Card and method for making the same
A transaction card construction and a method for making transaction cards provides increased security for transaction card magnetic strips. The transaction card construct on includes a card inlay and a clear card body. The card inlay is formed via a lamination press process with the magnetic strip attached to a back surface of the card inlay. The card body may have a window through which a data storage element may be exposed for accessing, such as by a magnetic stripe reader or EMV chip reader. The card body may be formed by adhering the card inlay to the clear card body.
1. A card comprising:
a data storage component having a first plurality of side walls;
a window housing the data storage component and formed in the card comprising a light diffusing material having an outer surface and an inner surface opposite thereto, wherein the window has a second plurality of side walls, and wherein a gap exists between the first plurality of side walls of the data storage component and the second plurality of side walls of the window; and
a card body comprising an outer surface and an inner surface opposite thereto;
wherein:
a card inlay is joined to the card body such that the outer surface of the card inlay substantially forms a first outer surface of the card and the outer surface of the card body forms a second outer surface of the card; and
a portion of the inner surface of the card inlay contacts a portion of the inner surface of the card body.
2. The card of claim 1 , wherein:
the data storage component further comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite thereto; and
the window housing the data storage component and formed in the card wherein the second surface of the data storage component is substantially flush with a portion of the second outer surface of the card.
3. The card of claim 2 , wherein the first surface of the data storage component is substantially flush with a portion of the first outer surface of the card.
4. The card of claim 2 , wherein a portion of the inner surface of the card body is substantially flush with the outer surface of the card inlay and forms a portion of the first outer surface of the card.
5. The card of claim 2 , wherein:
the card inlay comprises a pocket formed therein; and
the card comprises a second data storage component embedded in the pocket.
6. The card of claim 2 , wherein the data storage component is a magnetic strip.
7. The card of claim 2 , wherein:
the gap has a tolerance less than +/−0.5 mm.
8. The card of claim 1 , wherein the card inlay is substantially translucent.
9. The card of claim 1 , wherein both the card inlay and the card body are substantially translucent.
10. The card of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the card inlay comprises a reflective material.
11. The card of claim 1 , wherein:
the card inlay includes a top layer and a bottom layer; and
the top layer and the bottom layer are lamination-pressed to form the card inlay.
12. The card of claim 11 , wherein the top layer is made of polycarbonate.
13. The card of claim 11 , wherein the bottom layer is made of polyvinyl chloride.
14. A method of manufacturing a card, the method comprising:
forming a first layer of a card inlay from a first sheet laminate and a second layer of the card inlay from a second sheet laminate, wherein at least one sheet laminate comprises a light-diffusing material;
forming the card inlay by joining the first layer and the second layer;
forming a card body;
adhering the card inlay to the card body such that a portion of an inner surface of the card inlay contacts a portion of the inner surface of the card body;
attaching a storage component to an inner surface of the card inlay; and
forming a window in the card body, wherein the window has a plurality of side walls, the storage component has a plurality of side walls, and a gap is formed between the plurality of side walls of the window.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
creating a pocket in the card inlay; and
embedding a second data storage component in the pocket.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second data storage component is a microchip.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the window is formed by a milling process.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the card body is injection-molded.
19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the card body is substantially translucent and made of a clear resin mixture including a thermoplastic elastomer.
20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first layer and the second layer are lamination-pressed to form the card inlay.