Contactless access ticket and method for making same

• US 6,497,371 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2001
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ask S.A. (Paragon Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Ask S.A. (Paragon Group Limited)
• Inventors: Rose, René, Kayanakis, Georges
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hess, Daniel A.
• Application Number:
  US09/799,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20020127423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/487, 235/488, 235/451, 235/486, 283/81
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07718 the record carrier being manufactured in a continuous process, e.g. using endless rolls
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]

Abstract

A ticket providing access to a zone with controlled access when it is presented without contact in front of a scanner authorizing access to the zone, the ticket having an Edmonson format and including a paper ticket body covered on both surfaces with a protective coating. The paper ticket body is provided with a through recess where is located an electronic module including an integrated circuit and an antenna. The latter is formed by at least one turn obtained by screen printing with silvery powder in a polymerisable composition before being heat-cured. The ticket provides the advantages of being inexpensive to produce compared to a contactless access card and is highly biodegradable, which is essential for a disposable ticket.

Claims

1. A ticket providing access to a zone with controlled access when said ticket is presented without contact in front of a ticket reader authorizing access to the zone, said ticket having an Edmonson format and comprising a paper ticket body covered on both surfaces with a protective coating, said paper ticket body being provided with a through-hole wherein is located an electronic module comprising an integrated circuit and an antenna, said antenna being formed by at least one turn obtained by screen printing with silvery powder in a polymerisable composition before being heat-cured, wherein said electronic module also includes an overlay having a thickness slightly greater than that of said electronic circuit and provided with an opening whose dimensions are slightly greater than that of said electronic circuit such that said electronic circuit fits into said opening, so that said module has a substantially constant thickness.

2. The ticket according to claim 1 in which said antenna is made up of a number of turns between 6 and 10.

3. The ticket according to claim 2 in which said antenna is formed by one or more square turns.

4. The ticket according to claim 1, in which said electronic module is comprised of a paper support on which the antenna is obtained by screen printing and said integrated circuit is fixed between the ends of said antenna by soldering or bonding by means of a conductive adhesive.

5. A ticket fabrication process according to claim 1 characterized in that said process comprises

a) preparing a paper strip or multi-band having a width corresponding to several ticket widths,

b) making holes which pass through said strip designed to receive the electronic modules of said tickets,

c) slitting said strip into several single strips each corresponding to one reel of tickets, and

d) placing consecutively, on each side of said strip with said holes, the first layer of protective coating, then the second layer of protective coating after having inserted the electronic modules in said holes according to the following procedure:

bonding said single strip corresponding to a reel of tickets and arranging said holes, on said adhesive face,

placing said electronic modules in said holes, said electronic modules being maintained in the holes by the adhesive of said first layer of protective coating, and

covering said strip bonded to said first layer of protective coating with a second layer of protective coating having an adhesive face.

6. A ticket fabrication process for a ticket having an Edmonson format and comprising a paper ticket body covered on both surfaces with a protective coating, said paper ticket body being provided with a through-hole wherein is located an electronic module comprising an integrated circuit and an antenna, said antenna being formed by at least one turn obtained by screen printing with silvery powder in a polymerisable composition before being heat-cured, characterized in that said process comprises

a) preparing a paper strip or multi-band having a width corresponding to several ticket widths,

b) making holes which pass through said strip designed to receive the electronic modules of said tickets,

c) slitting said strip into several single strips each corresponding to one reel of tickets, and

d) placing consecutively, on each side of said strip with said holes, a first layer of protective coating, then a second layer of protective coating after having inserted the electronic modules in said holes wherein said step d) further comprises:

d1) preparing a first protective coating strip having an adhesive on one side covered by backing paper,

d2) removing said backing paper so as to uncover the adhesive face,

d3) bonding said single strip corresponding to a reel of tickets and arranging said holes, on said adhesive face,

d4) placing said electronic modules in said holes, said electronic modules being maintained in the holes by the adhesive of said first layer of protective coating, and

d5) covering said strip bonded to said first layer of protective coating with a second layer of protective coating having an adhesive face.

7. The process according to claim 6 in which both layers of protective coating initially form a single band measuring the double width of said single strip corresponding to a reel of tickets and having an adhesive face covered with backing paper, a band of backing paper being initially removed from the part which will form the first layer of protective coating to affix said single strip and the backing paper then being entirely removed from said double width band so that it can be folded over and bonded onto said single strip and to serve as a second layer of protective coating for the latter after the electronic modules have been placed in said holes.

8. A ticket fabrication process for a ticket having an Edmonson format and comprising a paper ticket body covered on both surfaces with a protective coating, said paper ticket body being provided with a through-hole wherein is located an electronic module comprising an integrated circuit and an antenna, said antenna being formed by at least one turn obtained by screen printing with silvery powder in a polymerisable composition before being heat-cured, characterized in that said process comprises

a) preparing a paper strip or multi-band having a width corresponding to several ticket widths,

b) making holes which pass through said strip designed to receive the electronic modules of said tickets,

c) slitting said strip into several single strips each corresponding to one reel of tickets, and

d) placing consecutively, on each side of said strip with said holes, a first layer of protective coating, then a second layer of protective coating after having inserted the electronic modules in said holes, also including the following fabrication steps for electronic modules prior to placing the latter into said holes in step c):

C1) screen printing of said antenna on a paper support,

C2) placing said integrated circuit on said paper support while connecting said integrated circuit between the ends of said antenna by bonding or soldering,

C3) installing an overlay onto said module, said overlay having the same thickness as said integrated circuit and featuring a through-hole at the location of said integrated circuit, and

C4) proceeding with the hot lamination of said electronic module covered by said overlay so as to reduce the resistance of said antenna.

9. The process according to claim 8 in which the hot lamination step is performed at a pressure between 20 and 120 kg/cm³ and at a temperature between 80 and 170°

C.