Pre-laminated structure for data pages of smart card and / or security document and method of forming same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pre-lamination structure for data pages of a smart card and / or security document, comprising: a core structure comprising one or more core layers; a first layer formed on one side of the core structure and having a first notch portion; a second layer formed on an opposite side of the core structure and having a second cutout portion aligned with the first cutout portion; and the inlay part is inserted into the second notch part. According to the invention, the second layer has a first thickness and the inlay portion has a second thickness, the ratio between the second thickness and the first thickness being greater than 1. Pre-laminated structures for data pages of smart cards and / or security documents are advantageously provided with optical patterns. A method of forming a pre-laminated structure for a data page of a smart card and / or security document is also disclosed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pre-lamination structure of a smart card, a smart card, a method of forming a pre-lamination structure of a smart card, and a method of forming a smart card. Background Art

[0002] Smart cards or identification cards are increasingly used, for example, for conducting financial transactions, providing access to premises, and allowing the identification of the smart card holder by integrating personal information into the card. Generally, a smart card includes means for storing and transmitting data, optionally also for receiving data and / or processing the stored and / or transmitted data. The transmission and / or reception of data can be non-contact using an electromagnetic field and / or involve one or more contacts provided in the surface of the smart card. Thus, a smart card can be considered as part of a complex system, and depending on the intended application of the smart card, the smart card interacts with entities within the complex system via one or more interfaces. Examples of interfaces are given by contact, non-contact or hybrid types of card terminals. In any case, a smart card typically includes at least one integrated circuit module, which includes at least one of a memory module, a processor module, and an antenna module.

[0003] Since the smart card is typically the only component that the user holds in their hand, there is an ongoing task of developing a multi-functional card that incorporates functions associated with various types of applications into a single smart card. Several standards have been developed for contact, non-contact or hybrid smart cards. These standards specify strict requirements for the structure and performance of smart cards and their components. In particular, the relevant ISO / IEC standards are especially important for smart cards, since these standards are based on a broad international consensus and define the basic properties of smart cards, enabling smart cards to be compatible with a large number of card terminals worldwide. Thus, in order to ensure that the manufactured smart cards comply with the relevant ISO / IEC standards, the relevant ISO / IEC standards must be strictly adhered to in any smart card manufacturing process. Thus, it is assumed that those skilled in the art are aware of the relevant ISO / IEC standards and take them into account when developing smart cards.

[0004] On the other hand, data pages of security documents are typically used to store sensitive data or information in a permanent and tamper-proof manner, even in combination with electronically stored data. Typically, the data pages of a security document must protect the stored information from environmental influences while allowing frequent and long-term use of the corresponding security document. For example, a passport may typically have to be used over a period of several years, and thus, depending on the habits of the passport owner, may need to be opened and closed frequently or infrequently, stored in sometimes harsh environments, etc.

[0005] In addition to mechanical robustness, the information included in the corresponding data pages of the security document must provide a high level of tamper resistance, so as to make any deliberate manipulation of the information stored in the corresponding data pages of the security document difficult. Preferably, any such attempt should be recognizable in a visible or any other appropriate manner when attempting to manipulate the data page.

[0006] Since the various requirements imposed on the data pages of security documents are often contradictory, for example, the frequent use of passports requires highly flexible materials, which typically provide reduced durability, etc., significant efforts have been made or are currently being made to provide suitable materials and manufacturing techniques for manufacturing the data pages of security documents, which have high robustness and high durability against many types of impacts, while also providing a high level of security against the tampering of sensitive data. To this end, plastic materials, especially polycarbonate, have been identified as viable candidates for manufacturing the data pages of security documents.

[0007] Since both the data pages of smart cards and security documents contain sensitive information of their holders and / or authorize their holders, it is important to equip smart cards and data pages with security features that allow protection of the smart cards and / or data pages against unplanned access to their functions, as well as protection of the smart cards and / or data pages against fraud and forgery. For example, the "window" feature is included in current identity cards to protect the identity cards against forgery and / or manipulation. Basically, the window is punched out during the manufacturing process, and a security pattern is set in the void of the window. After filling the remaining void of the window with a suitable cover, the card is exposed to thermal lamination, which fuses the materials together into a single card body of the smart card and / or data page during manufacturing. In the case of manipulating the "window" feature, the integrity of the "window" feature is damaged. Therefore, the "window" feature represents a security feature that allows optical inspection of the validity or authenticity of the smart card and / or data page, which is particularly useful for smart identity cards.

[0008] Traditionally, these "window" features require inserting a piece of material as an inlay into the void of the window to fill the void. In this way, the formation of voids and cavities is avoided. For example, voids and cavities may reduce the mechanical robustness of the smart card and / or data page. However, due to the small size of the inlay and the complex insertion and processing process of such inlays, preparing the inlays and inserting them into the voids and cavities increases the complexity of the manufacturing process of smart cards and / or data pages with "window" features, thus increasing the manufacturing cost. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The above problems of traditional smart cards with a "window" feature and / or data pages for security documents are overcome by a pre-laminated structure for a smart card and / or for a data page, a smart card and / or a data page for a security document, and a method for forming the same, as defined in the appended claims.

[0010] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pre-laminated structure for a smart card and / or a data page for a security document, the pre-laminated structure comprising:

[0011] - a core structure including one or more core layers;

[0012] - a first layer formed on one side of the core structure and having a first notch;

[0013] - a second layer formed on the opposite side of the core structure and having a second notch aligned with the first notch; and

[0014] - an inlay portion inserted into the second notch,

[0015] wherein the second layer has a first thickness d, the inlay portion has a second thickness D, and the ratio between the second thickness D and the first thickness d is greater than 1.

[0016] The advantages of the pre-laminated structure for a smart card and / or for a data page according to the present invention and the corresponding manufacturing method lie in optimizing and simplifying the handling and assembly of the inlay to be inserted into the corresponding window. In fact, the thicker the inlay, the easier it is for the user to handle.

[0017] Furthermore, the smart card and / or the data page for a security document according to the present invention are advantageous because they are easy to assemble and manufacture and they have a flat outer surface.

[0018] In the present disclosure, as used herein, the expression "pre-laminated structure" is understood to mean a pre-laminated body having multiple layers of insulating material (such as PVC, PC, or some other suitable thermoplastic polymer), the multiple layers being pre-laminated together. Such a pre-laminated body may be considered to represent an intermediate product obtained during the manufacture of a smart card. For example, an illustrative pre-laminated structure can be obtained by fusing different layers of thermoplastic material together into a single homogeneous sheet body, thereby forming a monomeric substrate body. In some illustrative examples of the pre-laminated structure, the substrate body (or base substrate) may have at least one contact and / or interconnect embedded therein, optionally having one or more electronic modules integrated into the substrate body, the electronic modules being electrically connected to at least one contact and / or interconnect of the substrate body.

[0019] In the present disclosure, it should be understood that the expression "second notch portion aligned with the first notch portion" means that the projections of at least a plurality of points (i.e., some or all of the points) of the cross-section of the first notch portion include or fall within the cross-section of the second notch portion. Therefore, several configurations are possible, in which the first notch portion and the second notch portion are considered to be aligned according to the definition of the present disclosure. For example, a symmetric configuration may be possible, in which the cross-section of the first notch portion is equal to the cross-section of the second notch portion, such that all points of the cross-section of the first notch portion can be projected onto the cross-section of the second notch portion. For example, an asymmetric configuration may be possible, in which the cross-section of the first notch portion is different from the cross-section of the second notch portion, for example, the cross-section of the first notch portion is larger or smaller than the cross-section of the second notch portion, such that a part of the points of the cross-section of the first notch portion can be projected onto the cross-section of the second notch portion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] Figure 1 A side view of a pre-laminated structure for a smart card and / or for a security document according to an embodiment of the present invention is schematically illustrated;

[0022] Figure 2 A side view of a pre-laminated structure for a smart card and / or for a security document according to another embodiment of the present invention is schematically illustrated;

[0023] Figure 3 A side view of a pre-laminated structure for a smart card and / or for a security document according to another embodiment of the present invention is schematically illustrated;

[0024] Figure 4 A side view of a smart card and / or a data page for a security document according to an embodiment of the present invention is schematically illustrated;

[0025] Figure 5 A step of a method for forming a pre-laminated structure for a smart card and / or a security document according to an embodiment of the present invention is schematically illustrated;

[0026] Figure 6 A side view of a pre-laminated structure for a smart card and / or for a security document according to another embodiment of the present invention is schematically illustrated;

[0027] Figure 7 A side view of a pre-laminated structure for a smart card and / or for a security document according to another embodiment of the present invention is schematically illustrated;

[0028] Figure 8A side view of a pre - lamination structure for a smart card and / or for a security document according to another embodiment of the present invention is schematically illustrated. Detailed Description

[0029] The description of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the present disclosure in the form disclosed. The scope of the present disclosure is defined in the appended claims. Many variations and modifications will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. The selected and described embodiments are intended to best explain the principles of the present disclosure and its practical application, and to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to understand the present disclosure with various embodiments having various modifications suitable for the particular purposes contemplated. Finally, those areas known to those of skill in the art will not be described in order to avoid covering the invention in a non - useful manner.

[0030] In the present disclosure, expressions such as "top", "bottom", "upper", "lower", "right", "left", "center" and their variants refer to the orientation of the pre - lamination structure of the smart card or the data page for the security document shown in the exemplary embodiments of the drawings, but they should not be intended to limit the present invention to a predetermined orientation of the pre - lamination structure and the smart card.

[0031] Figure 1 A cross - sectional view of a pre - lamination structure 400 for a smart card according to an embodiment of the present invention is schematically illustrated.

[0032] Typically, the pre - lamination structure is provided in the form of a layer stack, which includes two or more separate sheets or layers of material, and the sheets or layers of material may allow one or more inlays carrying desired information or data to be inserted into the stack structure. Then, the data or information can be "encapsulated" in the stack structure after performing the corresponding lamination process.

[0033] In Figure 1 the exemplary embodiment, the pre - lamination structure 400 includes a plurality of separate material layers 100, 320, 330, 101, and the optical properties of the material layers 100, 320, 330, 101 can be adapted to the overall requirements, and a desired optical pattern can be imparted to the pre - lamination structure 400. The inner layers 320 and 330 form a core 300 of the pre - lamination structure 400 that includes relevant electronic components of the smart card. The core structure 300 includes, for example, an antenna 310 that enables the smart card to communicate wirelessly.

[0034] As Figure 1 shown, the top layer 100 includes a notch portion that is filled with a corresponding material of the core layer 320 laminated to the top layer 100. In a similar manner, the bottom layer 101 includes a notch portion in which an inlay portion 200 is placed.

[0035] In Figure 1 an embodiment, the top layer 100 includes a first part 100A having a first optical appearance, a second part 301 having a second optical appearance, and a third part 100B having a third optical appearance. Preferably, the first part 100A and the third part 100B have the same optical appearance. In Figure 1 an embodiment, the bottom layer 101 includes a first part 101A having a fourth optical appearance, a second part or inlay part 200 having a fifth optical appearance, and a third part 101B having a sixth optical appearance. Preferably, the first part 101A and the third part 101B have the same optical appearance. In a preferred configuration, the first part 100A of the top layer 100, the first part 101A of the bottom layer 101, the third part 100B of the top layer 100, and the third part 101B of the bottom layer 101 have the same optical appearance.

[0036] In the present disclosure, it is understood that the expression "optical appearance" refers to the optical response of a specific material to incident irradiation, where the term "optical" particularly refers to incident irradiation having a wavelength in the range of 200 nm to 1000 nm. For example, the optical appearance can be determined by predetermined parameters (such as light transmittance, absorbance, and / or reflectance, etc.), where the corresponding values of the predetermined parameters defining the optical appearance of a specific material or part can be determined based on the same test conditions or environmental conditions, such that the different parameter values obtained during a specific condition represent a clear representation of a specific optical appearance.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment, the parts 100A and 100B of the top layer 100 and the parts 101A and 101B of the bottom layer 101 can be substantially opaque with respect to light in the visible range, thereby hiding any underlying regions of the pre-laminated structure 400. For example, the parts 100A and 100B of the top layer 100 and the parts 101A and 101B of the bottom layer 101 can be made of a specific substrate (such as polycarbonate or other equivalent plastic material) provided with a predetermined colorant, etc., so as to have a predetermined opaque color. The predetermined color can be any color, such as white.

[0038] In Figure 1 a preferred embodiment, the optical appearance of the inlay part 200 of the bottom layer 101 is different from the optical appearance of the parts 101A and 101B, thereby resulting in a specific optical pattern of the bottom layer 101. The optical pattern of the bottom layer 101 depends on the optical appearance, size, shape, and position of the inlay part 200 relative to the parts 101A and 101B.

[0039] In Figure 1In an embodiment, the inlay portion 200 is positioned within the layer 101 such that it is laterally surrounded by portions 101A and 101B, thereby forming a "window" in the underlying layer 101. According to the present invention, the optical appearance of the second portion 200 corresponds to an increased transmittance at least in the visible range compared to portions 101A and 101B, such that the portion 200 provides a transparent or translucent window in the pre-laminated structure 400. Preferably, the second portion 200 may include a color-changing material, i.e., a material that changes color depending on the orientation relative to the incident light.

[0040] It should be understood that even though portions 101A, 101B, and 200 have different optical appearances, such as different optical transmittances for light irradiation in the visible range, these portions may be made of the same base material (such as polycarbonate).

[0041] The first portion 101A and the third portion 101B of the underlying layer 101 have a first thickness d, and the second portion 200 has a second thickness D, where the thickness represents the dimension of portions 101A, 200, and 101B along the stacking direction of the pre-laminated structure 400. According to the present invention, the second thickness D of the second portion 200 is greater than the first thickness d of portions 101A and 101B, such that the ratio between the second thickness D and the first thickness d is greater than 1. Preferably, the ratio between the second thickness D and the first thickness d is included in the range between 1 and 3, where the upper limit (i.e., 3) is included in this range. The advantage of this configuration is that the inlay portion 200 is thicker than the underlying layer 101 and can be easily handled by the operator during the assembly process.

[0042] Although the thicknesses are different, in Figure 1 the configuration, the portions 101A, 200, and 101B of the underlying layer 101 are flush with each other along the outer surface of the pre-laminated structure 400 in order to form a flat outer surface of the pre-laminated structure 400. Therefore, in view of the different thicknesses, the portions 101A, 200, and 101B are not flush with each other along the inner surface facing the core layer 300. Thus, along the inner surface of the underlying layer 101 facing the core layer 300, a stepped surface is formed, where the inlay portion 200 forms a protrusion 201, and the protrusion 201 fits into a corresponding recess of the core 300 of the pre-laminated structure 400. A method for inserting the inlay portion 200 and forming the pre-laminated structure 400 will be described below with reference to Figure 5 illustrates the method for inserting the inlay portion 200 and forming the pre-laminated structure 400.

[0043] In Figure 1In a preferred embodiment, the optical appearance of the second part 301 of the top layer 100 is different from the optical appearance of the first part 100A and the third part 100B, thereby resulting in a specific optical pattern of the top layer 100. The optical pattern of the top layer 100 depends on the optical appearance, dimensions, shape, and position of the second part 301 relative to the parts 100A and 100B. The second part 301 of the top layer 100 corresponds to a protrusion of the inner layer 320 of the pre-laminated structure 400, which is placed below the top layer 100 and laminated to the top layer.

[0044] Essentially, the same criteria described for the inlay part 200 in combination with the parts 101A and 101B of the bottom layer 101 also apply to the part 301 in combination with the parts 100A and 100B of the top layer 100.

[0045] In an exemplary embodiment, the optical appearance of the second part 301 of the top layer 100 is substantially the same as the optical appearance of the second part 200 of the bottom layer 101, thereby imparting the same optical appearance to the pre-laminated structure 400 when viewed from its front or back side. In other exemplary embodiments, the optical appearances of the parts 301 and 200 may be different from each other, thereby providing excellent flexibility in adjusting the overall optical appearance of the pre-laminated structure 400. For example, the parts 301 and 200 may be different from each other in terms of transmittance, color, and response to visible and / or invisible irradiation.

[0046] In a preferred embodiment, the second part 301 of the top layer 100 and the second part 200 of the bottom layer 101 may be aligned along the stacking direction and may be made of a transparent or translucent material so as to form a transparent or translucent window 410 in the pre-laminated structure 400. In other words, in a preferred embodiment, the parts 301 and 200 are capable of seeing through the pre-laminated structure 400.

[0047] In Figure 1 an exemplary embodiment of, the pre-laminated structure 400 further includes two inner layers 320 and 330 positioned between the top layer 100 and the bottom layer 101 relative to the stacking direction. The thickness, lateral dimensions, and / or shape of the layers 320 and 330 may be adapted to meet the overall requirements of the pre-laminated structure 400.

[0048] The layers 320 and 330 are laminated together along the contact surface. As Figure 1 shown, the contact surface is a stepped surface, wherein the protrusion 331 of the layer 330 fits into the corresponding recess of the layer 320.

[0049] As will be clear from the following disclosure of the method for forming the pre-laminated structure 400, according to the present invention, the thickness of the protrusion 331 of the layer 330 along the stacking direction is substantially equal to the thickness of the protrusion of the layer 320 forming the second part 301 of the top layer 100 and the thickness of the protrusion 201 of the inlay part 200. The value of this thickness corresponds to the difference between the value of the second thickness D of the second part 200 and the value of the first thickness of the parts 101A and 101B of the bottom layer 101.

[0050] In an exemplary embodiment, the optical appearance of the protrusion 331 of the core layer 330 is substantially the same as the optical appearance of the protrusion 201 of the second part 200. In other exemplary embodiments, the optical appearances of the parts 331 and 201 may be different from each other, thus providing excellent flexibility in adjusting the overall optical appearance of the pre-laminated structure 400. For example, the parts 331 and 201 may be different from each other in terms of transmittance, color, and response to visible and / or invisible irradiation.

[0051] In a preferred embodiment, at least the central portions of the layers 320 and 330 aligned with the parts 301 and 200 of the top layer 100 and the bottom layer 101 along the stacking direction have a predetermined transmittance in the visible range so as to be able to see through the pre-laminated structure 400. In other words, in a preferred configuration, the second part 301 of the top layer 100, the central portions of the layers 320 and 330, and the second part 200 of the bottom layer may be transparent and / or translucent so as to form a perspective window 410 in the pre-laminated structure 400. Such a configuration may be advantageous in the context of security documents that require image data recognition while still ensuring a high degree of tamper resistance. For example, an image of the owner of a smart card or any other relevant symbol or token may be placed corresponding to the perspective window 410 of the pre-laminated structure and can be easily recognized by the human eye and / or an image recognition system. For example, an image or ink feature may be provided on one or more of the parts 301, 331, 201, or 200 and can be visible to the user through the corresponding window 410.

[0052] Figure 2 Schematically shown is a pre-laminated structure 401 for a smart card according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, wherein the core 300 of the pre-laminated structure comprises a single layer 321. As Figure 2 shown, the core layer 321 includes a protrusion 301 visible from the top of the pre-laminated structure 401. In addition, the core layer 321 houses the inlay part 200 in a corresponding recess.

[0053] Figure 3 Schematically shown is a pre-laminated structure 402 for a smart card according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, wherein the core 300 of the pre-laminated structure comprises three core layers 322, 332, and 340, i.e., the core 300 of the pre-laminated structure is relative toFigure 1 Embodiments include an additional core layer 340. As Figure 3 shown, the core layer 322 includes a protrusion 301 visible from the top of the pre-laminated structure 402. Additionally, in Figure 3 an embodiment, the core layer 332 includes a protrusion 331, and the additional core layer 340 includes a protrusion 341.

[0054] In Figure 2 and Figure 3 the pre-laminated structures 401 and 402, the top layer 100 and the bottom layer 101 correspond to the top layer 100 and the bottom layer 101 referred to in the reference Figure 1 described.

[0055] Obviously, even though only the construction of the core 300 for the pre-laminated structure including one, two, or three core layers is disclosed, the core 300 can include any number of layers, such as four or more layers.

[0056] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of a smart card 600 according to an embodiment of the present invention is schematically illustrated.

[0057] The smart card 600 includes pre-laminated structures 400, 401, 402 according to one or more of the above embodiments.

[0058] On each of the top layer 100 and the bottom layer 101 of the pre-laminated structure 400, one or more additional layers 500, 510 can be formed. For example, at least two additional layers 510 and 500 can be formed on the top layer 100 of the pre-laminated structure 400. Similarly, at least two additional layers 510 and 500 can be formed on the bottom layer 101 of the pre-laminated structure.

[0059] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the additional layer 500 can be formed of a transparent and / or translucent material, such as transparent and / or translucent PC and / or transparent and / or translucent PVC, and the additional layer 510 can be formed of an opaque material and can include printing features to form an opaque printed layer. According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the additional layer 510 can be formed of a transparent and / or translucent material, such as transparent and / or translucent PC and / or transparent and / or translucent PVC, and the additional layer 500 can be formed of an opaque material and can include printing features to form an opaque printed layer. Thus, the additional layers 500 and 510 can form a cover layer that includes a transparent sheet having an opaque sheet with printing features thereon.

[0060] Each of the additional layers 500, 510 of the top layer 100 of the pre-laminated structure 400 may include a recess, and the recesses may be aligned with each other along the stacking direction such that when the two additional layers are laminated together, a top notch is formed. In a similar manner, each of the additional layers 500, 510 of the bottom layer 101 of the pre-laminated structure 400 may include a recess, and the recesses may be aligned with each other such that when the two additional layers are laminated together, a bottom notch is formed.

[0061] Each of the top notch and the bottom notch may be filled with an inlay portion 520. The inlay portion 520 may be formed of a transparent and / or translucent material, such as transparent and / or translucent PC and / or transparent and / or translucent PVC. The inlay portion 520 may have a thickness equal to that of the transparent sheet 500 or 510 of the cover layer formed by the additional layer and may be made of the same material as the transparent sheet 500 or 510. In other words, if the additional layer 500 is formed of a transparent and / or translucent material, the thickness of the inlay portion 520 is equal to the thickness of the additional layer 500; if the additional layer 510 is formed of a transparent and / or translucent material, the thickness of the inlay portion 520 is equal to the thickness of the additional layer 510. Preferably, the inlay portion 520 is added during the formation of the final smart card, and the inlay portion 520 includes predetermined security features for the smart card. For example, the inlay portion 520 may be added by a customer during the formation of the final smart card, and predetermined security features required by the customer may be required.

[0062] According to a preferred embodiment, the inlay portion of the smart card 520 may be aligned with the perspective window 410 of the pre-laminated structure 400 to form an entire window 610 that completely extends through the thickness of the smart card 600 and is capable of seeing through the smart card 600.

[0063] A method for forming the pre-laminated structures 400, 401, 402, or 403 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below. It is understood that the following method may be executed to obtain a pre-laminated structure according to any disclosed embodiment.

[0064] As a first step, the core layers 320 and 330 are attached to each other to form a core structure 300. Subsequently, the top layer 100 provided with the notch 102 is attached to the top surface of the core layer 320 by any suitable means (such as an adhesion enhancer, a mechanical attachment means, etc.). In addition, the bottom layer 101 provided with the notch 103 is attached to the bottom surface of the core layer 330 by any suitable means (such as an adhesion enhancer, a mechanical attachment means, etc.).

[0065] The notch of the bottom layer 101 corresponds to the inlay portion 200 in terms of position, size, and shape.

[0066] As at Figure 5The subsequent steps schematically shown in [description of the figure] as described above, involve preparing a suitable filling material and inserting the filling material into the notch portion 103 of the underlying layer 101, thereby providing the desired material properties and optical appearance for the inlay portion 200. The filling material or portion 200 can be attached to the underlying layer 101 by any suitable means (such as mechanical attachment, adhesives, etc.). On the other hand, no filling material is inserted into the notch portion 102 of the top layer 100.

[0067] As described above, the thickness D of the inlay portion 200 is greater than the thickness d of the portions 101A and 101B of the underlying layer 101. Thus, when the inlay portion 200 is inserted into the notch portion of the underlying layer 101, a part 201’ of the inlay portion protrudes from the notch portion of the underlying layer 101 (see Figure 5 ).

[0068] At this stage, the inlay portion 200 is further pushed by means of a suitable method so as to be fully inserted into the notch portion 103 of the underlying layer 101. For example, the insertion means can cause the inlay portion 200 to melt for ease of insertion. Since the inlay portion 200 is pushed into the notch portion 103 of the underlying layer 101, the inlay portion 200 is partially inserted and fitted into the core layer 330. Thus, the core layer 330 deforms: a recess is formed corresponding to the protruding portion 201 of the inlay portion 200 fitted into the core layer 330, and a protruding portion 331 is formed in the core layer 330. The deformation extends through all the layers of the pre-laminated structure 400. In fact, since the protruding portion 331 is formed in the core layer 330, the core layer 320 also deforms, and a protruding portion 301 is also formed in the core layer 320.

[0069] Finally, the protruding portion 301 of the core layer 320 occupies the gap of the notch portion 102 of the top layer 100. Since the notch portion 102 has not been filled with any filling material and / or insert, the protruding portion 301 can be received into the notch portion 102 without causing further deformation in the pre-laminated structure 400. Preferably, the size and shape of the notch portion 102 are designed such that they can receive the protruding portion 301 formed during the pre-lamination process.

[0070] In other words, since the inlay portion 200 is inserted into the notch portion 103 of the underlying layer 101, the entire pre-laminated structure 400 is initially modified to compensate for the thickness difference between the inlay portion 200 and the notch portion 103 of the underlying layer 101. After this initial deformation, the two sides of the pre-laminated structure 400 are flattened and have a flat surface on both the top layer 100 and the underlying layer 101. The inlay portion 200 is fully fitted into the core structure 300. Thus, the pre-laminated structure 400 can be laminated to additional layers 500, 510 to form the smart card 600.

[0071] Preferably, the additional layers 500, 510 can be attached to the corresponding layers 100, 101 of the pre-laminated structure 400, and the resulting stack structure can be subjected to a thermal lamination process such as thermal lamination.

[0072] Figure 6 FIG. shows a cross-sectional view of a pre-laminated structure 403 according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

[0073] Figure 6 The pre-laminated structure 403 includes a core 303. The core 303 includes two or more layers 320, 330 and also includes an electronic module 350. Apparently, even if Figure 6 the core 303 includes two layers 320, 330, the core 303 can correspond to the core 300 according to any one of the foregoing embodiments.

[0074] The electronic module 350 is embedded in the core layer 330 and can include a chip module 351 and a module antenna 311 implemented as a coil embedded in the core layer 330. The chip module 351 can be embedded in the core layer 330 according to known techniques, for example, by making the core layer 330 recessed and accommodating the chip module 351 in the recess, and bonding the chip module 351 to contact lines (not shown) wired in the core layer 330 for electrically coupling the chip module 351 and the module antenna 311. In addition, there can be bonding pads 352 for forming mechanical and / or electrical connections to the chip module 351.

[0075] The electronic module 350 is sandwiched between two adhesive layers 110 made of, for example, AC conductive paste.

[0076] Two cover sheets 120 and 130 are formed on opposite sides of the core 303 and are attached to the electronic module 350 by means of the adhesive layers 110. For example, the top cover sheet 120 can be formed on the upper surface of the core 303, while the bottom cover sheet 130 can be formed on the bottom surface of the core 303. The top cover sheet 120 can correspond to the top layer 100 described above, and the bottom cover sheet 130 can correspond to the bottom layer 101 described above.

[0077] The cover sheet 120 can have a recess 121 formed therein. In the same way, the cover sheet 130 can have a recess 122 formed therein.

[0078] According to Figure 6 the embodiment shown, as described above, the recess 122 of the bottom cover sheet 130 is filled with an inlay portion 200. In particular, the inlay portion 200 can be transparent or translucent, or can include a color-changing material. In Figure 6In an embodiment, the inlay portion 200 can have any predetermined shape, such as a geometric shape (such as circular or rectangular) or a complex shape (such as a star, a world map or a national map).

[0079] As Figure 6 As shown in an embodiment, the bottom cover sheet 130 has a first thickness d that is less than the second thickness D of the inlay portion 200. Thus, the inlay portion 200 initially protrudes slightly from the bottom cover sheet 130. During the pre-lamination process, as described above in the method, the inlay portion 200 is then inserted into the bottom cover sheet 130. At the end of this process, the inlay portion 200 is flush with the bottom cover sheet 130 along the bottom surface, and the pre-laminated structure 403 includes a flat bottom surface that can be laminated to other layers of the smart card.

[0080] On the other hand, the recess 121 of the top cover sheet 120 is not filled with any material. As a result of inserting the inlay portion 200 into the recess 122, the recess 121 is filled with the material of the core layer 320 as described above, resulting in a flat top surface that can be laminated to other layers of the smart card.

[0081] The recess 121 of the top cover sheet 120 is aligned with the recess 122 of the bottom cover sheet 130 filled with the inlay material 200. The region of the core body 303 corresponding to the inlay material 200 is advantageously made of a transparent or translucent material such that a perspective window 410 is formed in the pre-laminated structure 403 and the inlay 200 can be seen from the top of the final smart card.

[0082] Figure 7 A side view of a pre-laminated structure 404 for a smart card and / or for a security document according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention is schematically illustrated.

[0083] In Figure 7 In the pre-laminated structure 404, the notch portion 103 (accommodating the inlay portion 200) formed in the bottom layer 101 and the notch portion 102 formed in the top layer 100 are asymmetric. In particular, in Figure 7 the embodiment, the notch portion 102 of the top layer is smaller than the notch portion 103 of the bottom layer 101.

[0084] According to an alternative embodiment (not shown), the notch portion of the top layer can be larger than the notch portion of the bottom layer 101.

[0085] Referring to the pre-laminated structures 400, 401, 402 and 403, according to the above method, the inlay 200 is inserted into the notch portion 103 of the bottom layer 101 of the pre-laminated structure 404.

[0086] Continuing to refer to Figure 8, since the cross-section of the notch portion 102 of the top layer 100 is smaller than the cross-section of the notch portion 103 of the bottom layer 101 that accommodates the inlay 200, a part of the inlay 200 is covered by a part 100B of the top layer 100. In particular, in Figure 8 's configuration, a part of the inlay 200 is only covered by a part 100B of the top layer 100.

[0087] It is understood that according to an alternative configuration (not shown), the notch portions 102 and 103 can be designed such that a part of the inlay 200 is only covered by a part 100A of the top layer 100, or is partially covered by two parts 100A and 100B of the top layer 100.

[0088] In this way, the perspective window 410 formed in the pre-laminated structure 404 enables only a part of the inlay portion 200 to be seen, that is, only the part that is completely aligned with the notch portion 102 of the top layer 100 and is not covered by the parts 100A and / or 100B of the top layer 100.

[0089] It is understood that even in Figure 7 's schematic diagram shows two core layers, but the core structure 300 can also include any number of layers, such as one, three, four or more.

[0090] Figure 8 A side view of a pre-laminated structure 405 for a smart card and / or for a security document according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention is schematically illustrated.

[0091] Figure 8 The configuration of the pre-laminated structure 405 of Figure 1 is similar to one pre-laminated structure 405 shown. Therefore, Figure 8 The pre-laminated structure 405 of

[0092] In Figure 8 's configuration, the top layer 100 is advantageously provided with two notch portions 102 and 102'. In this way, the top layer 100 is divided into three parts 100A, 100B and 100C. During the manufacture of the pre-laminated structure 405, the material of the core layer 320 fills the notch portions 102, 102', thereby generating a predetermined optical pattern.

[0093] In the present disclosure, the optical pattern represents a sequence of the core structure 300 and parts of the top layer having predetermined optical characteristics (such as transparency, translucency or opacity).

[0094] For example, the core layer 320 can be made of a transparent or translucent material, and the top layer 100 can be made of an opaque or white material. Thus, the optical pattern features on the upper side of the pre-laminated structure 405 can consist of a sequence of opaque / white portions of the top layer 100 and transparent / translucent portions of the core layer 320.

[0095] Preferably, the first notch portion 102 and the second notch portion 102' of the top layer 100 can be designed such that the portion of the top layer 100C separating them has a reduced size. For example, the cross-section of the separating portion 100C can be smaller than the cross-section of the inlay portion 200; preferably, the cross-section of the separating portion 100C can be less than half of the cross-section of the inlay portion 200. Thus, the separating portion 100C does not completely cover the inlay portion 200. Accordingly, through the perspective window 410, a part of the inlay 200 can still be visible from the upper side of the pre-laminated structure 405.

[0096] It is understood that even in Figure 8 the construction shown, where the core structure 300 includes two core layers 320, 330, the core structure 300 can include any number of layers, such as one, three, four, or more.

[0097] Furthermore, even if Figure 8 it is disclosed that the notch portion 103 formed in the bottom layer 101 is shaped and / or positioned such that its edges are perfectly aligned with the corresponding edges of the notch portion 102 and the additional notch portion 102' formed in the top layer 100, this construction should not be intended to limit the present invention. In fact, according to an alternative construction (not shown), the notch portion 103 can be shaped and / or positioned such that its edges are not perfectly aligned with the corresponding edges of the notch portion 102 and the additional notch portion 102' formed in the top layer 100. For example, other constructions are possible where only one edge of the notch portion 103 is perfectly aligned with the corresponding edge of the notch portion 102 or the additional notch portion 102', or where none of the edges of the notch portion 103 are aligned with the edges of the notch portion 102 or the additional notch portion 102'.

[0098] Moreover, in the present disclosure, it is understood that the notch portions 102, 102' and / or 103 can have any shape, such as a polygonal shape (such as a regular or irregular polygon) or a circular or complex shape (such as the shape of an object, the outline of a world map, a national map, etc.). Thus, the pre-laminated structure can carry predetermined information and / or security features.

[0099] The method for forming Figure 8 the pre-laminated structure 405 is similar to the method for forming the pre-laminated structures 400, 401, 402, 403 disclosed above.

[0100] As a first step, the core layers 320 and 330 are attached to each other to form the core structure 300. Subsequently, the top layer 100, which has the notches 102 and 102', is attached to the top surface of the core layer 320 by any suitable means (such as an adhesion enhancer, mechanical attachment means, etc.). In addition, the bottom layer 101, which has the notch 103, is attached to the bottom surface of the core layer 330 by any suitable means (such as an adhesion enhancer, mechanical attachment means, etc.).

[0101] The notch of the bottom layer 101 corresponds to the inlay part 200 in terms of position, size and shape.

[0102] As a subsequent step, as described above, a suitable filling material is prepared and the filling material is inserted into the notch 103 of the bottom layer 101, so as to provide the required material characteristics and optical appearance for the inlay part 200. The filling material or part 200 can be attached to the bottom layer 101 by any suitable means (such as mechanical attachment, adhesive, etc.). On the other hand, no filling material is inserted into the notches 102 and 102' of the top layer 100.

[0103] As described above, the thickness D of the inlay part 200 is greater than the thickness d of the parts 101A and 101B of the bottom layer 101. Therefore, when the inlay part 200 is inserted into the notch 103 of the bottom layer 101, a part of the inlay part 201' protrudes from the notch 103.

[0104] At this stage, the inlay part 200 is further pushed by means of a suitable means so as to be completely inserted into the notch 103 of the bottom layer 101. For example, the insertion means can cause the inlay part 200 to melt to facilitate insertion. Since the inlay part 200 is pushed into the notch 103 of the bottom layer 101, the inlay part 200 is partially inserted and fitted into the core layer 330. Therefore, the core layer 330 is deformed: a concave part is formed corresponding to the protruding part 201 of the inlay part 200 fitted into the core layer 330, and a protruding part 331 is formed in the core layer 330. The deformation extends through all the layers of the pre-laminated structure 400. In fact, since the protruding part 331 is formed in the core layer 330, the core layer 320 is also deformed, and protruding parts are also formed in the core layer 320.

[0105] Finally, the protruding part of the core layer 320 occupies the gap between the two notches 102 and 102' of the top layer 100. Since the notches 102 and 102' have not been filled with any filling material and / or insert, the protruding part can be received into the notches 102 and 102' without causing further deformation in the pre-laminated structure 405.

[0106] In other words, since the inlay part 200 is inserted into the notch part 103 of the underlying layer 101, the entire pre-laminated structure 405 is initially modified to compensate for the thickness difference between the inlay part 200 and the notch part 103 of the underlying layer 101. After this initial deformation, the pre-laminated structure 405 is flattened on both sides and has a flat surface on both the top layer 100 and the underlying layer 101. The inlay part 200 is fully fitted into the core structure 300. Thus, the pre-laminated structure 405 can be laminated to additional layers 500, 510 to form the smart card 600. In this detailed description, it must be understood that even when only referring to the pre-laminated structure for a smart card and / or the smart card and the method of forming the pre-laminated structure for a smart card and / or the smart card, the same teachings apply to the pre-laminated structure for a data page of a security document and / or the data page of a security document and the corresponding method.

[0107] List of Reference Numerals

[0108] 100: Top layer

[0109] 100A, 100B, 100C: Parts of the top layer

[0110] 101: Underlying layer

[0111] 101A, 101B: Parts of the underlying layer

[0112] 102, 103, 102’: Notch parts

[0113] 110: Adhesive layer

[0114] 120, 130: Cover sheets

[0115] 121, 122: Recesses in the cover sheets

[0116] 200: Inlay part

[0117] 201, 201’: Protrusions of the inlay part

[0118] 300, 303: Core structures

[0119] 301: Second part of the top layer

[0120] 310: Antenna

[0121] 320, 321, 322, 330, 332, 340: Core layers

[0122] 341: Protrusion with a tapered sidewall

[0123] 350: Electronic module

[0124] 351: Electronic chip

[0125] 352: Electronic pad

[0126] 400, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405: Pre-laminated structures

[0127] 410, 610: Perspective windows

[0128] 500, 510: Additional layers for smart cards

[0129] 520: Smart card inlays

[0130] 600: Smart cards

[0131] d: First thickness

[0132] D: Second thickness

[0133] H: Thickness of the pre-laminated structure

Claims

1. A pre - lamination structure (400) for a data page of a smart card and / or a security document, comprising: - A core structure (300) including one or more core layers (330, 320); - A first layer (100) formed on one side of the core structure (300) and having a first notch (102); - A second layer (101) formed on the opposite side of the core structure (300) and having a second notch (103) aligned with the first notch (102); and - An inlay part (200) inserted into the second notch (103), wherein the second layer (101) has a first thickness (d), and the inlay part (200) has a second thickness (D), and the ratio between the second thickness (D) and the first thickness (d) is greater than 1.

2. The pre-laminated structure (400) according to claim 1, wherein, The ratio is less than or equal to 3, preferably equal to 2.

3. The pre-laminated structure (400) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The second notch (103) is completely aligned with the first notch (102) such that each line defining the edge of the first notch (102) coincides with the corresponding line defining the corresponding edge of the second notch (102).

4. The prepreg structure (400) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The second notch (103) is partially aligned with the first notch (102) such that only a part of the points forming the cross - section of the first notch (102) projects onto the cross - section of the second notch (103).

5. The pre-laminated structure (400) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The inlay part (200) is made of a transparent or translucent material.

6. The pre-laminated structure (400) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The inlay part (200) is made of a color - changeable material.

7. The pre-laminated structure (400) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The inlay part (200) has a different optical appearance relative to the second layer (101).

8. The pre-laminated structure (400) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The second layer (101) is opaque or white.

9. The prepreg structure (400) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The core structure (300) includes at least two core layers (330, 320), the at least two core layers (330, 320) have contact surfaces, and the contact surfaces are stepped surfaces including protrusions (331).

10. The prepreg structure (400) according to claim 9, wherein, The protrusion (331) is aligned with the inlay part (200).

11. The pre-laminated structure (400) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein, The protrusion (331) has a third thickness equal to the difference between the second thickness (D) and the first thickness (d).

12. The pre-laminated structure (400) according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein, The protrusion (331) is made of a transparent or translucent material or a color - changeable material such that the inlay part (200) aligned with the protrusion (331) is visible from each side of the pre - lamination structure (400).

13. The pre-laminated structure (400) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The first notch (102) is filled with the material of the at least one layer (320) of the core structure (300).

14. The pre-laminated structure (400) according to claim 13, wherein, The material of the at least one layer (320) filling the first notch (102) is transparent and / or translucent such that the inlay part (200) is visible from the side of the pre - lamination structure (400) including the first layer (100).

15. The pre-laminated structure (400) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The inlay part (200) is flush with the side of the second layer (101) opposite to the core structure (300) and forms a protrusion (201) that fits into the core structure (300), where the protrusion (201) has a protrusion thickness equal to the difference between the second thickness (D) and the first thickness (d).

16. The pre-laminated structure (400) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The cross-section of the first notch part (102) is equal to the cross-section of the second notch part (103).

17. The prepreg structure (400) according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein, The cross-section of the first notch part (102) is different from the cross-section of the second notch part (103), for example, the cross-section of the first notch part (102) is larger than or smaller than the cross-section of the second notch part (103).

18. The pre-laminated structure (400) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The first layer (100) includes an additional notch part (102’), and the material of the core structure (300) fills the first notch part (102) and the additional notch part (102’) to form a predetermined optical pattern.

19. An intelligent card (600) and / or a data page for a security document, comprising: - A pre-laminated structure (400) according to any one of the preceding claims; - At least one transparent layer (500) covering one side of the pre-laminated structure (400) and an opaque layer (510) having printed features; - At least one transparent layer (500) covering the opposite side of the pre-laminated structure (400) and an opaque layer (510) having printed features.

20. A method for forming a pre-laminated structure (400) for an intelligent card and / or a data page of a security document, comprising the following steps: - Attaching a first layer (100) to a first surface of a core structure (300), the first layer (100) including a first notch part (102); - Attaching a second layer (101) to a second opposite surface of the core structure (300), the second layer (101) including a second notch part (103), where the first layer (100), the second layer (101), and the core structure (300) form a stacked structure, and the first notch part (102) and the second notch part (103) are aligned along the stacking direction of the stacked structure; And - Filling the second notch part (103) with an inlay material (200), where the second layer (101) has a first thickness (d), and the inlay material (200) has a second thickness (D), and the ratio between the second thickness (D) and the first thickness (d) is greater than 1, such that the inlay material (200) partially protrudes from the second layer (101), thereby defining a protrusion (201’).

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the following steps: - Inserting the inlay part (200) into the second layer (101) such that the inlay part (200) is flush with the second layer (101) along the outer surface opposite to the core structure (300), and such that the protrusion (201) of the inlay part (200) is formed along the surface where the second layer (101) interconnects with the core structure (300); - Deformation of the core structure (300) caused by the insertion, such that a part of the material (301) of the at least one layer (320) of the core structure (300) fills the first notch portion (102).

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein, The first layer (100) includes an additional notch portion (102’), and due to the deformation of the core structure (300), both the first notch portion (102) and the additional notch portion (102’) are filled with corresponding portions of the material (301) of the at least one layer (320) of the core structure (300).

23. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 22, for obtaining a pre-laminated structure according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

24. A method of forming an intelligent card and / or a data page for a security document, comprising the steps of: - Forming a pre-laminated structure according to the method according to any one of claims 20 to 23; - Providing at least one transparent layer (500) and at least one opaque layer (510) having printed features on one side of the pre-laminated structure (400); - Providing at least one transparent layer (500) and at least one opaque layer (510) having printed features on the opposite side of the pre-laminated structure (400); - Laminating the transparent layer (500) and the opaque layer (510) to the pre-laminated structure (400).

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