Tear Element for Transaction Card Magnetic Stripe Destruction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for destroying transaction cards, especially those with magnetic stripes, are laborious and ineffective, particularly for metal cards, as they do not easily allow for the physical destruction of the magnetic stripe.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a tear element between the magnetic stripe and the interior structure of the card, which can be pulled away to break or tear through the magnetic stripe, rendering it unreadable.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If typical destruction methods (cutting into small pieces) are used, then the card can be destroyed, but the process is laborious and ineffective for metal cards

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedestruction efficiencyVSAvoidease of destruction

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The card structure is segmented into separable layers: a flexible substrate layer and a magnetic stripe layer. The magnetic stripe is made separable from the rigid card body through the tear element, allowing selective destruction of only the magnetic stripe containing sensitive information without requiring destruction of the entire card.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The magnetic stripe is extracted as a separate, removable component from the card body through the tear element mechanism. This allows the magnetic stripe to be removed and destroyed independently from the card body, eliminating the need to cut or destroy the entire card structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If the magnetic stripe is made secure and durable, then it resists damage during use, but it becomes difficult to destroy when needed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemagnetic stripe durabilityVSAvoidease of destruction

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The connection between the magnetic stripe and card body is made dynamic rather than static. The tear element provides a controlled failure point that allows the magnetic stripe to remain securely attached during normal use but can be easily separated and destroyed when needed by pulling the tear element.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The tear element acts as an intermediary component between the magnetic stripe and the card body. This intermediary provides a controlled weakness that allows easy separation and destruction of the magnetic stripe without compromising its integrity during normal use, enabling selective destruction when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10891531B1Tear element for magnetic stripe of transaction card

Publication Date: 2021.01.12 CAPITAL ONE SERVICES LLC

AI summary

Provided are approaches for deactivating an identification chip of a transaction card using a tear element. In some approaches, the transaction card may include a body, the identification chip coupled to the body, and the tear element disposed between the identification chip and the body. The tear element is operable to decouple the identification chip from the body when the tear element is pulled or otherwise moved away from the body.