Token with electronic device, method of making thereof, and apparatus for making thereof

• US 7,866,563 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2007
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gaming Partners International Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gaming Partners International Corporation
• Inventors: Chapet, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, TUYEN KIM
• Application Number:
  US11/791,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20090146373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/451, 235/487, 235/488, 235/492
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 21/00 Coins coins specially adapted to operate coin-freed mechanisms G07F1/06; Emergency money; Beer or gambling coins or tokens, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/14852 incorporating articles with a data carrier, e.g. chips memory cards, chip cards B29L2017/006
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14344 Moulding in or through a hole in the article, e.g. outsert moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14639 for obtaining an insulating effect, e.g. for electrical components
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1671 with an insert
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/047 the record carrier being shaped as a coin or a gambling token
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07724 the record carrier being at least partially made by a molding process molding in general B29C45/14
• 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 29/4902 Electromagnet, transformer or inductor

Abstract

Token including a token body obtained by at least one injection of material around an insert including a contactless identification device attached to a rigid plate sandwiched between two layers of injected material, the rigid plate including at least one through-hole. The invention also concerns the method of manufacturing such a token, including placing the insert in a mold, injecting a plastic material around the insert to form at least a portion of the core of the token, and at least one injection of plastic material around the assembly formed by the insert and the portion of the core obtained after the first injection of plastic material.

Claims

1. A token including an insert, said insert comprising:

a one-piece rigid plate having a first face and a second face; and

a contactless identification device attached to said first face of said one-piece rigid plate and two protection layers obtained by injection of material, covering at least partially said first face of said one-piece rigid plate and the second face of said one-piece rigid plate, wherein said one-piece rigid plate includes at least one through-hole such that said layers are fastened together through said one-piece rigid plate by at least one bridge of material passing through said at least one through-hole and obtained by said injection of material.

2. The token of claim 1, wherein said plate includes at least two through-holes distributed around the center of said plate.

3. The token of claim 1, wherein said contactless identification device further comprises an electronic microchip connected to an antenna formed on the rigid plate, said microchip and said antenna being fastened to said plate.

4. The token of claim 3, wherein said electronic microchip has a protective varnish cover.

5. The token of claim 3, wherein said antenna is in the form of a winding at the periphery of the rigid plate.

6. The token of claim 1, wherein said injected material of the protection layers is more dense than the material of a remaining portion of the token so as to constitute a ballast.

7. The token of claim 6, wherein said more dense material is a plastic material charged with tungsten powder.

8. The token of claim 1, said insert further comprising at least one supplementary layer of material produced by supplementary injection of material at least partially around said insert.

9. A method of manufacturing the token of claim 1, comprising:

making at least one injection of material around said one-piece rigid plate said first face of which comprises said contactless identification device, said one-piece rigid plate including at least one through-hole, said method further comprising;

placing said one-piece rigid plate in a mold;

making a first injection of a material onto said first face of said one-piece rigid plate and onto said second face of said one-piece rigid plate to form, on each of said faces on both sides of said one-piece rigid plate, a layer of material, said layers being fastened together by at least one bridge formed by the injected material passing through said at least one hole, the resulting assembly constituting an insert; and

making at least one supplementary injection of plastic material around said insert.

10. A method of manufacturing a token including an insert, said method comprising:

making at least one injection of material around a one-piece rigid plate having a first face and a second face, said first face of which comprises a contactless identification device, said one-piece plate including at least one through-hole;

placing said one-piece rigid plate in a mold;

making a first injection of a material onto said first face of said one-piece rigid plate and onto the second face of said one-piece rigid plate to form, on each of said faces on both sides of said one-piece rigid plate, a layer of material, said layers being fastened together by at least one bridge formed by the injected material passing through said at least one hole, the resulting assembly constituting said insert; and

making at least one supplementary injection of plastic material around said insert.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the material injected around said plate during the first injection is a plastic material more dense than that utilized for said supplementary injection.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said more dense plastic material is a plastic material charged with tungsten powder.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said plate includes at least two through-holes distributed around the center of said plate.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising connecting an electronic microchip to an antenna formed on the rigid plate, and fastening said microchip and said antenna to said plate.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising covering said electronic microchip with a protective varnish.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising producing said antenna in the form of a winding at the periphery of the rigid plate.

17. A token formed by the method of claim 10.

18. An apparatus for manufacturing a token that includes an insert obtained by at least one injection of material around a one-piece rigid plate, a first face of which includes a contactless identification device, said one-piece rigid plate including at least one through-hole, said apparatus comprising:

a) at least one of, a device and mechanism for placing said one-piece rigid plate in a mold;

b) at least one of, a device and mechanism for making a first injection of a material onto said first face of said one-piece rigid plate and onto a second face of said one-piece rigid plate to form, on each of said faces on both sides of said plate, a layer of material, said layers being fastened together by at least one bridge formed by the injected material passing through said at least one hole, the resulting assembly constituting said insert; and

c) at least one of, a device and mechanism for making a supplementary injection of plastic material around said insert.

19. A token formed by the apparatus of claim 18.