KR102617676B1 - ID Card with improved protective coating layer and method for manufacturing same - Google Patents

Abstract

The card according to the present invention not only has excellent quality of the card itself, such as structural stability, wear resistance, durability, and weather resistance, but also minimizes the cost of materials used for the transparent protective layer, has no protruding areas on the card surface, and is thinner than before. There is an advantage to being thinner. In addition, the card manufacturing method according to the present invention has the effect of preventing stacking bends and reducing productivity when stacking cards produced after issuing portrait images and various information, reducing costs, improving productivity, etc. The process advantages are excellent.

Description

ID card with improved protective coating layer and method for manufacturing same}

The present invention relates to ID cards and methods of manufacturing same.

ID cards such as resident registration cards, driver's licenses, and various identification cards are usually made of plastic, and various information such as the card holder's person image, name, address, and ID number are formed on the surface of the card.

These plastic cards are generally manufactured by first manufacturing a blank card with only a background print by stacking multiple layers of sheets, and then going through an issuance process to form a person's image and various information on the blank card. Typically, images of people and various information are formed through a thermal transfer ribbon using methods such as dye sublimation or pigment transfer, with the purpose of counteracting forgery or falsification and improving durability. A card protection layer is implemented by forming a transparent protective film or film over the entire card through UV-curable resin coating.

In addition, in the case of color portrait images, they are formed using the heat transfer method or inkjet as above, and various information such as names and addresses are engraved on the inside of the card body using a laser, and then used as a protective layer using an ultraviolet curing type. A method of forming a transparent protective film is being used by applying a resin coating to the entire card surface or only the color portrait image portion.

Specifically, conventionally, it has a form as shown in (a), (b), and (c) of Figure 1, where other information and a person image are formed on the inner sheet as in (a) and (b) and cover the entire inner sheet. A card protection layer was implemented on the surface of the card by forming a transparent sheet as a protective layer or protruding to cover only the area where a person's image or other information was formed. In cases (a) and (b), there is a problem that the entire card becomes thicker, the cost of materials such as cured resin used in the transparent sheet increases, the transparent sheet must be used in unnecessary areas, and the process time for this increases. There is a problem. In particular, in the case of Figure 1 (c), since the transparent sheet, which is a card protection layer, is formed on the card surface higher than the surrounding area, the protruding transparent sheet takes priority and is easily worn during distribution and use of the card, so an element applied to improve durability Rather, it acts as a factor that reduces durability.

Additionally, when stacking cards produced after issuing person images and various information, stacking bends occur, which causes problems in the manufacturing process that reduce productivity.

Therefore, research is needed on ID cards and their protective coating methods that can improve the quality of the card itself, such as structural stability, wear resistance, durability, and weather resistance, as well as process advantages such as cost reduction and productivity improvement.

Korean Patent No. 10-1036154

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a card and a manufacturing method thereof that can improve the quality of the card itself, such as structural stability, wear resistance, durability, and weather resistance.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a card and a manufacturing method thereof that minimize the cost of materials used in the transparent protective layer, shorten production time, have no protruding areas on the card surface, and are thinner than before.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing cards that do not cause stacking bends when stacking cards produced after issuing person images and various information, and that are easy to transport and manage, thereby preventing productivity loss. It is provided.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a card with excellent process advantages such as cost reduction and productivity improvement.

A card according to the present invention includes a card body portion in which a groove is formed; an identification information layer formed on the bottom of the groove; and a transparent protective layer inserted into the groove and covering the identification information layer, wherein the information of the identification information layer is identified to the outside through the transparent protective layer.

In one example of the present invention, the surface may be formed so that the outer surface of the transparent protective layer extends from the outer surface of the card body.

In one example of the present invention, the inner wall of the groove may be inclined so that the area increases toward the inside of the card body.

In one example of the present invention, the identification information layer may be formed by a method including any one or two or more selected from inkjet printing, thermal transfer printing, and laser engraving.

The method of manufacturing a card according to the present invention includes the steps of a) forming a groove in the card body; b) forming an identification information layer on the bottom surface of the groove; and c) filling the groove with a resin composition and curing it to form a transparent protective layer.

In one example of the present invention, in step c), the resin composition may be filled so that the outer surface of the transparent protective layer extends from the outer surface of the card body to form a surface.

In one example of the present invention, step a) may be a step of manufacturing a card body with a groove by laminating and heat-compressing a sheet with a hole and a sheet without a hole.

In one example of the present invention, in step a), the groove may be formed by press thermocompression.

In one example of the present invention, the inner wall of the groove may be inclined so that the area increases toward the inside of the card body.

In one example of the present invention, in step a), the groove is formed by press thermocompression, and the press compression may be performed while the card body is bent in the direction opposite to the direction in which the press pressure is applied. there is.

In an example of the present invention, in step b), the identification information layer may be formed by a method including any one or two or more selected from inkjet printing, thermal transfer printing, and laser engraving.

In one example of the present invention, step b) may be a step of forming an identification information layer on the bottom surface of the groove by thermal transfer printing, and some areas of the surface of the thermal transfer roller used for thermal transfer printing have protrusions. may be provided, and the protrusion of the heat transfer roller may engage the groove to thermally transfer ink.

In one example of the present invention, the protrusion height of the protrusion may be formed to be smaller than that of the groove.

The card according to the present invention has the effect of excellent quality of the card itself, such as structural stability, wear resistance, durability, and weather resistance.

The card according to the present invention has the advantage of minimizing the cost of materials used in the transparent protective layer, shortening the production time, having no protruding areas on the card surface, and having a thinner thickness compared to the conventional card.

Since the card according to the present invention has no protruding areas on the surface, wear resistance is improved, thereby improving quality.

The card manufacturing method according to the present invention has the effect of preventing productivity loss due to the fact that stacking bends do not occur when stacking cards produced after issuing a person's image and various information, and it is easy to transport and manage.

The card according to the present invention has excellent process advantages such as cost reduction and productivity improvement.

Figure 1 schematically shows an example of a conventional card.
Figure 2 schematically shows a card according to the present invention.
Figures 3 and 4 schematically show the method of manufacturing a card according to the present invention.
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a groove formed in the card body according to an example of the present invention.

Hereinafter, an ID card with an improved protective layer according to the present invention and a method of manufacturing the same will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

The drawings described in this specification are provided as examples to enable the idea of the present invention to be sufficiently conveyed to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the presented drawings and may be embodied in other forms, and the drawings may be exaggerated to clarify the spirit of the present invention.

Unless otherwise defined, the technical and scientific terms used in this specification have the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, and the gist of the present invention is summarized in the following description and accompanying drawings. Descriptions of known functions and configurations that may unnecessarily obscure are omitted.

The singular form of the terms used in this specification may be interpreted to also include the plural form unless otherwise specified.

s1, s2, s3, ... mentioned herein; a1, a2, a3, ...; b1, b2, b3, ...; a, b, c, ...; The terms themselves referring to each step, such as, are only used to refer to certain steps, means, etc., and should not be interpreted as meaning the order relationship of each object referred to by the terms.

The unit of % used without special mention in this specification means weight% unless otherwise defined.

The term “layer” or “film” used in this specification means that each material forms a continuum and has a relatively small thickness compared to the width and length. Accordingly, the terms “layer” or “film” in this specification should not be interpreted as a two-dimensional flat plane.

Conventional ID cards have the same form as (a), (b), and (c) in Figure 1. In the case of (a) and (b), there is a problem that the entire card becomes thick, and the hardening used for transparent sheets There was a problem that the cost of materials such as resin increased, transparent sheets had to be used in unnecessary areas, and the process time for this increased. In particular, in case (c), since the transparent sheet, which is the card protection layer, is formed on the surface of the card higher than the surrounding area, the protruding transparent sheet takes priority and is easily worn during distribution and use of the card, which is an element for improving durability. A problem has arisen that acts as a factor that reduces durability.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a card and a manufacturing method thereof that have process advantages such as cost reduction and productivity improvement compared to the prior art, as well as superior quality of the card itself, such as structural stability, wear resistance, durability, and weather resistance.

As shown in Figure 2, the card according to the present invention includes a card body portion in which a groove is formed; an identification information layer formed on the bottom of the groove; and a transparent protective layer inserted into the groove and covering the identification information layer. At this time, the card has a structure in which the information in the identification information layer is identified to the outside through a transparent protective layer.

The card body may be a single sheet, may be formed of multiple sheets integrally, or may be a laminate in which multiple sheets are stacked. Specifically, the card body may be a generally known blank card or blank card, and may be a multi-layer laminate of thermoplastic plastic sheets. In the case of a multi-layer laminate, a single laminate card can be formed by heat and pressure.

The card body is provided with a groove so that the identification information layer can be located inside the card body. Various means can be used to form the groove, for example, a method of forming a groove by removing a region of the card body that does not have a groove, a method of forming a groove by applying heat and pressure to the card body that does not have a groove, etc. Alternatively, there is a method of forming a groove by stacking sheets with holes and sheets without holes.

Preferably, using a method of forming grooves by applying heat and pressure to the card body may be advantageous in terms of cost, process efficiency, etc. As a specific example, pressing may be performed by applying heat and pressure to one area of the card body, and at this time, metal plates are placed on the upper and lower portions of the card body and are thermally compressed. One of the metal plates is formed with a protrusion having a volume corresponding to the groove so that the groove can be formed in an area of the card body, and this protrusion is formed higher (positively) than the peripheral portion of the metal plate. The protrusion may be formed on a metal plate by masking one area of the mirror-surfaced metal plate and removing the remaining portion through etching. The masking and etching process used at this time can be any general method widely used in the metal industry. In addition to this method, the protrusions of the metal plate can also be formed through plating. Specifically, the remaining portion of the metal plate excluding the area where the protrusion is to be formed is masked and a plating layer is formed using a dry or wet plating method, so that the protrusion can be formed in one area of the metal plate. At this time, the plating layer material may be selected from a material that has excellent bonding strength with the metal plate. For example, if the metal plate is SUS (Steel Use Stainless), it may be desirable to form a plating layer of copper, tin, or nickel. In addition, before plating is performed, the interfacial adhesion between the metal plate and the plating material can be improved by increasing the surface roughness of the area where the plating layer is to be formed using sandblasting or a laser.

The shape of the groove is such that a transparent protective layer is inserted into the inner space of the groove so that the identification information layer formed on the bottom of the groove or the identification information layer located on the bottom of the groove can be identified from the outside of the card. Although there are no significant restrictions on the shape, it is preferable that the inner wall of the groove be inclined so that the area of the groove increases as it moves toward the inside of the card body. If the inner wall of the groove is inclined so that the area increases toward the inside of the card body, the problem of the transparent protective layer detaching from the groove can be minimized even if the card is used in a harsh environment for a long time.

There are various methods for forming the inner wall of the groove by slanting it so that the area increases toward the inside of the card body. For example, the groove is formed by press thermocompression, but the groove is formed in a direction opposite to the direction in which the pressure of the press is applied. The press compression may be performed while the body portion is bent to manufacture a card body portion including a groove with an inclined inner wall. After forming a groove by applying pressure through a press while the card body is bent in the direction opposite to the pressure direction of the press, when the bent card body is returned to its original flat state, the inner wall of the formed groove is shown in Figure 5. As shown, the inner wall of the groove is inclined in such a way that the area of the groove becomes narrower as it moves from the opening of the groove to the inside of the card body. If the transparent protective layer is inserted into a groove with an inclined inner wall, the problem of the transparent protective layer being separated from the groove can be minimized even in harsh environments where force is applied to the card in various directions or the card is bent in various directions. . The specific method of forming the inner wall of the groove to be inclined so that the area increases toward the inside of the card body will be described in more detail in the manufacturing method described later.

The material of the card body is not greatly limited as long as it is commonly used in ID cards, and various components such as polymer-based, metal-based, and inorganic-based materials can be used as main ingredients. As a specific example, the polymer series includes polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). ), polyethersulfone (PES), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyetherketone (PEEK), polyphenylsulfide (PPS), and aromatic polyester. As a specific example, the metal series may include any one or two or more selected from aluminum, copper, iron, and magnesium. As a specific example, the inorganic series may include any one or two or more selected from paper, wood, stone, and glass. In addition, various other materials may be used, but it may be preferable to use thermoplastic plastic so that a groove through a press can be formed in the card body.

The identification information layer formed on the bottom surface of the groove may be the bottom surface of the groove itself, or a separate identification information layer may be laminated or applied on the bottom surface of the groove.

As an example of a case where the bottom surface of the groove itself is an identification information layer, the card body may include a laserable sheet, and the laser is irradiated and engraved on the laserable sheet in an initially transparent state, so that the laser irradiated area is engraved. By changing to this opaque color, identification information can be formed to form an identification information layer. The identification information formed on the card body is located in an area of the card body corresponding to the identification information layer or the transparent protective layer, and therefore can be identified through the transparent protective layer. As another example, the bottom surface of the card body may be embossed or engraved to form an identification information layer.

As an example of a case where an identification information layer is laminated or applied on the bottom surface of the groove separately from the card body, the identification information layer may be a printed layer formed by printing an ink composition, etc. on the card body using an inkjet printer, etc., or , the ink may be an ink layer transferred onto the card body by thermally transferring the transfer paper with a thermal transfer head.

As a specific example, as an example of a means for forming an identification information layer through thermal transfer, identification information such as a person image can be formed in a groove of the card body through a thermal transfer head. At this time, the shape of the heat transfer head may be a typical plain pattern, but a positive area on the surface of the heat transfer head may also be used. The position of the protruding part is such that it engages with and corresponds to the identification information layer to be formed in the groove of the card body. It is desirable for the protrusion height to be less than (e.g., 3 to 15% smaller) or the same size as the depth of the groove.

That is, the identification information layer may be formed by a method including any one or two or more selected from inkjet printing, thermal transfer printing, and laser engraving.

The identification information layer means including identification information, and the identification information may be various information such as images, letters, patterns, symbols, and shapes. As a specific example, identification information may include various information such as image information of a person, name, address, ID number, resident registration number, etc. In addition, the identification information may be standardized, coded, and encrypted and applied to the card, and the identification information may further include a means of determining the authenticity of the card. In addition, the identification information may include not only information that can be identified by visible light, but also information that can be identified by wavelength bands other than visible light, such as infrared and ultraviolet rays, or information that can be identified by other auxiliary devices.

The transparent protective layer just needs to have enough transparency so that the information of the identification information layer located below can be exposed to the outside of the card through the transparent protective layer. For example, the light transmittance of the transparent protective layer is It may be 10 to 100%, specifically 20 to 100%, and more specifically 50 to 100%, but is of course not limited thereto.

The transparent protective layer is made of a material that allows light to pass through so that the identification information layer can be exposed to the outside of the card through the transparent protective layer, and is made of a transparent material to protect the lower identification information layer from the outside. A variety of things can be used as long as they can be done. For example, a polymer-based curable resin that has excellent optical properties such as high transparency and excellent mechanical properties such as surface wear resistance and impact resistance may be used, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

As shown in FIG. 3, the transparent protective layer may be formed by filling and curing a curable resin composition inside the groove of the card body during the manufacturing process, and the prepared solid transparent protective layer may be formed inside the groove of the card body. It can also be inserted to form a card structure. As an example of a case where a pre-manufactured solid transparent protective layer is inserted into the groove of the card body to form a card structure, the solid transparent protective layer may be formed by directly inserting, and as shown in Figure 4, a transfer roller You can also use a method of transferring the protective film to the inside of the groove using a protective film transfer paper. When filling the resin composition, the depth may be lower than or equal to the depth of the groove of the card body. Various curing methods may be used, such as photo curing using ultraviolet rays, heat curing, etc. Various materials such as thermoplastic plastic, thermosetting plastic, and glass can be used for the transparent protective layer. For more specific details on the means for forming the transparent protective layer, it is well known in the technical field, so related literature may be referred to.

As shown in FIG. 2, the outer surface of the transparent protective layer is preferably formed to extend from the outer surface of the card body. Here, “extension” can be interpreted as connecting the outer surface of the card body and the outer surface of the transparent protective layer so that the surfaces are smooth. That is, it is desirable that the surface height of the transparent protective layer and the card body are the same so that the transparent protective layer does not protrude outside the card body. Specifically, the transparent protective layer is inserted into the groove of the card body and the height of the outermost surface of the transparent protective layer matches the height of the outermost surface of the card body so that the transparent protective layer does not protrude from the card body. can be formed. By having this structure, the outer surface of the card does not have protruding areas, can maintain an overall uniform surface, and can prevent degradation of durability and wear resistance due to the protruding areas.

A method of manufacturing a card according to an example of the present invention includes the steps of a) forming a groove in the card body; b) forming an identification information layer on the bottom surface of the groove; and c) forming a transparent protective layer in the groove.

In step a), various means may be used to form the groove, for example, a method of forming a groove by removing a region of the card body without a groove, applying heat and pressure to the card body without a groove, There is a method of forming a groove by adding a hole or a method of forming a groove by stacking sheets with holes and sheets without holes. As a specific example, a method of forming grooves by applying heat and pressure to a card body that does not have grooves involves placing metal plates on the top (one side) and bottom (other side) of a thermoplastic sheet or a laminate in which they are laminated, respectively, and pressing. Grooves can be formed by heat compression. At this time, the metal plate has a protrusion formed in an area of the metal plate corresponding to the area of the groove to be formed so that the groove can be formed in the card body. As a specific example, step a) may be a step of manufacturing a card body with a groove formed by laminating and heat-compressing a sheet with a hole and a sheet without a hole. Specifically, a plurality of thermoplastic sheets can be formed into a multi-layer laminate. In this case, holes in a certain area corresponding to the positions of grooves where identification information is formed are formed in some of the sheets, and the sheets with these holes are formed. The card body, which is a laminated body with grooves formed, can be manufactured by stacking sheets without holes. After lamination, the card body can be manufactured by placing metal plates on one side and the other side of the laminate, that is, on the top and bottom of the laminate, and applying heat and pressure to melt or fuse the multilayer sheets.

In step c), as described above, a transparent protective layer may be formed by filling and curing a liquid resin composition in the groove of the card body, or by inserting a previously manufactured solid transparent protective layer into the groove of the card body. However, a means through filling and curing of the resin composition may be preferable in terms of process efficiency, minimizing clearance, and further improving durability and structural stability. That is, the method of manufacturing a card according to an example of the present invention includes the steps of a) forming a groove in the card body; b) forming an identification information layer on the bottom surface of the groove; and c) filling the groove with a resin composition and curing it to form a transparent protective layer.

In step c), it is preferable that the filling of the resin composition is lower than or at the same level as the depth of the groove, and the resin composition is filled so that the outer surface of the transparent protective layer extends from the outer surface of the card body to form a surface. You can.

As described above, it is preferable that the inner wall of the groove of the body portion is inclined so that the area increases toward the inside of the card body portion. In step a), it may be preferable that the groove is formed by press compression. In step a), the groove is formed by press thermocompression, but is formed in the card body in a direction opposite to the direction in which the press pressure is applied. It may be desirable for the part to be formed by performing press compression in a bent state. Specifically, a groove may be formed by pressing a region of the card body through a guide part that fixes the card body to maintain a bent state. The guide part includes a lower guide part that contacts the other surface of the card body to form the groove and fixes the other surface to be curved concavely; and an upper guide part that contacts one surface of the card body to form the groove and fixes the one surface to be curved convexly. That is, the lower guide part has a structure that guides the other side of the card body to form the groove to be curved and bent concavely, and the upper guide part also has a structure to guide the other side of the card body to form the groove to be convex and curved. It has a structure that guides it to be formed and bent. At this time, the upper guide part is provided with a through hole in the part corresponding to the position where the groove is to be formed in the card body, and the groove can be formed by inserting a press into the through hole and pressing the card body located below the through hole. One side of the press that is in contact with the card body so that the groove is formed may be flat, but it is preferable to be curved/curved to be curved concavely toward the other side like the guide portion. Specifically, when one side of the press that is pressed in contact with the card body is curved/curved, and is concave in the direction of the other side from one side of the card body where the groove is formed, after the groove is formed on the card body in the bent state, When the card body returns to a flat state, the bottom surface of the groove can be made flat.

When forming a groove using the press, the pressure and temperature may be any condition that allows the groove to be formed in the card body, and may be adjusted depending on the material of the card body.

In step b), the identification information layer may be formed by a method including any one or two or more selected from inkjet printing, thermal transfer printing, and laser engraving, as described above. As a specific example, step b) may be a step of forming an identification information layer on the bottom surface of the groove through thermal transfer printing. As described above, a portion of the surface of the heat transfer roller used for heat transfer printing may be provided with a protrusion, and the protrusion of the heat transfer roller may engage the groove to thermally transfer ink. At this time, the protrusion height of the protrusion may be formed to be smaller than the groove. Through this method, an elaborate and precise printing layer can be formed even on the bottom surface of the edge of the groove.

The specifications of the card according to the present invention, such as size and thickness, are not limited, and can be anything commonly used in the technical field. For example, a card with a width of 7 to 10 cm, a height of 3 to 6 cm, and a thickness of 0.5 to 2 mm. Specifications can be cited. In addition, the shape of the card is not limited to its shape, and examples include n-gons (n is 3 or more), circles, ellipses, and n-gons with rounded corners (n is 3 or more). However, this is only described as a specific example, and the present invention is not construed as being limited thereto.

Claims (13)

A card body with a groove formed thereon;
an identification information layer formed on the bottom of the groove; and
It includes a transparent protective layer inserted into the groove and covering the identification information layer,
The information of the identification information layer is identified to the outside through the transparent protective layer,
The groove is formed with an inclined inner wall so that the area increases toward the inside of the card body,
The identification information layer is formed by a method including one or two or more selected from inkjet printing, thermal transfer printing, and laser engraving,
The identification information layer further includes information identifiable by visible light, infrared, or ultraviolet wavelength bands. According to paragraph 1,
A card whose surface is formed so that the outer surface of the transparent protective layer extends from the outer surface of the card body.

delete delete a) forming a groove in the card body;
b) forming an identification information layer on the bottom surface of the groove; and
c) filling the groove with a resin composition and curing it to form a transparent protective layer;
In step b), the identification information layer is formed by a method including one or two or more selected from inkjet printing, thermal transfer printing, and laser engraving,
The groove is formed with an inclined inner wall so that the area increases toward the inside of the card body,
The identification information layer further includes information identifiable by a visible light, infrared, or ultraviolet wavelength band. According to clause 5,
The step a) is a method of manufacturing a card, which is a step of stacking sheets with holes and sheets without holes and heat-pressing them to manufacture a card body with grooves. According to clause 5,
In step c), the resin composition is filled so that the outer surface of the transparent protective layer extends from the outer surface of the card body to form a surface. According to clause 5,
In step a), the groove is formed by press thermocompression. delete According to clause 5,
In step a), the groove is formed by press thermocompression, and the press compression is performed while the card body is bent in a direction opposite to the direction in which the press pressure is applied.
delete According to clause 5,
Step b) is a step of forming an identification information layer on the bottom surface of the groove by thermal transfer printing,
A method of manufacturing a card wherein a portion of the surface of the heat transfer roller used for heat transfer printing is provided with a protrusion, and the protrusion of the heat transfer roller engages with the groove to thermally transfer ink. According to clause 12,
A method of manufacturing a card wherein the height at which the protrusion protrudes is formed to be smaller than the depth of the groove.