US5030309A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for making cards, in particular memory cards
Assignee: Schlumberger SA
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Filing: 1989-07-14
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Granted: 1991-07-09
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Expires: 2009-07-14
Abstract
Abstract According to the invention the card body is made by molding a plastic material such as ABS. The mold (20, 22) includes a core (24) serving to define a cavity in the card body for the purpose of receiving a card electronic module.
Inventors
- 👤 Marc Brignet
- 👤 Emile Droche
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 19:33
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K19/00; G06K19/06; G06K19/067; G06K19/07; G06K19/077; G06K19/0772; G06K19/07724; B; B29; B29C; B29C45/00; B29C45/17; B29C45/26; G06K19/07745; H; H10; H10W; H10W74/00; H10W74/01; H10W74/016; B29L; B29L2017/00; B29L2017/006; H10W72/00; H10W72/851; H10W72/874; H10W72/884; H10W90/00; H10W90/701; H10W90/751; H10W90/754
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
A method for making an electronic memory card comprising a card body which is substantially in the form of a rectangular parallelipiped having two main faces, said card body satisfying the requirements of the ISO standard regarding the dimensions of the card body and the bending properties of said card body, said card body containing an electronic module constituting a data medium, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a mold having an inner mold volume limited by two parallel main faces substantially rectangular and an edge, said main faces being separated by a distance less than 1 mm, one of said main faces being provided with a projection for defining a cavity in the card body; (b) injecting into said mold volume a thermoplastic material, for said plastic material to fill all of said mold volume to form the entire card body therewith; (c) unmolding the card body so obtained; (d) providing an electronic module; and (e) fixing said electronic module into the cavity produced by the projection on said one of said main faces of said mold.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
180 words
A method for making an electronic memory card comprising a card body which is substantially in the form of a rectangular parallelipiped having two main faces, said card body satisfying the requirements of the ISO standard regarding the dimensions of the card body and the bending properties of said card body, said card body containing an electronic module constituting a data medium, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a mold having an inner mold volume limited by two parallel main faces substantially rectangular and an edge, said main faces being separated by a distance less than 1 mm, one of said main faces being provided with a projection for defining a cavity in the card body; (b) injecting into said mold volume a thermoplastic material, for said plastic material to fill all of said mold volume to form the entire card body therewith; (c) unmolding the card body so obtained; (d) providing an electronic module; and (e) fixing said electronic module into the cavity produced by the projection on said one of said main faces of said mold.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said main face of the mold volume has a width of about 55 mm and a length of about 85 mm, and the distance between said two main faces is approximately 0.8 mm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said plastic material is injected into said mold volume through an injection hole located in one of said main faces of said mold.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 3 wherein said injection hole is located in the part of the main face remote from said projection.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic material is an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene which is injected at a temperature lying between 220 degrees Centigrade and 260 degrees Centigrade, and the mold is kept at a temperature lying between 10 degrees Centigrade and 50 degrees Centigrade.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
181 words
A method of making an electronic memory card comprising a card body having bending properties satisfying the requirements of the ISO standard and an electronic module constituting a data medium, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a mold having a mold volume limited by two parallel main faces substantially rectangular in shape and an edge, said main faces having a width of about 55 mm and a length of about 85 mm, the distance separating said two main faces being approximately 0.8 mm, one of said main faces being provided with an extension for defining a cavity in the card body; (b) injecting an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) to fill all of said mold volume to form the entire card body therewith; (c) unmolding the card body so obtained; (d) providing an electronic module comprising an insulating support having electrical contact tabs on one of its two faces and a semiconductor chip fixed on the other face of said insulating support; and (e) placing said electronic module within said cavity and fixing said electronic module to said card body.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
181 words
A method of making an electronic memory card comprising a card body having bending properties satisfying the requirements of the ISO standard and an electronic module constituting a data medium, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a mold having a mold volume limited by two parallel main faces substantially rectangular in shape and an edge, said main faces having a width of about 55 mm and a length of about 85 mm, the distance separating said two main faces being approximately 0.8 mm, one of said main faces being provided with an extension for defining a cavity in the card body; (b) injecting an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) to fill all of said mold volume to form the entire card body therewith; (c) unmolding the card body so obtained; (d) providing an electronic module comprising an insulating support having electrical contact tabs on one of its two faces and a semiconductor chip fixed on the other face of said insulating support; and (e) placing said electronic module within said cavity and fixing said electronic module to said card body.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 6, wherein, after said electronic module has been fixed in place, symbols are embossed on the card body.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method according to claim 6, wherein after said module has been fixed in place, a magnetic track is affixed to the main face of said card body.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
140 words
The method according to claim 6, wherein said electronic module includes a printed circuit component comprising an insulating support having a plurality of holes therethrough together with metallization to define said electrical contact tabs, said metallization closing one end of each of said holes, and wherein a plurality of studs projecting into said cavity are formed when the card body is made by injection molding, with the diameter of such studs being smaller than the diameter of said holes, placing the electronic module into said cavity with said studs on the card body penetrating, respectively, into said holes through the insulating support, and heating said electronic module locally to soften and crush the ends of said studs so that the crushed stud ends spread to engage the periphery of the holes, thereby fastening the electronic module to the card body.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of making an electronic memory card having dimensional bending properties satisfying the requirements of the ISO standard and an electronic module fastened within a cavity formed in said card body, comprising the steps of: providing a mold having an inner mold volume limited by two parallel main faces substantially rectangular and an edge, said main faces being separated by a distance less than 1 mm, providing a projection on one of said two main faces for defining said cavity in the card body, providing an injection point on the other of said two main faces, said injection point being opposite said projection, injecting into the mold through said injection point a thermoplastic material to fill said mold volume, thereby forming said card body, unmolding the card body from said mold, and fastening said electronic module into the cavity of said card body.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of making an electronic memory card having dimensional bending properties satisfying the requirements of the ISO standard and an electronic module fastened within a cavity formed in said card body, comprising the steps of: providing a mold having an inner mold volume limited by two parallel main faces substantially rectangular and an edge, said main faces being separated by a distance less than 1 mm, providing a projection on one of said two main faces for defining said cavity in the card body, providing an injection point on the other of said two main faces, said injection point being opposite said projection, injecting into the mold through said injection point a thermoplastic material to fill said mold volume, thereby forming said card body, unmolding the card body from said mold, and fastening said electronic module into the cavity of said card body.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of providing said projection with hollows to define studs extending from a bottom of said cavity in the card body.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 10, wherein the steps of providing a projection on one of said two main faces comprises providing a core.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of cooling said core.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-07-08 | 1995-01-07 | 1995-07-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-07-08 | 1999-01-07 | 1999-07-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-07-08 | 2003-01-07 | 2003-07-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |