RFID tags designed to work on difficult substrates

• US 10,320,054 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2016
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services LLC (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services LLC (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Inventors: Forster, Ian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Tho G
• Application Number:
  US15/337,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20180123220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07771 the record carrier comprising means for minimising adverse effects on the data communication capability of the record carrier, e.g. minimising Eddy currents induced in a proximate metal or otherwise electromagnetically interfering object
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07773 Antenna details antennas for wireless devices, e.g. RFID tags, in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/04 Resonant antennas

Abstract

An RFID tag device is disclosed that is designed to operate on difficult substrates, such as dielectric surfaces with high loss, organic material surfaces, or metallic surfaces. The RFID tag device comprises an RFID antenna structure formed on one side of a thermoplastic substrate component with an RFID chip coupled to it in a roll to roll process. The substrate component is then deformed into a series of cavities with the RFID antenna structure within the cavities. Specifically, the RFID antenna structure is positioned fully on a top surface of the cavity, or positioned partially in a top and partially on an edge/bottom of the cavity.

Claims

1. A (radio frequency identification) RFID tag designed to operate on difficult substrates, comprising:

a thermoplastic substrate component;

an RFID antenna structure formed on a side of the thermoplastic substrate component; and

an RFID chip coupled to the RFID antenna structure; and

wherein the substrate component is deformed into a cavity with the RFID antenna structure positioned within the cavity and a bottom surface of the cavity is covered with a base layer and the base layer is smaller than a rim area of the cavity such that an extension of the RFID antenna structure extends outside the base layer.

2. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the difficult substrate surfaces comprise dielectric surfaces with high loss, organic material surfaces, or metallic surfaces.

3. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the RFID antenna structure comprises a monopole, a dipole, a patch, or a slot antenna.

4. The RFID tag of claim 3, wherein the RFID antenna structure is formed from at least one of metal foil, copper, aluminum, a vapor deposited metal layer, and a conductive ink.

5. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the RFID antenna structure is formed on the thermoplastic substrate in a roll to roll process.

6. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the RFID antenna structure is positioned fully on a top surface of the cavity.

7. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the RFID antenna structure is positioned partially in a top and partially on an edge or bottom of the cavity.

8. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the base layer is a conductive material such as foil.

9. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein a portion of the RFID antenna structure is extended onto a rim of the cavity.

10. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the RFID antenna structure is coupled at both ends to the substrate.

11. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the substrate component is a corrugated substrate to allow the RFID tag to better conform to curved surfaces.

12. A RFID tag designed to operate on difficult substrates such as dielectric surfaces with high loss, organic material surfaces, or metallic surfaces, comprising:

a thermoplastic substrate component comprising a first side and a second side;

an RFID antenna structure formed on the first side of the thermoplastic substrate component; and

an RFID chip coupled to the RFID antenna structure; and

a cavity formed on the second side of the thermoplastic substrate component;

wherein the RFID antenna structure is positioned fully on a top surface or partially in a top and partially on an edge or bottom surface of the cavity and the bottom surface of the cavity is covered with a base layer and the base layer is smaller than a rim area of the cavity such that an extension of the RFID antenna structure extends outside the base layer.

13. The RFID tag of claim 12, wherein the RFID antenna structure comprises a monopole, a dipole, a patch, or a slot antenna.

14. The RFID tag of claim 12, wherein a portion of the RFID antenna structure is extended onto a rim of the cavity.

15. The RFID tag of claim 12, wherein the substrate component is a corrugated substrate to allow the RFID tag to better conform to curved surfaces.

16. A method of making an RFID tag designed to operate on difficult substrates, comprising:

providing a thermoplastic substrate component with a first side and a second side;

forming an RFID antenna structure on the first side of the thermoplastic substrate component such that the substrate component has at least one cavity with the antenna structure positioned within the at least cavity and the at least one cavity has a bottom surface and the bottom surface of the cavity is covered with a base layer and the base layer is smaller than a rim area of the at least one cavity such that an extension of the RFID antenna structure extends outside the base layer;

coupling an RFID chip to the RFID antenna structure;

placing the second side of the thermoplastic substrate component over an aperture;

heating the thermoplastic substrate component to soften plastic surface;

applying a vacuum to the thermoplastic substrate component;

pulling material from the thermoplastic substrate component into the aperture; and

forming a blister with the RFID antenna structure on the blister.