KR100246825B1 - Identification card and the preparation method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The identification card 1 consists of a base card 2 and one or more magnetic support information storage strips 4 coupled to the base card 2 by an adhesive layer 3. Each information storage strip 4 is composed of a cover layer, a first lacquer layer, a reflective layer and a second lacquer layer. Adjacent surfaces of the reflective layer and the two lacquer layers have a stamped diffractive structure that includes machine readout information.

The identification card can be used as an identification means, for example, an identity card, for example, in a cash substitute such as a so-called payment card that calls without cash on the one hand, or on the other hand in a pass check system. These cards can be manufactured in a reasonable form.

Description

Identification card and manufacturing method of the identification card

1 is a perspective view of an identification card.

2 is a cross-sectional view showing the layer structure of the information storage strip.

3 is a perspective view showing a semi-finished product in which an information storage strip can be manufactured by dividing.

4 is a cross-sectional view showing the distribution of information in the information storage strip.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

1: identification card 2: base card

3: adhesive layer 4: information storage strip

5: Caba layer 6: First lacquer layer

7: reflective layer 8: second lacquer layer

9 diffraction structure 10 semi-finished product

11: first zone 12: second zone

13: unit

The present invention relates to an identification card and a method of manufacturing the same.

In particular, the first aspect of the invention relates to an identification card which is present in the shape of a diffractive structure imprinted in a thermoplastic material and which can be changed by heating, machine decipherable and having optically encoded information.

The identification card is used on the one hand as a cash substitute exemplifying something like a so-called cashless payment card, and on the other hand as an identification means exemplifying an identity card in a pass check system.

The identification card is known from Swiss Federal Patent Application No. 635 949. In that case, machine readable and optically encoded information is included in the shape of the phase diffraction grating produced by the embossing operation. The deletion of the unit part of the phase diffraction grating is performed by the supply of thermal energy. The identification card contains multiple layers, which results in an expensive manufacturing process.

It is also known that the phase diffraction grating is stamped in the laminated compound and a stamp attached as a feature for race on a document, such as in transit or payment, is stamped out of the laminated compound (EP-A 0401466). It is present at the forefront of the laminated compound. In such a case, there is no device for erasing by the supply of thermal energy since the destruction of the parts of the phase diffraction grating is contrary to the purpose of serving as a feature for authentication.

In the case of an identification card of the kind described in Swiss Federal Patent Application No. 635 949, the storage body is relatively thick such that the identification card ensures sufficient stability. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has been generally accepted as a use material. Because of the necessary heating and cooling procedures, embossing of the diffractive structure into PVC layers of that kind involves a relatively long period. Identification cards of the kind described in Swiss Federal Patent Application No. 635 949 have long been mass-produced articles of manufacture.

The present invention is based on the problem of providing an identification card with a significantly reduced manufacturing cost. The present invention also seeks to provide a choice that can precede PVC causing problems with the disposal of deleted cards.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is composed of one or more magnetic support information storage bands and a base card composed of a cover layer, a first lacquer layer, a reflective layer and a second lacquer layer, and bonded to the base card by an adhesive layer, The adjoining surfaces of the reflective layer and the two lacquer layers are provided with the above-mentioned identification card of the general type having an imprinted diffractive structure.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing an identification card of the general type mentioned above, which comprises a first lacquer layer, a reflective layer and a second lacquer layer in succession and which is optically encoded and decipherable by machine. A semifinished product having a number of zones of information is manufactured, which semi-finished product is cut and separated into respective self-supporting information storage strips, which also provide a method of manufacturing an identification card that is bonded onto the surface of a base card. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an identification card, and the identification card 1 is an information storage strip 4 coupled to the base card 2 by the base card 2 and the adhesive layer 3. It is composed. The information storage strip 4 is bonded directly on a flat surface of the base card 2 or in a groove having a suitable width and depth mounted on the surface.

2 shows a cross-sectional view of the information storage strip 4. It consists of a cover layer 5, a thermoplastic first lacquer layer 6, a reflective layer 7, and a second lacquer layer 8. A diffraction structure 9 having an example of a diffraction grating, a hologram, or the like and representing a zone having optically encoded and machine decipherable information is imprinted toward the reflective layer 7-d in the surface of the lacquer layer 6. The side of the lacquer layer 8 away from the diffractive structure 9 is the surface that is to be represented by the surface of the base card 2 after the bonding process. It is effective for the unit layers to have the following thicknesses:

Cover layer (5) 1 to 2μ

Lacquer layer (6) 1 to 2μ

Reflective layer (7) from 300 to 400 Hz

Lacquer layer (8) 1 to 2μ

It is effective that the cover layer 5 is a lacquer having a thermally stable lacquer, that is, a softening point. The softening point should be about 20 ° C. higher than the softening point of the lacquer layer 6. This is because the side of the information storage band facing the erase head adheres to the erase head when the item of information is changed in the erase device by the supply of thermal energy after continuous use of the identification card, that is, by the erase head. Do not have any tendencies. It improves reliability.

The cover layer 5 should be as durable as possible and the lacquer used for the manufacture of the cover layer 5 is selected accordingly. As shown here, the cover layer 5 is already effective as a component of the information storage strip 4, but the layer separated in the operation after adhering the information storage strip 4 onto the base card 2; It is attached as. In this case, the cover layer 5 naturally covers the entire identification card 1, that is, the information storage strip 4 and the uncovered base card 2.

The lacquer layer 6 may be selected, for example acrylic polymer lacquer, such that the diffractive structure 9 is destroyed while the mechanical force caused by the embossing of the diffractive structure 9 is reduced by heating from 70 ° to 120 ° C. . The reflective layer 7 may for example be composed of aluminum, but it is also possible to use many other materials known by EP-A-0 401 466.

Continuous production of the layers with diffractive structure 9 is carried out in a type similar to the method described in EP-A-0 401 466. In that case, a foil, which is present in the shape of a roll and made of polyester, for example, is adopted as a starting point, and the cover layer 5, the lacquer layer 6, and the reflective layer 7 are covered with a continuous working method, and It is then effective to carry out the step of embossing the diffractive structure 9. The embossing operation can be carried out using an embossed cylinder having an intaglio of the diffractive structure 9 using the method of rotation. Lacquer layer 8 is then attached. Such a process is shown in FIG. 3 and results in a semi-finished product 10 that is effectively separated by the transverse compartment into each self-supporting information storage strip 4. The diffractive structure 9 is continuously present over the entire length of the semifinished product 10 so that the cutting position is not critical in the subsequent cutting operation with the respective information storage strips 4 of the semifinished product 10. It substantially contributes to reducing the manufacturing cost.

It is also effective to omit the cover layer 5 in the manufacture of the semifinished product 10, and instead to attach the cover layer 5 only after the information storage strip 4 is attached to the identification card 1. In such a way the entire surface of the identification card 1 can be protected with a durable lacquer, which is especially true if the identification card 1 is aesthetically appealing due to the logo or photograph printed on it. effective.

Since the thin plate serving as the information storage material is pulled back after the bonding operation, it is effective to install a separation layer such as wax on the coated side.

It is also effective to equip the semifinished product 10 with the adhesive layer 3 necessary for continuous adhesion to the base card 2 in advance (see FIG. 1).

Depending on the manufacturing apparatus that can be secured, the adhesive layer 3 may be attached on the surface of the base card 2 and the area where the information storage strip 4 is pasted on the base card.

4 shows the arrangement of various information zones in the information storage band. The first zone 11 includes a general symbol for establishing a validity range or expiration date for a particular telephone organization in the case of a proof of pass card, the subject of which is confirmed, while for a cashless telephone call payment card.

In order to reduce the number of deformations produced, it is effective for the first zone 11 to include a general symbol pattern, in which case by erasing the unit parts of the zone 11 to give a symbol specifying the object. The symbol becomes variable. With such an arrangement, it is also possible to produce additional check symbols to protect the symbols against continual changes in order to prevent forgery.

The second zone 12 is made up of units 13 that are similar to each other. In the case of a payment card, the unit parts 13 represent respective money units which are continuously deleted by the supply of thermal energy. In the case of an identification card, the unit 13 is changed by the supply of thermal energy so that the actual symbolization of the card can be executed by, for example, storing of human data, erasing of the unit 13, and so on. .

The identification card according to the invention is superior in that its manufacture requires a significantly lower level of cost than the manufacture of an identification card according to the state of the art. Due to the fact that the diffractive structure 9 is not imprinted in the card material itself, it is no longer necessary to rely on the use of PVC. Furthermore, there is the freedom to use other materials, for example, which can be disposed of in an environmentally friendly type.

Claims (10)

A base card, a cover layer, a first lacquer layer, a reflective layer, and a second lacquer layer, comprising one or more magnetic support information storage bands coupled to the base card by an adhesive layer, wherein the reflective and two lacquer layers Adjacent surfaces have an imprinted diffractive structure, which can be altered by heating and present in the shape of the imprinted diffractive structure in the thermoplastic material and can be machine decoded and having optically encoded information. The identification card of claim 1, wherein the cover layer of the information storage strip is formed of a lacquer having a softening point of about 20 ° C. higher than that of the first lacquer layer. The identification card according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the information storage strip is disposed in a groove in the surface of the base card. The identification card of claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover layer covers the entire surface of the side of the base card that supports the information storage strip. 4. The identification card of claim 3, wherein the cover layer covers the entire surface of the side of the base card that supports the information storage strip. A semi-finished product is produced that includes a first lacquer layer, a reflective layer, and a second lacquer layer in succession and has optically encoded and machine-readable zones of information, which are then cut by respective magnetic support information storage strips. A method of manufacturing an identification card according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the information storage strip is separated and adhered to the surface of the base card. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the adhesive layer is attached to the surface of the base card before the information storage strip is adhered to the surface of the base card. The method of manufacturing an identification card according to claim 6, wherein the adhesive layer is attached to the semifinished product after the first lacquer layer, the reflective layer, and the second lacquer layer are bonded. The method of manufacturing an identification card according to claim 7 or 8, wherein, in the manufacture of the semi-finished product, the cover layer is attached before the adhesion of the first lacquer layer. 9. The method of claim 7 or 8, wherein the cover layer is attached after the information storage strip is transferred.