Method for making a credit card containing a microprocessor chip
OwnerGerard LeMaire, Philippe LeMaireinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to the invention, the electronic module (1) which is to be contained in the card is formed by producing the electronic circuit out of a metal strip (19) which is pre-cut and pre-formed in order to present contact members (10), the electronic chip being then soldered and wired to said strip; the said electronic module (1) is then coated with resin forming a resin block (14), and during the moulding of the card, a pressure P is applied to the mould (103) for firmly clamping the electronic module (1) between the mold shells and for securing it within positioning and blocking means as well as for pressing its contact members (10) against the inner wall of the mould.
Claims32
A method for manufacture of a microchip card including an electronic module having external contacts, said module being positioned in a card of plastic material, comprising the steps:
- providing an electronic module having a peripheral edge and a thickness defined between a front face and a rear face and having electrical contacts, each said contact having at least two surfaces with one of said surfaces of each contact being coplanar with said front face, an electronic microchip being wired and joined to said contacts, said joining being at another surface of said contacts, said microchip being encapsulated in plastic material to form said rear face, said microchip encapsulation leaving said coplanar contact surfaces exposed;
- providing a mould with two shells, each shell having a respective cavity for producing a card by molding, said mould when closed having opposed faces of said cavities separated by at least the thickness of said electronic module, peripheral edges of said mould faces defining at least part of the general outline of said card;
- positioning said electronic module at a predetermined position in the cavity of one shell of said mould with said one coplanar surface of each said contact is parallel abutment with the face of said one shell;
- bringing said mould shells together;
- applying pressure from opposite sides on said shells at locations corresponding to the position of said electronic module to press said face of said one shell against said coplanar contact surfaces;
- injecting plastic to fill said mould and form a card and to simultaneously embed in said plastic said electronic module over its rear face and said peripheral edge, said abutting coplanar contact surfaces being kept free of plastic coating by said applied pressure;
- cooling said molded card with said embedded module;
- and
- removing said card from said mould.
A method for manufacture of a microchip card including an electronic module having external contacts, said module being positioned in a card of plastic material, comprising the steps:
- providing an electronic module having a peripheral edge and a thickness defined between a front face and a rear face and having electrical contacts, each said contact having at least two surfaces with one of said surfaces of each contact being coplanar with said front face, an electronic microchip being wired and joined to said contacts, said joining being at another surface of said contacts, said microchip being encapsulated in plastic material to form said rear face, said microchip encapsulation leaving said coplanar contact surfaces exposed;
- providing a mould with two shells, each shell having a respective cavity for producing a card by molding, said mould when closed having opposed faces of said cavities separated by at least the thickness of said electronic module, peripheral edges of said faces defining at least part of the general outline of said card;
- positioning blocking means in one said mould shell;
- shaping said encapsulating plastic material for cooperating with said blocking means,
- positioning said electronic module at a predetermined position in the cavity of the other shell of said mould with said one coplanar surface of each said contact in parallel abutment with the face of said other shell;
- bringing said mould shells together;
- applying pressure from opposite sides on said shells at locations corresponding to the position of said electronic module to press said face of said other shell against said coplanar contact surfaces;
- injecting plastic to fill said mould and form a card and to embed simultaneously in said plastic said electronic module over its rear face and said peripheral edge, said abutting coplanar contact surfaces being kept free of plastic coating by said applied pressure;
- cooling said molded card with said embedded module;
- and
- removing said card from said mould.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.