Card With Digital Display Opaque Layer Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of an electronic display in cards poses manufacturing challenges due to the need for transparency in the resin coating, which results in reduced contrast and color intensity in printed patterns, and issues with adhesion and storage of inks or varnishes used to create an opaque background, leading to expensive and inefficient manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A card design where an opaque layer with a transparent window over the electronic display allows for high-quality printing, using an opaque material with a thin transparent layer matching its thickness to ensure good contrast and adhesion, and potentially incorporating a Fresnel lens for enhanced reading comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a transparent resin coating is used to cover the electronic display, then the display is visible through the coating, but the printing quality deteriorates with reduced contrast and color intensity
Solution Approach 1:
The card structure is segmented into distinct functional layers: a transparent front layer for display visibility, an opaque intermediate layer for high-quality printing, and a transparent rear layer for display viewing. This segmentation allows each layer to optimize its specific function without compromising the other, resolving the contradiction between display visibility and printing quality.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the card have different optical properties tailored to their function. The front and rear layers are transparent in the display regions to allow viewing, while the intermediate layer is opaque to provide a high-contrast printing background. This local differentiation of material properties enables simultaneous optimization of display visibility and printing quality in different areas.
2Manufacturing precision
If an opaque layer with printed patterns is added to improve printing quality, then contrast and color intensity improve, but the electronic display becomes obscured
Solution Approach 1:
The card is divided into separate layers with the opaque printing layer positioned between transparent front and rear layers. The transparent layers act as windows that allow display light to pass through while the opaque intermediate layer provides a solid background for printing, thus maintaining display visibility while achieving high printing quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves from a two-dimensional problem (printing on transparent surface) to a three-dimensional layered structure. By adding the opaque layer in the intermediate dimension between the transparent front and rear layers, the system achieves both transparent display regions and opaque printing regions without compromise.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple layers of ink or varnish are deposited to create an opaque background, then printing quality improves, but manufacturing time and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of applying multiple coats of ink to a single transparent layer, the solution segments the structure into a single opaque intermediate layer with printing applied once. This eliminates the need for multiple deposition cycles and associated drying/storage times, improving manufacturing efficiency while maintaining printing quality.
4Reliability
If a transparent outer layer is added to protect the printed pattern, then the display is protected, but adhesion problems occur between layers
Solution Approach 1:
The opaque intermediate layer serves as an intermediary between the transparent front and rear layers. This intermediate layer provides a stable bonding surface that facilitates adhesion between the transparent layers, eliminating the direct contact between transparent layers that causes adhesion problems. The intermediary layer acts as a buffer that improves inter-layer bonding.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design achieves high-quality printing with improved contrast and color intensity while ensuring the electronic display is visible, addressing the adhesion and storage issues of previous methods and enhancing manufacturing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a transparent part (44) filling an opening (46) defined by said opaque part in said display region so that said electronic display is visible through said transparent part
Implementation Method 2
an opaque layer (40) formed on said core (4) the major part (42) of which consists of an opaque material
Implementation Method 3
a transparent plate arranged in this opening. This wafer preferably has a thickness substantially equal to that of the opaque sheet
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a card (38) including a digital display (10) arranged in a node (4) defining the central portion of the card. It further comprises a plastic layer (40) the major portion (42) of which is opaque, and a transparent display portion (44). A pattern (14) is printed on the upper face of the plastic layer (40), in particular by an offset printing technique. The plastic layer (40) is covered with a transparent film (12) attached thereto by a thin glue layer (34) defining an adhesion interface. The electronic display (10) is fully integrated in the card (38) and the printed pattern (14) exhibits a good contrast on the opaque portion of said plastic layer. Furthermore, a good adhesion is obtained between all the layers of the card.