JPH0363778B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a chip-mounted board on which an IC chip for storing and processing information is mounted inside an insulating board, by melting a cover sheet so that input/output terminals are exposed. This article relates to a method of manufacturing an IC card that can be worn on a person's body.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

Conventionally, for example, as a data card for proof of money deposits and withdrawals at financial institutions, a card base material made of synthetic resin such as vinyl chloride resin is coated with a magnetic stripe on the surface, and the magnetic stripe is marked with an account number or other information. So-called magnetic cards, in which various data such as recitation numbers are magnetically recorded, are widely used.

This magnetic card has a simple structure and high durability.
Moreover, since it is suitable for mass production, it is widely used in the service industry.

However, such magnetic cards have a small information storage capacity, so they can only record a small amount of information such as account numbers and PIN numbers.
Therefore, to record various types of information such as records of deposits and withdrawals, it is necessary to set up a separate ledger like a bankbook in a financial institution, which has been an obstacle to increasing the efficiency of information processing.

Furthermore, since information on this magnetic card can be read relatively easily from the outside, there have been problems in maintaining airtightness and preventing theft.

Under these circumstances, data cards called IC cards are being developed in recent years, which have a storage element and its control element built into the card to dramatically improve its information storage capacity.

This IC card has an IC chip that stores and processes information mounted inside a card board made of electrically insulating synthetic resin, and has input/output terminals exposed from the surface of the card.It is installed in financial institutions, etc. By setting it in the card processing section of a card reader/writer, the input/output terminals in the card processing section and the input/output terminals of the IC card are electrically connected.
This allows information to be written to or read from the built-in IC chip.

The above-mentioned IC card is equipped with IC chips 2 and 3 for storing and processing information on the surface of an insulating substrate 1, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, as well as a conductor pattern 1a and an input/output terminal 1b.
A front cover sheet 4 and a back cover sheet 5 are arranged on both sides of the chip mounting board A on which the chip mounting board A is formed, and as shown in FIG. 2, the structure is such that these are press-molded and integrated.

In FIG. 1, the input/output terminal 1b is fitted into the through hole 4a formed in the front cover sheet 4 during press molding, and the top thereof is used as an exposed electrode for external connection. It is something.

By the way, in such an IC card, if the IC chip protrudes from the insulating substrate when the chip mounting board A and the cover sheets 4 and 5 are press-molded, excessive pressure may be applied to the IC chip.
The IC chip may be damaged.

In order to prevent damage to the IC chip during press molding, a recess 1c is formed in the insulating substrate 1 as shown in FIG.
A method has been proposed in which the IC chip C is inserted with its conductor pattern surface exposed, and the exposed surface of the IC chip C is brought to the same level as the surface of the insulating plate 1, and then the cover sheets 4 and 5 are fused together.

However, according to such a method, in the manufacturing stage of the chip mounting board A, there are a step of forming the recess 1c in the insulating substrate 1, a step of fitting the IC chip C into the recess 1c, and a step of fitting the IC chip C into the recess 1c.
Since a process of filling the gap between the IC chip C and the IC chip C with an adhesive or the like is required, the manufacturing cost of the IC card increases.

Furthermore, since there is a discontinuous portion between the recessed portion 1c and the IC chip C, there is another problem in that the reliability of the conductor pattern in this portion is reduced.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been developed in response to these circumstances, and is a method of fusing a cover sheet onto a chip mounting board in which an IC chip is mounted within an insulating board so that its exposed surface is on the same level as the board surface of the insulating board. In manufacturing an IC card with a chip mounted on it, it is possible to simplify the process of forming the chip mounting board, reduce the manufacturing cost of the IC card, and improve the electrical connection between the IC chip and the conductor pattern on the insulating board. The aim is to provide a method for manufacturing IC cards with increased reliability.

[Summary of the invention]

That is, the IC card of the present invention is manufactured by exposing input/output terminals on an IC chip mounting board, covering the board with an electrically insulating cover sheet, and fusing them together by heating and pressing.
The IC chip mounting board is manufactured by bringing the bottom surface of the IC chip into contact with a fluid insulating material, burying the IC chip so that the top surface is exposed, and molding the entire board into a sheet with a flat surface. It is a feature.

[Embodiments of the invention]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, details of the present invention will be described with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view for explaining one embodiment of the present invention. In the following figures, parts common to those in FIGS. 1 to 3 are given the same reference numerals.

In the figure, a rectangular frame (not shown) having the same shape and size as the chip mounting board A of the IC card is provided on the outer periphery of the lower mold plate 6. IC chips 2 and 3 are arranged at predetermined positions on this lower template 6,
A liquid insulating material 1' such as a vinyl chloride resin emulsion is cast onto the material, and when it has solidified a little, a flat upper mold plate (not shown) is pressed onto the upper surface to form a sheet of a predetermined thickness. Thereafter, when the flat upper mold plate is removed, an IC chip-mounted insulating substrate is obtained in which the conductor pattern forming surfaces 2a and 3a of the IC chips 2 and 3 are on the same level as the plate surface.

After this, a conductor pattern and input/output terminals are provided on this IC chip-mounted insulating substrate, predetermined electrical connections are made, and cover sheets are laminated on top and bottom.
When the front and back cover sheets are fused together by press molding and punched into the specified shape and size,
You can get an IC card.

By forming a chip mounting board using the method described above, it is possible to omit the steps of forming a recess for fitting an IC chip into an insulating board and inserting the IC chip into the recess. It is possible to obtain an IC card that is closely integrated with an insulating substrate.

FIGS. 5a and 5b are cross-sectional views for explaining another embodiment of the present invention. In this example,
A sheet-shaped insulating material 1' having approximately the same shape and dimensions as the insulating substrate of the chip mounting board A is heated and softened, and the IC chips 2 and 3 are placed at the mounting position on the chip mounting board A.
is placed with the surface opposite to the conductor pattern forming surfaces 2a, 3a facing the insulating base material side, and the IC chips 2, 3 are pressurized from above by a pressure substrate (not shown) (fifth Diagram a).

Conductor pattern forming surface 2a of IC chips 2, 3,
3a is buried to the same level as the board surface of the sheet-shaped insulating material 1', and then cooled and the sheet-shaped insulating material 1' is cut to desired dimensions, and conductor patterns and input/output terminals are formed on the insulating substrate surface. A chip-mounted board A is formed by forming a chip and further making predetermined electrical connections.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view for explaining still another embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, IC chips 2 and 3 are placed at predetermined positions on a band-shaped insulating material 1' which has been extruded and is in a softened state, with the surface on which the conductor pattern is formed facing downward, and a cushion sheet 7 is placed on the extruded band-shaped insulating material 1'. The IC chips 2 and 3 are inserted between pressure rollers 8 and 9 and pressed, and buried in the insulating material 1' so that the conductive pattern surfaces of the IC chips 2 and 3 are flush with each other. Note that instead of this method, IC chips may be placed on the conveyor 10 made of a metal plate with the conductor pattern side facing down, and an insulating material in a softened state is placed on top of this and pressure is applied from above. good.

This method is suitable for mass production because the IC chips can be continuously embedded in the insulating material.

A chip-mounted board A can be obtained by cutting the strip-shaped insulating material 1 in which such an IC chip is embedded into a predetermined size, providing conductor patterns and input/output terminals, and making predetermined electrical connections.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the method of the present invention, an IC chip is brought into contact with a fluid insulating material,
Since the chip mounting board is formed by burying the chip so that the exposed surface of the chip is at the same level as the material surface,
Forming a recess in an insulating substrate, and inserting an IC into this recess
The steps of inserting the chip and filling the gap between the IC chip and the recess can be omitted, and the manufacturing cost of the IC card manufactured using this can be reduced. Furthermore, since the IC chip is embedded integrally in the insulating substrate, there is no possibility that the conductor patterns or their connections will become electrically unstable.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the structure of an IC card, Figure 2 is its cross-sectional view, Figures 3 and 4 are
The figure is a cross-sectional view illustrating an embodiment of the method of the present invention.
FIGS. 5a and 5b are cross-sectional views illustrating another embodiment of the method of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating still another embodiment of the method of the present invention. 1... Insulating substrate, 1'... Insulating material, 2, 3...
...IC chip, 4... Front cover sheet, 5...
Back cover sheet, 8, 9...pressure roller.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A method for manufacturing an IC card, which comprises exposing an input/output terminal on an IC chip-mounted substrate, covering it with an electrically insulating cover sheet, and fusing the IC chip together by applying heat and pressure. Chip mounting board,
Manufacture of an IC card characterized in that the bottom surface of the IC chip is brought into contact with a fluid insulating material, the top surface is exposed, the IC chip is buried, and the whole is formed into a sheet shape with a flat surface. Method. 2. The method for manufacturing an IC card according to claim 1, wherein the insulating material is a sheet-like insulating material. 3. The method for manufacturing an IC card according to claim 1, wherein the insulating material is an insulating material in a softened and molten state extruded by injection molding. 4. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein the insulating material and the IC chip are inserted between a set of pressure rollers so that the IC chip is embedded in the insulating material.