CA1306058C

CA1306058C - Method of making memory cards, and cards obtained by implementing said method

Info

Publication number: CA1306058C
Application number: CA000556637A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Marc Brignet; Emile Droche
Original assignee: Schlumberger SA
Current assignee: Schlumberger SA
Priority date: 1987-01-16
Filing date: 1988-01-15
Publication date: 1992-08-04
Anticipated expiration: 2009-08-04
Also published as: NO178089B; NO880166L; FI880152A0; FI880152A; DE3869635D1; GR3004900T3; FR2609821B1; NZ223192A; KR880009317A; EP0277854A1; JPS63239097A; ES2031248T3; NO178089C; IN170183B; AU1016088A; NO880166D0; PT86557A; DK16988D0; EP0277854B1; ATE74456T1

Abstract

A B S T R A C T

A plastic card body is made by placing the electronic module (14) in a mold (60, 62) with the electronic module having a coating (50) including an undercut portion (54). The module is held in place by suction (72). The plastic material is injected into the mold, thus being molded over the electronic module.

Description

~.3~ Si8 A METHOD OF MAKING MEMORY C~RDS, ~ND CARD6 OBTAINED BY
IMPLEMENTING SAID METHOD
m a present invention relates to a method of making cards having a memory, in particular ~n electronic memory, and to cards obtai~ed by implementing said methcd.
Memory cards are essentially consti-tuted by a card body which is generally made of a plastla material, together with a mamory module. For cards ha~iny an electron~c memory, the memory dule is an electronic module essenti~lly constituted by a semiconductor ~hip having an integrated clrcu~t formed thereon, together with a piece o.f printed circult on which the chip is fixed and which serves to define external electrical contact tabs. The electronic mcdule is ixed ln the card body in such a manner that the electrical contact tab~ are flush with one of the main faces of the card ~ody.
The card body ~s in tha general form o~ a rectangular parallelepiped whose thickness is small compared with the other dimensions of the card body. m e edges of the card body constitute references for positioning the card in a card reader so as to ensure that the contact tabs of the card come into electrical oontact with a connector in the card reader.
At present, th~re are two main teçhniques for making the card body and for fixing tha electronic module therein. With the first technique, ~he ~ard body is made by hot rolling a plurality of sheets of plastic material such a~ P~C in order to constitute a laminated structure. The electr~nic m~dule is put into place bsfore the sheet~ of plastic ma~erial are stacXed and before they OEe rolled. After beiny rolled, the electronic module is firmly secured wi~hin the card body. Thi~ method has th~ advantage of simultaneously maklng the card body and implanting the electronic module therein. Howaver, the methvd is difficult and requlres tha periphery of the card body to ~e machined ba~k to tolerance.
me second technique consists in making the card hody in a irst step, in machining a cavity in the card body to receive ~he electronic module, and then in gluing the electrDnic module in the cavity. Machining such a card body is always a diffi-;8 cult, and therefore expensive, operation 8inc2 ver~ accuratedimensions must be obtained, in particular bo ~nsure ~hat the electronic m~dule i~ aocurately located relative to the edges o the Gard and relative ~o the main fac~ o~ ~he card body in 5 which thP electrical contact tabs are flush. In addltion, th~
fixing, e.g. gluing, of.the electrDnic module in the card body adds additional steps.
It should be added that the card body must also satl~fy ot~er highly detailed ~p~cificat.ions cc~Yxnn~ilg the ~uality of its surfaoe state and lts prDperties or withs*andiDg bending, both in the longitudinal dlr~c~ n of the card body and in the transverse direction thereof. ~Irther, the card body must not encoura~e electr~static char~e storage. An aim o~ t~e present invention is to pr~vide a method of makin~ a memQry card, ~n p~rticular a card having an electronlc m~Dry, enabling the cost of card bDdy manufactu~e to be reduced while simulta-neously enabling the electronic module to be fixed ln ~he card body and also satisfying the above-indicat~d specificatlons.
This aim is achieved, aocordiny to the presen~t lnvention, by a method of manufacturing a memory card oomprisiny a card body and a memory ~odule having an access faoe, the method comprising ~he foll~wing steps:
a memo~y module is pr~vided having at least ~ne fastening por i~n;
said module is placed in a mold, and it i~ hald in place in such a m3nner that the access face of t~e memory module is pressed against one of ~he walls of ~he m~ld;
a pla~tic material is inserted intD the mold in s~ch a manner as to ~ause the plastic material to occupy the entire volume delimited by the walls of the mold and ~ot occupled by said memory module; and th~ part made in ~hls manner is unmolded.
In a preferred implementation, said m~mory module is an electronic module cnmprislny an insulating suppor~ carrying external electrical oontact tabs on a first face ~hereof and carrylng on its opposite, second faoe a chip together wlth electrical ~ mection means between the ~erminals of said chip ~3~

and said contact tabs and a c:~atlng maberlal for p~ot~ing said chip and said el0ctrioal cornection means, and ~id fastening portlorl is ~stituted by the particula;r ~ of sald ooating material.
Also preferably, the car~ 3y has tw~ maln f~ , wi~h said electrical oontact tabs being flush with one of said main Paoes, and said electrorlic ~lule i~ placed in tha mold 80 that said first faoe of t~e insulating support is dis~sed against tl at wall of the mold whi~h deines one of ~e maln faces of 1:he card }~ody, and ~n~ion is e,s-tabli~h~d bet:w~en ~aid wall of the mold and said fir~t fa~ of t~ insulating sup~r~ in order to hol<l sald module against ~aid wall.
It will be undexstood that in accordarloe with the invention, th~ card b ~ is mc~lded dlrectly over the memory mo~ule. The card body is manu~actured and the mcdule is implanbsd in the body ln a ~ingle operation. In addition, since the module can be positioned highly accurately wi~hin the mold, the module is also positioned with great accuracy in the ca~d b~.
The invention also provides a memory card comprising a body made of plas*ic material haYing ~W~ n~in faoes, and a memary module includin~ at least one anchor ele~ent and one acoess face, the card being characterized in that ~he body is made as a single piece, and in that the aocess faoe is flush with one of the nain faces of the cand body and the ~nchor . portion is oomplebely embedd2d with~n the plastic material oonstitubiny ths ~ ~ody.
The inYention w$11 ~e better understcod from reading the followlng description of several implementation~ of the invention given by ~ay of non-llmlting ~xample. me descrlption refers to the a ~ nying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a plan view of an electronla n~mory car~ in accordance with the lnvention, Flgure 2 is a vertical secti3n through an elec~ronic module useable in the inve~tlon;
Figure 3 is a simplified section through a fir3t type of mold for implementing ~he lnvention;

~3~605~3 Figure 3a ls a sec*ion view on linQ A ~ of the ~i~uxe 3 showin~ a first viariiant of the Figure 3 ld;
Flgure 3b is a sectlon view on line A-A of Figure 3 showing a second variiant of the Figure 3 mold;
5Figurs 4 is a ~implifled section vlew through a ~eco~d type of ld for impl~mentiny t~e invention;
FlgNre 5 is a fragment~ry vextlcal ~ection through ian electronic mem~ry card lniaocord~nce with the inventlon, Figure 6 i~3ia pli~n vlew of ia third ~ of mold for maklng a plurali~y of card8 simultiEneously; a~d Figure 7 is a vertical seot.ion Qn l~ne VII-VII of Figure 6.
Figura 1 is a plan view of a portion of an electnonic memo~y c~rd 10. Tha aard 10 oomprises a bcdy 12 made made of a plastic material toge~her with an electxonic module 14 which is repre~ented in Figure 1 solely by its external electrical contact tabs 16 to 30 which ar~ disposed on an insulating support 32. A5 ls well known in the art, the oontack tabs 16 to 30 are intended to come inbo electrical contact with a connecbor in a card reader which is used in oon~unstion with such cards.
Figure 2 shows an electronic module 14 which is entirely suitable for ~mplementing ~he invention. me m~dule 14 comprises an insulating support 32 with the e~ternal electrical contact tabs beiny ~orm2d on a face 32a the~sof. Flgune 2 shQws tabs 18, 28, and 16. The contac* tabs are separated from each other by etched zones such as 34. me oo~tact tabs and the insulatlng support 32 additionally haYe a ser$es of holes such as 36 whose function ls explained ~elow~ The other face 32b of the insulating support 32 also includes metallization 38 and 40.
A semdconductor chip 42 ~s fl~ed on the oant~al metalli-zation 3~ by means of a conductive adhesive material. The metallization 38 and tha metallizations 40 are elec~ri~ally connected to the contact tabs 16 to 30 via holes 44 which are provlded through the insulating support 32. In addition~ each of the termin~ls 36 of the semlconductor chip 42 is oonnected to a oorrespo~ding metallization 40 by means of a conduc~or wire 48.

The chip 42 and the wlres 48 are ~mbedded in an insulating ooating maber~al SO which adheres stronyly to the metalliza-tions 40, to the chip 42, and to the wires 48. The coating may be a thermo-setting resln. In addition, the coating material 50 is molded or machined so as to provide a substantially flat bottom 52 which is parallel to t~e insulating support 3~. The s~de wall 54 of the c~atlng ~ate~ial i~ lnclined at ~n angle a which is less than 90 to ~he portion of the face 32b of the insulati~g support 32 which ls n~t o~vered with coatin~
mater~al.
A first embodimen~ of a card and a first ~ethod of fixing the electr~nlc module in the card body in aooordanoa with the invention are now descrlbed with reference to Figure 3. m e ld is es~entially oonstituted by a fi~ed front portion 60 and by a removable rear portlon 62, with these two portions defin-ing a cavity in which the card ~ody is ormed. More precisely, the portion 60 has a first plane wall 64 which defines one of the main faces of the card body and a slde wall 66 which defines the edges of tha card body. me second portion 62 of the mold defines the second main face of the card body. The side wall 66 and the front portion &0 of the mold is provided with an in~ection channel S8 for injecting the plastic material from which the card body is made into the mold. me wall 64 is provided wlth means for holdlng the electrom~c mcdule 14 stationary while the plastic material is being injected into the ld. In this first implementation of the ~nvention, these means comprise stud~ such as 70 which pro~eGt from the lnside fa oe 64 of the mold, and a suction sysbem oo~prising a suction nozzle 72 asscciated with a vacuum pump 74~ The studs 70 have the same physical distributlon as the holes 36 through the electronic module 14. In addition, the suction nozzle 72 opens out lnto tha~ portion of the wall 64 which ls surrounded by the studs 70.
A card is made in acoordance with a first implem~ntation of the ~nvention, as follows: when the mold i8 open, the electronic mf~lule is put into pla oe so that the studs 70 penetrate into the holes 36 through the metallizations 16 to 30 ~3~ 5~3 on the module. The vacuum p~mp 70 is ~wibchsd on. The module 14 is th~s held against the wall 64 of the mold ln all three directions and it is held in position by co-operation between the studs 70 and the holes 36. me rear portion 62 o~ the mold is then put into placs on its front portian 60. Plastic materlal is then in~ected via ~he in~ection channel 68. The plastic material fills the entlre cavity delimdted by the mold and not occupied by the electronic mcdule 14. The card is then unmold~d.
Figure 5 is a *ragmentary view in v~rtical section through a card obtain~d by implementing the method described above. It must initially be underlined that because of the special shape of the ccating 50 and because the card bndy is made by ~eing lded over the electronic module, the el~ctronic mKdule is mechanically anchored in the card body. AS a result the module is very well fixed in th~ card body 12. Further, sinoe the outer faoe of the electronic module is pres~ed against the wall 64 of the mold, no plastic mat~rial is deposited on the ele~ctrical contact tab~ 16 to 30. In addition, slnce the p~riphery 76 of the insulating support 32 and the contact tabs 16 to 30 serve to limit the extent to which tha muld ~avity is filled with plastic material, the external aspec* of the card wh~re the outer faoe of the electronlc mDdule runs into the correspondiny main face of the card bsdy i3 particularly satisfactory.
PrePerably, as shown in Figure 3a, the in~ec~ion channel 68 opens out into a l'cornsr" 63 of tha mold defining a corner oP the card body which is in the shape of a ri~ht angle whereas the other ~corners" referenced 65, 67, and 69 are rounded.
30 Thus, after the corner 63 of the caxd body has been cut from its sprue, all traoes of in~sction moldi~3 can be re~oved therefrom. It is also possible to have a plural~ty of inJection chznnels opening out in~o respsctive "oorners" of the mold.
Figure 3b sh~ws a variant embodimsnt of the means for positioning and holding ~he el~ctr~nic module in the mold.
Instead of or :Ln addition to the studs 70, the wall 64 of the ~3~)6058 7 682~-6 mold also includes four projecting portions 100 to 106 corresponding to the four corners of the .insulatiny support of the electronic module. The suction nozzle 72 opens out in the portion of the wall 64 which is delimited by the projecting elements 100 to 106. As shown in Figure 3b, the suction nozzle may be terminated by a plurality of orifices 108 each corresponding to one of the contact tabs of the electronic module. Instead of having four portions 100 to 106, it would also be possihle to have a complete rectangular frame projecting from the face 64 of the module.
Naturally, other types of electronic module could be used. For example, electronic modules could be used of the type described in published French patent applications numbers 2.547.440, 2.555.780, or 2.579.799. The module could be a module of the "lead-frame" type. Such a module does not include an insulating support. The semiconductor chip is directly fixed to a conducting element which constitutes one of the contact tabs of the memory card, while the terminals of the chip are connected by conducting wires to other conducting elements which constitute the other connection tabs of the card.
Instead of the electronic module having an anchor element constituted by the special outside shape of the chip coating, it is possible for the module to have a portion for fastening it to the card body when the card is made by being molded thereover. For example, the electronic module may be of the type shown in Figure 2 but without the coating material 50.
The fastening portion of -the electronic module ls then constituted " ~;

~3~16~5~
7a 68216-6 by all of the unevenness on the electronic module, lncludlng lts lnterconnacting wires 48 which appear on that face of the electronlc module which does not lnclude the external contac~ tabs 16, 180 It is also possible to l~prove the fasteniny properties of the electronic module relative to the ~ard body, for example by surface treatment of the non-metallized portions of the insulatiny support 32 of the module, when such a support exists. It is also possible to provide ~.~
,t ~

:~.3~36~

small holes through the module support, r~gardles~ of whether the support i8 made of insulating mabarial or oonductlng material, in order bo improve fastening by the ln~ected material panetrating into the holes. It i~ al~o possible to $mplement physico-chemical fastening, or to combine this t~pe of fasteniny with mechanical fast~ning or anchoring of the type described above. PhysioD-chemical fasten~ng may result from a suitable selection of the inJected materlal and of ths materials from which the various portions of the electronic module are made, in particular th~ material of the insulating support. It i8 also possible ~o impl~ment ch2mical surfaoe - treatment of a portion of the electronic module, for example th~ lnsulating support ther20f, in order to enhan oe physico-chemical fas~ening dur~n~ the ldlng operation.
I~ can ba seen that in t~e present patent application the term "fastening portion" of the electronic module does not only relate bo a particular shape for the module c~ating enabling ~he module to be anchored in the card boæy, ~ut also covars various dispositions or ccmb~nat~ons of dispositians as des-cribed above which all seek b~ fix the electronic mDdule in the card bcdy when the body is molded thereover.
In the abov8 description, the card has only one electronic module. The me~hod of the invention may be used to make a card having a plurality of independent modules. In thi~ case, the mold is prGYided with as many ~ixin~ means (studs 70, suction nozzles 72) as there are modules, and the electrical contact tabs of the modules may be flush wlth either of the two main faces of the cardO
Figure 4 shows a second ~pe of mold which may be used for implementing the methDd o~ the invention, and which further improves the retent~on o~ the electronic module at the beginning of the injection of plastic material into the mold.
me mold sho~ in Figure 4 has a fia~ed front portion 60' which is ident:Lcal to the ront portion 60 of the Figure 3 35 mold. mu~, the various items relatin~ to the front portion 60' are given the same ref~ren oe s as in Figure 3 ~ogether with a "prim~" syn~x)l as a suf~ix. me rear portion of the mold 80 ~.31D~i~15~3 ccmprlses a first plate 82 who8e periphery 82a i~ lntended to be pressed agalnst the face 60'a of ~he front portion of the mold 60', tc~ether with a second plate 84 which is a moving plate. The moving plabe 84 may he displaced relative to the plate 82 while being constrained to remain exactly parallel to the fa oe ~4' of the front portion 60 of the mold. To dD this, the rear faoe 84a of the plate 84 is provided with guide rods 86 capable of sllding with very ]Little cleaxanc~ ln ~earinys 88 f~xed to the plate 82. The plate 84 is of ~uch a size that its edga 84b slides 2~0ng the side w2~1 66' of the n~nt portion 607. Rated spr~ngs 90 urge the plate 84 awa~ from the plate 82 up to a distan oe which is limitecl by abutments 92 fixed to the rocls 86.
A memory card is made uslny the Figure 4 nold as follows.
The rear portion of the m~ld 80 ls removed 2~d the electronic module 14 is put into pla oe against the wall 64' as described above with reference to Figure 3. Then the rear portion 80 is fixed to the front portion 64' of the mold. me plate 84 comes into abutment agalns~ the face 52 of the coating 50 on the ~0 electronic module 14. me springs 90 are calibrated so that in this position, they are already partially compressed. The prestress on the springs 90 further improves the manner by which the electronic mod~le is pressed again~t the wall 64' of the mold. Thereafter, plastic material is in~ected into the ld via injection channel 68'. Initially, by virtue of the pres~ress in the springs 90, the plate 84 remains stationary pressed against the surface 52 of the module, and the plastic material fills the space surrounding the module 14 as delimited by the plate 84 and the front portion of the mold 60'. This stage continues until the pressure of ~he plastic material overoomes the prestress of the springs 90. mereafter, the plastic material progressively thrusts the plate 84 against ~he compression of the springs 90 and the plate 84 is no longer in contact with the module 14. However, the plastic material by then alread~ c~mpletely surrounds ~he electronic dule 14 which helps keep it in place against the wall 64'. The plate 84 is urged a~ainst the sprinys by the plastlc material until 13~

lt comes into contact with mechanical abutmen~s 96 fixed to t~e plate 82. This position ls de~ermlned so that the card body obtalned in this way has the desired thlckness after shrinkage.
InJection is then stopped, and t~e rear portion 82 ls removed so that the card can be extracted from the mold. This prcvides a card which i~ Ldlentical to that shown in Figure 5.
Naturally, ~he Figure 4 mold may :include ~he variants illustrated ln Figures 3a and 3b.
m e plastic material which i~3 used for making the card body by in~ection molding may ~e ~n acrylonitryl-butadiene-styrene (A.B.S.) or any other s~mLlar type of plastic material.
If A.B.S. ls used, the material is in~ected at a t~m~eraturle lying between 180C and 280C, and preferably lylng between 220C and 260C, and the mold is maintained at a temperature ly~ny between 5~. and 100C and preferably lying between 10C
and 50C.
O~her suitable thermoplastlc materials include polysty-rene, polypropylene, and polyamine 11.
AS shown in Figure 5, a magnetic track 112, may be fixed to the rear face 110 of ~he card body, e.g. by hot pressing.
It should be underlined ~hat the method of makiny a card bod~
~n aocordance with the invention is particularly well adapted to installing such a track. The p~rt~on 12b of the card body disposed between the electronic mcdule and the rear face 110 of t~e card body is highly stable in spite of having reduced thickness where it is directly molded over the fac~ 52 of the electronic module. Fur~her, the material used is highly adapted to embossiny data on one of the main faces of the card body.
Reference is now made to Figures 6 and 7 for descrlbing an embodiment of the mnld suitable for obtaining a plurality of ds simultaneously.
Flgure ~ shows the front portion 160 of the mold whlch includes a plurality of mold cavities. The portion 160 of the 35 mold has four cavities 162, 164, 166, and 168 which define the bodies of four cards which are manufactured slmultan~ously. ~n slectronic module 14 ls located in each of the cavitles 162 to ~6~

168 using one of the techniquas de~cribed with reference to Figur~s 3 to 3b. The ~avi~ies 162 bo 168 are separated rom one an~ther by prD~acting portions 170 to 176. As shown in Figure 6, the pro~acting portions 170 to 176 do not completsly separate the cavities from one another, but leave pas~ages enabling the cavities to ocmmunicate with o~e another. There is a central passage 178 which pUltS all ~our cavlties lnt~
communication with one another, ~1 there are end passages 180 to 186 which make ad~aoent cavitles communioate wit~l each other in the vicinity of the perlphery of th3 front portion 160 of ~he mold. As shown ln Figure 7, the passages 178 to 186 are shallower than the cavitles 162 to 168. Naturally, theæ
passages could have tha sa~3 depth as the cavities. There are two ways in which material may ~3 ln~ected into the ld.
Either in~ection takes place ~through a plurality of points 188 to 194 with each inJection point openiny aut into 0~3 of the passages 178 to 186, or else sheet in~ection ls performed via a side opening 196 which o~ens out inbo the passage 182.
After unmolding, a single piece is obtained comprising four cards oorrespo~ding to the cavities 162 bo 168, respectively, with the cards being interconnected by "bridges"
which corresponds to the plastic maberial which has filled the passages 178 to 186.
Obtaining four cards which are meshanically interconnected so that thelr relativs positions are hlghly a~cNrabe is it~elf highly advantageous f~r subsequent offset printing o~ the card bcdies. The prin~lng can ~hen take plaoe si~ultaneously, and in addition it is easler to handle the larger-~ized part for position~ny purposes on the print$ng machine.
In order to separate the cards from one another, the "bridg~s" must be cut. This operation is not particNlarly difficult sinoe the "bridges" are attached to ~he card bodies at the "oorners" thereofr i.e. at non-functional points an the card body. In add~tiQn, ~he sprues relating to the in~ection 35 points 188 to 196 which op~n out into thesie "bridgesi" are eliminated simultaneously with the "bridges".

Claims

1/ A method of manufacturing a memory card comprising a card body and a memory module having an access face, the method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
a memory module is provided having at least one fastening portion:
said module is placed in a mold, and it is held in place in such a manner that the access face of the memory module is pressed against one of the walls of the mold;
a plastic material is inserted into the mold in such a manner as to cause the plastic material to occupy the entire volume delimited by the walls of the mold and not occupied by said memory module; and the part made in this manner is unmolded.

2/ A method according to claim 1, wherein said memory module is an electronic module comprising an insulating support carrying external electrical contact tabs on a first face thereof and carrying on its opposite, second face a chip together with electrical connection means between the terminals of said chip and said contact tabs and a coating material for protecting said chip and said electrical connection means, the method being characterized in that said fastening portion is constituted by the particular shape of said coating material.

3/ A method according to claim 1, wherein the card body has two main faces, with said electrical contact tabs being flush with one of said main faces, the method being characterized in that said electronic module is placed in the mold so that said first face of the insulating support is disposed against that wall of the mold which defines one of the main faces of the card body, and in that suction is established between said wall of the mold and said first face of the insulating support in order to hold said module against said wall.

4/ A method according to claim 2, characterized in that said contact tabs are provided with a plurality of holes for co-operating with studs projecting from the wall of the mold against which said electronic module is held.

5/ A method according to claim 2, wherein the electronic module has a substantially rectangular access face, the method being characterized in that the wall of the mold against which said module is pressed includes a projecting portion which surrounds said access face of said module, at least in part.

6/ A method according to claim 1, wherein the card body comprises two substantially rectangular main faoes and characterized in that the plastic material is injected into a portion of the mold which defines a "corner" of the card body.

7/ A method according to claim 1, characterized in that after said part has been unmolded, a magnetic track is applied to one of the main faces of the card body.

8/ A method aooording to claim 1, characterized in that after said part has been unmolded, messages are marked on one of the main faces of the card body by embossing the plastic material.

9/ A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said plastic materlal is selected from the group comprising:
acrylonitryl-butadiene-styrene, polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyamine 11.

10/ A method of making a plurallty of memory cards each comprising a card body and a corresponding electronic module having an access face, the method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
a plurality of memory modules are provided, each having at least one fastening portion;
a mold is provided including a plurality of mold cavities, with each cavity correspondiny to the shape to be given to a card body, said mold cavlties being interconnecbed by passages in the mold;

said modules are placed in the mode cavities and are held in place in such manner as to ensure that the memory module access faces are pressed against one of the walls of said mold;
a plastic material is inserted into said mold in such a manner as to cause the plastic material to occupy all of the volume in said mold cavities which is not occupies by said memory modules, and also to cause it to occupy said passages;
and the part made in this way is unmolded.

11/ A method according to claim 10, characterized in that said plastic material is inserted into said mold via at least some of said passages.

12/ A memory card comprising a body made of plastic material having two main faces and including a memory module having an access face, the card being characterized in that said body is made as a single piece; in that said module includes at least one fastening portion, and in that said access face of the module is flush with one of the main faces of the card body with said fastening portions being completely embedded in the plastic material constituting said body.

13/ A memory card according to claim 12, characterized in that the card body is made of acrylonitryl-butadiene-styrene.

14/ A memory card according to claim 12, characterized in that the card body is made of a plastic material selected from the group comprising: polystyrene; polypropylene; and polyamine 11.

15/ A memory card according to claim 12, characterized in that said memory module is an electronic module comprising an insu-lating support provided with an external layer of electrical contacts, a chip provided with external electrical contact tabs, a chip fixed to said support, electrical connection means between the terminals of said chip and said contact tabs, and a coating material coating said chip, said fastening portion being constituted by a special shape given to said coating material.