JP3402232B2 - IC card manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an IC card having an IC chip built in between resin sheets.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a non-contact type IC card in which electronic parts such as an IC chip are enclosed between thin resin sheets which form outer casings on both sides. As a technique for manufacturing such an IC card, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-23067, a plastic material for accommodating IC chips or the like between the resin sheets on both sides is plasticized by press working. A technique for obtaining an IC card having a predetermined thickness by deformation is known.

From the viewpoint of portability, IC cards are
It is desirable that the thickness is as thin as possible (for example, the thickness is 0.76 mm or less). However, in thinning the IC card, the above-mentioned technique is likely to cause uneven stress in the plastic material during press working, which may cause a problem such as destruction of an internal electronic circuit.

Therefore, by sandwiching an IC chip or the like and a thermoplastic adhesive (for example, a hot-melt material or a urethane adhesive) between resin sheets and then heating and cooling them,
A technique has been developed in which a space between both resin sheets is filled with a thermoplastic adhesive and both resin sheets are adhered to each other to produce an IC card. For example, on the upper surface of one resin sheet, I
An electronic component such as a C chip is mounted, and a thin sheet-shaped thermoplastic adhesive is sandwiched between the mounting surfaces to form another laminated resin sheet. The laminate is heated to soften the thermoplastic adhesive, and then cooled to cure the thermoplastic adhesive, thereby filling the space between both resin sheets with the thermoplastic adhesive and fixing the resin sheet.

At that time, the IC card may not be flattened or air bubbles may be mixed between both resin sheets by simply heating and cooling the laminated body, in particular to reduce the number of steps. When heating and cooling a wide laminated body which can be divided into a large number of IC cards, it may become remarkable. If the IC card is not flat or if air bubbles are mixed in the IC card, problems such as the IC card not functioning normally or the strength of the IC card decreasing may occur.

In order to prevent such problems, heating and cooling are
For example, an IC card manufacturing apparatus 501 as shown in FIG.
Thus, it is carried out in a vacuum (a state in which the pressure is lower than the external atmospheric pressure) while applying an appropriate pressure to both surfaces of the laminate. The IC card manufacturing apparatus 501 has a plurality of press plates 502 for heating and cooling the laminated body and applying pressure to both surfaces of the laminated body. The press plates 502 are parallel to each other, and pressure is applied to both surfaces of the stack by arranging the stack between the press plates 502 and sandwiching the stack with the adjacent press plates 502. When the stacked body is pressed by the press plate 502, the packing 503 provided at the edge of the press plate 502 is sandwiched between the two press plates 502 to seal the internal space of the IC card manufacturing apparatus 501. To do. Then, the internal space of the IC card manufacturing apparatus 501 is evacuated by an exhaust means (not shown).

Inside the press plate 502, a heat transfer oil pipe 504 for heating the above-mentioned laminated body and a cooling water pipe 505 for cooling the laminated body are provided. Heat is applied to the laminate through the press plate 502 by circulating a high temperature heat transfer oil through the heat transfer oil pipe 504 in a state in which an appropriate pressure is applied to both sides of the stack in vacuum (FIG. 8). (See (b)), the thermoplastic adhesive is softened and I
The periphery of the electronic component such as the C chip and the space between the resin sheets are filled. And while applying pressure to both sides of the laminate,
When the laminate is cooled through the press plate 502 by circulating water through the cooling water pipe 505, the thermoplastic adhesive cures and the resin sheet is fixed as an exterior of both faces of the laminate. The IC card is obtained by dividing the laminated body, which has the exteriors on both sides thereof by the resin sheet, into a certain size.

[0008]

However, in such a method, in order to fix the resin sheet, it is necessary to raise or lower the temperature of the press plate 502 itself in order to heat or cool the laminate. It takes a long time, and the number of IC cards that can be manufactured within a fixed time is limited.

Further, when the resin sheet is evacuated while being heated and pressed at a high temperature, the resin sheet is distorted or wrinkled due to a synergistic effect such as thermal expansion due to heating and variations in applied pressure, and partial stress addition due to evacuation. There is a possibility that it will end up.
Such wrinkles not only worsen the appearance, but also cause defective products when printing on the surface of the IC card later, which in turn may reduce the manufacturing yield of the IC card.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to promote the thinning of an IC card and to improve the productivity of the IC card in an IC card manufacturing method. .

[0011]

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention I of the present invention (claim 1) made to solve the above problems
In the C card manufacturing method, in the first step, while sandwiching the laminated body with a first press machine set to a first temperature at which the tackiness of the thermoplastic adhesive is developed, the laminated body is heated to the first temperature while surrounding the laminated body. Is evacuated, and in a second step after the first step, the laminated body is sandwiched with a second press machine set to a second temperature equal to or higher than the softening point of the thermoplastic adhesive, and heated to a second temperature,
In the third step after the second step, cooling across the laminate at a third pressing machine which is set to a low third temperature than the softening point of the thermoplastic adhesive to a temperature below the softening point. And
A pair of parallel plates passing through the inside of the first to third press machines.
The laminated body is sandwiched between conveyor belts, and the first to third
It is characterized in that it is sequentially conveyed inside the press machine.

Conventionally, the same press machine was used for heating and cooling the laminated body while applying pressure, but in the IC card manufacturing method of the present invention (claim 1), heating and cooling are performed in three steps. To divide. That is, in the first step, the laminate is sandwiched by the first press machine, and a pressure is applied to both surfaces of the laminate at a predetermined temperature, and the periphery of the laminate is made a vacuum (a state in which the pressure is lower than atmospheric pressure). By doing so, so-called vacuuming is performed to discharge gas from the inside of the laminated body. And, the first press machine is a first press machine that exhibits the tackiness of the thermoplastic adhesive.
Since the temperature is set and the laminate is also heated to that temperature, the resin sheet is brought into close contact with the thermoplastic adhesive exhibiting tackiness.

Next, in the second step, the laminated body is heated to the second temperature by sandwiching the laminated body with a second press machine set to a second temperature which is equal to or higher than the softening point of the thermoplastic adhesive. At this second temperature, the thermoplastic adhesive in the laminate
It becomes a softened or melted state, fills the spaces between the resin sheets without any gaps, and strongly adheres to the resin sheets. Further, the laminated body is sandwiched by the second press machine, pressure is applied to both surfaces thereof, and the laminated body is kept flat without warping or wrinkling.

Then, in the third step, the laminated body is cooled to the third temperature by sandwiching the laminated body with a third press machine set to a third temperature lower than the softening point of the thermoplastic adhesive. At the third temperature, the thermoplastic adhesive in the laminate solidifies while being bonded to the resin sheet. Further, the laminated body is sandwiched by the third press machine, and pressure is applied to both sides of the laminated body, so that the laminated body is kept flat without warping or wrinkling.

That is, according to the method for manufacturing an IC card of the present invention (claim 1), the heating and cooling of the laminated body are not carried out as one step (batch processing) by one apparatus, but a thermoplastic adhesive is used. A second step of heating to a temperature above the softening point of
After the heating, the laminated body was divided into a third step of cooling the laminated body to a temperature lower than the softening point of the thermoplastic adhesive, and it was decided to carry out by another device in which each predetermined temperature was set. Heating and cooling can be performed.

The second temperature above the softening point of the thermoplastic adhesive is
Vacuuming is not performed during the second step of heating the laminate to a temperature, but vacuuming is performed as the first step at a temperature lower than the second temperature at which the tackiness of the thermoplastic adhesive is expressed. Since this is done, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of strain, wrinkles and other deformations in the resin sheet due to the synergistic effects such as thermal expansion due to heating and variations in applied pressure, partial stress addition due to evacuation and the like. Since the resin sheet is brought into close contact with the thermoplastic adhesive exhibiting tackiness, it is possible to prevent gas from entering the laminate after the first step.

Further, in the conventional method, it is necessary to greatly raise or lower the temperature, and a large amount of waste heat energy is involved in the manufacture of the IC card, but I of the present invention (claim 1) is used.
According to the C-card manufacturing method, since the temperature of each press machine in each step is almost constant, wasteful heat energy is reduced, and eventually the manufacturing cost can be suppressed.

In the case where the heating / cooling process is divided into three processes (first to third processes) and each is performed by a different device (that is, first to third press machine), It is necessary to convey the laminate in the order of the first press machine, the second press machine, and the third press machine. Therefore, for example, it is conceivable that the laminated body is simply placed on a belt conveyor and conveyed, but there is a possibility that the laminated body may be deformed due to a partial drop in temperature of the laminated body during the conveyance. .

[0019] Therefore, before Symbol sandwiching the laminate between a pair of parallel conveyor belts which passes through the inside of the first to third pressing machine, to sequentially conveyed to the interior of said third pressing machine Just do it. According to I C card manufacturing method Ru performed in this manner, it is possible to perform each step is conveyed in a state of sandwiching the laminate a pair of parallel conveyor belts, in practice during or transport of the respective steps It is possible to suppress warpage, strain, or other deformation of the laminate.

When the laminated body is conveyed by being sandwiched by the conveyor belts, heat and pressure are also applied to the conveyor belt. Therefore, the conveyance of the laminated body is carried out as described in claim 2 . It is recommended to use a heat resistant and pressure resistant conveyor belt. According to the method for manufacturing an IC card of claim 2 , which is performed in this way, since the conveyor belt has heat resistance and pressure resistance, deterioration is suppressed even when it is used a plurality of times, and the conveyor belt has It is economical and preferable because it is less frequently replaced. Such heat-resistant and pressure-resistant conveyor belts include, for example, non-woven fabric (made of glass fiber, etc.) and resin (nylon, PET).
(Polyethyleneterephthalate
es), PPS (Polyphenylenesulf)
ide) etc.) is preferably used.

In each step, the laminated body is heated or cooled via a conveyor belt sandwiching the laminated body,
Heat is transferred to and from the laminate through a conveyor belt. Therefore, it is preferable that the thickness of the conveyor belt is as thin as possible because it has good thermal conductivity and does not prevent heat from entering and exiting the laminated body, but on the other hand, when the conveyor belt is too thin, thermal expansion and applied pressure due to heating. Wrinkles and other deformations may occur on the conveyor belt due to variations in temperature, partial stress application due to vacuuming, and the like.

In view of this point, the present inventors have found that, as described in claim 3 , the conveyance of the laminated body should be carried out by a conveyor belt whose thickness is approximately half that of the laminated body. . According to the method for manufacturing an IC card according to the third aspect , which is performed in this way, it is possible to prevent heat from entering and leaving the laminated body, and to prevent wrinkles and other deformations from occurring on the conveyor belt.

Since it is undeniable that the thermoplastic adhesive may flow out from the inside of the laminated body sandwiched between the pair of conveyor belts during heating, the conveying of the laminated body is performed as described in claim 4 . It is preferable to use a conveyor belt having a fluororesin layer on the surface.

According to the method for manufacturing an IC card according to the fourth aspect , which is performed in this way, since the fluororesin layer is formed on the surface of the conveyor belt (so-called fluororesin processing is performed), the heating is performed during heating. Even if the thermoplastic adhesive flows out from the inside of the laminate and adheres to the conveyor belt, the thermoplastic adhesive can be easily removed and the durability of the conveyor belt can be further improved. Further, when the conveyor belt is a non-woven fabric, it is desirable to process it with a fluororesin in order to prevent the unevenness of the non-woven fabric itself from being transferred to the surface of the laminate.

As a method of transporting the laminated body in the order of the first press machine, the second press machine and the third press machine, as described in claim 5 , both edge portions of the laminated body are It may be arranged such that it is sandwiched by a pair of sandwiching and transporting units movable along the transporting route of the laminated body up to the third step, and sequentially transported to the inside of the first to third pressing machines.

In this case, the laminate being conveyed is bent and the first
~ When contacted with any of the third presses, the laminate may be partially heated or cooled, resulting in non-uniform stress inside and deformation. Therefore, the transport of the product layer body,
A state in which tension is applied to the laminated body between a pair of sandwiching and conveying portions that sandwich both edges of the laminated body so that the laminated body does not bend and contact the first to third pressing machines during conveyance. It is good to do in. The IC according to claim 5 , which is performed in this manner.
According to the card manufacturing method, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the laminated body comes into contact with any one of the first to third pressing machines and is partially heated or cooled to be deformed, which in turn improves the manufacturing yield. Can be made.

Further, the heating or cooling causes the resin sheet to expand or contract due to the temperature change. Therefore, even when the heating and cooling are performed, both edges of the resin sheet are still held by the holding and conveying section. Strain and wrinkles may occur near the sandwiched portion.

Therefore, as described in claim 6 , during the execution of the first to third steps, it is preferable that the sandwiching and conveying section is used to release the sandwiching of both edges of the laminate. Claims made in this way
According to the method for manufacturing an IC card described in 6 , it is possible to prevent distortion, wrinkles, and the like from being generated in the vicinity of a sandwiched portion of the resin sheet during heating and cooling.

Further, as a method of transporting the laminate in the order of the first press machine, the second press machine and the third press machine, as described in claim 7 , the laminate body is provided between a pair of transport films. And the both edge portions of the transport film are placed between the first to third
You may make it pinch | interpose by a pair of pinch conveyance part which can move along the conveyance path of the laminated body which goes to a process, and it may convey one by one inside the 1st-3rd press machine.

In the second step, after the thermoplastic adhesive has been softened by the second press machine, the second press machine
While being conveyed to the third press machine for performing the third step, the temperature of the laminated body is lowered by the outside air or the like, and the thermoplastic adhesive is applied in a state where the laminated body is not flat (for example, in a warped state or a bent state). It may solidify.

Therefore, as described in claim 8 , the second
In the process from the step to the third step, the laminated body is kept warm,
The temperature drop of the laminated body may be suppressed. According to the method for manufacturing an IC card according to claim 8 which is performed in this way, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the laminated body from decreasing before performing the third step, and to prevent the laminated body from being warped or bent. You can prevent it from solidifying.

[0032]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment for realizing the IC card manufacturing method of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an IC card manufacturing apparatus 2 that realizes the IC card manufacturing method of the first embodiment. In the IC card manufacturing apparatus 2, another second resin sheet S3 is superposed on the mounting surface of the first resin sheet S1 on which a circuit pattern is formed and electronic components such as IC chips are mounted, via a thermoplastic adhesive S2. The laminated body S (see FIG. 2A) is heated and cooled to fix both resin sheets S1 and S3 to both surfaces of the laminated body S. The IC card is a laminated body S to which a resin sheet is fixed by the IC card manufacturing apparatus 2.
Is obtained by dividing it into a plurality of vertical and horizontal directions.

As shown in FIG. 1, the IC card manufacturing apparatus 2 of the first embodiment comprises a temporary sticking station 4, a main sticking station 6, and a cooling station 8 which are arranged in a line in order. Then, from the insertion port 4a of the temporary sticking station 4 to the discharge port 8a of the cooling station 8 via the main sticking station 6, each station 4,
A conveyer conveyor 10 and a presser conveyor 12 that pass through the insides of 6 and 8 are provided.

The temporary sticking station 4 is provided with a pair of temporary sticking press plates 14 (upper temporary sticking press plate 14) arranged vertically.
a, a lower temporary sticking press plate 14b). The temporary sticking station 4 decompresses (ie, evacuates) the inside of the space S to a predetermined value while stacking the stacked bodies S in the internal space (that is, the space between the two temporary sticking press plates 14a and 14b). This is for heating the laminated body S while applying a predetermined pressure to both surfaces of the body S.

The upper temporary sticking press plate 14a and the lower temporary sticking press plate 14b are constructed so as to be accessible in parallel with each other, and the laminated body S arranged between the two temporary sticking press plates 14a and 14b. On both sides of both temporary sticking press plates 14
It receives pressure from a and 14b. Both temporary pasting press plate 14
Rubber packings 16a and 16b are provided at the edges of the surfaces of a and 14b that face each other. The packings 16a and 16b are elastically deformed by being sandwiched between the two temporary sticking press plates 14 to seal the internal space of the temporary sticking station 4 from the outside. The temporary sticking station 4 is provided with an exhaust means (not shown). The internal space of the temporary sticking station 4 is depressurized by discharging gas to the outside by an exhaust means in a state of being sealed by the packings 16a and 16b.

Inside the temporary sticking press plates 14a, 14b, an electric type temporary sticking heater 18 for heating the laminated body S arranged between the temporary sticking press plates 14a, 14b.
a and 18b are buried. Further, the surface of the lower temporary sticking press plate 14b that faces the upper temporary sticking press plate 14a (that is, the upper surface of the lower temporary sticking press plate 14b) is formed into a bag portion having a gas inside. 20 are provided. In the bag portion 20, the laminated body S has the temporary attaching press plate 14a,
When it is carried in between 14b, pressure is applied to the inside of the bag by a not-shown pressing means to swell, and the laminated body S arranged between the lower surface (pressing surface) of the upper temporary sticking press plate 14a is pressed. .

The main sticking station 6 includes a pair of main sticking press plates 22 arranged above and below (the upper main sticking press plate 22.
a, a lower main sticking press plate 22b). The main sticking station 6 applies the predetermined pressure to both surfaces of the stack S while holding the stack S in the internal space (that is, the space between the two sticking press plates 22a and 22b). It is to heat.

The upper main sticking press plate 22a and the lower main sticking press plate 22b are configured to be accessible in parallel with each other. The laminated body S arranged between both book sticking press plates 22a and 22b has a lower surface (pressurizing surface 24a) of the upper book sticking press plate 22a and an upper surface (pressurizing surface 24b) of the lower book sticking press plate 22b. It is sandwiched between and receives pressure on both sides.

Inside the book sticking press plates 22a, 22b, an electric book sticking heater 26 for heating the laminate S arranged between the book sticking press plates 22a, 22b.
a and 26b are buried. Both sticking press plate 22
Inside the a and 22b, the main heaters 26a and 26b
b between the pressure surfaces 24a, 24b,
Heating jacket chambers 28a and 28b are provided to prevent the temperature distribution in 24b from becoming uneven. A flowable heat medium (for example, a gas such as air, a liquid such as water or oil, air in this embodiment) is enclosed in the heating jacket chambers 28a and 28b, and the pressurizing surface 24 is formed by convection of the heat medium.
Variation in temperature within the planes of a and 24b is suppressed.

The cooling station 8 is provided with a pair of cooling press plates 30 (upper cooling press plate 30a, lower cooling press plate 30b) arranged vertically. The cooling station 8 has an internal space (that is, both cooling press plates 30a, 3a).
With a predetermined pressure applied to both surfaces of the laminated body S in a state where the laminated body S is housed in a space between 0b), the temperature of the laminated body S heated in the sticking station 6 is lowered. is there.

The upper cooling press plate 30a and the lower cooling press plate 30b are constructed so as to be accessible in parallel with each other. The laminated body S arranged between both cooling press plates 30a and 30b has a lower surface (pressurizing surface 32a) of the upper cooling press plate 30a and an upper surface (pressing surface 3) of the lower cooling press plate 30b.
It is sandwiched between 2b) and pressure is applied to both sides.

Inside the cooling press plates 30a and 30b,
Cooling water pipes 34a and 34b for cooling the laminated body S arranged between the both cooling press plates 30a and 30b are provided. Inside the cooling press plates 30a and 30b, the cooling water pipes 34a and 34b and the pressing surfaces 32a and 32 are provided.
b, a cooling jacket chamber 36 for suppressing uneven temperature distribution in the pressure surfaces 32a and 32b.
a and 36b are provided. Cooling jacket room 36
Flowable heat mediums (for example, gas such as air, liquids such as water and oil, air in this embodiment) are also enclosed in a and 36b, and inside the pressurizing surfaces 36a and 36b by convection of the heat medium. Variation in temperature is suppressed.

The transport conveyor 10 transports the laminated body S so that the laminated body S sequentially passes through the temporary laminating station 4, the main laminating station 6, and the cooling station 8. The transport conveyor 10 is the temporary sticking station 4
A transport roller 38a provided near the insertion port 4a of the cooling station 8 and a transport roller 38b provided near the discharge port 8a of the cooling station 8 are provided.
It is configured by tensioning the conveyor belt 40 between b.
The conveyor belt 40 is supplied from an unwinding roll 42 on which the conveyor belt 40 is wound in advance, and the conveyor rollers 38a, 3
It is wound around the winding roll 44 via 8b.

On the other hand, the presser conveyor 12 includes the conveyor belt 4
The stack S, which is placed on top of and is conveyed by the pressing belt 4,
It is for pressing from above by 6. The presser conveyor 12 includes a presser roller 48a provided near the insertion port 4a of the temporary sticking station 4 and a presser roller 48b provided near the discharge port 8a of the cooling station 8,
The pressing belt 4 is provided between the pressing rollers 48a and 48b.
It is constructed by stretching 6. The pressing belt 46 is supplied from the unwinding roll 50 on which the pressing belt 46 is wound in advance, and is wound around the winding roll 51 via the pressing rollers 48a and 48b.

The take-up rolls 44 and 51 are rotationally driven by driving means (not shown) to wind the conveying belt 40 and the holding belt 46 in synchronization with each other by the same length. Appropriate tension is applied to the conveying belt 40 and the pressing belt 46 between the unwinding rolls 42 and 50 and the winding rolls 44 and 51. This allows
The conveyor belt 40 hangs down, and constituent parts (eg, packing, bag, lower temporary sticking press plate 14b, lower main sticking press plate 22b) of each station (temporary sticking station 4, main sticking station 6, cooling station 8). , The lower cooling press plate 30b) is prevented from contacting, and the stack S is securely held between the conveyor belt 40 and the holding belt 46 so that the mounting position does not shift. In addition,
The conveyor belt 40 and the pressing belt 46 correspond to a pair of parallel conveyor belts.

The conveying belt 40 and the pressing belt 46 are
A nonwoven fabric made of glass fibers is impregnated with PPS, and the surface thereof is coated with a fluororesin. The transport belt 40 and the pressing belt 46 have a thickness of about half the thickness of the laminated body S.

The conveyor belt 40 and the presser belt 4
On the conveyance path of the laminated body S formed by 6, the space between the main sticking station 6 and the cooling station 8 is
Warm air heaters 52a and 52b are provided. The warm air heaters 52a and 52b are provided above and below the transport path, respectively, and suppress the temperature of the stack S moved from the main sticking station 6 to the cooling station 8 to drop during the movement. It is for.

In the IC card manufacturing apparatus 2 configured as described above, heating / cooling of the laminated body S is performed as follows. First, the stack S is inserted one by one between the transport roller 38a and the pressing roller 48a near the insertion port 4a of the temporary sticking station 4. The inserted laminated body S is sandwiched between the transport belt 40 and the pressing belt 46, and the upper temporary sticking press plate 14a and the lower temporary sticking press plate 14 are inserted.
It is moved between b and the following "temporary sticking step" corresponding to the first step of the claims is performed.

"Temporary pasting process": Temporary pasting station 4
When the laminated body S is loaded inside, the upper temporary pressing press plate 1
4a and the lower temporary sticking press plate 14b move so as to approach each other, and the packings 16a and 16b seal the internal space of the temporary sticking station 4 with the transport belt 40 and the holding belt 46 sandwiched therebetween. Next, the gas in the temporary sticking station 4 is discharged to the outside by an exhaust means (not shown), and the inside of the temporary sticking station 4 is
The pressure is reduced to about 2 to 3 Torr. Temporary attachment heater 18
a and 18b, both temporary sticking press plates 14a and 14b
Has been heated to a first temperature (about 70 ° C. in the present embodiment, which will be described later) at which the thermoplastic adhesive S2 exhibits tackiness, and the laminate S is the upper temporary pressing press plate 14
It is sandwiched between the lower surface of a and the bag part 20 in the inflated state,
While receiving a pressure of 0.1 to 0.5 MPa, the temperature is set to about 70 ° C. as shown in FIG.

This temporary attaching step is performed by the temporary attaching press plate 14
After a lapse of a predetermined time from the start of heating and pressurizing the laminated body S by a and 14b, the temporary sticking press plates 14a and 14b are
The process ends by moving away from each other and leaving the stack S. As a result, the conveyor belt 40 and the pressing belt 46 are also released from being pinched by the packings 16a and 16b.

Both resin sheets S1 of the laminated body S of this embodiment
S3 is composed of PET. Further, the thermoplastic adhesive S2 is a polyester-based hot melt material, has a softening point of about 70 to 120 ° C., and exhibits tackiness at about 70 ° C. or higher. That is, in the temporary attaching step, the thermoplastic adhesive S2 of the laminate S is in a state of exhibiting tackiness, and both resin sheets S1 and S3 maintain appropriate strength, and the resin sheets S1 and S3 have tackiness. Is lightly adhered to the thermoplastic adhesive S2 expressing. In this state, the laminated body S is provided on both sides under reduced pressure (that is, the resin sheets S1, S
By applying a predetermined pressure to (3), gas is discharged from the inside (that is, between the resin sheets S1 and S3).
Since the resin sheets S1 and S3 are lightly adhered to the thermoplastic adhesive S2, air bubbles are prevented from entering the inside of the laminate S after the temporary attaching step.

The packings 16a and 16b are used to convey the conveyor belt 40 when the internal space of the temporary sticking station 4 is sealed.
The holding belt 46 is sandwiched between the conveyor belt 40 and the holding belt 46, and the packing belt 16 and the holding belt 46 are thin.
It does not affect the sealing properties of a and 16b.

After the temporary attaching process is completed, the winding roll 44,
By the rotational drive of 51, the conveyor belt 40 and the pressing belt 46 convey the inside of the main sticking station 6 with the laminated body S sandwiched therebetween. Then, the following "main sticking step" corresponding to the second step of the claims is performed.

"Book sticking process": book sticking station 6
When the laminate S is carried into the inside of the sheet, the upper main sticking press plate 22a and the lower main sticking press plate 22b move so as to approach each other, and are stacked between the conveyor belt 40 and the pressing belt 46 together. The body S is sandwiched. By using the sticking heaters 26a and 26b, both sticking press plates 22a and 2
2b is warmed to a second temperature (about 140 ° C. in this embodiment) which is equal to or higher than the softening point of the thermoplastic adhesive S2, and the laminate S is sandwiched between the pressure surface 24a and the pressure surface 24b. And receive a pressure of about 0.1 to 0.5 MPa,
The temperature is set to about 140 ° C. as shown in FIG.

This sticking step is carried out by the sticking press plates 22a, 2
After a lapse of a predetermined time from the start of heating and pressurization of the laminated body S by 2b, the sticking press plates 22a and 22b move away from each other and are separated from the laminated body S to finish. In this main attaching step, the thermoplastic adhesive S2 of the laminate S is softened to have fluidity,
The space between the resin sheets S1 and S3 is filled without any gap. At that time, a predetermined pressure is applied to both surfaces (that is, the resin sheets S1 and S3) of the laminated body S by the sticking press plates 22a and 22b, so that the laminated body S is kept flat.

After the completion of the main attaching step, the conveying belt 40 and the pressing belt 46 are again driven inside the cooling station 8 with the laminated body S sandwiched therebetween by rotationally driving the winding rolls 44 and 51. Transport. Then, the following "cooling step" corresponding to the third step of the claims is performed.

"Cooling step": When the laminate S is carried into the cooling station 8, the upper cooling press plate 30a
The lower cooling press plate 30b moves closer to each other, and sandwiches the laminated body S together with the transport belt 40 and the pressing belt 46. Due to the cooling water pipes 34a and 34b, both cooling press plates 30a and 30b have a third temperature (60 in this embodiment) lower than the softening point of the thermoplastic adhesive S2.
C.) and the laminated body S has the pressing surfaces 32a, 32
It is sandwiched between b and receives a pressure of about 0.1 to 0.5 MPa, and its temperature is lowered as shown in FIG.

In the cooling step, the cooling press plates 30a and 30b are used.
After a lapse of a predetermined time from the start of cooling and pressurization of the laminated body S by the above, the cooling press plates 30a and 30b move away from each other and are separated from the laminated body S to end. In this cooling step, the thermoplastic adhesive S2 of the laminated body S is filled in the space between the resin sheets S1 and S3 without any gap and is cured in a state of being adhered to the resin sheets S1 and S3 and electronic parts such as IC chips. It At the time of cooling, a predetermined pressure is applied to both surfaces of the laminate S by the cooling press plates 30a and 30b, so that the laminate S is kept flat.

After completion of the cooling step, the winding roll 4 is again turned on.
By the rotational driving of 4, 51, the conveyor belt 40 and the pressing belt 46 are carried out of the cooling station 8 with the laminated body S sandwiched between them. In addition, in each process, the laminated body S includes the conveyor belt 40 and the pressing belt 46.
Although it is heated or cooled through the heat transfer belt 40 and the holding belt 46, the transfer belt 40 and the pressing belt 46 do not hinder the movement of heat (for example,
There is no problem because it is thinly formed to have a thickness of about half that of the laminated body S).

According to the IC card manufacturing method of the first embodiment described above, the following effects (1) to (8) are obtained. (1) Heating and cooling of the laminated body S is performed by using the thermoplastic adhesive S2.
Of the softening point to a second temperature higher than the softening point and a cooling step of cooling the laminated body S to a third temperature lower than the softening point of the thermoplastic adhesive S2 after that. Since it is performed in the set main sticking station 6 and cooling station 8, the laminated body S can be quickly heated and cooled.

(2) The evacuation is not performed during the main attaching step of heating the laminate S to a second temperature equal to or higher than the softening point of the thermoplastic adhesive S2, but at a temperature relatively lower than the second temperature. It is performed during a temporary attaching step at a first temperature at which the tackiness of the thermoplastic adhesive S2 is developed. As a result, it is possible to suppress the resin sheets S1 and S3 from being deformed due to thermal expansion due to heating, variations in applied pressure, partial stress application due to evacuation, and the like. Then, since the resin sheet is brought into close contact with the thermoplastic adhesive S2 exhibiting tackiness, generation of bubbles in the laminate S is suppressed after the temporary attaching step.

(3) Since the temperatures of the stations 4, 6 and 8 are kept substantially constant, wasteful heat energy is reduced and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. (4) Since the stack S is sandwiched between the pair of parallel conveyor belts 40 and the holding belt 46 to carry out each step,
It is possible to suppress warpage, distortion, or other deformation of the laminated body S during the execution of each step or during the transportation of the laminated body S.

(5) Conveyor belt 40 and pressing belt 4
No. 6 is formed by impregnating a non-woven fabric made of glass fiber with PPS, and has heat resistance and pressure resistance, so that it is durable and the necessary replacement frequency is low, which is economical and preferable. (6) Since the transport belt 40 and the pressing belt 46 are configured to have a thickness that is approximately half the thickness of the stacked body S, they do not prevent heat from entering and exiting the stacked body, and the transport belt 40
It is possible to prevent wrinkles and other deformations of the holding belt 46 from occurring on the conveyor belt.

(7) Conveyor belt 40 and presser belt 4
Since the surface of 6 is coated with a fluororesin (for example, Teflon: trade name), even if the thermoplastic adhesive S2 flows out from the inside of the laminate S and adheres to the conveyor belt 40 and the pressing belt 46 during heating, It is easy to remove the thermoplastic adhesive S2. Therefore, the durability of the transport belt 40 and the pressing belt 46 can be further improved. Further, by processing with a fluororesin, it is possible to prevent the unevenness of the conveyor belt 40 and the pressing belt 46, which are non-woven fabrics, from being transferred to the surface of the laminate S.

(8) Between the main sticking station 6 and the cooling station 8, warm air heaters 52a and 52b are arranged above and below the transfer path so that the laminated body is being transferred from the main sticking station 6 to the cooling station 8. S is kept warm to suppress the temperature drop. This can prevent the temperature of the thermoplastic adhesive S2 from decreasing before the cooling step and prevent the laminated body S from being solidified in a warped state or a bent state.

Next, an IC card manufacturing method as a second embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 shows the IC of the first embodiment.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the IC card manufacturing apparatus 102 which implement | achieves a card manufacturing method. The IC card manufacturing apparatus 102 is the first
Although the temporary sticking station 4, the main sticking station 6, and the cooling station 8 similar to those of the IC card manufacturing apparatus 2 of the embodiment are provided, the transporting means of the laminated body T is different. That is, in the IC card manufacturing apparatus 102 of the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the edge portion of the laminated body T is configured to be sandwiched, and the conveying direction of the laminated body T (in each step 4, 6, 8). A pair of sandwiching / conveying units 110a and 110b that are movable in a conveying direction along the conveying path of the stacked body T up to that are provided. The sandwiching and conveying units 110a and 110b are the temporary sticking station 4
From the insertion port 4a to the discharge port 8a of the cooling station 8 through the main sticking station 6, the laminated body T is conveyed while sandwiching both side edges of the laminated body T in the conveying direction. At the time of the transportation, the laminated body T hangs down, and components of each station (temporary pasting station 4, main pasting station 6, cooling station 8) (for example, packing, bag, lower temporary pasting press plate 14b, lower side) The sandwiching and conveying units 110a and 110b pull the laminated body T in directions away from each other so as not to contact the main pasting press plate 22b and the lower cooling press plate 30b) (see FIG. 5A), and the laminated body T
Apply appropriate tension to. Thereby, the laminated body T is expanded without slack.

The laminated body T has an IC formed with a circuit pattern.
Another second resin sheet T3 is superposed on the mounting surface of the first resin sheet T1 on which electronic components such as chips are mounted, via a thermoplastic adhesive T2 (see FIG. 2A),
In the resin sheets T1 and T3, the sandwiching and conveying section 110 is a laminated body T.
It is formed in such a size that it protrudes from each press plate (temporary sticking press plate 14, main sticking press plate 22, cooling press plate 30) so that both edges can be easily clamped (see FIG. 5). That is, even if the laminated body T is carried into each station (temporary pasting station 4, main pasting station 6, cooling station 8), the edge portions of the resin sheets T1 and T3 are attached to the respective press plates 14, 22, 30. Without being caught, each station 4, 6 and 8 goes out.
Therefore, the sandwiching and conveying section 110a, 110b is a component of each station 4, 6, 8 (for example, each press plate 14,
22, 30 and the packings 16a, 16b) without any trouble, the laminated body T is sandwiched and conveyed by the sandwiching and conveying sections 110a, 110b.
Is transported by. In the IC card manufacturing apparatus 102 having the above-described configuration, the stack T is held by the both-sides nip transport section 11.
0a and 110b, with both edges thereof sandwiched, are sequentially loaded into the temporary sticking station 4, the main sticking station 6, and the cooling station 8. Then, the same temporary sticking step, main sticking step, and cooling step as those of the IC card manufacturing method of the first embodiment are performed. In each process
The laminate T is sandwiched between the press plates (temporary attachment press plate 14, main attachment press plate 22, cooling press plate 30) and heated or cooled. At that time, the sandwiching and conveying sections 110a, 110.
The sandwiching of the laminated body T by b is released (see FIG. 5B). Then, the sandwiching and conveying units 110a and 110b sandwich the both edges of the laminated body T immediately before the pressing of the laminated body T by each press plate is completed, and after the pressing is completed, the laminated body T is conveyed again.

The packings 16a and 16b sandwich the resin sheets T1 and T3 of the laminated body T when the internal space of the temporary sticking station 4 is sealed, but the resin sheets T1 and T3 are made thin, and the packings 16a and 16b. It does not affect the sealing property of 16b. According to the IC card manufacturing method of the second embodiment described above, in addition to the effects (1) to (3) and (8) obtained by the IC card manufacturing method of the first embodiment, the following is obtained. The effects of (9) and (10) are achieved.

(9) The sandwiching and conveying sections 110a and 110b move the laminated body T away from each other so that the laminated body T does not come into contact with the first to third pressing machines due to the bending of the laminated body T during the conveyance of the laminated body T. Since the tensile force is applied to the laminated body T by pulling, it is possible to prevent the laminated body T from being partially heated or cooled and deformed.

(10) During the execution of the temporary attaching step, the main attaching step and the cooling step, the nipping of both edges of the laminate T by the nipping and conveying sections 110a and 110b is released, so that heating and cooling can be performed. At this time, it is possible to prevent distortion, wrinkles, or the like from being generated in the vicinity of the sandwiched portions by the sandwiched conveying portions 110a and 110b of the resin sheets T1, T3.

Next, an IC card manufacturing method will be described as a third embodiment with reference to the drawings. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an IC card manufacturing apparatus 202 that realizes the IC card manufacturing method of the first embodiment. The IC card manufacturing apparatus 202 includes a temporary sticking station 4, a main sticking station 6, and a cooling station 8 similar to the IC card manufacturing apparatus 2 of the first and second embodiments, and further, the same as the second embodiment. Although it is provided with the sandwiching and conveying sections 110a and 110b, the method of conveying the laminated body is different from that of the first and second embodiments. That is, in the IC card manufacturing apparatus 202 of the third embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the laminated body S is sandwiched between a pair of transport films 210 and 212, which is slightly larger than the laminated body S, Both edges of the transport films 210 and 212 are sandwiched by the sandwich transport units 110a and 110b.
The sandwiching and conveying units 110a and 110b extend from the insertion port 4a of the temporary sticking station 4 to the discharge port 8a of the cooling station 8 through the main sticking station 6 with respect to the conveying direction of the pair of conveying films 210 and 212. The transport films 210 and 212 and the laminated body S sandwiched between the transport films 210 and 212 are transported with the edges on both sides sandwiched therebetween. During the transportation,
The transport films 210 and 212 hang down, and components of each station (temporary sticking station 4, main sticking station 6, cooling station 8) (for example, packing, bag, lower temporary sticking press plate 14b, lower main sticking) In order not to come into contact with the press plate 22b and the lower cooling press plate 30b), both edges of the transport films 210 and 212 are pulled by the sandwiching and transporting units 110a and 110b, and an appropriate tension is applied to the transport films 210 and 212. Good.

The laminated body S is the same as that of the first embodiment (see FIG. 2A). Also, the transport film 2
10, 212 are the conveyor belts 40, 4 of the first embodiment.
Similar to 6, the non-woven fabric made of glass fiber is impregnated with PPS, and the surface thereof is coated with a fluororesin. Then, the transport film 21
0 and 212 have a thickness of about half of the thickness of the laminated body S, and the sandwiching and conveying unit 110 has the conveying film 21.
Formed in a size (see FIG. 7) so as to protrude from each press plate (temporary sticking press plate 14, main sticking press plate 22, cooling press plate 30) so that both edges of 0 and 212 can be easily clamped Is. That is, even if the laminate S is carried into each station (temporary sticking station 4, main sticking station 6, cooling station 8), the transport film 21
The edges of 0, 212 are the respective press plates 14, 22,
Without being sandwiched between 30, the station 4, 6, 8 will be outside. Therefore, the pinching and conveying units 110a and 110
b is a component of each station 4, 6, 8 (for example, each press plate 14, 22, 30 and packing 16a, 16)
The laminated body S and the films 210 and 212 for conveyance are pinched | conveyed and conveyed part 110a, 110b without obstacles, such as hitting b).
Is transported by.

In the IC card manufacturing apparatus 202 having the above structure, the laminated body S is composed of the pair of transport films 2
In a state of being sandwiched between 10, 212, they are sequentially loaded into the temporary sticking station 4, the main sticking station 6, and the cooling station 8. Then, the same temporary sticking step, main sticking step, and cooling step as those of the IC card manufacturing methods of the first and second embodiments are performed. In each step, the laminate S is sandwiched between the press plates (temporary sticking press plate 14, main sticking press plate 22, cooling press plate 30) and heated or cooled. It is preferable to temporarily fix the laminated body S to the transport film 210 with a tape or the like, because the displacement of the laminated body S during transportation can be suppressed.

The packing films 16a and 16b sandwich the carrying films 210 and 212 when the inner space of the temporary sticking station 4 is sealed, but the carrying films 210 and 21 are sandwiched.
2 is thin, and does not affect the sealability of the packings 16a and 16b. In the IC card manufacturing method of the third embodiment described above, the pair of transport films 210 and 212 correspond to the transport belt 40 and the holding belt 46 of the first embodiment. Then, I of the third embodiment
According to the C card manufacturing method, the same effects (1) to (8) as those of the first embodiment are obtained.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can take various forms. For example, in the above embodiment,
PET as a material for the resin sheets S1, S3, T1, T3
However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various resins such as PVC (Polyvinylchlorine) are used.
ide) or PC (Polycarbonate) may be used. However, PET that can be incinerated is preferable from the viewpoint of environmental protection.

Further, in the above embodiment, the conveyor belt 40, the pressing belt 46 and the conveyor films 210 and 21.
Although 2 is described as a non-woven fabric made of glass fibers impregnated with PPS, the impregnating resin is not limited to this, and nylon or PET may be used, for example.

Further, in the above embodiment, the thermoplastic adhesive S
2, T2 has been described as using a polyester hot melt material, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various thermoplastic adhesives such as polyolefin hot melt materials and urethane adhesives may be used. Is also good.

In the above embodiment, the thermoplastic adhesive S
2, polyester hot melt material is used for T2, and corresponding to each station 4, 6,
Although the temperature of each press plate 14, 22, 30 of No. 8 is set as described above, it is not limited to this, and the temperature may be set according to the type of the thermoplastic adhesive.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the laminated bodies S and T are constructed such that the thermoplastic adhesive S2 is formed on the mounting surface of the first resin sheets S1 and T1 on which the electronic components such as IC chips are formed by forming the circuit patterns. , T2, another second resin sheet S
3 and T3 have been described as overlapping, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 2B, a resin sheet U1 for circuit mounting on which a circuit pattern is formed and electronic components such as an IC chip are mounted is provided with a thermoplastic adhesive U2, U.
A pair of resin sheets U4, U which constitute the exterior through
The present invention may also be applied to a structure sandwiched between five.

In the second embodiment, in order to apply a tension to the stack T between the sandwiching and conveying sections 110a and 110b, the sandwiching and conveying sections 110a and 110b are pulled in a direction away from each other. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, as shown in FIG. 5C, by twisting both the sandwiching and conveying sections 110a and 110b, the laminated body T is formed between the sandwiching and conveying sections 110a and 110. You may make it apply a tension.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of manufacturing an IC card according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

2A is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of an IC card created by the IC card manufacturing methods of the first and second embodiments, and FIG. 2B is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of an IC card of a modified example. .

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a temperature change of a laminated body in the first and second examples.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view illustrating an IC card manufacturing method according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing the movement of the sandwiching / conveying unit in the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an IC card manufacturing method according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing the sandwiching of the transport film by the sandwich transport unit.

FIG. 8A is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional IC card manufacturing method, and FIG. 8B is an explanatory diagram showing a temperature change of a laminated body in the conventional method.

[Explanation of symbols]

2, 102, 202 ... IC card manufacturing device, 4 ... Temporary sticking station (first press machine), 6 ... Main sticking station (second press machine), 8 ... Cooling station (third press machine), 40 ... Conveyor belt (Conveyor belt), 46 ...
Presser belt (conveyor belt), 110a, 110b ...
Nip transport unit, 210, 212 ... transport film, S,
T, U ... Laminate, S1, T1 ... First resin sheet (resin sheet), S2, T2, U2, U3 ... Thermoplastic adhesive, S
3, T3 ... Second resin sheet (resin sheet), U4, U5
… Resin sheet.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-5-208577 (JP, A) JP-A-10-211784 (JP, A) JP-A-9-300868 (JP, A) JP-A-2000-182014 (JP, A) JP 2000-94515 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06K 19/07-19/077

Claims (8)

(57) [Claims] 1. An IC card in which a resin sheet is adhered to both sides by forming a laminated body in which an IC chip and a thermoplastic adhesive are sandwiched between a pair of resin sheets and heating and cooling the laminated body. A method for manufacturing an IC card, comprising: sandwiching the laminate with a first press machine set to a first temperature at which tackiness of the thermoplastic adhesive is developed, and heating the laminate to a first temperature, A first step of applying a vacuum to the surroundings, and a second step after the first step, in which the thermoplastic adhesive has a softening point or higher.
A second step of heating the laminated body to a second temperature by sandwiching the laminated body with a second press machine set to a temperature, and after the second step, a third temperature lower than the softening point of the thermoplastic adhesive is set. third have a third step of cooling in a press to a temperature below the softening point across the laminate were
And, parallel pair of passing inside of the first to third pressing machine
The laminated body is sandwiched between conveyor belts, and the first to third
A method of manufacturing an IC card, which is characterized in that the IC cards are sequentially conveyed into a press machine . 2. The method of manufacturing an IC card according to claim 1 , wherein the stack is conveyed by a heat resistant and pressure resistant conveyor belt. 3. The IC card manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2, conveying of the laminate, an IC card manufacturing method thickness and performing in a conveyor belt which is approximately half of the laminate . 4. A IC card manufacturing method according to any of claims 1 to 3, the conveyance of the laminate, an IC card manufacturing method characterized by performing in a conveyor belt having a fluorine resin layer on the surface. 5. An IC chip and a space between a pair of resin sheets.
And a thermoplastic adhesive are sandwiched between the laminated body and the laminated body.
By heating and cooling, the resin sheets come into contact with both sides.
An IC card manufacturing method for forming a worn IC card
At the first temperature at which the tackiness of the thermoplastic adhesive is developed.
The laminated body is sandwiched by the specified first press machine to reach the first temperature.
The first step of applying a vacuum to the periphery of the laminate while heating at
And a second temperature above the softening point of the thermoplastic adhesive after the first step.
The second press machine set to the temperature is used to sandwich the laminated body
A second step of heating to 2 temperature, and after the second step, lower than the softening point by sandwiching the laminate with a third press machine set to a third temperature lower than the softening point of the thermoplastic adhesive. A third step of cooling to a temperature, and both edge portions of the laminated body are sandwiched by a pair of sandwiching and conveying portions movable along a conveying path of the laminated body reaching the first to third steps, While being sequentially conveyed to the inside of the first to third press machines, the conveyance of the laminated body is performed so that the laminated body does not bend and contact the first to third press machines during the conveyance. A method for manufacturing an IC card, which is carried out in a state where tension is applied to the laminated body between the sandwiching and conveying parts. 6. The IC card manufacturing method according to claim 5 , wherein during the execution of the first to third steps, the sandwiching of the laminated body by the sandwiching and conveying unit is released. . 7. An IC chip and a pair of resin sheets are provided between the pair of resin sheets.
And a thermoplastic adhesive are sandwiched between the laminated body and the laminated body.
By heating and cooling, the resin sheets come into contact with both sides.
An IC card manufacturing method for forming a worn IC card
At the first temperature at which the tackiness of the thermoplastic adhesive is developed.
The laminated body is sandwiched by the specified first press machine to reach the first temperature.
The first step of applying a vacuum to the periphery of the laminate while heating at
And a second temperature above the softening point of the thermoplastic adhesive after the first step.
The second press machine set to the temperature is used to sandwich the laminated body
A second step of heating up to two temperatures and, after the second step, lower than the softening point of the thermoplastic adhesive
Sandwich the laminate with a third press machine set to a third temperature
And a third step of cooling to a temperature lower than the softening point.
Then , the laminate is sandwiched between a pair of transport films, and both edges of the transport film are sandwiched so as to be movable along the transport route of the laminate reaching the first to third steps. An IC card manufacturing method, wherein the IC card is sandwiched by a carrying unit and sequentially carried into the first to third press machines. 8. The IC card manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1-7, in process from the second step to the third step, incubating the laminate, the temperature drop of the laminate A method for manufacturing an IC card, which is characterized by suppressing.