IC Card Breakage Lugs Prevent Frame Reuse

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Solution Overview

Problem

The reuse of disposable frame-pieces as adapters for smaller SIM card formats leads to substantial deterioration of contact slides in mobile device slots, necessitating a solution to prevent reuse and protect these components.

Innovation Solution

Integrated circuit cards with pre-cut lines and breakage lugs are designed to intentionally break disposable frame-pieces, preventing reuse and ensuring safe separation of sectors, thereby protecting contact slides.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If disposable frame-pieces are designed to be reusable as adapters for smaller SIM card formats, then versatility and ease of operation are improved, but contact slides in mobile device slots suffer substantial deterioration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereusability as adapterVSAvoiddeterioration of contact slides
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The frame-piece is segmented into multiple parts through pre-cut lines that allow it to be broken into separate sections. This segmentation enables the frame to adapt to different SIM card formats while preventing reuse, as the broken pieces cannot be reassembled into a functional adapter.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The frame-piece is pre-configured with break lines and breakable portions that are designed to break during the first adaptation use. This preliminary action ensures that the frame cannot be reused as an adapter, thereby protecting contact slides from deterioration caused by repeated insertions and removals.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If disposable frame-pieces are made breakable to prevent reuse, then contact slides are protected from deterioration, but the frame-piece cannot be reused as an adapter

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection of contact slidesVSAvoidreusability as adapter
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The frame-piece is designed as a disposable component with a limited lifecycle. It is intentionally made breakable so that it can be used once as an adapter and then discarded, preventing the harmful effects of reuse on contact slides while maintaining its adaptability function during its intended single use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The frame-piece is designed to be discarded after a single use. The breakable portions ensure that the frame cannot be recovered or reused as an adapter, thereby protecting the contact slides from deterioration while the frame performs its adaptation function during its intended lifecycle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Object-affected harmful factors

If pre-cut lines are added to enable breaking of frame-pieces, then reuse is prevented and contact slides are protected, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection of contact slidesVSAvoidstructure with pre-cut lines
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The frame-piece structure is segmented with pre-cut lines that create weak points designed to break during use. This segmentation adds minimal structural complexity while effectively preventing reuse, as the break lines create irreversible separation that cannot be easily reassembled.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The frame-piece has non-uniform structural properties with specific breakable portions and break lines located at strategic positions. This local variation in quality (thinner sections, pre-scored lines) enables controlled breaking while maintaining overall structural integrity during single use, adding minimal complexity where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2937822B1IC card
Publication Date: 2019.11.06 STMICROELECTRONICS SRL
  • EP2937822B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2937822B1 patent drawingFigure 4~7
  • EP2937822B1 patent drawingFigure 8

AI summary

Integrated circuit card (1) comprising a substrate (2) and a circuit (3) incorporated in the substrate (2), the substrate (2) comprising a first pre-cut or weakening line (4) delimiting a first sector (5) of the substrate (2) and able to be separated from the card (1), the first sector (5) having a form and size of a first standard format of integrated circuit cards, the first sector (5) surrounding a second sector (7) delimited by at least one second pre-cut or weakening line (6) within the first sector (5) and able to be separated from the card (1), the second sector (7) comprising the circuit (3) and having the form and size of a second standard format of integrated circuit cards having dimensions smaller than those of the first format, a disposable frame-piece (14) defined between the cut or pre-cut lines (4, 6) of the first and second sectors (5, 7) and having a substantially annular form with a substantially rectangular contour, with opposite sides, in pairs substantially parallel to each other, the card further comprising at least one breakage lug (10) arranged substantially transversely with respect to at least one of the sides of the disposable frame-piece (14), this breakage lug (10) being designed to break the disposable frame-piece (14) so that it is no longer intact, during separation of the second sector (7) from the card (1).