Credit card and method of making the same

• US 4,897,533 A
• Filed: 07/31/1987
• Issued: 01/30/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: National Business Systems Incorporated (Output Services Group, Inc.), QualTeq Incorporated (Versatile Card Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: National Business Systems Incorporated (Output Services Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lyszczarz, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trafton, David L.
• Application Number:
  US07/079,921
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 235/454, 235/488, 235/487, 235/493, 283/91, 283/109, 283/904, 283/111, 428/916
• US Class Current: 235/487
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/04 Transparent material
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/10 Metallic material
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/16 Magnetic or magnetisable material
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/18 Reflecting material
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/30 Plastic material
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/32 Other 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 25/373 Metallic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/387 absorbing or reflecting ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/41 using electromagnetic radiation B42D25/435 takes precedence
• 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: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/904 Credit card

Abstract

An improved credit card having a clear, unbroken metallized surface with printed graphics thereon which is scratch resistant and a method of making the same are disclosed. The method involves heat transferring a metallized foil to a first surface of a plastic substrate, silk-screen printing over the metallized foil with ultraviolet curable ink, drying the ink with ultraviolet light and overlaminating the printed foil with a clear polyester film coated with a heat-activated adhesive or coating it with an ultraviolet curable varnish which is cured by applying ultraviolet light to the coating. The plastic substrate is in the form of a large sheet from which a plurality of cards are die cut after the printing and application of the transparent film. A magnetic tape is then applied to the back of each card.

Claims

1. A credit card comprising a plastic substrate in the form of a card, a metal containing layer in the form of a metallic foil overlayed on at least substantially all of a first surface of said plastic substrate and having printed ink graphics thereon formed of an ultraviolet curable ink, and a transparent film located on said metallic foil.

2. A credit card according to claim 1, further comprising identifying information means located on said card.

3. A credit card according to claim 2, wherein said identifying information means is a magnetic tape which is attached to said card on a second surface of said plastic substrate opposite said first surface of said substrate.

4. A credit card according to claim 1, wherein said metal containing layer is bonded to said first surface of said substrate.

5. A credit card according to claim 1, wherein said metal containing layer covers the entire first surface of said substrate.

6. A credit card according to claim 1, wherein said transparent film is bonded to said metal containing layer.

7. A credit card according to claim 6, wherein said transparent film is formed of an ultraviolet curable varnish.

8. A credit card according to claim 6, wherein said transparent film is a polyester film.

9. A credit card according to claim 1, wherein said card comprises a transparent plastic film overlayed on a second surface of said substrate opposite said first surface.

10. A credit card according to claim 1, wherein said metal containing layer is a reflective, smooth, continuous layer which has printed ink graphics provided thereon.

11. A method of making a credit card with a scratch resistant metallic surface comprising the steps of providing a plastic substrate, applying a metal containing layer in the form of a metallic foil to at least substantially all of a first surface of said plastic substrate, printing ink graphics with an ultraviolet curable ink on said metal containing layer, curing the ink graphics by applying ultraviolet light thereto and providing said printed metal containing layer with a transparent film over it to protect said metal containing layer without breaking said layer.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said metal containing layer is bonded to said first surface of said plastic substrate during said applying step.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein said foil is initially adhered to a carrier film via a release agent, the surface of said foil to be bonded to said first surface of said plastic substrate being coated with a heat-activated adhesive, and wherein said foil is bonded to said first surface of said plastic substrate under the application of heat and pressure to adhesively bond said foil to the first surface of said plastic substrate and release the foil from said carrier film.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein said metal containing layer covers all of said first surface of said credit card.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein said graphics are silk-screen printed on said metal containing layer.

16. A method according to claim 12, including eliminating static electricity from said layer and plastic substrate during said printing.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein said transparent film is an ultraviolet curable varnish which is applied to said metal containing layer having printed graphics thereon and is cured by application of ultraviolet light.

18. A method according to claim 11, wherein said transparent film is a clear polyester film which is coated with a heat-activated adhesive on one surface thereof for bonding to said metal containing layer.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein said heat-activated adhesive is heated and said clear polyester film is bonded to said metal containing layer of said plastic substrate by conveying said substrate and film between opposed nip rollers to press said film against said layer.

20. A method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of printing a second surface of said plastic substrate opposite said first surface and applying a layer of clear vinyl over said printed second surface prior to applying said metal containing layer to said first surface of said plastic substrate.

21. A method according to claim 11, wherein said plastic substrate is in the form of a large sheet containing a plurality of credit cards, individual credit cards being die cut to card size from said sheet after said step of providing the metal containing layer with a transparent film.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein a magnetic tape is applied to a second surface of each card which is opposite said first surface after the credit cards are die cut from said large sheet.

23. A method according to claim 11, including press polishing said first surface of said substrate before providing said metal containing layer thereon.

24. A credit card made by the method of claim 11.