Patent Application
20080283614
[Not Applicable]
[Not Applicable]
[Not Applicable]
The present invention relates to transaction cards such as gift cards and the like.
Transaction cards, such as audit cards and debit cards, membership cards, promotional cards, e.g., frequent flyer cards, identification cards, gift cards and the like, are widely used. Such transaction cards may include a variety of different indicia to identify the card itself, the individual using the card, a transaction account (such as a credit card account) or other features. The indicia may include a string of alphanumeric characters, a bar code or an encoded magnetic strip attached to the card.
Transaction cards have been produced that include an advertising portion attached along an edge of the card. For example, a prepaid phone card has been produced such that a rectangular transaction card has an advertising portion attached along an edge of the transaction card. That is, the transaction card and attached advertising portion are produced from a single piece of plastic or other material with a perforation or other line of weakness positioned between the transaction card and the advertising portion. The transaction card may be removed from the advertising section by bending or tearing along the perforation or line of weakness. Because these types of transaction cards are typically made out of thin materials, however, once the card is bent along the line of weakness between the card and the attached advertising portion, the transaction card and the advertising portion become completely separated with the application of very little force.
A vendor, however, may desire that the transaction card and auxiliary member would resist becoming detached. For instance, if the transaction card and auxiliary member become detached merely upon bending, most consumers simply throw the auxiliary member away immediately. In that case, the advertising or other information provided by the auxiliary member is lost. If the card and auxiliary member substantially resist breaking upon bending, however, then valuable advertising can remain with the transaction card and the consumer. Moreover, if the transaction card and auxiliary member do not become separated upon bending, then the vendor can stack the card assemblies for display without worrying about whether the cards will become separated from their auxiliary members. The ability to stack the assemblies, of course, saves shelf space for additional goods, which is a valuable selling point for any vendor. In addition, the card assemblies of the present invention allow a vendor to have information printed on both sides of the transaction card and both sides of the auxiliary member.
In an illustrative embodiment of the invention, a transaction card assembly includes a transaction card having at least one auxiliary member attached at one edge of the card. A line of weakness is formed along the attachment edge. The attached transaction card and auxiliary member are both formed from a single laminate that comprises a substrate and a superposed layer on one side of the substrate such that, when the card/auxiliary member assembly is bent inwardly along the line of weakness with the superposed layer on the inside, the substrate breaks cleanly but the superposed layer substantially resists breaking without the use of excessive force.
Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the following drawings, in which like numerals reference like elements, and wherein:
Referring now to
As best shown in
In order to manufacture the transaction card assembly of the present invention, the layer 8 is superposed upon and adhesively applied to one side of the substrate material 6. The other side of the substrate material 6 is then die cut into individual assemblies, and the lines of weakness 2 are formed because the die cutters (not shown) are formed so as to cut only three fourths of the way through the substrate 6 (
While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, embodiments of the invention as set forth herein are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
