Security improved card

• US 5,700,037 A
• Filed: 01/16/1996
• Issued: 12/23/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John A. Keller
• Original Assignee: John A. Keller
• Inventors: Keller, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Andrea L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KROLIKOWSKI, JULIE
• Application Number:
  US08/587,335
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 283/107, 283/108, 283/109, 283/110, 283/111, 283/904, 283/112, 283/901, 283/99, 283/91, 283/92, 283/93, 283/94, 283/74, 283/75, 283/77, 283/86
• US Class Current: 283/107
• 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 25/30 Identification or security features, e.g. for preventing forgery
• 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 283/901 Concealed data
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/904 Credit card

Abstract

A security improved credit, debit, pass, or cash card is a colorless and transparent semirigid plastic card member with non reflective faces, with no permanent imprinting on the card member to visually identify an issuer, an owner or a card number, but with temporary identification that can be removed by the owner of the card and can be visually read only when backed by an opaque sheet. The card has a bending line across a face of the card member that is a slit through the card with a hinge of flexible plastic film attached over the slit. The card has an opening cut through the card member to allow a person'"'"'s finger nail to engage the opening to pull the card from a wallet or to attach the card on a shirt button.

Claims

1. A security improved card comprising:

(a) a semirigid plastic card member comprising a length, parallel lengthwise edges, a width, parallel widthwise edges, a front face, and a rear face,

(b) at least one strip on the rear face comprising means to encode a readable message in the strip, and

(c) bending means permanently and integrally formed with the card member and disposed along at least one straight line across a face of the card member parallel with at least one edge, said means providing reduced resistance to bending along said straight line to allow the card to be folded over and cover the strip repeatedly.

2. The card of claim 1 wherein the bending means is along a single straight line parallel with the lengthwise edges.

3. The card of claim 1 wherein the bending means is along a single straight line parallel with the widthwise edges.

4. The card of claim 1 wherein the bending means is along two straight lines parallel with the lengthwise edges proximately dividing the card member in thirds.

5. The card of claim 1 wherein the bending means comprises a plurality of linear sections of depressions impressed along the line into the rear face of the card member.

6. The card of claim 1 wherein the bending means comprises a plurality of linear sections of depressions impressed into the rear face of the card member, the sections being in two rows adjacent to the line.

7. The card of claim 1 wherein a slit disposed in the card member along the line, wherein the card member further comprises a layer permanently attached to at least one face and covering the slit, and wherein the bending means comprises a portion of the layer extending over the slit.

8. The card of claim 7 wherein the layer covers the entire rear face of the card member.

9. The card of claim 1 further comprising a distinct edge layer disposed along at least one edge which is color coded to identify the issuer of the card.

10. The card of claim 1 further comprising an opening cut into or through the card member proximate an edge of the card member, the opening being of sufficient size and shape to allow a person'"'"'s finger nail to engage the opening to pull the card from a wallet.

11. The card of claim 10 wherein the opening is cut through the card and is of sufficient size to allow a shirt button to pass though the opening.

12. The card of claim 10 further comprising a passage through the card member opening the opening through to said edge of the card member, wherein the passage is of a sufficient size and shape to allow a stitching of a button sewn on a garment to pass through the passage to the opening.

13. The card of claim 10 further comprising a notch cut out of said edge of the card member proximate the opening and positioned to align with the opening when the card member is folded along the bending means.

14. The card of claim 1 wherein the card member is colorless and transparent and the faces are of a non-reflective surface with no permanent imprinting on the card member to visually identify an issuer, an owner or a card number, and the card further comprises means on at least one face of the card member to visually identify the issuer, the owner, and the card number in a manner that can be removed by the owner of the card.

15. The card of claim 14 wherein said means comprises a removable adhesively attached colorless transparent sheet on one face of the card member with indicia to identify the issuer, the owner, and the card number.

16. The card of claim 15 wherein the indicia is printed by means which allow the indicia to be read only when backed by an opaque sheet of a particular chosen color.

17. The card of claim 14 further comprising a holograph that does not identify the issuer of the card, but does allow verification of the genuineness of the card.

18. A security improved card comprising:

(a) a colorless and transparent semirigid plastic card member comprising a length, parallel lengthwise edges, a width, parallel widthwise edges, a non-reflective front face, and a non-reflective rear face,

(b) identifying means comprising indicia on at least one face of the card member to visually identify an issuer, an owner, and a card number,

wherein the indicia can be read only when backed by an opaque sheet of a particular chosen color, and

(c) at least one strip on a face comprising means to encode a readable message in the strip.

19. The card of claim 18 wherein the identifying means can be removed by an owner of the card.

20. The card of claim 19 wherein said faces having no permanent imprinting to visually identify the issuer, the owner or the card number.

21. The card of claim 19 wherein said identifying means comprises a removable adhesively attached colorless transparent sheet on one face of the card member with indicia to identify the issuer, the owner, and the card number.

22. The card of claim 18 further comprising a holograph that does not identify the issuer of the card, but does allow verification of the genuineness of the card.

23. The card of claim 18 further comprising bending means along at least one straight line across a face of the card member parallel with at least one edge, said means providing reduced resistance to bending along said straight line to allow the card member to be folded and cover the strip.

24. The card of claim 18 further comprising an opening cut into the card member proximate an edge of the card member, the opening being of sufficient size and shape to allow a person'"'"'s finger nail to engage the opening to pull the card from a wallet.

25. The card of claim 24 wherein the opening is of sufficient size to allow a shirt button to pass though the opening.

26. A security improved card comprising:

(a) a semirigid plastic card member comprising a length, parallel lengthwise edges, a width, parallel widthwise edges, a front face, and a rear face,

(b) at least one strip on the rear face comprising means to encode a readable message in the strip, and

(c) a crescent-shaped opening cut into the card member proximate an edge of the card member, the opening being of sufficient size and shape to allow;

(i) a person'"'"'s finger nail to engage the opening to pull the card from a wallet, and

(ii) a shirt button to pass though the opening.

27. The card of claim 26 further comprising a passage through the card member opening the opening through to said edge of the card member, wherein the pass-sage is of a sufficient size and shape to allow a stitching of a button sewn on a garment to pass through the passage to the opening.

28. The card of claim 26 further comprising bending means along at least one straight line across a face of the card member parallel with at least one edge, said means providing reduced resistance to bending along said straight line to allow the card member to be folded and cover the strip.

29. The card of claim 28 further comprising a notch cut out of said edge of the card member proximate the opening and positioned to align with the opening when the card member is folded along the bending means.

30. The card of claim 26 wherein a section of said edge is color coded to identify the location of the opening.

31. The card of claim 26 wherein the card member is colorless and transparent and the faces are of a non reflective surface with no permanent imprinting on the card member to visually identify an issuer, an owner or a card number, and the card further comprises means on at least one face of the card member to visually identify the issuer, the owner, and the card number in a manner that can be removed by the owner of the card.

32. A security improved card comprising:

(a) a colorless and transparent semirigid plastic card member comprising a length, parallel lengthwise edges, a width, parallel widthwise edges, a non reflective front face, and a non reflective rear face,

(b) identifying means on at least one face of the card member to visually identify an issuer, an owner, and a card number, wherein said means can be visually read only when backed by an opaque sheet of a particular chosen color,

(c) at least one strip on the rear face comprising means to encode a readable message in the strip,

(d) bending means along a single straight line across a face of the card member parallel with the lengthwise edges, said means comprising a slit through the card member along the line and a strip of flexible plastic film attached over the entire rear face of the card member, and

(e) an opening cut through the card member proximate and edge of the card member, the opening comprising a sufficient size and shape to allow;

(i) a person'"'"'s finger nail to engage the opening to pull the card from a wallet, and

(ii) a shirt button sewn on a garment to pass through the opening.