Security card and method for making same

• US 5,688,738 A
• Filed: 06/18/1996
• Issued: 11/18/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Company
• Original Assignee: 3M Company
• Inventors: Lu, Shih-Lai
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess, Bruce H.
• Application Number:
  US08/668,587
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 156/235, 156/237, 283/94, 283/107, 283/109, 283/110, 283/904, 283/67, 283/70, 428/195, 428/203, 428/204, 428/206, 428/207, 428/212, 428/213, 428/215, 428/480, 428/483, 428/500, 428/913, 428/914, 503/227
• US Class Current: 503/227
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/30 Fillers, e.g. particles, powders, beads, flakes, spheres, chips
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/4026 within the layer by addition of a colorant, e.g. pigments, dyes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/412 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/416 Reflective
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/702 Amorphous
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/02 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/04 Time
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2327/06 PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2367/00 Polyesters, e.g. PET, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate
• 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 27/30 comprising vinyl (co)polymers; comprising acrylic (co)polymers
• 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: B32B 27/36 comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/14 Printing or colouring
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/14 Security printing securities B42D25/29
• 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 25/23 Identity cards
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/36 comprising special materials
• 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: C09K 2323/06 : Substrate layer characterised by chemical composition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/904 : Credit card
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/913 : Material designed to be responsive to temperature, light, moisture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/914 : Transfer or decalcomania
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 : Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24868 : Translucent outer layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24876 : Intermediate layer contains particulate material [e.g., pigment, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24901 : including coloring matter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24917 : including metal layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24967 : Absolute thicknesses specified
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31786 : Of polyester [e.g., alkyd, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31797 : Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31855 : Of addition polymer from unsaturated monomers

Abstract

A security card comprising a backing, a cover film, and a security image, the security image being located between the backing and the cover film, the backing and the cover film being laminated together without an intermediate adhesive layer, wherein the backing comprises an amorphous copolyester or polyvinyl chloride, and the cover film comprises the other of polyvinyl chloride or an amorphous copolyester. Also, a method for making such security cards.

Claims

1. A security card comprising a backing, a cover sheet, and a security image, said security image being located between said backing and said cover sheet, said backing and said cover sheet being laminated together without an intermediate adhesive layer, wherein said backing comprises an amorphous copolyester or polyvinyl chloride on at least its first side, and said cover film comprises the other of polyvinyl chloride or an amorphous copolyester on at least its first side, the first side of said backing being laminated to the first side of cover sheet, said security image being visible through said cover sheet and comprising one or more colored dyes diffused into the surface of said polyvinyl chloride member.

2. The card of claim 1 wherein said backing comprises amorphous copolyester and said cover sheet comprises polyvinyl chloride.

3. The card of claim 1 wherein said backing is between about 500 and 550 micrometers thick.

4. The card of claim 1 wherein said cover sheet is between about 175 and about 250 micrometers thick.

5. The card of claim 1 wherein said card is between about 675 and about 825 micrometers thick.

6. The card of claim 1 wherein said amorphous copolyester is a copolymer of ethylene glycol, cyclohexanedimethanol, and terephthalic acid.

7. The card of claim 1 wherein said amorphous copolyester is a copolymer of terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, sebacic acid, ethylene glycol, and neopentyl glycol.

8. The card of claim 1 further comprising verification images disposed between said cover sheet and said backing.

9. The card of claim 8 wherein said verification images comprise partially transparent, specularly reflective material.

10. The card of claim 8 wherein said verification images comprise pearlescent particles in a transparent binder.

11. The card of claim 1 wherein said cover sheet comprises lens elements protruding from the front surface thereof.

12. The card of claim 1 further comprising at least one secondary image on the outer surface of at least one of said cover sheet or said backing.

13. The card of claim 12 wherein said secondary image is covered.

14. A security card consisting of a backing, a cover sheet, and a security image, said security image being located between said backing and said cover sheet, said backing and said cover sheet being laminated together without an intermediate adhesive layer,

wherein said backing comprises an amorphous copolyester or polyvinyl chloride on at least its first side, and said cover sheet comprises the other of polyvinyl chloride or an amorphous copolyester on at least its first side, the first side of said backing being laminated to the first side of said cover sheet, and

wherein said image comprises a dye diffused into the surface of the polyvinyl chloride member.

15. A method for making a security card, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a first sheet having first and second sides, said first sheet comprising polyvinyl chloride on at least said first side;

b) forming an image on said first side of said first sheet via thermal dye transfer;

c) providing a second sheet having first and second sides, said second sheet comprising an amorphous copolyester on said first side;

d) applying heat and pressure to laminate said first side of said second sheet to said first side of first sheet so as to encapsulate said image and laminate said first sheet to said sheet substantially without causing said amorphous copolyester to crystallize;

wherein at least one of said first sheet and said second sheet is transparent such that said image is visible therethrough.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said second sheet comprises a copolymer of ethylene glycol, cyclohexanedimethanol, and terephthalic acid.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said second sheet comprises a copolymer of terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, sebacic acid, ethylene glycol, and neopentyl glycol.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said transparent sheet comprises lens elements protruding from the second side thereof.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein sufficient heat to raise the temperature of said first side of said first sheet and the temperature of said first side of said second sheet to between about 120°

and about 150°

C. is applied.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein said heat and pressure are applied for less than about 1 minute.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein said applying of heat and pressure is performed with a desk top type laminator.

22. The method of claim 15 further comprising forming a secondary image on the outer surface of at least one of said first sheet or said second sheet.