Electronic module for a contact smart card

Abstract

An electronic module (10) for a contact smart card is provided. The electronic module (10) includes a printed circuit (12) with a plurality of first pads (16) and one or more first reinforcement pads (18). The electronic module (10) additionally includes a contact plate (20) having a plurality of second pads (24), the second pads being opposed to the first pads (16), and one or more second reinforcement pads (26) opposed to the first reinforcement pads (18) and supporting the first reinforcement pads (18). The electronic module (10) further includes an anisotropic conductive film (28) electrically connecting the plurality of first pads (16) to the plurality of second pads (24).

Description

[0001] Electronic Module for a Contact Smart Card

[0002] The present invention relates to an electronic module for a smart card and a method of assembling said electronic module.

[0003] BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0004] Smart cards are well known and widely used in for example SIM cards, bank cards and smart cards used for personal identification or authentication.

[0005] Contact smart cards contain an electronic module with a contact plate which allows the smart card to interface with external components, for example via a card reader. These contact plates are electronically connected to the internal circuitry of the smart card.

[0006] Conventionally, the process of assembling the contact plate and internal circuitry within the card involves soldering the contact plate to the internal circuitry. Due to the variability of solder thickness, the final thickness of the electronic module cannot be accurately controlled, which can cause issues when the electronic module is embedded into the smart card and can lead to inferior performance.

[0007] Additionally, the solder paste can remelt during the embedding process which can lead to short circuiting, preventing the card from functioning correctly and potentially damaging the components.

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to reduce or substantially obviate the aforementioned problems.

[0009] STATEMENT OF INVENTION

[0010] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic module for a contact smart card, the electronic module comprising: a printed circuit including: a plurality of first pads; and one or more first reinforcement pads; a contact plate including: a plurality of second pads opposed to the first pads; and one or more second reinforcement pads opposed to the first reinforcement pads and supporting the first reinforcement pads; and an anisotropic conductive film electrically connecting the plurality of first pads to the plurality of second pads.

[0011] Such an electronic module provides several advantages. The first and second reinforcement pads support the structure of the electronic module during lamination, resulting in an electronic module which is less prone to peeling and deformation, improving the performance and aesthetics of the resulting product.

[0012] Advantageously, the printed circuit may be a flexible printed circuit.

[0013] A flexible printed circuit can advantageously be flexed and bent without damaging the circuitry and while maintaining functionality, improving usability.

[0014] Optionally, the anisotropic conductive film may physically connect the first reinforcement pads to the second reinforcement pads.

[0015] The anisotropic conductive film can provide a physical connection between the first and second reinforcement pads to bond the printed circuit and contact plate. Additionally, physically connecting the first and second reinforcement pads via the anisotropic conductive film rather than a separate adhesive could simplify the manufacturing process.

[0016] Optionally, a tape or an adhesive may be provided between the printed circuit and the contact plate, the tape or the adhesive surrounding the first and second pads and the first and second reinforcement pads to provide physical bonding of the electronic module.

[0017] Having a tape or adhesive surrounding the first and second pads and first and second reinforcement pads provides a stronger physical connection between the printed circuit and contact plate.

[0018] Optionally, an adhesive may physically connect the first reinforcement pads to the second reinforcement pads, wherein the adhesive is nonconductive.

[0019] An adhesive can provide a stronger physical connection between the first and second reinforcement pads than the anisotropic conductive film alone, and can also be significantly cheaper than anisotropic conductive film due to not being required to be electrically conductive.

[0020] Preferably, the adhesive may be bonded to the anisotropic conductive film.

[0021] Bonding the adhesive to the anisotropic conductive film helps to keep the anisotropic conductive film fixed in place, preventing the anisotropic conductive film from slipping and severing the electrical connection between the first pads and the second pads. Optionally, the first pads may form a first pad region, the second pads may form a second pad region, the first reinforcement pads and the second reinforcement pads respectively arranged adjacent to the first pad region and the second pad region.

[0022] The outermost pads are most prone to separating under external forces. Providing the first and second reinforcement pads adjacent to the respective first and second pad regions helps to protect the structure of the electronic module and mitigates the risk of the first and second pads disconnecting.

[0023] Optionally, the plurality of first pads and the plurality of second pads may be uniformly distributed within the respective first pad region and second pad region.

[0024] A uniform distribution of first pads and second pads provides an even or uniform distribution of forces during later processes such as lamination or embedding of the electronic module into a smart card and during use of the smart card.

[0025] In one preferable embodiment, the first reinforcement pads may be symmetrically distributed about the first pad region and the second reinforcement pads may be symmetrically distributed about the second pad region.

[0026] Symmetrically distributed reinforcement pads provide support to both sides of the structure in a uniform manner, helping to form an electronic module of consistent thickness and increasing the lifespan of the electronic module.

[0027] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a contact smart card, wherein the contact smart card comprises the electronic module in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.

[0028] Optionally, the contact smart card may be a SIM card or a bank card.

[0029] SIM cards are widely used in telecommunications and benefit from the improved performance offered by the present invention. Bank cards similarly benefit from the improved performance and aesthetics provided by the present invention. Additionally, SIM cards and bank cards are often subject to stresses from repeated use and wear, and the present invention thus improve the lifetime of the SIM card or bank card due to the additional support offered by the reinforcement pads.

[0030] According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of assembling an electronic module for a smart card, the method comprising the steps of: a] providing a printed circuit including: a plurality of first pads; and one or more first reinforcement pads; b] providing a contact plate including: a plurality of second pads opposed to the first pads; and one or more second reinforcement pads opposed to the first reinforcement pads; and c] electrically connecting the plurality of first terminals to the plurality of second terminals via an anisotropic conductive film and physically supporting the first reinforcement members on the second reinforcement members.

[0031] Such a method provides an electronic module with improved performance and aesthetics. Additionally, due to its relative simplicity, such a method lends itself well to automation and allows for electronic modules to be made in large quantities at a low cost.

[0032] Preferably, the method may further comprise the step of d] physically connecting the first reinforcement pads to the second reinforcement pads via an adhesive or via the anisotropic conductive film.

[0033] A physical connection between the first and second reinforcement pads can be realised via an adhesive or via anisotropic conductive film, bonding the contact plate and printed circuit. An adhesive can provide a stronger physical connection between the first and second reinforcement pads than the anisotropic conductive film alone and can also be significantly cheaper than anisotropic conductive film, while physically connecting the first and second reinforcement pads via the anisotropic conductive film could simplify the manufacturing process.

[0034] Preferably, the printed circuit may be provided as one of a plurality of printed circuits included on a printed circuit tape and the contact plate may be provided as one of a plurality of contact plates included on a contact plate tape.

[0035] A printed circuit tape and / or a contact plate tape represents an effective method to form printed circuits and / or contact plates on a large scale and allows for future roll-to- roll processing to be carried out.

[0036] In one preferable embodiment, the electronic module may be assembled in a roll-to- roll assembly process.

[0037] Roll-to-roll assembly allows for the electronic modules to be produced on a large scale for a low cost, and lends itself well to automation.

[0038] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made by way of example only to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0039] Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic representation of a first embodiment of an electronic module for a contact smart card in accordance with the first aspect of the invention;

[0040] Figure 2 shows a plan view of a printed circuit of the electronic module of Figure 1 ;

[0041] Figure 3 shows a plan view of a contact plate of the electronic module of Figure 1 ;

[0042] Figure 4 shows a printed circuit tape having a plurality of the printed circuits of Figure 2;

[0043] Figure 5 shows a contact plate tape having a plurality of the contact plates of Figure 3; and

[0044] Figure 6 shows a diagrammatic representation of a second embodiment of an electronic module for a contact smart card in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.

[0045] DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0046] Referring firstly to Figure 1 , there is indicated an electronic module 10 for a contact smart card, referenced globally at 10. The electronic module 10 comprises a printed circuit 12 including a first pad region 14 with a plurality of first pads 16 and a plurality of first reinforcement pads 18 adjacent to the first pad region 14. The electronic module 10 further comprises a contact plate 20 including a second pad region 22 with a plurality of second pads 24 and a plurality of second reinforcement pads 26 adjacent to the second pad region 22.

[0047] The printed circuit 12 and contact plate 20 are shown in alignment in an unconnected state. The printed circuit 12 has a corresponding number of first pads 16 and first reinforcement pads 18 to the second pads 24 and second reinforcement pads 26 of the contact plate 20, with corresponding dimensions and spacing, maximising the surface area for connection. Alternatively, the number of the first reinforcement pads 18 may be different from that of the second reinforcement pads 26, for example, one big first reinforcement pad 18 may correspond to two or more small second reinforcement pad 26, or vice versa. The first pads 16 are coplanar to one another and have a substantially similar height, and the second pads 24 are coplanar to one another and have the same or substantially the same height. Each of the first pads 16 and each of the second pads 24 are also flat or substantially flat, and thus the plurality of first pads 16 and plurality of second pads 24 each define a level surface. This both improves the quality of the electrical connection between the pads and results in less variation in the thickness of the electronic module 10.

[0048] The electronic module 10 is formed by connection of the printed circuit 12 with the contact plate 20. Electrical connection is provided by an anisotropic conductive film 28 and physical connection is provided by an adhesive 30.

[0049] The anisotropic conductive film 28 is electrically conductive on an axis directed from the printed circuit 12 to the contact plate 20, which allows for an electrical connection between the first pads 16 and the respective second pads 24. The anisotropic conductive film 28 is not electrically conductive in the directions parallel to the planes of the printed circuit 12 and the contact plate 20, preventing undesired connections between first pads 16 and second pads 24 which are not aligned.

[0050] The adhesive 30 connects the first reinforcement pads 18 to the second reinforcement pads 26. Because the first reinforcement pads 18 and the second reinforcement pads 26 are not electrically connected, there is no requirement for the adhesive 30 to be conductive, which is beneficial for cost reasons. The adhesive 30 may be a thermoplastic or thermosetting adhesive. The adhesive 30 may be provided as, for example, a paste or a tape.

[0051] The first and second reinforcement pads 18, 26 are provided at outer edges of the respective first and second pad region 14, 22, meaning that the majority of the load is applied to the reinforcement pads 18, 26 when shear forces act on the electronic module 10 during later processes, such as lamination or embedding of the electronic module 10 into a smart card.

[0052] Due to the connection of the first and second reinforcement pads 18, 26 the first pads 16 and the second pads 24 can maintain a stable electronic connection even when the electronic module 10 is subject to bending. Even should the first reinforcement pads 18 and second reinforcement pads 26 lose connection, the electrical connection of the first pads 16 and second pads 24 can be maintained, preserving functionality of the smart card. Referring to Figure 2, there is shown a plan view of the printed circuit 12 in which the structure of the first pads 16 and the first reinforcement pads 18 can be more clearly seen.

[0053] The first pads 16 of the printed circuit 12 are uniformly spaced apart within the first pad region 14, which evenly distributes stresses encountered through later processes such as embedding or laminating.

[0054] The first pads 16 of the printed circuit 12 may however be non-uniformly spaced, which may be desired depending on the layout of the printed circuit 12. It also is possible for the printed circuit to have fewer first pads 16 than the number of second pads 24, in which case the first pads 16 may be irregularly spaced apart so as to be opposed to specific second pads 24.

[0055] The first pads 16 are made of one or more electrically conductive materials. The first pads 16 may be made of a single electrically conductive material, or may be formed from multiple electrically conductive layers. Although not essential, it is desirable that the first pads 16 be plated with a noble metal or a composition containing a noble metal for the purposes of resisting corrosion and for the excellent conductive properties of such metals.

[0056] As can be seen, each of the plurality of first pads 16 is connected to a printed circuit trace 32. The printed circuit traces 32 are shown for example only, and are not intended to represent any particular printed circuit 12. Evidently, the structure of such printed circuit traces 32 may vary according to the specific function the printed circuit 12 is required to perform.

[0057] The first pads 16 may be shaped depending on the structure of the printed circuit traces 32, to avoid the first pads 16 overlaying the printed circuit traces 32. Additionally, the first pads 16 may be shaped to avoid overlaying circuitry present on the contact plate 20.

[0058] The printed circuit traces 32, first pads 16, and first reinforcement pads 18 are held on a printed circuit substrate 34. The printed circuit traces 32 may be applied by any suitable means such as but not limited to printing, etching or electroplating, and the first pads 16 and / or first reinforcement pads 18 may be formed with the printed circuit substrate 34 during manufacture or may be applied onto the printed circuit substrate 34, such as by electrodeposition, for example. The printed circuit substrate 34 is a flexible printed circuit, with the printed circuit substrate 34 made of a flexible plastic material, for example being formed from PET or PI film, although a non-flexible printed circuit, such as multilayer thin epoxy-glass (e.g., FR4) printed circuit is also feasible.

[0059] The printed circuit 12 may be configured to perform various functions depending on requirements such as but not limited to identification of a user or storage of user data, and may be electrically connected to further electronic components depending on the requirements of the smart card, by way of the printed circuit traces 32 or otherwise. The printed circuit 12 is double-sided or multi-layered, with the multiple sides or layers being electrically connected with vias 36 which are connected to the printed circuit traces 32. Evidently, a single sided printed circuit 12 could instead be used.

[0060] The first reinforcement pads 18 can be seen adjacent to the first pad region 14 of the printed circuit 12. Adjacent here means that the first reinforcement pads are positioned next to the first pad region 14, with no electrical components positioned in the gap between the first reinforcement pads 18 and the first plurality of first pads 16.

[0061] In the depicted embodiment, the printed circuit 12 is provided with four such first reinforcement pads 18, with the first reinforcement pads 18 being symmetrically distributed on either side of the first pad region 14 and parallel to the first pads 16. The first reinforcement pads 18 are coplanar with and substantially the same height as the first pads 16.

[0062] The reinforcement pads are positioned at opposite ends of the first pad region 14, and are parallel to the first pads 16. Of course, the number and arrangement of the first reinforcement pads 18 may vary according to necessity. For example, while the first reinforcement pads are provided to the left and right of the first pad region 14 in Figure 2, they may instead be provided above and / or below the first pad region 14, or located on every side of the first pad region 14, or inserted in the first pad region 14.

[0063] In some cases, only one first reinforcement pad 18 may be provided. The first reinforcement pads 18 may span a side of the first pad region 14 or a portion thereof. It is also possible that one or more of the first reinforcement pads 18 may border more than one side of the first pad region 14, or even entirely enclose the first pad region 14. One or more of the first reinforcement pads 18 may be shaped based on the layout of the printed circuit 12, for example by being differently shaped or sized to avoid overlaying a printed circuit trace.

[0064] The first reinforcement pads 18 are narrower than each of the first pads 16, and have a lower surface area than each of the first pads 16, which saves on material cost. Of course, the first reinforcement pads 18 may be wider than the first pads 16 and have a greater surface area, if a more secure physical connection is required. It is expected that in most arrangements a combined surface area of each of the first pads 16 will be substantially larger than a combined surface area of each of the first reinforcement pads 18. In one preferable embodiment, the combined surface area of the first reinforcement pads 18 is less than half of the combined surface area of the first pads 16.

[0065] The first reinforcement pads 18 are formed from the same material as the first pads 16, which allows them to be formed on or applied to the printed circuit substrate 34 at the same time as the first pads 16, improving the ease of manufacture. Additionally, the first pads 16 and first reinforcement pads 18 being formed from the same material means they have the same thermal expansion properties, eliminating potential stresses caused from uneven expansion.

[0066] Alternatively, the first reinforcement pads 18 can be made of a different material to the first pads 16. For example, the first reinforcement pads 18 may be made of a different metal or metal composition than the first pads 16 to save on cost. As the first reinforcement pads 18 do not participate in electrical connection, there is no requirement that they be made of an electrically conductive material, which may be beneficial for cost reasons, and also allows the use of stronger materials and / or materials which may better bond to the adhesive 30.

[0067] The structure of the contact plate 20 is shown in more detail in Figure 3, which shows a plan view of a printed circuit 12 contact side of the contact plate 20. As can be seen, the second pads 24 of the contact plate 20 are complementarily-shaped and spaced to the first pads 16 of the printed circuit 12, being equally spaced apart when compared to the first pads 16 and being of equal width to the first pads 16. The second pads 24 are smaller in length than the first pads. In a connected state, the entire surface area of the seconds pads 24 is overlayed by the first pads 16. One or more of the second pads 24 may have different dimensions and / or shapes to one another. The second pads 24 may be shaped such as to avoid opposing printed circuit traces 32 of the printed circuit 12 when the printed circuit 12 and contact plate 20 are in connection, to prevent unintended electrical connections.

[0068] While it is preferable for the first pads 16 and second pads 24 to be similarly shaped and sized, there is in general no requirement that the first pads 16 and second pads 24 are similarly shaped and / or sized, provided that at least one of the first pads 16 has at least a partial area in alignment with at least a partial area of one of the second pads 24.

[0069] Additionally, the number of second pads 24 may be different to the number of first pads 16. For example, in some cases, the printed circuit 12 may not require full connectivity to each of the second pads 24, in which case it may be preferable that the printed circuit 12 is provided with fewer first pads 16 than the number of second pads 24. Although not required, it is generally preferred that each of the first pads 16 is connected to exactly one of the second pads 24.

[0070] The second pads 24 are made of one or more electrically conductive materials, and may have the same or substantially the same material composition as the first pads 16. As with the first pads 16, it is desirable that the second pads 24 be plated with a noble metal or a composition containing a noble metal, for resistance to corrosion.

[0071] The second reinforcement pads 26 are formed from the same material as the second pads 24, which allows them to be formed on or applied to the contact plate 20 at the same time as the second pads 24, improving the ease of manufacture. Alternatively, the second reinforcement pads 26 may be made of a cheaper metal or metal composition than the second pads 24, or made of a nonconductive material, which may be beneficial for cost reasons or to allow the use of stronger materials and / or materials which better bond to the adhesive 30.

[0072] The second reinforcement pads 26 are coplanar with and substantially the same height as the second pads 24, again to allow for the thickness of the product to be accurately controlled.

[0073] The contact plate 20 comprises a card-reader contact element disposed on the opposite side to the printed circuit 12 contact side which allows for electrical connection and communication between the electronic module 10 and an external device such as a card reader. The card-reader contact element includes a plurality of card-reader contacts, with each of the second pads 24 being electrically connected to one or more of the card-reader contacts. The card-reader contact element may be a six-pin interface or an eight-pin interface according to the international standard ISO / IEC 7816.

[0074] The contact plate 20 comprises a contact plate substrate 38, which holds the second pads 24, the second reinforcement pads 26, and the card-reader contact element, as well as any circuitry connecting the card reader contact element to the second pads 24. The contact plate substrate 38 is made of a flexible plastic material, for example being formed from a polyimide film or PET, although a non-flexible contact plate substrate is also possible.

[0075] It is advantageous to manufacture the electronic modules 10 with roll-to-roll processing. Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, Figure 4 shows a printed circuit tape 40 having a plurality of printed circuits 12 and Figure 5 shows a contact plate tape 42 having a plurality of contact plates 20.

[0076] The printed circuit tape 40 and contact plate tape 42 are formed using roll-to-roll processing from flexible carrier tapes, which are fed through a roll-to-roll transfer system where the printed circuits 12 and the contact plates 20 are applied to the respective carrier tapes.

[0077] The printed circuit tape 40 is be aligned with the contact plate tape 42 in a roll-to-roll manufacturing process with the anisotropic conductive film 28 and the adhesive 30 disposed therebetween. The printed circuit tape 40 and the contact plate tape 42 are then pressed together to electrically connect the first pads 16 and second pads 24 via the anisotropic conductive film 28 and physically connect the first reinforcement pads 18 and second reinforcement pads 26 via the adhesive 30 to form an electronic module tape having a plurality of electronic modules 10.

[0078] The electronic module 10 is then heated to induce curing of the adhesive 30 and / or the anisotropic conductive film 28. During the roll-to-roll assembly process, the adhesive 30 is bonded to the anisotropic conductive film 28, which prevents the anisotropic conductive film 28 from slipping or dislodging, maintaining a stable electrical connection between the contact plate 20 and the printed circuit 12.

[0079] The electronic modules 10 can then be extracted from the electronic module tape by, for example stamping, or cutting. While the printed circuit tape 40 is shown with two parallel rows of printed circuits 12 and the contact plate tape 42 is shown with two parallel rows of contact plates 20, any arrangement of any number of contact plates 20 or printed circuits 12 is possible. It is preferable that the printed circuit tape 40 corresponds to the contact plate tape 42 to simplify manufacturing, but alternative arrangements are possible.

[0080] Alternatively, the printed circuits 12 and the contact plates 20 may be extracted from the respective printed circuit tape 40 and contact plate tape 42, for example via stamping, and then separately connected via anisotropic conductive film 28 and adhesive 30 to form the electronic modules 10.

[0081] Once the electronic module 10 is formed, the contact smart card can be formed by mounting the electronic module 10 to a suitable carrier depending on the desired smart card needed, such as a SIM card or a bank card, for example.

[0082] A second embodiment of an electronic module for a smart card is shown in Figure 6. Identical or similar reference numerals will be used to refer to identical or similar components, and further detailed description is omitted for brevity.

[0083] The electronic module 110 here has the first and second reinforcement pads 118, 126 physically connected via the anisotropic conductive film 128, although the reinforcement pads are not in electrical connection. The adhesive 130 here is provided surrounding the first and second pads 116, 124 and the first and second reinforcement pads 118, 126 to provide further physical connection between the printed circuit 112 and the contact plate 120.

[0084] In the embodiment of Figure 6, the printed circuit 112 further comprises first outer reinforcement elements 144 and the contact plate 146 further comprises second outer reinforcement elements 146, with the second outer reinforcement elements 146 being opposed to the first outer reinforcement elements 144. The first and second outer reinforcement elements 144, 146 are physically connected via the adhesive 130 to firmly bond the printed circuit 112 to the contact plate 120.

[0085] Although the outer reinforcement elements 144, 146 may provide an improved physical bonding between the printed circuit 112 and the contact plate 120, the first and second outer reinforcement elements 144, 146 may be omitted, with the adhesive bonding the printed circuit 112 and contact plate 146 directly. It should be noted that while the above description has been described by way of reference to a printed circuit 12; 112, it will be evident to the skilled person how any suitable substrate capable of having an electrical circuit thereon may be provided. Thus, other means such as etching, electroplating, dry or wet imaging, and / or screened imaging could be employed to form printed circuit traces deposited on the printed circuit 12; 112.

[0086] It is feasible that the adhesive 30; 130 could be omitted due to the anisotropic conductive film 28; 128 itself having adhesive properties. This is not preferred due to the increased material cost and lower quality of connection, but may simplify the assembly process.

[0087] The present invention therefore provides a contact smart card having an electronic module 10; 110 which maintains functionality even when subject to stresses due to the reinforcement pads 18, 26; 118, 126 supporting the structure. Additionally, due to the thickness of the electronic module being more accurately controlled, the present invention provides a contact smart card with improved performance and aesthetics.

[0088] The words ‘comprises / comprising’ and the words ‘having / including’ when used herein with reference to the present invention are used to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components, or groups thereof.

[0089] It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination.

[0090] The embodiments described above are provided by way of example only, and various changes and modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

Claims1 . An electronic module (10; 110) for a contact smart card, the electronic module (10) comprising: a printed circuit (12; 112) including: a plurality of first pads (16; 116); and one or more first reinforcement pads (18; 118); a contact plate (20; 120) including: a plurality of second pads (24; 124) opposed to the first pads (16; 116); and one or more second reinforcement pads (26; 126) opposed to the first reinforcement pads (18; 118) and supporting the first reinforcement pads (18; 118); and an anisotropic conductive film (28; 128) electrically connecting the plurality of first pads (16; 116) to the plurality of second pads (24; 124).

2. The electronic module (10; 110) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit (12; 112) is a flexible printed circuit.

3. The electronic module (10; 110) as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the anisotropic conductive film (28; 128) physically connects the first reinforcement pads (18; 118) to the second reinforcement pads (26; 126).

4. The electronic module (10; 110) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a tape or an adhesive (130) is provided between the printed circuit (12; 112) and the contact plate (20; 120), the tape or the adhesive (130) surrounding the first and second pads (16, 24; 116 124) and the first and second reinforcement pads (18; 26; 118 126), to provide physical bonding of the electronic module (10; 110).

5. The electronic module (10) as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein an adhesive (30) physically connects the first reinforcement pads (18) to the second reinforcement pads (26), wherein the adhesive (30) is nonconductive.

6. The electronic module (10; 110) as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the adhesive (30; 130) is bonded to the anisotropic conductive film (28; 128).

7. The electronic module (10; 110) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first pads (16; 116) form a first pad region (14; 114), the second pads (24; 124) form a second pad region (22; 122), the first reinforcement pads (18; 118) and the second reinforcement pads (26; 126) respectively arranged adjacent to the first pad region (14; 114) and the second pad region (22; 122).

8. The electronic module (10; 110) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the plurality of first pads (16; 116) and the plurality of second pads (24; 124) are uniformly distributed within the respective first pad region (14; 114) and second pad region (22; 122).

9. The electronic module (10; 110) as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the first reinforcement pads (18; 118) are symmetrically distributed about the first pad region (14; 114) and the second reinforcement pads (26; 126) are symmetrically distributed about the second pad region (22; 122).

10. A contact smart card, wherein the contact smart card comprises the electronic module (10; 110) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.11 . The contact smart card as claimed in claim 10, wherein the contact smart card is a SIM card or a bank card.

12. A method of assembling an electronic module (10; 110) for a smart card, the method comprising the steps of: a] providing a printed circuit (12; 112) including: a plurality of first pads (16; 116); and one or more first reinforcement pads (18; 118); b] providing a contact plate (20; 120) including: a plurality of second pads (24; 124) opposed to the first pads (16; 116); and one or more second reinforcement pads (26; 126) opposed to the first reinforcement pads (18; 118); andc] electrically connecting the plurality of first pads (16; 116) to the plurality of second pads (24; 124) via an anisotropic conductive film (28; 128) and supporting the first reinforcement pads (18; 118) on the second reinforcement pads (26; 126).

13. The method of assembling the electronic module (10; 110) as claimed in claim12, further comprising the step of d] physically connecting the first reinforcement pads to the second reinforcement pads via an adhesive (30) or via the anisotropic conductive film (28; 128).

14. The method of assembling the electronic module (10; 110) as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the printed circuit (12; 112) is provided as one of a plurality of printed circuits (12; 112) included on a printed circuit tape (40), and the contact plate (20; 120) is provided as one of a plurality of contact plates (20; 120) included on a contact plate tape (42).

15. The method of assembling the electronic module (10; 110) as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the electronic module (10; 110) is assembled in a roll-to-roll assembly process.

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