Smart card with light-matt metallic element jacket surface and its manufacturing method

Abstract

This invention relates to a smart card with a matte-gloss surface and a method for preparing the same, belonging to the field of smart card technology. It solves the problems of poor alignment accuracy, easy misalignment, complex processes, high costs, and inability to mass-produce existing smart cards with matte-gloss surfaces and metal-like element alignment. The method involves: binding, laminating, and punching a surface protective film, printing material, and inlay layer to obtain a smart card blank; applying a transparent hot stamping foil to the outermost surface protective film of the smart card blank in a single positioning step to obtain a smart card blank with a matte-gloss nested surface; and then applying a non-transparent hot stamping foil to the matte-gloss nested surface in a second positioning step. This invention achieves a matte-gloss nested surface on the punched smart card blank through a single hot stamping step, and, combined with a second hot stamping step using the same reference edge, enables precise alignment of the metal-like element with the matte-gloss nested surface, thus promoting the mass production of smart cards with matte-gloss surfaces and metal-like element alignment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of smart card technology, and in particular to a smart card with a matte-gloss surface and a method for preparing the same. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of new energy vehicles, car key cards are favored by many car manufacturers due to their intelligence and portability, leading to an increasing demand for unique and technologically advanced appearances. As the matte and glossy finishes are promoted, more and more car manufacturers are choosing this design.

[0003] Current methods primarily utilize lamination of glossy and matte steel plates to create matte and glossy interlocking surfaces for smart cards. However, due to micro-deformation during card manufacturing, errors from lamination, binding, and cutting processes, it's difficult to precisely align and bond the matte and glossy interlocking surfaces prepared through lamination with metallic elements (such as hot stamping gold and silver, or metallographic elements). In practice, there can be a deviation of ±0.5-1mm between the metallic hot stamping elements and the matte and glossy interlocking elements. Furthermore, the metallographic element solution suffers from numerous defects after lamination, such as air spots and watermarks, due to the special steel plate itself not being perfectly flat (the matte surface is obtained by sandblasting a glossy steel plate), and the metallographic element spanning both glossy and matte areas. This results in approximately 45-55% lamination defects. Combined with misalignment issues in the metallographic element placement and post-lamination, the defect rate reaches over 70%, making normal mass production impossible.

[0004] Therefore, in response to users' demand for car key cards that combine a matte and glossy appearance with a metallic element-like surface, there is an urgent need for a new low-cost smart card manufacturing method that can overcome the technical barriers encountered in the current process of accurately fitting the matte and glossy surface of a smart card with a metallic element. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on the above analysis, the present invention aims to provide a smart card with a matte-gloss surface and a method for preparing the same, in order to solve at least one of the problems of poor matte-gloss surface and metal-like element interlocking accuracy, easy misalignment, complex process, high cost, and inability to mass-produce existing matte-gloss surface smart cards.

[0006] On one hand, embodiments of the present invention provide a method for preparing a smart card with a matte-gloss surface and a metallic element-like intercalation surface, the method specifically including the following steps: (1) Position and bind the surface protective film, printing material and INLAY layer to form a large material, and then laminate and cut it to obtain the smart card blank; (2) Using transparent hot stamping foil, a positioning hot stamping is performed on the outermost protective film of the smart card blank to obtain a smart card blank with a glossy and matte nested surface; (3) Using non-transparent hot stamping foil, a secondary positioning hot stamping is performed on the glossy and matte nested surface. The secondary positioning hot stamping uses the same reference edge as the primary positioning hot stamping for positioning.

[0007] Furthermore, in step (1), the surface protective film is either glossy or matte.

[0008] Furthermore, in step (2), the release layer of the transparent hot stamping foil is matte or glossy.

[0009] Furthermore, the release layer of the transparent hot stamping foil is made of PVC material with a thickness of 0.04-0.08 mm.

[0010] Furthermore, the release layer of the non-transparent hot stamping foil is made of PP material.

[0011] Furthermore, in step (2), the temperature of the first positioning hot stamping is 110-200℃, the pressure is 3-10 MPa, and the time is 0.6-3.6 s.

[0012] Furthermore, in step (3), the temperature of the secondary positioning hot stamping is 160-170℃, the pressure is 3-10 MPa, and the speed is 0.65~1.8 s.

[0013] Furthermore, in step (2), the surface protective film is a front surface protective film and / or a back surface protective film.

[0014] On the other hand, embodiments of the present invention also provide a smart card, which is manufactured by the method and has a surface with a glossy / matte finish and metallic-like element interposition.

[0015] Furthermore, the misalignment error between the glossy / matte surface and the metal-like element is ≤ ±0.01 mm.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention can achieve at least one of the following beneficial effects: 1. Compared with existing matte steel plate lamination technology for achieving matte-gloss nested surfaces on smart cards, this invention first uses conventional lamination, binding, and punching processes to obtain punched smart card blanks. These blanks are then subjected to two hot stamping processes. A single hot stamping process gives the punched smart card blanks a matte-gloss nested surface, avoiding the displacement and deformation of the matte-gloss nested surface caused by micro-deformation during lamination, binding, and punching errors inherent in existing technologies. Furthermore, a secondary hot stamping process using the same reference edge for positioning during the first hot stamping ensures precise alignment of the metallic elements with the matte-gloss nested surface (error ≤ ±0.01mm). This invention's preparation method features simple process steps, low equipment requirements, high precision, good repeatability, and a yield rate exceeding 98%, which is beneficial for promoting the mass production of smart cards with matte-gloss surface and metallic element alignment.

[0017] 2. By adjusting the composition and thickness of the transparent hot stamping foil release layer during the first hot stamping process, and in conjunction with the process conditions of the first hot stamping (including temperature, pressure, and time), the present invention enables the transparent hot stamping foil to achieve a glossy and matte nested surface on the smart card blank after the first positioning hot stamping. Then, in conjunction with the process conditions of the second hot stamping (including temperature, pressure, and time), a non-transparent hot stamping foil (i.e., hot stamping of metal-like elements) can be applied to the PVC release layer of the transparent hot stamping foil to achieve precise alignment between the glossy and matte nested surface and the metal-like elements.

[0018] 3. By adjusting the direction of the large sheet during the punching process, this invention ensures that the reference edges of the positioned card are consistent when the smart card blank is hot-stamped twice consecutively after punching, so as to ensure that the glossy and matte nested surfaces and metal-like elements obtained by the two hot stampings can be accurately aligned.

[0019] 4. The smart card prepared by the method of the present invention has a surface with a glossy / matte finish and a metal-like element precisely fitted together. The fitting error between the glossy / matte finish and the metal-like element is very small, controllable within the range of ≤±0.01mm, making it visually difficult to distinguish. Figure 5 , 6 As shown.

[0020] 5. Compared with the existing technology that uses custom-made special laminated steel plates to achieve nesting process, the present invention does not require custom-made special laminated steel plates. On the smart card blank made with existing ordinary equipment, a smart card with a glossy and matte surface and metal-like elements that can be accurately fitted can be obtained by two hot stamping processes. The process is simple, the product yield is high, the preparation cost is low, and it is conducive to mass production.

[0021] In this invention, the above-described technical solutions can be combined with each other to achieve more preferred combinations. Other features and advantages of this invention will be set forth in the following description, and some advantages may become apparent from the description or be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of this invention can be realized and obtained from what is particularly pointed out in the description and drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention. Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same parts.

[0023] Figure 1 is a process flow diagram for preparing the smart card according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the transparent hot stamping foil of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the non-transparent hot stamping foil of the present invention; Figure 4The present invention provides a smart card blank I with a glossy-matte nested surface obtained after a single positioning hot stamping. Figure 5 This is the smart card I obtained after secondary positioning hot stamping according to the present invention; Figure 6 This is a partially enlarged view of the smart card I obtained by the present invention; Figure 7 This refers to the smart card blank III with a matte nested surface obtained using existing matte steel sheet lamination technology; Figure 8 Smart Card III obtained using existing glossy / matte steel plate lamination + hot stamping technology: (a) is the entire smart card, and (b) is a magnified view of a part of it; Figure 9 This refers to the positioning edge determined during the cutting of a large sheet of steel in this invention; Figure label: 1-Base layer; 2-Release coating; 3a-PVC release layer; 3b-PP release layer; 4a-Transparent molding layer; 4b-Non-transparent molding layer; 5-Electroplated layer; 6-Adhesive layer. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which constitute a part of the present invention and are used together with the embodiments of the present invention to illustrate the principles of the present invention, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0025] Current methods primarily utilize lamination of glossy and matte steel sheets to create matte-gloss interlocking surfaces on smart cards. However, due to micro-deformation during lamination, as well as errors in binding and cutting, it is difficult to precisely align and bond the matte-gloss interlocking surfaces prepared through lamination with metallographic elements (such as hot stamping gold or silver, or metallographic elements). In practice, there can be a deviation of ±0.5-1mm between the metallographic hot stamping elements and the matte-gloss interlocking elements, severely impacting the appearance and durability of the smart card.

[0026] The existing method of using a segmented, non-overlapping hot stamping technique to sequentially apply glossy and matte finishes and metallic-like hot stamping to the cut smart card requires the use of specially customized steel plates to achieve the nested glossy and matte finish technology. The cost of customized steel plates is generally dozens of times that of ordinary steel plates. Moreover, since the glossy and matte surfaces of the steel plates are not on the same horizontal plane, the steel plates are prone to deformation after repeated use (usually every six months), leading to various lamination defects. In actual production, steel plates need to be frequently replaced to ensure the yield rate, which greatly increases the cost.

[0027] Therefore, this invention provides a method for fabricating a smart card with a matte-gloss surface and a metallic element-coated surface, the specific process flow of which is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, the method specifically includes the following steps; (1) Position and bind the surface protective film, printing material and INLAY layer to form a large material, and then laminate and cut it to obtain the smart card blank; (2) Using transparent hot stamping foil, a positioning hot stamping is performed on the outermost protective film of the smart card blank to obtain a smart card blank with a glossy and matte nested surface; (3) Using non-transparent hot stamping foil, a secondary positioning hot stamping is performed on the glossy and matte nested surface. The secondary positioning hot stamping uses the same reference edge as the primary positioning hot stamping for positioning.

[0028] Compared with existing technologies such as matte steel plate lamination or area-by-area non-overlapping hot stamping to achieve matte and glossy nested surfaces on smart cards, this invention first uses conventional lamination, binding, and punching processes to obtain punched smart card blanks, and then performs two hot stamping processes on these blanks. A single hot stamping process gives the punched smart card blanks a matte and glossy nested surface, avoiding the displacement and deformation of the matte and glossy nested surface caused by micro-deformation during lamination, binding, and punching errors in existing technologies. Furthermore, by employing a secondary hot stamping process with the same reference edge for positioning as during the first hot stamping, precise alignment of the metallic elements with the matte and glossy nested surfaces is achieved. This invention's preparation method has simple process steps, low equipment requirements, high precision, good repeatability, and a yield rate exceeding 98%, which is beneficial for promoting the mass production of smart cards with matte and glossy surface alignment with metallic elements.

[0029] It should be noted that the present invention uses existing methods for preparing smart cards to prepare the smart card blank to be hot stamped.

[0030] Specifically, in step (1), the surface protective film, printing material, and INLAY layer are positioned, bound together to form a large material, and then laminated and cut to obtain a smart card blank.

[0031] More specifically, in step (1), the surface protective film includes front and back surface protective films, and the printing material includes front and back printing materials. The materials are positioned and bound from top to bottom in the order of front surface protective film, front printing material, Inlay layer, back printing material, and back surface protective film. The bound large material is then put into the laminator along with the laminating steel plate for lamination. Silicone pads or felt pads can be used on the outside of the steel plate every ten layers, one on the top and one on the bottom, to ensure buffering of lamination pressure and uniform temperature transfer. After lamination, a large blank is obtained.

[0032] It should be noted that, in order to ensure that the matte and glossy nested surfaces and the metallic elements obtained from the subsequent two hot stamping processes can achieve precise alignment and improve the positioning accuracy during each hot stamping, the present invention requires adjusting the direction of the large sheet during the punching process according to the actual intelligent card blank hot stamping equipment used in the subsequent process, in order to ensure the consistency of the positioning reference edge when performing two hot stamping processes on each small card.

[0033] According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, in step (1), when punching the laminated large blank, the orientation of the large blank is adjusted so that the top edge and left edge are used as a unified positioning reference edge when hot stamping each small card subsequently, such as... Figure 9 The printing block shown has its printing surface facing upwards. The material manufacturer defines sides A and B as reference edges. The small card inside the block is adjacent to reference edge A, which is the reference edge a of the small card. Similarly, reference edge B and reference edge b of the small card are defined. During printing and punching, A and B are also used as the punching positioning reference edges for positioning processing. After punching into small cards, reference edges a and b are used for hot stamping processing of the small cards.

[0034] Specifically, the specific steps for preparing the printing layer of the present invention are as follows: offset printing plate making: using a CTP plate making machine to separate colors and make plates for the pattern to be offset printed; offset printing: using a UV offset printing machine to print the printing block outline and positioning marks and UV drying.

[0035] Specifically, the specific steps for preparing the Inlay layer of this invention are as follows: Cutting positioning holes (positioning holes between large pieces): Cut positioning holes (up to 3) on the Inlay sheet material, two on the long side and one on the short side of adjacent sheets, for subsequent positioning between Inlay sheets, in principle consistent with the two reference sides during large piece cutting; Module slitting and cutting module positioning holes (large and small): Use a specific mold to slit the rolled non-connected modules, and cut large and small positioning holes for the non-connected modules on the large-hole layer PVC sheet and the small-hole layer PVC sheet of the Inlay according to the antenna design; Winding: Embed wires into the winding layer PVC (large-hole layer) using an ultrasonic winding device; Module Positioning: Using a module placement device with pre-cut positioning holes, adhesive tape is used to position the non-connected modules; Module welding: Ultrasonic welding equipment is used to weld the embedded enameled wires and non-connected modules; Binding: The embedded wire layer, positioning layer (large hole and small hole layers), and substrate layer (PVC layer to ensure the flatness of the INLAY bottom) are bound and positioned using a binding machine. The binding machine has positioning pins that match the positioning holes of each layer of material, facilitating the positioning of each layer of material during binding; Lamination: The bound INLAY material is laminated with high-temperature cloth, steel plate, and laminating pad; Non-connection electrical performance testing: The laminated INLAY is tested for electrical performance using a non-connection performance testing device.

[0036] It should be noted that, depending on actual needs and equipment conditions, the present invention can freely select smooth or matte steel plates to laminate the bound bulk materials during the lamination process, so that the protective film on the outermost surface of the smart card blank obtained after lamination is smooth or matte.

[0037] Specifically, in step (1), the outermost protective film of the smart card blank is glossy or matte.

[0038] More specifically, the surface roughness Ra of the matte surface is 0.25~3, and can be 0.25, 0.3, 0.35, 0.4, 0.45, 0.5, 0.55, 0.6, 0.65, 0.7, 0.75, 0.8, 0.85, 0.9, 0.95, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2. 4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0: If the roughness of the matte surface is too low, the surface becomes too smooth, and the specular reflection of light is enhanced, causing the original matte effect to disappear and the surface to become glossy, which contradicts the design intention. If the roughness of the matte surface is too high, it will lead to incomplete transfer of the hot stamping, resulting in incomplete patterns, significantly weakening the bonding strength of the hot stamping layer, and causing uneven gloss of the metal layer or even darkening, affecting durability and appearance.

[0039] It should be noted that, in order to precisely control the nesting position and effect of the glossy and matte nested surfaces of the outermost protective film of the smart card blank, this invention uses a positioning hot stamping method to achieve the glossy and matte nested surfaces of the outermost protective film of the smart card.

[0040] Specifically, in step (2), a transparent hot stamping foil is used to perform a positioning hot stamping on the outermost protective film of the smart card blank to obtain a smart card blank with a glossy and matte nested surface.

[0041] It should be noted that the structure of the transparent hot stamping foil used in the one-time positioning hot stamping of the present invention is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, the card includes: a base layer 1: providing mechanical support during hot stamping, ensuring smooth foil feeding, and ultimately being peeled off and discarded after hot stamping, such as a polyester substrate; a release coating 2: capable of melting or softening upon heating, thereby breaking the adhesion between the release layer and the base layer 1, ensuring that the release layer 3a can be cleanly and completely separated from the polyester substrate and transferred to the card surface, the release layer typically being a waxy material (such as polyethylene wax, microcrystalline wax or its modifications) or an organosilicon resin (such as silicone); release layer 3a: used for secondary hot stamping of metallic elements, and protecting the card during smart card use, improving abrasion resistance and scratch resistance; and a molding layer 4a: a film-forming resin. The adhesive layer 6 is thermoplastic and is activated by heat during the hot stamping process. It physically and / or chemically bonds with the surface of the card base, thereby firmly adhering the entire functional layer (release layer and molding layer) to the card surface. It cures after cooling and can provide long-lasting adhesion. The formulation of the adhesive layer needs to be perfectly matched with the specific card base material (PVC / PC / ABS, etc.), such as polyurethane (PU), polyacrylate (Acrylic), ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) and its modifiers.

[0042] It should be noted that the release layer of the transparent hot stamping foil of the present invention is matte or glossy, which is the opposite of the outermost surface protective film of the smart card blank. Through one hot stamping, the smart card blank has a matte and glossy nested surface.

[0043] Specifically, in step (2), the release layer of the transparent hot stamping foil is either matte or glossy. When the outermost protective film of the smart card blank is glossy, a transparent hot stamping foil with a matte release layer is used for one hot stamping; when the outermost protective film of the smart card blank is matte, a transparent hot stamping foil with a glossy release layer is used for one hot stamping.

[0044] More specifically, the roughness Ra of the matte peeling layer is 0.25~3, and can be 0.25, 0.3, 0.35, 0.4, 0.45, 0.5, 0.55, 0.6, 0.65, 0.7, 0.75, 0.8, 0.85, 0.9, 0.95, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2. 4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0: If the roughness of the release layer is too low, the surface becomes too smooth, the specular reflection of light is enhanced, the original matte effect disappears, and the surface becomes glossy, which contradicts the design intention; if the roughness of the matte surface is too high, it will lead to incomplete transfer of the subsequent hot stamping, resulting in incomplete patterns, significantly weakening the bonding strength of the hot stamping layer, and causing uneven gloss of the metal layer or even darkening, affecting durability and appearance.

[0045] It should be noted that the release layer of the hot stamping foil that is left on the outermost layer after hot stamping usually serves a protective function. It is required to be hard and heat-resistant, and is usually made of PP, PC, or PE. Unlike the release layer of conventional hot stamping foil, this invention requires that, in addition to the release layer of the hot stamping foil serving a protective function in subsequent use, a second hot stamping of metal-like elements is also required on the release layer of the hot stamping foil obtained after the first hot stamping, so as to obtain a smart card with a glossy and matte nested surface on the outermost surface and the metal-like elements that can be precisely aligned.

[0046] Specifically, the release layer of the transparent hot stamping foil is made of PVC material. The Vicat softening point of the PVC release layer is around 70°C. During the secondary hot stamping, the required temperature of the stamping material is around 130°C. Within less than one second, the surface of the PVC release layer can be softened and fully fused with the stamping material, achieving a firm bond after curing. In contrast, the Vicat softening point of the PP release layer used in traditional hot stamping materials is around 150°C. During the secondary hot stamping, the stamping material cannot fully fuse with other film layers, resulting in an unsatisfactory hot stamping result.

[0047] More specifically, the thickness of the transparent hot stamping foil release layer is 0.04-0.08mm, which can be 0.04 mm, 0.045mm, 0.05mm, 0.055mm, 0.06mm, 0.065mm, 0.07mm, 0.075mm, or 0.08mm. If the PVC release layer of the transparent hot stamping foil is too thick, it is not easy to hot stamp, and the adhesion after hot stamping is not easy to meet the standard. If it is too thin, it is not conducive to protecting the molding layer and adhesive layer under the PVC release layer, and it is easy to be scratched and fall off.

[0048] It should be noted that, in order to balance the glossy and matte nested surface effects after the first hot stamping and the subsequent second hot stamping, the present invention needs to limit the process conditions of the first positioning hot stamping, including temperature, pressure and time.

[0049] Specifically, in step (2), the temperature of the first positioning hot stamping is 110-200℃, which can be 110℃, 120℃, 130℃, 140℃, 150℃, 160℃, 170℃, 180℃, 190℃, or 200℃. If the temperature is too high, the hot stamping material will be burned apart, i.e., the hot stamping will be damaged. If the temperature is too low, the hot stamping material will not be able to adhere effectively to the surface of the PVC card.

[0050] Specifically, in step (2), the pressure of the first positioning hot stamping is 3-10 MPa, which can be 3 MPa, 3.5 MPa, 4 MPa, 4.5 MPa, 5 MPa, 6 MPa, 7 MPa, 8 MPa, 9 MPa, or 10 MPa. If the pressure is too high, it will lead to poor hot stamping depressions; if the pressure is too low, it will lead to substandard hot stamping adhesion and easy peeling off of the hot stamping material. The pressure should be such that there are no marks on the back of the smart card blank, no obvious defects in the roughness of the front, and the hot stamping surface of the card is flat when viewed from the side, with no obvious uneven depressions. The actual depression thickness is approximately equal to the thickness of the hot stamping foil, so as to keep the card surface flat.

[0051] Specifically, in step (2), the time for one positioning hot stamping is 0.6-3.6 s, which can be 0.6 s, 1.0 s, 1.5 s, 2.0 s, 2.5 s, 3.0 s, or 3.6 s. If the time is too long, the production capacity will be too small and the hot stamping material will be broken apart. If the time is too short, the hot stamping adhesion will not meet the standard and the hot stamping material will easily fall off.

[0052] It should be noted that, in order to improve the precise alignment between the metal-like element and the matte nested surface, the present invention uses a hot stamping process to prepare the metal-like element on the matte nested surface obtained by secondary hot stamping.

[0053] Specifically, in step (3), a non-transparent hot stamping foil is used to perform secondary positioning hot stamping on the matte nested surface. The secondary positioning hot stamping uses the same reference edge as the primary positioning hot stamping for positioning.

[0054] It should be noted that the structure of the non-transparent hot stamping foil used in the secondary positioning hot stamping of the present invention is as follows: Figure 3 As shown, it includes a base layer 1, a release coating 2, a release layer 3b, a molding layer 4b, an electroplating layer 5, and an adhesive layer 6. The composition and function of the base layer, release layer, and adhesive layer are the same as those of the base layer, release layer, and adhesive layer in the transparent hot stamping foil. Release layer 3b: This is a release layer in conventional hot stamping foil. After hot stamping, the outermost release layer mainly serves a protective function, requiring a hard texture and temperature resistance, and is often made of PP, PC, or PE materials. Molding layer 4b: This is where the desired color is applied... Organic or inorganic pigments / dyes are dispersed in film-forming resins (such as polyurethane, cellulose acetate, and acrylic resins) to form a coating and are precisely coated to give the patterns or text-like metallic elements (such as logos) that are adhered to the smart card after secondary hot stamping a metallic luster, such as gold or silver; Electroplating layer 5: Vacuum-deposited metal (such as aluminum) provides a strong metallic luster, reflects light, and enhances the visual texture. Together with molding layer 4b, it achieves complete opacity, blocks the base color of the substrate, and its conductivity and barrier properties help improve the stability of the hot stamping layer.

[0055] It should be noted that the present invention uses the same reference edge as the first positioning hot stamping for the second positioning hot stamping, which can reduce the positioning error between the two hot stamping processes and improve the accuracy of the alignment between the glossy and matte nested surfaces obtained from the first hot stamping and the metal-like elements obtained from the second hot stamping.

[0056] It should be noted that, in order to balance the adhesion effect of the metallic elements after the secondary hot stamping and the accuracy of the nesting between them and the matte nested surfaces, the present invention needs to limit the process conditions of the secondary positioning hot stamping, including temperature, pressure and speed (time).

[0057] Specifically, in step (3), the temperature of the secondary positioning hot stamping is 160-170℃, which can be 160℃, 165℃, or 170℃. If the temperature is too high, the hot stamping material will be broken by hot stamping. If the temperature is too low, the hot pressing fusion will fail or the production capacity will be too small.

[0058] Specifically, in step (3), the pressure of the secondary positioning hot stamping is 3-10 MPa, which can be 3 MPa, 3.5 MPa, 4 MPa, 4.5 MPa, 5 MPa, 6 MPa, 7 MPa, 8 MPa, 9 MPa, or 10 MPa. If the pressure is too high, it will result in poor hot stamping indentation. If the pressure is too low, it will result in substandard hot stamping adhesion and easy detachment of the hot stamping material.

[0059] Specifically, in step (3), the speed of the secondary positioning hot stamping is 0.65-1.80 s, which can be 0.65 s, 0.70 s, 0.75 s, 0.8 s, 0.85 s, 0.9 s, 0.95 s, 1.0 s, 1.05 s, 1.1 s, 1.15 s, 1.2 s, 1.25 s, 1.3 s, 1.35 s, 1.4 s, 1.45 s, 1.5 s, 1.55 s, 1.6 s, 1.65 s, 1.7 s, 1.75 s, or 1.8 s. If the hot stamping time is too short, the hot stamping adhesion will not meet the standard, and the hot stamping material will easily fall off. If the hot stamping time is too long, the hot stamping will be poorly recessed.

[0060] It should be noted that the present invention can select at least one side of the front and back protective films of the smart card blank to achieve precise alignment of the glossy and matte nested surfaces and the metallic elements on the surface of the smart card through the two hot stamping techniques, so as to meet the different needs of customers for the appearance of the smart card.

[0061] This invention, by adjusting the composition and thickness of the transparent hot stamping foil release layer during the first hot stamping process, and in conjunction with the process conditions of the first hot stamping (including temperature, pressure, and time), enables the transparent hot stamping foil to achieve a glossy / matte nested surface on the smart card blank after the first positioning hot stamping. Then, by combining the process conditions of the second hot stamping (including temperature, pressure, and time), a non-transparent hot stamping foil (i.e., hot stamping of metallic elements) can be applied to the PVC release layer of the transparent hot stamping foil to achieve precise alignment between the glossy / matte nested surface and the metallic elements.

[0062] The method of this invention produces a smart card with a surface that precisely matches a glossy / matte finish with metallic-like elements. The matching error between the glossy / matte finish and the metallic-like elements is extremely small, controllable within ±0.01mm, making it visually difficult to distinguish. Figure 5 , 6 As shown; the surface is flat and without depressions; there is a strong bond between the hot stamping layer and the smart card blank, as well as between the hot stamping layers. According to the standard, after the smart card is subjected to 1000 dry friction cycles and 1000 wet friction cycles each using automotive industry standards, the hot stamping foil on the surface does not fall off.

[0063] It should be noted that the present invention controls the registration error between the glossy / matte surface and the metalloid element within the range of ≤±0.01mm. This means that the deviation of the glossy / matte surface and the metalloid element (such as the logo pattern) on the surface of the prepared smart card from the original design drawing in the horizontal and vertical directions needs to be controlled within ±0.01mm. If the registration error is too large, the misalignment between the two will cause obvious visual errors. On the other hand, the embodiments of the present invention also provide a smart card, which is prepared by the above method and has a surface with glossy / matte surface and metalloid element registration.

[0064] It should be noted that the smart card includes an inlay layer located in the middle layer, and a printed layer and a surface protective film symmetrically distributed on both sides of the inlay layer. The printed layer includes front and back printed layers located on both sides of the inlay layer, and the surface protective film includes a front surface protective film and a back surface protective film located on both sides of the front printed layer and the back printed layer, respectively. At least one side of the front surface protective film and the back surface protective film has a surface with a glossy / matte finish and a surface with precisely aligned metallic elements.

[0065] Specifically, in the outermost surface of the smart card of the present invention, the misalignment error between the glossy / matte surface and the metallic element is ≤ ±0.01 mm, making it visually difficult to distinguish. Figure 5 , 6 As shown; the surface is flat and without depressions; the hot stamping layer has a strong bond with the smart card blank and between the hot stamping layers. According to the standard, after the smart card is used by the car manufacturer for 1000 dry friction cycles and 1000 wet friction cycles, the hot stamping foil on the surface does not fall off.

[0066] The technical solution of the present invention will be explained and illustrated below through embodiments and comparative examples.

[0067] Examples 1-9 and Comparative Examples 2-15 A method for preparing a glossy-matte surface smart card with metal-like element interposers includes the following steps: (1) Position and bind the materials from top to bottom in the following order: front protective film, front printing material, Inlay layer, back printing material, and back protective film; place the bound large sheet into the laminator along with the laminating steel plate to obtain a large blank; cut the large blank to obtain a smart card blank; wherein, according to the offset printing equipment, card cutting equipment, and hot stamping equipment used, define the left and bottom edges of the printing material, Inlay material, and large blank as reference edges, and the small cards inside the large sheet also use the left and bottom edges as reference edges, such as Figure 9 As shown; the surface of the protective film on the front surface is either matte or glossy; (2) Transparent hot stamping foil is used, and the specific structure is as follows: Figure 2As shown, it includes a polyester base layer 1, a polyethylene wax peel coating 2, a PVC peel layer 3a, a polyurethane molding layer 4a, and a PU adhesive layer 6. The thickness of the PVC peel layer 3a is 0.04-0.08 mm, and the surface is matte or glossy, which is the opposite of the outermost surface protective film of the smart card blank obtained in step (1). A positioning hot stamping is performed on the outermost protective film of the smart card blank. The specific process is as follows: hot stamping is performed for 0.6-3.6 seconds at a temperature of 110-200℃ and a pressure of 3-10MPa to obtain a smart card blank with a glossy and matte nested surface. (3) Use non-transparent hot stamping foil, the specific structure of which is as follows: Figure 3 As shown, it includes a polyester base layer 1, a polyethylene wax release coating 2, a PP release layer 3b, a polyurethane molding layer 4b, an aluminum electroplating layer 5, and a PU adhesive layer 6. A secondary positioning hot stamping is performed on the matte and glossy nested surfaces. The specific process is as follows: hot stamping is performed at a rate of 2000-5500 PCS / h, at a temperature of 160-170℃ and a pressure of 3-10MPa, to obtain a smart card in which the matte and glossy metal-like elements in the surface can be accurately positioned. The secondary positioning hot stamping uses the same reference edge as the primary positioning hot stamping for positioning.

[0068] Table 1 shows the specific process conditions used to prepare the surface-nested smart cards in Examples 1-9 and Comparative Examples 2-15, as well as the repositioning errors of the glossy / matte-metallic elements.

[0069] Table 1 shows the fabrication process conditions and the repositioning errors of the surface matte-metallic elements for the smart cards in Examples 1-9 and Comparative Examples 2-15.

[0070] Comparative Example 1 The matte-finish surface smart card with metallic element interlocking is prepared using a matte steel plate lamination technique. The specific steps are as follows: (1) Position and bind the materials from top to bottom in the following order: front protective film, front printing material, Inlay layer, back printing material, and back protective film; place the bound large sheet into the laminator with the laminating steel plate to obtain a large blank; cut the large blank to obtain a smart card blank; wherein, according to the offset printing equipment, card cutting equipment, and hot stamping equipment used, define the left and bottom edges of the printing material, the Inlay material, and the large blank as reference edges, and the small cards inside the large sheet also use the left and bottom edges as reference edges; use a special matte steel plate obtained by sandblasting for lamination to obtain a front protective film with a matte nested surface, such as Figure 7 As shown; (2) Using the same non-transparent hot stamping foil as in Example 1, positioning hot stamping is performed on the matte nested surface obtained in the steps. The specific process is as follows: hot stamping is performed at a rate of 3600 PCS / h, at a temperature of 165°C and a pressure of 5MPa, to obtain a smart card with matte surface-metallic element interlocking in the surface, such as Figure 8 As shown, the surface of the smart card made using the existing glossy and matte steel plate lamination technology has a large misalignment between the glossy and matte surface and the metal-like elements. Furthermore, there are defects such as air spots and watermarks between the metal-like elements obtained after hot stamping and the surface protective film, which seriously affect the appearance.

[0071] As shown in Table 1, compared with existing matte steel plate lamination technology for achieving matte-gloss nested surfaces on smart cards, this invention first uses conventional lamination, binding, and punching processes to obtain punched smart card blanks, and then performs two hot stamping processes on these blanks. A single hot stamping process gives the punched smart card blanks a matte-gloss nested surface, avoiding the displacement and deformation of the matte-gloss nested surface caused by micro-deformation during lamination, binding, and punching errors in existing technologies. Furthermore, by employing a secondary hot stamping process with the same reference edge for positioning as during the first hot stamping, precise alignment of the metallic elements with the matte-gloss nested surface (error ≤ ±0.01mm) is achieved. This invention requires adjustment of the material and thickness of the transparent hot stamping foil release layer, as well as the hot stamping temperature, pressure, and time. While simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing equipment requirements, this invention improves accuracy and repeatability, achieving a smart card yield of over 98%, which is beneficial for promoting the mass production of smart cards with matte-gloss surface and metallic element alignment.

[0072] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a smart card with a matte-gloss surface and a metallic element interlocking surface, characterized in that, The method specifically includes the following steps: (1) Position and bind the surface protective film, printing material and INLAY layer to form a large piece, and then laminate and cut the large piece to obtain a smart card blank; (2) Using transparent hot stamping foil, a positioning hot stamping is performed on the outermost protective film of the smart card blank to obtain a smart card blank with a glossy and matte nested surface; (3) Using non-transparent hot stamping foil, a secondary positioning hot stamping is performed on the glossy and matte nested surface. The secondary positioning hot stamping uses the same reference edge as the primary positioning hot stamping for positioning.

2. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step (1), the surface protective film is either glossy or matte.

3. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step (2), the release layer of the transparent hot stamping foil is matte or glossy.

4. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The release layer of the transparent hot stamping foil is made of PVC material with a thickness of 0.04-0.08mm.

5. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The release layer of the non-transparent hot stamping foil is made of PP material.

6. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step (2), the temperature of the first positioning hot stamping is 110-200℃, the pressure is 3-10MPa, and the time is 0.6-3.6s.

7. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step (3), the temperature of the secondary positioning hot stamping is 160-170℃, the pressure is 3-10MPa, and the speed is 0.65~1.80 s.

8. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step (2), the surface protective film is a front surface protective film and / or a back surface protective film.

9. A smart card, characterized in that, The smart card is manufactured by the method described in any one of claims 1-8 and has a surface with a glossy / matte finish and metallic-like element doping.

10. The smart card according to claim 9, characterized in that, The misalignment error between the glossy / matte surface and the metal-like element is ≤ ±0.01 mm.

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