Core layer for information carrying card, resulting information carrying card, and methods of making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12528279-B2
Application number	US-202217970032-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 20, 2022
Priority date	Oct 20, 2022
Publication date	Jan 20, 2026
Grant date	Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

The disclosure provides a method for forming a core layer for a plurality of information carrying cards, a resulting core layer, and a resulting information carrying card. A first portion of a crosslinkable polymer composition is dispensed onto the first thermoplastic layer. A second thermoplastic layer having a plurality of through-holes therein is then applied. A second portion of the crosslinkable polymer composition is dispensed into each through-hole. An inlay layer is placed over the polymer composition inside each through-hole. A third portion of the crosslinkable polymer composition is dispensed over each inlay layer. A third thermoplastic layer or a release film is placed over the third portion of the crosslinkable polymer composition to provide a layered structure. Each respective inlay layer is configured to be movable and/or self-center inside each through-hole in the presence of the crosslinkable polymer composition when the layered structure is pressed on a pressure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for forming a core layer for a plurality of information carrying cards, comprising:
providing a first thermoplastic layer and a plurality of inlay layers, wherein the first thermoplastic layer comprises a thermoplastic material and each of the plurality of inlay layers comprises at least one electronic component; dispensing a first portion of a crosslinkable polymer composition onto the first thermoplastic layer; applying a second thermoplastic layer over the first portion of the crosslinkable polymer composition and the first thermoplastic layer, wherein the second thermoplastic layer comprises a second thermoplastic material and defines a plurality of through-holes therein; dispensing a second portion of the crosslinkable polymer composition to each of the plurality of through-holes; putting one respective inlay layer over the second portion of the crosslinkable polymer composition inside each of the plurality of through-holes; dispensing a third portion of the crosslinkable polymer composition over each respective inlay layer; and applying a third thermoplastic layer or a release film over the third portion of the crosslinkable polymer composition to provide a layered structure, wherein the third thermoplastic layer comprises a third thermoplastic material, wherein each respective inlay layer is configured to be movable inside each of the plurality of through-holes in the presence of the crosslinkable polymer composition when the layered structure is pressed on a pressure; and disposing a plurality of tabs around the plurality of through-holes in the second thermoplastic layer, wherein the plurality of tabs are disposed below the second thermoplastic layer and over the first portion of the crosslinkable polymer composition.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first, second, and third thermoplastic layers comprises a thermoplastic material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, copolymer of vinyl chloride, polyolefin, polycarbonate, polyester, polyamide, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS).

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein two or three of the first, second, and third thermoplastic layers comprise a same material.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and third thermoplastic layers have a thickness less than that of the second thermoplastic layer.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and third thermoplastic layers are transparent.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic component comprises at least one integrated circuit.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic component comprises at least one light emitting diode (LED), a battery, a switch, or a display screen.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the respective inlay layer is configured to move freely so as to be self-centered in the crosslinked polymer composition.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the crosslinkable polymer composition comprises:
a curable precursor, the curable precursor selected from the group consisting of acrylate, methacrylate, urethane acrylate, silicone acrylate, epoxy acrylate, methacrylate, silicone, urethane and epoxy, and the crosslinkable polymer composition is a liquid or a paste.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: curing the crosslinkable polymer composition under a pressure and a temperature, wherein the crosslinkable polymer composition becomes a crosslinked polymer composition.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the crosslinked polymer composition is transparent.

12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising peeling off the release film when the release film is applied to the third portion of the crosslinkable polymer composition.

13 . A method for forming a core layer for a plurality of information carrying cards, comprising:
providing a first thermoplastic layer and a plurality of inlay layers, wherein the first thermoplastic layer comprises a thermoplastic material and each of the plurality of inlay layers comprises at least one electronic component; dispensing a first portion of a crosslinkable polymer composition onto the first thermoplastic layer; applying a second thermoplastic layer over the first portion of the crosslinkable polymer composition and the first thermoplastic layer, wherein the second thermoplastic layer comprises a second thermoplastic material and defines a plurality of through-holes therein; dispensing a second portion of the crosslinkable polymer composition to each of the plurality of through-holes; putting one respective inlay layer over the second portion of the crosslinkable polymer composition inside each of the plurality of through-holes; dispensing a third portion of the crosslinkable polymer composition over each respective inlay layer; and applying a third thermoplastic layer or a release film over the third portion of the crosslinkable polymer composition to provide a layered structure, wherein the third thermoplastic layer comprises a third thermoplastic material, wherein each respective inlay layer is configured to be movable inside each of the plurality of through-holes in the presence of the crosslinkable polymer composition when the layered structure is pressed on a pressure; and further wherein each respective inlay layer comprises a built-in tab in each corner.

14 . A method for fabricating a plurality of information carrying cards, comprising forming a core layer according to claim 1 .

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising laminating a printable thermoplastic film on one side of the core layer.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising laminating a transparent thermoplastic film onto the printed thermoplastic film.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising cutting the core layer with the printable thermoplastic film to provide a plurality of the information carrying cards.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the core layer comprises a plurality of tabs disposed around the plurality of through-holes in the second thermoplastic layer, below the second thermoplastic layer and over the first portion of the crosslinkable polymer composition.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein each respective inlay layer comprises a built-in tab in each corner.

Assignees

• X Card Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Cox Mark A

Classifications

• B32B38/0004

  Cutting, tearing or severing, e.g. bursting; Cutter details (cutting in general B26D; laminating combined with punching or perforating B32B38/04; removing all or part of the layers B32B38/10; cutting in combination with laying up and registration B32B38/185 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B32B3/30

  characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. {hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs (apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26)} · CPC title

• B32B2457/20

  Displays, e.g. liquid crystal displays, plasma displays · CPC title

• B32B2457/10

  Batteries · CPC title

• B32B2457/08

  PCBs, i.e. printed circuit boards · CPC title