Visible image magnetic card

• US 4,707,593 A
• Filed: 05/23/1986
• Issued: 11/17/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pilot Man-Nen-Hitsu Kabushiki Kaisha (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated), Kabushiki Kaisha Pilot Corporation, Nippon Signal Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Pilot Man-Nen-Hitsu Kabushiki Kaisha (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated), Nippon Signal Company Limited
• Inventors: Yokoyama, Takeo, Murata, Yasuzo, Wada, Hiroyuki, Sakurai, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US06/866,418
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 235/487, 235/493
• US Class Current: 235/487
• 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 25/351 Translucent or partly translucent parts, e.g. windows
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/369 Magnetised or magnetisable materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06187 with magnetically detectable marking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/904 Credit card

Abstract

A visible image magnetic card employing a magnetic recording sheet having a sandwich of a magnetic recording layer and a base sheet. A display sheet has a transparent display area with a display cell is formed between the display sheet and the magnetic recording sheet. The cell houses a mixture of magnetic particles and a transparent or translucent fine fluidizing powder.

Claims

1. A visible image magnetic card comprising;

a magnetic recording sheet comprising a magnetic recording layer and a base sheet, a display sheet having a transparent display area, a display cell formed between said magnetic recording sheet and said display sheet, said display cell having confined therein a mixture of magnetic particles and a transparent or translucent fine fluidizing powder.

2. A visible image magnetic card according to claim 1 wherein said base sheet is light-reflective.

3. A visible image magnetic card according to claim 1 wherein said display area is smaller than the area of said display cell.

4. A visible image magnetic card according to claim 1 wherein said display cell is formed by a substrate with an opening which is sandwiched between said magnetic recording sheet and said display sheet.

5. A visible image magnetic card according to claim 4 wherein each of said base sheet, said display sheet and said substrate with an opening is a plastic sheet.

6. A visible image magnetic card according to claim 1 wherein said display cell has a thickness of 50 to 1,000 microns.

7. A visible image magnetic card according to claim 1 wherein said magnetic particles comprise a material selected from the group consisting of iron, nickel, stainless steel, permalloy, tri-iron tetroxide, gamma-iron oxide and ferrite.

8. A visible image magnetic card according to claim 1 wherein said magnetic particles have a size range of 10 to 100 microns.

9. A visible magnetic card according to claim 1 wherein said magnetic particles account for 1 to 50% of the volume of the display cell.

10. A visible image magnetic card according to claim 1 wherein said fine fluidizing powder is comprised of a material selected form the group consisting of silicic anhydride, a silicate salt, aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, calcium carbonate, basic magnesium carbonate, titanium oxide, colloidal silica, colloidal alumina, tin oxide, zinc oxide and cuprous iodide.

11. A visible image magnetic card according to claim 10 wherein said fine fluidizing powder is electrically conductive.

12. A visible image magnetic card according to claim 1 wherein said fine fluidizing powder consists of particles no larger than 5 microns in size.

13. A visible image magnetic card according to claim 1 wherein said fine fluidizing powder is present in an amount of 0.1 to 10 parts by weight for 100 parts by weight of said magnetic particles.

14. A visible image magnetic card of claim 7 wherein said magnetic particles are granulated to permit rotation.

15. A visible image magnetic card of claim 1 wherein said magnetic particles are pigmented to a color.

16. A visible image magnetic card of claim 2 wherein said base sheet has a light reflectance of at least 50%.

17. A visible image magnetic card of claim 1 further comprising a spacer between said display sheet and said base sheet.