Card media

Abstract

The card-type medium includes: a card body; an inner component embedded within the card body; an exposed component partially exposed on the surface of the card body; and a circuit board engaged with the inner component and the exposed component, the circuit board comprising: a first connecting portion engaged with the inner component; a second connecting portion disposed at a different position from the first connecting portion in a card thickness direction connecting the surface of the card body to a back surface opposite to the surface, and engaged with the exposed component; and a connecting wiring portion extending in a direction including the card thickness direction, connecting the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a cartridge-type medium.

[0002] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2020- filed on June 15, 2020.

[0003] The applicant claims priority in Japanese Patent Application No. 103094, Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-103095, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-103096, the contents of which are quoted here. Background Technology

[0004] Currently, various card-based media such as credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards, membership cards, gift cards, and membership cards have been developed. Furthermore, in recent years, card-based media that achieve various functions by embedding IC (Integrated Circuit) modules with communication capabilities (hereinafter referred to as "IC cards") have also become widespread. Regarding these IC cards with communication capabilities, for example, contactless communication between the cardholder and the reader is achieved using electromagnetic induction communication technologies such as RFID (Radio Frequency Identifier).

[0005] An IC card has a circuit board embedded in its body, and components such as an IC module and an antenna mounted on the circuit board. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a structure that includes: a security component and a fingerprint processing unit connected to a flexible circuit board; and a contact pad electrically connected to the security component.

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-511058

[0007] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-521377 Summary of the Invention

[0008] Regarding the structure described in Patent Document 1, in order to expose the contact pad on the surface (front surface) of the card body, a spacer (extension module) supports the contact pad. The spacer is sandwiched between the flexible circuit board and the contact pad. The spacer is electrically coupled to both the flexible circuit board and the contact pad via contacts. Therefore, when installing the contact pad, it is necessary to engage one side of the flexible circuit board with the spacer and the other side of the spacer with the contact pad. This increases the number of bonding points due to the use of the spacer to support the components. As a result, this may lead to an increase in bonding time and cost in the IC card manufacturing process. In addition, the increased number of bonding points may increase the risk of poor connection.

[0009] Furthermore, Patent Document 1 also describes a structure in which the contact pad is configured to protrude from the surface (front surface) of the card body. The contact pad is housed inside an opening formed on the surface of the card body.

[0010] Furthermore, to give the credit card a premium feel, a structure using metal for the card body is also provided. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a structure in which a sheet of metal is used for the card body and the encapsulation panel.

[0011] Regarding this structure, it is desirable to minimize the gap between exposed components such as contact pads on the surface of the card body and the opening formed in the card body in terms of appearance. However, when metal is used for the card body, reducing the gap with the opening may allow solder or other materials that electrically couple the exposed components to the circuit board to come into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the opening. In this case, if the portion of the opening formed in the card body is made of metal, a short circuit may sometimes occur.

[0012] The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a cartridge medium that can suppress manufacturing time and costs and increase the risk of poor connection.

[0013] Furthermore, the present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, providing a card-type medium that can suppress electrical short circuits between the components mounted on the card body and the card body even when a metal material is used for the card body.

[0014] The card-type medium according to the present invention includes: a card body; an inner component embedded within the card body; an exposed component partially exposed on the surface of the card body; and a circuit board engaged with the inner component and the exposed component, the circuit board comprising: a first connecting portion engaged with the inner component; a second connecting portion disposed at a different position from the first connecting portion in a card thickness direction connecting the surface of the card body to a back surface opposite to the surface, and engaged with the exposed component; and a connecting wiring portion extending in a direction including the card thickness direction, connecting the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion.

[0015] The card-type medium according to the present invention includes: a card body; a component at least partially embedded in the card body; a circuit board embedded in the card body having a component connection portion that engages with the component; and a spacer embedded in the card body and disposed on the opposite side of the component across the component connection portion.

[0016] The card-type medium according to the present invention comprises: a card body formed to contain a metallic material; an exposed member housed inside an opening formed on the surface of the card body and configured to be partially exposed on the surface; and a circuit board embedded in the card body and engaged with the exposed member, the opening having: a surface-side opening located on the surface side in a card thickness direction connecting the surface of the card body to a back side opposite to the surface; and a back-side opening continuously formed on the back side in the card thickness direction relative to the surface-side opening, the opening size in the plane intersecting the card thickness direction being larger than that of the surface-side opening.

[0017] The effects of the invention

[0018] According to the present invention, a cartridge medium can be provided that reduces manufacturing time and costs and increases the risk of poor connection.

[0019] Furthermore, according to the present invention, a card-type medium can be provided such that, even when a metal material is used for the card body, electrical short circuits between the components mounted on the card body and the card body can be suppressed. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is an external view of the IC card according to the first embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the surface side.

[0021] Figure 2 This indicates that it is set in Figure 1 A top view of the exposed components, internal components, and circuit board of an IC card.

[0022] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 AA-direction cross-sectional view.

[0023] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 BB's sectional view in the vector direction.

[0024] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 CC-direction sectional view.

[0025] Figure 6 yes Figure 2 DD vector section view.

[0026] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view showing the manufacturing process of manufacturing the IC card according to the first embodiment of the present invention by stacking multiple card substrates.

[0027] Figure 8 It means Figure 7 The image shown is a cross-sectional view of an IC card manufactured by stacking multiple card substrates.

[0028] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view showing the manufacturing process of the IC card according to the first embodiment of the present invention, which involves filling a mold with resin material and allowing it to cure.

[0029] Figure 10 It means to utilize Figure 9 A cross-sectional view of the IC card formed by the mold shown.

[0030] Figure 11 This is a top view showing the exposed component, inner component, and circuit board of the IC card according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 12 yes Figure 11 EE vector section view.

[0032] Figure 13 This is a top view showing the exposed component, inner component, and circuit board of the IC card according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 14 yes Figure 13 FF vector section view.

[0034] Figure 15 yes Figure 13 GG vector section view.

[0035] Figure 16 This is a top view showing the exposed component, inner component, and circuit board of the IC card provided in the first variation of the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 17 This is a top view showing the exposed component, inner component, and circuit board of the IC card provided in the second variation of the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 18 yes Figure 17 HH-direction cross-sectional view.

[0038] Figure 19 This is a top view showing the exposed component, inner component, and circuit board of the IC card according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 20 yes Figure 19 II. Vector section view.

[0040] Figure 21 This is a cross-sectional view of an IC card according to variations of the first to fourth embodiments of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 22 These are cross-sectional views of IC cards according to other variations of the first to fourth embodiments of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 23 This is an appearance view of the IC card according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the surface side.

[0043] Figure 24 This indicates that it is set in Figure 23 A top view of the IC card components and circuit board.

[0044] Figure 25 yes Figure 24 JJ vector section view.

[0045] Figure 26 This is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the isolation member provided in the fifth embodiment of the present invention for an IC card.

[0046] Figure 27 This is a perspective view of the isolation component for the isolation member in a modified example of the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 28 This is a cross-sectional view showing the main part of the IC card utilizing the aforementioned isolation component.

[0048] Figure 29 This is a cross-sectional view showing other variations of the aforementioned isolation component.

[0049] Figure 30 This is a cross-sectional view showing another variation of the aforementioned isolation component.

[0050] Figure 31 This is an external view of the IC card according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the surface side.

[0051] Figure 32 This is a cross-sectional view of an IC card according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] Figure 33 This is a cross-sectional view of an IC card, which is a first variation of the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] Figure 34 This is a cross-sectional view of an IC card, which is a second variation of the sixth embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0054] (First embodiment of the card-type media)

[0055] Below, refer to Figures 1 to 22 The IC card according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0056] Figure 1This is an appearance view of the IC card involved in this embodiment, viewed from the surface side. Figure 2 This indicates that it is set in Figure 1 A top view of the exposed components, internal components, and circuit board of an IC card. Figure 3 yes Figure 2 AA-direction cross-sectional view. Figure 4 yes Figure 2 BB's sectional view in the vector direction. Figure 5 yes Figure 2 CC-direction sectional view. Figure 6 yes Figure 2 DD vector section view.

[0057] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the IC card (card-type medium) 1 is a dual-interface IC card having the following components: a contact terminal 21 as a contact interface; and an antenna 50 as a contactless interface. Additionally, the IC card 1 has a biometric authentication function based on a fingerprint sensor 22. The IC card 1 includes a card body 10, an inner casing 30, an exposed component 20, a circuit board 40, and an antenna 50.

[0058] The card body 10 is plate-shaped and rectangular when viewed from the card thickness direction Dt, which is orthogonal to its surface 10f. Here, the card thickness direction Dt refers to the direction that connects the surface 10f and the back surface 10g of the card body 10. The thickness of the card body 10 in the card thickness direction Dt is, for example, about 0.5 to 1.0 mm (for example, in the case of IC card 1 being a credit card, the thickness of the card body 10 is 0.76 mm).

[0059] The card body 10 is formed from insulating plastic substrates such as amorphous polyester, vinyl chloride materials such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), polycarbonate, and PET-G (polyethylene terephthalate copolymer). Alternatively, the card body 10 may also be formed from metal sheets or magnetic materials. The card body 10 may also be molded into a card shape using UV-curable or liquid-reaction-curable plastic materials with high fluidity and insulation.

[0060] The exposed component 20 is configured such that a portion of it is exposed on the surface 10f of the card body 10. In this embodiment, the IC card 1 has a contact terminal 21 and a fingerprint sensor 22 as the exposed component 20. The contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22 are respectively housed in an opening (recess) 12 formed on the surface 10f side of the card body 10.

[0061] Viewed from the card thickness direction Dt, the contact terminal 21 is rectangular. The contact terminal 21 can contact and electrically couple with external contact terminals provided in contact-type external devices such as cash deposit machines. The contact terminal 21 uses a structure in which a conductor pattern is formed on the surface of an insulating substrate such as glass fiber epoxy resin or polyimide (PI) through etching or other processes, and then plated with nickel, palladium, gold, etc. In this embodiment, the contact terminal 21 is disposed on one side (LH side) along the long side direction D1 of the surface 10f of the card body 10, relative to the center of the surface 10f of the card body 10.

[0062] Viewed from the card thickness direction Dt, the fingerprint sensor 22 is formed as a rectangular plate. The fingerprint sensor 22 has a structure in which a protective film is provided to cover multiple electrodes. The fingerprint sensor 22 is disposed on the other side (RH side) of the long side direction D1 of the card body 10, opposite to the center of the surface 10f of the card body 10.

[0063] like Figures 2 to 6 As shown, the inner component 30 is embedded within the card body 10. In this embodiment, the IC card 1 has an IC chip 31 as the inner component 30. The IC chip 31 is electrically coupled to the contact terminal 21, the fingerprint sensor 22, and the antenna 50 (described later) via wiring formed on the circuit board 40. The IC chip 31 is a so-called secure IC microcomputer, which has the functions of communicating with the outside via the contact terminal 21 and the antenna 50, and fingerprint authentication based on the fingerprint sensor 22. The IC chip 31 can utilize a chip with a known structure that has both contact-type and contactless communication functions. Viewed from the card thickness direction Dt, the IC chip 31 is formed into a rectangle. The IC chip 31 is disposed between the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22 on the long side direction D1. The IC chip 31 is disposed relative to the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22 on the side (LW side) of the short side direction D2, which is orthogonal to the long side direction D1, along the surface 10f of the card body 10.

[0064] The circuit board 40 is embedded within the card body 10. Viewed from the card thickness direction Dt, the circuit board 40 is positioned further inward than the outer edge of the card body 10. Viewed from the card thickness direction Dt, the circuit board 40 has a rectangular shape. The thickness of the circuit board 40 in the card thickness direction Dt is, for example, 15–50 μm (micrometers).

[0065] The circuit board 40 is made of a flexible circuit board. The circuit board 40 has a substrate made of an insulating material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polycarbonate (PC), or polyimide (PI). A predetermined wiring pattern made of a conductive thin film such as aluminum or copper, formed by etching or other processes, is disposed on the surface of the substrate of the circuit board 40.

[0066] The circuit board 40 is disposed on the back side 10g of the card body 10 in the card thickness direction Dt, relative to the contact terminal 21, the fingerprint sensor 22, and the IC chip 31. The contact terminal 21, the fingerprint sensor 22, and the IC chip 31 are mounted on the substrate surface 40f facing the surface 10f of the card body 10. The contact terminal 21, the fingerprint sensor 22, and the IC chip 31 are mounted on the substrate surface 40f of the circuit board 40 by means of soldering, conductive adhesive, or thermoforming.

[0067] Viewed from the thickness direction Dt, the antenna 50 is formed in a rectangular shape along the periphery of the circuit board 40. The antenna 50 may form one or more loops along the periphery of the circuit board 40. The antenna 50 may be formed, for example, as part of a wiring pattern formed on the circuit board 40. Alternatively, the antenna 50 may be separate from the circuit board 40. When the antenna 50 is separate from the circuit board 40, it may be formed, for example, by a metal plate, metal foil, or metal wire arrangement formed into a predetermined antenna shape. In this case, the antenna 50 is joined to the wiring pattern of the circuit board 40 by brazing, soldering, crimping, or the like.

[0068] The circuit board 40 has a contact terminal wiring section 41, a fingerprint sensor wiring section 42, and an antenna wiring section 43.

[0069] The contact terminal wiring section 41 electrically couples (connects) the IC chip 31 to the contact terminal 21. For example... Figure 2 , Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, the contact terminal wiring portion 41 has a first connecting portion 41s, a second connecting portion 41t, and a connecting wiring portion 41u. The first connecting portion 41s is coupled to the IC chip 31. The second connecting portion 41t is coupled to the contact terminal 21. The connecting wiring portion 41u connects the first connecting portion 41s and the second connecting portion 41t. The connecting wiring portion 41u has a chip-side wiring portion 41a, a folded-back portion 41b, and a terminal-side wiring portion 41c. The chip-side wiring portion 41a extends from the first connecting portion 41s toward the other side (UP side) in the short side direction D2. Viewed from the card thickness direction Dt on the other side of the circuit board 40 in the short side direction D2, the folded-back portion 41b is folded back into a U-shape. The terminal-side wiring portion 41c extends from the folded-back portion 41b toward one side (LW side) in the short side direction D2 and is continuous with respect to the second connecting portion 41t.

[0070] The fingerprint sensor wiring section 42 electrically couples the IC chip 31 to the fingerprint sensor 22. For example... Figures 2 to 4 As shown, the fingerprint sensor wiring section 42 has a first connecting portion 42s, a second connecting portion 42t, and a connecting wiring section 42u. The first connecting portion 42s is bonded to the IC chip 31. The second connecting portion 42t is bonded to the fingerprint sensor 22. The connecting wiring section 42u connects the first connecting portion 42s and the second connecting portion 42t. The connecting wiring section 42u has a chip-side wiring section 42a, a bending portion 42b, and a sensor-side wiring section 42c. The chip-side wiring section 42a extends from the first connecting portion 42s and the chip-side wiring section 41a side by side toward the other side (UP side) in the short side direction D2. When viewed from the card thickness direction Dt at the middle of the short side direction D2 of the circuit board 40, the bending portion 42b is bent into an L-shape. The sensor-side wiring section 42c extends from the bending portion 42b toward the other side (RH side) in the long side direction D1 and is continuous with respect to the second connecting portion 42t.

[0071] Antenna wiring section 43 electrically couples IC chip 31 to antenna 50. For example... Figure 2 , Figure 5 As shown, the antenna wiring section 43 is disposed on the opposite side of the contact terminal wiring section 41 and the fingerprint sensor wiring section 42, separated from the IC chip 31 in the short side direction D2. The antenna wiring section 43 extends from the IC chip 31 toward the side in the short side direction D2 and is connected to the long side section 50a of the antenna 50.

[0072] like Figure 2 As shown, the circuit board 40 has a cutout 45. The cutout 45 is an opening formed by cutting along the outer edges of the contact terminal wiring portion 41, the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42, and the antenna wiring portion 43 on the circuit board 40. As a result, the contact terminal wiring portion 41, the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42, and the antenna wiring portion 43 are each formed as a strip extending in the extension direction of each portion.

[0073] like Figure 3 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22 are positioned biased towards the surface 10f of the card body 10 in the card thickness direction Dt relative to the IC chip 31. Consequently, the second connection portion 41t of the contact terminal wiring portion 41, which engages with the contact terminal 21, is positioned at a different location in the card thickness direction Dt relative to the first connection portion 41s. Similarly, the second connection portion 42t of the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42, which engages with the fingerprint sensor 22, is positioned at a different location in the card thickness direction Dt relative to the first connection portion 42s. The second connections 41t and 42t are positioned on the surface 10f side in the card thickness direction Dt relative to the first connections 41s and 42s. The first connection portion 41s of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 and the first connection portion 42s of the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 are positioned in the same location (within the same plane) in the card thickness direction Dt as the antenna 50 and the antenna wiring portion 43.

[0074] like Figure 5 As shown, the chip-side wiring portion (first inclined portion) 41a of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 extends from the first connection portion 41s toward the other side (UP side) in the short side direction D2 and obliquely toward the surface 10f side in the card thickness direction Dt, and is connected to the fold-back portion 41b. Figure 6 As shown, the terminal-side wiring portion (second inclined portion) 41c of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 extends from the folded-back portion 41b toward the side in the short-side direction D2 (LW side) and obliquely toward the surface 10f in the card thickness direction Dt, and connects to the second connecting portion 41t. Thus, the connecting wiring portion 41u connecting the first connecting portion 41s and the second connecting portion 41t extends in a direction including the card thickness direction Dt. Here, the direction including the card thickness direction Dt refers to a direction that is oblique relative to the card thickness direction Dt, as in the direction in which the chip-side wiring portion 41a and the terminal-side wiring portion 41c of the connecting wiring portion 41u extend. The direction including the card thickness direction Dt can also be the card thickness direction Dt. That is, the chip-side wiring portion 41a and the terminal-side wiring portion 41c can extend along the card thickness direction Dt between the first connecting portion 41s and the second connecting portion 41t.

[0075] like Figure 5 As shown, the chip-side wiring portion 41a, which is the first inclined portion, extends obliquely toward the other side (second side, UP side) of the short side direction D2 that intersects the card thickness direction Dt and toward the surface 10f side of the card thickness direction Dt. The direction in which the chip-side wiring portion 41a extends is defined as the first direction C1. Figure 6As shown, the terminal-side wiring portion 41c, which is the second inclined portion, extends inclined towards the surface 10f of the card thickness direction Dt, in a direction that intersects the card thickness direction Dt and is different from the other side (second side, UP side) of the short side direction D2 (i.e., the first side, LW side). The direction in which the terminal-side wiring portion 41c extends is defined as the second direction C2. The first direction C1 and the second direction C2 are different directions, and the chip-side wiring portion 41a, which is the first inclined portion, and the terminal-side wiring portion 41c, which is the second inclined portion, extend in different directions relative to the card thickness direction Dt. The directions in which the chip-side wiring portion 41a and the terminal-side wiring portion 41c extend are not limited to this. For example, the chip-side wiring portion 41a, which is the first inclined portion, can extend inclined towards the short side direction D2, and the terminal-side wiring portion 41c, which is the second inclined portion, can extend inclined towards the long side direction D1, etc. In addition, the first direction C1 and the second direction C2 can be the same direction.

[0076] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, the sensor-side wiring portion 42c of the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 extends obliquely from the curved portion 42b toward the other side (RH side) in the long side direction D1 and toward the surface 10f side in the card thickness direction Dt, and connects to the second connecting portion 42t. Thus, the connecting wiring portion 42u connecting the first connecting portion 42s and the second connecting portion 42t extends in a direction including the card thickness direction Dt. The connecting wiring portion 42u may also extend along the card thickness direction Dt between the first connecting portion 42s and the second connecting portion 42t.

[0077] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 6 As shown, viewed from the card thickness direction Dt, the second connecting portion 41t of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 is formed to be larger, extending further outward than the contact terminal 21. Viewed from the card thickness direction Dt, the second connecting portion 42t of the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 is formed to be larger, extending further outward than the fingerprint sensor 22. The second connecting portions 41t and 42t are respectively configured to cover (close) the opening 12 of the card body 10, which houses the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22, from the back side 10g side in the card thickness direction Dt.

[0078] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view showing the manufacturing process of manufacturing the IC card according to this embodiment by stacking multiple card substrates. Figure 8 It means Figure 7 The image shown is a cross-sectional view of an IC card manufactured by stacking multiple card substrates.

[0079] like Figure 7 , Figure 8As shown, a plurality of sheet-like card substrates 101, 102, and 103 can be stacked in the card thickness direction Dt to form the card body 10 of the IC card 1 as described above. In this case, an opening 12 for accommodating the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22 is formed on the card substrate 103 disposed on the surface 10f side of the card body 10. The opening 12 is formed to penetrate the card substrate 103 in the card thickness direction Dt. The opening 12 is closed from the back side 10g side by the second connecting portions 41t and 42t described above.

[0080] In the card thickness direction Dt, an internal opening 14 is formed in the card substrate 10 between the card substrate 101 disposed on the back side 10g and the card substrate 103 disposed on the surface side 10f. The IC chip 31, which serves as an inner packaging component 30, is accommodated in the internal opening 14.

[0081] Through conversion processing based on hot pressing lamination, adhesives, etc., the card substrates 101, 102, and 103 are integrated to form an IC card 1 with contact terminals 21, fingerprint sensor 22, and IC chip 31.

[0082] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view showing the manufacturing process of filling a mold with resin material and allowing it to cure in order to manufacture the IC card involved in this embodiment. Figure 10 It means to utilize Figure 9 A cross-sectional view of the IC card formed by the mold shown.

[0083] Figure 9 , Figure 10 The card body 10 of the IC card 1 described above can also be formed by resin molding using the mold 200. In this case, the card substrate 202 disposed on the surface 10f side and the card substrate 201 disposed on the back side 10g side are pre-accommodated within the mold 200. An opening 12 for accommodating the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22 is formed in the card substrate 202. The opening 12 is formed to penetrate the card substrate 202 in the card thickness direction Dt. The opening 12 is closed from the back side 10g side by the second connecting portions 41t and 42t described above. The IC chip 31 is pre-fixed to the card substrate 201.

[0084] Within the mold 200, a resin material 203 with thermosetting, UV-curing, or liquid-reaction curing properties is filled between the card substrate 201 and the card substrate 202 and then cured to form an IC card 1 having contact terminals 21, a fingerprint sensor 22, and an IC chip 31. At this time, the opening 12 is closed from the back side 10g by the second connecting portions 41t and 42t, thus preventing the resin material 203 filled within the mold 200 from entering the opening 12.

[0085] The IC card 1 of this embodiment includes: an exposed part 20, which is configured to be partially exposed on the surface 10f of the card body 10; and an inner part 30, which is embedded within the card body 10. Thus, the inner part 30 and the exposed part 20 are positioned at different locations in the card thickness direction Dt. In this structure, the first connecting portions 41s and 42s to which the inner part 30 engages, and the second connecting portions 41t and 42t to which the exposed part 20 engages, are positioned at different locations in the card thickness direction Dt. The connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u that connect the first connecting portions 41s and 42s to the second connecting portions 41t and 42t extend in a direction including the card thickness direction Dt. Therefore, the inner part 30 can be directly connected to the first connecting portions 41s and 42s, and the exposed part 20 can be directly connected to the second connecting portions 41t and 42t without the need for a separator. Therefore, an IC card 1 that reduces manufacturing time and costs and minimizes the risk of connection defects can be provided.

[0086] According to the IC card 1 of this embodiment, the circuit board 40 has a contact terminal wiring portion 41 including first connection portions 41s, 42s, second connection portions 41t, 42t, and connection wiring portions 41u, 42u, and a cut portion 45 cut along the outer edge of the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42. Thus, the contact terminal wiring portion 41 and the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 are each formed as strips extending in their respective extending directions. Therefore, it is easy to configure the connection wiring portions 41u, 42u to extend in a direction including the card thickness direction Dt.

[0087] According to the IC card 1 of this embodiment, the connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u extend obliquely toward the surface 10f in the extending direction of the connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u and toward the card thickness direction Dt. Therefore, the connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u can be arranged in a direction including the card thickness direction Dt between the first connecting portions 41s and 42s and the second connecting portions 41t and 42t. As a result, the inner enclosure member 30 and the exposed member 20 can be supported at different positions in the card thickness direction Dt without the need for a separator.

[0088] According to the IC card 1 of this embodiment, the connection wiring portion 41u of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 includes: a chip-side wiring portion 41a, which extends obliquely to the other side (first direction) in the short side direction D2 and relative to the card thickness direction Dt; and a terminal-side wiring portion 41c, which extends obliquely to the side (different from the first direction) in the short side direction D2 and relative to the card thickness direction Dt. Thus, the first connection portion 41s and the second connection portion 41t can be disposed at different positions in the card thickness direction Dt within a limited space.

[0089] According to the IC card 1 of this embodiment, the card body 10 has an opening 12 on the surface 10f side to accommodate the exposed member 20. The second connecting portions 41t and 42t are configured to cover the entire opening 12 on the back side 10g side relative to the exposed member 20 in the card thickness direction Dt. Thus, by covering the opening 12 from the back side 10g side using the second connecting portions 41t and 42t, resin material intrusion into the opening 12 can be suppressed when the card body 10 is formed by resin molding.

[0090] (Second embodiment of the card-type medium)

[0091] The second embodiment of the card-type medium of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, structures common to those already described will be labeled with the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions will be omitted. Furthermore, the circuit board 40B differs from the first embodiment in the following embodiments. Therefore, the following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0092] like Figure 11 , Figure 12 As shown, IC card 1B has a card body 10, an inner component 30, an exposed component 20, a circuit board 40B, and an antenna 50.

[0093] The inner component 30 (IC chip 31), the first connection portion 41s of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 that engages with the inner component 30, and the first connection portion 42s of the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 are disposed on one side (first side, LW side) along the short side direction D2 of the surface 10f of the card body 10. The exposed component 20 (contact terminal 21 and fingerprint sensor 22), the second connection portion 41t of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 that engages with the exposed component 20, and the second connection portion 42t of the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 are disposed on the other side (second side, UP side) along the short side direction D2 of the surface 10f of the card body 10. In addition, in this embodiment, the antenna wiring portion 43 extends from the IC chip 31 to the other side (second side, RH side) along the short side direction D2 and is connected to the antenna 50. The connection wiring portion 41u of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 and the connection wiring portion 42u of the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42, together with the antenna wiring portion 43, extend from the IC chip 31 in the short side direction D2 along the surface 10f.

[0094] In this embodiment, the notch 45 is not formed on the circuit board 40B (see reference). Figure 2The circuit board 40B has a bent portion 44, which is bent into a crank shape when viewed from the long side direction D1, between a first side and a second side along the short side direction D2 of the surface 10f. Therefore, regarding the circuit board 40B, the portion 44a on the first side of the short side direction D2 where the encapsulated component 30 (IC chip 31) is disposed, and the portion 44b on the second side of the short side direction D2 where the exposed component 20 (contact terminal 21, fingerprint sensor 22) is disposed, have different positions in the card thickness direction Dt. The connection wiring portion 41u of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 and the connection wiring portion 42u of the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 extend along the bent portion 44 in a direction including the card thickness direction Dt.

[0095] In this embodiment, the inner casing 30 and the exposed casing 20 of the IC card 1B are positioned at different locations along the card thickness direction Dt. The first connecting portions 41s and 42s to which the inner casing 30 engages, and the second connecting portions 41t and 42t to which the exposed casing 20 engages, are also positioned at different locations along the card thickness direction Dt. The connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u that connect the first connecting portions 41s and 42s to the second connecting portions 41t and 42t extend along the direction including the card thickness direction Dt at the bending portion 44 of the circuit board 40B. Therefore, the inner casing 30 can be directly connected to the first connecting portions 41s and 42s, and the exposed casing 20 can be directly connected to the second connecting portions 41t and 42t without the need for a separator. Thus, an IC card 1B that reduces manufacturing time and cost and minimizes the risk of connection defects can be provided.

[0096] (Third embodiment of the card-type medium)

[0097] A third embodiment of the card-type medium of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0098] like Figures 13 to 15 As shown, IC card 1C has a card body 10, an inner casing 30, an exposed component 20, a circuit board 40C, and an antenna 50.

[0099] In this embodiment, the second connection portion 41t of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 and the second connection portion 42t of the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 of the circuit board 40C are disposed at the same position (on the same surface) relative to the antenna 50 and the antenna wiring portion 43 in the card thickness direction Dt. A slit 46 is formed on the circuit board 40C. The slit 46 is formed to penetrate the circuit board 40C in the card thickness direction Dt. The slit 46 extends continuously in the direction along the substrate surface 40f of the circuit board 40. The slit 46 is formed to surround the first connection portion 41s of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 that is bonded to the IC chip 31 and the first connection portion 42s of the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42. Except for the portion where the wiring portions 41u and 42u are connected to the first connection portions 41s and 42s, the slit 46 is formed along three sides of the first connection portions 41s and 42s. A portion of the slit 46 is formed around the wiring portions 41u and 42u. A portion of the slit 46 is formed on both sides of the connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u and extends continuously in the extending direction of the connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u.

[0100] The circuit board 40C is bent along line L1, which connects one slit end 46a of the slit 46 to the other slit end 46b. As a result, the connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u are bent near the IC chip 31 and at the portions intersecting with line L1. Consequently, the first connection portion 41s of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 that engages with the IC chip 31 and the first connection portion 42s of the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 are positioned at different locations relative to the second connection portions 41t and 42t in the card thickness direction Dt.

[0101] Here, the circuit board 40C is bent along the line L1 that connects one slit end 46a and the other slit end 46b of the slit 46. Therefore, it is preferable to position the one slit end 46a and the other slit end 46b of the slit 46 in such a way that the line L1 does not interfere with the IC chip 31 and is located at a position offset from the IC chip 31 towards the outer periphery.

[0102] In this embodiment, the inner casing 30 and the exposed casing 20 of the IC card 1C are positioned at different locations along the card thickness direction Dt. The first connecting portions 41s and 42s to which the inner casing 30 engages, and the second connecting portions 41t and 42t to which the exposed casing 20 engages, are positioned at different locations along the card thickness direction Dt than the first connecting portions 41s and 42s. The connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u that connect the first connecting portions 41s and 42s to the second connecting portions 41t and 42t extend along a direction including the card thickness direction Dt. Therefore, the inner casing 30 can be directly connected to the first connecting portions 41s and 42s, and the exposed casing 20 can be directly connected to the second connecting portions 41t and 42t without the need for a separator. Thus, an IC card 1C that reduces manufacturing time and costs and minimizes the risk of connection defects can be provided.

[0103] According to the IC card 1C of this embodiment, the circuit board 40 has slits 46 formed around the first connecting portions 41s, 42s and the connecting wiring portions 41u, 42u. These slits 46 allow a portion of the circuit board 40C to be bent, facilitating the arrangement of the connecting wiring portions 41u, 42u to extend in a direction including the card thickness direction Dt.

[0104] (First variation of the third embodiment of the cartridge medium)

[0105] In the third embodiment described above, the slit 46 is formed to extend along the three sides of the first connecting portions 41s and 42s, but it is not limited to this.

[0106] For example Figure 16 As shown, in the modified example of IC card 1C, IC card 1D, when viewed from the card thickness direction Dt in the circuit board 40D, the slit 47 is formed in an L-shape. The slit 47 has a portion 47s extending along the short side direction D2 on the side of the first connecting portions 41s and 42s, and a portion 47t extending along the long side direction D1 on the side of the first connecting portions 41s and 42s relative to the first connecting portions 41s and 42s in the short side direction D2.

[0107] The circuit board 40D is bent along line L2, which connects one slit end 47a to the other slit end 47b of the slit 47. As a result, the connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u are bent near the IC chip 31 and at the portions intersecting with line L2. Consequently, the first connection portion 41s of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 that engages with the IC chip 31 and the first connection portion 42s of the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 are positioned at different locations relative to the second connection portions 41t and 42t in the card thickness direction Dt.

[0108] In this case, the circuit board 40D is also bent along the line L2 that connects one slit end 47a and the other slit end 47b of the slit 47. Therefore, it is preferable to position the one slit end 47a and the other slit end 47b of the slit 47 in such a way that the line L2 is located at a position that does not interfere with the IC chip 31 and is offset from the IC chip 31 to the outer periphery.

[0109] (Second variation of the third embodiment of the card-type medium)

[0110] like Figure 17 , Figure 18 As shown, in a modified example of IC card 1C, IC card 1E, IC chip 31 is disposed on the long side direction D1 between contact terminal 21 and fingerprint sensor 22. In circuit board 40E, connection wiring portion 41u of contact terminal wiring portion 41 and connection wiring portion 42u of fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 are disposed on both sides of the long side direction D1, separated by IC chip 31 (first connection portions 41s, 42s). Connection wiring portion 41u of contact terminal wiring portion 41 and connection wiring portion 42u of fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 extend along the long side direction D1, respectively.

[0111] Slits 48A and 48B are formed on the circuit board 40E. Slits 48A and 48B are formed around the first connection portions 41s and 42s that are bonded to the IC chip 31 and the connection wiring portions 41u and 42u. Slits 48A and 48B are disposed on both sides of the short side direction D2, separated from the IC chip 31. Slits 48A and 48B extend on both sides of the long side direction D1, centered on the first connection portions 41s and 42s that are bonded to the IC chip 31.

[0112] The circuit board 40E is bent along line L3, which connects the slit ends 48a and 48b to each other on both sides of the long side direction D1 of slits 48A and 48B. As a result, the connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u are bent near the IC chip 31 and at the portions intersecting with line L3. Consequently, the first connection portion 41s of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 that engages with the IC chip 31 and the first connection portion 42s of the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 are positioned at different locations relative to the second connection portions 41t and 42t in the card thickness direction Dt. In this case, it is also preferable to set the lengths of slits 48A and 48B in a manner that prevents line L3 from interfering with the IC chip 31 and is located at a position offset from the IC chip 31 towards the outer periphery.

[0113] (Fourth embodiment of the card-type medium)

[0114] The fourth embodiment of the card-type medium of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0115] like Figure 19 , Figure 20 As shown, IC card 1F has a card body 10, an inner component 30, an exposed component 20, a circuit board 40F, and an antenna 50.

[0116] Regarding IC card 1F, IC chip 31 is disposed on the long side D1 between contact terminal 21 and fingerprint sensor 22. Contact terminal wiring portion 41 and fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 are disposed on both sides of the long side D1, separated by IC chip 31 (first connecting portions 41s, 42s). Connecting wiring portion 41u of contact terminal wiring portion 41 and connecting wiring portion 42u of fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 extend along the long side D1 respectively.

[0117] The circuit board 40F has a cutout 49, which is cut out on the outer side of the outer edge of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 and the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42, including the first connecting portions 41s, 42s, the second connecting portions 41t, 42t, and the connecting wiring portions 41u, 42u. Except for the portion where the antenna wiring portion 43 is connected to the IC chip 31, the cutout 49 is continuously formed to surround the contact terminal wiring portion 41 and the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42, including the first connecting portions 41s, 42s, the second connecting portions 41t, 42t, and the connecting wiring portions 41u, 42u. Thus, the contact terminal wiring portion 41 and the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 are each formed as strips extending along their extension direction.

[0118] In the circuit board 40F, the connecting wiring portion 41u of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 extends obliquely towards the surface 10f side of the connecting wiring portion 41u in the extending direction of the connecting wiring portion 41u (on one side of the long side direction D1, LH side) and towards the card thickness direction Dt, between the first connecting portion 41s and the second connecting portion 41t. The connecting wiring portion 42u of the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 extends obliquely towards the surface 10f side of the connecting wiring portion 42u in the extending direction of the connecting wiring portion 42u (on the other side of the long side direction D1, RH side) and towards the card thickness direction Dt, between the first connecting portion 42s and the second connecting portion 42t.

[0119] In this embodiment, the inner casing 30 and the exposed casing 20 of the IC card 1F are positioned at different locations along the card thickness direction Dt. The first connecting portions 41s and 42s to which the inner casing 30 engages, and the second connecting portions 41t and 42t to which the exposed casing 20 engages, are also positioned at different locations along the card thickness direction Dt. The connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u that connect the first connecting portions 41s and 42s to the second connecting portions 41t and 42t extend along a direction including the card thickness direction Dt. Therefore, the inner casing 30 can be directly connected to the first connecting portions 41s and 42s, and the exposed casing 20 can be directly connected to the second connecting portions 41t and 42t without the need for a separator. Thus, an IC card 1F that reduces manufacturing time and costs and minimizes the risk of connection defects can be provided.

[0120] According to the IC card 1F of this embodiment, the circuit board 40F has a cutout 49, which is cut out on the outer side of the outer edge of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 and the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42, including the first connecting portions 41s, 42s, the second connecting portions 41t, 42t, and the connecting wiring portions 41u, 42u. Thus, the contact terminal wiring portion 41 and the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 are each formed as strips extending in their extending direction. Therefore, it is easy to configure the connecting wiring portions 41u, 42u to extend in a direction including the card thickness direction Dt.

[0121] (Variations of the first to fourth embodiments of the cartridge-type medium)

[0122] In the above embodiments, the first connecting portions 41s and 42s to which the inner casing 30 engages, and the second connecting portions 41t and 42t to which the exposed component 20 engages, are positioned at different locations in the card thickness direction Dt than the first connecting portions 41s and 42s. In this structure, as... Figure 21 As shown, the exposed part 20 of the IC card 1G can be supported on the card substrate 101 forming the back side 10g of the card body 10G via the separator 70.

[0123] The isolator 70 is disposed on the opposite side of the exposed member 20 in the card thickness direction Dt, relative to the second connecting portions 41t and 42t of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 and the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 that engage with the exposed member 20 (contact terminal 21 and fingerprint sensor 22).

[0124] Therefore, the second connection portions 41t and 42t of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 and the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 of the circuit board 40G are directly connected to the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22. This allows for the provision of an IC card 1G that reduces manufacturing time and costs and minimizes the risk of connection failures. Furthermore, the exposed component 20 can be stably supported during manufacturing by utilizing the insulating member 70.

[0125] (Other variations of the first to fourth embodiments of the cartridge-type medium)

[0126] like Figure 22 As shown, in the card body 10H of IC card 1H, the card substrate 303 disposed on the surface 10f side can be made of metal, for example.

[0127] The card body 10H is constructed by stacking multiple sheet-like card substrates 301 and 303 along the card thickness direction Dt. An opening 312 is formed on the card substrate 303 disposed on the surface 10f side of the card body 10H to accommodate the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22. A recess 313 is formed on the surface of the card substrate 303 facing the back side 10g, recessed along the card thickness direction Dt towards the surface 10f. An IC chip 31 is accommodated in the recess 313.

[0128] The card substrate 301, disposed on the back side 10g of the card body 10H, is made of resin, for example. A circuit board 40H is disposed between the card substrate 301 and the card substrate 303. The card substrate 301 and the card substrate 303 are bonded together by a bonding layer 305 made of a ferrite layer or the like.

[0129] The exposed part 20 of IC card 1H is supported on card substrate 301 on the back side 10g of card body 10H via isolator 70. Isolator 70 is disposed on the opposite side of exposed part 20 in card thickness direction Dt, relative to the second connection parts 41t and 42t of contact terminal wiring portion 41 and fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 that engage with exposed part 20 (contact terminal 21 and fingerprint sensor 22).

[0130] In the circuit board 40H, the connecting wiring portion 41u of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 extends between the first connecting portion 41s and the second connecting portion 41t at an angle relative to the card thickness direction Dt along the extending direction (long side direction D1) of the connecting wiring portion 41u. The connecting wiring portion 42u of the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 extends between the first connecting portion 42s and the second connecting portion 42t at an angle relative to the card thickness direction Dt along the extending direction (long side direction D1) of the connecting wiring portion 42u.

[0131] The opening 312 formed in the card substrate 303 has an enlarged diameter portion 3121 on the back side 10g side in the card thickness direction Dt. The enlarged diameter portion 3121 is formed such that the opening size in the direction intersecting the card thickness direction Dt (long side direction D1, short side direction D2) is larger than the opening size on the surface side 10f side of the opening 312. Between the first connecting portions 41s, 42s and the second connecting portions 41t, 42t, the connecting wiring portions 41u, 42u extending in the direction including the card thickness direction Dt are received between the spacer 70 and the inner wall surface of the enlarged diameter portion 3121.

[0132] Therefore, the second connecting portions 41t and 42t of the contact terminal wiring section 41 and the fingerprint sensor wiring section 42 are directly connected to the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22. Thus, an IC card 1H can be provided that reduces manufacturing time and costs and minimizes the risk of connection failures.

[0133] (Fifth embodiment of the card-type medium)

[0134] Below, refer to Figures 23 to 30 The IC card according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0135] Figure 23 This is an appearance view of the IC card involved in this embodiment, viewed from the surface side. Figure 24 This indicates that it is set in Figure 23 A top view of the IC card components and the circuit board. Figure 25 yes Figure 24 JJ vector section view.

[0136] like Figures 23 to 25 As shown, the IC card (card-type medium) 1J is a dual-interface IC card having a contact terminal 21 as a contact interface and an antenna 50 as a contactless interface. Furthermore, the IC card 1J has biometric authentication functionality based on a fingerprint sensor 22. The IC card 1J includes a card body 10J, an inner casing 30, an exposed component 20, a circuit board 40J, and an antenna 50.

[0137] The card body 10J is plate-shaped and rectangular when viewed from the card thickness direction Dt, which is orthogonal to its surface 10f. Here, the card thickness direction Dt refers to the direction that connects the surface 10f and the back surface 10g of the card body 10J. The thickness of the card body 10J in the card thickness direction Dt is, for example, about 0.5 to 1.0 mm (in the case of an IC card 1J being a credit card, the thickness of the card body 10J is 0.76 mm).

[0138] like Figure 25 As shown, the card body 10J has a frame component 111, a surface-side skin component 112, and a back-side skin component 113.

[0139] The frame member 111 is formed in the shape of a frame extending along the outer edge of the card body 10J. A space 114 is formed on the inner side of the frame member 111. The frame member 111 has a predetermined thickness in the card thickness direction Dt. The inner packaging member 30 (see reference) is housed in the space 114 on the inner side of the frame member 111. Figure 24 ), exposed component 20, circuit board 40J. Frame component 111 is formed, for example, using insulating plastic substrates such as amorphous polyester, vinyl chloride materials such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), polycarbonate materials, PET-G (polyethylene terephthalate copolymer).

[0140] The surface-side skin member 112 forms the surface 10f of the card body 10J. The surface-side skin member 112, relative to the frame member 111, closes the space 114 inside the frame member 111 on the surface 10f side in the card thickness direction Dt. An opening 115 is formed in the surface-side skin member 112 to accommodate the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22, which will be described later. The back-side skin member 113 forms the back 10g of the card body 10J. The back-side skin member 113, relative to the frame member 111, closes the space 114 inside the frame member 111 on the back 10g side in the card thickness direction Dt. The surface-side skin member 112 and the back-side skin member 113 are, for example, sheets formed of resin materials such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyurethane (PU), or metal materials such as aluminum alloy and stainless steel.

[0141] like Figure 24 , Figure 25 As shown, the exposed component 20 is embedded in the surface 10f of the card body 10J in such a way that a portion of it is exposed. In this embodiment, the IC card 1J has a contact terminal (component) 21 and a fingerprint sensor (component) 22 as the exposed component 20. The contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22 are respectively configured to be exposed to the outside from the opening 115 formed in the surface-side skin component 112 of the card body 10J.

[0142] like Figure 24 As shown, viewed from the card thickness direction Dt, the contact terminal 21 is rectangular. The contact terminal 21 has a contact surface 21a capable of contacting and electrically coupling with external contact terminals installed in contact-type external devices such as cash deposit machines. The contact terminal 21 forms a conductor pattern on the surface of an insulating substrate such as glass fiber epoxy resin or polyimide (PI) through etching or other processes, and then performs a plating process with nickel, palladium, gold, etc., to form the contact surface 21a. In this embodiment, the contact terminal 21 is disposed on one side (LH side) along the long side direction D1 of the surface 10f of the card body 10J, relative to the center of the surface 10f of the card body 10J.

[0143] Viewed from the card thickness direction Dt, the fingerprint sensor 22 is formed as a rectangular plate. The fingerprint sensor 22 has a structure in which a protective film is provided to cover multiple electrodes. The fingerprint sensor 22 is disposed on the other side (RH side) of the long side direction D1 of the card body 10J, opposite to the center of the surface 10f of the card body 10J.

[0144] The inner component 30 is disposed within the space 114 and embedded within the card body 10J. In this embodiment, the IC card 1J has an IC chip 31 as the inner component 30. The IC chip 31 is electrically coupled to the contact terminal 21, the fingerprint sensor 22, and the antenna 50 (described later) via wiring formed on the circuit board 40J. The IC chip 31 is a so-called secure IC microcomputer, which has the function of communicating with the outside via the contact terminal 21 and the antenna 50, and the fingerprint authentication function based on the fingerprint sensor 22. The IC chip 31 can utilize a chip with a known structure that has both contact-type and contactless communication functions. Viewed from the card thickness direction Dt, the IC chip 31 is formed into a rectangle. The IC chip 31 is disposed between the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22 on the long side direction D1. The IC chip 31 is disposed relative to the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22 on the side (LW side) of the short side direction D2, which is orthogonal to the long side direction D1, in the plane along the surface 10f of the card body 10J.

[0145] The circuit board 40J is embedded within the card body 10J. Viewed from the card thickness direction Dt, the circuit board 40J is disposed in a space 114 that is further inward than the frame member 111 of the card body 10J. Viewed from the card thickness direction Dt, the circuit board 40J has a rectangular shape. The thickness of the circuit board 40J in the card thickness direction Dt is, for example, 15 to 50 μm (micrometers).

[0146] The circuit board 40J is made of a flexible circuit board. The circuit board 40J has a substrate made of insulating materials such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polycarbonate (PC), and polyimide (PI). A predetermined wiring pattern, formed by etching or other processes, consisting of a conductive thin film made of aluminum, copper, or the like, is disposed on the surface of the substrate of the circuit board 40J.

[0147] The circuit board 40J is disposed on the back side 10g of the card body 10J in the card thickness direction Dt, relative to the contact terminal 21, fingerprint sensor 22, and IC chip 31. The contact terminal 21, fingerprint sensor 22, and IC chip 31 are mounted on the substrate surface 40f facing the surface 10f of the card body 10J. The contact terminal 21, fingerprint sensor 22, and IC chip 31 are mounted on the substrate surface 40f of the circuit board 40J by soldering, conductive adhesive, or thermoforming.

[0148] Viewed from the thickness direction Dt, the antenna 50 is formed in a rectangular shape along the periphery of the circuit board 40J. The antenna 50 forms one or more loops along the periphery of the circuit board 40J. The antenna 50 is, for example, formed as part of a wiring pattern formed on the circuit board 40J. Alternatively, the antenna 50 can be separate from the circuit board 40J. When the antenna 50 is separate from the circuit board 40J, it can be formed, for example, by a metal plate, metal foil, or metal wire arrangement formed in a predetermined antenna shape. In this case, the antenna 50 is joined to the wiring pattern of the circuit board 40J by brazing, soldering, crimping, or the like.

[0149] The circuit board 40J has a contact terminal wiring section 41, a fingerprint sensor wiring section 42, and an antenna wiring section 43.

[0150] The contact terminal wiring section 41 electrically couples (connects) the IC chip 31 to the contact terminal 21. The contact terminal wiring section 41 has a first connection section 41s, a second connection section (component connection section) 41t, and a connecting wiring section 41u. The first connection section 41s engages with the IC chip 31. The second connection section 41t engages with the contact terminal 21. The connecting wiring section 41u connects the first connection section 41s and the second connection section 41t. The connecting wiring section 41u has a chip-side wiring section 41a, a folded-back section 41b, and a terminal-side wiring section 41c. The chip-side wiring section 41a extends from the first connection section 41s toward the other side (UP side) in the short-side direction D2. Viewed from the card thickness direction Dt on the other side of the circuit board 40J in the short-side direction D2, the folded-back section 41b is folded back into a U-shape. The terminal side wiring portion 41c extends from the folded-back portion 41b toward the side (LW side) in the short side direction D2 and is continuous relative to the second connecting portion 41t.

[0151] The fingerprint sensor wiring section 42 electrically couples the IC chip 31 to the fingerprint sensor 22. The fingerprint sensor wiring section 42 has a first connection section 42s, a second connection section (component connection section) 42t, and a connecting wiring section 42u. The first connection section 42s is coupled to the IC chip 31. The second connection section 42t is coupled to the fingerprint sensor 22. The connecting wiring section 42u connects the first connection section 42s and the second connection section 42t. The connecting wiring section 42u has a chip-side wiring section 42a, a bending section 42b, and a sensor-side wiring section 42c. The chip-side wiring section 42a extends from the first connection section 42s and the chip-side wiring section 41a side-by-side toward the other side (UP side) in the short-side direction D2. Viewed from the card thickness direction Dt at the middle portion of the circuit board 40J in the short-side direction D2, the bending section 42b is bent into an L-shape. The sensor-side wiring portion 42c extends from the bent portion 42b toward the other side (RH side) of the long side direction D1 and is continuous relative to the second connecting portion 42t.

[0152] Antenna wiring section 43 electrically couples IC chip 31 to antenna 50. Antenna wiring section 43 is disposed on the opposite side of contact terminal wiring section 41 and fingerprint sensor wiring section 42 in the short side direction D2, separated by IC chip 31. Antenna wiring section 43 extends from IC chip 31 toward the side in the short side direction D2 and is connected to the long side 50a of antenna 50.

[0153] The circuit board 40J has a cutout 45. The cutout 45 is an opening formed by cutting along the outer edges of the contact terminal wiring portion 41, the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42, and the antenna wiring portion 43 on the circuit board 40J. As a result, the contact terminal wiring portion 41, the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42, and the antenna wiring portion 43 are each formed as a strip extending in the extension direction of each portion.

[0154] like Figure 25 As shown, the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22 are positioned biased towards the surface 10f of the card body 10J relative to the IC chip 31 in the card thickness direction Dt. The contact surface 21a of the contact terminal 21 and the contact surface 22a of the fingerprint sensor 22 are positioned at the same location as the surface 10f of the card body 10J in the card thickness direction Dt. The component thickness T1 of the contact terminal 21 in the card thickness direction Dt is different from the component thickness T2 of the fingerprint sensor 22 in the card thickness direction Dt. In this embodiment, the component thickness T1 of the contact terminal 21 is smaller than the component thickness T2 of the fingerprint sensor 22. As a result, the positions of the mating surface 21b of the contact terminal 21 that engages with the second connecting portion 41t and the mating surface 22b of the fingerprint sensor 22 that engages with the second connecting portion 42t in the card thickness direction Dt are different. Consequently, the second connecting portion 41t of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 of the contact terminal 21, which engages with the mating surface 21b, and the second connecting portion 42t of the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 of the fingerprint sensor 22, which engages with the mating surface 22b, are positioned differently in the card thickness direction Dt. Compared to the second connecting portion 42t, the second connecting portion 41t is positioned closer to the surface 10f of the card body 10J in the card thickness direction Dt.

[0155] Isolators 70J1 and 70J2 are disposed on the opposite side of the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22, separated by the second connecting portions 41t and 42t. In this embodiment, the isolators 70J1 and 70J2 are separately provided with respect to the contact terminal 21 and the second connecting portion 41t, and the fingerprint sensor 22 and the second connecting portion 42t, respectively. Isolator 70J1 is disposed on the opposite side of the contact terminal 21, separated by the second connecting portion 41t. Isolator 70J1 is sandwiched between the second connecting portion 41t and the back surface skin member 113. Isolator 70J2 is disposed on the opposite side of the fingerprint sensor 22, separated by the second connecting portion 42t. Isolator 70J2 is sandwiched between the second connecting portion 42t and the back surface skin member 113. Isolators 70J1 and 70J2 can simply contact the second connecting portions 41t and 42t, or they can be joined by adhesive, welding, or the like.

[0156] Therefore, the isolation member 70J1, which is configured to contact the second connecting portion 41t, and the isolation member 70J2, which is configured to contact the second connecting portion 42t, have different isolation member thicknesses in the card thickness direction Dt. The isolation member thickness S1 of the isolation member 70J1, which is configured to contact the second connecting portion 41t, is greater than the isolation member thickness S2 of the isolation member 70J2, which is configured to contact the second connecting portion 42t.

[0157] Thus, a structure is formed in which the contact terminal 21, which is the exposed component 20, and the fingerprint sensor 22 are supported by the isolation members 70J1 and 70J2.

[0158] The second connecting portion 41t of the contact terminal wiring portion 41, which is engaged with the contact terminal 21, and the second connecting portion 42t of the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42, which is engaged with the fingerprint sensor 22, are mechanically (physically) connected by connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u. Between the second connecting portion 41t and the second connecting portion 42t, the connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u are inclined in their extending direction relative to the card thickness direction Dt.

[0159] The IC card 1J of this embodiment includes: a card body 10J; at least a portion of a contact terminal 21 and a fingerprint sensor 22 embedded in the card body 10J; a circuit board 40J embedded in the card body 10J, having second connecting portions 41t and 42t for engaging the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22; and insulating members 70J1 and 70J2 embedded in the card body 10J and disposed on opposite sides of the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22, separated by the second connecting portions 41t and 42t. Thus, the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22 can be directly engaged with the second connecting portions 41t and 42t, respectively. Therefore, an IC card 1J that reduces manufacturing time and cost and increases the risk of connection failures can be provided.

[0160] According to this embodiment of the IC card 1J, the contact terminal 21 and fingerprint sensor 22, which are partially exposed on the surface 10f of the card body 10J, can be stably supported by the isolation members 70J1 and 70J2.

[0161] According to this embodiment, the IC card 1J includes: multiple contact terminals 21 with different component thicknesses T1 and T2; a fingerprint sensor 22; multiple second connecting portions 41t and 42t for respectively engaging with the multiple contact terminals 21 and fingerprint sensor 22; and multiple isolation members 70J1 and 70J2 configured to contact the second connecting portions 41t and 42t and having different isolation member thicknesses S1 and S2. Thus, isolation members 70J1 and 70J2 are provided individually for the multiple contact terminals 21 and fingerprint sensor 22 with different component thicknesses T1 and T2. Therefore, by preparing isolation members 70J1 and 70J2 corresponding to the component thicknesses T1 and T2 of the multiple contact terminals 21 and fingerprint sensor 22, even for contact terminals 21 and fingerprint sensor 22 with different component thicknesses T1 and T2, their positions in the card thickness direction Dt can be accurately configured.

[0162] According to the IC card 1J of this embodiment, there are connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u extending in a direction including the card thickness direction Dt between a plurality of second connecting portions 41t and 42t, which connect the second connecting portions 41t and 42t to each other. As a result, the connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u can be well arranged between the second connecting portions 41t and 42t that are at different positions in the card thickness direction Dt.

[0163] (A variation of the fifth embodiment of the cartridge medium)

[0164] In the above embodiment, isolation members 70J1 and 70J2 are provided separately from contact terminal 21 and fingerprint sensor 22, but the type of isolation member is not limited to this.

[0165] For example Figure 26 As shown, an isolator 70J3 may be provided relative to the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22. The isolator 70J3 extends continuously in a direction intersecting the card thickness direction Dt (long side direction D1, short side direction D2). The isolator 70J3 has multiple support surfaces 71 and 72 that respectively contact multiple second connecting portions 41t and 42t. The support surface 71 is formed to contact the second connecting portion 41t that is connected to the contact terminal 21. The support surface 72 is formed to contact the second connecting portion 42t that is connected to the fingerprint sensor 22. The positions of the multiple support surfaces 71 and 72 in the card thickness direction Dt are different.

[0166] The isolation member 70J3 has an inclined surface 74 between the support surfaces 71 and 72 along the connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u.

[0167] According to the structure of this modified example, the number of isolation members 70J3 can be reduced, and the manufacturing time can be reduced. In addition, the inclined surface 74 can stably support the connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u.

[0168] (Other variations of the fifth embodiment of the card-type medium)

[0169] like Figure 27 , Figure 28 As shown, the isolation members 70J1 to 70J3 shown in the above embodiments and their variations can, for example, utilize the isolation member 75 shown below. The isolation member 75 has a recess 76 on its support surface 75f, which contacts the second connecting portions 41t and 42t. The recess 76 is recessed from the support surface 75f in the card thickness direction Dt. When components such as the contact terminal 21 and fingerprint sensor 22 that engage with the second connecting portions 41t and 42t have protrusions 28, the protrusions 28 can be accommodated in the recess 76. In this case, holes 77 are formed in the second connecting portions 41t and 42t to allow the protrusions 28 to pass through.

[0170] like Figure 29 As shown, the isolation members 70J1 to 70J3 shown in the above embodiments and their variations can, for example, utilize the isolation member 78A shown below. The external dimensions of the isolation member 78A in the direction intersecting the card thickness direction Dt are larger than those of the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22. The isolation member 78A has a curved surface 78x on the outer periphery of the surface 78f that contacts the second connecting portions 41t and 42t. Because the isolation member 78A has a curved surface 78x, stress concentration on the contact terminal wiring portion 41 and the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 can be suppressed when they are bent or folded in the card thickness direction Dt.

[0171] like Figure 30 As shown, as isolation members 70J1 to 70J3, isolation member 78B, which has a curved surface and an inclined surface 78y on the outer periphery, can be used instead of curved surface 78x.

[0172] (Sixth embodiment of the card-type medium)

[0173] Below, refer to Figures 31 to 34 The IC card according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0174] Figure 31 This is an appearance view of the IC card involved in this embodiment, viewed from the surface side. Figure 32 This is a cross-sectional view of the IC card in this embodiment.

[0175] like Figure 31 , Figure 32 As shown, the IC card (card-type medium) 1K has a contact terminal 21 as a contact interface and an antenna 50 as a contactless interface (see reference). Figure 32 The IC card 1K is a dual-interface IC card. Additionally, the IC card 1K features biometric authentication based on a fingerprint sensor 22. The IC card 1K comprises a card body 10K, an inner casing 30, an exposed component 20, a circuit board 40K, and an antenna 50.

[0176] The card body 10K is plate-shaped, and the card thickness direction Dt (refer to) is perpendicular to its surface 10f. Figure 32 Observe that it is formed into a rectangle. Here, the card thickness direction Dt refers to the direction in which the surface 10f and the back surface 10g of the card body 10K are connected. The thickness of the card body 10K in the card thickness direction Dt is, for example, formed to be about 0.5 to 1.0 mm (in the case of IC card 1K being a credit card, the thickness of the card body 10K is 0.76 mm).

[0177] like Figure 32 As shown, multiple sheet-like card substrates 401 and 402 are stacked in the card thickness direction Dt to form the card body 10K.

[0178] An opening 410 is formed on the card substrate 402 disposed on the surface 10f side of the card body 10K to accommodate the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22. The opening 410 is formed to penetrate the card substrate 402 in the card thickness direction Dt.

[0179] In the card substrate 402, an internal opening 420 is formed on the back surface 42g of the substrate 10g side facing the card thickness direction Dt. The internal opening 420 is formed to be recessed from the back surface 42g of the substrate towards the surface 10f side facing the card thickness direction Dt. The internal package component 30 (IC chip 31 described later) is accommodated in the internal opening 420. The opening 410 and the internal opening 420 are formed by laser processing and cutting processing.

[0180] The card substrate 401 disposed on the back 10g side of the card body 10K is formed, for example, by using insulating plastic substrates such as amorphous polyester, vinyl chloride materials such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), polycarbonate materials, and PET-G (polyethylene terephthalate copolymer).

[0181] The card substrate 402 is formed of a conductive metallic material such as stainless steel or titanium alloy. The thickness of the card substrate 402 in the card thickness direction Dt is set to, for example, 100 to 500 μm.

[0182] Outer resin layers 403 and 404 are formed on the surface 10f and back surface 10g of the card body 10K. The outer resin layer 403 forming the surface 10f covers the card substrate 402 except for the opening 410. The outer resin layer 404 forming the back surface 10g covers the entire card substrate 401. The outer resin layers 403 and 404 are formed, for example, by lamination (film).

[0183] Card substrate 401 and card substrate 402 can be integrated through conversion processing based on hot stamping lamination, adhesives, etc. Card substrate 401 and card substrate 402 can also be integrated through cold stamping lamination using a two-part curing resin, a room-temperature curing resin, or a UV-curing resin. Furthermore, a ferrite layer 405 can be disposed between card substrate 401 and card substrate 402.

[0184] The opening 410 has a surface-side opening 411 and a back-side opening 412. The surface-side opening 411 is located on the surface 10f side in the card thickness direction Dt. The back-side opening 412 is continuously formed on the back-side 10g side in the card thickness direction Dt relative to the surface-side opening 411. The opening size Z2 of the back-side opening 412 in the plane intersecting the card thickness direction Dt is larger than the opening size Z1 of the surface-side opening 411 in the plane intersecting the card thickness direction Dt. That is, the back-side opening 412 is an enlarged diameter portion with an opening size larger than that of the surface-side opening 411.

[0185] The exposed component 20 is configured such that a portion of it is exposed on the surface 10f of the card body 10K. In this embodiment, the IC card 1K has a contact terminal 21 and a fingerprint sensor 22 as the exposed component 20. The contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22 are respectively housed within an opening 410 formed on the surface 10f side of the card body 10K.

[0186] Viewed from the card thickness direction Dt, the contact terminal 21 is rectangular. The contact terminal 21 can contact and electrically couple with external contact terminals provided in contact-type external devices such as cash deposit machines. The contact terminal 21 employs a structure in which a conductor pattern is formed on the surface of an insulating substrate such as glass fiber epoxy resin or polyimide (PI) through etching or other processes, and then plated with nickel, palladium, gold, or the like. In this embodiment, the contact terminal 21 is positioned relative to the center of the surface 10f of the card body 10K on one side (LH side) along the long side direction D1 of the surface 10f of the card body 10K.

[0187] Viewed from the card thickness direction Dt, the fingerprint sensor 22 is formed as a rectangular plate. The fingerprint sensor 22 has a structure in which a protective film is provided to cover multiple electrodes. The fingerprint sensor 22 is disposed on the other side (RH side) of the long side direction D1 of the card body 10K, opposite to the center of the surface 10f of the card body 10K.

[0188] The contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22 are bonded to the circuit board 40K using conductive bonding materials 450 such as solder or silver paste. Here, the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22 are positioned with a gap G1 between them and the inner peripheral surface of the surface-side opening 411 of the opening 410. The contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22 are positioned with a gap G2 between them and the inner peripheral surface of the back-side opening 412 of the opening 410. The opening size Z2 of the back-side opening 412 is larger than the opening size Z1 of the surface-side opening 411. Therefore, the gap G2 between the contact terminal 21 / fingerprint sensor 22 and the inner peripheral surface of the back-side opening 412 is larger than the gap G1 between the contact terminal 21 / fingerprint sensor 22 and the inner peripheral surface of the surface-side opening 411. Therefore, even if the conductive bonding material 450 that bonds the contact terminal 21, the fingerprint sensor 22 and the circuit board 40K are exposed to the outside from the bonding portion of the contact terminal 21, the fingerprint sensor 22 and the circuit board 40K, the contact between the conductive bonding material 450 and the metal card substrate 402 can be suppressed.

[0189] The inner component 30 is embedded within the card body 10K. In this embodiment, the IC card 1K has an IC chip 31 as the inner component 30. The IC chip 31 is electrically coupled to the contact terminal 21, the fingerprint sensor 22, and the antenna 50 (described later) via wiring formed on the circuit board 40K. The IC chip 31 is a so-called secure IC microcomputer, which has the function of communicating with the outside via the contact terminal 21 and the antenna 50, and the fingerprint authentication function based on the fingerprint sensor 22. The IC chip 31 can use a chip with a known structure that has both contact-type and contactless communication functions. Viewed from the card thickness direction Dt, the IC chip 31 is formed into a rectangle.

[0190] The circuit board 40K is embedded within the card body 10K. Viewed from the card thickness direction Dt, the circuit board 40K is positioned further inward than the outer edge of the card body 10K. Viewed from the card thickness direction Dt, the circuit board 40K has a rectangular shape. The thickness of the circuit board 40K in the card thickness direction Dt is, for example, 15–50 μm (micrometers).

[0191] The circuit board 40K is made of a flexible circuit board. The circuit board 40K has a substrate made of insulating materials such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polycarbonate (PC), polyimide (PI), and glass fiber epoxy resin. A predetermined wiring pattern, formed by etching or other processes, consisting of conductive thin films such as aluminum or copper, is disposed on the surface of the substrate of the circuit board 40K.

[0192] The circuit board 40K is disposed on the back side 10g of the card body 10K in the card thickness direction Dt, relative to the contact terminal 21, the fingerprint sensor 22, and the IC chip 31. The contact terminal 21, the fingerprint sensor 22, and the IC chip 31 are mounted on the substrate surface 40f facing the surface 10f of the card body 10K.

[0193] Viewed from the thickness direction Dt, the antenna 50 is formed in a rectangular shape along the periphery of the circuit board 40K. The antenna 50 is formed in one or more loops along the periphery of the circuit board 40K. The antenna 50 is, for example, formed as part of a wiring pattern formed on the circuit board 40K. Alternatively, the antenna 50 can be separate from the circuit board 40K. When the antenna 50 is separate from the circuit board 40K, it can be formed, for example, by a metal plate, metal foil, or arrangement of metal wires formed into a predetermined antenna shape. In this case, the antenna 50 and the wiring pattern of the circuit board 40K are joined by brazing, soldering, crimping, or the like.

[0194] The circuit board 40K has a contact terminal wiring section 41, a fingerprint sensor wiring section 42, and an antenna wiring section (not shown). In this embodiment, the circuit board 40K is disposed in a plane orthogonal to the card thickness direction Dt along the card substrate 401 on the back side 10g of the card body 10K.

[0195] The contact terminal wiring section 41 electrically couples (connects) the IC chip 31 to the contact terminal 21. The contact terminal wiring section 41 has a first connection section 41s, a second connection section 41t, and a connecting wiring section 41u. The first connection section 41s engages with the IC chip 31. The second connection section 41t engages with the contact terminal 21. The connecting wiring section 41u connects the first connection section 41s and the second connection section 41t.

[0196] The fingerprint sensor wiring section 42 electrically couples the IC chip 31 to the fingerprint sensor 22. The fingerprint sensor wiring section 42 includes a first connection section 42s, a second connection section 42t, and a connecting wiring section 42u. The first connection section 42s is coupled to the IC chip 31. The second connection section 42t is coupled to the fingerprint sensor 22. The connecting wiring section 42u connects the first connection section 42s and the second connection section 42t.

[0197] The antenna wiring section (not shown) enables the IC chip 31 to be electrically coupled to the antenna 50.

[0198] Regarding the IC card 1K of this embodiment, the opening 410 formed in the card body 10K has: a surface-side opening 411 located on the surface 10f side in the card thickness direction Dt; and a back-side opening 412 continuously formed on the back side 10g side in the card thickness direction Dt. The back-side opening 412 has a larger opening size in the plane intersecting the card thickness direction Dt compared to the surface-side opening 411. Therefore, a gap G2 is formed between the exposed members 20 housed inside the opening 410. Thus, even when a metal material is used for the card body 10K, electrical short circuits between the exposed members 20 mounted on the card body 10K and the card body 10K can be suppressed.

[0199] (First variation of the sixth embodiment of the cartridge medium)

[0200] In the sixth embodiment described above, the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22 are directly connected to the second connection portions 41t and 42t of the circuit board 40K, but the connection method of the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22 is not limited to this.

[0201] For example Figure 33 As shown in the IC card 1L, the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22 can be engaged with the second connection portions 41t and 42t of the circuit board 40L via intermediate spacers 471 and 472. The intermediate spacers 471 and 472 are sandwiched between the exposed member 20 and the circuit board 40L. The intermediate spacers 471 and 472 are housed inside the back side opening 412 of the opening 410 formed in the card body 10L.

[0202] In the intermediate spacers 471 and 472, connection electrodes (not shown) based on copper foil or the like are formed on the surface and back of an insulating substrate such as glass fiber epoxy resin. Through holes or pathways formed by copper plating or the like are used to electrically connect the connection electrodes on the surface and back of the intermediate spacers 471 and 472 to each other. These intermediate spacers 471 and 472 electrically couple the second connection portions 41t and 42t of the circuit board 40L to the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22, respectively.

[0203] By using these intermediate spacers 471 and 472, even if the component thickness of the contact terminal 21 in the card thickness direction Dt is different from the component thickness of the fingerprint sensor 22, the positions of the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22 in the card thickness direction Dt can be made consistent by making the heights of the intermediate spacers 471 and 472 different.

[0204] According to this IC card 1L, the opening size of the back-side opening 412 in the plane intersecting the card thickness direction Dt is larger than that of the surface-side opening 411. Therefore, a gap G3 can be separated between the intermediate spacer 471 housed inside the opening 410 and the inner peripheral surface of the back-side opening 412. Therefore, even when a metal material is used for the card body 10L, electrical short circuits between the exposed part 20 mounted on the card body 10L and the card body 10L can be suppressed.

[0205] (Second variation of the sixth embodiment of the card-type medium)

[0206] In the sixth embodiment and its first variation described above, the circuit boards 40K and 40L are disposed along the card substrate 401 in a plane orthogonal to the card thickness direction Dt, but the arrangement of the circuit boards is not limited to this.

[0207] For example Figure 34 As shown in the IC card 1M, the first connection portion 41s of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 of the circuit board 40M and the first connection portion 42s and the second connection portion (component connection portion) 41t, 42t of the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 can be arranged at different positions in the card thickness direction Dt.

[0208] The exposed portion 20 of the IC card 1M is supported on the card substrate 401 on the back side 10g of the card body 10M via the isolator 470. The isolator 470 is disposed on the opposite side of the exposed portion 20 in the card thickness direction Dt, relative to the second connection portions 41t and 42t of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 and the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 that engage with the exposed portion 20 (contact terminal 21 and fingerprint sensor 22).

[0209] In the circuit board 40M, the connecting wiring portion 41u of the contact terminal wiring portion 41 extends along the extending direction of the connecting wiring portion 41u between the first connecting portion 41s and the second connecting portion 41t, at an inclination relative to the card thickness direction Dt. The connecting wiring portion 42u of the fingerprint sensor wiring portion 42 extends along the extending direction of the connecting wiring portion 42u between the first connecting portion 42s and the second connecting portion 42t, at an inclination relative to the card thickness direction Dt. The connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u can extend along the card thickness direction Dt.

[0210] An opening 410 formed in the card substrate 401 has a back-side opening 412 on the back side 10g side in the card thickness direction Dt. Connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u are received between the spacer 470 and the inner peripheral surface of the back-side opening 412. The connecting wiring portions 41u and 42u are disposed between the inner peripheral surfaces of the back-side opening 412, separated by a gap G4 on the inner side of the back-side opening 412.

[0211] According to this IC card 1M, the opening size of the back-side opening 412 in the plane intersecting the card thickness direction Dt is larger than that of the surface-side opening 411. Therefore, a gap G4 can also be separated between the spacers 470 housed inside the opening 410. Therefore, even when a metal material is used for the card body 10M, electrical short circuits between the exposed part 20 mounted on the card body 10M and the card body 10M can be suppressed.

[0212] The various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the specific structure is not limited to these embodiments and includes changes and combinations of structures that do not depart from the spirit of the present invention.

[0213] For example, the components mounted as the inner component 30 and the exposed component 20 are not limited to the IC chip 31, the contact terminal 21, and the fingerprint sensor 22; other components can be appropriately mounted. Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the exposed component 20 has two types (two units): the contact terminal 21 and the fingerprint sensor 22, but it is not limited to these. The type and number of the exposed component 20 and the inner component 30 can be appropriately varied.

[0214] Furthermore, the positions of the second connecting parts 41t and 42t in the card thickness direction Dt are different from those of the first connecting parts 41s and 42s, but the positions in the card thickness direction Dt can also be different among the multiple second connecting parts.

[0215] Examples of card-type media include IC cards 1, 1B to 1M used as credit cards, but their method and purpose are not limited in any way.

[0216] Explanation of the label

[0217] 1, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G, 1H, 1J, 1K, 1L, 1M IC cards (card media)

[0218] 10, 10G, 10H, 10J, 10K, 10L, 10M card body

[0219] 10f surface

[0220] 10g on the back

[0221] 12, 312, 410 openings

[0222] 20 Exposed components

[0223] 21 Contact terminals (components)

[0224] 22. Fingerprint sensor (component)

[0225] 30 Inner components

[0226] 31 IC chips

[0227] Circuit boards of types 40, 40B, 40C, 40D, 40E, 40F, 40G, 40H, 40J, 40K, 40L, and 40M.

[0228] 41a Chip-side wiring section (first inclined section)

[0229] 41c Terminal-side wiring section (second inclined section)

[0230] 41s, 42s First connecting section

[0231] 41t, 42t Second connecting part (component connecting part)

[0232] 41u and 42u connection wiring section

[0233] 45, 49 Incision sites

[0234] 46, 47, 48A, 48B Slits

[0235] 50 antennas

[0236] D2 Short side direction

[0237] Dt card thickness direction

[0238] C1 First Direction

[0239] C2 Second Direction

[0240] 70J1, 70J2, 70J3, 470 isolation components

[0241] 71, 72 Support surfaces

[0242] 75f support surface

[0243] S1 and S2 separator thickness

[0244] Thickness of T1 and T2 components

[0245] 471, 472 Intermediate spacers

[0246] G1, G2, G3, G4 gaps

[0247] Z1 and Z2 opening dimensions

Claims

1. A cartridge-type medium, wherein, The card-type medium has: Card body; An inner component is embedded within the card body; Exposed components, configured to be partially exposed on the surface of the card body; and A circuit board that is coupled to the inner enclosure and the exposed enclosure. The circuit board includes the following components: A first connecting portion, which engages with the inner enclosure component; The second connecting portion is positioned differently from the first connecting portion in the card thickness direction, which connects the surface of the card body to the back side opposite to the surface, and engages with the exposed component. as well as A connecting wiring section extends in a direction including the card thickness direction, connecting the first connecting section and the second connecting section. The circuit board has a slit formed around one of the first connection portion and the second connection portion, and around the connection wiring portion.

2. The cartridge-type medium according to claim 1, wherein, The circuit board also has a cutout along the outer edge of the first connecting portion, the second connecting portion, and the connecting wiring portion, or a cutout further outward than the outer edge.

3. The cartridge-type medium according to claim 1, wherein, The slit is formed on both sides of the connecting wiring portion and extends continuously in the extending direction of the connecting wiring portion.

4. The cartridge medium according to claim 1, wherein, The slit extends in such a way that it surrounds one of the first connection portion and the second connection portion, except for the portion where the connection wiring portion connects to one of the first connection portion and the second connection portion.

5. The cartridge medium according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The connecting wiring portion extends along the extension direction of the connecting wiring portion in an inclined manner relative to the thickness direction of the card.

6. The cartridge medium according to claim 5, wherein, The connection wiring section includes: A first inclined portion extends in a first direction inclined relative to the thickness direction of the card; and The second inclined portion extends in a second direction inclined relative to the thickness direction of the card. The first direction and the second direction are different directions.

7. The cartridge medium according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The inner packaging component and the first connecting portion are disposed on a first side along the direction of the surface of the card body. The exposed component and the second connecting portion are disposed on the second side of the direction. The connecting wiring portion extends along the direction between the first side and the second side in the direction, and the circuit board is bent between the first side and the second side in the direction.

8. The cartridge medium according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The card body has an opening on the surface side for receiving the exposed component. The second connecting portion is configured to cover the entire opening on the back side relative to the exposed component in the card thickness direction.

9. The cartridge medium according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The circuit board has an antenna formed along the periphery of the card body. The exposed component and the inner component are disposed inside the antenna.

10. The cartridge medium according to claim 9, wherein, One of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion is positioned in the thickness direction at the same location as the antenna.

11. The cartridge medium according to claim 10, wherein, The exposed component includes: Contact terminals for contacting external devices; and A fingerprint sensor detects the user's fingerprint. The inner component includes an IC chip with both contact and contactless communication functions.

12. A cartridge-type medium, wherein, The card-type medium has: Card body; At least a portion of the components are embedded in the card body; A circuit board, embedded in the card body, has a component connection portion that engages with the component; and An isolator, embedded in the card body, is positioned on the opposite side of the component, separated from the component connecting portion. The card-type medium has: The plurality of said components have different component thicknesses in the card thickness direction that connect the surface of the card body to the back side opposite to the surface; Multiple component connecting portions, each engaging with one or more of the components; as well as Multiple spacers are configured to contact the connecting portions of each of the components, and the spacers have different thicknesses in the card thickness direction. The circuit board includes a connection wiring portion that extends between a plurality of component connection portions in a direction including the card thickness direction, connecting the plurality of component connection portions to each other.

13. The cartridge medium according to claim 12, wherein, The component is configured such that a portion of it is exposed on the surface of the card body.

14. A cartridge-type medium, wherein, The card-type medium has: Card body; At least a portion of the components are embedded in the card body; A circuit board, embedded in the card body, has a component connection portion that engages with the component; and An isolator, embedded in the card body and disposed on the opposite side of the component across the component connection portion, the card-type medium having: The plurality of said components have different component thicknesses in the card thickness direction connecting the surface of the card body to the back side opposite to the surface; and Multiple component connecting portions, each engaging with one of the multiple components, The isolation member has multiple support surfaces that respectively contact the connection portions of the multiple components. The positions of the multiple support surfaces in the card thickness direction are different. The circuit board includes a connection wiring portion that extends between a plurality of component connection portions in a direction including the card thickness direction, connecting the plurality of component connection portions to each other.

15. The cartridge medium according to claim 14, wherein, The component is configured such that a portion of it is exposed on the surface of the card body.

16. A cartridge-type medium, wherein, The card-type medium has: The card body is formed containing metallic materials; An exposed component is housed inside an opening formed on the surface of the card body and is configured to be partially exposed on the surface. as well as A circuit board, embedded within the card body, engages with the exposed components. The opening has: A surface-side opening is located on the surface side in the card thickness direction that connects the surface of the card body to the back side opposite to the surface; as well as The back-side opening is continuously formed on the back side in the card thickness direction relative to the surface-side opening. Compared to the surface-side opening, the opening size in the plane intersecting the card thickness direction is larger. The cartridge-type medium also includes an intermediate spacer sandwiched between the exposed component and the circuit board. The intermediate spacer is housed together with the exposed component inside the opening.

17. A cartridge-type medium, wherein, The card-type medium has: The card body is formed containing metallic materials; An exposed component is housed inside an opening formed on the surface of the card body and is configured to be partially exposed on the surface. as well as A circuit board, embedded within the card body, engages with the exposed components. The opening has: A surface-side opening is located on the surface side in the card thickness direction that connects the surface of the card body to the back side opposite to the surface; as well as The back-side opening is continuously formed on the back side in the card thickness direction relative to the surface-side opening. Compared to the surface-side opening, the opening size in the plane intersecting the card thickness direction is larger. The circuit board includes: A component connection portion, which engages with the exposed component inside the opening; and A connecting wiring portion, which connects to the component connecting portion and extends in a direction including the card thickness direction, is disposed between the inner peripheral surfaces of the rear side opening, with a gap between them. It also has a spacer that is disposed on the opposite side of the exposed component, across the component connection portion.

Images