Stored Value Card Carrier with Panel-Destruction Tamper Evidence

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Solution Overview

Problem

Fraudsters compromise stored value cards by penetrating the external carrier and accessing the internal security feature-free area, allowing them to manipulate or capture information, which results in financial loss for unsuspecting consumers.

Innovation Solution

A stored value card and carrier system where the card is situated within a sealed chamber defined by coupled panels, with activation indicia accessible only through destruction of at least one panel or a removable pull-tab, providing a visual clue of tampering.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the stored value card is secured within a carrier to prevent fraud, then card security is improved, but the carrier becomes vulnerable to penetration and tampering

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecard securityVSAvoidcarrier penetration vulnerability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The carrier is divided into multiple panels that can be individually compromised. The card is secured to specific panels, and destroying those panels provides visual evidence of tampering while maintaining overall carrier structure integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses visual indicators (such as color-changing materials or visible damage patterns) on the carrier panels to show when the card has been accessed or tampered with, providing clear visual evidence to consumers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

2Reliability

If the activation indicia are made accessible only through panel destruction, then fraud prevention is improved, but the ease of legitimate card access is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefraud preventionVSAvoidcard activation access
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The card is pre-secured to the carrier panels in a controlled manner during manufacturing. This preliminary attachment allows the card to be easily accessed by legitimate consumers who simply need to remove the card from the carrier without any destruction or complex manipulation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of making the indicia inaccessible and requiring destruction to access them, the invention makes the indicia easily accessible through simple card removal, while using the panel destruction requirement as a one-way protective measure that only activates if fraud occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Reliability

If the carrier is designed with a sealed chamber to prevent access, then security is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidcarrier structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealed chamber is created by joining multiple panels together, dividing the carrier structure into manageable segments. This segmentation allows for simpler manufacturing of individual panels while achieving the overall sealed security chamber effect when assembled.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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

Prevents fraud by ensuring that accessing the activation indicia necessarily destroys part of the carrier, making it visually evident if the card has been tampered with, thus protecting consumers from financial loss.

Implementation Method 1

The stored value card may be situated within the chamber and adhered to at least one inner surface of the chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesive: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP4621640A1Stored value card and carrier system and method of manufacturing
Publication Date: 2025.09.24 STORED VALUE SOLUTIONS INC
  • EP4621640A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4621640A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4621640A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A stored value card and carrier system comprising a carrier and a stored value card. The carrier including first and second panels. The first and second panels may be coupled together to define a chamber therein having four sides. The chamber may be sealed on each of the four sides such that egress to an interior of the chamber is substantially prevented. The stored value card may have activation indicia displayed thereon. The stored value card may have activation indicia displayed thereon. The stored value card may be situated within the chamber and adhered to at least one inner surface of the chamber. Accessing of the activation indicia of the stored value card may necessarily correspond with destruction of at least one of the first and second panels.