Card

• US 6,644,551 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2001
• Issued: 11/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient Mobile Security America, Inc.
• Original Assignee: G & D Cardtech Incorporated
• Inventors: Lee, Thomson Ching-Tai, Clayman, Adelbert James
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/990,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20030116633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/375, 235/380, 235/457, 235/381, 235/493, 235/488, 235/487
• US Class Current: 235/488
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an improved card structure, which employs at least two polyester layers and is useful as, e.g., a credit card, shopping card, pre-paid card, identification card, or the like. An additional feature is a card which has a metal foil appearance. The card is formed by a lamination process using at least two polyester layers which are joined with a white PVC core layer and are covered with a clear cover layer. The card can be made from laminate substructures and which are subsequently joined by an adhesive layer to form the laminate structure. The cards can be overprinted, embossed, or provided with further components such as holograms, signature pads, magnetic strips, photographic identification strips, or card company identifiers.

Claims

1. An improved credit card structure comprising a plastic substrate core in the form of a card and having first and second faces which are substantially parallel, at least two polyester layers overlaying at least substantially all of the first and second faces of said plastic substrate, and transparent films overlaying said polyester layers;

wherein one of said polyester layers is overprinted; and

wherein one of said polyester is coated with an adhesive prior to printing.

2. The improved card structure of claim 1 wherein the plastic substrate is at least one layer of polyvinyl chloride.

3. The improved card structure of claim 1 wherein the transparent films are polyvinyl chloride.

4. The improved card structure of claim 1 wherein said card has attached to it further elements selected from the group consisting of holograms, signature pads, magnetic strips, photograph identification strips, embedded electronically readable microchip card company identifiers, or combinations thereof.

5. The improved card structure of claim 1 wherein said card has the ability to function in electronically readable environments.

6. The improved card structure of claim 1 wherein said card has high levels of security applicable to payment and non-payment for identification-type cards and credit cards.

7. The improved card structure of claim 1 wherein said card is embossed, thermal graphic printed, laser engraved, or flat graphics printed.

8. An improved foil face credit card structure comprising a plastic substrate in the form of a card and having first and second surfaces, a metallized polyester layer overlayed on and covering substantially all of a first surface of said plastic substrate, and a transparent film overlaying said metallized polyester layer;

wherein said plastic substrate is bonded to the polyester surface of metallized polyester layer; and

wherein said metallized polyester is overprinted and is coated with an adhesive prior to printing.

9. A card structure according to claim 8 wherein said card has further components selected from the group consisting of holograms, signature pads, magnetic strips, photograph identification strips, embedded electronically readable microchip card company identifiers, or combinations thereof.

10. A card structure according to claim 8 wherein said card has the ability to function in electronically readable environments.

11. A card structure according to claim 8 wherein said metallized polyester layer is aluminized polyester.

12. A card structure according to claim 8 wherein said plastic substrate is at least one layer of polyvinyl chloride.

13. A card structure according to claim 8 wherein said plastic substrate is at least one layer of polyvinyl chloride to which is joined a layer of polyester film.

14. A card structure according to claim 8 wherein said plastic substrate is at least one layer of polyvinyl chloride to which is joined a layer of polyester film over which is a clear polyvinyl chloride film.

15. A card structure according to claim 8 wherein said metallized polyester layer is a polyester film on which a metal has been vapor deposited.

16. A card structure according to claim 8 wherein said metallized polyester layer is a polyester film on which a metal has been vapor deposited and said plastic substrate is bonded to the polyester surface of metallized polyester layer.

17. A card structure according to claim 8 wherein the possibility of creating a stock or originated full size of repeating holographic image is applied.

18. A card structure according to claim 8 wherein card meets or exceeds the requirements of standard ISO 7810.8.1.8.

19. A card structure according to claim 8 wherein embossing, thermal graphics printing, or laser engraving or flat graphics is possible.

20. A card structure according to claim 8 wherein the card has high levels of security applicable to payment and non-payment for identification-type cards and credit cards.

21. A method of making an improved credit card comprising

A. Making a first laminate by laminating, using heat and pressure, a white PVC film to a polyester film,

B. Applying, to the exposed surface of the polyester film a clear PVC film,

C. Making a second laminate by laminating a white PVC film to a clear polyester film,

D. Laminating a clear PVC overlay over said polyester film,

E. Applying a PVC adhesive to one of the exposed white PVC layers of one of said first or second laminates, and

F. Joining the first and second laminates by applying heat and pressure.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein printed ink graphics are applied to the polyester surface of said second laminate prior to laminating said clear PVC overlay.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein identifying information means is attached to said card.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein identification means, selected from the group consisting of magnetic tape, signature tape, hologram, photographic identification, and combinations thereof, is attached to said card.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein identifying information means is applied to said card whereby it can be for use as a shopping card, a pre-paid card, a retail store card, a financial card, insurance cards, travel cards, a transit pass, a ticket, a telephone card, or a personal identification card.

30. The method of claim 21 wherein an adhesive is applied to the exposed metal surface and printed ink graphics are applied thereto.

26. A method of making an improved foil face credit card comprising

A. Making a first laminate by laminating, using heat and pressure, a white PVC film to a metallized polyester film, to which a layer of metal has been applied by vapor deposition on one side there of, the PVC film being joined to the polyester side of the metallized polyester film,

B. Applying, to the exposed metal surface of the metallized polyester film a clear PVC film,

C. Making a second laminate by laminating a white PVC film to a clear polyester film,

D. Laminating a clear PVC overlay over said polyester film,

E. Applying a PVC adhesive to one of the exposed white PVC layers of one of said first or second laminates, and

F. Joining the first and second laminates by applying heat and pressure.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, platinum, aluminum, and aluminum alloys.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the metal is aluminum or aluminum alloy.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the metal is aluminum or aluminum alloy that has been colored.