Durable card

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10395153-B2
Application number	US-201715637092-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2017
Priority date	Feb 13, 2013
Publication date	Aug 27, 2019
Grant date	Aug 27, 2019

Abstract

Cards embodying the invention include a core subassembly whose elements define the functionality of the card and a hard coat subassembly attached to the top and/or bottom sides of the core subassembly to protect the core subassembly from wear and tear and being scratched. The core subassembly may be formed solely of plastic layers or of different combinations of plastic and metal layers and may include all the elements of a smart card enabling contactless RF communication and/or direct contact communication. The hard coat subassembly includes a hard coat layer, which typically includes nanoparticles, and a buffer or primer layer formed so as to be attached between the hard coat layer and the core subassembly for enabling the lasering of the core subassembly without negatively impacting the hard coat layer and/or for imparting color to the card.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process for forming a card, the process comprising the steps of:
forming a first core subassembly comprised of two or more layers which include one or more elements that define functionality of the card, said first core subassembly having a top layer and a bottom layer;
forming a second subassembly including a hard coat layer attached to a release layer mounted on a carrier layer;
attaching the second subassembly to the top layer of the of the first core subassembly so the hard coat layer is closest to the first core assembly to form a first card assembly;
laminating the first card assembly under predetermined temperature and pressure such that the carrier layer imparts a finish to the hard coat layer of the card; and
removing the release layer and the carrier layer to form a resultant card.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hard coat layer includes nano-particles and a carrier for said nano-particles.

3. The process of claim 2 , wherein the nano-particles are selected from the group consisting of: silicate nanoparticles, zinc oxide nanoparticles, and silicon dioxide crystalline nanoparticles.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hard coat subassembly includes a plastic primer layer underlying the hard coat layer, the process further comprising adding colorants, dyes, or pigments to the plastic primer layer.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the step of laminating the first card assembly includes removing air and surface imperfections.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the step of laminating the first card assembly includes using a platen to apply pressure to remove air trapped within the layers of the first card assembly and to smooth the surface of the first card assembly.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the second subassembly attached to the top layer of the of the first core subassembly is a top second subassembly, the card further comprising a bottom second subassembly, the process further comprising attaching said bottom second subassembly to the bottom layer of the first core subassembly to form said first assembly; and removing the release layer and the carrier layer of said bottom second subassembly to form the resultant card.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein forming the first core subassembly includes providing a core plastic layer, a plurality of clear PVC layers with graphics on one or more selected PVC layers and a magnetic stripe.

9. The process of claim 8 , wherein forming the first core subassembly further includes providing at least one of the following: (a) an integrated circuit and an antenna configured to enable radio frequency communication with an external reading device; and (b) an integrated circuit with contacts extending to a surface of the card configured to enable direct contact and communication between an external device and the integrated circuit.

10. The process of claim 8 wherein one of said layers forming said first core subassembly includes laser reactive particles, the process further comprising exposing selected areas of said laser reactive particles in said first core subassembly to a laser beam.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the first core subassembly includes a metal core layer.

12. The process of claim 11 , wherein forming the first core subassembly further includes providing at least one of the following: (a) an integrated circuit and an antenna configured to enable radio frequency communication with an external reading device; and (b) an integrated circuit with contacts extending to a surface of the card configured to enable direct contact and communication between an external device and the integrated circuit.

13. The process of claim 1 , further including the step of selectively exposing portions of the first core subassembly to a laser beam.

14. A process for forming a card, the process comprising the steps of: forming a first core subassembly comprised of two or more layers including one or more elements that define functionality of the card; said first core assembly having a top layer and a bottom layer;
forming first and second hard coat subassemblies, each hard coat subassembly including a hard coat layer attached to a release layer mounted on a carrier layer;
attaching said first hard coat subassembly to the top layer of said first core subassembly and attaching the second hard coat subassembly to the bottom layer of said first core subassembly to form a first assembly;
laminating the first assembly such that the carrier layer imparts a finish to the hard coat layer of the card; and
removing the release layers and the carrier layers of the first and second subassemblies.

15. A process for making and personalizing a card by applying a laser beam to the card, the process comprising the steps of:
forming a hard coat layer which contains nanoparticles, said hard coat layer tending to crack when subjected to a predetermined intensity of heat;
forming a subassembly including attaching the hard coat layer to a release layer mounted on a carrier layer;
forming an internal core layer which includes one or more elements the define functionality of the card and which includes a laser reactive layer adapted to be personalized by a laser beam;
forming at least one buffer layer between the hard coat layer and the core layer, said buffer layer functional to absorb energy and to dissipate heat energy produced at and within the internal core layer during application of the laser beam sufficient to prevent the hard coat layer from being subjected to the predetermined intensity of heat;
laminating the combination comprising the subassembly, the buffer layer and the internal core layer;
removing the carrier and release layers, leaving the hard coat layer attached to the buffer layer and the buffer layer attached to the internal core layer;
selectively exposing the laser reactive layer in the internal core layer to the laser beams, and
personalizing the internal core layer of the card by lasering through the hard coat layer and the buffer layer before impacting the internal core layer at a temperature that (i) causes the laser reactive layer to react and transfer heat to the buffer layer, and (ii) is below the cracking temperature of the hard coat layer, to avoid cracking the hard coat layer.

16. The process of claim 15 , wherein the step of laminating the combination comprising the subassembly, the buffer layer, and the internal core layer includes using a rubber platen to remove air trapped between the layers of the combination.

17. A process for enabling personalization of a card having an external hard coat layer comprising nano-particles, said hard coat layer tending to undergo an adverse effect when subjected to a predetermined intensity of heat, said hard coat layer overlying an internal core layer which includes a laser reactive layer adapted to be personalized by a laser beam, the hard coat layer disposed in a position in which the laser beam passes through the hard coat layer before impacting the internal core layer, and wherein the laser reactive layer has a tendency to develop heat at or above said predetermined intensity adjacent to points exposed to the laser during laser personalization, the process comprising the steps of:
forming at least one buffer layer between the hard coat layer and the core layer, said buffer layer functional to absorb and dissipate the heat energy produced at and within the core layer during laser personalization sufficient to block the heat energy and prevent the adverse effect in the external hard coat layer; and
personalizing the internal core l

Assignees

• Composecure Llc

Inventors

• Herslow John

Classifications

• B32B37/025

  Transfer laminating · CPC title

• G06K19/07794

  the record carrier comprising a booster or auxiliary antenna in addition to the antenna connected directly to the integrated circuit · CPC title

• G06K19/022

  Processes or apparatus therefor · CPC title

• B32B37/182

  one or more of the layers being plastic · CPC title

• B32B2425/00

  Cards, e.g. identity cards, credit cards · CPC title