Encapsulating a metal inlay with thermosetting resin and method for making a metal transaction card

Abstract

A method of making a smartcard may comprise: providing a metal layer (ML) having a module opening (MO) extending from a front surface of the metal layer to a rear surface thereof; providing a sacrificial layer (SL) on the front surface of the metal layer; filling (from behind) the module opening with thermosetting resin (TR); allowing the thermosetting resin to cure (harden); removing the sacrificial layer; and from the front surface of the metal layer, milling a cavity in the cured (hardened) thermosetting resin for receiving a transponder chip module (TCM). A chip module may be implanted in the milled-out cavity, wherein the thermosetting resin provides mechanical support to the chip module and electrical insulation of the chip module from the metal layer. The smartcard may be “dual-interface”.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.