Soft touch resin and transaction card comprising the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9997005-B1
Application number	US-201715720527-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 29, 2017
Priority date	Dec 9, 2016
Publication date	Jun 12, 2018
Grant date	Jun 12, 2018

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods are provided for manufacturing a transaction card. The disclosed apparatuses and methods may be used to form a transaction card frame configured to house a data storage component. The card frame may be formed of a resin mixture comprising a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). The card frame may also have a Shore D hardness in the range of 20-80.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transaction card, comprising:
a card frame configured to house a transaction component and comprising a pocket,
wherein the pocket comprises a first surface, a second surface, and a third surface,
wherein the second surface is recessed a first depth from the first surface of the card frame, and the third surface is recessed a second depth from the first surface,
wherein the second depth is greater than the first depth, and
wherein the card frame is formed of a resin mixture comprising thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and at least one of acetal homopolymer or polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), with a ratio of TPE to at least one of acetal homopolymer or PBT between 30:70 and 70:30.

2. The transaction card of claim 1 , wherein the third surface forms a base portion of the pocket.

3. The transaction card of claim 1 , wherein the first depth is 0.21 mm with an error tolerance of ±0.02 mm.

4. The transaction card of claim 1 , wherein the second depth is 0.62 mm with an error tolerance of ±0.02 mm.

5. The transaction card of claim 1 , wherein the second surface is configured to house a contact plate of the transaction component.

6. The transaction card of claim 1 , wherein the third surface is configured to house the transaction component.

7. The transaction card of claim 6 , wherein the transaction component comprises a microchip.

8. The transaction card of claim 6 , wherein the transaction component comprises a communication device.

9. The transaction card of claim 8 , wherein the transaction component comprises a Near Field Communication (NFC) device or an antenna.

10. The transaction card of claim 8 , wherein the transaction component comprises a Bluetooth® device or a WiFi device.

11. A method of manufacturing a transaction card, comprising:
forming a card frame out of a resin mixture, the resin mixture comprising thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and at least one of acetal homopolymer or polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), with a ratio of TPE to at least one of acetal homopolymer or PBT between 30:70 and 70:30; and
forming a pocket on the card frame to house a transaction component,
wherein the pocket comprises a first surface, a second surface, and a third surface,
wherein the second surface is recessed a first depth from the first surface of the card frame, and the third surface is recessed a second depth from the first surface, and
wherein the second depth is greater than the first depth.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the third surface forms a base portion of the pocket.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first depth is 0.21 mm with an error tolerance of ±0.02 mm.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second depth is 0.62 mm with an error tolerance of ±0.02 mm.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second surface is configured to house a contact plate of the transaction component.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the third surface is configured to accommodate the transaction component.

17. The transaction card of claim 16 , wherein the transaction component comprises a microchip.

18. The transaction card of claim 16 , wherein the transaction component comprises a communication device.

19. The transaction card of claim 18 , wherein the transaction component comprises a Near Field Communication (NFC) device or an antenna.

20. The transaction card of claim 18 , wherein the transaction component comprises a Bluetooth® device or a WiFi device.

Assignees

• Capital One Services Llc

Inventors

• Suthar Om J

Classifications

• G06K19/0772

  Physical layout of the record carrier · CPC title

• B42D25/29

  Securities; Bank notes · CPC title

• B32B2274/00

  Thermoplastic elastomer material · CPC title

• G06Q20/357

  Cards having a plurality of specified features · CPC title

• C08L2207/04

  Thermoplastic elastomer · CPC title