Multi-layer identification card

• US 4,617,216 A
• Filed: 08/19/1985
• Issued: 10/14/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GAO Gesellschaft Fur Automation und Organisation mbH
• Original Assignee: GAO Gesellschaft Fur Automation und Organisation mbH
• Inventors: Hoppe, Joachim, Haghiri-Tehrani, Yahya
• Primary Examiner(s): McCamish, Marion C.
• Application Number:
  US06/767,057
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 428/67, 428/76, 428/138, 428/201, 428/901, 428/203, 428/916, 235/488, 40/2.2
• US Class Current: 428/67
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2425/00 Cards, e.g. identity cards, credit cards
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/10 of paper or cardboard
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/304 comprising vinyl halide (co)polymers, e.g. PVC, PVDC, PVF, PVDF
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/32 comprising polyolefins comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07728 the record carrier comprising means for protection against impact or bending, e.g. protective shells or stress-absorbing layers around the integrated circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07745 Mounting details of integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/904 Credit card
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/901 Printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/916 Fraud or tamper detecting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/22 Nonparticulate element embedded or inlaid in substrate and visible
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/239 Complete cover or casing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24331 including nonapertured component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24868 Translucent outer layer

Abstract

An identification card equipped with an integrated circuit, in which the circuit along with its connection leads is arranged on a carrier element which is embeddedly enclosed by the card on all sides by use of the hot lamination technique. In order to protect the sensitive arrangement, the carrier element is subjected to the full laminating pressure only when one or more layers in the card construction have softened.

This is achieved, for example, by providing buffer zones in the card laminate at least in the area of the arrangement in the form of cavities or layers that are easy to deform elastically. The buffer zones protect the arrangement from local pressure peaks in the initial phase of the laminating process. It is also possible to control the laminating pressure as a function of the temperature or the degree of softening of the card layers.

Claims

1. A multi-layer data card containing accessible, electronically encoded data comprising:

a card composite having an internal core layer (11, 23,

     36) and at least one covering layer (12, 13, 20, 26, 32,

     40) laminated by means of heat and pressure on said core layer along one entire side thereof, said core layer having a recess;

a carrier element (6,

     27) having a data containing IC-module member (5), said carrier element being small relative to the size of the card and further containing access means (7) confined to said carrier element by which the data in said module member can be accessed, said carrier element being received within said recess and laminated into the card composite such that said covering layer is generally planar in the region of said carrier element; and

a material (17, 21/22, 24/25, 33/34, 38/39) completely surrounding said carrier element and completely occupying the portion of said recess not occupied by said carrier element, said surrounding material being different from the material of the core layer and having a softening point lower than that of said core layer, said surrounding material being soft and elastic under conditions of card manufacture and use for protecting said carrier element against mechanical stresses.

2. A card according to claim 1 including an intermediate layer (17, 21, 22, 24, 25, 33, 34, 38, 39) laminated between said core layer and said covering layer and coextensive with said core and covering layers, and wherein said surrounding material comprises material from said intermediate layer.

3. A card according to claim 2 wherein said intermediate layer is comprised of polyethylene.

4. A card according to claim 2 wherein said intermediate layer is comprised of polyurethane.

5. A card according to claim 2 wherein said core layer comprises paper (23) having a polyethylene film (22, 24) on a side, said covering layer comprises a polyvinylchloride layer (20, 26) having a polyethylene film (21, 25) on the inner surface thereof so that said abutting polyethylene films (21/22, 24/25), in the fused condition, form said intermediate layer (FIG. 4).

6. A card according to claim 2, wherein said core layer (36) is formed of one of polyvinylchloride or paper, said covering layer (32, 40)0 is formed of polyester coated with polyethylene (33, 39) on the inner surface, and said card has a compound film of polyethylene (34, 38) and polyvinylchloride (35, 37) between said layers with said polyethylene films abutting, said opposing films of polyethylene (33/34, 38/39) forming, in the fused condition, said intermediate layer (FIG. 5).

7. A card according to claim 1 wherein said material is comprised of polyethylene.