US4674175A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Process for manufacturing electronic modules for microcircuit cards
Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
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Filing: 1986-04-01
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Granted: 1987-06-23
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Expires: 2006-04-01
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to microcircuit cards, used for electronic transactions or other purposes, and concerns a process for mass producing electronic modules to be used in these cards and the modules obtained according to this process. According to the invention, there are fabricated, on the one hand, a metal grid with a plurality of openings into which there penetrate tongues attached to the frame of this grid and intended to form the modules' contact areas, and, on the other hand, pellets of plastics material which have a generally flat front face, a rear face in which there is a hollow and, between this hollow and the front face, windows so arranged that they can be positioned opposite the grid tongues. Then a pellet is attached by its front face to the tongues in each opening, an integrated circuit chip is bonded to the bottom of the hollow in each pellet in such a way that its rear face is directed towards the grid, the connecting terminals of the chip are connected by means of conductors to the tongues to which the pellet is attached, said conductors being seated in the hollow in the pellet and passing through the said windows, and the hollow and the windows are filled with an insulating, hardenable and adhesive material. There then remains only to detach the modules from the grid by cutting the tongues around each pellet.
Inventors
- 👤 Jean-Marcel Stampfli
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 16:38
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K19/00; G06K19/06; G06K19/067; G06K19/07; G06K19/077; G06K19/07745; G06K19/07747; G06K19/07743; H; H10; H10W; H10W70/00; H10W70/60; H10W70/699; H10W74/00; H10W74/10; H10W74/111; H10W74/114; H10W72/00; H10W72/50; H10W72/531; H10W72/5363; H10W72/541; H10W72/5449; H10W72/551; H10W72/552; H10W72/5524; H10W90/00; H10W90/701; H10W90/751; H10W90/754; H10W90/756; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S425/00; Y10S425/013; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49121; Y10T29/49124; Y10T29/4913; Y10T29/49133; Y10T29/49135; Y10T29/49146; Y10T29/49169; Y10T29/49171; Y10T29/49172
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
256 words
A process for fabricating electronic modules for microcircuit cards, each module comprising an integrated circuit chip with a front face provided with connecting terminals and a rear face and a set of metal contact areas each connected to one of the chip's connecting terminals, the process comprising the following steps: providing a metal grid comprising a plurality of identical openings defined by a frame and, in each opening, a set of tongues attached to the frame for forming the contact areas of a module; providing a series of pellets of synthetic material, these being smaller than the openings in the grid and each one having a generally flat front face, a rear face in which there is located a hollow and, between this hollow and said front face, windows so arranged that they can be positioned opposite the tongues respectively of one of said sets of tongues; attaching each said pellet of said series by its front face to one of said sets of tongues in such a way that said windows are actually opposite these tongues; attaching an integrated circuit chip to the bottom of said hollow in each said attached pellet so that the rear face of said integrated circuit is directed towards the said grid; connecting said chip's connecting terminals to said tongues to which said pellet is attached by means of conductors located in the hollow in said pellet and passing through said windows; and filling said hollow and said windows in each said pellet with an electrically insulating, hardenable, adhesive material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
256 words
A process for fabricating electronic modules for microcircuit cards, each module comprising an integrated circuit chip with a front face provided with connecting terminals and a rear face and a set of metal contact areas each connected to one of the chip's connecting terminals, the process comprising the following steps: providing a metal grid comprising a plurality of identical openings defined by a frame and, in each opening, a set of tongues attached to the frame for forming the contact areas of a module; providing a series of pellets of synthetic material, these being smaller than the openings in the grid and each one having a generally flat front face, a rear face in which there is located a hollow and, between this hollow and said front face, windows so arranged that they can be positioned opposite the tongues respectively of one of said sets of tongues; attaching each said pellet of said series by its front face to one of said sets of tongues in such a way that said windows are actually opposite these tongues; attaching an integrated circuit chip to the bottom of said hollow in each said attached pellet so that the rear face of said integrated circuit is directed towards the said grid; connecting said chip's connecting terminals to said tongues to which said pellet is attached by means of conductors located in the hollow in said pellet and passing through said windows; and filling said hollow and said windows in each said pellet with an electrically insulating, hardenable, adhesive material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein to fix a chip inside a pellet and connect its connecting terminals to said tongues in said grid, said chip is first bonded to the bottom of said hollow in said pellet and then each said conductor is soldered at one end to one of said chip's connecting terminals and, at the other end, to the corresponding tongue.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein, to fix said chips inside said pellets and connect their connecting terminals to said tongues in the said grid, said conductors are first soldered at one of their ends to said chips' connecting terminals, then said chips are bonded to the bottoms of said hollows in said pellets and finally the other conductor ends are soldered to said tongues.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said pellets are injection moulded.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said pellets are of thermoplastic material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein each said pellet has a central part, in which there are located said hollow and said windows, and a peripheral part which is thinner than said central part.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein each said pellet is in the form of a disk.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said hollow has a central space and a set of grooves extending from said central space to said windows to receive said conductors.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said front faces of said pellets have channels adapted to the shape and dimensions of the said tongues, into which said channels said windows open and into which said tongues are introduced when said pellets are fixed on to said grid.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said tongues have lugs along their sides which are folded over generally at right angles and wherein said pellets are fixed to said grid by causing the lugs to penetrate said synthetic material by untrasonic means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said grid is a nickel silver.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein each said pellet has, at the bottom of said hollow a cavity into which said chip is placed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
62 words
A process according to claim 12, characterised in that said tongues all have the same rectangular shape and the same dimensions and are all attached to said frame by one end only, and wherein, in each said opening, these tongues are eight in number and arranged in parallel with each other and symmetrically in relation to a median plane of the opening.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process according to claim 12, wherein the modules are separated from said grid by cutting the tongues around each pellet.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
165 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein each said set of tongues comprises a special tongue with a straight main part attached to its two ends to said frame and situated approximately in the middle of said opening in which it is located, and a branch also attached to said frame, the other tongues of said set being simply straight, attached by only one end to said frame and distributed on each side of said main part of said special tongue; wherein each said pellet has, at the bottom of said hollow and in addition to said windows, an opening which opens under the main part of said special tongue of the set to which it is fixed and in which said chip is seated, said chip's rear face being bonded by means of an electrically conductive adhesive to said main part; and wherein said special tongue is connected by one of said conductors to an earth connecting terminal with which said chip is provided.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
66 words
A process according to claim 15, wherein said other tongues in said set number seven, all have the same rectangular shape and the same dimensions and are parallel to each other and to said branch of said special tongue, said branch also being rectangular and perpendicular to said main part, and wherein said tongues and said branch are arranged symmetrically in relation to said main part.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process according to claim 15, characterised in that after said hollows in said pellets are filled at least said other tongues are cut round said pellets.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said adhesive material is an epoxy-based resin.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said adhesive material is a silicone-based resin.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said grid is in the form of a strip with said openings spread at regular intervals therealong.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-06-22 | 1990-12-22 | 1991-06-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-06-22 | 1994-12-22 | 1995-06-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-06-22 | 1998-12-22 | 1999-06-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |