 to .005.sub. .0008 to .005 All dimensions in inches