HK1188860A - Transaction cards and associated methods - Google Patents

Abstract

The subject application relates to transaction cards and associated method. A transaction card having a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer is metal and the second layer is carbon.

Description

Transaction card and associated method

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to provisional application No. 61/653, 260, filed on 5, 30, 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present embodiments relate to transaction cards, such as credit and debit cards, for use in place of cash.

Background

Description of the related Art

Most transaction cards in use today are made of plastic. These cards have a tendency to be fragile, prone to wear or to break.

Disclosure of Invention

Preferred embodiments of the transaction card of the present invention have several features, none of which alone achieve the desired attributes. Without limiting the scope of the present embodiments as expressed by the claims that follow, their more prominent features will now be discussed briefly. After considering this discussion, and particularly after reading the section entitled "detailed description of certain embodiments" one will understand how the features of this embodiment provide advantages that include increased strength and durability, increased rigidity, reduced weight, longer life, enhanced feel, and high-tech appearance.

One embodiment of the present transaction card includes a substantially flat sheet having a front surface, a back surface, and a continuous peripheral edge. The flat sheet includes a first layer and a second layer. The first layer is a metal and the second layer is carbon.

Another of the present embodiments includes a method of manufacturing a transaction card. The method includes printing text on the back surface of a flat carbon sheet, coating a stainless steel sheet with a black coating, adhering the printed carbon sheet to the coated stainless steel sheet, and hot embossing a signature panel, magnetic stripe, and hologram onto the back surface of the card.

Drawings

Preferred embodiments of the transaction card of the present invention will now be discussed in detail with emphasis on advantageous features. These embodiments are merely for illustrative purposes to describe the novel and distinctive transaction card shown in the drawings. These drawings include the following figures, in which like numerals indicate like parts:

FIG. 1 is a front end elevation view of one embodiment of a transaction card of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear end elevation view of the transaction card of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the transaction card of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method for manufacturing transaction cards according to the present embodiments.

Detailed Description

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, a transaction card 10 of the present invention is a substantially flat sheet 11 having a front surface 12 and a back surface 14. The card 10 includes a continuous peripheral edge 16, which in the illustrated embodiment is substantially rectangular. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the card 10 may have virtually any shape, such as square, circular, or hexagonal. The scope of the present card 10 is not limited to any particular shape.

In the illustrated embodiment, the transaction card 10 bears a number 18 (FIG. 1) that identifies the card 10 as being associated with a particular account. In the illustrated embodiment, the account number 18 has 16 digits. However, in alternative embodiments, the card 10 may have fewer or more digits. The card 10 also carries the name 20 of the cardholder and the validity period 22. In some embodiments, the card 10 also carries the year 24 or date the card holder first obtained the card 10. The information displayed on the card 10 may be applied in any suitable manner, such as embossing, printing, engraving, etching, and the like. The front surface 12 of the CARD 10 further contains interlocking strips of repeating character strings of the full upper case word "BLACK CARD" (BLACK CARD), giving the front surface 12 a woven appearance.

Referring to FIG. 2, the rear surface 14 of the transaction card 10 of the present invention includes a magnetic stripe 26. The magnetic stripe 26 stores information that can be read by a magnetic reader. For example, the magnetic stripe 26 may contain a string of numbers from which a magnetic card reader may obtain information about an account associated with the card 10 and/or cardholder. The rear surface 14 of the transaction card 10 of the present invention further includes a signature panel 28.

The transaction card 10 of the present invention further includes an embedded chip 30, such as a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip or an EMV (euro, mastercard and VISA) chip 30. RFID is a wireless contactless system that uses radio frequency electromagnetic fields to transfer data from the chip 30 to a receiver for automatic identification and tracking. EMV is a global standard for the interoperability of integrated circuit cards (IC cards or "chip cards") and point of sale (POS) terminals and Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) that can use IC cards, used to authenticate credit and debit card transactions. The card 10 further includes a holographic image 32 that can be used to deter counterfeiting. Although not shown, the card 10 may further include one or more transparent portions. Such transparent portions may include one or more optically recognizable layers or infrared blocking inks to allow the transparent portions to be recognized by an optical card reader. These additional features may allow the transaction card 10 to be more convenient, efficient, and/or secure to use.

Referring to fig. 3, flat sheet 11 is constructed from a front layer 34 and a back layer 36. In the illustrated embodiment, the front layer 34 is a metal (e.g., stainless steel) and the back layer 36 is carbon. The front layer 34 may comprise a different metal (e.g., nickel silver or any other metal or alloy). The front and back layers 34, 36 may be adhered to one another or otherwise held to one another, such as with an adhesive.

The carbon layer 36 may take any of a variety of forms, such as carbon graphite and/or carbon fiber. In carbon fiber embodiments, the carbon layer 36 may comprise a carbon braid. In certain embodiments, the carbon layer 36 may be entirely carbon. The percentage of carbon and/or carbon graphite in the carbon layer 36 may vary and may be as high as 100%. However, the adaptive embodiments are not limited to any particular carbon/carbon graphite ratio or percentage or type and form of carbon.

In the illustrated embodiment, the thickness of front layer 34 may be about 0.02 "and the thickness of back layer 36 may be about 0.013" for a card 10 having an overall thickness of 0.033 ". In another embodiment, the front layer 34 may be about 0.02 "thick and the back layer 36 may be about 0.007" thick for a total thickness of 0.027 "for the card 10. In still other embodiments, the total thickness of the card may be in the range of 0.0315 "to 0.032". However, the aforementioned dimensions are not limiting, as the card 10 and/or its layers 34, 36 may have any thickness.

In some embodiments, front layer 34 may comprise a coating, such as a Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) coating. The PVD coating may be black in color, for example, to match the natural black color of the metal layer 34 to the carbon layer 36. In certain other embodiments, the card 10 may include additional layers, where at least one of the layers is one or more polymeric materials. For example, the outer layers of the card 10 may be a polymer while the inner layers of the card 10 are carbon or metal, or vice versa.

Most transaction cards today are constructed from plastic. The transaction card 10 of the present invention is advantageously stronger and more durable than such plastic cards. It is also stiffer, lighter, and has a longer life. In addition to these benefits, the carbon/metal combination provides the card 10 with a unique tactile feel and high tech look. Due to its uniqueness, the card 10 is more desirable than a typical plastic card.

As shown at block B402, the method of manufacturing the present card 10 may include printing text on the back surface of a flat carbon sheet. The text may include the text shown in fig. 2, and/or a web address with information related to the card 10, and/or one or more customer service telephone numbers, and/or other text. Printing may be performed on a sheet of the carbon layer 36 that will ultimately be cut in a grid pattern to separate multiple cards 10 from one another.

As shown at block B404, the method further includes coating the stainless steel sheet with a black coating using a PVD process. Also, the coating may be performed on a sheet of the metal layer 34 that will eventually be cut in a grid pattern to separate the plurality of cards 10 from each other. In an alternative embodiment, the sheet may be a metal other than stainless steel and the coating method may be a method other than PVD, such as a diamond-like carbon (DLC) application method. Further, in alternative embodiments, the coating may be a color other than black.

As shown at block B406, the method further includes adhering the printed carbon sheet to the coated stainless steel sheet. The front surface 12 of the CARD 10 is then etched with the interlocking "BLACK CARD" (BLACK CARD) design shown in fig. 1, as shown at block B408. In alternative embodiments, the "BLACK CARD" design may be applied by methods other than etching, such as engraving. Larger "BLACK CARD" indicia may also be etched/engraved.

The method further includes hot embossing the signature block, magnetic stripe and hologram onto the back surface of the card 10 and attaching an RFID chip, as shown at blocks B410 and B412, respectively. The sheet is then cut to produce a plurality of cards 10, as shown at block B414. In one embodiment, the metal and carbon sheets may be 19.875 "x 25.20" in size, and each card 10 is 3.370 "x 2.125" in size when cut. Each card 10 is then finalized with the cardholder information on the front surface 10, the last four digits of the account number and the card security code are embossed on the signature field, and the magnetic stripe and RFID chip are processed, as shown at block B416.

The foregoing description shows the best mode contemplated for carrying out the transaction card of the present invention, as well as the best mode and method of making and using the same, using such comprehensive, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use such transaction card. However, such a transaction card is susceptible to fully equivalent modifications and structural substitutions as compared to the discussion above. Thus, such a transaction card is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. Rather, this transaction card encompasses all modifications and structural substitutions falling within the spirit and scope of the transaction card as generally represented by the following claims, which particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter of the transaction card.

Claims (10)

1. A transaction card, comprising:

a substantially planar sheet having a front surface, a back surface, and a continuous peripheral edge;

wherein the flat sheet comprises a first layer and a second layer.

2. The transaction card of claim 1, wherein the first layer is a metal and the second layer is carbon.

3. The transaction card of claim 2, wherein the metal layer is stainless steel.

4. The transaction card of claim 2, wherein the metal layer is nickel silver.

5. A method of manufacturing a transaction card, the method comprising:

printing characters on the rear surface of the flat carbon sheet;

coating a stainless steel sheet with a black coating;

adhering the printed carbon sheet to the coated stainless steel sheet; and

the signature strip, magnetic strip and hologram are hot stamped onto the back surface of the card.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising applying a design to a front surface of the card.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the design comprises an interlocking detail of "BLACK CARD".

8. The method of claim 6, wherein applying the design comprises etching.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein applying the design comprises engraving.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising attaching a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip to the card.