AU681476B2 - Process for producing printed smart cards - Google Patents

Description

METHOD FOR PRODUCING PRINTED-SMART CARDS The present invention relates to a method for producing printed smart cards. acoredisng te- 'mI A smart card is a credit card, which can be produced in a particularly advantageous manner and consequently also has a disposable character.

Hitherto various printing processes have been used for printing plastics, such as screen, flexographic, pad and gravure printing. These processes have been more particularly used due to their good drying characteristics. Particularly in the case of screen, flexographic and gravure printing highly volatile solvents are used, such as benzene derivatives and the like.

This leads to a disadvantage of such processes, because such solvents cannot be used in an unobjectionable manner and for maintaining the maximum permitted work place concentrations, in general costly exhaust air systems or ventilation plants must be used.

In addition, offset printing processes are known, which now constitute the most widely used processes throughout the world and are widely used due to the printing quality and efficiency for the printing of brochures, jobs and packs. The ultraviolet or UV offset process uses UV inks, which contain a photoinitiator and are crosslinked following application by using UV. Thus, there is no need for a solvent. This process is mainly suitable for printing surfaces made from non-absorbent materials, particularly plastics.

The problem of the invention is to propose a process for producing printed smart cards, which supplies by means of a UV procedure a rough printed product, which is prepared and placed in a mould, where it is further processed to a printed smart card.

u According to the invention this problem is solved by a process of making smart cards wherein printed labels are produced and at least one of said printed labels is fed into a mould, and the mould is subsequently filled with a plastic which combines with said at least one label to form a card defining two sides, which card is printed on at least one of two sides being the side of which said at least one label is located, and the printed card is finally taken out of said mould, characterised in that for producing said labels an extensive plastic substrate is printed with UV curable inks, said printed substrate is subsequently exposed to UV light to cure said printed inks, and said printed substrate is processed to form separate printed labels.

Preferred embodiments are described in the appended claims 2 to 11.

.The process according to the invention is explained in greater detail with reference to the flow chart of the single drawing, which shows the general steps used. For the description of the different process steps the reference 15 numerals of the flow chart are used, where they are given for the subdivision of the individual steps. Embodiments thereof are described in examples 1 to 3.

The single drawing shows the flow chart for a process for the production of printed smart cards, described in greater detail hereinafter relative to the steps 1 to 6.

g 1. Printing with UV Inks The starting point for the process is a plastic substrate, which generally comprises a film or sheet material, which is usually available in roll form. The useable plastics are acrylonitrile/ butadiene/styrene (ABS), polycarbonate polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene polystyrene (PS) and the like, used in thicknesses of 20 to "150 imn and typically 50 to 100 uin. The roll material is cut into sheets and in this way is supplied in stack form to an offset printing press. The inks used are so-called ultraviolet inks for wet and dry offset.

2. Drying Following the printing process the printed sheet or printed fihn material is dried in known manner, which e.g. takes place by means of UV sources. Following drying a printed, rough printed product is available.

_I 3. Processing The rough printed product, which is e.g. in the form of a sheet with multiple uses, is now punched or cut, so that the desired end product format is obtained. For example, the punching tool can be chosen in such a way that it already has the final format of a credit card, including the tolerances required thereon in accordance with ISO standards 7810 and 7816.

Following this processing step a prepared printed product, also called a label, in final format form exists.

4. Introduction into the Mould With the prepared printed product a mould is now formed, which can e.g. be an injection mould and this can take place in single or double manner, independently of whether the requirement is to produce a smart card printed on one or two sides.

Iniecting Mould, BlowinQ, Deep-Drawinr In an injection moulding, blowing or deep-drawing process a second plastic is applied in such a way that the latter is moulded, blown or deep-drawn on the inserted printed product or products. Thus, the rough printed product and the applied, second plastic form a composite. The choice of this second plastic is based on the plastic substrate used in step 1.

Advantageously it belongs to the same group of plastics and ideally is identical to the plastic substrate. The prerequisite for being suitable is the processability, i.e. the labels must have an adequately good adhesion to the smart card. It has surprisingly been found that in this way a high strength composite material is obtained, which fulfils all the requirements made on a smart card, such as the breaking strength, elasticity and dimensional stability. From the quality standpoint this smart card is equivalent to the hitherto known credit cards, but is superior thereto with respect to the speed of its production and the cost structure.

Following the removal of the product from the mould a printed smart card exists, in which generally a window is provided for the chip.

6. Inserting the Chip In the aforementioned window is now inserted the chip, which takes place in known manner by sealing, bonding or melting in, which need not be described in detail here. Obviously, in place of a chip, it is possible to insert a magnetic tape or strip, or some type of programmable information carrier. Now a finished, printed smart card is available, which only needs programming.

The process described with steps 1 to 6 makes it possible to save important operations, because there is no longer any need for a card blank, which in a second step must be printed or provided with labels. The aforementioned process to a certain extent constitutes a reverse process, in that the printing process takes place first and the voluminous cards are produced on demand in an injection moulding, blowing or deep-drawing process. A further advantage results from the fact that for a smart card printed on both sides, moulding thereof can take place in one step on the labels. In the hitherto known processes, starting from a card blank, it was necessary to have a first printing process for the front and then a second printing process for the back, which requires complicated handling and is obviated in the process according to the invention.

The process has the particular advantage that the smart cards produced in this way are recyclable when the same or similar plastics are used for the plastic substrate and the second plastic, because they comprise a monomer composite.

Example 1 describes the production of a smart card starting from a 80 pm thick ABS film. Roll material of an 80 pm thick ABS film. Roll material of an 80 pm thick acrylonitrile/ butadiene/styrene film (Kunststoffwerk Staufen (KWS), Germany) with a width of 1 m is cut to 50 x 35 cm sheets. These sheets are printed with UV inks (SICPA, Lausanne, Switzerland) using an offset printing press (Miller TP 74) with UV offset printing plates and 4,500 prints/hour. The printed sheets are then dried with UV lamps at 3 x 120 W/cm 2 Using an eroded punching tool on a Busch punch press the labels were punched out to give them their final format. The prepared printed products are now applied pairwise to the inside of an injection mould. Injection moulding takes place at 280 0 C with ABS (KWS, Germany). After removing the product from the mould a chip (Siemens) is inserted therein giving a smart card printed on both sides.

Example 2 describes the production of a smart card starting from a 100 pm thick polycarbonate film. Roll material of a 100 mr thick polycarbonate film (General Electric, USA) with a width of 1.5 m is cut to 50 x 35 cm sheets. These sheets are printed in two steps with UV inks (Amra, Lachen, Switzerland) using an offset printing press (Miller TP74) with UV offset printing plates and 3,000 prints/hour. Following the first two inks, there was an intermediate drying with UV lamps of 2 x W/cm 2 the final drying takes place after printing with the remaining inks at 3 x 120 W/cm 2 Using an eroded punching tool on a Busch punch press the labels were punched out with their final format. The thus prepared printed product or label is now individually applied to the inside of an injection mould.

Injection moulding takes place at 160 0 C with rigid PVC. After removing the product from the mould a chip (Philips) is inserted therein, giving a smart card printed on one side.

Example 3 describes the production of a smart card starting from a 80 pm thick polystyrene film. Sheet material with the dimensions 70 x 100 cm of a 80 pm thick polystyrene film (Dow

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Chemical, USA) are printed with UV inks (Zeller Gmelin, Germany) using an offset printing press (Miller TP74) with UV offset printing plates and 5,000 prints/hour. The printed sheets are then dried with UV lamps at 3 x 120 W/cm Using an eroded punching tool on a Busch punch press the labels are punched out of their final format. The prepared printed products are now brought pairwise onto the inside of an injection mould. Injection moulding takes place at 310 0 C using ABS (KWS, Germany). After removing the product from the mould a chip (Philips) is inserted therein, giving a smart card printed on both sides.

It is essential to the invention that a plastic substrate is printed with UV inks in a UV offset printing process to labels and then dried. The labels are prepared and placed in a mould, where they are processed with a second plastic to a composite.

This is followed by the insertion of a chip, so as to produce a smart card printed on at least one side, without requiring a blank in the normal sense. This interesting process is used for smart cards in in mould labelling (IML).

Claims (11)

1. A process of making smnart cards wherein printed labels are produced and at least one of said printed labels is fed into a mould, and the mould is subsequently filled with a plastic which com-bines with said at least one label to form a card defining two sides, which card is printed onl at least one of two sides being the side of which said at least one label is located, and -the printed card is finally taken out of said mould, characterised in that for producing said labels an extensive plastic substrate is printed with UV curable inks, said printed substrate is subsequently exposed to UV light to cure said printed inks, and said printed substrate is processed to forml separate printed labels.

2. Process according to claim 1, wherein two printed labels are fed into said mould, and said plastic is filled in between said two printed labels.

3. Process according to claim 1, wherein said plastic substrate is printed by means of offset printing.

4. Process according to claim 1, wherein said printed substrate is processed by means of punching. Process according to claim 4, wherein for said punching a punching tool is used which defines a final form-at for the card to be produced. 20 6. Process according to claim 1, wherein said plastic substrate is a film :wi th a thickness be tween 20 and '15 0 i.

7. Process according to claim 1 wherein said plastic substrate is a film with a thickness of between 50 and 100 jim.l

8. Process according to claim 7, wherein a filn- in roll form is used, said roll material is cut into sheets and in this way is supplied in stack form to a printing press.

9. Process according to claim 1, wherein for said plastic substrate and for said fulling of said n-ould plastics are used which belong to the same 0% 0'group of plastics or are identical. 30 10. Process according to claimn 9, wherein said plastic substrate is made f roni acrylonitrile! butadiene/ styrene (ABS), and said mould is also filled with ABS,.

11. Process according to claim 1, wherein said plastic for filling said mould is injected into said miould. 7 Q I 1r

12. Process according to claim 1, wherein said smart card is provided with a window during said process, and wherein an electronic circuit in the form of a chip is inserted into said window of said finished card.

13. A process for producing smart cards substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings. Dated this twentieth day of June 1997 HANS AUER Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: F.B. RICE CO. a ee 9 9 9 e9 9 9 I 1-2-1-L+I plastic substrate 1. printing with uv inks 2. drying raw printed product 3. processing I completed printed product 4. insertion in the mould injection, blowing, deep-drawing 6. inserting the chip printed smart card INTERNATIONALER RECHERCHENBERICHT Inten .ues Akwaizchen PCT/CH 94/00243 A. KLASS[FIZIERUNG DES ANMELDUNGSGEGENSTANDES IPK 6 G06K19/077 Nach der Internationalcn Patentkiassifikation (IPK) oder nach der natianalcn Ylassifikation und der 1PK B, RECHERCHIERTE GEBIETE Recehlerter MlndestpriUstoff (Kiassifikationssyrsem und Klassifikaonsybole) IPK 6 G06K Recherchierte aber richt zum Mindestprfifswoff gthorende VerdlTentuichungen, sowelt diese unter die recherchierten Getiete fallen Wfthred dier internationalen Recherche konsultierte elektromtsche Datenbank (Name der Datenbank und evil. verwcndete Sucbgriffe) C. ALS WESENTLICH ANGESEJ-ENE UNTERLAGEN Kategorie' Bereichnung der Vertifentlichung, sawext erforderlich unter Angabe dier in Beltracht kommenden Teic Betr. Anspruch N. A EP,A,0 298 687 (NATIONAL BUSINESS SYSTEMS 1,2 INC.) 11. Januar 1989 siehe AnsprUche 7,13,15,18 siehe Spalte 6, Zeile 25 -Zeile 43 siehe Spalte 7, Zeile 1I Zeile 4 A EP,A,O 488 485 (MANNESMANN AG) 3. Juni 1,3,4 1992 siehe das ganze Dokument A PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN 4 vol. 17, no. 416 (P-1584) 3. August 1993 JP,A,05 080 702 (OJI YUKA SYNTHETIC PAPER CO. LTD) 2. April 1993 siehe Zusammenfassung r IWeitere Verbffentliehungen sid dier Fontsciung von Feld C zu Siehe Anhang Patentfamilie L' nnhoen K *Besondere Kategonen von angegebenen Veriffentlicbungen Spir r Ve~ ihun, die nach dem internationalen Anrueldedatum A' Ve~fnihndednaieennSaddrTcnkdfnet 9 dem Pr-i iatur verfentlicht wotden ist und mit dier Ab er it l ehunder de ame and derc Thi k Anmeldumg micht kollidiert, sondern nur zumnVerstindnis des dier abe nilitaltbetndes bdeusamanzsehn ~ErfLndung zugrndeliegenden Prunps oder dier ihr zugrundeltegenden iteres Dokument, das jedoch erst am oder nach dem iaflemationalen Theoi angegeben it Anmeldedatum verdffentlidit womeIAist W Verfientlichung von besondere Bedeutimg; die beanspruchte Erfindun W Verdifentlichung, die gecignet ist, einen Priorititsanspruch zweifelhaft Cr- kann allein aufgund dieme Verbffenhlichung nicht als neu oder auf scheinen zu lassen, oder durch die das Verdffentliehungsdatum, einer erfinderischer tigiteit beruhend betrachtet werden anderen im Recherebenbericht genannten Verbientliehung belegi werden Verdffentlichung von besonderer Bedcuung die beanspruchte Erfindunj soll oder die &us einem anderen besonderen Grund angegeben ist (Mie kann nicht, als auf errinderischer Titigkeit beruhend betrachtet agefilhrt) werden, wern die Ver~ffentlchung nuit ciner oder eercren anderen 0' Verdffcntlichung, die sich auf eine milndiehe Offenbaning, Verdffentlichungen dieser Kategone in Verbindung gebracht wird und cioe Benuwzug, eine Ausstellung cider andere Melinahmen beaieht diese Vertsrndung fr cinco Fachmann naheliegend it Verdffcntlichung, die vot dem intemnainalen Aomeldedatuo abet nach Vrtffentlichung, die Mntglied derselben Pateotfamilie it dem beanspruchteo Priorititscdatum verbffentlicht worden it Datum des Absehiusses tier intcroationalen Recherche Absendedatum des intemationalen, Recherchenberichts 4. April 1995

21.Oj Name und Postanscbrift dier Internationale Reeherehenbehdrde Blevollmnichtigter Bediensteter Europisches Patentarmt, P.B. 5SI 8 Patentlaan 2 NL 2280 HV Rijswsjk Tel. 31-70) 340-2040, 71f. 31651 epo Wi, Herskovi c, M Fa= 31-70) 340-3016 Formblatt PCT/ISA.'21 0 (Blatt 2) (lull 1992) Seite 1 von 2 INTERNATIONALER RECHERCHENBERICHT Inten, Wes Akrtezchcn IPCT/CH 94/00243 C.(Fortsetzung) ALS WESENTLICH ANGESEHENE UNTERLAGEN Kategoric' Bezeichnung der Vcr~ffcntlchung, sowett erforderlich unter Angpbe der in Betracht, kammcendcn Tole Extr. Anspruch Nr. A PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN1 vol. 18, no. 206 (M-1591) 12. April 1994 JP,A,06 008 673 (KYOTO PRINTING CO LTD) 18. Januar 1994 siehe Zusarrmenfassung Fcnoblaitt T/SA2l0 (Fonuuns von Blatt 2) (Jull 1"92) Seite 2 von 2 INTERNATIONALE R RECHERCIIENBERICHT Inen dies Aktenzeicher, Angiben zu Ver6ffceldichungen, die zur sdcn Panufama~ie Sch6ren PCT/CH 94/00243 Im Rerhcichenbericht I Datum der I MitgIied(er) der I Dait~m der angcftlhrtes Patentdokument Verofentlichung Paitcntfamilie Veribffentlichung EP-A-0298687 11-01-89 US-A- 4897533 30-01-90 CA-A- 1318813 08-06-93 DE-A- 3865554 21-11-91 EP-A-0488485 03-06-92 DE-A- 4038126 11-06-92 US-A- 5350553 27-09-94 Forrmbltt PCTIISA/210 (A1nhui Palanlfm~e)(ul 1992) *~v~m