Patent ID: 6256873
Filing Date: 2001-07-10
Classification: B29C,G06K,Y10T

Abstract:
A process for making a smart card comprising a top layer, a core layer in which an ITA-based circuit is embedded and a bottom layer, said process comprising:(1) associating a splitter edge device with a ITA-based circuit to form a splitter edge device/ITA-based circuit assembly;(2) placing the splitter edge device/ITA-based circuit assembly in a gate region wherein a liquid thermosetting material is injected into a void space between the top layer and the bottom layer;(3) placing the splitter edge device/ITA-based circuit assembly over a bottom layer of a polymeric material in a bottom mold;(4) positioning a top layer under a top mold;(5) closing the top mold to the bottom mold in a manner that creates a void space between the top layer and bottom layer;(6) injecting the liquid thermosetting polymeric material into the void space at temperature and pressure conditions which are such that: (a) the ITA-based circuit is immersed in a central region of the thermosetting material, (b) the ITA-based circuit is not in contact with the bottom layer, (c) at least one layer of the smart card is at least partially molded into a cavity in the top mold, (d) gases are driven out of the void space, (e) the ITA-based circuit is encapsulated in a cured form of the thermosetting polymeric material and (f) the thermosetting polymeric material bonds with both the top layer and the bottom layer to produce a unified precursor smart card body;(7) removing the unified precursor smart card body from the mold device; and(8) trimming the precursor smart card to a desired dimension to produce a smart card.