Information carrier and process for production thereof

• US 6,926,794 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Maxell Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Maxell Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Daido, Kazuhiko, Kohama, Kyouichi, Fukao, Ryuzo, Sueyoshi, Toshinobu, Takasugi, Wasao
• Primary Examiner(s): Haran, John T.
• Application Number:
  US10/270,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20030037875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 156/308.2, 156/309.6, 257/679, 235/488, 235/492, 428/74, 428/138
• US Class Current: 156/308.2
• 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 19/07749 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: H01L 2224/0401 Bonding areas specifically adapted for bump connectors, e.g. under bump metallisation [UBM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16 of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/21 Circular sheet or circular blank
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/216 Ornamental, decorative, pattern, or indicia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/22 Nonparticulate element embedded or inlaid in substrate and visible
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/23 Sheet including cover or casing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/237 Noninterengaged fibered material encased [e.g., mat, batt, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/239 Complete cover or casing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24331 including nonapertured component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24868 Translucent outer layer

Abstract

The present invention provides an information carrier which has flat surfaces, is excellent in beautiful appearance and permits beautiful necessary printing, and a production process which permits easy and inexpensive production of such an information carrier. An IC chip 1 and a coil 2 connected to the IC chip are embedded in a substrate 3 composed of a nonwoven fabric. The IC chip and the coil are held between two nonwoven fabrics produced according to a conventional production procedure. The laminate of the nonwoven fabrics is fed to a roller or a press and the two nonwoven fabrics are hot-pressed, whereby their mating surfaces are joined with or without an adhesive (including low-melting synthetic resin fiber) incorporated into the webs. After positioning of the coil in the thus obtained raw product of information carrier, the laminate of the nonwoven fabrics and cover sheets is cut to obtain an information carrier of predetermined shape and size.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a contact-less information recording carrier comprising the steps of:

overlapping, on a first cover sheet, a first material which comprises synthetic resin fiber and has a first portion (A) and a second portion (B) wherein the first portion (A) has a lower melting point than the second portion (B),

mounting, on the first material, an IC chip and a coil electrically connected to the IC chip, the coil being means for contact-less transmitting data and/or electric power,

overlapping, on the first material on which the IC chip and the coil have been mounted, a second material which comprises synthetic resin fiber and has a first portion (A′

) and a second portion (B′

),

overlapping a second cover sheet on the second material to obtain a lamination, and

applying a thickness-wise compression force under heat to the lamination.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of cutting the lamination to attain a predetermined shape and size.

3. A method for manufacturing a contact-less information recording carrier comprising the steps of:

overlapping, on a first cover sheet, a first material which comprises synthetic resin fiber and has a first portion (A) and a second portion (B) wherein the first portion (A) has a lower melting point than the second portion (B),

mounting, on the first material, an IC chip and a coil electrically connected to the IC chip, the coil being means for contact-less transmitting data and/or electric power,

overlapping, on the first material on which the IC chip and the coil have been mounted, a second material which comprises synthetic resin fiber and has a first portion (A′

) and a second portion (B′

) wherein the first portion (A′

) has a lower melting point than the second portion (B′

),

overlapping a second cover sheet on the second material to obtain a lamination, and

applying a thickness-wise compression force under heat to the lamination; and

wherein each of the first material and the second material comprises synthetic resin fibers which are provided with a coating on the circumference of a core material wherein the coating has a lower melting point than the core material.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising a step of cutting the lamination to attain a predetermined shape and size.

5. A method for manufacturing a contact-less information recording carrier comprising the steps of:

overlapping, on a first cover sheet, a first material which comprises synthetic resin fiber and is a mixture of a first portion (A) and a second portion (B) wherein the first portion (A) has a lower melting point than the second portion (B),

mounting, on the first material, an IC chip and a coil electrically connected to the IC chip, the coil being means for contact-less transmitting data and/or electric power,

overlapping, on the first material on which the IC chip and the coil have been mounted, a second material which comprises synthetic resin fiber and is a mixture of a first portion (A′

) and a second portion (B′

) wherein the first portion (A′

) has a lower melting point than the second portion (B′

),

overlapping a second cover sheet on the second material to obtain a lamination, and

applying a thickness-wise compression force under heat to the lamination.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising a step of cutting the lamination to attain a predetermined shape and size.