Pre-lamination core and method for making a pre-lamination core for electronic cards and tags
The disclosed pre-lamination core and the method of making such a pre-lamination core includes an electronic component or a non-electronic component, a bottom cover sheet, a top cover sheet, and a layer of thermosetting material between the bottom and top cover sheets. The pre-lamination core can be used in the manufacture of cards while using conventional equipment to apply top and bottom overlays to the pre-lamination core.
1. A method for manufacturing a pre-lamination core, comprising:
providing a circuit board having a top surface and a bottom surface;
affixing a plurality of circuit components onto the top surface of the circuit board;
affixing the bottom surface of the circuit board to a bottom cover sheet using an adhesive, wherein the bottom cover sheet comprises a heat seal material attached to a carrier sheet;
loading the circuit board and bottom cover sheet into an injection molding apparatus;
loading a top cover sheet positioned above a top surface of the circuit board into the injection molding apparatus, wherein the top cover sheet comprises a heat seal material attached to a carrier sheet;
injecting a thermosetting polymeric material between the top and bottom cover sheets to form the pre-lamination core; and
removing the pre-lamination core from the injection molding apparatus; and
separating the carrier sheets from the heat seal materials of the top cover sheet and bottom cover sheet.
2. A method for manufacturing a card, comprising:
providing a circuit board having a top surface and a bottom surface;
affixing a plurality of circuit components onto the top surface of the circuit board;
affixing the bottom surface of the circuit board to a bottom cover sheet using an adhesive, wherein the bottom cover sheet comprises a heat seal material attached to a carrier sheet;
loading the circuit board and bottom cover sheet into an injection molding apparatus;
loading a top cover sheet positioned above a top surface of the circuit board into the injection molding apparatus, wherein the top cover sheet comprises a heat seal material attached to a carrier sheet;
injecting a thermosetting polymeric material between the top and bottom cover sheets to form a pre-lamination core; and
removing the pre-lamination core from the injection molding apparatus;
separating the carrier sheets from the heat seal materials of the top cover sheet and bottom cover sheet; and
providing a top overlay and a bottom overlay for heat lamination to the pre-lamination core.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the thermosetting polymeric material comprises polyurea.
4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
placing the pre-lamination core between the top overlay and the bottom overlay to create an assembly;
placing the assembly in a laminator; and
performing a hot lamination process on the assembly.
5. A method for manufacturing a pre-lamination core, comprising:
providing a non-electronic item;
affixing the non-electronic item to a bottom cover sheet using an adhesive, wherein the bottom cover sheet comprises a heat seal material attached to a carrier sheet;
loading the non-electronic item and bottom cover sheet into an injection molding apparatus;
loading a top cover sheet positioned above a top surface of the circuit board into the injection molding apparatus, wherein the top cover sheet comprises a heat seal material attached to a carrier sheet;
injecting a thermosetting polymeric material between the top and bottom cover sheets to form the pre-lamination core;
removing the pre-lamination core from the injection molding apparatus; and
separating the carrier sheets from the heat seal materials of the top cover sheet and bottom cover sheet.
6. A method for manufacturing a card, comprising:
providing a non-electronic item;
affixing the non-electronic item to a bottom cover sheet using an adhesive, wherein the bottom cover sheet comprises a heat seal material attached to a carrier sheet;
loading the non-electronic item and bottom cover sheet into an injection molding apparatus;
loading a top cover sheet positioned above a top surface of the non-electronic item into the injection molding apparatus, wherein the top cover sheet comprises a heat seal material attached to a carrier sheet;
injecting a thermosetting polymeric material between the top and bottom cover sheets to form a pre-lamination core;
removing the pre-lamination core from the injection molding apparatus;
separating the carrier sheets from the heat seal materials of the top cover sheet and bottom cover sheet; and
providing a top overlay and a bottom overlay for heat lamination to the pre-lamination core.