Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1 31 88 1 3
Background_and Summary of ~he Invention
The present invention is directed to an improved credit
card and method of making the ~ame. The credit card has a clear,
scratch resistant metallic surface.
The use of credit cards has become increasingly wide
spread. Efforts have been made to provide thes~ cards with
attractive, distinctive appearances to identify and promote the
company or other entity issuing the cards. Recently, the
application of holographics to credit card~ has been popular
for these reasons. The attractiveness of a metallic surface is
generally recognized but such surfaces with printed graphics
would be readily scratched and lose their attractiveness on a
credit card with normal use of the card.
It is known to apply a clear vinyl film such as PVC
over the printing on the white vinyl core, also of PVC, of a
credit caxd under heat and pressure in a hydraulic laminating
press to protect the surface of the card including the printing
thereon. However, heretofore it has not been possible to
apply such a proteckive film over a metallic ~urface applied on
the plastic ~ore of a credit card without encountering problems
in breakage of the thin metallized surface and/or lack of clarity
in the overlaminate. Conventional offset lithography printing
2 ~
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of a thin metallized sur~ace on a thin plastic substrate such as
a credit card i~ also not practical, especially in an automated
process, ~ince the d~tails of the graphicsr e.g., ~ine lines
etc., tend to blur. Processing a laminate of a plastic substrate
with a metallized sur~ace is also problemat:ical because the
laminate in e~fect becomes a capacitor ~or storing static
electricity generated during processing such as prin~ing.
An object o~ the present invention is to provide an
improved credit card and a method o~ making the same which avoid
the aforementioned problems. More particularly, an object of the
invention is to provide a credit card and a method of making the
same whereby the card has an attractive scratch resistant
metallic surface which remains unbroken during manufacturing.
Another object is to provide a protected metallized surface on a
credit card which is clearly visible. A further object of the
invention is to provide a method o~ forming a cre~it card having
a protected metallized ~urface wherein clearly legible printed
information can be readily provided on the metallized surface of
the card.
These and other objects ar~ attained by the method of
~aking a ¢redit card with a scratch resistant metallic surface
according to the invention, the method comprising the steps of
providing a plastic substrate, providing a metal containing layer
on at least a ~irst sur~ace of the plastic substrat~ and
providing the metal containing layer with a transparent film to
protect the metal containing layer wi~hout breaking ~he layer.
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The metal containing layer is preferably in the form of a
metallic foil which is bonded to the first surface of the plastic
substrate during the applyin~ step. One side of the ~oil is
initially adhered to a thin film carrier vi~a a release agent.
An outer, opposite side or surface of the foil to be bonded to
the first surface of the plastic substrate is coated with a
heat-activated adhesive. The ~oil is bonded to the ~irst suxface
o~ the plastic substrate under the application of heat and
pressure in a hydraulic laminating press, ~or example, to
adhesively bond the foil to the first surface of the plastic
substrate and release the foil from the carrier film. The first
surface of the substrate is press polished prior to transferring
the metal containing layer thereon.
The metal containing l~yer provided on the first
surface of the plastic substrate is printed to form graphics,
e.g., letters, pictures, etc., before the transparent film is
provided thereon. According to the method of the invention the
graphics are printed by silk-screen printing on the ~etal
containing layer using with an ultraviolet curable ink which is
cured immediately after being applied to the layer by direc~ing
ultraviolet light on the ink. The method further includes the
step of eliminating static electxicity ~rom the layer and plastic
substrate during the printing to facilitate the printing
operation. This is accomplished by the application of ionized
air to the plastic substrate and metallized layer and the
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provision of grounded, conduc~ive ~insel near the substrate in
the printing apparatus.
According to the dl.sclosed embodi:ment, ths transparent
film is provided on the metal containing layer by coating the
printed metal containing layer with an ultraviolet curable
varnish and curing the varni6h by directing ultraviolPt light on
it. Alternatively, the transparent film can be a clear polyester
film which is adhesively bonded to the metal containing layer
using a clear heat-activated adhesive, particularly a
polyethylene adhesiveO More particularly, the heat-activated
adhesive on a surface of the clear polyester film is heated and
then bonded to the ~irst surface of the plastic substrate by
conveying the substrate and film between opposed nip rollers to
press the film against the metal containing layer on the
substrate.
The plastic substrate is preferably in the for~ of a
large sheet containing a plurality of credit cards. The
individual credit cards are die cut to card size from the sheet
after the step of providing the m~tal containing layer with the
transparent ~ilm. IdPntifying information means is then located
on each card. In the disclosed ~orm of the invention, the
identifying information means is a magnetic tape which is
attached to the card on a second sur~ace o~ the plastic substrate
opposite the first surface of the substrate by a known hot
stamping process, a roll or heat transfer process or a laminating
process .
1 31 88 1 3
The improved credit card made by the method of the
present invention comprises a plastic substrate in the form of a
card, a metal containing layer having printed graphics thereon
overlayed on at least one surface of the plastic substrate and a
transparent film over the metal containing layer~ The metal
containing layer is bonded to the first surface of the ~ubstrate
and pre~erably covers at least substantially the entire first
surface of the substrate. The metal containlng layer is a
metallic foil formed form aluminum or an aluminum alloy, for
example, which may be colored to have a gold, silver, recl, green,
blue or other colored appearance. The transparent film which is
bonded to the metal containing layer is preferably a clear,
ultraviolet cured varnish. In the disclosed form of the
invention, the metal containing layer has printed graphics in
ultraviolet curable ink silk screened thereon beneath the
transparent film on the metal containing layerO A second surface
of the substrate opposite the first ~urface also bears printed
graphics and is overlayed with a transparent vinyl film with a
magnetic tape being attached thereto for carrying identifying
information.
Brief Description of the Drawinqs
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a front side of a credit card
according to a preferred e~bodiment of the invention, the front
surface of the card having a scratch resistant metallic surface
having printed information thereon;
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Fig. 2 is a plan view o~ the back side o the credit
card of Fig. 1 wherein a magnetic tape and printed information
are provided;
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the credit card of
Fig. 1 taken along the line III-III and wherein the thickness o~
the card has been enlarged for illustration purposes;
Fig. 4 is a top view of a large sheet containing a
plurality of credit cards to be d$e cut ~rom the sheet;
Fig. 5 is a schematic view of an arrangement for
overlaying a transparent plastic film on the metal containing
layer of the sheet of Fig. 4; and
Fig. 6 is a block diagram flow chart illustrating the
sequence of steps in the method of the invention for making the
credit card of Fig. 1.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Referring now to the drawings, Figs. 1-3 illustrate a credit
card 1 according to the present invention. As shown in the
cross-sectional view of Fig. 3 wherein the thickness o~ the card
1 has been enlarged for illu~tration purposes, the credit card 1
comprises a plastic substrate 2, a metal containing layer 3
overlayed on the front surface of the substrate 2, and a
transp~rent film 4 over on the metal containing layer 3. The
metal containing layer 3 extends over the entire front side
surface of the plastic substrate 2 as depicted ln Fig. 1. ~he
metal containing layer 3 is preferably a reflective, smooth,
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continuous layer which has printed information provided thereon.
The transparent film 4 is pre~erably an ultraviolet curable
varnish which i~ coated on the layer 3 having printed graphics
thereon and cured (hardened) by exposing the varnish to
ultraviolet light, so as to form a clear, protective film over
the metal containing layer to prevent it and the printed graphics
from being scratched or otherwise damaged. Upon curing the
varnish film 4 is bonded to the layer 3. Thus, the front
surface of the card is a scratch resistant metallic surface of
gold, silver, red, green, blue or other color. Alternatively,
the transparent film 4 could be a clear polyester film which is
adhesively bonded to the metal containing layer 3 with a clear
polyethylene adhesive as explained more fully hereinafter.
The back of the oard 1 seen in Fi~. 2 comprises
identi~ying information means 5 in the form of a magnetic tape
which is attached to the surface of the back side of the plastic
substrate 2. The back side of the substrate as shown in Fig. 2
also has printed information thereon formed by a conventional
offset lithography process, ~or example. An overla~inate or
layer 6 of clear vinyl ~uch as clear PVC is bonded to the baek
side of the plastic substrate 2 vver the printed infor~ation
to protect the back side of the card. The magnetic tape 5 is
applied with a known process onto the outer surface of the
layer 6.
The method of making the credit card 1 with a scratch
resistant metallic ~urface on the front side thereof a~ shown in
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Figs. 1-3 according to the present invention comprises the steps
o~ providing the plastic eubstrate 2, providing the metal
containing layer 3 on the ~ront surface o~ the plastic substrate,
printing graphics on the metal containing l,~yer and providing the
metal containing layer with the transparent ~ilm 4 to protect the
metal conkaining layer and printed graphics thereon without
breaking the layer or graphics. The credit card 1 in the
disclosed embodiment is shown in actual size in Figs. 1 and 2.
The card 1 has a thickness o~ about .030 inch. The plastic
substrate 2 of the card is a white vinyl material, preferably
PVC, with a thickness o~ .0265 inch. The plastic substrate 2 of
the card is initially part of a larger plastic substrate 7 in the
form of a large sheet of the same material and thickness as the
substrate 2 and depicted in Fig. 4. A plurality o~ individual
credit cards are die cut to card size from the sheet 7 after the
layer 3, the transparent ~ilm 4 and the overlaminate 6 are
applied to the heet 7.
The back of the substrate of the large sheet 7 and
correspondingly the back of the plurality of cards contained
therein are printed using a conventional offset lithography
process. The back sf the large sheet 7 and the plurality of
cards 1 contained therein are then overlaminated with a clear
vinyl, preferably clear PVC. A hsat-activated adhesive would be
applied to the overlaminate 6 at least where the graphics are
subject to bleeding off the card. Bonding is accompli~hed
in a laminating press under the application o~ heat and pressure,
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at 265 platen temperature and with a pressure of 1,000 psi, for
example. The press plates which contact the front side of the
plastic substrate 2 in the form of the sheet 7, and the
overlaminate 6 are smooth ~o that they not only bond the
overlaminate ~ to the back side of the plastic ubstrate 2 but
also press polish the front surface of the plastic substrate 2
for receiving the metal containing layer. The thickness of the
overlaminate is on the order of .001 inch.
The next step in the method of the invention involves
heat transferring a metallized foil to the front surface of the
plastic substrate 2 to form the metal containing layer 3
thereon. The metallized foil 3 can for example, be an aluminum
or aluminum alloy which has been vapor deposited in a vacuum
onto a thin, .00075 inch thick, polyester film as a carrier, the
polyester film having been first coated with a release agent.
The aluminum or aluminum alloy vapor is deposited on the coated
carrier at high temperature in the form of a very thin film or
foil with a thickness of les~ than .001 inch, ~or example. A dry
heat-activated adhesive material is then applied over the
metallized foil on the carrier. ~he total thickness of the
carrier with release agent, metallized foil and adhesive is only
on the order of .001 inch. The aluminum metal can be treated to
have a gold, silver, red, green, blue or other colored,
metallized sur~ace. This heat transfer metallized ~oil is a
known, commercially available product. The metallized foil 3 is,
according to the method of the invention, heat transferred to
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the press polished front surface of the plaskic substrate 2 under
the application of heat and pressure using a hydraulic laminating
press of the type used in overlaminating the back of the plastic
substrate with clear vinyl. A platen tempexatur2 of 265F and a
hydraulic pressure o~ 1,000 psi can be used, for example, during
the transfer. Alternatively, a hot silicone roller applicator
could be employed for heat transferring the metallized foil 3 to
the press polisbed front sur~ace of the plastic substrate 2. The
heat and pressure activate the adhesive on the outer surface of
the foil 3 and react with the release agent between the thin
polyester carrier ~ilm and the metal foil to permit removal of
the carrier film from the foil after the metal foil has been
adhesively bonded to the front surface of the substrate 2 by
~eans of the heat-activated adhesive applied thereto.
The outer surface of the mPtallic foil ~ which is
bonded to the substrate 2 is then printed as desired using a
silk-screen printing technique with ultraviolet curable ink.
The printed graphics can be written information, pictorial
illustrations or other indicia. UltraYiolet light is directed to
the ink i~mediately after printing to polymerize, i.e., cure the
ink in order to hold the detail of fine lines and other graphics
which have been printed. During the printing operation it is
necessary to eliminate the ~tatic electricity which tends to
occur with the processing of metal-plastic laminates. This is
accomplished by directing ion~zed air again~t the laminated
6heets as they are ~ed through the silk-screen printing
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apparatus. Also, grounded, conductive tinsel is draped in the
vicinity of the moving laminated sheets in order to eliminate the
tatic electricity associated therew~th. A sheet feed type
process is employed wherein the individual sheets are floated on
air rather than being slid over one another as in a stream fed
type process thereby reducing the ~eneration vf static
electricity.
The printed, metalli~ed foil 3 is next provided with an
overlaminate of a transparent film 4. Preferably, the
transparent film is formed by coating the foil 3 wi~h an
ultraviolet curable varnish. One method of applying this coating
is to silk-screen the varnish on thP metallized foil 3 of the
large sheet containing a plurality of the substrates 2 and then
pass the sheet under one or more ultraviolet lamps which cure
(harden) the varnish so that it is ~onded to the foil 3. Other
commercial coating or printing pro~esses ~quippad with
ultraviolet lamps could also be used to apply the varnish and
cure it. Alternatively, the film 4 can be a clear polyester film
which is coated on one surface with a clear, heat-activated,
water based adhesive such as polyethylene adhesive. The
thickness of the varnish, or polyester film with adhesive, need
only be .0013 inch, for example. A roll o~ the adhesive coated
polyester film 8 is shown in Fig~ 5. The film is drawn from the
roll 8 and passed over a ~hoe 9 which is heated to a temperature
of 250-~65~F, for example, in order to activa~e the adhesive on
the one side of the polyester film. The heated polyester film
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and the plastic substrate 2 in the form of large sheet 7 are khen
conveyed between opposed nip rollers 10 and 11 to press the
polyester film against the metal foil 3 on the substrate 2 to
bond the clear polyester ~ilm to the metallic foil of the plastic
substrate. The metallic foil 3 underlying the clear polyester
~ilm is not broken or otherwise disfiguxed during either this
overlaminating or during the application and curing of the
varnish. The individual cards 1 are then die cut from the
sheet 7. Following this, the magnetic tapes 5 are applied to
the back surface of the cards in a conventional manner.
While I have shown and described only one embodiment in
accordance with the present invention, it is understood that the
same is not limited thereto but is susceptible to numerous
changes and modificatione as known to those skilled in the art.
For example, the specific thicknesses and materials of the
disclosed preferred embodiment of the credit card are exemplary
and not limiting. The idPntifying information means on the card
could also have a form other than the magnetic tape disclosed
herein such as embossed indicia provided in the card. Therefore,
I do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described
herein, ~ut intend to cover all such changes and modifications as
are encompassed by the scope o~ the appended claims.
