Security card and method for making same

• US 6,110,864 A
• Filed: 11/12/1997
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Lu, Shih-Lai
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess, Bruce H.
• Application Number:
  US08/969,045
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 156/235, 156/237, 283/67, 283/70, 283/94, 283/107, 283/109, 283/110, 283/904, 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, 428/1, 428/209, 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 card comprising an amorphous copolyester layer laminated directly to a polyvinyl chloride layer without an intermediate adhesive, at least one of the layers having an at least partially transparent security image that includes a specularly reflective material within the card that is visible through at least one of the layers.

2. The card of claim 1, wherein the polyvinyl chloride layer is rigid, and the amorphous copolyester layer is flexible.

3. The card of claim 1, wherein the polyvinyl chloride layer comprises titanium dioxide to provide whiteness.

4. The card of claim 1, wherein the security image is provided by thermal dye transfer.

5. The card of claim 4, wherein the security image comprises dyes of three colors.

6. The card of claim 1, wherein the amorphous copolyester layer is covered by an abrasion resistant material.

7. The card of claim 1, wherein each major surface of the amorphous copolyester layer is laminated to a polyvinyl chloride layer.

8. The card of claim 1, wherein each major surface of the polyvinyl chloride layer is laminated to an amorphous copolyester layer.

9. The card of claim 1, wherein the polyvinyl chloride layer is also laminated to a vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate copolymer layer.

10. The card of claim 1, wherein the card further comprises a microstructured lens layer.

11. The card of claim 10, wherein the lenses are generally hemispheroidal.

12. The card of claim 10, wherein the lens layer is provided by a curable resin.

13. The card of claim 1, wherein the specularly reflective material includes a liquid crystal polymer.

14. The card of claim 1, wherein the specularly reflective material includes a multilayer high index dielectric coating.

15. The card of claim 1, wherein the specularly reflective material includes a microstructured totally internally reflective material.

16. The card of claim 1, wherein the specularly reflective material includes a pearlescent ink.

17. The card of claim 1, wherein the card further includes a secondary image proved on one of the layers.

18. The card of claim 17, wherein the secondary image includes at least one of a printed image, printed alphanumerics, and a hologram.

19. The card of claim 1, wherein the card further includes a magnetic stripe.

20. The card of claim 1, wherein the card further includes an electronically interactive circuit.

21. The card of claim 1, wherein the card is made by the process of obtaining an electronic image, transmitting the image to a printer, providing the image on the polyvinyl chloride layer, and laminating the polyvinyl chloride and amorphous copolyester layers to each other under heat and pressure.

22. The card of claim 21, wherein the image is provided on the card by diffusing at least one dye into the polyvinyl chloride layer in the presence of heat.

23. The card of claim 21, wherein the process further includes the step of die cutting a card of a desired size following the lamination step.

24. The card of claim 1, wherein one of the layers is between about 500 and 550 micrometers thick, and the other layer is between about 175 and about 250 micrometers thick.

25. The card of claim 1, wherein the card is between about 675 and about 825 micrometers thick.

26. The card of claim 1, wherein the amorphous copolyester is a copolymer of ethylene glycol, cyclohexanedimethanol, and therephthalic acid.

27. The card of claim 26, wherein the amorphous copolyester is a copolymer of terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, sebacic acid, ethylene glycol, and neopentyl glycol.

28. The card of claim 1, wherein the security image is provided by pigment.