FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to transaction cards with electronic components and methods for producing the same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Metal transaction cards present unique challenges when including electronic components, such as inductive coupling IC chips, RF electronics, and standalone electronic inlays. To accommodate these components, the metal is machined into various geometries, and then the component is placed in the cavity and left exposed or hidden under a printed sheet of plastic or other decorative element. The decorative element may be affixed to the card through a variety of processes such as platen lamination, contact adhesive, curable adhesives, or “push fit” or any joining method known to the art. RF shielding is often required in the cavity, further complicating card assembly while maintaining the desired aesthetic of the card.

Some of these required machining geometries remove significant amounts of metal or leave slits or holes through the card, which weakens its strength and are undesirable aesthetically. In order to strengthen the card and provide a desirable surface, overmolding and insert molding techniques have been developed to encapsulate electronic inlays within the cards and strengthen the card geometries. Furthermore, this development has improved RF performance over existing designs because it enables more metal remove in critical RF transmission and receiving areas while maintaining structural rigidity and desired appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Aspects of the invention relate to transaction cards, processes for manufacturing transaction cards, as well as transaction cards produced according to the disclosed methods.

In accordance with one aspect, the invention provides for a process for manufacturing a transaction card and a transaction card produced thereby. The process includes forming an opening in a card body of the transaction card for receiving an electronic component; inserting the electronic component into the opening; and molding a molding material about the electronic component.

In yet another aspect, the invention relates to an RFID device having a metal frame, an opening in the metal frame, and a RFID inlay disposed inside the opening. The RFID inlay comprises a substrate, an RFID transponder chip mounted to the substrate, and an inductive coupling antenna in the substrate connected to the RFID transponder chip. At least one fill layer may be disposed in the opening of the frame between the chip layer and one of the surfaces of the metal frame and at least one layer may be laminated over at least one surface of the metal frame.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, but are not restrictive, of the invention.

