Transaction card

• US 20040020992A1
• Filed: 03/21/2003
• Published: 02/05/2004
• 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 7,377,443 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/487
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/22 Fibres of short length
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/28 in the form of a mat
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/02 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/12 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2310/0831 using UV radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2425/00 Cards, e.g. identity cards, credit cards
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/10 characterised by the pressing technique, e.g. using action of vacuum or fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/145 Printing
• 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 25/318 Signatures
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/328 Diffraction gratings; Holograms
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/351 Translucent or partly translucent parts, e.g. windows
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/369 Magnetised or magnetisable materials
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/382 absorbing or reflecting infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/455 using heat
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/46 using pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/47 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/475 Cutting cards
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2250/12 : Special arrangement of layers
• 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 19/0723 : the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 : Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• 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 7/0008 : General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• 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 transaction card comprising:

a first layer comprising a first polymer wherein the first layer further comprises a machine recognizable compound;

a second layer extrusion coated to said first layer,

wherein said card is transparent or translucent.

2. The card of claim 1 wherein the first 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 1 wherein said second layer comprises ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.

8. The card of claim 7 wherein said ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer is acid modified.

9. The card of claim 1 further comprising:

a third layer extrusion coated to the first layer wherein said third layer is an acid-modified ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.

10. The card of claim 9 further comprising:

a fourth layer comprising polyvinylchloride laminated to the second layer.

11. The card of claim 10 further comprising:

a fifth layer comprising polyvinylchloride laminated to the third layer of acid-modified ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.

12. The card of claim 11 further comprising:

a first outer layer comprising polyvinylchloride laminated to the fourth layer of polyvinylchloride.

13. The card of claim 12 further comprising:

a second layer comprising polyvinylchloride laminated to the fifth layer of polyvinylchloride.

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

providing a first layer comprising a machine readable compound;

coextruding a second layer to said first layer,

wherein said card is transparent or translucent.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of:

coextruding a third layer to said first layer.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said second layer comprises acid-modified ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said third layer comprises acid-modified ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

laminating a first polyvinylchloride layer to said second layer.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of:

laminating a second polyvinylchloride layer to said third layer.

20. 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 and further wherein said plurality of layers are laminated together.

21. The card of claim 20 wherein the second layer comprises an optical film wherein said optical film is machine recognizable.

22. The card of claim 21 wherein said optical film comprises a plurality of layers.

23. The card of claim 21 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.

24. The card of claim 21 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.

25. The card of claim 24 wherein the optical film comprises a plurality of layers wherein said first polymeric material and said second polymeric material alternate.

26. The card of claim 21 further comprising:

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

27. The card of claim 26 wherein said first and third layers comprise polyvinylchloride.

28. The card of claim 26 further comprising a fourth layer of a printed polymeric material disposed between said first and second layers.

29. The card of claim 28 wherein said fourth layer comprises printed polyvinylchloride.

30. The card of claim 28 further comprising a fifth layer of a fifth polymer disposed between said fourth and second layers.

31. The card of claim 30 wherein said fifth layer comprises oriented polyvinylchloride.

32. The card of claim 30 further comprising:

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

33. The card of claim 32 wherein said sixth layer comprises a polyester having an adhesive disposed on each side of said polyester.

34. The card of claim 21 wherein said optical film is disposed in the center of the plurality of layers.

35. The card of claim 20 wherein said second layer comprises a film having an ink disposed thereon wherein said ink is machine recognizable.

36. The card of claim 35 wherein said ink in printed onto said second layer.

37. The card of claim 35 wherein said ink comprises an infrared radiation blocking material but allows visible light through the plurality of layers.

38. The card of claim 35 further comprising a third layer of a third polymer wherein said first and third layers form outside surfaces of said card.

39. The card of claim 38 wherein said first and third layers comprise polyvinylchloride.

40. The card of claim 38 further comprising:

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

41. The card of claim 39 wherein said fourth layer comprises printed polyvinylchloride.

42. The card of claim 35 wherein said second layer is disposed in the center of the plurality of layers.

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

bonding 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.

44. The method of claim 43 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.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein said second layer comprises an optical film wherein said optical film is machine recognizable.

46. The method of claim 43 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.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein said second layer comprises a machine recognizable ink.