Apparatus and method for making information carrying cards through radiation curing, and resulting products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016203399-A1
Application number	US-201414913039-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 14, 2014
Priority date	Aug 21, 2013
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method forms an information carrying card or a core layer of an information carrying card using a radiation curing, and an apparatus configured to provide such a radiation curing. The method includes providing a carrier layer that defines at least one cavity, providing an inlay layer supporting at least one electronic component, and positioning at least a portion of the inlay layer in the at least one cavity. The method further comprises dispensing a radiation crosslinkable polymer composition over the inlay layer, and irradiating the radiation crosslinkable polymer composition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for forming an information carrying card or a core layer of an information carrying card, comprising:
providing a carrier layer that defines at least one cavity; providing an inlay layer supporting at least one electronic component; positioning at least a portion of the inlay layer in the at least one cavity; dispensing a radiation crosslinkable polymer composition over the inlay layer; and irradiating the radiation crosslinkable polymer composition.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the carrier layer is a first thermoplastic layer comprising at least one thermoplastic material.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the radiation 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 radiation crosslinkable polymer composition is a liquid or a paste.

4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising
applying vacuum to the radiation crosslinkable polymer composition.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising
disposing a second thermoplastic layer above the carrier layer after applying the radiation crosslinkable polymer composition over the inlay layer.

6 . The method for claim 1 further comprising:
providing a release film above the carrier layer after dispensing the radiation crosslinkable polymer composition over the inlay layer.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of irradiating the radiation crosslinkable polymer composition,
the carrier layer, the inlay and the radiation crosslinkable composition are pressed under a pressure; and
the radiation crosslinkable polymer composition is irradiated using radiation emitted toward at least one side of the carrier layer.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the radiation crosslinkable polymer composition is irradiated using radiation emitted toward two sides of the carrier layer.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the pressure is in the range of from 0.01 MPa to 3 MPa.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the radiation crosslinkable polymer composition is irradiated using at least one of visible light, ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR) and electronic beam (EB).

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein additional heat is used in the step of irradiating the radiation crosslinkable polymer composition.

12 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
directly printing words or images onto a surface of a crosslinked polymer composition formed from the radiation crosslinkable polymer composition.

13 . The method for claim 12 , wherein a portion of the crosslinked polymer composition is disposed over a top surface of the carrier layer.

14 . A method for fabricating an information carrying card, comprising forming a core layer of the information carrying card according to claim 1 .

15 . A method of claim 14 further comprising laminating at least one thermoplastic film on each side of the core layer of the information carrying card.

16 . A method of claim 14 further comprising bonding at least one thermoplastic film on each side of the core layer of the information carrying card.

17 . A method of claim 14 , wherein the inlayer layer comprises at least one electronic component being heat sensitive.

18 . An apparatus comprising
at least one support layer having both a plurality of ribs and a plurality of channels between two adjacent ribs; a plurality of radiation sources, each of the plurality of radiation sources disposed in one respective channel and configured to provide radiation; and a radiation transparent layer coupled with the at least one support layer and configured to protect the plurality of radiation sources.

19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the radiation comprises at least one of visible light, ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR) and electronic beam (EB).

20 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein each of the plurality of radiation sources comprises light emitting diode (LED) configured to emit ultraviolet (UV) light.

21 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of radiation sources are connected with a power source.

22 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the at least one support layer is made of aluminum, aluminum alloy, stainless steel, or any other suitable metal or a combination thereof.

23 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the radiation transparent layer comprises glass, UV transparent ceramic, poly(methyl methacrylate), or polycarbonate.

24 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the at least one support layer is coupled with the radiation transparent layer with a pliable layer therebetween.

25 . The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the pliable layer comprises a fluoropolymer.

26 . A system comprising
a bottom portion of an apparatus; and a top portion of the apparatus, wherein each of the bottom portion and the top portion comprises
at least one support layer having both a plurality of ribs and a plurality of channels between two adjacent ribs;
a plurality of radiation sources, each of the plurality of radiation sources disposed in one respective channel and configured to provide radiation; and
a radiation transparent layer coupled with the at least one support layer and configured to protect the plurality of radiation sources,
and the radiation transparent layer in the bottom portion and the radiation transparent layer in the top portion face to each other and are configured to cure a layered structure having a radiation crosslinkable polymer composition disposed therebetween.

27 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the radiation comprises at least one of visible light, ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR) and electronic beam (EB).

28 . The system of claim 26 , wherein each of the plurality of radiation sources comprises light emitting diode (LED) configured to emit ultraviolet (UV) light.

29 . The system of claim 26 further comprising a power source connected to the plurality of radiation sources.

30 . The system of claim 29 , wherein the power source supplies a direct current (DC) directly to the plurality of radiation sources, or comprises a transformer converting an alternating current (AC) to a direct current.

31 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the at least one support layer is made of aluminum, aluminum alloy, stainless steel, or any other suitable metal or a combination thereof.

32 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the radiation transparent layer comprises glass, UV transparent ceramic, poly(methyl methacrylate), or polycarbonate.

33 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the at least one support layer is coupled with the radiation transparent layer with a pliable layer therebetween.

34 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the pliable layer comprises a fluoropolymer.

35 . The system of claim 26 further comprising a spacer disposed between the radiation transparent layer in the bottom portion and the radiation transparent layer in the top portion face, and the spacer has a thickness to accommodate a layered structure.

36 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the layered structure is a

Assignees

• X Card Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Cox Mark A

Classifications

• B29C35/0866

  using particle radiation · CPC title

• B29C35/08

  by wave energy or particle radiation {(B29C64/00, B29C71/04 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B32B2307/412

  Transparent · CPC title

• B42D25/305

  Associated digital information (record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00) · CPC title

• B32B2307/748

  Releasability · CPC title