Data Carrier Coil Protection Against Lamination Stress

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Solution Overview

Problem

The durability of contactless data carriers is compromised due to mechanical stresses during the lamination process, leading to coil cracks and impaired electrical functionality, which reduces their service life and makes them susceptible to fraudulent imitation.

Innovation Solution

The method involves applying coil stabilization, either directly onto the coil or in the core layer, and introducing a card element like a security thread that crosses the coil at an angle, distributing shear forces and reducing pressure on the coil during lamination, thereby protecting it from cracking and ensuring stable operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the lamination process is applied to manufacture the data carrier, then the data carrier achieves structural integrity and security features, but the coil suffers from mechanical stresses leading to cracks and reduced durability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidcoil durability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A protective layer is applied to the coil before lamination to act as an intermediary between the coil and the mechanical stresses of the lamination process. This protective layer absorbs and distributes the shear forces, preventing direct stress transmission to the coil conductors while still allowing the lamination to achieve structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective layer is applied to the coil in advance of the lamination process, positioning it to preemptively shield the coil from upcoming mechanical stresses. This preliminary protection ensures the coil is ready to withstand the lamination forces before they are applied, preventing cracks and maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If security threads are embedded in the data carrier, then security against counterfeiting is enhanced, but mechanical stresses on the coil increase due to intersection points

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity against counterfeitingVSAvoidcoil structural strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The protective layer serves as a mediator at the intersection points between security threads and the coil. It distributes the concentrated mechanical stresses that occur where security threads cross over the coil, preventing these intersection points from becoming weak points that could lead to coil cracking or structural failure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If the coil is protected with additional layers, then coil durability is improved, but the manufacturing process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoil durabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The protective layer application is merged with the existing lamination process workflow. The protective layer is applied as part of the layer stacking sequence that already occurs during manufacturing, integrating the protection step into the established manufacturing flow rather than adding a separate, complex processing stage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 approach prevents coil weakening and cracking, maintains the contactless communication functionality, and enhances the data carrier's security against forgery by distributing mechanical stresses and providing additional protection without significant changes to the lamination process or additional costs.

Implementation Method 1

introducing a card element like a security thread that crosses the coil at an angle, distributing shear forces and reducing pressure on the coil during lamination

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectStress distribution:

Implementation Method 2

The carrier layer and the cover layer are bonded by means of a lamination process

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLamination: Lamination

Data Source

PatentEP2807614B1Method for producing a data carrier
Publication Date: 2021.03.31 GIESECKE & DEVRIENT EPAYMENTS GMBH
  • EP2807614B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2807614B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP2807614B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3e

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for producing a portable data carrier (1) and to a data carrier for non-contact communication, comprising the following method steps: providing a carrier layer (81) with a coil (4) for near-field communication; applying a covering layer (83) to the carrier layer (81); and laminating (10) the resulting layer sequence (81, 83). Before the application of the covering layer (83), a coil stabilizing means (5) is applied to the coil (4) and/or the conductor track of the coil (4) is laid in a region (7) that is not parallel to the side edge.