Security card comprising a thin glass layer

• US 6,268,058 B1
• Filed: 04/23/1999
• Issued: 07/31/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: InnoLux Corporation
• Original Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert N.V.
• Inventors: Verlinden, Bart, Tahon, Jean-Pierre, Van Gorp, Herman, Vermeulen, Leo
• Primary Examiner(s): MULVANEY, ELIZABETH EVANS
• Application Number:
  US09/296,381
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 428/426, 428/432, 428/433, 428/688, 428/689, 428/913, 428/64.1, 428/64.4, 428/64.5, 430/270.12, 430/495.1, 430/945, 369/283, 369/288
• US Class Current: 428/426
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10018 comprising only one glass sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10165 Functional features of the laminated safety glass or glazing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10174 Coatings of a metallic or dielectric material on a constituent layer of glass or polymer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/1033 Laminated safety glass or glazing containing temporary protective coatings or layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10981 Pre-treatment of the layers
• 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: G02B 1/116 including electrically conducting layers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G03C 1/795 the base being of macromolecular substances G03C1/775 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03C 1/7954 Polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: G03C 1/853 Inorganic compounds, e.g. metals
• CPC Class Codes: G03C 1/91 characterised by subbing layers or subbing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/02 characterised by the selection of materials, e.g. to avoid wear during transport through the machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/041 Constructional details G06K19/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06009 with optically detectable marking G06K19/063, G06K19/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49855 for flat-cards, e.g. credit cards cards per se G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/562 Protection against mechanical damage H01L23/02, H01L23/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/564 Details not otherwise provided for, e.g. protection against moisture getters H01L23/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/573 using passive means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/585 : comprising conductive layers or plates or strips or rods or rings H01L23/60, H01L23/62, H01L23/64, H01L23/66 take precedence
• 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: H01L 2924/12044 : OLED
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/913 : Material designed to be responsive to temperature, light, moisture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 430/146 : Laser beam

Abstract

A security card is disclosed which comprises a laminate of a flexible glass layer and a support, characterised in that the glass layer has a thickness of not more than 350 μm. The thin glass layer has sufficient flexibility to allow substantial bending of the card without causing breakage of the glass. In addition, the glass layer acts as a security feature because delamination in order to falsify information stored in the card is very difficult without breaking the glass. The glass is also an efficient barrier layer protecting the information stored in the card from mechanical damage and from degradation due to permeation of gases such as oxygen or water vapour.

Claims

1. A security card comprising a laminate of a flexible glass layer and a support, wherein the glass layer has a thickness of not more than 350 μ

m.

2. A security card according to claim 1 wherein the glass layer has a thickness of not more than 200 μ

m.

3. A security card according to claim 1 wherein the glass layer has a thickness of not more than 100 μ

m.

4. A security card according to claim 1 wherein the glass layer comprises cracks or grooves.

5. A security card according to claim 1 further comprising an optical information layer between two opaque layers.

6. A security card according to claim 1 further comprising a lenticular foil.

7. A security card according to claim 1 further comprising a barrier layer.

8. A security card according to claim 7 wherein the barrier layer comprises an inorganic and an organic layer.

9. A method for making a security card comprising the steps of

laminating a glass layer to a support

making a crack or groove pattern into the glass layer

scanning the crack or groove pattern

transforming the scanned pattern into encoded information

storing the encoded information.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the encoded information is stored in or on the security card.