METHOD FOR CHANGING AN EDGE OF A PORTABLE CARD-SHAPED DATA CARRIER

Abstract

A method for changing a geometry of an edge of a portable data carrier, wherein the geometry of the edge is changed in order to work on the edge and the outer side of the data carrier proceeding from a common side, without a spatial location of the data carrier being changed.

Claims

1.-5. (canceled)

6. A method for changing a geometry of an edge of a portable data carrier, wherein the geometry of the edge is changed in order to work on the edge and an outer side of the data carrier proceeding from a common side, without a spatial location of the data carrier being changed.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the edge is worked on by printing the edge by means of a printing method.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the edge is worked on by marking the edge by means of a laser method.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the geometry of the edge is changed such that it is diagonal and/or circular with regard to the outer side of the data carrier.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein a data carrier is employed which has in its interior at least one white foil and an overlay foil as an outermost foil.

Description

[0013] Hereinafter, advantageous embodiment examples of the invention are described.

[0014] FIG. 1 shows a schematic construction of a card-shaped data carrier according to prior art in cross section.

[0015] FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 show respectively a construction of a data carrier according to the invention having different geometrical edge forms in cross section.

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a card-shaped data carrier 2 according to prior art. The data carrier 2 comprises in the interior of the data carrier 2 e.g. two white foils 4. The white foil 4 is a dyed foil as it is commercially available. On the two outer sides of the composite, consisting of the two white foils 4, respectively an overlay foil 6 and 8 is arranged as an outermost foil layer. To e.g. print or mark the circumferential edge, it is necessary that the portable data carrier is moved such that the edge can be worked on, e.g. by means of a printing method or laser method. This is very elaborate and represents a disadvantage of the prior art, which is overcome by the present invention.

[0017] The FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 disclose respectively an embodiment example of a card-shaped data carrier 12 according to the invention having different geometrical form of an edge 24. The data carrier 12 according to the invention has two white foils 14 in its interior. A first overlay foil 16 is arranged on an upper side of the upper white foil 14. A second overlay foil 18 is arranged on an underside of the lower white foil 14. The geometrical form of the edge 24 is represented as a dashed line. The geometrical form of the edge 24 can be configured during and/or after the manufacturing of the portable data carrier 12. For this purpose, for example, mechanical methods, e.g. a milling method, are suited, or a laser method or any other suitable method to generate the geometrical form of the edge 24. The edge 24 can be printed, e.g. to create a colored border of the portable data carrier. As a further alternative, the edge 24 can e.g. be marked or personalized by means of a laser, to write e.g. user-specific data on the edge 24 of the portable data carrier 12. The effect essential to the invention is that through the geometrical form of the edge 24, at least one outer side 26, 28 as well as the edge 24 itself can e.g. be printed and/or be marked by means of a laser, without the spatial location of the portable data carrier having to be changed. A further advantage of the invention is that the edge 24 can also be manufactured and worked on after the manufacturing of the portable data carrier 12, e.g. printed and/or marked or personalized by means of a laser.

[0018] A further advantage of the invention is that the geometrical form of the edge 24 of the data carrier 12 leaves an optical impression upon viewing the data carrier 12 so that when a viewer views an outer side 26, 28 of the data carrier 12, the viewer then simultaneously sees the edge 24 and thus obtains moreover an optical impression of an e.g. colored and/or personalized edge 24 of the data carrier 12. There are different possibilities for the geometrical form of the edge 24. By way of example there are stated in the FIGS. 2 and 3 a form beveled on one side, in FIG. 4 a form beveled on both sides, and in FIG. 5 a rounded form. FIG. 2 shows how the edge 24 extends over the total height of the portable data carrier 12 and all foils of the data carrier 12, and FIG. 3 shows how the edge 24 extends only over a part of the foils or the height of the data carrier 12. All other suitable geometrical forms are likewise possible for the edge 24.

[0019] Further, it is possible that the edge 24 keeps or changes the geometrical form in its course along the first and second outer side 26 and 28 so that e.g. a circular form passes into a beveled one.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0020] 2 card-shaped data carrier according to the prior art

[0021] 4 white foil

[0022] 6 overlay foil

[0023] 8 overlay foil

[0024] 12 card-shaped data carrier according to the invention

[0025] 14 white foil

[0026] 16 overlay foil

[0027] 18 overlay foil

[0028] 24 geometrical form of the edge

[0029] 26 first outer side

[0030] 28 second outer side