Metal Smart Card Module Assembly for Easier Milling and Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing smart cards with full metal surfaces face difficulties in milling and connecting components due to mixed materials, particularly when involving metal, leading to inefficiencies in the manufacturing process.
Innovation Solution
A two-step method involving the production of a preembedded electronic module with a flange and shaft portion, embedded in a molded base with conductive plots, followed by embedding this module into a card body with a metal and plastics layer, allowing for simplified milling and connection through conductive contact means like ACF, ensuring efficient assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a full metal surface is used in smart cards, then aesthetic appearance and shielding effectiveness are improved, but milling and connection difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the card body into distinct material zones: a metal layer (5) providing shielding and aesthetics, and a plastics layer (6) providing ease of processing. The electronic module (3) is embedded in a recess (11) that penetrates through the metal layer into the plastics layer, allowing separate processing of each material type. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining the full metal surface appearance while enabling efficient manufacturing through differentiated material handling.
2Productivity
If mixed materials (metal and plastics) are used, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but connection complexity on deep inlays increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a molded base body (20) as an intermediary component that simplifies connections in mixed-material smart cards. This base body is embedded in the plastics layer and provides integrated connection structures for the electronic module, antenna, and other components. The molded base body acts as a mediator that consolidates multiple connection points and provides a standardized interface, thereby reducing connection complexity while maintaining the benefits of mixed-material construction.
3Stability of the object's composition
If electronic modules are embedded directly in metal layers, then structural integrity is improved, but manufacturing complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by pre-embedding the electronic module (3) and antenna (8) into a molded base body (20) before inserting the entire assembly into the final card structure. The molded base body is prepared in advance with all necessary connections and component placements, then inserted as a complete unit into the recess of the metal layer. This preliminary preparation significantly reduces manufacturing complexity and time compared to performing all embedding operations after assembling the metal and plastics layers.
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 simplifies the milling and connection process, reducing complexity and improving production efficiency by allowing for both contact and contactless connections, while maintaining a full metal surface on the smart card.
Implementation Method 1
EP 4 167 131 A1 from the applicant discloses the use of an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) to attach a module in a metal plate smart card
Data Source
Figure 1A~1E
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3
AI summary
A method comprises two steps, first preparing a molded base (3) containing at least two conductive plots (7) in a molded base body (30). A dual interface module (2) is embedded with first ACF (10) in this base creating a first assembly. The first assembly is punched according to a defined dimension. The second step is related to the preparation of a cardbody structure (4) with at least a metal plate (5) and a cavity. The cavity can be milled in full metal after lamination or the hole exists in the metal plate before it is laminated with a plastics layer (6). The cardbody cavity is milled to reveal antenna connection pads (8) and to give room to fit the first assembly. The first assembly is then embedded in the cardbody (4) with second ACF (10).