GB2316911A - A magnetic cash card with thermal printing layer - Google Patents

Abstract

The card is a laminate comprising cellulosic protective layers 1,1', offset printed layers 2,2', a thermal (laser) printing layer 3, a 150-250 micron polyethylene terephthalate (PET) layer 4, a barium ferrite magnetic layer 5, and a cellulosic barrier layer 6. The thermal printing layer comprises 2% selenium, 61% selenium sulphate, 3.5% lead tellurium, 15.5% zinc tellurium, 0.01% zinc, 3% strontium sulphide, 8% thallium tellurium, 0.2% thallium, 0.9% cadmium sulphide and 4.39% lead selenium.

Description

b296pbl.spe 2316911 TITLE A Magnetic Card This invention relates to a

magnetic card wherein visible graphic alteration of the surface by thermal means may be effected in order to gradually and graphically show on one face, for example, the available cash balance or units and to record amounts withdrawn or units used of the total balance on the card, according to the use of the card.

The application of this invention is in the field of manufacture and distribution of magnetic cards, or the like, used as a transaction medium for payment of services or the like.

Many different kinds of magnetic cards are known generally made using plastic materials and incorporating one or two layers, which include a magnetic stripe or band. By such means it is possible to carry out cash transactions with different banking outlets, or to obtain directly cash using various terminals known as automatic cash dispensers Known cards can be used for this purpose once the existence of adequate funds has been verified and for paying for many purchases from authorised retail outlets having means for effecting cash transactions through the use of cards.

The use of cards provided with magnetic bands allows, through the use of computerised terminals connected to a network linking different bank or credit concerns, the withdrawn amounts to be recorded, thus informing the card issuer about the various cash operations for which the b296pbl.spe 2 card has been used.

One object of this invention is to allow a card to be used in a conventional manner but which at the same time indicates amounts used for the transactions, thus allowing the remaining cash balance to be visually checked by presentation on a card face.

According to this invention there is provided a card carrying magnetically readable data for use in conjunction with a card reading machine, characterised in that the card includes a thermally responsive layer on which an image may be produced by a thermal writing device during use of the card in said machine, said layer and image thereon being viewable from a surface of said card.

According to this invention there is also provided a magnetic card wherein visible graphic changes can be effected on a surface using a thermal printing method, the card comprising a number of layers forming a laminate, characterised in that the magnetic card has external protecting layers which overlie printed layers with one printed layer bearing against a thermal printing layer which bears against a polyethyl ene- terephtha late base layer covering a magnetic layer provided on a supporting barrier or shielding layer, the opposite face of which is overlaid with the other printed layer.

More specifically the magnetic card permits graphic alterations to be performed on a surface through thermal printing, and is defined as having at least two superposed layers, which, depending on the ultimate characteristics which it is desired to incorporate into the card in question, with regard to the use, can be modified in relation to their position and b296pbl.spe 3 may include protective layers which can be optional.

In carrying out the invention two external protecting layers are incorporated onto two printed layers configured in offset, and which are located, one on a thermal printing layer, which afters between 800C and 2500C, while the other printed layer is situated on a barrier layer.

The thermal printing layer bears against a polyethyleneterephthalate layer of between 150 and 250 microns, this layer bearing on its other face against a magnetic layer of barium ferrite, which bears, in turn, by an opposite face, against the above mentioned barrier layer.

In a preferred arrangement the invention can be defined as starting from two external protective layers bearing against internal printed layers, which respectively bear against a polyethylene-terephthalate layer which is similar to the previously mentioned layer, while the remaining printed layer bears against a thermal printing layer similar to the one mentioned in the first option, the po 1 yethyl en e-terephtha late layer bears, by an opposed face, against a barium ferrite magnetic layer, which, in turn, bears against a barrier layer, the opposite face of which bears against the thermal printing layer.

The base material for manufacturing these cards is polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film of 150 to 250+1- 18.8 micron thick.

As regard the physical dimensions, it should be pointed out that the cards should comply with the following requirements, at 65% relative humidity and 220C, namely b296pbl.spe 4 Thickness: 0.21 +l- 0.02 mm Width- 59.30 +l- 0.08 mm Length- 85.50 +/- 0.30 mm Corner radius: rounded with a 3.0 +/- l mm radius.

In relation to the magnetic properties the magnetic material preferred is barium ferrite (Ba 0.6 Fe 203), and with regard to the magnetic characteristics, these will have a coercive force between 300 Oe and 3,750 Oe +/- 200 Oe.

The residual flux density is in the order of between 1.45 +l- 0.115 Mx/cm, with a quadrature radius always higher than 0.5.

With regard to the magnetic direction, it should be pointed out that the easy magnetising direction should agree with the longitudinal direction of the card, although it is possible to effect a transverse magnetising to the longitudinal direction of the card in question.

The mechanical properties of the card should have a stress - strength of 13 Kg/mm2 minimum, and a breaking strength of 90 Kg120mm minimum.

The heat shrinkage should be 3.0% maximum, and the bending strength 200 times minimum, with a stiffness of 25 g.cm. minimum.

The variation of the magnetic products, after being submitted to the magnetic friction test, that is to say, load. 500 g: 500 times, will not surpass 5% of the total and, likewise, it should be noted that the printed characters will not be erased, even if the card is rubbed with a plastic eraser, said printed characters will not be removed, and the magnetic band will not become detached.

b296pbl.spe The steam moisture resistance should be such that the card will not change appearance after being submitted to a relative humidity atmosphere of 95% at 600c for 96 hours, and the chemical resistance is such that the printed characters will not disappear, and the magnetic band will not be damaged after dipping the card into alcohol, gasoline or a detergent for one hour.

As regards the water resistance, it should be pointed out that the printed characters remain visible and the magnetic band does not become detached after being immersed into water for 24 hours, the card having a scratchproof surface so that the printed characters and the magnetic strips will not be removed when being scratched with a hard grade "H" pencil, the card having an appropriate adherence characteristic which will not allow the cards to become adhered after being submitted to a 4.9 Kpa (50 g/cm) pressure at an atmosphere of 500C and 95% relative humidity for 48 hours.

In order to complement this description and to provide a better understanding of this invention, the appending drawings, which are a part of this specification, show embodiments by way of illustrative and non limiting examples.

In the drawings..

Figure 1 shows a sectional side elevational view illustrating the different layers of a first embodiment of a magnetic card according to this invention. Figure 2 shows a similar view to that shown in Figure 1 and of 2.5 a second embodiment of the invention, b296pbl.spe 6 Figure 3 shows the constituent components of the thermal printing layer as a bar diagram, and Figure 4 shows the thermal layer after printing.

Referring to the drawings, a magnetic card which permits graphic alterations to be performed on a surface by thermal printing comprises a body defined as a card (10), having on each external face surface a protecting layer (1) and (V) of a synthetic paper or film which is preferably 100% transparent and comprising a conventional cellulose compound. The protecting layers (1) and (1) bear against printed layers (2) and (2) which are produced by an offset process.

The printed layer (2) bears by the intemal surface against a thermal printing layer (3), comprising 2% selenium (20), 61% selenium sulphate (21), 3.5% lead tellurium (22), 15.5% zinc tellurium (23), 0.01 % zinc (24), 3% strontium sulphide (25), 8% thallium tellurium (26), 0.2% 1.5 thallium (27), 0.9% cadmium sulphide (28) and 4.39% lead selenium (29).

(See Figure 3).

Figure 4 shows the layer 3 after relevant transactions have beenprinted by a thermal method. This example shows a prepaid cash card with the various withdrawal transactions recorded thereon and showing the reducing balance available on the card.

The thermal printing layer (3) comprises a special surface which is responsive to heat to produce an image when impinged on by a laser beam, for example.

The thermal printing layer (3) bears by an internal surface against a polyethylene-terephtha late (4) of 150 to 250 microns thickness and this b296pbl.spe 7 layer (4) internally bears against a magnetic layer (5), formed as barium ferrite, which internally bears against a barrier layer (6) formed from a cellulose compound, and which, in turn, bears by an opposite face, against the printed layer (2).

In a second embodiment of this invention, the magnetic card (10) is defined starting from an assembly of layers formed by external protecting layers (1) and (1') internally bearing against printed layers (2) and (2), the printed layer (2) in turn bears against a polyethylene terephthalate layer (4), which latter in turn bears against a magnetic layer (5), which internally bears against the barrier layer (6). In turn, this barrier layer (6) bears against a thermal printing layer (3), which bears against the printed layer (2).

The materials, shape, size and arrangement of the components will be open to variation.

b296pbl.spe

Claims (10)

1. A card carrying magnetically readable data for use in conjunction with a card reading machine, characterised in that the card includes a thermally responsive layer on which an image may be produced by a thermal writing device during use of the card in said machine, said layer and image thereon being viewable from a surface of said card.

2. A magnetic card wherein visible printing or other graphic changes can be effected on a surface using a thermal printing method, the card comprising a number of layers forming a laminate, characterised in that the magnetic card has external protecting layers which overlie printed layers with one printed layer bearing against a thermally responsive printing layer which bears against a polyethyl ene-tere phtha late base layer covering a magnetic layer provided on a supporting barrier or shielding layer, the opposite face of which is overlaid with the other printed layer.

3. A magnetic card according to Claim 2, characterised in that the protecting layers on each side of the card are formed by a synthetic transparent material based on cellulose compounds.

4. A magnetic card according to Claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the printed layers are offset printed.

5. A magnetic card according to any preceding claim, characterised in b296pb 1. spe 9 that the thermal printing or imaging layer comprises 2% selenium, 62% selenium sulphate, 3.5% lead tellerium, 15.5% zinc tellerium, 0.01 % zinc, 3% strontium sulphide, 8% thallium tellurium, 0.2% thallium, 0.9% cadmium sulphide and 4.39% lead selenium.

6. A magnetic card according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the base is a 150 to 250 micron po 1 yethylene-terep htha late layer.

7. A magnetic card according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the material of the magnetic layer is barium ferrite.

8. A magnetic card according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the barrier layer is a cellulose compound.

9. A magnetic card according to Claim 2, characterised by a modified structure wherein a printed layer bears against the polyethylene terephthalate layer of 150 to 250 microns thickness, which latter bears against the barium ferrite magnetic layer, the said magnetic layer bearing against the shield layer, which in turn bears against the thermal printing layer, which then bears against the second printed layer.

10. A magnetic card constructed and arranged to function as described herein and exemplified with reference to the drawings.