MXPA00009083A - Method for making tamper-preventing, contact-type, smart cards - Google Patents

Abstract

Smart cards (10) having high quality external surfaces (46, 48) can be made through use of a primer/adhesive (52) (and, optionally, anchor hooks (58, 58A)) on the lower surface of an electrical component (12, 30) in order to affix the electrical component (12, 30) to a thermosetting material (54) that becomes the core layer (20) of the cards (10).

Description

METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING INTELLIGENT TYPE OF CONTACT CARDS, WHICH PREVENT THEIR COUNTERFEIT Smart cards are used as bank cards, identification cards, telephone cards and the like. These are based on the use of an electromagnetic coupling (either by physical contact or by electromagnetic waves) between the electronic components of the smart card and a card reader, a reader head or other appropriate device that receives an electronic signal as those used in an ATM system. Because these cards are widely used to perform high-value transactions and / or other types of important transactions, they are frequently subject to fraudulent activities. These fraudulent activities often have to do with the physical alteration of the electronic components of the smart card. For example, computer chips or other electronic components are removed from a valid smart card and changed to a fraudulent card in order to win REF .: 123150"Money, unauthorized access, unauthorized information, etc. Smart cards are usually manufactured by assembling several layers of plastic sheets in an interleaved arrangement. In the case of so-called "contact" smart cards, at least one face of the smart card has an opening in which there is a detector component (s) of an electronic signal such as a sensor similar to a band, a computer chip, a module or a "reading head". The component that detects the electronic signal has direct physical contact with a component that cooperates elecally with a machine (for example, an ATM machine, a credit card transaction machine, a personal identification verification machine, telephone, etc.) , in which the contact type smart card is used. Many contact-type smart cards have all their elecal components (for example, their electronic signal detection device and their computer chip assembly) in a unified module that is glued with rubber or glue on an open cavity in one side of the card. By way of distinction, the so-called "contactless" smart cards communicate with machines in which means are used, such as an antenna that receives a radio wave, which adheres inside the non-contact type smart card. Therefore, there is no physical contact between the component (s) of capture of the electronic signal of the card and the user of the machine with the component that detects the signal. Some smart cards operate in hybrid contact / non-contact operation modes. The invention of the applicant can be used with any of these three types of cards smart; but for reasons explained hereinafter, the invention relates more particularly to "contact" type smart cards and / or to the methods used for their manufacture. The methods that the prior art has used for the manufacture of smart cards has varied considerably. For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,272,374 describes a smart card that employs a chip integrated comprising a card plate having first and second major surfaces, and a semiconductor module having an electrode terminal face. The semiconductor module is mounted on the board of the card, so that the electrode terminal face is exposed on the first major surface of the card plate. U.S. Patent No. 5,311,396 shows a smart card system based on a chip, which can be carried, and which can be connected, and which has one or more chips integrated in a packet. The electronic component is mounted on the upper surface of the metal contacts. A lower surface has metallic contacts that constitute a connector of the system. Each of the metal contacts of the upper face is connected to, and faces, a metallic contact of the lower surface, and vice versa. In a second embodiment of this invention, the electronic component is mounted to an upper surface of the metal contacts in such a way that the lower surface of these contacts form the connector.

U.S. Patent No. 5,486,687 shows a memory card having several integrated circuits for personal computers. These memory cards serve as a memory for a large mass capacity, to replace the flexible disks and other interchangeable magnetic media. These are provided with a connector that plugs into the end of the card and can be inserted into the reader in a prescribed manner, for example, in accordance with PCMCIA standards. According to one aspect of this invention, by means of such plug card, a direct or embedded contact chip card memory is formed. For this purpose, the card has a supplementary connector with direct contacts with its main face, the resulting reader is transportable. Your set of programs (software) can be stored on the card and can be installed on any random microcomputer equipped with a PCMCIA type reader. All these methods of the prior art for manufacturing contact smart cards are in some way related to the placement ^^^ * ß ^ í ^^ £ á8 appropriate and fixation of the electronic signal detector component module, or internal assembly of the smart card on, or substantially recessed, with the surface of the face of the card (or its surface on the front side). Unfortunately, this proximity of the component that captures the signal with the face surface (or its front side) contact contact smart cards presents an opportunity for counterfeiting and fraudulent use of such cards.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Smart cards of the applicant (for example, credit cards, ATM cards, personal identification cards, telephone cards, etc.) as well as the methods for their manufacture, are based mainly on the use of certain physical elements and manufacturing procedures described hereinafter. The tamper-proof construction, or that prevent counterfeiting, of the applicant, for contact-type smart cards, is achieved by the back-side facing of the smart card contact device (for example, its signal detector, its head reader, your computer chip) with a base adhesive / paint, which has the ability to form a strong bond or bond with a thermosetting polymeric material, which is injected into a hollow or void space that eventually becomes or becomes the core layer or smart card core. This method of construction is based on the applicant's discovery of the bonding action between a base adhesive / paint and the thermoset polymeric material, which forms the core of the card is much stronger than the bonding action between the back surface of a component for capturing an electrical signal and a thermostable polymer material. The action that prevents the counterfeiting, provided by the applicant's placement, of a base adhesive / paint on the back side (ie, the side having 'contact with the thermoset polymeric material) of the contact device ^ X? S¿ ^ í2 ^ & I- ^. of the card, can be replaced by, or even increased (the action that prevents counterfeiting) by the placement of certain "anchoring hooks", described in greater detail below, on an electrical pick-up component in such a way that, said hooks are immersed in the thermostable, liquid, incoming polymer. Subsequently, these "anchor hooks" adhere very strongly to the thermoset polymeric material when it dries. In fact, the use of such anchoring hooks can, in its own right, achieve the action that prevents counterfeiting, provided (the counterfeiting action) by the union or bonding of the thermosetting-adhesive / base paint material of the applicant. In some of the most preferred embodiments of this invention, the base paint / adhesive, and the anchor hooks will be used together to achieve the action of preventing the forgery. The adhesive / base paint used in the processes described above are called solvent-base based paints / paints. These usually employ methyl ethyl ketone as a solvent for a polymeric adhesive material. The 3M Adhesive Systems Industrial Tape and Specialties Division, 3M Center, Building 220-7E-01, St. Paul, MN manufactures several such adhesives / basecoats. Its base 4475® adhesive / basecoat is, however, the particularly preferred one for practicing the present invention. In current manufacturing practice, these solvent based adhesives / base paints can be hardened at least partially by exposure to an "artificial" energy source (ie, a source of energy other than heat and / or or environmental light from the manufacturing plant). This exposure accelerates the hardening or curing process. These artificial energy sources can also be characterized by their ability to produce electromagnetic waves of a given wavelength. Some adhesives / base paints, for example, can harden more rapidly by exposure to energy sources by releasing electromagnetic waves having wavelengths that are in the range of about 200 to about 400 nanometers (nm). Such adhesives / base paints are sometimes referred to as "susceptible to UV curing". Electrically energized UV rays and / or microwave producing devices known to those skilled in the art can be employed as the sources of such waveforms of 5 200-400 nm. The use of devices that emit waveforms of 260-270 nm is even more preferred when certain adhesives / base paints are used that can be cured or cured by UV rays. Regardless of the type of adhesive / base paint, based on solvent that If used, however, the step of "hardening" of the adhesive / base paint of the applicant will be most preferred at least partially, which is carried out in a period that is within the range of about 0.1 to about 10 seconds.

Partial hardening times of less than 3 seconds are still more preferred in manufacturing processes at high speeds. These adhesives / base paints should preferably be used in the form of at least one small layer, coating, mass or bulk, or small hemisphere which is placed on an inner surface of the device that captures the electronic signal of the smart card, which is exposes on an outer surface of a "contact" type card. In the case where the device that captures the electronic signal is part of a module (for example, one comprised of a signal detector, a plate, a chip, an encapsulated device, etc.), the adhesive / base paint is preferably placed in the element that is more to the bottom, in such a way that the adhesive / base paint has a more intimate contact with the thermostable material which, once it hardens, becomes the core or central layer of the card. Such a layer, mound, etc. of the adhesive / primer base is preferably applied to the component that picks up the electronic signal, or the component that is located below (for example, the computer chip or other device) of the module, before it is placed in an opening or hole Clamping on the upper (or lower) layer of the smart card. Again, this exposure of the device that captures the signal allows it (the device) to have physical contact with a device that reads the signal in a card reader machine, such as an ATM type machine.

The beneficial effects of the applicant's manufacturing processes can be increased by (1) certain "low pressure" training procedures, in "cold", described hereinafter more fully, (2) certain physical placements of other electronic components (for example, chips, different from those found in the module) within these smart cards, (3) certain geometries of mold dumps for thermoset flows and (4), certain receptacles in the molds of the applicant to receive the thermostable material that can be injected in excess of the amount needed to form the core regions of the smart cards of the applicant. Apart from the features for the prevention of counterfeits, smart cards manufactured using the elements and manufacturing methods described here, are also characterized by their high quality external surfaces. The term "high quality" in the context of this patent description means substantially planar external surfaces (ie, card faces that do not have waves, bends, wrinkles, or punch marks). Contact smart cards of the applicant are generally comprised of a layer on the top having an inner surface and an outer surface, a layer of the lower part having an inner surface and an outer surface and as well as a center or core which is sandwiched between the layers of the lower and upper parts. Any of the top layer or bottom layer (or both layers) of a smart card made in accordance with the methods of this patent disclosure, may have an aperture in which a detector device can be fixed. Electrical signal. Such devices are associated with other electronic components such as computer chips, plates, etc. So far, the resulting devices are often referred to as "modules." One of the most common devices of this type is a contact that (via a card) is combined with a chip to form a signal processing / detector module.

In other cases, however, some of the additional electronic components (eg, computer chips, capacitors, etc.) of the applicant's contact smart cards may be fully adhered to the thermoset polymeric material that constitutes the core layer. or center of the cards. Therefore, these completely embedded or adhered electronic components are not part of the external surface of the smart cards, completed by the applicant. Such cards are sometimes referred to as hybrid or "combi" smart cards. Again, in the case of contact-type cards, the device for detecting the electrical signal of the card (its reading head, contact surface, etc.) is put in contact with the reading machine through an opening in one face ( of the lower or upper part) of the contact-type smart card. Thus, the contact that carries the electrical signal by means of the reading machine that uses the contact card (for example, with an ATM), is carried out via this exposed electrical contact, on the side of the face (or on the front side). ) of the card. In all cases, however, all three of these layers are unified in a body of the smart card, by a joining action between the thermosetting polymeric material used to form the core layer of such cards and those materials such as PVC, out of which the layers of the upper and lower parts are made. In some of the most preferred embodiments of the applicant's invention, this bonding action can be increased by the use of various treatments described more fully hereinafter, for the interior surfaces of the top and / or top layers. bottom of the applicant's smart cards. Before delving further into the more specific details of the applicant's methods for manufacturing the smart cards that prevent their counterfeiting, which is described here, it should be noted that, for purposes of this patent description, the terms "lower" and "upper", or layer (s) of the "bottom" and "top" should be considered as relative. This means that these are related by the relative positions of the covers of the molds that are used for the manufacture of these cards. So far, these terms do not imply any absolute position or orientation of the card itself. As this nomenclature is upper / lower part as it is, the methods described here to elaborate smart cards that prevent their counterfeiting in general, and smart cards that prevent their counterfeiting in particular, will employ reaction injection molding machines (which are a often referred to individually as "MIR"). These machines are associated with a top molding cover and a bottom molding cover which, more preferably, are capable of performing certain forming, low pressure, cold operations more fully detailed hereinafter, in at least one of these sheets of polymeric material (eg PVC) that form the two main outer surface layers of the smart cards of the applicant. Such molding covers of the ; ,, t - ^ -.- .. »^ -h < ^ á- ifa.,. < ^ > ^, .. lower and upper part cooperate in ways that are well known to those skilled in the techniques for molding polymeric materials. For use in the particular processes of the applicant, however, at least one of the MIR molding covers, for example, the molding cover of the upper part, will have at least one cavity to partially define the thickness of, and the peripheral extension in general of, a body of the precursor smart card to be formed, and more preferably formed at low pressure, in cold, between the two molding covers. It should also be noted that the applicant's use of the term "body of the precursor smart card" (which will include bodies of polymeric material in "excess") is to distinguish poorly defined card bodies that are formed by such devices. molded, of those "finished" smart cards that are produced by removing excess polymeric materials (for example by trimming the body of the precursor card) and cutting the bodies of the precursor cards to certain prescribed measures.

For a commercially wide use, all smart cards must also be elaborated to have precise standardized dimensions. For example, the ISO 7810 standard requires that non-contact type smart cards have a nominal length of 85.6 mm, a nominal amplitude of 53.98 mm and a nominal thickness of 0.76 mm. Such cuts to prescribed measures can also remove the excess material in a cut / cut operation. It should also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the molding devices used for making such cards in commercial production operations will most preferably have molding covers having multiple cavities (e.g., 2,4,6). , 8, etc.) to make such cards simultaneously. Those skilled in this art will also appreciate that the applicant's use of the term "polymeric," "plastic," "thermoplastic," and "thermosettable" each refers to a wide variety of polymeric materials. Being as it may be, the polymeric materials used by the applicant will generally enter into one of two .-? _ - .-. subcategories - thermoplastic materials, or thermoset materials. Thermoplastic materials are characterized by having long molecules (either linear or branched) that have side chains or groups that are not linked to other polymer molecules. Accordingly, the thermoplastic materials can be repeatedly softened and hardened by heating and cooling so that they can be formed, and subsequently cooled to form a final hardened form. Generally speaking, no appreciable chemical changes are made during such heat-managed training operations. On the contrary, thermostable materials (such as their resins) have chemically reactive portions that form chemical cross-links between their long molecules during their polymerization. In other words, these linear polymer chains bind to form stereochemical structures. Therefore, once such thermosetting resins harden, the resulting material can not be softened by heating without at least some of the molecular groups of chemical crosslinking occurring. ? .,? * & Either of the two forms of polymeric material (thermoplastics or thermosets) can be used for the layers of the top and / or bottom of the smart cards of the applicant. Therefore, the use of the applicant for the general term "polymeric", with respect to the materials outside of which the layers of the upper and lower surfaces of the applicant can be processed, should be considered as inclusive of the thermosetting materials as well as thermoplastic materials. However, thermosetting materials are the most preferred for the formation or creation of the core or center layer of the smart cards of the applicant. There are several reasons for this preference, for example, thermosetting materials generally bond better with materials (eg PVC) from which the top and bottom layers are preferably worked. Thermoset polymers can also be obtained commercially in relatively inexpensive, easy-to-use liquid monomer-polymer mixtures, or molding compounds partially polymerized, which are particularly well suited for use in low pressure, cold forming operations at high speeds of the invention. Some representative polymeric materials (thermosetting or thermoplastics) that can be used for the elaboration of the layers of the lower and upper parts of the applicant, will include polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl dichloride, polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyurethane, acrylonitrile styrene butadiene, vinyl acetate copolymer, polyesters, polyethylene, epoxy and silicones. Such layers of the upper and lower parts can also be made of other polymeric materials such as polycarbonate, cellulose acetate and materials containing cellulose acetate butyrate. Of all the materials from which the layers of the lower and upper parts can be made, however, polyvinyl chloride ("PVC") is especially preferred by virtue of the clear to opaque qualities of this material as well as for its ability to receive printing and its relatively lower cost. The most preferred thermosetting materials for the purposes of injection processes of the applicant are polyurethane, epoxy and polymeric materials of unsaturated polyester. By way of more specific examples, polyurethanes prepared by condensation reactions of the isocyanate and polyol derived from propylene oxide or trichlorobutyl oxide are especially preferred. Of the various polyesters which can be used in the applicant's processes, those which are further characterized as "ethylenically unsaturated" are particularly preferred, by virtue of their crosslinking capacity through their double bonds with compatible monomers (which also contain ethylenic unsaturation), and with the materials outside of the materials with which the layers of the upper and lower parts of the applicant are made. The most preferred epoxy materials for practicing the present invention will be those that are made from epichlorohydrin and bisphenol A, or epichlorohydrin, and an aliphatic polyol (such as glycerol). These are particularly preferred given their bonding capacity with some of the most preferred materials (eg, PVC) and outside the materials with which the layers of the upper and lower parts of the applicant are made. These three general types of thermosetting materials, (polyurethane, epoxy and unsaturated polyester), are also preferred since they do not tend to react chemically with the gums or glues most preferred by the applicant (for example, various gums or glues based on cyanoacrylate), to form "artifacts" not pleasant to the eye, in the core regions of the bodies of the applicant's cards. Subsequently, it should be noted that the use that the applicant gives to expressions such as "cold, low-pressure training conditions", should generally be considered as referring to training conditions where the temperature of the liquid or semi-liquid polymeric material Injected, it is lower than the heat distortion temperature of the plastic sheet that is formed ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ '. -Z ^^ Í? Áiti.j-. cool (for example, the top layer of the smart cards of the applicant), and lower pressures of approximately 500 psi. In some of the most preferred embodiments of the processes described herein, the cooling formation temperatures used in the applicant's processes will be at least 37.8 ° C (100 ° F) lower than the distortion temperature of the plastic sheet of the material to be molded. As a way of In a more specific example, the heat distortion temperature of many polyvinyl chloride materials is approximately 110 ° C (230 ° F). Therefore, the temperatures to form such PVC sheets in the applicant's process, preferably will not be greater than approximately 110 ° C-37.8 ° C (230 ° F-100 ° F). Temperatures of about 130 ° F are particularly preferred for such materials. The most preferred low-pressure, cold-forming training procedures will have to do with the injection of thermoset polymeric materials whose temperatures are within the range of approximately 13.33 ° C (56 ° F) to approximately 71.11 ° C (160 ° F), under pressures of rt «-» i iJ-uJ -X »» »> «< ¿T ~ a-i? »« - »» ».,.? - ~ *. ~ * ~ 8 ^ .. ** t *» ^? - ^, ^ f - ja6¿Íi.hja > .-8 ----- Íh --- ^ - i¡11-fe ^ preference are within the range from about atmospheric pressure to about 500 psi. More preferably, the temperatures of the thermoset polymers to be injected into the central region or core of the applicant's cards will be between about 18.33 ° C (65 ° F) and about 54. 4 ° C (130 ° F) under pressures of injection that are preferably within the range of from about 80 to about 120 psi. In some of the most preferred embodiments of the present invention, the liquid or semi-liquid thermosetting polymer material will be injected into any cavity for formation of the given card, under these preferred pressure and temperature conditions, at flow rates that are within the range from about 0.1 to about 50 grams / second / card forming cavity. Even more preferred are the flow rates of 1.5 to 1.7 grams / seconds / card forming cavity. Those skilled in this art will appreciate that the applicant's low pressure and temperature conditions contrast preferably with temperatures (eg, 93.33 ° C (200 ° F) to 537 ° C (1000 ° F)) and pressures ( for example, from 500 to 20,000 psi), which are obviously much higher and are often used in the prior art for manufacturing operations by injection molding of smart cards at high speeds. the applicant for such low pressure training conditions, and relatively cold, may require that any die casting (that is, the passage connecting a runner with each cavity for the formation of an individual card) must be larger than those casting molds used in the prior art, for operations at high pressures, hot. The mold dumps of the applicant are preferably relatively larger than the mold dumps of the prior art, so that they are able to pass more quickly the thermostable material to be injected "under the conditions of low-pressure, cold-forming training of the applicant, - itll ^ ?? fi. ^^ rf = ^ in which such thermoset materials are more viscous. Similarly, the corridor (ie, the supply passage of thermoset material in the molding system that feeds from the source of the thermoset material to each mold dump), will be a multiple mold dump or multiple distribution arrangement, and therefore, it must be capable of simultaneously supplying the number of mold / cavity voids that form the card (eg, from 4 to 8 cavities) in the multiple distribution system to relatively cold temperature conditions (eg, 13.33 °) C (56 ° F) to 71.11 (160 ° F)) and relatively low pressure (for example, from atmospheric pressure to 500 psi), used in the applicant's process. It should also be noted at this point, that the flow rates for the polymeric thermosetting material under the conditions of low temperatures and pressures of the applicant, however, must be such that they are capable of completely filling a cavity for forming the given card, in less than or approximately 10 seconds per card-forming cavity (and more Ü ~ &ilé% ~ ** r ~ &? preferably in less than about 3 seconds). The filling of the card-forming cavity in less than 1 second is even more preferred where it can be obtained. In view of these cold forming conditions, certain preferred embodiments of the applicant's smart card processing processes will employ mold voids having an amplitude that is a major fraction of the length of the conductive edge of the card to be formed (that is, a card edge that connects to a mold dump). The Applicant prefers that the breadth of a given mold dump be from about 20 percent to about 200 percent of the width of the leading edge (multiple mold dumps can be used to fill the same card-forming cavity - or edges), that is, the edge (s) with "mold empties", of the smart card to be formed. The Applicant also prefers to employ mold dumps that are tapered from a relatively wide flow inlet area, to a relatively narrow core region that terminate at, or near, the conductive edge (s) of the card body. to be formed. More preferably, these mold dumps become narrow from an injection orifice with a relatively large diameter (e.g., from about 5 to about 10 mm), in which one is in a fluid connection with a corridor supplying the thermosetting material, to a mold card / mold rim, of relatively thin diameter (eg, 0.10 mm), where the mold void feeds the thermosetting material into hollow or void spaces which ultimately becomes center or core of the completed card of the applicant. By way of further example, the Applicant has found that mold dumps that are tapering from an initial diameter of about 7.0 millimeters to a minimum diameter of about 0.13 mm will produce especially good results under the preferred conditions of the low injection applicant. pressure and cold. "Another optional feature that can be used as an advantage together with the gums or adhesives and glue application methods of the applicant is the use of molding covers 5 having one or more receptacles for receiving the polymeric material in" excess "that can be injected on purpose between the hollow spaces of the layers of the upper and lower parts of the applicant, in order to eradicate any air and / or other gases from said spaces (for example, those gases that are formed by the exothermic reactions that occur when the ingredients used to formulate the majority of the thermoset polymeric materials are mixed together). These ingredients The thermosets are preferably mixed just before their injection into the empty space or hollow space (for example, approximately 30 seconds before). Still other optional procedures that can be used to increase the results of the manufacturing methods of the applicant, may include the use of: (1) treatments that favor and / or increase the bonding action between the interior surfaces of the layers of the parts upper and lower and injected thermosetting material, (2) films displaying graphical / alphanumeric information that is visible on the main surface (s) of the card, (3) layers or films that promote opacity ( or prevent it), (4) using the layers of the upper part or the layers of the lower part which are at least partially, previously molded by means of a preceding molding operation (for example, a preceding operation of "hot" molding). ", of the prior art type, or a preceding" cold "molding operation such as those described in this patent description) and, (5) the use of pigments that promote opacity in the thermosetting material. It should also be noted here that the outer surfaces of the smart cards resulting from the applicant's manufacturing processes can be subsequently arranged in relief or printed to display graphic / alphanumeric information. The methods of the applicant for preparing the smart cards of this patent description may also, as an additional feature, involve the use of at least one gas venting process and / or at least one receptacle to receive the excess polymeric material. More preferably, there will be at least one such receptacle per card-forming cavity. The presence of such receptacles for the reception of the excess material and / or gas ventilation will allow the gases (for example, the air, and the products of the gaseous reactions associated with those chemical reactions usually exothermic of the ingredients with which they are present). forms the polymeric material) and / or relatively small amounts of the incoming thermosetting polymeric material itself, when leaking from each void or gap during the training operations of the applicant, for example, low pressure, cold forming operations , and to be received in such receptacles and / or completely removed from the molding system. These procedures for ventilation of gases and receiving receptacles of the excess material, serve for the prevention of imperfections that could otherwise be formed by trapping gases in the hollow spaces during the injection of polymeric material. Thus, this aspect of the applicant's invention involves injecting a liquid or semi-fluid flowing moldable polymeric material 5 into a hollow space or vacuum between the layers of the upper and lower parts of the applicant's smart card in a process where the molds of the upper and lower parts are respectively boundaries against the layers of the upper and lower parts of the smart card in a dividing line perimeter or lip lip region at pressures that are sufficient to (a) completely fill the voids or gaps with a liquid or semi-liquid thermosetting polymeric material under the conditions (e.g., cold forming conditions) used in the processes described herein, (b) immersing the bottom side of the module in the adhesive / basecoat, detector, electrical signal, etc., (c) submerging any of the anchor hooks associated with the detector or electrical signal module, (d) removing minor amounts of polymeric material from the afe * j ^ ~ tots¿ * a - < - »» ^. ^ FeSaL¿ »^ - ^ ^^ ^^» ^^ .. forming cavities of the cards and in the receptacle for the excess material and / or (e) removing the gases that are in the empty space towards the receptacle of excess material and / or completely removing such gases from the molding system (for example). example, remove such gases from the mold in the regions of the dividing line where the mold covers of the upper and lower parts meet). Thus, the pressures of the molding flange used in the applicant's processes must be sufficient to sustain the pressures at which the thermoplastic material is injected to completely fill the void space between the upper and lower parts (e.g., between approximately the pressure environmental and 200 psi), but still allow small amounts of the thermosetting material and any of the gases to be pulled out or jetted out of the molding system in its dividing line. In other words, in these preferred embodiments, the receptacles of the excess material of the applicant do not need, and preferably will not, receive all excess material injected into the empty space. The thermosetting material, in excess, and / or the gases can also - and preferably are - removed from the complete molding system in the dividing line, where the molding flange of the upper part and the molding flange of the lower part they adjoin one against the other, or adjoin against the top layer and the bottom layer. In fact, the incoming liquid or semiliquid thermosetting polymer material completely fills the empty space, and submerges any adhesive, electronic component, anchor hook, etc. contained there and force to leave the empty space to any air present in the empty space between the layers of the upper and lower parts (as well as any gas formed by the chemical reaction of the starting ingredients of the polymeric material), and in some cases preferred, completely outside the molding system. Do all these actions serve to eliminate surface imperfections such as "bagging marks" and / or encapsulated bubbles that may otherwise form if such gases become trapped? in the thermoset polymeric material, when it solidifies to form the central region of the applicant's cards. Finally, it should be noted that the layers of the upper and / or lower parts used in the processes of the applicant can be at least partially molded into the shapes that the cavities have before they are placed in the molding system, used to elaborate the smart cards of this patent description. Therefore, the "low pressure, cold" molding operations called by this patent description can be only a part of the total molding to which these materials are subjected in the form of a sheet or layer. Thus, for example, the low-pressure, cold-molding methods of this patent disclosure can provide only a partial amount of the total molding experienced by a molded top layer of the applicant's smart card. In the most preferred embodiments of the present invention, however, the top layer will experience a larger portion eg, at least 50 percent, and more preferably all of the total molding experience (as defined by the change). in the volume of the cavity created by the molding operation) by the low pressure, cold molding operations, which are preferred for the molding operations described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a front view of a contact-type smart card of the prior art. This sample has an electrical contact reader or other reader component of an electrical signal, graphic / alphanumeric information and an identification photo. It also shows a phantom curved line that runs through the module component. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view with its separated parts of the smart card, contact type, of the prior art, shown in figure 1. Figure 3 shows the figure 1 in cross section, the smart card type contact of figure 1 in a partially bent condition.

Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view elaborated in accordance with the teachings of this patent description. Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the present invention, wherein some of the electronic components of the smart card are embedded in the core layer of the card. Figures 6 and 7 are side views cut away from the molding tool arrangement to elaborate a first embodiment of an intelligent card of this patent description. In Figure 6, the components of the smart card are displayed before a liquid polymeric material is injected between the layers of the upper and lower parts. Figure 7 shows the molding tool arrangement after the polymeric material is injected into the empty space between the layers of the upper and lower parts. Figure 8 describes another preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the molding tool shown in Figure 6 is further provided with a receptacle that receives excess polymeric material and / or gas. Figure 9 describes the result of injecting the molding system described in Figure 8 with a thermoset polymeric material. Figure 10 illustrates another preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the sheet the layer or sheet components of the lower part and the upper part of the smart card of the applicant, end in the front rim of a receptacle receiving the excess material. Figure 11 describes the system shown in Figure 10 after the empty space (and the excess material receptacle) is filled by injection of a thermoset polymeric material. Figure 12 is a cut-away side view of a molding tool, wherein the top and bottom layers are each shown in their respective molding cavities. Figure 13 is a cut-away view showing a molded tool that is removed from the body of a precursor smart card, formed by the system generally described in Figure 9. Figure 14 describes cross-section and plan views cut from the 5 several comparative mold dumps to inject the thermostable materials of the applicant. Figure 15 describes a molding tool system capable of producing multiple (ie four) smart cards simultaneously in accordance with the teachings of the present patent description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 illustrates a contact-type smart card of the prior art 10 showing an identification photo, together with graphic and / or alphanumeric information. The card 10 is provided with a device 12 that detects a electrical signal for a communication with a machine using smart cards such as an ATM, an identification verification machine, telephone card devices, etc. The card it may further be provided with other electrical signal detecting devices such as a magnetic stripe 14. A diagonal line 16 is shown passing through the card in the detector device 12 of the electrical signal. Figure 2 is a contact type smart card, with its separate parts, of the prior art, shown in Figure 1. This has a layer of the upper part 18, a core or central layer 20, and a layer 22 of the lower part. The core layer is the result of injecting a thermoset material into the empty space 19 between the top 18 layer and the bottom 22 layer. This electrical signal detecting device 12 is shown outside a cavity 24 in the top layer 18 and core layer 20, wherein the device 12 that detects the electrical signal is normally fixed, for example, by adhering it with glue or glue. This electrical signal detecting device 12 is illustrated as a part of the module 26 comprised of the detector device 12, a plate 28, and a chip 30. In most prior art smart cards of this type, the module or device 12 which detects the electrical signals with which it is associated (for example the module 26), is glued to a mounting ring 32 in which, in turn, is glued to a shoulder or mounting flange 34 in the cavity 24. this practice tends to produce a region of empty space 36 in the system of the assembled card. In the module 26 described in Figure 2, a computer chip which stores and processes sensitive and / or potentially valuable information is shown attached to the underside of the plate 28. This computer chip 30 can terminate in a computer device. electrical contact 38 which is sometimes referred to as a "pod". Such a contact device 38 is adapted and arranged to have electrical contact with a receptacle 40 of the sheath, this sheath receptacle can, or can not, be connected with other electrical components embedded in the core layer 20 of the smart card 10. Again, the layer 18 of the upper part and / or the layer 22 of the lower part of such cards, are sometimes provided with a coating or protective layer 42 of the upper part and / or a layer 44 of the part lower. Such protective layers will generally cover the entire face of the card except where electrical contact components are shown (e.g., module 26, magnetic strip 14, etc.). Figure 3 shows a smart card 10 of the prior art of Figure 1 in a bent condition. The diagonal line 16 passes through the cavity 24 in the top layer 18 to receive and hold a detector / plate / pod module 26. It may be noted that one of the techniques most commonly used by the thief and / or fraudulent users of smart cards, is first to have or gain access to the assembly of the smart card. detector / chip / pod assembly 26 of a "valid" card, bending said card 10 in the manner generally illustrated in Figure 3. The module 26 is therefore exposed to such an extent that it can be lifted and rotated in the way generally suggested by the direction of arrow 50 in figure 3. Once this way the detector / board / chip / pod module 26 is obtained, this is subsequently transferred to another card Smart that has misleading information such as a photo ID (ID) of a fraudulent user. Figure 4 illustrates how the contact's smart card of the applicant is similar in many ways to those employed in the prior art and that also have a detector device 12 for an electronic signal or a detector / board / computer chip module which resides an opening or cavity 24 in the layer 18 of the upper part (or in the layer of the lower part 22). In Figure 4, all the electronic components are described as part of a module 26 that is shown residing in a cavity 24 in the layer 18 of the top of the card 10. Figure 4 also describes how the smart cards of the applicant differ from the smart cards of the prior art shown in figures 2 and 3. As can be seen in figure 4, a first major difference between the smart card of the applicant and those of the prior art, is the fact that the bottom side of detector 12 of the applicant or detector / chip plate / module 26, is provided with a layer or coating of a base adhesive / paint material 52. This layer or coating of adhesive material / base coat 52 is will place on an element (this being the electronic detector 12, chip 30, etc.) or elements that come into physical contact with a thermostable polymeric material 54 injected into the core region 20 of the card intelligent 10. This requirement is followed by the fact that the applicant has found that the bonding action between a base adhesive / paint material 52 and the thermosetting polymer 54 is much stronger than the bonding action between a component of a semiconductor material and / or metallic (such as the detector 12 or a detector / plate / pod module 26) and the thermoset polymer 54. In fact, the applicant has found that the bonding connection between a base adhesive / paint 52 with the thermosetting material 54 It is so strong that it very effectively resists counterfeiting actions such as those described in Figure 3. This is the same as saying that the bond of the adhesive-compatible polymer / base paint is so strong that any attempt of removing the detector or plate from the detector / chip / pod module 26 of the applicant, by physically folding a smart card in the manner shown in Figure 3, will normally result in a fold You will see the detector and / or the chip and the module itself. Such severe bending, and physical damage to these elements resulting from such bending, will serve to weaken the electrical processing capacity of such electronic components - thereby preventing these components from being "successfully" transferred to a fraudulent smart card. The most preferred adhesive / base materials 52 for the practice of the present invention will be of the thin, "solvent-based" variety. Methyl ethyl ketone is frequently used as a solvent for such compositions. By way of example only, the base paint product of the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Model 4475® can be used for this bonding purpose. Thus, in its finished form, the smart card 10 of the applicant will be comprised of a layer 18 of the top, a layer 22 of the lower part, and a central layer or that acts as a core, in which at least some adhesive material / base paint (which is attached to at least one electrical component) is in contact with a thermosetting polymeric material 54. This means that the components (for example the lower part of the module 26) are immersed in an initially liquid or semiliquid thermoset material 54, which once hardened, constitutes a solid center or core layer. of a smart card 10 completed. The positioning of the detector 12 (or module 26) must be done in such a way that the surface of the upper part 56 of the detector is substantially flush or at the same level with the surface of the upper part 46 of the card or the surface of the part. upper, of the protective layer 42 in case a protective layer is used. This injected polymeric material 54 is preferably capable of being injected under certain conditions of low pressure, and relatively cold forming, which are preferred for carrying out the applicant's manufacturing processes. This is the same as saying that the injection of relatively hot thermostable materials is less preferred for the practice of the present invention. In either case, an appropriate thermoset polymeric material 54 will be injected, and will fill, the voids whose thickness 66 is defined between the inner surface 62 of the upper layer 18 and the inner surface 64 of the layer 22 of the bottom part Once hardened, the injected thermoset polymeric material 54 of the resulting core layer 20 will chemically bond with, or otherwise adhere to, both inner surfaces 62 of the top layer 18 and the interior surface 64 of the layer 22 of the lower part, whereby the unified body of a card is produced. Such adhesion can be assisted with the treatment of the respective inner surfaces 62 and 64 of the layers of the lower and upper portions in any one of several ways. For example, bonding agents known in this art can be used to increase the bond between the thermoset material 54 forming the core layer, and the material (s) from which the layers 18 and 22 of the parts are made. lower and upper (for example, PVC). Here again, the base paint product of the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing model 4475® can also be used for this purpose of increasing this bond or bond, especially when the layers of the top and bottom are made of a chloride material of polyvinyl. Other treatments that can be applied to the interior surfaces of the top and / or bottom layers 18 and 22 may include, but are not limited to, corona treatment and acid etching. This thermoset polymeric material also forms a particularly strong bond or bond with the base adhesive / paint layer 52 or on any of the anchoring hooks 58, 58A, etc. that can be used. The applicant has also found that another action preventing the counterfeiting action can, in its own right, be provided to such detector devices 12"or modules 26 by the use of anchors or hooks 58, 58A, etc., which are a part integral with, or are firmly attached to, at least one of the elements of the electronic detector module or device (e.g., electronic signal detector 12, plate 28, computer chip 30, etc.) These anchors or hooks 58, 58A, etc., will be embedded or embedded in the hardened form of the thermoset polymeric material 54. The use of at least one of such hooks is required, the use of 2 or more of the hooks 58 and 58A is preferred. the anchoring hooks can provide an antifraudulent action for which no adhesive / primer coat is required., the Applicant has found that the combined clamping action provided by the simultaneous use of the bond of the thermosetting-adhesive / base paint material and the anchors or hooks 58 or 58A, etc., are such that they even better frustrate counterfeiting of smart cards using the method suggested in figure 3 of the action of "bending the card and removing the module". However, each of these methods to prevent counterfeiting can serve - in its own right - to prevent a fraudulent transfer of the electrical components of a smart card. Figure 5 illustrates an embodiment of this invention in which other electronic components such as an additional chip 60, an antenna 61 and a conductive line 61 are employed, are employed together with the electrical components comprising the module 26. Figure 5 further illustrates how the inner surface of the layers of the upper and / or lower portions 18 and / or 22 can be additionally provided with one or more bands or films 68, 68A carrying or supporting design and graphic and / or alphanumeric information . Thus, if the layer 18 of the upper part was made of a translucent polymeric material such as PVC, the graphic and / or alphanumeric information on such film 68 68A etc., may be visible to the user of the card. The inner surfaces 62 and 64 of the layers of the upper and lower parts 18 and 22 can also be provided with layers of other materials such as the coating 69 whose function is to decrease the opacity of the body of the card, so that its ¿^ ¿¿¿^ ^ ^ ^ - ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ - ^ ^ ^ ^ & amp; .., electronic components are not visible through the body of the card. Subsequently, it should be noted that, if these are used, such other components (for example, a computer chip 60, an antenna 61, etc., which are used in a contact / non-contact hybrid smart card, etc.) these are preferably placed above the inner surface 64 of the layer 22 of the lower part. This can be obtained by using one or more mounds, drops or packages of glue or glue, and especially a glue or glue of low shrinkage or shrinking little. Such electronic components (e.g., a computer chip 60, an antenna 61, etc.) are more preferably placed on top of two glue mounds 70A and 70B, etc. in the manner generally suggested in Figure 5. When such glue mounds (70A, 70B, etc.) are used, incoming liquid or semi-fluid polymeric material 54 will flow under such electronic components 60.61, etc. as well as over them. In other words, in the most preferred embodiments of the present invention the glue mound (s) 70A, 70B, etc. they will serve as one or more "pedestals" on which the additional electronic components are placed (for example a chip 60, an antenna 61, etc.), such that the bottom side has no direct contact with the inner surface 64 of the layer 22 of the lower part, but is preferably completely immersed in the incoming thermoplastic material 54 from above, below and from the sides. This circumstance allows these electronic components to better resist any twisting and / or flexing force the smart card may face (in fact, on any of its four outer flange surfaces). In some of the most preferred embodiments of the present invention, these submerged electronic components 60, 61, etc. they will be placed by mounds of glue or glue 70A, 70B, etc. at a distance 72 from about 0.075 mm to about 0.13 mm above the inner surface 64 of the layer 22 of the lower surface.

Figure 6 serves to illustrate (especially by contrast of Figure 6 with Figure 7) a first preferred embodiment of the methods of the applicant for the development of the smart cards of the present patent description. For this purpose, Figure 6 illustrates a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention in which a flat, top sheet or layer of plastic material 18 such as PVC is shown prior to its molding according to the teachings of the present description. patent. In other words, Figure 6 illustrates a molding tool arrangement just prior to injecting a thermoset polymeric material 54. Thus, Figure 6 shows a flat, top layer 18 (e.g., a flat sheet of PVC) conforming to this is initially placed under a forming cavity of the card 74 of a mold 76 of the upper part. The layer 18 of the upper part is provided with an opening, cavity, receptacle, etc. 24 including a signal detector module 26, in place, during the molding operation. A layer 22 of the lower part (for example, another flat sheet of PVC) _ ^ ^ Mt ^ 2C2titiim also shows how it is placed on a mold 78 of the lower part. In some less preferred, but always viable, embodiments of the applicant's processes, the top layer 18 can be previously molded or at least pre-molded partially, preferably, to the general contour of the card-forming cavity 74 in FIG. the mold 76 of the upper part. By way of comparison, the mold 78 of the lower part has no cavity comparable to the cavity 74, in the mold 76 of the upper part. By way of a further illustration, Figure 7 describes the effects of injection molding of a thermoset polymeric material 54 in the void space between the layers of the upper and lower portions 18 and 22. Thus, Figure 7 shows layer 18 of the upper part after it has been molded into the cavity forming the cavity 74 in the mold 76 of the upper part. A nozzle 80 which is used to inject the thermoset or thermoplastic, liquid or semi-liquid polymer material 54, which is shown being inserted into a hole 82 leading to the empty space 19 shown . * afesis- ^^^^ ^ - ^. ^^. ^^. isi ^ between the inner surface 62 of the layer 18 of the upper part and the inner surface 64 of the layer 22 of the lower part in figure 6 The distance 84 between the upper surface 86 of the layer 18 of the upper part and the lower surface 88 of the layer 22 of the lower part, under the molding conditions last define the thickness of the card 10 as a finished product. The empty space 19 is shown extending from the left end 90 to the right end 92 of the lower and upper layers 18 which are juxtaposed. In figure 6, the upper surface 86 of the layer 18 of the lower part still has no contact with the lower surface 94 of the forming cavity 74 of the mold 76 of the upper part. By way of contrast, the surface 88 of the lower part of the layer 22 of the lower part is shown in an abutting, substantially flat contact with the inner surface 96 of the mold 78 of the lower part. Again, in both figures 6 and 7, the electrical components 60 and 61 that can be used in addition to those electrical components comprising the module 26, are shown placed by above the inner surface 64 of the layer 22 of the lower part. By way of example only, such electrical components are shown in a pedestal arrangement in the two mounds, small broaches, etc. 70A and 70B of the glue of the low shrinkage or shrinkage type preferred by the applicant. These glue pedestals serve to hold the electronic components far enough above the inner surface 64 of the bottom layer 22 (eg, from about 0.075 mm to about 0.13 mm above said inner surface 64), so that the incoming thermosetting polymer material 54 can invade the region 100 under the additional electrical components 60 and 61 as well as the regions above these electronic components. Again, the use of such glue pedestal arrangements are preferred because the presence of the thermoset polymeric material 54 under such electronic components tends to increase the protection of such electronic components against any force or shock they may receive by the outer surfaces (that is, the outside of the bottom layer and / or the outside of the top surface) of the card. In figure 6, it is shown that the mold 76 of the upper part has a cavity 74, which partially defines the surface contour of the upper part of the smart card to be formed during the molding operation. For this purpose, the injection of the thermostable, liquid or semi-liquid polymer material 54, it must be under pressure and temperature conditions, so that the layer 18 of the upper part is preferably cold, at low pressure, forming in the cavity 74 of the mold 76 of the upper part. Such conditions are preferred since they serve to prevent damage to module 26 placed in layer 18 of the upper part. Again, as an illustration of the results of this molding operation, Figure 7 shows how the injection process of the thermosetting material of this patent description has been formed with the surface 86 of the upper part of the layer 18. from the top to the configuration of the card-forming cavity 74 in the mold 76 of the upper part. Again, the surface 88 of the lower part of the layer 22 of the lower part is shown in figure 7 molded against a substantially flat inner surface 96 of the mold 78 of the lower part. This is a particularly preferred arrangement for the development of the smart cards of the present patent description. In Figures 6 and 7, a front flange region 102 of the upper part mold 18 and a front flange region 104 of the lower part mold 78 are shown separated from one another by a distance 106 (taken into consideration with the thickness of the layers of the upper and lower parts 18 and 22), in effect, defines the distance 19 (ie, the amplitude or thickness of the void space) in the orifice 82 for injecting the thermoplastic material 54. This distance 19 must such that the thermoset polymeric material 54 can penetrate the entire length of the core region 20 (eg, from its left side 90 to its right side 92). The opposite distance 106 'on the side right 92 of this system may differ from its opposite distance 106 on the left side. In any case, the defined distance between the inner surface 62 of the layer 18 of the upper part which passes through the rear flange 102 'of the mold 76 of the upper part and the inner surface 64 of the layer 22 of the lower part which passes through the rear flange 104 'of the mold 78 of the lower part is very small - but still finite. That is to say that this very small distance must be large enough to allow the gases 110 (for example air, gases from the reaction product of the polymeric ingredients, etc.) in the empty space 19 that originally exists between the layers of the upper and lower parts 18 and 22, and the excess polymeric material, is pulled out of the empty space 19, but still be small enough to hold the injection pressure used to inject the thermoset polymeric material 54. Figures 8 and 9 illustrate yet another most preferred embodiment of the process that was originally illustrated in figures 6 and 7. In figures 6 and 7, the rear or right side 92 of the layer 18 of the upper part and the layer 22 of the lower part are shown as protrusions of their respective molds 76 and 78. Accordingly, the gases 110 (air and gases product of the chemical reaction) and polymeric material in "excess" (i.e., the polymeric material 54 in excess of the required to fill the empty space 19) is removed or unloaded from the molds 76 and 78. This mold and discharge arrangement can work better with some of the thermosetting injection materials (and / or some of the materials of the upper and lower layers) ) as it does with others. However, the Applicant has also found that in some cases, the complete molding system described in Figures 6 and 7 is sometimes left with residual bodies of excess solidified polymeric material which, in one way or another, intervenes in the manufacture. successful of smart cards. Indeed, this arrangement sometimes leaves the complete molding device in "dirty" conditions which is not suitable for the production of high quality smart cards in cycles subsequent to high speed molding operations, which are used for manufacturing The embodiment of the applicant's invention shown in Figures 8 and 9 can be used to correct this problem. This by the use of a mold cover (for example, the upper mold 76) which is also provided with a receptacle cavity 112 for the surplus material. The function of this receptacle cavity 112 is for: (l) receiving and housing any thermoset material in excess 54 (ie, exceeding the volume of the empty space 19) and any gas (air, gases from the chemical reaction product) purged from the empty space 19 by the injection of thermoset polymeric material 54 in the empty space 19. In fact, in some of the most preferred embodiments of the present invention, the excess polymeric material 54 'will be purposely injected into the empty space 19, this to remove any gas that may otherwise be trapped or dragged in the central layer 20 of the smart card. The procedure of the injection of surplus material from the applicant can trap some of the gases in the excess polymeric material 54 'of the shape generally indicated in Figure 9, or some or all of these gases can be removed from the molding system at its dividing line 114 as suggested by the direction arrow 110. Again, the material polymer "excess" 54 'optionally cut out of these "precursor" cards to create a "finished" card. It should also be noted that in this preferred processing mode of the applicant, the top layer 18 is molded into the regions 116 of the upper portions of the receptacle 112 of the excess material, in the same general manner that the layer is molded 18 of the upper part in the card-forming cavity 74, of the mold 76 of the upper part. Figure 10 describes another preferred embodiment of the present invention, in which the layer 18 of the upper part and the layer 22 of the lower part only extend from the front rim 118 of the receptacle 112 of the excess material. In this way, the upper layer 18 is not molded into the receptacle 112 of the excess material as in the case shown in FIG. 9. In this embodiment, the trapped gases 120 and the excess polymeric material 54 '. they are not completely removed from the system of the molding cavity, as if they were in the process shown in Figure 7, but instead, they are "captured" and are contained in the receptacle 112 for the excess material, which in itself The same also resides in the complete molding cavity system Those gases 110 which are not trapped in the excess polymeric material 54 'forced into the receptacle 112 can be, and preferably are, evacuated from the molding system in its dividing line 114. Figure 11 illustrates the molding system shown in Figure 10 after a thermoset material 54 has been injected into the empty space 19, between the layer 18 of the upper part and the layer 22 of the lower part. 1 2 illustrates a somewhat less preferred, and yet still viable, embodiment of the present invention, in which the mold 78 of the lower part is provided with a cavity 122 very much in the form in which the mold 76 of the part • ^ • M ^^^^ M ^ ií ^ Mm & í ^ F ^ ís ^. upper, with a molding cavity such as 74 illustrated in Figure 6. Figure 13 shows a precursor or near-finished smart card of the type shown in Figure 9, which is removed from a molding system. The section lines 124-124 and 126-126 respectively show how the left end 90 and the right end 92 of the present precursor smart card can be cut or trimmed, to create the very thin edges and precise dimensions of a card smart finished Again, by way of example, the standard ISO 7810 requires that such cards have a length 128 of 85 mm. Figures 14 (A) through 14 (E) contrast several mold voids in which a thermoset polymeric material 54 can be injected to form a given smart card. For example, Figure 14 (A) illustrates a mold pour configuration, of the prior art Q, R, S, T commonly referred to as a fan-type mold dump. The term "fan" refers to the general configuration of the mold void that has the shape of a fan, in which a thermoset polymeric material 54 is injected from a runner 130 that feeds the various mold voids into a multiple distributed shape. These configurations of mold dumps, similar to a fan are often employed with high pressure hot melt molding methods of the prior art. Being as it may be, the narrowest part of the fan Q, R, S, T in FIG. 14 (A) is shown to be provided from an injection hole 132 for receiving the incoming thermosetting polymer material 54. As can be seen in FIGS. 14 (A) and 14 AA, the injection hole 132 has a relatively small diameter 134, relative to the amplitude 136 (ie, the distance from the points S to the point T) of the fan in the region in which the mold emptier, feeds the cavity that form the general contours S, T, U, V of the smart card to be formed. Figures 14 (B) to 14 (E) by way of contrast, with Figure 14A, illustrate appropriate mold configurations t * ^ < Ii & amp; ^ \ - > & ^ X for use with the molding processes of the present patent description. It should also be noted that here the applicant prefers to taper these mold empties, in the manner previously described but which is not shown in Figures 14 (B) to 14 (E). In any event, the diameters of the mold dumps of the applicant are significantly larger than the mold dumps used in the prior art smart card molding processes. For example, the diameter 134 of the injection port 132 of the prior art systems such as those described in Figures 14A and 14AA may be within the order of 7.0 mm, while the amplitude of the fan 136 throughout the the line extending from point S to point T (which is also the nominal amplitude of the credit card to be formed), is approximately 54 mm (conforming to the requirements of ISO 7810 standard). Thus far, as can be seen in the cross-sectional view illustrated in Fig. 14AA, the diameter of the prior art injection hole 132 of Fig. 14 (A), which leads from the corridor the supply of the main polymeric material. 130 to mold vat 138, is about 1/10 of the amplitude 136 of the edge of the smart card to be formed. Such relative dimensions (a mold emptier having a 1/10 amplitude in relation to the edge of the card to be supplied by said emptier) is sufficient or satisfies most of the prior art manufacturing methods where The conditions of formation, at high pressures and hot, are those applied to a less viscous thermoplastic material. For example, some of the processes of the prior art inject their polymeric materials at temperatures within the range from in excess of 93.33 ° C (200 ° F) to 537 ° C (1000 ° F) at pressures that are within the range of 500 to 20,000 psi. Again, such conditions at pressures and high temperatures differ considerably from those conditions of pressures and low temperatures, which are those which are preferred to be used in the processes of the applicant.

By way of contrast with such systems of mold runners from the runner, of the prior art, such as that described in Figure 14 (A), the mold emptier systems of the applicant, as described in Figures 14 ( B) to 14 (E), for the manufacture of smart cards that are preferably made by using pressure conditions at relatively cold temperatures, which are characterized by relatively large mold dumps. The Applicant has found that under conditions of low pressure, and at relatively cold temperatures (e.g., 13.33 ° C (56 ° E) at 37.78 ° C (100 ° F) and atmospheric pressure at 200 psi) which are preferably employed in the processes described herein, higher quality precursor cards (thus finished cards) are produced when the width or diameter 134 'of an injection hole 132' for a mold void 138 'is considerably wider than those employed in the manufacturing methods of the prior art. For this purpose, Figures 14BB to 14EE illustrate four variations of the Applicant's concept of "large mold dumps." In Fig. 14BB, for example, the diameter 134 'of the mold injection or pour hole 132' is about 50 percent of the amplitude 136 'of the precursor card to be formed. In Figure 14CC, the amplitude 134 'of the mold ejection orifice 132' is approximately eighty percent of the amplitude (the distance from the point S 'to the point T') of the precursor card. In Fig. 14DD the amplitude 134 'of the mold injection or pour hole 132' and the amplitude 136 '(the distance from the point S' to the point T ') of the precursor credit card (S', T, ' U ', V) are substantially the same. Figure 14EE describes a system for molding a card in which the width 134 'of the mold box is larger than (eg, about 25% larger) than the width 136' of the flange of the smart card S '. , T ', U', V (described by the distance from point S 'to point T'). In general, the applicant has found that the best results are obtained when the ^ - ^ - ^ - ^ ¿? R Ü, amplitude 134 'of the mold dumps used in these molding processes are from about 25% to about 200% of the amplitude (the distance from the point S' to the point T ') of the 5 rim of the precursor card provided by the mold emptier. This contrasts sharply with most systems of the prior art (high pressure / high temperature) where the width of the injection hole (again note the distance from point Q to point R in figure 14AA) is usually less than less than 10 percent of the amplitude (distance from point S to point T) of the flange of the card to be provided by the mold emptier . Figure 15 illustrates a molding process which is carried out according to some of the preferred embodiments of the present patent description, wherein four credit cards are simultaneously molded in a system in which, a As an example only, the two closest cavities (closest to the injection nozzle 80) are fed with a "54 material, polymeric, thermostable, incoming, via gates respective 138 and 138 'having an amplitude (for example the distance from point 140 to point 142) which is about half the amplitude of the precursor card (the distance from point 144 to point 146) while the two, more remote (ie, more remote) card-forming cavities of the injection nozzle 80) 15B and 15D have the injection orifices and mold empties that are substantially as wide as the amplitude (148 to 150) of the card precursor in itself. The dotted line 152 shown in FIG. 15 illustrates the contours of a finished smart card after the ridges have been trimmed to (a given measurement and to remove excess thermoset material in the receptacles 112 for the excess material) produce a completed smart card (for example, one having a length of 85 mm and an amplitude of 54 mm for the ISO 7810 standard). Again, these cards can additionally be "terminated" by the application of the graphic / fan information on their main exterior surfaces, for example by several methods of film application and / or printing known to those skilled in this art. While the present invention has been described with respect to several specific examples and a spirit that is subject to the concept of the use of a base adhesive / paint layer, between the module or detector of a contact type smart card; it should be understood that the invention described herein should be limited in scope only by the following claims. It is noted that in proportion to this date, the best known by the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the manufacturing to which it refers. Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following:

Claims (96)

1. A process for producing a smart card, contact type, which comprises a layer of the upper part, in which there is an electrical device, a core layer and a layer of the lower part, characterized in that it comprises: (1) covering a adhesive / base coat layer on the underside of the electrical sensing device, so that said base adhesive / paint layer will have direct physical contact with a thermoset polymeric material forming the core layers of the smart card; (2) placing the electrical sensing device in an opening in the top layer; (3) placing the top layer and the bottom layer in a mold arrangement that defines a gap between the top layer and the bottom layer; (4) injecting a thermoset polymeric material in the vacuum space under conditions such that the base paint / adhesive has direct physical contact with the thermoset polymeric material to form a unified precursor smart card body; (5) removing the unified body of precursor smart card from the mold array; and (6) trimming the precursor smart card to a desired dimension to produce a smart card.

2. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the electrical sensing device is provided with at least one anchoring device j e.

3. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the inner surface of the top layer and the inner surface of the bottom layer are treated to facilitate the formation of a strong bond between the top layer and the top layer. thermosetting material and the layer of the lower part and the thermosetting material.

4. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the inner surface of the top layer and the inner surface of the bottom layer are treated by coating each with a bonding agent.

5. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the inner surface of the top layer and the inner surface of the bottom layer are treated by a corona discharge process.

6. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the thermoset material is injected into the vacuum space at a pressure that is between the ambient pressure and 500 psi.

7. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the thermoset material is injected into the vacuum space at a pressure that is approximately between 80 and 120 psi. * ',, iHÍ fátí & m tl

8. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the thermosetting material is injected into the vacuum space at a temperature that is between about 13.33 ° C and about 37.78 ° C.

9. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the thermoset material is injected into the empty space between the top layer and the bottom layer at a temperature that is between approximately 18.33 ° C and 21.11 ° C.

10. The method of claim 1, characterized in that a film carrying graphic / alphanumeric information is applied to the inner surface of the top layer.

11. The method of claim 1, characterized in that a layer of material is applied to the interior surface of the top layer and the "interior" surface of the top layer. * ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ bottom part to decrease the opacity of the card.

12. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the top layer and the bottom layer are each formed of a flat sheet of polymeric material.

13. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the top layer is preformed with at least one card-forming cavity.

14. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the upper layer is molded in a card-forming cavity of a mold of the upper part, and the layer of the lower part is molded against a substantially flat surface of a mold from the bottom.

15. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the thermoset material is a polyurethane.

16. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the thermoset material is an epoxy.

17. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the thermoset material is an unsaturated polyester.

18. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the empty space is filled by a mold emptier whose amplitude is at least about 25 percent of the amplitude of an edge of a precursor card, which is to be served by said emptier. mold.

19. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the card is provided with a magnetic stripe.

20. A process for producing a contact-type smart card, comprising a top layer in which there is an electrical sensing device, a core layer and a / ^^ - ^ ^ - ^ '-' ^ M ^ - ^ ^^^,. ^ --- l - '. ^ 2 ^ -: - bottom layer, said process is characterized in that it comprises: (1) coating with a layer of adhesive / base paint on the underside of the electrical sensing device, so that said adhesive / paint layer base has direct physical contact with a thermoset polymeric material that forms the core layer of the smart card; (2) placing the electrical sensing device in an opening in the top layer; (3) placing the top layer and the bottom layer in a mold arrangement that defines a gap between the top layer and the bottom layer; (4) injecting a thermoset polymeric material into the void space under conditions such that: (a) the adhesive / base paint has physical direct physical contact with the thermoset polymeric material, (b) at least one layer of the smart card is molded to low pressure, partially cold, in a cavity in the mold of the upper part, (c) gases and material When the excess polymeric material is removed from the empty space, (d) the electronic component is encapsulated in the thermosetting polymer material before the partially hardened glue or glue hardens completely and ( e) the thermoset polymeric material is bonded or bonded to both the top layer and the bottom layer to produce the unified body of a precursor smart card; (5) removing the unified precursor smart card body from the molding device; and (6) trimming the precursor smart card to a desired dimension to produce a smart card.

21. The method of claim 20, characterized in that the electrical sensing device is provided with at least one anchoring device j e.

22. The method of claim 20, characterized in that the inner surface of the top layer and the inner surface of the bottom layer are treated to facilitate the formation of a strong bond between the top layer and the top layer. the thermosetting material and the bottom layer and the thermosetting material.

23. The method of claim 20, characterized in that the inner surface of the top layer and the inner surface of the bottom layer are treated by coating each with a bonding agent.

24. The method of claim 20, characterized in that the inner surface of the top layer and the inner surface of the bottom layer are treated by a corona discharge process.

25. The method of claim 20, characterized in that the thermoset material is injected into the vacuum space at a pressure that is between the ambient pressure and approximately 500 psi.

26. The method of claim 20, characterized in that the thermoset material is injected into the vacuum space at a pressure that is between 80 and 120 psi.

27. The method of claim 20, characterized in that the thermosetting material is injected into the vacuum space at a temperature that is between about 13.33 ° C and about 37.78 ° C.

28. The method of claim 20, characterized in that the thermosetting material is injected into the empty space between the top layer and the bottom layer at a temperature that is between approximately 18.33 ° C and approximately 21.11 ° C. .

29. The method "of claim 20, characterized in that a film carrying graphic / alphanumeric information is applied to the inner surface of the top layer.

30. The method of claim 20, characterized in that a layer of material is applied to the inner surface of the top layer and the surface of the bottom layer to decrease the opacity of the card.

31. The method of claim 20, characterized in that the top layer and the bottom layer are each formed of a flat sheet of polymeric material.

32. The method of claim 20, characterized in that the top layer is preformed with at least one card-forming cavity.

33. The method of claim 20, characterized in that the top layer is molded in a card-forming cavity of a mold from the top, and the bottom layer is molded against a substantially flat surface of a mold from the bottom.

34. The method of claim 20, characterized in that the thermoset material is a polyurethane.

35. The method of claim 20, characterized in that the thermoset material is an epoxy.

36. The method of claim 20, characterized in that the thermoset material is an unsaturated polyester.

37. The method of claim 20, characterized in that the empty space is filled by a mold emptier whose amplitude is at least about 25 percent of the width of an edge of a precursor card, which is to be served by said emptier. mold.

38. The method of claim 37, characterized in that the card is provided with a magnetic stripe.

39. The smart card precursor comprised of a top layer, in which an electrical sensing device is located, characterized in that a lower side of said electrical sensing device is provided with a base adhesive / paint layer having direct physical contact with the core layer from which said card is made, a core layer and a bottom layer.

40. The smart card of claim 39, characterized in that the electrical sensing device is a module of electronic detector components.

41. The smart card of claim 39, characterized in that the ITA-based circuit includes an antenna that is electrically connected to a chip.

42. The smart card of claim 39, characterized in that the top layer and the bottom layer are each formed of a flat sheet of PVC material.

43. The smart card of claim 39, characterized in that the thermoset material is a polyurethane.

44. The smart card of claim 39, characterized in that the thermoset material is an epoxy.

45. The smart card of claim 39, characterized in that the thermoset material is an unsaturated polyester.

46. The smart card of claim 39, characterized in that also the electronic components that are embedded or embedded in the core region of the smart card.

47. The smart card of claim 39, characterized in that it also comprises an antenna component that is embedded or embedded in the core region of the smart card.

48. The smart card of claim 39, characterized in that the electrical sensing device is provided with an anchoring device.

49. A process for preparing a smart card, contact type, which comprises a layer of the upper part, in which there is an electrical detector device, a core layer and a layer of the lower part, such a process is characterized in that it comprises: ( 1) providing the electrical sensing device with at least one anchoring device that will have direct physical contact with a thermoset polymeric material forming the core layers of the smart card; (2) placing the electrical sensing device in an opening in the top layer; (3) placing the top layer and the bottom layer in a mold arrangement that defines a gap between the top layer and the bottom layer; (4) injecting a thermoset polymeric material into the void space under conditions such that the anchoring device has direct physical contact with the thermoset polymeric material and forms a unified precursor smart card body; (5) removing the unified body of precursor smart card from the mold array; (6) Trim the precursor smart card to a desired dimension to produce a smart card.

50. The method of claim 49, characterized in that the electrical sensing device is provided with a layer of adhesive / paint ^^^ fe ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Wj ^ i ^ J ^^^^^ a ^^^^^ base e that also has direct physical contact with the thermostable material.

51. The method of claim 49, characterized in that the inner surface of the top layer and the inner surface of the bottom layer are treated to facilitate the formation of a strong bond between the top layer and the top layer. thermosetting material and the bottom layer and the thermosetting material.

52. The method of claim 49, characterized in that the inner surface of the top layer and the inner surface of the bottom layer are treated by coating each with a bonding agent.

53. The method of claim 49, characterized in that the inner surface of the top layer and the inner surface of the bottom layer are treated by a corona discharge process.

54. The method of claim 49, characterized in that the thermoset material is injected into the vacuum space at a pressure that is between ambient pressure and 500 psi.

55. The method of claim 49, characterized in that the thermoset material is injected into the void at a pressure that is between 80 and 120 psi.

56. The method of claim 49, characterized in that the thermoset material is injected into the vacuum space at a temperature that is between about 13.33 ° C and about 37.78 ° C.

57. The method of claim 49, characterized in that the thermoset material is injected into the empty space between the top layer and the bottom layer at a temperature that is between approximately 18.33 ° C and approximately 21.11 ° C. .

58. The method of claim 49, characterized in that a film carrying graphic / alphanumeric information is applied to the inner surface of the top layer.

59. The method of claim 49, characterized in that a layer of material is applied to the inner surface of the top layer and the inner surface of the bottom to decrease the opacity of the card.

60. The method of claim 49, characterized in that the top layer and the bottom layer are each formed of a flat sheet of polymeric material.

61. The method of claim 49, characterized in that the top layer is preformed with at least one card-forming cavity.

62. The method of claim 49, characterized in that the top layer is molded in a card-forming cavity of a top mold, and the top layer is molded against a substantially planar surface of a mold from the bottom.

63. The method of claim 49, characterized in that the thermoset material is a polyurethane.

64. The method of claim 49, characterized in that the thermoset material is an epoxy.

65. The method of claim 49, characterized in that the thermoset material is an unsaturated polyester.

66. The method of claim 49, characterized in that the void space is filled by a mold void, whose amplitude is at least about 25 percent of the ^ & AM * »? ¡¡* * width of an edge of a precursor card to be served by said mold emptier.

67. The method of claim 49, characterized in that the card is provided with a magnetic stripe.

68. A process for preparing a contact-type smart card comprising a top layer in which an electrical sensing device, a core layer and a bottom layer are located, said process being characterized in that it comprises: (1) providing the electrical sensing device with at least one anchoring device that will have direct physical contact with a thermoset polymeric material that forms the core layer from which the smart card is made; (2) placing the electrical sensing device in an opening in the top layer; (3) placing the top layer and the bottom layer in a mold arrangement that defines a gap between the top layer and the bottom layer; (4) injecting a thermoset polymeric material into the void space under conditions such that: (a) the anchoring device has direct physical contact with the thermoset polymeric material, (b) at least one layer of the smart card is molded to low pressure, partially cold, in a cavity in the top mold, (c) gases and excess polymeric material are removed from the void space, (d) the electronic component is encapsulated in the thermosetting polymer material before the partially hardened glue or glue is fully hardened and (e) the thermoset polymeric material is bonded or bonded to both the top layer and the bottom layer to produce a unified body of a precursor smart card; (5) removing the unified precursor smart card body from the molding device; Y t'-s k?, *. * & amp; ll & ** ß? < (6) Trim the precursor smart card to a desired dimension to produce a smart card.

69. The method of claim 68, characterized in that the electrical sensing device provided with a base adhesive / paint layer also has direct physical contact with the thermosetting material.

70. The method of claim 68, characterized in that the inner surface of the top layer and the inner surface of the bottom layer are treated to facilitate the formation of a strong bond between the top layer and the material thermostable and the bottom layer and the thermosetting material.

71. The method of claim 68, characterized in that the inner surface of the top layer and the inner surface of the bottom layer are treated by coating each with a bonding agent. tr ???? i- ^ i ^ e ^^ - ^ S - ^ - S ^ 'ii «^ aÍfa ^ ri-56 ^ ii ^ a.í5 > . _? ~ ^ ifc «i ^ as ^ a &^ i ^ Kjj > to

72. The method of claim 68, characterized in that the inner surface of the top layer and the inner surface of the bottom layer are treated by a corona discharge process.

73. The method of claim 68, characterized in that the thermoset material is injected into the void space at a pressure that is between the ambient pressure and 500 psi.

74. The method of claim 68, characterized in that the thermoset material is injected into the void space at a pressure that is between 80 and about 120 psi.

75. The method of claim 68, characterized in that the thermoset material is injected into the void space at a temperature that is between about 13.33 ° C and about 37.78 ° C.

76. The method of claim 68, characterized in that the thermoset material is injected into the void space between the top layer and the bottom layer at a temperature that is between about 18.33 ° C and 21.11 ° C.

77. The method of claim 68, characterized in that a film carrying graphic / alphanumeric information is applied to the inner surface of the top layer.

78. The method of claim 68, characterized in that a layer of material is applied to the inner surface of the top layer and the inner surface of the bottom layer, to decrease the opacity of the card.

79. The method of claim 68, characterized in that the top layer and the bottom layer are each formed of a flat sheet of polymeric material. -? £ * *

80. The method of claim 68, characterized in that the top layer is preformed with at least one card-forming cavity.

81. The method of claim 68, characterized in that the upper layer is molded in a card-forming cavity of a mold of the upper part, and the layer of the lower part against a surface of its flat surface of a mold from the bottom.

82. The method of claim 68, characterized in that the thermoset material is a polyurethane.

83. The method of claim 68, characterized in that the thermoset material is an epoxy.

84. The method of claim 68, characterized in that the thermoset material is an unsaturated polyester. ^? ^ m ^ mi ^^ ^ tífi ^ ^ *

85. The method of claim 68, characterized in that the void space is filled by a mold void whose amplitude is at least about 25 percent of the width of an edge of a precursor card, which is to be served by said void mold.

86. The method of claim 68, characterized in that the card is provided with a magnetic stripe.

87. A smart card comprised of a top layer, in which there is an electrical sensing device, characterized in that said electrical sensing device is provided with an anchoring device that also has direct physical contact with the hardened thermoset material forming a layer core, the core layer and a layer of the bottom.

88. The smart card of claim 87, characterized in that the a t ^ ¡¡¡¡¡¡~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * Electrical detector device is a module of electronic detector components

89. The smart card of claim 87, characterized in that the ITA-based circuit includes an antenna that is electrically connected to a chip.

90. The smart card of claim 87, characterized in that the top layer and the bottom layer each consist of a flat sheet of PVC material.

91. The smart card of claim 87, characterized in that the thermoset material is a polyurethane.

92. The smart card of claim 87, characterized in that the thermoset material is an epoxy.

93. The smart card of claim 87, characterized in that the thermoset material is an unsaturated polyester.

94. The smart card of claim 87, characterized in that also the electronic components that are embedded or embedded in the core region of the smart card.

95. The smart card of claim 87, characterized in that it also comprises an antenna component that is embedded or embedded in the core region of the smart card.

96. The smart card of claim 87, characterized in that it is provided with a base adhesive / paint layer which also has direct physical contact with the hardened material forming the core layer.