Transaction card

• US 20020145049A1
• Filed: 01/31/2002
• Published: 10/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Lasch, Ellen, Webb, Lisa, Vigiletti, Judy, Faenza, William J. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 6,749,123 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/488
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/04 Transparent material
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/06 Translucent material
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/369 Magnetised or magnetisable materials
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/382 absorbing or reflecting infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 13/08 Feeding or discharging cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/02 characterised by the selection of materials, e.g. to avoid wear during transport through the machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/08 using markings of different kinds or more than one marking of the same kind in the same record carrier, e.g. one marking being sensed by optical and the other by magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/16 the marking being a hologram or diffraction grating
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0013 by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers connectors in general H01R13/00; connectors for SIM cards used in mobile phones or the like H04B1/3816
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/084 sensing magnetic material by relative movement detecting flux changes without altering its magnetised state
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0833 Card having specific functional components

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for producing an opaque, transparent or translucent transaction card having multiple features, such as a holographic foil, integrated circuit chip, silver magnetic stripe with text on the magnetic stripe, opacity gradient, an invisible optically recognizable compound, a translucent signature field such that the signature on back of the card is visible from the front of the card and an active thru date on the front of the card. The invisible optically recognizable compound is an infrared ink and/or film, which can be detected by a sensor found in an ATM or card assembly line.

Claims

1. A card comprising:

a plurality of layers wherein a first layer comprises a first polymer and a second layer comprises a second polymer wherein the second layer further comprises a machine recognizable compound, wherein said plurality of layers is transparent or translucent.

2. The card of claim 1 wherein the second layer comprises an optical film wherein said optical film is machine recognizable.

3. The card of claim 2 wherein said optical film comprises a plurality of layers.

4. The card of claim 2 wherein said optical film comprises a first layer of a first polymeric material having a first index of refraction and a second layer of a second polymeric material having a second index of refraction that is different from the first material.

5. The card of claim 2 wherein said optical film blocks infrared radiation from being transmitted through the plurality of layers but allows visible light to be transmitted through the plurality of layers.

6. The card of claim 4 wherein the optical film comprises a plurality of layers wherein said first polymeric material and said second polymeric material alternate.

7. The card of claim 2 further comprising:

a third layer of a third polymer wherein said first and third layers form outside surfaces of said card.

8. The card of claim 7 wherein said first and third layers comprise polyvinylchloride.

9. The card of claim 7 further comprising a fourth layer of a printed polymeric material disposed between said first and second layers.

10. The card of claim 9 wherein said fourth layer comprises printed polyvinylchloride.

11. The card of claim 9 further comprising a fifth layer of a fifth polymer disposed between said fourth and second layers.

12. The card of claim 11 wherein said fifth layer comprises oriented polyvinylchloride.

13. The card of claim 11 further comprising:

a sixth layer of a sixth polymer disposed between said fifth layer and said second layer.

14. The card of claim 13 wherein said sixth layer comprises a polyester having an adhesive disposed on each side of said polyester.

15. The card of claim 2 wherein said optical film is disposed in the center of the plurality of layers.

16. The card of claim 1 wherein said second layer comprises a film having an ink disposed thereon wherein said ink is machine recognizable.

17. The card of claim 16 wherein said ink in printed onto said second layer.

18. The card of claim 16 wherein said ink comprises an infrared radiation blocking material but allows visible light through the plurality of layers.

19. The card of claim 16 further comprising a third layer of a third polymer wherein said first and third layers form outside surfaces of said card.

20. The card of claim 19 wherein said first and third layers comprise polyvinylchloride.

21. The card of claim 19 further comprising:

a fourth layer of a fourth polymer disposed between said first and second layers.

22. The card of claim 20 wherein said fourth layer comprises printed polyvinylchloride.

23. The card of claim 16 wherein said second layer is disposed in the center of the plurality of layers.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising the steps of:

applying a pressure of about 170 psi and a temperature of about 300°

F. in a first step to the plurality of layers for a period of about 24 minutes; and

applying a pressure of about 400 psi and a temperature of about 57°

F. in a second step to the plurality of layers for a period of about 16 minutes.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said second layer comprises an optical film wherein said optical film is machine recognizable.

27. The method of claim 24 further comprising the steps of:

applying a pressure of about 1000 psi and a temperature of about 300°

F. in a first step to the plurality of layers for a period of about 90 seconds;

applying a pressure of about 350 psi and a temperature of about 300°

F. in a second step to the plurality of layers for a period of about 16 minutes; and

applying a pressure of about 400 psi and a temperature of about 57°

F. in a third step to the plurality of layers for a period of about 16 minutes.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said second layer comprises a machine recognizable ink.

24. A method of making a card comprising the steps of:

disposing a plurality of layers together wherein said plurality of layers comprises a first layer of a first polymer and a second layer of a second polymer wherein said second layer comprises a machine readable compound and further wherein said plurality of layers are transparent or translucent; and

laminating said plurality of layers together.