RFID-ENABLED METAL TRANSACTION CARDS WITH FOIL, SPECIAL TEXTURE, COLOR AND CARBON FIBER
RFID-enabled composite metal transaction cards may include a security layer comprising a hologram or diffraction grating on a metal layer having a slit. The metal layer may reside on a front or rear face, or as a core layer in the construction of the card. The security layer, with or without a carrier layer, may be hot stamped to the metal layer with a protective hard coating, to camouflage the existence of a discontinuity in the metal layer. The metal layer with slit or slits may be coated with a baked-on-ink to provide color and to partially fill the slit or slits. A metal foil, holofoil or a holographic metal film may be provided with a discontinuity in the form of a slit and may be a decorative foil mounted to a card body containing a metal layer with a slit.
1 . An RFID-enabled smartcard comprising:
a metal layer having a scratch protection coating over a print layer on its front face, wherein the scratch protection coating comprises at least one of (i) a layer of ink, varnish or a polymer and (ii) a layer of hard coat lamination film;
wherein the scratch protection coating is suitable for one or more of the following treatments:
the scratch protection coating is capable of being laser marked for inscribing personalization data into or onto the coating;
the scratch protection coating is capable of being laser engraved to partially remove the coating in creating a logo or a deboss feature; and
the scratch protection coating is capable of being laser treated without removal of material to create thin film effects.
2 . The RFID-enabled smartcard of claim 1 , wherein:
the metal layer is capable of being laser marked or laser engraved.
3 . The RFID-enabled smartcard of claim 1 , wherein:
a laser for performing the laser marking, engraving or treatment has a wavelength in the UV, IR or visible, and may have a varying pulse width in the nanosecond, picosecond or femtosecond regime.
4 . A multi-layered composite metal transaction card comprising:
a plastic layer having top and bottom surfaces attached to a metal layer; and
a metal layer with a discontinuity in the form of a micro-slit at a designated area with said metal layer residing at the front face, rear face or at the core of the transaction card;
wherein a security layer is assembled to or formed on the designated area of the metal layer with said security layer camouflaging or covering the discontinuity; and
wherein said metal layer acts as a radio frequency antenna and the security layer does not attenuate the field.
5 . The multi-layered composite metal transaction card of claim 4 , wherein:
the security layer is electromagnetically transparent.
6 . The multi-layered composite metal transaction card of claim 4 , wherein:
the security layer comprises a hologram or diffraction grating disposed on a metal foil or on a very thin metal layer which is formed or grown at the designated area on the metal layer.
7 . The multi-layered composite metal transaction card of claim 4 , wherein:
the security layer comprises an embossed or debossed pattern.
8 . The multi-layered composite metal transaction card of claim 4 , wherein:
the security layer, with or without a carrier layer, is mounted or assembled directly to a designated area on the metal layer by means of hot stamping, spot or laser welding.
9 . The multi-layered composite metal transaction card of claim 4 , further comprising:
a plastic layer, which may be a clear plastic layer attached to the metal layer, having information selectively written thereon; and
at least one window or opening formed within the plastic layer to enable visibility of the hologram or diffraction grating on the security layer.
10 . A metal face transaction card comprising:
a transaction card structure comprising a layer or layers of metal with a slit; and
a plastic layer or a combination of plastic layers laminated on one of the two opposing faces of the metal layer or layers to form an RFID-enabled metal transaction card body;
wherein the layer of metal of the transaction card comprises a decorative metal foil layer on a UV screen printed layer;
wherein the decorative metal foil layer has a discontinuity to act as a coupling frame in order to power a transponder chip module; and
wherein the decorative metal foil layer imparts texture to the card body surface.
11 . The metal face transaction card of claim 10 , wherein:
the discontinuity is an integral part of the decorative metal foil pattern.
12 . The metal face transaction card of claim 10 , wherein:
the metal foil layer comprise lasers etched elements for design and alphanumeric information of a cardholder.
13 . The metal face transaction card of claim 10 , wherein:
the metal foil layer has multiple colors and design patterns.
14 . The metal face transaction card of claim 10 , wherein:
the plastic layer or a combination of plastic layers capture a magnetic stripe.
15 . The metal face transaction card of claim 10 , wherein:
the plastic layer or a combination of plastic layers capture security elements.
16 . The metal face transaction card of claim 10 , wherein:
the plastic layer is protected by a laser engravable overlay layer.
17 . A metal face transaction card comprising:
a layer or layers of metal with a slit; and
a plastic layer or a combination of plastic layers laminated on one of the two opposing faces of the metal layer or layers to form an RFID-enabled metal transaction card body;
wherein the layer of metal of the transaction card comprises a decorative metal foil layer on a UV screen printed layer.
18 . The metal face transaction card of claim 17 , wherein:
the decorative metal foil layer regulates the system frequency of the combined operation of the transponder chip module and the metal layer or layers with a slit acting as a coupling frame.
19 . The metal face transaction card of claim 17 , wherein:
the decorative metal foil layer imparts texture to the card body surface and camouflages a slit or slits in the underlying metal layer or layers.