DE19610507C2 - Smart card - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a chip card in various embodiments. On the one hand, the present invention relates to a chip card according to the preamble of Claim 1 or 2 for contact-based access to a in a chip module arranged chip. In this chip card, the chip module is in such a recess a card body arranged that contact surfaces of the chip module on the surface of the card body are arranged. Such chip cards are, for example, as so-called called "phone cards" known.

On the other hand, the present invention relates to a chip card according to the preamble of claim 3 for contactless access to a chip or a chip module. At this chip card is the chip or the chip module for forming a transponder arranged together with a coil in a card body and conductor ends of the Coils are contacted on pads of the chip or the chip module. Such Chip cards are referred to as so-called "transponder cards", for example can be used for personal identification.  

In addition, the present invention relates to a chip card according to the preamble of claim 7 for contact and contactless access to one in one Chip module arranged chip. With this chip card, the chip module is in one Recess of a card body arranged that outer contact surfaces of the Chipmo duls are arranged on the surface of the card body and inner contact surfaces of the Chip module for forming a transponder unit with conductor ends in the card body arranged coil are connected. Such chip cards are known as "Combicards" or "hybrid cards" called because they are the immediate one Contact access to the chip module and secondly the contactless access to the Enable the chip module by means of the coil acting as an antenna.

With all of the aforementioned chip cards, it proves to be independent of the respective gene embodiment as essential for the functional reliability of the chip card that a secure contact access to the chip or the chip module is possible. With chip cards of the type which is provided with a chip module and has contact-based access to outward-facing pads of the chip module are special Measures are required to ensure the defined fit of the chip module and thus also the Positioning the outer pads relative to the card body despite the To maintain chip cards frequently changing bending stresses. A particular problem is that the chip module due to its arrangement voltage in the card body at a distance from the so-called "neutral fiber" at a bending bend stress with the maximum occurring in the surface area of the card body Bending stress is applied. The chip module is in a recess in the card secured by gluing.

From DE 44 03 753 C1 a chip card is known in which to protect a chip against mechanical influences a contact shielding the chip on one side block is provided. There is a on the opposite side of the chip Reinforcement plate. As a result, the chip is protected against external pressure protected.  

DE 39 24 439 A1 describes a chip module for installation in a card body Known chip card that against the chip module on a carrier element Bending stress protective stiffening ring is provided.

A chip module is known from EP 0 671 705 A2 which fits into a recess of a Inserted card body and arranged one with contact ends in the card body Neten coil is contacted.

The present invention has for its object to propose measures that not only the chip module itself against those that often occur with a chip card protect changing dynamic bending stresses, but also the seat of the Secure the chip module in the card body, thus prevent it from being in the area of the interface delamination occurs between the chip module and the card body Detachment of the chip module from the card body or an impairment of the function Cheren connection of the chip module with the contact ends of the coil result can.

In the case of a chip card for contact-based access, the solution to this problem is as follows Features of claim 1.

In contrast to the known stiffening device outlined above, the one represents an integral part of the chip module, the stiffening according to the invention device independent of the chip module and is already in the manufacture of the Card body integrated into this before the recess for receiving the Chipmo duls is introduced into the card body. From the one in the card body for example laminated arrangement of the stiffening device results in an improved Anchoring in the card body. In addition, it is possible to have a standardized To use stiffener that is not exactly the dimensions of the Chip module must be matched, as in the one piece with the chip module the known ring-shaped stiffening device is the case.  

In the event that the card body in a different process than by means of the laminate technology is manufactured - for example manufactured in a spraying process Card body -, it is by appropriate arrangement of the stiffening device in a form also possible to the advantageous integrated in the card body Arrange the stiffening device. The essential is in any case integral arrangement of the stiffening device in the card body, without limitation to a specific manufacturing process of the card body.

In the chip card according to the invention, the stiffening device is a stiffener tion frame formed, the frame parts at a distance from the edges of the recess are arranged in the card body. This embodiment enables one over the Card cross section uniformly acting stiffening device with simultaneous Arrangement of the stiffening device in the plane of the chip module.

A further solution to the problem on which the invention is based has the features of claim 2.

In this solution according to the invention, the stiffening device has at least one has elongated stiffening element which is at a distance from one in the card direction of the edge of the recess is arranged next to the recess. In in this case there is again a symmetrically acting stiffening device Arrangement of one stiffening element on opposite sides of the Recess.

In the case of a chip card for contactless access, the solution faces that of the invention deliegen task the features of claim 3.

According to the invention, the card body is spaced apart from the chip or chip module Arranged stiffening device provided in a peripheral position to Chip or chip module is located.  

This solution is based on the idea that it is a contactless chip card Access to maintain functional safety despite frequently changing dynamics shear bending stress that depends on the bending stress Contacting the coil conductor ends with the pads of the chip or Protect chip module. This is achieved according to the invention in that the area of the card body that surrounds the contacting area is stiffened. Hereby the harmful bending loads are kept away from the contact points.

The stiffening device according to the invention also has an effect during manufacture protection of the chip card in the lamination process for the chip module or for the Contact points between the chip module and the conductor ends of the coil. Especially the loads occurring during the lamination process are at least partially taken up by the stiffening device.

According to a particular embodiment, the stiffening device is a Chip or the chip module enclosing stiffening frame formed with through breaks or recesses is provided, which crosses the stiffening frame Permitting arrangement of the conductor ends.

In addition to the stiffening function, the stiffening device can also perform the function come a contact device that for the electrically conductive connection between the conductor ends of the coil and the contact surfaces of the chip or chip module is used. This further function of the stiffening device proves to be particularly good advantageous if the coil is not, for example, laid on a laminate layer Acting coil, but rather a previously separately wound coil, the conductor ends are connected to the pads of the chip or the chip module have to. Here, by using the stiffening device as a contact direction increased contact areas are created.

In the above case, it proves to be particularly advantageous if the reinforcement tion device as a two-part Ver enclosing the chip or the chip module  stiffening frame is formed, each having a frame part a pad of Connects chips or chip module with a conductor end of the coil.

Another solution to the problem on which the invention is based relates to a Chip card that is used for both contact and contactless access is determined, has the features of claim 7.

According to the invention, a contact device is provided on the card body Coil contact surfaces are contacted to conductor ends of the coil and on the chip module-facing chip contact areas the inner contact areas of the chip module are contacted, the contacting of the conductor ends in a peripheral region of the Chip module is provided. Such a contact device also serves as a stiffening device, since they are between the pads of the chip module and extends the conductor ends of the coil and thus bend the card body exactly sensitive contact area stiffened.

The contact device has a housing part for receiving the chip module and Has contact arm for contacting the conductor ends. The integral training of the housing part in the contact device makes it possible to the usual Milling process for making the recess in the card body to do without Rather, it is possible to use the contact device together or independently from the chip module into a laminate layer provided with a corresponding window opening to use. The back of the contact device or its contact arm can then on the corresponding side of the laminate layer with the conductor ends of the coil be contacted and then with another layer of laminate to produce the Card body are covered. This structure of the chip card therefore enables one completely new manufacturing process.

It also proves to be particularly advantageous if the contact arms on their in the Contact protruding housing part are designed as contact springs. Consequently can the chip module with its inner contact surfaces on the contact ends  against the resistance of the contact springs so far into the housing part, until the surface of the chip module is flush with the outer contact surfaces to the surface surface of the card body or the corresponding laminate layer. In doing so, there will be dimensional problems satchel between the depth of the housing part and the thickness of the chip module through the Spring action of the contact springs balanced.

The above configuration of the contact device can then be particularly advantageous use if the chip module is fixed with adhesive in the housing part, as for Adjustment of an arrangement of the outer surface flush with the surface of the card body Contact surfaces of the chip module only apply pressure to the chip module as long as the spring force of the contact ends must be applied until the adhesive has hardened is.

Even without integral formation of a housing part, it is advantageous for contacting of the chip module to provide contact springs on the contact device, the mechani enable pressure contact, and the chip module directly into the recess mung use.

The various solutions according to the invention are described below with the aid of Drawings explained in more detail. Show it:

Fig. 1 is a chip card for contact with an access Ver steifungseinrichtung in a first embodiment;

Figure 2 is a smart card for contact access with a Ver stiffening device in a second embodiment.

Fig. 3 shows a chip card for contactless access to a auctioning expansion means in a first embodiment;

Figure 4 is a chip card for contactless access with a stiffening device in a second embodiment.

Fig. 5 to Fig. 7, the production of a chip card with a stiffening con contact device in three successive manufacturing steps.

Fig. 1 shows a smart card 20 for contact-type access to a valve disposed in a Kartenkör by 21 chip module 22. The chip module 22 is located in a recess 23 made, for example, by a milling process in the card body 21 . Chip cards of the type shown in FIG. 1 are also known, for example, as so-called "telephone cards".

Integrated in the card body 21 is an approximately U-shaped stiffening device 24 , which stiffens a chip module receiving area 25 that extends beyond the dimensions of the recess 23 when bent about a bending axis 26 indicated by a dash-dotted line in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a stiffening device 27 which has been modified compared to FIG. 1 and which is formed here in two parts with two stiffening strips 28 , 29 extending in parallel and extending on both sides of the recess 23 in the longitudinal direction of the card. In their effect, the stiffening strips 28 , 29 correspond to the stiffening device 24 shown in FIG. 1 and stiffen the corresponding chip receiving area 25 of a chip card 30 otherwise corresponding to the chip card 20 shown in FIG. 2.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2, both the stiffening device 24 and the Versteifungsein device 27 formed from the two stiffening strips 28 , 29 are formed from a thin steel sheet. When the chip cards 20 and 30 are produced using laminating technology, the stiffening devices 24 , 27 can be arranged integrally in a laminate layer (not shown here) and integrated as an intermediate layer in the laminate structure of the chip card 20 or 30 . In addition to the steel sheet exemplified here as a material for the stiffening devices 24 , 28 , other materials can of course also be used; The only requirement is an increased stiffness compared to the other material of the card body.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show two embodiments of stiffeners 31 and 32 at a smart card 33 (FIG. 3) or 34 (Fig. 4) having a contactless access to a chip 35 a of the chip 35 and a coil 36 Transponder unit 38 formed in a card body 37 .

The stiffening device 31 is approximately U-shaped and surrounds the chip 35 or a chip module having the chip 35 on three sides, so that, as shown in FIG. 3, the stiffening device 31 is arranged peripherally to the chip and a passage of conductor ends 39 , 40 from an opening area 41 of the stiffening device 31 enables.

The stiffening device 32 shown in FIG. 4 is formed in two parts with two strip-shaped stiffening elements 42 , 43 , which simultaneously form a contact device 44 . Each stiffening element 42 , 43 forms an electrical connection between a connection surface 45 or 46 of the chip 35 and a conductor end 39 or 40 of the coil 36 .

A method for producing a chip card 82 is explained below with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7, which is also intended for both contact-based and contactless access. The structure of the chip card 82 can best be seen from the following description of a manufacturing option.

FIG. 5 shows a laminate layer 83 which is the carrier of a coil 84 , of which only one conductor end 85 is shown in FIG. 5. The method explained below is not limited to a specific coil design. Rather, both coils that are created by laying a wire conductor on a laminate layer, as well as coils that are wound in a separate process and then applied to the laminate layer, or coils that are applied to a carrier film in the etching process, in which case the Carrier film can be used as a laminate layer.

Adjacent to the conductor ends, of which only one conductor end 85 is shown in FIGS . 5 to 7, a window-shaped opening 86 is provided in the laminate layer 83 .

As shown in Figure 6 is in the opening 86 of the laminate sheet. 83, shown inserted from above, a contact device 87 which has a housing part 88 having arranged thereon contact beams 89, of which in Figs. 6 and 7 for purposes of illustration only one is shown. The housing part 88 has an opening 90 through which a chip module 91 is already inserted in the housing part 88 in FIG. 6. The housing part 88 remains open even after the chip module 91 has been inserted in order to enable contact-based access to external contact surfaces 92 of the chip module 91 .

The housing part 88 formed in this embodiment from plastic is provided in its bottom region 93 with the contact arms 89 in such a way that they protrude from the housing part 88 with outer coil contact ends 94 and with the inner contacts, which are designed here as contact springs 95 , into the interior of the Extend housing part 88 . The contact springs 95 are used to make contact with inner contact surfaces 96 of the chip module 91 .

As apparent from the illustration according to FIG. 6 is clear, the contact beams Cart 89 during insertion into the opening 86 of the laminate sheet 83 at the conductor ends 85 of coil 84 and thus allow a slight contacting.

As shown in FIG. 7 shows the contact beam is applied 89 to the conductor ends 85 of coil 84 a further laminate layer 97 on the laminate layer 83 after the contact, so that the coil 84 is now arranged between two laminate layers 83 and 97 and the contact device is sealed rearwardly 87 .

If not already done before, the chip module 91 can now be inserted into the housing part 88 of the contact device 87 . The contacting of the inner contact surfaces 96 of the chip module 91 with the contact springs 95 can be purely mechanical, that is to say pressure-loaded here, this contact being able to be secured by gluing the chip module 91 to the housing part 88 . If pressure is applied to the chip module 91 during the curing of the bond, such that the surface of the chip module 91 is arranged flush with the surface of the laminate layer 83 , an optimal positioning of the chip module 91 in the housing part 88 is possible without the depth the interior of the housing part should be matched to the height or thickness of the chip module 91 .

Claims (10)

1. Chip card for contact-based access to a chip arranged in a chip module, the chip module being arranged in a recess in a card body such that contact surfaces of the chip module are arranged on the surface of the card body, and with one in the region of the recess ( 23 ) Arranged stiffening device ( 24 , 27 ), characterized in that the stiffening device ( 24 ) is designed as a stiffening frame, the sen frame parts are integrated into the card body ( 21 ) at a distance from the edges of the recess ( 23 ). 2. Chip card for contact-based access to a chip arranged in a chip module, the chip module being arranged in a recess in a card body such that contact surfaces of the chip module are arranged on the surface of the card body, and with one in the region of the recess ( 23 ) arranged stiffening device ( 24 , 27 ), characterized in that the stiffening device ( 27 ) has at least one elongated stiffening element ( 28 , 29 ) which is at a distance from an edge of the recess ( 23 ) in the longitudinal direction of the card next to the recess ( 23 ) in the card body is integrated. 3. Chip card for contactless access to a chip or a chip module, the chip or the chip module for forming a transponder unit is arranged together with a coil in a card body and the conductor ends of the coil are contacted on connection surfaces of the chip or the chip module, characterized in that the card body ( 37 ) has a spaced from the chip ( 35 ) or chip module on arranged stiffening device ( 31 , 32 ), which is located in a peripheral position to the chip or chip module. 4. Chip card according to claim 3, characterized in that the stiffening device ( 31 ) is designed as a stiffening frame enclosing the chip ( 35 ) or the chip module, which is provided with openings or recesses which cross the stiffening frame arrangement of the conductor ends ( 39 , 40 ) enable. 5. Chip card according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the stiffening device ( 32 ) as a contact device ( 44 ) for the electrically conductive connection between the conductor ends ( 39 , 40 ) of the coil ( 36 ) and the connection surfaces ( 45 , 46 ) of the chip ( 35 ) or chip module is used. 6. Chip card according to claim 5, characterized in that the stiffening device ( 32 ) is designed as a two-part, the chip ( 35 ) or the chip module enclosing stiffening frame, each having a frame part ( 42 , 43 ) a connection surface ( 45 , 46 ) of Chips ( 35 ) or Chipmo module with a conductor end ( 39, 40 ) of the coil ( 36 ) connects. 7. Chip card for contact and contactless access to a chip arranged in a chip module, the chip module being arranged in a recess in a card body such that outer contact surfaces of the chip module are arranged on the surface of the card body and inner contact surfaces of the chip module for training a transponder unit with conductor ends of a coil arranged in the card body are connected, characterized in that in the card body ( 81 ) has a insertion opening toward the surface of the card body, the chip module in a housing part accommodating ver stiffening device ( 87 ) is provided on the coil contact surfaces thereof (94) lead ends (85) of the coil (84) are contacted and on the chip module (91) facing the chip contact pads (95), the inner contact surfaces (96) of the chip module (91) are contacted, and for contacting the conductor ends (85) on Perimeter of the housing part ( 88 ) Contact arms ( 89 ) are provided. 8. Chip card according to claim 7, characterized in that the contact arm ( 89 ) on their projecting into the housing part Kon clocking ends are designed as a contact spring ( 95 ). 9. Chip card according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the chip module ( 91 ) is fixed by means of adhesive in the housing part ( 88 ). 10. Chip card according to claim 7, characterized in that the stiffening device ( 87 ) has contact springs ( 95 ) for contacting the chip module ( 91 ).