Flexible radio frequency identification tags

• US 10,474,940 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2015
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Gabriel, Nicholas T., Jesme, Ronald D., Bonifas, Andrew P., Cosgrove, Dylan T., Baetzold, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Suezu
• Application Number:
  US15/531,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20170364787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/025 the material being flexible or adapted for folding, e.g. paper or paper-like materials used in luggage labels, identification tags, forms or identification documents carrying RFIDs methods for testing the genuineness of valuable papers, e.g. banknotes or passports G07D7/00; constructional features of booklets and the like B42D
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0772 Physical layout of the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07728 the record carrier comprising means for protection against impact or bending, e.g. protective shells or stress-absorbing layers around the integrated circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0776 the adhering arrangement being a layer of adhesive, so that the record carrier can function as a sticker

Abstract

Flexible, stretchable RFID tags are formed by a pocket that is formed from one or more substrates and layers of adhesive, and an electronic circuit that is located within this pocket. The RFID tags can include a stretchable substrate and an electronic circuit attached to the stretchable substrate by one or a finite number of discrete spaced apart attachment locations. When the pocket is formed by relatively thick adhesive layers adhering together one or more flexible substrates to form an internal cavity, the electronic circuit is located within this cavity and either is not adhered to any of the substrates of the cavity, and is free to move about within the cavity, or the electronic circuit can be attached to a substrate by a thin layer of adhesive.

Claims

1. A stretchable radio frequency identification tag comprising:

a flexible stretchable first substrate;

a second substrate spaced apart from the first substrate and attached to the first substrate at a finite number of discrete attachment locations, the

attachment locations defining an air gap between and substantially coextensive with the first and second substrates;

an adhesive layer adhered to the first substrate, the adhesive layer defining an opening therein, the second substrate disposed within the opening; and

an electronic circuit disposed on the second substrate, wherein the flexible stretchable first substrate is stretchable up to 1.5 times an original unstretched dimension of the substrate without tearing.

2. The tag of claim 1, wherein the second substrate is substantially less stretchable than the first substrate.

3. The tag of claim 1, wherein the second substrate is attached to the first substrate at the finite number of discrete attachment locations via a corresponding finite number of discrete adhesive segments.

4. The tag of claim 1, wherein when the tag is applied to a surface, the adhesive layer adheres to the surface and the second substrate is confined between the surface, the first substrate and the adhesive layer.

5. The tag of claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer is thinner closer to an edge of the substrate and thicker farther from the edge of the substrate.

6. The tag of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit comprises an antenna having a spiral form.

7. The tag of claim 1, wherein the finite number of discrete attachment locations is a single location.

8. The tag of claim 1, wherein the finite number of discrete attachment locations comprises attachment points defined between gaps in the adhesive layer.

9. The tag of claim 1, wherein there is electrical contact between the electronic circuit and the flexible stretchable first substrate.

10. A stretchable article comprising:

a more stretchable first substrate;

a less stretchable second substrate suspended from the first substrate from a finite number of attachment points; and

an electronic circuit comprising an antenna disposed on the second substrate, such that when the article is stretched, the first substrate undergoes a greater in-plane strain than the second substrate and the electronic circuit, and the resonance frequency of the antenna is essentially the same as the resonance frequency of antenna when the article is in the unstretched state.

11. A stretchable radio frequency identification tag comprising:

a flexible stretchable first substrate;

a second substrate spaced apart from the first substrate and attached to the first substrate at a finite number of discrete attachment locations, the

attachment locations defining an air gap between and substantially coextensive with the first and second substrates;

an electronic circuit disposed on the second substrate; and

an adhesive layer adhered to the first substrate, the adhesive layer defining an opening therein, the second substrate disposed within the opening.