Registers – Records – Conductive
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-02
2004-08-17
Tremblay, Mark (Department: 2827)
Registers
Records
Conductive
C235S487000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06776347
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet-framed IC carrier (IC carrier with sheet frame), in which a compact IC carrier including a built-in IC module is incorporated with a sheet frame, a method for producing the same, and an IC carrier case.
2. Related Background Art
FIGS. 47A and 47B
are drawings to illustrate a conventional IC carrier and a use thereof.
An IC carrier
41
is constructed, as shown in
FIG. 47A
, in such a manner that an IC module
42
in which a CPU, a memory, and electrodes are incorporated is mounted in a compact base (in the size of about 15 mm×25 mm), which has been used, for example, as a subscriber identity module (SIM) for a portable telephone.
Once a user obtains a subscriber identity module, which is a right for telephone subscription, he or she can purchase a portable telephone
50
among those with common specifications in accordance with his or her purpose and the subscriber identity module (IC carrier
41
) is set in the portable telephone
50
purchased whereby he or she can use it.
The IC carrier
41
, however, is not entirely popular at present, which limits applications thereof. Accordingly, preparation of purpose-built facilities for mass production of the IC carrier would cause an increase in production cost. In the case of use as a subscriber identity module, a carrier is enclosed in an envelope to be mailed, this requires apparatus for enclosing and sealing and causes possible breakage or loss because of erroneous handling before mounting in a portable telephone
50
.
Under such circumstances it is suggested that IC cards
40
are to be produced using existing facilities in such an arrangement, as shown in
FIG. 47B
, that taking-off slits
44
are formed in card base
43
for IC card
40
, leaving a plurality of bridges
45
, from which only IC carrier
41
is taken off to be used.
According to the suggestion, not only can existing card production and inspection facilities be used but conventional IC card issue and sending systems can also be used without modification.
With the conventional IC carrier
41
as described, a load such as bend or torsion would be exerted on IC module
42
when removed from the card base (sheet frame)
43
, which could cause destruction or popping-out of the IC module.
Another problem was that a bridge
45
sometimes remained on the side of IC carrier
41
after removing the module from card base
43
, which made the module hard to be inserted into a mount portion in a portable telephone
50
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-described problems and to provide a sheet-framed IC carrier which can achieve removal of an IC module without an excessive load thereon and without leaving projections of bridges on the circumference of a carrier base, a method for producing it, and an IC carrier case.
The present invention provides, as an eighth aspect, a sheet-framed IC carrier according to the first aspect, wherein an information indicating portion for indicating identification information of the IC carrier is provided on each of the sheet frame and the base of the IC carrier.
The present invention provides, as a ninth aspect, the sheet-framed IC carrier according to the first aspect, wherein a magnetic layer for information, to be written or read, is provided on the other surface of the backing film.
The present invention provides, as a tenth aspect, an IC carrier case for storing an IC carrier having a base and an IC module mounted on the base, comprising a case body in which a storage portion for storing the IC carrier is formed.
The present invention provides, as an eleventh aspect, a method for producing a sheet-framed IC carrier in which an IC carrier having an IC module is secured with a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on a backing film in an aperture in a sheet frame, comprising a step of mounting an IC module on a sheet card base; a step of sticking a backing film having a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on one surface thereof onto a back surface of said card base; and a step of cutting and removing a portion corresponding to a peripheral edge of said IC carrier on a top surface of said card base, excluding said backing film, to form a peripheral slit, whereby the sheet frame and the IC carrier secured in the aperture are separated from each other through the peripheral slit.
The present invention provides, as a tweleveth aspect, a method for producing a sheet-framed IC carrier in which an IC carrier having an IC module is secured with a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on a backing film in an aperture in a sheet frame, comprising a step of forming an aperture in a card base; a step of sticking a backing film having a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on one surface thereof, onto a back surface of said card base; a step of cutting and removing a region between said aperture and a peripheral edge portion of said card base, leaving the backing film, to form a frame slit, whereby the sheet frame may be separated through the frame slit into two or more frame segments; and a step of securing said IC carrier in said aperture with said adhesive layer on said backing film.
The present invention provides, as a thirteeth aspect, a method for producing a sheet-framed IC carrier in which an IC carrier having an IC module is secured with a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on a backing film in an aperture in a sheet frame, comprising a step of sticking a backing film having a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on one surface thereof, onto a back surface of a card base; a step of forming a mount recess for mounting an IC module therein on a top surface of the card base and cutting and removing a portion corresponding to a peripheral edge of said IC carrier, leaving the backing film, to form a peripheral slit portion; and a step of mounting an IC module in said mount recess.
According to the invention of the first aspect, the IC carrier is secured in the sheet frame through a backing film, so that no excessive load is applied on the IC module when the IC carrier is taken out.
According to the invention of the second aspect, the IC carrier is secured in the aperture in the sheet frame with the backing film, wherein when the IC carrier is taken out, the sheet frame is separated into a plurality of frame segments and the IC carrier is peeled off from the backing film. Accordingly, no excessive load is applied on the IC module and the IC carrier can be taken out easily and safely without breakage or popping-out.
According to the invention of the third aspect, the portion stuck on the region covering the aperture of the backing film is peeled off from the sheet frame with the IC carrier adhering to the portion. The IC carrier is then peeled off from the thus peeled-off portion of the backing film. Accordingly, the IC carrier can be taken out with little load on the IC module.
According to the invention of the fourth aspect, a plurality of IC carriers with a plurality of IC modules are arranged in a single sheet frame. Accordingly, for producing a plurality of related IC carriers, they can be produced from a single sheet frame, rationalizing the production and facilitating the management of the IC carriers.
According to the invention of the fifth aspect, the frictional force is large on the contact surfaces between the backing film and the conveying portion of processing apparatus, the sheet-framed IC carrier can be smoothly conveyed without a slip on the contact surfaces. Then a conveyance error can be prevented.
According to the invention of the sixth aspect, the information recording portion is exposed to the outside when the backing film is stuck on the sheet frame. Accordingly, the information in the information recording portion can be mechanically read even after the backing film is adhered to the sheet frame.
According to the invention of the seventh aspect, the aperture is formed in the card base to form a sheet frame and the backing film is adhered to the back surface of the sheet frame. On the other h
Fukushima Yoshikazu
Harima Hiroshi
Inada Mayumi
Irisawa Kazuyoshi
Moriyama Akiko
Dai Nippon Printing Co. Ltd.
Parkhurst & Wendel L.L.P.
Tremblay Mark
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