Method of fabricating electronic cards including at least one printed pattern

Abstract

A method for fabricating electronic cards includes: A) forming a plurality of card bodies in the form of a thick sheet in which is respectively imbedded a plurality of electronic units or modules; B) printing a plurality of first patterns on a first face of the thick sheet in a printing station in which ink is applied on the first face for making the first patterns; and C) applying a first at least partially transparent coating on each printed first pattern, that adheres to the card body. The method also includes printing a plurality of second patterns on the inner surface of a film forming the first coating. Preferably, the printing of the first patterns is carried out in an offset type station for printing high definition patterns, essentially of the security type. The second patterns define personal data. The printed thick sheet defines an intermediate product.

Description

[0001]This is a Divisional Application of Ser. No. 12 / 526,382, filed Aug. 7, 2009, which is a National Phase Application in the United States of International Patent Application PCT / EP 2008 / 051447 filed Feb. 6, 2008, which claims priority on European Patent Application No. 07102087.9 of Aug. 7, 2007. The entire disclosures of the above patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention concerns the fabrication of electronic cards, i.e. cards that include at least one electronic unit and have any shape or contour. More specifically, the invention concerns the fabrication of electronic cards that have at least one printed pattern, which is protected by an at least partially transparent coating, particularly an overlay.[0003]In a particular implementation of the invention, the fabricated card has patterns printed on both of its two flat surfaces, each printed pattern being protected by an at least partially transparent overlay.[00...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This method produces cards with high-quality, protected prints that are less prone to deformation, allowing for thicker electronic units, stable assembly with reduced energy, and enabling production at different sites with less specialized equipment, increasing flexibility and efficiency.

Problems solved by technology

This method of writing a text or a pattern is limited and requires a relatively long period of time since the laser beam has to follow a line that matches the desired pattern.

However, it cannot be used for making patterns in different colours or that entirely cover a certain surface of the card.

Since the height of inlay 2 is limited, the height of the electronic elements that can be incorporated in inlay 2 is also limited.

It will be noted that it is difficult in these conditions to obtain an inlay that has proper flat surfaces and exhibits homogeneous behaviour in the presence of heat.

Thus, as already mentioned, the conventional method used by those skilled in the art has a first drawback, due to the limited thickness of inlay 2; which limits the height of the electronic elements incorporated and generates deformations in the printed intermediate layers when they pass into the hot press used to form the finished card.

It is therefore to be noted that, in addition to the fact that it is very difficult to obtain cards with high definition printed patterns without local deterioration, fabricating these cards must be performed by a specialised manufacturer if one wishes to obtain high quality cards.

Thus, flexibility in the finish of the cards, which one might expect from the separate fabrication of inlays incorporating electronic elements and intermediate layers printed in plastic sheet printing stations, cannot be used in practice.

Consequently, it is not really possible to envisage, at least in part, performing the printing and final assembly of the cards elsewhere at a distributor's or card user's.

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