Transaction and ID cards having selected texture and coloring
Cards made in accordance with the invention include a specially treated thin decorative layer attached to a thick core layer of metal or ceramic material, where the thin decorative layer is designed to provide selected color(s) and/or selected texture(s) to a surface of the metal cards. Decorative layers for use in practicing the invention include: (a) an anodized metal layer; or (b) a layer of material derived from plant or animal matter (e.g., wood, leather); or (c) an assortment of aggregate binder material (e.g., cement, mortar, epoxies) mixed with laser reactive materials (e.g., finely divided carbon); or (d) a ceramic layer; and (e) a layer of crystal fabric material. The cards may be dual interface smart cards which can be read in a contactless manner and/or via contacts.
1. A metal card having a plurality of edges, the card comprising:
a core metal layer having an outer periphery and forming the bulk of the card and having a predetermined color, said metal layer having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a pocket formed within the top surface of the metal layer, the depth of the pocket extending below the surface of the metal layer, the metal layer defining a border around the pocket extending along at least first and second edges of the card, wherein a width of the border along at least the first edge is uneven and is in a range of 0.01 to 1.125 inches; and
a decorative layer attached to the pocket formed within said top surface of the metal layer.
2. The card of claim 1 , wherein said decorative layer has a thickness in the range of 0.005 inches to 0.030 inches; and wherein said decorative layer is one of: (a) an anodized metal layer, (b) a plant derived material veneer layer comprising wood; (c) an animal derived material veneer layer comprising leather; (d) an aggregate binder material veneer layer comprising cement or epoxy mixed with laser reactive materials; (e) a ceramic layer; and (f) a layer of crystal fabric material.
3. The card of claim 2 , wherein when the decorative layer is (a) the anodized metal layer, the decorative metal layer comprises aluminum.
4. The card of claim 3 , wherein the decorative layer comprises an embossable polymer layer attached to the anodized metal layer; and wherein a pattern is embossed within said polymer layer for producing a corresponding pattern in the top surface, which can be felt.
5. The card of claim 2 , wherein when the decorative layer is (c) an animal derived material veneer layer comprising leather having top and bottom surfaces with the top surface having a unique pattern associated with actual leather; said leather veneer layer having a thickness which ranges between 0.001 inches and 0.020 inches; the bottom surface of the leather layer treated so it is adapted to accept an adhesive; and wherein the top surface of the leather layer is embossed and its bottom surface is attached via an adhesive layer to said core metal layer.
6. The card of claim 2 , wherein when the decorative layer is (d) the aggregate binder material veneer layer comprising the layer of cement or epoxy mixed with laser reactive materials, a pattern is formed in said aggregate binder material veneer layer due to vaporization of the carbon particles.
7. The card of claim 2 , wherein when the decorative layer is (a) the anodized metal layer, the anodized metal layer has a predetermined colored region extending to a given depth within the decorative metal layer, and wherein selected portions of the colored region are removed to said given depth in accordance with a design pattern; and a particular metal having a color other than said predetermined colored region is electroplated within said removed selected regions for producing a pattern displaying the colors of said particular metal and said predetermined colored region.
8. The card of claim 7 , wherein said anodized metal layer is a layer of aluminum having a top sub layer region which is dyed to have said predetermined color and wherein said particular metal is a noble metal comprises gold.
9. The card of claim 1 , wherein said anodized metal layer is one of aluminum, titanium, zinc, niobium, tantalum or any other metal which can be anodized.
10. The card of claim 1 , wherein the decorative layer is one of wood, leather, ceramic, crystal fabric material, cement or epoxy.
11. The card of claim 1 , wherein the pocket is asymmetrically located.
12. The card of claim 1 , wherein a shape of the pocket is configured to accommodate a shape of the decorative layer.
13. The card of claim 1 , wherein the border forms a pattern.
14. A method of making a card having a plurality of edges, the method comprising the steps of:
preparing a core metal layer having and outer periphery and generally parallel top and bottom surfaces:
forming a pocket in the top surface of said metal layer, the depth of the pocket extending below the surface of the metal layer, the metal layer defining a border around the pocket extending along at least first and second edges of the card, wherein a width of the border along at least the first edge is uneven and is in a range of 0.01 to 1.125 inches; and
attaching a decorative layer to the pocket formed within said top surface of the metal layer for providing at least one of color and texture to the card.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said decorative layer has a thickness in the range of 0.003 inches to 0.030 inches; and wherein said decorative layer is one of: (a) an anodized metal layer, (b) a plant derived material veneer layer comprising wood; (c) an animal derived material veneer layer comprising leather; and (d) an aggregate binder material veneer layer comprising cement or epoxy mixed with laser reactive materials.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein when the decorative layer is (a) the anodized metal layer, the method further comprises attaching an embossable polymer layer to the decorative metal layer, and embossing said polymer layer and said decorative metal layer for modifying the feel of the card.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein when the decorative layer is (b) a plant derived material veneer layer, the method further includes preparing a plant derived material veneer layer, wherein the plant derived material veneer layer is a layer of natural wood of low lignin content and wherein the processing of said wood veneer layer includes: (a) sanding down the back surface of the wood layer until the wood layer has a thickness ranging between 0 . 001 inches and 0 . 015 inches; and (b) applying an oil film to the wood layer to maintain the appearance of the wood layer when it undergoes lamination.
18. The method of claim 17 , further including the step of chamfering the outer edges of the wood layer to prevent fraying or peeling of the wood layer.
19. The method of claim 15 , wherein when the decorative layer is (c) an animal derived material veneer layer, the method further includes preparing an animal derived material veneer layer, wherein the animal derived material veneer layer is a layer of natural leather having top and bottom surfaces and wherein the processing of said leather veneer layer includes treating the bottom surface of the leather layer so the thickness of the leather layer ranges between 0.001 and 0.015 inches and its bottom surface is adapted to accept an adhesive.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising the steps of:
embossing the top surface of said leather layer; and
forming a first assembly comprised of said leather layer having its bottom surface attached to said first surface of said core metal layer.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein said embossed leather layer is a first leather layer and further including the steps of:
forming a second assembly comprising the positioning of a second leather layer, having top and bottom surfaces, with its top surface facing the top surface of the first, embossed, leather layer of said first assembly; and
laminating the first and second leather layers and the core metal layer whereby the embossed pattern of the first leather layer is transferred to the second leather layer and the components of the first assembly are laminated.
22. The method of claim 15 , wherein when the decorative layer is (d) an aggregate binder material veneer layer, the method further includes preparing the aggregate binder material veneer layer, the aggregate binder comprising a layer of cement or epoxy mixed with laser reactive materials; and
applying a laser source to said cement or epoxy layer mixed with carbon particles to vaporize the carbon particles and produce a pattern with high contrast.
23. The method of claim 15 , wherein when the decorative layer is (a) an anodized metal layer, the method further includes:
forming a hard coat layer over said decorative metal layer having a color that is different than a core color of the core metal layer and a given color of the decorative metal layer;
removing portions of the hard coat layer in a first area to expose the decorative metal layer;
removing portions of the hard coat layer and any intervening layers in a second area different from the first area to expose the core metal layer, wherein a laser device is applied to remove portions of the decorative metal layer;
electroplating a third area of the decorative metal layer different from the first area and the second area with an electroplating metal having an electroplating color that differs from the given color of the colorized decorative metal layer and the core color of the core metal layer;
such that after performing each of the foregoing steps, the card has a face displaying the color of the hard coat layer in a fourth area, the core color of the core metal layer in the second area, the electroplating color of the electroplating in the third area, and the given color of the colorized decorative metal layer in the first area; and
wherein said decorative metal layer comprises anodized aluminum and wherein said electroplating metal is a noble metal comprising gold.
24. The method of claim 14 , wherein forming the pocket in the top surface of said metal layer pocket comprises forming the pocket in an asymmetrical location relative to the outer periphery of the metal layer.
25. The method of claim 14 , wherein forming the pocket in the top surface of said metal layer pocket comprises forming a shape of the pocket to accommodate a shape of the decorative layer.
26. The method of claim 14 , wherein forming the pocket in the top surface of said metal layer pocket comprises forming the pocket such that the border of the metal layer forms a pattern.