Smart card including liquid metal layer

Abstract

The utility model discloses a smart card comprising a liquid metal layer. Comprising a liquid metal layer, the intelligent card comprises a card base, the card base comprises at least one functional layer, and the at least one functional layer comprises the liquid metal layer; and the chip is fixed on the card base. The intelligent card comprising the liquid metal layer provided by the embodiment of the utility model comprises the card base, the card base is a main body structure of the intelligent card, and at least one functional layer in the card base comprises the liquid metal layer, namely, at least one functional layer is prepared from a liquid metal material. The intelligent card provided by the embodiment is better in elasticity, and the use performance of the intelligent card is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of smart cards, and in particular to a smart card comprising a liquid metal layer. Background Art

[0002] Smart cards usually refer to cards with chip modules embedded in them. Smart cards include standard cards, which have specific sizes and are made of plastic. Smart cards are used to identify individuals and store their information. Various smart cards, such as work permits, ID cards, various financial transaction cards, membership cards, etc., have been widely used in people's lives.

[0003] Due to the limitation of the structural materials of existing smart cards, the performance of existing smart cards cannot meet the demand. Utility Model Content

[0004] An embodiment of the present application provides a smart card including a liquid metal layer, and at least one functional layer in the card base includes a liquid metal layer, that is, at least one functional layer is made of liquid metal material. Compared with the smart card in the prior art, the smart card including the liquid metal layer provided by the present embodiment has better elasticity and improves the performance of the smart card.

[0005] An embodiment of the present application provides a smart card including a liquid metal layer, including: a card base, the card base including at least one functional layer, at least one of the functional layers including a liquid metal layer; and a chip fixed to the card base.

[0006] According to the embodiment provided in the present application, along the thickness direction of the card base, the functional layer includes a first substrate layer and a second substrate layer stacked together; at least one of the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer includes the liquid metal layer.

[0007] According to the embodiment provided in the present application, it also includes the intermediate layer and the coil arranged between the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer, the coil is located in the intermediate layer, and the coil is electrically connected to the chip.

[0008] According to the embodiment provided in the present application, a wave absorbing material layer is provided between the film layer including the liquid metal layer in the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer and the intermediate layer.

[0009] According to an embodiment provided in the present application, an insulating layer is provided on the surface of the liquid metal layer.

[0010] According to the embodiment provided in the present application, the surface of the liquid metal layer is coated with a resin film.

[0011] According to an embodiment provided in the present application, the liquid metal layer includes a pattern portion formed by laser etching, engraving or printing technology; or, the surface of the liquid metal layer is provided with a pattern portion formed by laser etching, engraving or printing technology.

[0012] According to the embodiments provided in the present application, the first substrate layer includes a first liquid metal layer, which is provided with a first groove to accommodate the chip module; and / or the second substrate layer includes a second liquid metal layer, which is provided with a second groove, the chip module is connected to the intermediate layer through an adhesive layer, and the second groove avoids the adhesive layer.

[0013] According to the embodiment provided in the present application, the card base is integrally prepared from the liquid metal layer.

[0014] According to the embodiments provided in the present application, the first substrate layer includes a third groove, the intermediate layer and the second substrate layer are embedded in the third groove, and along the thickness direction of the card base, the orthographic projection areas of the intermediate layer and the second substrate layer on the first substrate layer are equal; or, the second substrate layer includes a third groove, the intermediate layer and the first substrate layer are embedded in the third groove, and along the thickness direction of the card base, the orthographic projection areas of the intermediate layer and the first substrate layer on the second substrate layer are equal.

[0015] According to an embodiment provided in the present application, a thickness compensation layer is provided between the first substrate layer and the intermediate layer; and / or a thickness compensation layer is provided between the second substrate layer and the intermediate layer.

[0016] According to an embodiment provided in the present application, the smart card including the liquid metal layer includes a chip module, the chip module includes a circuit board, the chip and a coil, the circuit board is provided with a printed circuit, and the chip and the coil are electrically connected to the printed circuit of the circuit board.

[0017] The smart card including the liquid metal layer provided in the embodiment of the present application includes a card base, which is the main structure of the smart card. At least one functional layer in the card base includes a liquid metal layer, that is, at least one functional layer is made of liquid metal material. Compared with the smart card in the prior art, the smart card including the liquid metal layer provided in the present embodiment has better elasticity and improves the performance of the smart card. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a smart card including a liquid metal layer according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] Figure 2 This is an embodiment of the present application Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the cross section at AA in the middle;

[0021] Figure 3 Another embodiment of the present application Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the cross section at AA in the middle;

[0022] Figure 4 This is another embodiment of the present application Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the cross section at AA in the middle;

[0023] Figure 5 This is another embodiment of the present application Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the cross section at AA in the middle;

[0024] Figure 6 This is another embodiment of the present application Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the cross section at AA in the middle.

[0025] Reference numerals:

[0026] 1. Card base; 11. First substrate layer; 12. Intermediate layer; 13. Second substrate layer;

[0027] 2. Chip module;

[0028] 3. Wave absorbing material layer;

[0029] 4. Insulation layer;

[0030] G, functional layer; Y, liquid metal layer; Y1, first liquid metal layer; Y2, second liquid metal layer; K1, first slot; K2, second slot; K3, third slot; L, printed pattern layer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The features and exemplary embodiments of various aspects of the present application will be described in detail below. In the following detailed description, many specific details are proposed in order to provide a comprehensive understanding of the present application. However, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the present application can be implemented without some of these specific details. The following description of the embodiments is only intended to provide a better understanding of the present application by showing examples of the present application.

[0032] It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of the present application can be combined with each other. The embodiments will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0033] Relational terms such as first and second, etc., are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation; they do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "include", "comprises" or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; so that a process, method, article or apparatus that includes a series of elements includes not only those elements; but also includes other elements not explicitly listed; or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or apparatus. In the absence of more limitations; the elements defined by the sentence "comprises..."; does not exclude the existence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or apparatus that includes the elements.

[0034] It should be understood that when describing the structure of a component, when a layer or a region is referred to as being "on" or "over" another layer or region, it may mean that it is directly on the other layer or region, or that other layers or regions are included between it and the other layer or region. Furthermore, if the component is turned over, the layer or region will be "below" or "beneath" another layer or region.

[0035] In addition, the term "and / or" in this article is only a description of the association relationship of the associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone; A and B exist at the same time; B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0036] It should be understood that in the embodiment of the present application, "B corresponding to A" means that B is associated with A and B can be determined according to A. However, it should also be understood that determining B according to A does not mean determining B only according to A; B can also be determined according to A and / or other information.

[0037] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a smart card including a liquid metal layer according to an embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 This is an embodiment of the present application Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the cross section at AA in the middle.

[0038] An embodiment of the present application provides a smart card including a liquid metal layer, including: a card base 1, the card base 1 including at least one functional layer G, and the at least one functional layer G including a liquid metal layer Y; a chip fixed to the card base 1.

[0039] The smart card including a liquid metal layer provided in the embodiment of the present application includes a card base 1, which is the main structure of the smart card. At least one functional layer G in the card base 1 includes a liquid metal layer Y, that is, at least one functional layer G is made of liquid metal material. Compared with the smart card in the prior art, the smart card including a liquid metal layer provided in the present embodiment has better elasticity and improves the performance of the smart card.

[0040] Optionally, the liquid metal layer Y includes a liquid metal alloy, which is a new material called an amorphous alloy, and is an alloy prepared by mixing titanium (Ti), beryllium (Be), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu) and other materials into zirconium (Zr). The material properties of the liquid metal alloy are that the surface is as smooth as liquid, and compared with iron, it is light in weight but more than 3 times stronger. In addition, since the amorphous structure is maintained in a solid state, the strength and elasticity are very high, providing an advantageous effect as a material for payment cards.

[0041] In this embodiment, when the smart card including the liquid metal layer is a contactless card, the smart card includes a chip and a coil electrically connected to the chip, and the chip is powered by the coil. The chip and the coil can be arranged inside the card base 1.

[0042] Optionally, the coils are arranged in a ring shape, specifically in a square or circular shape.

[0043] Optionally, the chip is close to the magnetic field of the card reader, requiring the induced current generated by the coil to be able to provide contactless communication. The larger the coil encirclement area, the greater the induced current generated by the coil.

[0044] When the smart card is a contact card, the smart card includes a chip module 2, which includes a chip and a carrier tape. The front of the carrier tape has a contact plate to supply power to the chip during contact payment. The chip module 2 can be at least partially disposed in a groove on the surface of the card base 1.

[0045] When the smart card is a dual-interface card, the smart card includes a chip module 2 and a coil. The chip module 2 includes a chip and a carrier. There is a touch pad on the front of the carrier to supply power to the chip during contact payment. The back of the carrier also includes contacts connected to the coil in the middle layer. During contactless payment, the coil supplies power to the chip.

[0046] Optionally, the carrier tape is provided with a chip carrying area and several functional areas which are isolated from each other, and these functional areas are, in sequence, an input / output functional area, a clock functional area, a power functional area, a grounding functional area, a reset functional area and a vacant functional area.

[0047] The functional layer G may specifically include a substrate layer, an intermediate layer 12 for accommodating a fixed coil, a thickness compensation layer and other film layers.

[0048] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some optional embodiments, along the thickness direction of the card base 1, the functional layer G includes a first substrate layer 11 and a second substrate layer 13 which are stacked; at least one of the first substrate layer 11 and the second substrate layer 13 includes a liquid metal layer Y.

[0049] The film layer structure provided in this embodiment can be applied to a contact card that does not require an intermediate layer. One of the first substrate layer 11 and the second substrate layer 13 may include a liquid metal layer Y. For example, the first substrate layer 11 includes the liquid metal layer Y, or the second substrate layer 13 includes the liquid metal layer Y. Alternatively, both the first substrate layer 11 and the second substrate layer 13 may include the liquid metal layer Y.

[0050] Optionally, the smart card including the liquid metal layer further includes an intermediate layer 12 disposed between the first substrate layer 11 and the second substrate layer 13 and a coil, wherein the coil is located in the intermediate layer 12 and the coil is electrically connected to the chip.

[0051] The first substrate layer 11 , the middle layer 12 and the second substrate layer 13 are all functional layers G of the card base 1 .

[0052] In this embodiment, the middle layer 12 may include one layer or two layers. When the middle layer 12 is a single layer, the coil may be embedded in the middle layer 12, or, when the middle layer 12 includes two layers, the coil is located between the upper and lower middle layers 12. The coil is connected to the chip, and when entering the magnetic field, it generates an induced current in the alternating magnetic field of the card reader to power the chip and complete the security payment related operations.

[0053] For a contactless card, the coil is directly connected to the chip and is located on the intermediate layer 12 .

[0054] For a dual interface card, the coil is connected to the chip of the chip module 2. The first substrate layer 11 is provided with an opening for accommodating the chip module 2. Both ends of the coil are connected to the interfaces of the chip module 2 respectively.

[0055] In this embodiment, the intermediate layer 12 in the middle may not use the liquid metal layer Y to effectively carry the liquid metal layer Y and avoid short circuit between the liquid metal layer Y and the chip or coil in the intermediate layer 12 .

[0056] See also Figure 3Optionally, at least one of the first substrate layer 11 and the second substrate layer 13 includes a liquid metal layer Y and a printed pattern layer L, and the printed pattern layer L is additionally prepared to facilitate the display of the pattern required for the smart card including the liquid metal layer. Alternatively, the first substrate layer 11 and the second substrate layer 13 may also each include only one layer of liquid metal layer Y, and the pattern is prefabricated on the liquid metal layer Y, or is formed on the liquid metal layer Y by engraving or the like, without the need to additionally prepare the printed pattern layer L.

[0057] In some optional embodiments, an absorbing material layer 3 is provided between the film layer including the liquid metal layer Y in the first substrate layer 11 and the second substrate layer 13 and the intermediate layer 12 .

[0058] For example, when the first substrate layer 11 includes a liquid metal layer Y, an absorbing material layer 3 can be provided between the liquid metal layer Y and the intermediate layer 12, and the absorbing material can be selected from at least one of ferrite, an amorphous iron-carbon mixture and a nanocrystalline iron-carbon mixture.

[0059] When the first substrate layer 11 and / or the second substrate layer 13 include a liquid metal layer Y, when the card base 1 is close to the magnetic field of the card reader, the card base 1 including the liquid metal layer Y will generate eddy currents under the action of the magnetic field of the card reader, which will greatly interfere with the current generated by the coil. The absorbing material layer 3 can absorb the interfering magnetic field generated by the card base 1, reduce the influence of the interfering magnetic field on the coil, thereby maintaining the stability of the current generated by the coil through electromagnetic induction, and improving the reliability of the contactless performance of the card.

[0060] See also Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some optional embodiments, an insulating layer 4 is provided on the surface of the liquid metal layer Y to prevent the liquid metal layer Y from being electrically connected to the coil or chip in the smart card, thereby preventing the coil or chip from being electrically connected and affecting the normal operation of the coil or chip. Optionally, a resin film is coated on the surface of the liquid metal layer Y, and the insulating properties of the resin film are utilized to achieve mutual insulation between the liquid metal layer Y and the coil or chip.

[0061] Optionally, the liquid metal layer Y includes a pattern portion formed by laser etching, engraving or printing technology, that is, the liquid metal material can be patterned to obtain the desired pattern portion, or a pattern portion formed by other materials can be formed on the liquid metal layer Y, such as an ink layer, that is, the surface of the liquid metal layer Y is provided with a pattern portion formed by laser etching, engraving or printing technology.

[0062] See also Figure 4In some optional embodiments, the first substrate layer 11 includes a first liquid metal layer Y1, and the first liquid metal layer Y1 is provided with a first groove K1 to accommodate the chip module 2; and / or, the second substrate layer 13 includes a second liquid metal layer Y2, and the second liquid metal layer Y2 is provided with a second groove K2, the chip module 2 is connected to the intermediate layer 12 through the glue layer, and the second groove K2 avoids the glue layer.

[0063] The size of the first slot K1 can be slightly larger than that of the chip module 2 to accommodate the chip module 2, and an insulating layer 4 can be provided between the first liquid metal layer Y1 and the chip module 2 to avoid conductive connection between the two. The adhesive layer can be liquid quick-drying adhesive or double-sided adhesive.

[0064] See also Figure 5 In some optional embodiments, the first substrate layer 11 includes a third groove K3, the intermediate layer 12 and the second substrate layer 13 are embedded in the third groove K3, and along the thickness direction of the card base 1, the orthographic projection areas of the intermediate layer 12 and the second substrate layer 13 on the first substrate layer 11 are equal; or, the second substrate layer 13 includes a third groove K3, the intermediate layer 12 and the first substrate layer 11 are embedded in the third groove K3, and along the thickness direction of the card base 1, the orthographic projection areas of the intermediate layer 12 and the first substrate layer 11 on the second substrate layer 13 are equal.

[0065] In this embodiment, the size of the second substrate layer 13 is set to be larger than the size of the intermediate layer 12 and the first substrate layer 11. A first slot K1 is provided on the surface of the second substrate layer 13 to accommodate the intermediate layer 12 and the first substrate layer 11. The shapes of the intermediate layer 12 and the first substrate layer 11 with smaller areas can be irregular shapes without special restrictions. The orthographic projection areas of the intermediate layer 12 and the first substrate layer 11 on the second substrate layer 13 are equal, that is, the area sizes of the two are equal, so that they are conveniently provided together in the first slot K1.

[0066] Optionally, an adhesive layer is provided between any two adjacent layers of the first substrate layer 11, the middle layer 12 and the second substrate layer 13 to achieve a tight connection between the film layers, and the adhesive layer may be liquid quick-drying adhesive or double-sided adhesive.

[0067] Optionally, an adhesive layer is provided between any two adjacent layers of the first substrate layer 11, the middle layer 12 and the second substrate layer 13 to achieve a tight connection between the film layers, and the adhesive layer may be liquid quick-drying adhesive or double-sided adhesive.

[0068] In some optional embodiments, a thickness compensation layer is provided between the first substrate layer 11 and the intermediate layer 12 ; and / or a thickness compensation layer is provided between the second substrate layer 13 and the intermediate layer 12 .

[0069] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the thickness compensation layer is used to compensate for thickness in the thickness direction so that the thickness dimensions of the smart card meet the processing requirements, thereby ensuring normal card movement on the processing equipment. Optionally, the thickness compensation layer can use a PVC white substrate.

[0070] The card base 1 is integrally prepared from a liquid metal layer Y. That is, the entire structure of the card base 1 is prepared from liquid metal material. For a contact or dual-interface card, a groove can be reserved when the card base 1 is formed to place the chip module 2. The chip module 2 can be attached to the card base 1 by adhesive materials such as double-sided adhesive.

[0071] Optionally, in this embodiment, in order to further increase the winding area of ​​the coil, the size of the chip may be increased so that the size of the chip is larger than that of the existing chip.

[0072] Optionally, the chip module 22 includes a circuit board, a chip and a coil. The circuit board is provided with a printed circuit, and the chip and the coil can be electrically connected to the printed circuit of the circuit board. The chip is generally located in the area surrounded by the coil. When the coil approaches the card reader, the coil induces current under the magnetic field of the card reader, and the circuit board is powered. The card reader reads and writes the stored information in the chip module 22 to achieve contactless communication.

[0073] The chip module 22 provided in the embodiment of the present application is set to a conventional shape such as a square, and can also be set to a circular shape, a waist shape, an irregular shape, or any other special shape.

[0074] The smart card including the liquid metal layer provided in the embodiment of the present application can be used to realize the electronic transaction function. The smart card including the liquid metal layer is a type of card with a predetermined length, width and thickness, and is also portable and convenient to use. The smart card including the liquid metal layer can be a financial card, a credit card, a stored value card, a bus card, an access card or a membership card, but is not limited to the card types listed above.

[0075] The above is only a specific implementation of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can easily think of various equivalent modifications or replacements within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, and these modifications or replacements should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A smart card comprising a liquid metal layer, characterized in that: include: A card base, wherein the card base comprises at least one functional layer, and at least one functional layer comprises a liquid metal layer; The chip is fixed on the card base.

2. The smart card comprising a liquid metal layer according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the thickness direction of the card base, the functional layer includes a first substrate layer and a second substrate layer stacked; At least one of the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer includes the liquid metal layer.

3. The smart card comprising a liquid metal layer according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes an intermediate layer arranged between the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer and a coil. The coil is located in the intermediate layer, and the coil is electrically connected to the chip.

4. The smart card comprising a liquid metal layer according to claim 3, characterized in that: A wave absorbing material layer is provided between the film layer including the liquid metal layer in the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer and the intermediate layer.

5. The smart card comprising a liquid metal layer according to claim 1, characterized in that: An insulating layer is provided on the surface of the liquid metal layer.

6. The smart card comprising a liquid metal layer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The surface of the liquid metal layer is coated with a resin film.

7. The smart card comprising a liquid metal layer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The liquid metal layer includes a pattern portion formed by laser etching, engraving or printing; or, The surface of the liquid metal layer is provided with a pattern portion formed by laser etching, engraving or printing process.

8. The smart card comprising a liquid metal layer according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first substrate layer comprises a first liquid metal layer, and the first liquid metal layer is provided with a first groove to accommodate the chip; and / or, The second substrate layer includes a second liquid metal layer, the second liquid metal layer is provided with a second groove, the chip is connected to the middle layer through a glue layer, and the second groove avoids the glue layer.

9. The smart card comprising a liquid metal layer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The card base is integrally prepared from the liquid metal layer.

10. The smart card comprising a liquid metal layer according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first substrate layer includes a third groove, the intermediate layer and the second substrate layer are embedded in the third groove, and the orthographic projection areas of the intermediate layer and the second substrate layer on the first substrate layer are equal along the thickness direction of the card base; or, the second substrate layer includes a third groove, the intermediate layer and the first substrate layer are embedded in the third groove, and the orthographic projection areas of the intermediate layer and the first substrate layer on the second substrate layer are equal along the thickness direction of the card base.

11. The smart card comprising a liquid metal layer according to claim 3, characterized in that: A thickness compensation layer is provided between the first substrate layer and the intermediate layer; and / or, A thickness compensation layer is provided between the second substrate layer and the intermediate layer.

12. The smart card comprising a liquid metal layer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The smart card including the liquid metal layer includes a chip module, the chip module includes a circuit board, the chip and a coil, the circuit board is provided with a printed circuit, and the chip and the coil are electrically connected to the printed circuit of the circuit board.

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