GB1598702A - Security cards - Google Patents

Description

(54) SECURITY CARDS (71) We, VICKERS LIMITED, a British Company, of Vickers House, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4RA, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:~ The present invention relates to security cards.

The term "security cards" is nowadays used to denote cards of the kind carrying information relating to the identity or status of a bearer. Common examples of security cards are credit cards, cheque guarantee cards and company identity cards. Such cards are intended to be reasonably tamperproof, that is to say they are constructed so as to make tampering (alteration of the information carried) difficult and/or to make any attempt at tampering immediately evident.

Generally speaking, credit cards are of an embossed plastics material type which is relatively expensive to produce.

Less expensive non-embossed security cards having a plastics or paper internal sheet sealed in a transparent plastics pocket or having a plastics or paper internal sheet laminated on both sides with transparent plastics material, are available. Security information, bearer identity information for example, has to be entered on an information carrying side of the internal sheet of a card blank before the card is completed and made tamper-proof by sealing in the pocket, or by lamination of the information carrying side of the sheet.

Such previously available non-embossed cards can be inconvenient since the issuing authority must, after the identity information has been entered on a blank, either send the blank back to the manufacturer for sealing or lamination or go to the expense of buying sealing or lamination equipment of its own so that sealing or lamination may be effected on the spot.

According to the present invention, there is provided a card blank on which information may be recorded so that it is secure against erasure, comprising a sheet of material for carrying security information on one side thereof, and a transparent plastics overlay bonded over the said one side, the said sheet, at least at the said one side thereof, being provided with micro-encapsulated materials which on application of pressure are released and chemically react to form an image, the arrangement being such that information can be entered onto the sheet by pressing through the overlay which thereafter serves to secure the entered information.

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figures 1 and 2 show, respectively, an edge-on and a plan view of a security card blank embodying the present invention.

The card blank illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a sheet of material 1 having a front side la upon which identity information, for example, is to be entered. The reverse side and the front side of the sheet of paper are covered with respective transparent plastics overlays 2 and 3. In a card blank embodying the present invention the material of the sheet 1 is such that at least the front side la thereof is of a pressure-sensitive selfimaging nature. That is to say, with the overlay 3 in place pressure on the exposed surface of that overlay will create a visible impression under the overlay on the side la of the sheet 1.

Thus, security information can be entered on the front side of the sheet 1 after the overlays have been secured to the sheet thereby obviating the need for an issuing authority either to return the card to a manufacturer for overlay lamination after entry of security information or to have special laminating equipment in order to be able to effect overlay lamination on the spot.

Attempts at tampering with the card will produce visible evidence thereof on the selfimaging side of the internal sheet thereof.

Both sides of the internal sheet of a card blank embodying the present invention will usually be covered with overlays. The overlays used will usually be laminations comprising glossy, transparent plastics material 0.005" or 0.010" thick affixed by heat or adhesive.

The internal sheet of a card blank may bear printed matter on both its front and reverse sides, for example company names, special patterns, etc.

A convenient size for a security card made from a blank embodying the present invention is 3 long by 2J8! wide.

Sheets 1 may be printed, for example, two, three or four abreast across the web of paper.

If a card blank embodying the present invention is completed in manuscript a ball point pen or a steel stylus should be used to ensure that sufficient pressure is applied to the overlay 3 to produce a clear image on the front side la under the overlay 3. For example the signature would appear beside the printed word "signature" in Figure 2.

A card blank may be completed by using a typewriter. If this is the case, the use of the thinner (0.005") laminations is recom mended to be used as the overlays to facilitate feeding of the card blank through the typewriter.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A card blank on which information may be recorded so that it is secure against erasure, comprising a sheet of material for carrying security information on one side thereof, and a transparent plastics overlay bonded over the said one side, the said sheet, at least at the said one side thereof, being provided with micro-encapsulated materials which on application of pressure are released and chemically react to form an image, the arrangement being such that information can be entered onto the sheet by pressing through the overlay which thereafter serves to secure the entered information.

2. A card blank according to Claim 1, in which both sides of the sheet of material are covered by a lamination of glossy, transparent plastics material.

3. A card blank according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 which is sufficiently thin and flexible to facilitate feeding the card blank through a typewriter.

4. A card blank on which information may be recorded so that it is secure against erasure substantially as hereinbeforedes- cribed with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. Both sides of the internal sheet of a card blank embodying the present invention will usually be covered with overlays. The overlays used will usually be laminations comprising glossy, transparent plastics material 0.005" or 0.010" thick affixed by heat or adhesive. The internal sheet of a card blank may bear printed matter on both its front and reverse sides, for example company names, special patterns, etc. A convenient size for a security card made from a blank embodying the present invention is 3 long by 2J8! wide. Sheets 1 may be printed, for example, two, three or four abreast across the web of paper. If a card blank embodying the present invention is completed in manuscript a ball point pen or a steel stylus should be used to ensure that sufficient pressure is applied to the overlay 3 to produce a clear image on the front side la under the overlay 3. For example the signature would appear beside the printed word "signature" in Figure 2. A card blank may be completed by using a typewriter. If this is the case, the use of the thinner (0.005") laminations is recom mended to be used as the overlays to facilitate feeding of the card blank through the typewriter. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A card blank on which information may be recorded so that it is secure against erasure, comprising a sheet of material for carrying security information on one side thereof, and a transparent plastics overlay bonded over the said one side, the said sheet, at least at the said one side thereof, being provided with micro-encapsulated materials which on application of pressure are released and chemically react to form an image, the arrangement being such that information can be entered onto the sheet by pressing through the overlay which thereafter serves to secure the entered information.

2. A card blank according to Claim 1, in which both sides of the sheet of material are covered by a lamination of glossy, transparent plastics material.

3. A card blank according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 which is sufficiently thin and flexible to facilitate feeding the card blank through a typewriter.

4. A card blank on which information may be recorded so that it is secure against erasure substantially as hereinbeforedes- cribed with reference to the accompanying drawings.