The present invention relates to a high reflectivity collectible card, also known more simply as a card, and a relative method for the production thereof.

The present invention finds application in the production of collectibles and in the board games sector.

Over the years, the market has developed the need to increasingly embellish the cards and in particular the graphic rendering thereof. These enrichments are implemented for example with the use of particular inks, three-dimensional effects, holographic effects and other.

Another factor of perceived value in the card production sector is the planarity thereof. The more the card remains in a flat state, even after being repeatedly handled by the collector, the more the card is perceived as a high-quality card. Conversely, a card which, following game activities or simple examination and viewing, assumes an undulated or folded form is perceived as a low-quality card.

An example of the state of the art is described in document WO92/09445. The card of the prior art includes two layers. A first layer, generally the most valuable and visual rendering of the card, with planar extension, made of plastic or glass and generally transparent. The first layer can include any image printed on the back of the layer, generally using UV cross-linkable ink or paint.

The card is completed with a second layer, coupled to the first on the rear portion thereof, made with a metallic film.

Metallic film is intended here as a plastic layer, often a thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family (e.g., PET), coated on a layer with a metallic layer obtained by vacuum depositing metal powders.

The metallic film of the second layer gives the card a reflectivity effect. Passing through the first layer, light is reflected by the second layer and again directed through the first layer to give the image reproduced in the card a greater brightness.

The part of the image not to be enhanced is covered with an opaque ink or paint applied directly on the back of the image and thus always on the first layer.

The opaque ink or paint is applied to the image so as not to allow light to pass through the image itself. Thereby, not being radiated by reflection phenomena, the image appears sharp.

In other cases, such as in document US4933218, to try to highlight an image, for example the contour of the outline of a character depicted on the first layer, the contours of the image are enriched with a further layer of ink or paint. With this technique, the aim is to give the contour of the image a three-dimensionality so that it can appear as if it is coming out of the plane of the first layer.

Both solutions mentioned have a shared limit: the impossibility of increasing the reflective power generated by the second layer.

To try to increase the reflective power of the second layer, thus improving the perception of the image of the card, it is possible to act on the inks or on further effects applied on the first layer which in some cases increase the graphic rendering of the image itself, however, penalising the brightness of the card.

Moreover, the enrichment of the graphics on the first layer penalises the card production time and costs.

Another disadvantage linked to these types of cards is linked to their planarity.

Generally, card production processes derive from printing processes which operate on layers stored in the form of a reel.

That is, both the semi-finished product of the first layer and the semifinished product of the metallic film, before being processed in the card printing process, are stored in the form of a reel. When the card is produced, a plastic layer (or generally the plastic layers), maintains (or maintain) a shape memory, assumed during the previous storage step, which induces an undulation on the card even some time after the manufacturing process.

Again, if the rear layer is made of paper, such as in the card actuated according to the teachings of US4933218, the card can assume undulated shapes depending on the humidity and temperature of the air in which the card is present.

In fact, the water which minimally remains in the paper, even after the card production process, when subjected to temperature changes induces tensions to the rear paper layer which cause undulations of the card.

As mentioned in the introduction, a card with an undulated effect is perceived in the market as a defective or low-quality card.

Therefore, the technical task of the present invention is that of providing a high reflectivity collectible card and a relative production method which are capable of overcoming the drawbacks arising from the prior art.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a card which has an increased reflective power with respect to the cards of the prior art. Furthermore, a further object of the present invention is that of providing a card production method capable of providing a card with high planarity not influenced by temperature, humidity or more generally by the environment surrounding the card itself.

Another object of the present invention is that of providing a card provided, both in the front and rear, with a respective valuable face.

The technical task specified and the objects specified are substantially attained by a high reflectivity collectible card and relative production method comprising the technical characteristics as set out in one or more of the accompanying claims.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the indicative and thus non-limiting description of an embodiment of a high reflectivity collectible card and relative production method.

Such a description will be set out below with reference to the appended drawings, which are provided solely for illustrative and therefore nonlimiting purposes, in which: figure 1 is a front view of a high reflectivity collectible card in accordance with the present invention; figure 2 is a cross section of the card of figure 1 according to a plane ll-ll; figure 3 is an exploded view of the card of figure 1 ; figure 4 is a diagram of the card production process in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 5A illustrates an enlargement of a first semi-finished product used in the process diagram of figure 4; figure 5B illustrates an enlargement of a second semi-finished product used in the process diagram of figure 4; figure 5C illustrates an enlargement of a third semi-finished product used in the process diagram of figure 4; figure 5D illustrates an enlargement of a product exiting from the process diagram of figure 4; figure 5E illustrates an enlargement of a subunit of the product of figure 5D defining the card in accordance with the present invention.

With reference to the appended drawings, a high reflectivity collectible card in accordance with the present invention is indicated in its entirety by the number 1 .

Said card 1 includes a first substrate 2 on the front, made of transparent plastic material.

Transparent is intended as a substrate 2 which, if it is placed between a light source and the user's point of view, makes it possible to see through the substrate 2 itself.

Said substrate 2 is made of plastic, preferably polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

The substrate 2 has a substantially plate-like extension, preferably polygonal and even more preferably quadrangular in shape, and includes a front surface 21 and a rear surface 22. Plate-like extension is intended as an extension in which the length and width of the card assume predominant dimensions with respect to the thickness of the card itself. To cite an example, the substrate 2 can have a length comprised between 60 and 150 mm, a width comprised between 50 and 90 mm and a thickness comprised between 200 and 700 pm.

When the card 1 is in use, the front surface 21 is the surface towards which the user directs their gaze.

The rear surface 22 is the surface opposite the front surface 21 .

A front image 23 is applied at the rear surface 22 forming the main subject perceptible by the user through the front surface 21 .

The front image 23 is preferably obtained through a printing procedure, such as for example printing, screen printing or UV offset printing, and is preferably actuated by exploiting paints which can be polymerised, generally with UV rays, or through enamelled, acrylic, or epoxy inks.

The front image 23 can occupy the entire area of the rear surface 22 or partially cover the rear surface 22 by subtending a predetermined area A. The extension of the front image 23 mainly depends on the image to be reproduced on the card 1 and can be, a photograph and/or a decoration and/or a drawing and/or a writing.

Generally, the transverse thickness of the front image 23 is preferably comprised between 3 and 10 pm and consists of a plurality of layers.

The front image 23 preferably comprises at least four layers 230, 231 , 232, 233.

A first layer of primer 230 is deposited at the base of the rear surface 22 on the entire surface extension thereof, adapted to favour the adhesion of the subsequent layers.

The front image 23 then includes a second layer 231 , made through the deposit of paint, placed in contact on the first layer 230 and partially covering the latter, subtending a predetermined area A. The second layer 231 is made through the use of coloured paint but alternatively can be made through the use of acrylic or epoxy enamelled inks. Generally, the second layer 231 defines the image which is to be perceived by the user once the card 1 is finished.

The second layer 231 is placed on the first layer 230 reproducing the front image 23 specularly so that this, when the user looks at the front image 23 through the front surface 21 , is correctly perceived.

That is, in order for the front image 23 to be correctly seen through the first substrate 2 it is necessary that the same on the first layer 230 has opposite orientation with respect to what can be perceived by the user through the front surface 21. To better understand the printing criterion of the front image 23, it is possible to compare figure 1 , in which the front image 23 is visible through the front surface 21 , with figure 3, in which the front image 23 is printed in reverse on the rear surface 22.

Above the second layer 231 , a third layer 232 is placed which is obtained through the deposit of paint and entirely or partially covering the predetermined area A occupied by the second layer 231 .

More specifically, the third layer 232 is obtained through the deposit of opaque paint, or opaque enamelled, acrylic or epoxy inks. The coating by the third layer 232 limited to the predetermined area A, occupied by the second layer 231 , allows to hinder the passage of light through the first substrate 2 at the predetermined area A.

That is, the area of the rear surface 22, and more precisely of the first layer 230, not affected by the third layer 232 will be crossed by a light beam which hits the front surface 21 , while the predetermined area A of the rear surface 22, and more precisely of the first layer 203, affected by the third layer 232 will not be crossed by a light beam because it is hampered by the opacity of the material deposited to form the third layer 232.

As a coating of the entire rear surface 22, thus of the first, second and third layer 230, 231 and 232, there is a fourth layer 233 of paint adapted to protect the previous layers from any scratches which could ruin the front image 23 during the production process of the card 1 .

Similarly, also the front surface 21 of the first substrate 2 can be coated with an additional layer 234 actuated to protect the front surface 21 from any scratches.

The fourth layer and additional layer 233, 234 are preferably made with transparent paint.

The first substrate 2 is provided in the production process, better detailed below, in the form of a sheet 20’ with planar extension. Deriving from the union of several substrates 2, the sheet 20’ is made of plastic, preferably polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

More precisely, the first substrate 2 is joined to other substrates 2 along a plane which defines the sheet 20’ so as to create an arrangement of in-line or matrix substrates. In use, i.e., when the card 1 exits the production process, the first substrate 2 is coupled to a second substrate 3 preferably through the application of a first adhesive layer 4, preferably glue, between the two.

The second substrate 3 also has a plate-like shape, i.e., with dimensions such as length and width which are predominant with respect to the thickness thereof. Since the second substrate 3 must be able to be precisely superimposed on the first substrate 2, without flaps protruding from the first substrate 2, it has a length and width superimposable on those of the first substrate 2. That is, the second substrate 3 also has a length comprised between 60 and 150 mm and a width comprised between 50 and 90 mm. Unlike the first substrate 2, the second substrate 3 has a thickness comprised between 12 and 70 pm.

The second substrate 3 has a front face 31 and a rear face 32 opposite the previous one.

One of the two faces 31 , 32 is covered by a metallic layer 33 adapted to reflect the light which passes through the first substrate 2. Thereby, the image 23 assumes a brighter appearance due to a portion of light which passes through the first substrate 2 and, striking the second substrate 3, is reflected towards the observer who looks at the card 1 .

As a result of the metallic layer 33, the card 1 is brighter with respect to a card provided exclusively with a first transparent substrate 2.

The metallic layer 33 is made through the vacuum deposit of metal powders, such as aluminium powder, on the first or second face 31 , 32.

The metallic layer 33 is not completely reflective but is partially permeable to light so as to allow the passage through the second substrate 3 of certain wavelengths of light in the visible spectrum.

Thereby the light beam which passes through the first substrate 2 and which reaches the metallic layer 33, is for the most part reflected by the metallic layer and for a minimum part also passes through the third substrate 3.

The second substrate 3 is provided in the form of a film and stored, during the production process, in the form of a first reel 30. More precisely, the second substrate 3, once it has been suitably coated with the metallic layer 33, is collected in the form of a first reel 30.

The second substrate 3 is also made of plastic material and preferably of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polypropylene (PP).

As mentioned above, the first substrate 2 can be coupled, during the production process, to the second substrate 3.

In the illustrated preferred case, see in particular the section of figure 2, the coupling between the first substrate 2 and the second substrate 3 occurs by interposing the adhesive layer 4 between the rear surface 22 and the front face 31. In this preferred variant, the metallic layer 33 is deposited on the rear face 32.

Without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention, the coupling between first substrate 2 and second substrate 3 can occur by interposing the adhesive layer 4 between the rear surface 22 and the metallic layer 33. In this specific case, the metallic layer 33, deposited on the front face 31 , is the layer which comes into contact with the first substrate 2. There is a third substrate 6 to complete the card 1 , having a front side 61 and a rear side 62 facing away from the previous one.

The third substrate 6 also has a plate-like shape, i.e., with predominant dimensions in length and width with respect to the thickness.

The third substrate 6 can be made of plastic material. Preferably the third substrate 6 can be made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). In this specific configuration the transverse thickness of the third substrate 6 is comprised between 25 and 50 pm.

Alternatively, the third substrate 6 can be made of cellulose-based material. Preferably the third substrate 6 can be made of paper. In this specific configuration the transverse thickness of the third substrate is comprised between 100 and 300 pm.

In both versions, the third substrate 6 having to be superimposable, without protruding flaps, on the first and the second substrate 2,3, has a length comprised between 60 and 150 mm, a width comprised between 50 and 90 mm.

The front side 61 of the third substrate is white. As a result of this specific colouring, the front side 61 of the third substrate 6 increases the shiny appearance of the card 1 . More in particular, the portion of light which passes through the metallic layer 33, reaches the front side 61 and is reflected through the second and first substrate 2,3. Thereby, the card 1 has a shinier appearance with respect to a card of the prior art provided exclusively with a transparent front layer and a reflective rear layer.

By virtue of the finish of the front side 61 , which has a rough surface on the outside, the rays which hit the surface are not sent back at determined angles (specular reflection), but are diffused in many random directions. Thereby, the portion of light which passes through the metallic layer 33, hits the front side 61 and reflects with a diffused reflection.

The greater brightness, or greater shiny appearance of the card 1 is therefore obtained by the effect of the specular reflection generated by the metallic layer 33 and by the effect of the diffuse reflection generated by the front side 61 .

The third substrate 6 is preferably entirely white. That is, both the front side 61 and the rear side 62 have a white colouring.

For this to be possible, the white colouring of the third substrate 6 is made directly by the extrusion process. Alternatively, the third substrate 6 can be coloured in white, through paints, in a post-production process so as to coat both the front side 61 and the rear side 62.

Thereby, by also having a white rear side 62 it is possible to apply a rear image 63 thereon and therefore on the back of the card 1 .

The white-coloured rear side 62 allows to globally enrich the card 1 under two further aspects.

Firstly, a rear surface of the white card results in a greater brightness of the card 1 when it is turned upside down and thus turned with the front surface 21 downwards. On the white rear side 62, the rear image 63, which is generally defined by a writing together with a coloured graphic, stands out more and therefore has a visually more pleasant and sharp appearance.

Secondly, arranging a double white layer, both in the front side 61 and in the rear side 62, allows to inhibit any transparency phenomenon which would worsen the visual rendering of the card.

In fact, when the card 1 is placed in the middle between the user's field of view and a light source (i.e., positioned backlit), if the card 1 had some transparency, and in particular if the last layer of the card opposite the front layer were transparent, this would negatively reflect on the perception of the image which the user would have of the front image 23.

This is because the light beam emitted by the light source passes through the card 1 in a direction which goes from the second substrate 3 to the first substrate 2, contrasting the visual perception which the user has looking at the image in an opposite direction which goes from the first substrate 2 to the second substrate 3.

As a result of the third substrate 6 coloured in white, by placing the card in the same position (i.e., backlit), the light emitted by the light source does not pass through the third substrate 6, being largely absorbed by the rear side 62, and therefore the perception by the user of the front image 23 is not at all disturbed.

The third substrate 6 is also provided in the form of a film and stored, during the production process, in the form of a second reel 60. More precisely, the third substrate 6, once it assumes the white colouring, on the front side 61 or on both sides 61 ,62, is collected in the form of a second reel 60. Said third substrate 6 has a thickness comprised between 25 and 50 pm if it is made of plastic material or a thickness comprised between 100 and 300 pm if it is made of a cellulose-based material.

The third substrate 6 is coupled to the second substrate 3, forming a semifinished product 5. Said semi-finished product 5 can be obtained directly in line, i.e., during the production process as illustrated in figure 3, or wound in an intermediate reel not depicted in the attached drawings.

Said coupling occurs due to the deposit between the two substrates 3,6 of a second adhesive layer 8, preferably glue.

For the coupling of the third substrate 6 to the second substrate 3, the coupling of the front side 61 to the rear face 32 of the second substrate is preferred. Also in this case, depending on the location of the metallic layer 33, if the latter were deposited on the rear face 32, the front side 61 would therefore be coupled to the metallic layer 33.

The card 1 then includes a high planarity due to the effect of the first substrate 2 provided in the form of flat sheets 20’

The transverse thickness of the first substrate 2 is strongly greater than the transverse thicknesses of the second and third substrate 3,6 so that the planar effect of the first substrate 2 prevails over the planarity of the second and third substrate 3,6.

A fundamental condition for this to occur lies in the choice of a transverse thickness of the first substrate 2, comprised between 200 and 700 pm, which is greater than the sum of the second substrate 3, comprised between 12 and 70 pm, and of the third substrate 6, which can be comprised between 25 and 50 pm if it is made of plastic material or between 100 and 300 pm if it is made of cellulose-based material.

Thereby, where the second and third substrates 3,6 have a shape memory, absorbed during their storage in the form of a reel, this would not generate bending on the card 1 because any deformation would be counteracted and limited by the thickness of the first substrate 2 which is always kept in the flat state or in the form of sheets in the manufacturing process.

Figure 4 schematically illustrates a production method of the card 1 .

The method includes the following steps:

- preparing the second substrate 3 in the form of a film, by applying the metallic layer 33 on the front face 31 or on the rear face 32, and winding said second substrate 3 in the form of a first reel 30;

- preparing the third substrate 6 in the form of a film and winding thereof, forming a second reel 60;

- coupling the first reel 30 to the second reel 60, forming a semi-finished product 5;

- preparing the second substrate 2 in the form of a plurality of sheets 20; each sheet 20’ having a planar extension and being defined by a plurality of substrates 2 with an in-line or matrix arrangement; said preparation of the second substrate 2 comprising a decoration step of each rear surface 22 of the substrate 2 with a respective front image 23; each front image 23 forming together with other contiguous ones an in-line or matrix arrangement of front images 23;

- selecting a section 500 from the semi-finished product 5 and coupling it to a corresponding sheet 20’ belonging to the plurality of sheets 20 so as to obtain a planar plate 70 containing a plurality of cards 1 joined together;

- dividing the planar plate 70 into a plurality of cards 1 separated from each other by means of cutting operation.

As illustrated in figure 4, each first substrate 2 includes the application of a corresponding front image 23. Each substrate 2 is joined, on a plane, to other substrates 2 forming a planar sheet 20’. In doing so, a plurality of stacked sheets 20 are obtained ready to be coupled with a section 500 of semi-finished product 5. As can be seen in figure 4, the front images 23 are arranged in rows and in columns, forming a matrix arrangement. Without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention, the method can also work with a first substrate 2 in line, i.e., with the application of front images 23 on a row.

The second substrate 3 and the third substrate 6 are substantially monolithic films, respectively including the second substrate 3 with an entire metallic layer 33 and the third substrate 6 at least one side coloured in white. The second and third substrates 3,6 are collected in the form of respective first and second reel 30, 60. The first and second reel 30, 60 are coupled together in a semi-finished product 5 or an intermediate reel (the latter not depicted in the attached drawings). The first reel 30 is obtained from a plurality of second substrates 3, joined together in a plane, and the second reel 60 is obtained from a plurality of third substrates 6, joined together in a plane. The joining of the first and second reel 30, 60 forms the semi-finished product 5.

That is, the second substrate 3 is created in the form of a film wound on the first reel 30 and, once coupled to the first and to the third substrate 2,6, it is divided into units of substrates 3 each defining the intermediate layer of the card 1 .

Similarly, the third substrate 6 is also created in the form of a film wound on the second reel 60 and, once coupled to the first and to the second substrate 2,3, is divided into units of substrates 6 each defining the rear layer of the card 1 .

Otherwise, the first substrate 2 is created in the form of a sheet 20’ and, once coupled to the second and third substrate 3,6, is divided into units of substrates 2 each defining the front layer of the card 1 .

The front image 23 is applied individually on each first substrate 2 so as to reproduce a plurality of front images, with in-line or matrix arrangement, on a sheet 20’. The creation of each front image 23 occurs through the formation of the four layers 230,231 ,232,233 as previously described.

Optionally, each front surface 21 belonging to each first substrate 2 can be coated with an additional layer 234. That is, the sheet 20’ has on one side the four layers 230,231 ,232,233 and on the other side the additional layer 234.

In the process illustrated in figure 4, the step of preparing the third substrate 6 includes making the front side 61 in white. Similarly, it is provided that also the rear side 62 is made in white.

The third substrate 6 is substantially in the form of a film and can come from a moulding, or lamination or hot forming process, through which the front and rear sides 61 ,62, already exit coloured white.

Alternatively, the third substrate 6, in the form of a film, can be painted on the front side 61 and on the rear side 62.

The preparation of the third substrate 6 can further include, before or after coupling the second substrate 3 with the third substrate 6, a decoration step on each rear side 62 of the third substrate 6 with a respective rear image 63.

Also in this case, the rear images 63 are repeated and arranged in the form of a matrix, i.e., repeated several times on the back of the second reel 60 so as to form several rows and columns of rear images 63.

Advantageously, the present invention is capable of overcoming the drawbacks which have emerged from the prior art.

Firstly, due to the effect of the third substrate 6 and in particular the white colouring of the front side 61 , the card 1 has a greater brightness by virtue of the specular reflection phenomena promoted to the metallic layer 33 together with the diffuse reflection phenomena promoted by the white surface of the front side 61 .

In addition, the white colouring also of the rear side 62 allows a greater graphic rendering of any rear images 63 applied on the rear side 62. Further, again by virtue of the white colouring of the rear side 62, the card does not have any transparency, beyond that provided by the first substrate 2, and therefore, even when viewed backlit, the front image 23 has an excellent graphic rendering.

The production process also makes it possible to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and in particular to give the card 1 valuable aesthetic aspects.

In particular, the production process starting from one or more reels, which contain the third substrate 6, of white colour, and the second substrate 3, metallic, joined to the first substrate 2 in the form of a sheet 20’ give the card a high planarity which is ensured even after some time.

In addition, the increased thickness of the first substrate counteracts any shape memories of the second and third substrate, avoiding wear or particular environmental conditions, such as temperature and humidity, from generating deformation or curvatures of the card itself.