Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-22
2001-04-10
Lorin, Francis J. (Department: 1775)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
C156S312000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06214155
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to plastic cards and the manufacture thereof, and more particularly to radio frequency identification (RFID) cards and the manufacture of RFID cards that conform to industry size and performance standards and conventions and that have a superior outer surface to known RFID cards such that card may receive dye sublimation printing or the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As the use of plastic cards for credit cards, automated teller machine (ATM) cards, identification cards, and like continues to become more widespread, the problems associated with the use of such cards correspondingly increase. Credit card fraud and identification card fraud are becoming larger problems everyday, and this fraud has introduced uncertainties into our systems of commerce and our security systems. Using easily available technology, criminals are able to manufacture credit/debit cards, ATM cards, identification cards, and the like having another's account code, identification code, or other personal information embedded in the magnetic stripe thereof. Thus, for example, criminals may steal hundreds or thousands of legitimate credit card account numbers and manufacture many additional cards bearing the stolen information. These fraudulent cards are then usable by the criminals to purchase goods and to receive cash with the legitimate card holder and the card issuer left holding the bill. Likewise, so called debit cards are becoming increasingly popular. These cards have stored thereon a certain amount of value for which the card owner has previously paid. For example, a subway rider may purchase a card good for 50 fares, with one fare being deducted from the card each time the owner rides the subway. Criminals have also been able to manipulate the data stored on these cards to defraud the merchants and others.
The ease in which criminals have been able to manufacture and or manipulate known cards results from the existence of the easily altered magnetic stripe storage medium used by known cards. These magnetic stripes are easily programmed and reprogrammed using commonly available technology. Thus, there has been found a need in the plastic card industry to provide a more secure plastic card that is very difficult or impossible to fraudulently manipulate. The most likely solution to the above-noted problems associated with known plastic cards is the RFID card and other cards including computer chips embedded therein rather than, or in addition to, a magnetic stripe. While these RFID cards and like have been found to be successful in preventing or limiting fraud, they are more difficult and expensive to manufacture relative to ordinary magnetic stripe cards. One of the biggest obstacles to the wide spread manufacture and use of RFID cards has been the inability of card manufacturers to manufacturer an RFID card that meets all industry standards and specifications, such as those set by the International Standards Organization (ISO), that are sufficiently aesthetically pleasing (wherein the embedded electronics are hidden from view), and that have a sufficiently regular or flat surface such that one or both surfaces of the card may be printed on using the very popular and widespread dye sublimation technology. Known plastic cards with computer chips and like embedded therein are too thick to work in connection with existing card reading machinery (ATM machines, telephones, and like) and have a surface that is too irregular to properly and consistently receive dye sublimation printing. Furthermore, prior attempts to manufacture a sufficiently thin plastic card including a computer chip embedded therein have resulted in a card with inferior aesthetic qualities such as the ability to see the embedded computer chip through the plastic.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is therefore directed to a plastic card having at least one electronic element embedded therein and to a hot lamination method for the manufacture of plastic cards including at least one electronic element therein. The card has an overall thickness in the range of 0.028 inches to 0.032 inches and comprises a plastic core having at least one electronic element embedded therein with at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the core comprising a coating printed or otherwise applied thereon. An overlaminate film is preferably provided over the coated surface of the core and the resulting card has a variation in thickness across the surfaces thereof of no greater than approximately 0.0005 inches. The hot lamination method of the present invention comprises the steps of providing first and second plastic core sheets, positioning at least one electronic element between the first and second core sheets to thus form a core, and placing the core in a laminator and closing the laminator without applying laminator ram pressure to the core. A heat cycle is applied to the core sheets in the laminator thus liquefying or partially liquefying the sheets. The laminator ram pressure is then increased in combination with the heat. A cooling cycle is then applied to the core in the laminator, preferably with an associated increase in ram pressure, and the core is removed from the laminator. At least one surface of the core is then printed on using a printing press or similar printing apparatus, a sheet of overlaminate film is placed on at least one side of the core, and the core is then again placed in a laminator. A heat cycle is applied to the core with its overlaminate film, and a cooling cycle is thereafter applied, resulting in a sheet of plastic card stock from which one or more cards may be cut. The invention is also directed to a card manufactured in accordance with the above process which results in a plastic card having a thickness in the range of approximately 0.028 inches to 0.032 inches with a surface smoothness of at least approximately 0.0005 inches as is required by ISO and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards.
The present invention provides numerous advantages over known plastic cards and known plastic card manufacturing processes, including the formation of a plastic card with electronic elements such as a computer chip embedded therein with a pleasing aesthetic appearance, with a sufficiently smooth and regular surface such that the card may receive dye sublimation printing, and with sufficient durability and characteristics to comply with all industry specifications and standards.
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Lorin Francis J.
Oldham & Oldham Co. L.P.A.
LandOfFree
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