Methods and apparatus for prepaid card packaging

• US 8,931,639 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2008
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEMIA France (Advent International Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oberthur Technologies of America Corporation (Advent International Corporation)
• Inventors: Payne, Anthony L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Collins, Raven
• Application Number:
  US12/140,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20090277808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,401 Days
• Field of Search: 206/232, 206461-471
• US Class Current: 206/461
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2037/243 Coating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2425/00 Cards, e.g. identity cards, credit cards
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/0076 characterised in that the layers are not bonded on the totality of their surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/1292 selectively, e.g. in stripes, in patterns B32B37/0076 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/24 with at least one layer not being coherent before laminating, e.g. made up from granular material sprinkled onto a substrate B32B37/15 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/0012 Mechanical treatment, e.g. roughening, deforming, stretching
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/045 Multi-part cards or sheets, i.e. combined with detachably mounted articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 15/02 Attaching small articles, e.g. buttons, to cards
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 51/02 Applying adhesives or sealing liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/20 for adding cards, coupons or other inserts to package contents adding unpacking elements B65B61/18
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/26 for marking or coding completed packages
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/06 Arrangements on packages concerning bar-codes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2205/02 Venting holes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 65/14 with areas coated with adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 73/0078 the articles being retained or enclosed in a folded-over or doubled card B65D75/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/20 in sheets or blanks doubled around contents and having their opposed free margins united, e.g. by pressure-sensitive adhesive, crimping, heat-sealing, or welding
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/54 Cards, coupons, or other inserts or accessories opening devices B65D75/70
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 79/02 Arrangements or devices for indicating incorrect storage or transport B65D79/005 takes precedence ; measuring devices G01
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1051 : by folding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49986 : Subsequent to metal working

Abstract

Techniques for providing cost effective and tamper evident prepaid card packaging are described. By containing a relatively wide glued area by gluing two relatively tin side panels together, the resulting package is highly resistant to being slit open on an edge without the effort to open the package being highly evident. A foldover magnetic stripe panel provides additional thickness to a portion of the package typically read by a magnetic strip reader while allowing very thin side panels.

Claims

1. A tamper evident card carrier comprising:

a bi-panel having a fold line with a first panel to one side of the fold line and a second panel to the other side of the fold line, the first panel having an area reserved for a product literature insert on an inside face and the second panel having an area reserved for a card located within a no glue region on an inside face;

a gift card attached to the area reserved for a card; and

a wide glue area between the no glue area and all four edges of the second panel and completely surrounding the gift card.

2. The tamper evident card carrier of claim 1 wherein the fold line is scored.

3. The tamper evident card carrier of claim 1 wherein the wide glue area is at least 0.5″

wide.

4. The tamper evident card carrier of claim 1 wherein the gift card is attached to the area reserved for a card with fugitive glue;

and

a product literature insert is attached to the area for a product literature insert.

5. The tamper evident card carrier of claim 4 wherein glue is applied to the wide glue area, the bi-panel is folded about the fold line, and the glue is activated to form a tamper evident seal which is at least 0.5″

wide on all four sides of the tamper evident card carrier.

6. The tamper evident card carrier of claim 1 wherein the bi-panel is a material having a thickness ranging from 0.006″

-0.016″

.

7. The tamper evident card carrier of claim 1 wherein the second panel has a magnetic stripe flap extending from a bottom edge.

8. The tamper evident card carrier of claim 7 wherein the magnetic stripe flap is folded about a fold line and glued to the back of the second panel.

9. The tamper evident card carrier of claim 8 wherein the bi-panel is 8 point paper and the flap is approximately 0.75″

wide.

10. The tamper evident card carrier of claim 1 further comprising a bar code or a magnetic stripe on an outside face of either the first or second panel.

11. A method for making a tamper evident card carrier comprising:

forming a bi-panel having a fold line with a first panel to one side of the fold line and a second panel to the other side of the fold line, the first panel having an area reserved for a product literature insert on an inside face and the second panel having an area reserved for a card located within a no glue region on an inside face;

a card attached to the area reserved for a card; and

a wide glue area between the no glue area and all four edges of the second panel and completely surrounding the gift card.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

scoring the fold line.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

applying glue to the wide glue area which is at least 0.5″

wide.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

gluing the gift card to the area reserved for a card with fugitive glue; and

gluing a product literature insert to the area for a product literature insert with fugitive glue.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

applying glue to the wide glue area;

folding the bi-panel about the fold line; and

activating the glue to form a tamper evident seal which is at least 0.5″

wide on all four sides of the tamper evident carrier.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the bi-panel is a material having a thickness ranging from 0.006″

-0.016″

.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

forming a magnetic stripe on a flap extending from a bottom edge of the second panel.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

folding the flap about a fold line; and

gluing the flap to the back of the second panel.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the bi-panel is 8 point paper and the flap is approximately 0.75″

wide.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

forming a bar code on a magnetic stripe on an outside face of either the first or second panel.