Patent ID: 8012809

Claim:
A method for making an advanced smart card comprising a top layer, a core layer of thermoset polymeric material, and a bottom layer comprising an integrated electronics assembly mounted on a substrate, said method comprising: (1) positioning a bottom layer comprising the integrated electronics assembly mounted on a substrate in a bottom mold (2) positioning a top layer comprising synthetic paper or other plastic material in a top mold; (3) closing the top mold to the bottom mold in a manner that creates a void space between the top layer and the bottom layer comprising the integrated electronics assembly; (4) injecting a thermosetting polymeric material into the void space to form a core layer of polymeric material, the injection taking place at a temperature and pressure which are such that: (a) the top layer of material is at least partially cold, low pressure molded into a cavity in the top mold; (b) gases and excess polymeric material are driven out of the void space; (c) the injected polymeric material flows over and around all exposed portions of the electronic components of the integrated electronic assembly positioned on the top surface of the bottom layer such that the bottom surface of the bottom layer remains free of the injected polymeric material; and (d) the thermosetting polymeric material bonds with both the top layer and the bottom layer to produce a unified precursor advanced smart card body; (5) removing the unified precursor advanced smart card body from the top and bottom molds; and (6) trimming the precursor advanced smart card to a desired dimension to produce a finished advanced smart card.