Method of manufacturing card-type storage device and card-type storage device

A method of manufacturing a small, thin card-type storage device is capable of easily manufacturing a frame for the storage device from a variety of resin materials without molding a very thin recessed bottom of the supporter. The method prepares a card-type support frame member from resin and a sheet material, cuts the sheet material into the size of the support frame member, to form a support sheet, bonds the support sheet to a bottom surface of the support frame member, to form a frame, and fits a memory module to be fixed in an opening of the support frame member in the frame, thereby completing the card-type storage device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a card-type
 storage device and a card-type storage device. In particular, the present
 invention relates to a technique for facilitating manufacturing a frame
 that supports a semiconductor memory, and for enabling the storage device
 itself to indicate contents stored in the storage device, in a thin type
 card-type storage that incorporates a semiconductor memory.
 2. Description of the Background Art
 FIGS. 1 and 2 show the structure of a conventional standard card-type
 storage device, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view and FIG. 2 a
 sectional view.
 This type of storage device is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No.
 5,550,709.
 A conventional technique for manufacturing such a card-type storage device
 injection-molds a card-type frame 111 of solid body from plastic. The
 frame 111 has an opening 111a to receive a memory module 113. The memory
 module 113 has a semiconductor memory 113a and a flat electrode 113b and
 is fitted into the opening 111a of the frame 111 to be fixed such that the
 flat electrode 113b is exposed.
 Above-mentioned conventional technique for manufacturing the car-type
 storage device, however, has the following problems.
 Apparatuses such as digital cameras that employ card-type storage devices
 are becoming smaller, and therefore, the card-type storage devices are
 required to be smaller and thinner. In the thin storage device of FIGS. 1
 and 2, the frame 111, which is injection-molded into solid body, must have
 a very thin recessed bottom 111b under the opening 111a for receiving the
 memory module 113. To form such a thin bottom 111b, a precision metal mold
 must be prepared through difficult processes, and the inside of the metal
 mold must be kept under a low pressure when injecting resin into it. This
 complicates the structure of a molding mechanism and makes the resin
 injection work difficult.
 There is a risk of injection-molding the thin bottom 111b into an unwanted
 shape depending on resin material used for the frame 111. More
 particularly, to correctly form the thin bottom 111b, molten resin must be
 injected into the corners of a metal mold. To achieve this, the resin must
 be heated to reduce the viscosity thereof and must be injected into the
 injection point of the metal mold with great pressure. At this time,
 however, the resin will burn due to frictional heat if the resin has low
 heat resistance. If heat-resistive resin is used to avoid the problem, it
 may deform the thin bottom 111b because the heat-resistive resin has high
 viscosity.
 There are only limited resin materials that may correctly form a card-type
 frame having a thin recessed bottom. Such materials include MULTIRON
 TN-3813-B of Teijin Chemical Company. This resin material, however, has
 limited applications because it is incapable of forming transparent or
 translucent card-type frame that withstands a high temperature of 100
 degrees centigrade or higher.
 In this way, the conventional technique is hardly capable of manufacturing
 thin, small card-type storage devices having a thin recessed bottom 111b.
 Making a card-type storage device with transparent or translucent material
 provides an advantage to show an image printed on the storage device to a
 user so that the user may easily recognize the contents of information
 stored therein, as a characteristic of above mentioned card-type storage
 device. However, the conventional technique allows only limited materials
 to form card-type frame 111 of solid body. Accordingly, the conventional
 technique is unable to freely form transparent or translucent card-type
 storage devices to meet various applications for card-type frame thereof.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 An object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing
 a small, thin card-type storage device, capable of easily manufacturing a
 frame for the storage device from a variety of resin materials without
 forming a very thin recessed bottom of the frame.
 Another object of the present invention is to provide a card-type storage
 device enabling the storage device to indicate contents stored therein.
 In order to accomplish the objects, the present invention forms a card-type
 storage device frame with a sheet and a support frame member. The sheet
 and support frame member may be made of transparent or translucent
 material.
 More precisely, one aspect of the present invention provides a method of
 manufacturing a card-type storage device, including the steps of (a)
 preparing a card-type support frame member having an opening, (a')
 preparing a sheet material, (b) cutting the sheet material into the size
 of the support frame member, to form a support sheet, (c) bonding the
 support sheet to a bottom surface of the support frame member, to form a
 frame, and (d) fitting a memory module to be fixed in the opening of the
 support frame member in the frame. The memory module has at least one
 semiconductor memory sealed therein on a first surface of the memory
 module and a flat external terminal exposed on a second surface of the
 memory module. The memory module is fitted in the opening of the support
 frame member in the frame such that the second surface thereof aligns with
 a top surface of the frame.
 Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of manufacturing
 a card-type storage device, including the steps of (aa) preparing a
 card-type support frame member having an opening, (aa') preparing a sheet
 material, (bb) bonding a bottom surface of the support frame member onto
 the sheet material, (cc) cutting the sheet material along the support
 frame member, to form a frame made of the support frame member and the cut
 sheet material serving as a support sheet attached to the bottom surface
 of the support frame member, and (dd) fitting a memory module to be fixed
 in the opening of the support frame member in the frame. The memory module
 has at least one semiconductor memory sealed therein on a first surface of
 the memory module and a flat external terminal exposed on a second surface
 of the memory module.
 Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of manufacturing
 card-type storage devices, including the steps of (aaa) preparing, from
 resin, a frame member set made of consecutively joined card-type support
 frame members each having an opening, as well as a sheet material whose
 size is substantially equal to or larger than the frame member set; (bbb)
 bonding a bottom surface of the frame member set onto the sheet material,
 (ccc) cutting the frame set along the support frame members to
 simultaneously form frames each made of the support frame member and the
 cut sheet material serving as a support sheet attached to the bottom
 surface of the support frame member, and (ddd) fitting a memory module to
 be fixed in the opening of the support frame member of each of the frames.
 The memory module has at least one semiconductor memory sealed with resin
 on a first surface of the memory module and a flat external terminal
 exposed on a second surface of the memory module.
 Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of manufacturing
 a card-type storage device, including a card-type support frame member
 made of resin and having an opening, a support sheet bonded to a bottom
 surface of the support frame member, and a memory module having at least
 one semiconductor memory sealed with resin on a first surface of the
 memory module and a flat external terminal exposed on a second surface of
 the memory module. The method includes the steps of (a) preparing the
 support frame member and a sheet material, (b) cutting the sheet material
 into the size of the support frame member, to form the support sheet, (c)
 bonding the support sheet to the bottom surface of the support frame
 member, to form a frame, and (d) fitting the memory module to be fixed in
 the opening of the support frame member in the frame.
 Another aspect of the present invention provides a card-type storage device
 having a card-type support frame member having an opening and made of
 transparent or translucent material, a support sheet bonded to a bottom
 surface of the support frame member, and a memory module having at least
 one semiconductor memory sealed therein on a first surface of the memory
 module and a flat external terminal exposed on a second surface of the
 memory module. The card-type storage device is manufactured by the steps
 of (a") preparing the support frame member and a sheet material, (b")
 cutting the sheet material into the size of the support frame member, to
 form the support sheet, (c") bonding the support sheet to the bottom
 surface of the support frame member, to form a frame, and (d") fitting the
 memory module to be fixed in the opening of the support frame member in
 the frame.
 Another aspect of the present invention provides a card-type storage device
 having (a) a frame and (b) a memory module. The frame includes a card-type
 support frame member having an opening and made of resin, and a support
 sheet bonded to a bottom surface of the support frame member. The support
 frame member bottomed with the support sheet forms the frame. The memory
 module includes at least one semiconductor memory sealed therein on a
 first surface of the memory module and a flat external terminal exposed on
 a second surface of the memory module.
 Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent
 from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying
 drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
 Now, the preferred embodiments of the methods of manufacturing card-type
 storage devices and the card-type storage devices themselves according to
 the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to FIGS.
 3 to 24.
 First Embodiment
 FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a card-type storage device
 manufactured according to the first embodiment of the present invention
 and FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along a line IV--IV of FIG. 3. FIG. 5
 shows a first surface of a memory module installed in the storage device
 of FIGS. 3 and 4.
 This storage device is a so-called "SmartMedia" (that is registered
 trademark), which is a small, thin card-type storage device. The storage
 device comprises the memory module 13 of about, for example, 0.665 mm
 thick and a card-type frame 10 of about 0.76 mm .+-.0.08 mm thick.
 The frame 10 comprises a card-type support frame member 11 made of resin
 having an opening 11a, and a support sheet 12 bonded to a bottom surface
 of the support frame member 11. The opening 11a consists of a recess 11b
 and a through hole 11c that is formed at the bottom of the recess 11b and
 is smaller than the recess 11b. Making the through hole 11c smaller than
 the recess 11b is to firmly fit a semiconductor memory 13b of the memory
 module 13 to be fixed in the opening 11a. The support frame member 11 has
 a write-protect area 11d for prohibiting data in the memory 13b from being
 rewritten, and a label area 11e.
 The memory module 13 has a circuit board 13a having first and second
 surfaces. The semiconductor memory 13b is sealed with resin on the first
 surface of the circuit board 13a. Each connection terminal of the
 semiconductor memory 13b is connected to a wire 13e, which is connected to
 a through hole 13d. The through hole 13d is connected to a flat external
 terminal 13c, which is arranged on the second surface of the circuit board
 13a. The memory module 13 is fitted to the support frame 11 such that the
 second surface of the memory module 13 aligns with a top surface of the
 support frame member 11.
 The memory module 13 fits to be fixed in the opening 11a of the frame 10
 such that the flat external terminal 13c is exposed. More precisely, as
 shown in FIG. 4, the circuit board 13a is engaged in the recess 11b of the
 opening 11a, and the terminal 13c is flush with and exposed from the top
 surface of the frame 10. At the same time, the semiconductor memory 13b
 fits to be fixed in the through hole 11c. Namely, the recess 11b and
 through hole 11c of the opening 11a form a stepped structure to properly
 hold the semiconductor memory 13b and the terminal 13c of the memory
 module 13. The semiconductor memory 13b is, for example, a flash memory or
 a mask ROM.
 Next, a method of manufacturing the card-type storage device according to
 the first embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 6 to 11.
 FIG. 6 is a process diagram generally showing the manufacturing method of
 the first embodiment. FIGS. 7 to 11 show manufacturing steps according to
 the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the card-type
 support frame member 11 and FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along a line
 IX--IX of FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the card-type
 frame 10 and FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along a line XI--XI of FIG.
 10.
 Step S11 prepares a sheet material of 0.10 mm to 0.17 mm thick. Step S12
 cuts the sheet material into the size of the card-type support frame
 member 11, to form a support sheet 12 shown in FIG. 7, for example. At the
 same time, step S13 prepares the support frame member 11 having the
 opening 11a by, for example, injection molding as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.
 The thickness of the support frame member 11 is, for example, about 0.665
 mm, which is the same as the thickness of the memory module 13.
 Step S14 bonds the support sheet 12 to a bottom surface of the support
 frame member 11 with the use of adhesive agent, for example, to form the
 card-type frame 10 as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. In the frame 10, the
 bottom of the opening 11a of the support frame member 11 is closed with
 the support sheet 12. It is necessary to precisely align the support sheet
 12 with the support frame member 11.
 The last step S15 fixes the memory module 13 in the opening 11a of the
 frame 10 with the use of, for example, adhesive agent, thereby completing
 the card-type storage device shown in FIG. 3.
 When the thickness of the storage device must be equalized to that of a
 bank card or credit card, i.e., about 0.76 mm .+-.0.08 mm, the recess
 bottom 111b should be formed (FIG. 2) to 0.13 mm to 0.15 mm. Therefor, it
 is nearly impossible for the conventional technique to form the card-type
 supporter having such a thin recess bottom by injection molding from
 transparent or translucent material with respect to the above
 "SmartMedia".
 On the other hand, the manufacturing method of the first embodiment is
 capable of forming a small, thin card-type frame 10 without molding a very
 thin part of 0.2 mm thick or thinner from resin material even with small
 and thin card-type storage device such as "SmartMedia". As a result, the
 frame 10 of the first embodiment is manufacturable with the use of
 existing metal molds and injection molding machines. The frame 10 of the
 first embodiment is easily molded from an extended range of resin
 materials including transparent and translucent resin materials.
 Accordingly, the support frame member 11 and support sheet 12 that form
 the frame 10 may easily be formed to be transparent or translucent. When
 the frame 10 is transparent or translucent, an image that indicates and
 displays contents stored in the memory module 13 may be printed on the
 frame 10, so that a user may easily recognize the contents stored in the
 card-type storage device. In other words, the first embodiment enables a
 card-type storage device to have an indication of contents stored in the
 storage device. The indication may be an image representing contents such
 as music, book text, images, or voice reading a book.
 Such an image is, for example, a photograph or picture of a singer who
 sings the music stored in the storage device in computer readable
 electronic format. FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a picture 12b of
 a singer. FIG. 16 is a front view of FIG. 15, as well as FIG. 17 is a back
 view of FIG. 15.
 The indication may be other than images. For example, the indication may be
 characters or letters. Such characters may be a code that uniquely
 identifies a particular music album by a particular singer or a particular
 book by a particular writer. Further, such characters may be just a title
 of a particular book.
 To make the support frame member 11 and support sheet 12 transparent or
 translucent, they may be made from polycarbonate. The polycarbonate frame
 member 11 and sheet 12 hardly warp when they are bonded together into the
 frame 10, so that the frame 10 may be flat. One of the support frame
 member 11 and support sheet 12 may be made of polycarbonate, and the other
 polyester. This structure enables an image to firmly be printed on the
 frame 10.
 Next, an example of processing a card-type frame 10 comprising transparent
 support frame member 11 and sheet 12 will be explained.
 After a transparent or translucent sheet is cut into the support sheet 12
 in step S12 of FIG. 6, an image 12a of, for example, FIG. 14 is printed on
 the support sheet 12 in step S12b. Thereafter, steps S13, S14, and S15 are
 successively carried out to complete the transparent or translucent frame
 10. A user can see the image 12a through the transparent or translucent
 frame 10 as shown in a top perspective view of FIG. 13 and a bottom
 perspective view of FIG. 14. The image 12a is printed on the support sheet
 12, and then, the support sheet 12 is bonded to the support frame member
 11 to form the frame 10. This improves the value of the card-type storage
 device serving as a package medium, that is a package marketed with
 contents.
 Instead of printing an image on the support sheet 12 in step S12b, an image
 may be printed on a sheet material that is not cut yet, in step S11b.
 Namely, step S11b prints the image 12a of FIG. 12 on the sheet material
 prepared in step S11 in a surface area where the support frame member 11
 is to be bonded, and thereafter, step S12 cuts the sheet material into the
 support sheet 12.
 Further, the image 12a may be preferably printed on the surface of the
 support sheet 12 that is to be bonded to the support frame member 11, so
 that the image 12a may withstand abrasion. Yet further, the surface of the
 support sheet 12 on which the image 12a is printed may be coated with a
 thin film to prevent adhesive agent from deteriorating or erasing the
 image 12a.
 Second Embodiment
 FIGS. 18 to 19C show a method of manufacturing a card-type storage device
 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The
 difference of the second embodiment from the first embodiment will be
 explained.
 FIG. 18 is a process diagram generally showing the manufacturing method of
 the second embodiment, and FIGS. 19A to 19C explain manufacturing
 processes of the second embodiment.
 Step S21 prepares a sheet material 12A of 0.10 mm to 0.17 mm thick as shown
 in FIG. 19A. The size of the sheet material 12A is larger than the support
 frame member 11. Step S22 prepares the support frame member 11, which is
 the same as that of FIGS. 8 and 9.
 Step S23 bonds a bottom surface of the support frame member 11 onto the
 sheet material 12A as shown in FIG. 19B. Step S24 cuts the sheet material
 12A along the support frame member 11 as shown in FIG. 19C, to complete a
 card-type frame 10 like the one shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.
 The last step S25 fits a memory module 13 to be fixed in an opening 11a of
 the support frame member 11 with the use of, for example, adhesive agent,
 to complete a card-type storage device like the one shown in FIG. 3.
 In this way, the second embodiment prepares the large sheet material 12A,
 bonds the card-type support frame member 11 onto the sheet material 12A,
 and cuts the sheet material 12A along the support frame member 11. Unlike
 the first embodiment, the second embodiment requires no precision when
 attaching the support frame member 11 to the sheet material 12A, thereby
 making the manufacturing of a card-type storage device easier.
 To print an image 12a, step S21 prepares the sheet material 12A first, and
 step S21b prints the image 12a in an area of the sheet material 12A where
 the support frame member 11 is to be bonded. Thereafter, step S23 bonds
 the support frame member 11 and sheet material 12A together, and step S24
 cuts the sheet material 12A along the support frame member 11.
 Like the first embodiment, it is preferable to print the image 12a on the
 surface area of the sheet material 12A that is to be bonded to the support
 frame member 11 and to coat the image-printed surface of the sheet
 material 12A with a thin film, to realize the effects of the first
 embodiment (FIGS. 13 and 14).
 Third Embodiment
 FIGS. 20 to 24 show a method of manufacturing a card-type storage device
 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The difference
 of the third embodiment from the first and second embodiment will be
 explained.
 FIG. 20 is a process diagram generally showing the manufacturing method of
 the third embodiment, and FIGS. 21 to 24 explain manufacturing processes
 of the third embodiment.
 Step S31 prepares, from resin, a frame member set made of consecutively
 joined card-type support frame members 11 as shown in FIG. 21. Each
 boundary between the adjacent frame members 11 is provided with a tapered
 cut 11f as shown in FIG. 22. At the same time, step S32 prepares a sheet
 material 12A whose size corresponds to the frame member set. The tapered
 cuts 11f make the following cut process easier, reduce stress on the
 support frame members 11, and provide smooth cut edges. The size of the
 sheet material 12A is substantially equal to or slightly larger than the
 size of the frame member set.
 Step S33 bonds a bottom surface of the frame member set onto the sheet
 material 12A as shown in FIGS. 23 and 24. Step S34 uses the cuts 11f as
 guides to cut and separate the support frame members 11 and sheet material
 12A from one another with the use of a metal mold, to simultaneously form
 card-type frames 10 each consisting of the support frame member 11 and a
 support sheet 12 attaching to the bottom of the support frame member 11.
 The last step S35 fits a memory module 13 to be fixed in an opening 11a of
 the support frame member 11 of each of the frames 10 with the use of, for
 example, adhesive agent, thereby simultaneously providing card-type
 storage devices each having the structure of FIGS. 3 and 4.
 In this way, the third embodiment prepares a frame member set consisting of
 card-type support frame members 11 from resin, bonds the frame member set
 onto a sheet material 12A, and simultaneously cuts the frame member set
 and sheet material into card-type frames. Consequently, the third
 embodiment simultaneously produces card-type storage devices each having
 the structure of FIGS. 3 and 4, to make the manufacturing of card-type
 storage devices easier and manufacturing costs lower compared with the
 first and second embodiments.
 Printing an image 12a is carried out in the same manner as the second
 embodiment. Namely, step S32 prepares a sheet material 12A, and step S32b
 prints the image 12a in each area of the sheet material 12A where each
 frame member 11 is to be fixed. Thereafter, step S33 bonds a frame member
 set and the sheet material 12A together, and step S34 separates support
 frame members 11 from one another.
 Like the first embodiment, it is preferable to print the images 12a on the
 surface of the sheet material 12A to be bonded to the frame member set and
 to coat the image-printed surface of the sheet material 12A with a thin
 film, to realize the effects of the first embodiment (FIGS. 13 and 14).
 In each of the first to third embodiments, the thickness of the card-type
 support frame member 11 is equal to the thickness (0.665 mm) of the memory
 module 13. The thickness of the support frame member 11 may be thicker
 than the memory module 13 by about 0.01 mm to 0.10 mm. In this case, there
 will be a gap between the semiconductor memory 13b and the support sheet
 12. The gap may relax warping force applied to the card-type storage
 device, to prevent a breakage of the memory module 13.
 In FIGS. 13 and 14, the image 12a is printed on the support sheet 12 so
 that the image 12a may not overlap the write-protect area 11d of the
 support frame member 11 when the support frame member 11 and support sheet
 12 are bonded together. The write-protect area 11d is an area where a
 write-protect conductive seal is attached to prohibit data stored in the
 semiconductor memory 13b from erroneously being rewritten. The conductive
 seal is made of adhesive paper coated with aluminum or stainless steel.
 Usually, the support frame member 11 is made of nonconductive material,
 and therefore, two electrodes are brought in contact with the
 write-protect area 11d to check the conductivity of a signal applied
 between the two electrodes and determine whether or not it is
 write-protected.
 If the image 12a overlaps the write-protect area 11d, the area 11d may
 partly hide the image 12a when attaching the conductive seal to the
 write-protect area 11d. Although partly hiding the image 12a causes no
 electrical or functional problem, it is not preferable in terms of
 appearance. Accordingly, it is preferable to estimate and avoid the
 write-protect area 11d when printing an image on the support sheet 12.
 Namely, it is preferable to separate the image 12a from the write-protect
 area 11d.
 Fourth Embodiment
 Next, a novel card-type storage device manufactured according to the method
 of any one of the embodiments of the present invention will be explained.
 According to the manufacturing method of the present invention, a card-type
 support frame member and a support sheet are separately prepared and are
 bonded together. Accordingly, the support frame member and sheet may be
 made of different materials and may have different colors. For example,
 the support frame member may be white and the support sheet red, to form a
 two-color card-type storage device. This technique enables users to
 distinguish card-type storage devices, which have the same dimensions and
 shapes and different functions, from one another. Among card-type storage
 devices, there are high-function storage devices that store individual
 identification (ID) data. Such high-function storage devices may be made
 in two-color structures, and low-function cards having no identification
 data in single-color structures, so that users may easily distinguish them
 from others.
 In another case, card-type storage devices incorporating flash memories
 that are electrically programmable may be made in two-color structures,
 and card-type storage devices incorporating mask ROMs that are read-only
 may be made in single-color structures.
 When providing a card-type support frame member and a support sheet with
 different colors, at least the support frame member may be transparent or
 translucent so that a user may see an image printed on the support sheet
 through the support frame member. The image may indicate contents to be
 stored in the storage device, so that the storage device itself may
 display identification data for the contents thereof. Unlike printing an
 image on a label and attaching the label to the storage device, the image
 serving as contents identification data printed on the storage device
 thereof is hardly deteriorated or erased.
 In summary, as explained above in detail, the present invention cuts a
 sheet material into the size of a card-type support frame member and bonds
 the cut sheet to a bottom surface of the support frame member, to form a
 frame for a card-type storage device. The frame involves no thin part to
 be molded from resin, and therefore, is applicable even to form a
 so-called "SmartMedia" that is very small and thin. The supporter of the
 present invention is easy to manufacture from an extended range of resin
 materials with the use of existing metal molds and injecting machines.
 Alternatively, the present invention prepares a sheet material larger than
 a card-type support frame member, bonds a bottom surface of the support
 frame member onto the sheet material, and then cuts the sheet material
 along the support frame member to form a frame. This frame provides the
 same effect as the above-mentioned frame. This technique eliminates a
 precise alignment between the sheet and the support frame member, to make
 the manufacturing of a card-type storage device easier.
 Alternatively, the present invention prepares a frame member set consisting
 of consecutively joined card-type support frame members, bonds a bottom
 surface of the frame member set onto a sheet material, and then cuts the
 sheet-bonded frame member set along each of the support frame members, to
 simultaneously produce a plurality frames. In addition to the
 above-mentioned effects, this technique simultaneously manufactures a
 plurality of card-type storage devices to make the manufacturing of
 card-type storage devices easier and reduce the manufacturing costs of the
 storage devices.
 The present invention extends a range of resin materials to manufacture
 card-type storage devices. Namely, the present invention enables
 transparent and translucent resin materials to be used for manufacturing
 support frame members and sheets to form transparent and translucent
 card-type storage devices.
 According to the present invention, an image may be printed on a support
 sheet that forms a transparent or translucent frame of a card-type storage
 device, so that the image may be seen through the frame. This improves the
 value of the card-type storage device when marketed as a package medium.
 The image-printed surface of the support sheet may be coated with a film so
 that the image may not be deteriorated or erased due to, for example,
 adhesive agent.
 It is to be noted that, besides those already mentioned above, many
 modifications and variations of the above embodiments may be made without
 departing from the novel and advantageous features of the present
 invention. Accordingly, all such modifications and variations are intended
 to be included within the scope of the appended claims.