US 8,012,809 B2Granted

Method for making advanced smart cards with integrated electronics using isotropic thermoset adhesive materials with high quality exterior surfaces

AssigneeCardXX, Inc.

InventorPaul Reed

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Advanced Smart Cards and similar form factors (e.g. documents, tags) having high quality external surfaces of Polyvinylchloride (PVC), Polycarbonate (PC), synthetic paper or other suitable material can be made with highly sophisticated electronic components (e.g. Integrated Circuit chips, batteries, microprocessors, Light Emitting Diodes, Liquid Crystal Displays, polymer dome switches, and antennae), integrated in the bottom layer of the card structure, through use of injection molded thermosetting or thermoplastic material that becomes the core layer of said Advanced Smart Cards. A lamination finishing process can provide a high quality lower surface, and the encapsulation of the electronic components in the thermosetting or thermoplastic material provides protection from the lamination heat and pressure.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for making an advanced smart card comprising a top layer, a core layer of thermoset polymeric material, and a bottom layer comprising an integrated electronics assembly mounted on a substrate, said method comprising:

(1) positioning a bottom layer comprising the integrated electronics assembly mounted on a substrate in a bottom mold
(2) positioning a top layer comprising synthetic paper or other plastic material in a top mold;
(3) closing the top mold to the bottom mold in a manner that creates a void space between the top layer and the bottom layer comprising the integrated electronics assembly;
(4) injecting a thermosetting polymeric material into the void space to form a core layer of polymeric material, the injection taking place at a temperature and pressure which are such that:
(a) the top layer of material is at least partially cold, low pressure molded into a cavity in the top mold;
(b) gases and excess polymeric material are driven out of the void space;
(c) the injected polymeric material flows over and around all exposed portions of the electronic components of the integrated electronic assembly positioned on the top surface of the bottom layer such that the bottom surface of the bottom layer remains free of the injected polymeric material;
and
(d) the thermosetting polymeric material bonds with both the top layer and the bottom layer to produce a unified precursor advanced smart card body;
(5) removing the unified precursor advanced smart card body from the top and bottom molds;
and
(6) trimming the precursor advanced smart card to a desired dimension to produce a finished advanced smart card.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/661,206Filed 23 Mar 2005
Published: US 2008/0096326 A124 Apr 2008
Granted: 6 Sep 2011
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

G06K 19/073
With integrated circuit chips: special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory
B29C 45/14647
For obtaining an insulating effect, e.g. for electrical components: making flat card-like articles with an incorporated IC or chip module, e.g. IC…
G06K 19/077
With integrated circuit chips: constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
G06K 19/07724
Physical layout of the record carrier: the record carrier being at least partially made by a molding process