Method and system for forming RF reflective pathways

• US 20020152605A1
• Filed: 06/14/2001
• Published: 10/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Appvion Operations, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Appleton Papers Incorporated (Oldapco PDC Corp.)
• Inventors: Debraal, John Charles
• Granted Patent: US 6,779,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/600
• 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: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2208 associated with components used in interrogation type services, i.e. in systems for information exchange between an interrogator/reader and a tag/transponder, e.g. in Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] systems methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns G06K7/00; record carrier for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/046 by selective transfer or selective detachment of a conductive layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49156 with selective destruction of conductive paths
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5313 Means to assemble electrical device

Abstract

The present invention provides for a system and two methods for forming RF reflective pathways. These pathways can form a radio frequency identification tag. A first method uses a thermal transfer ribbon, coated with a conductive material that is engaged with a receiver substrate. A thermal print head will heat a composition on the thermal transfer ribbon in order to transfer it to the receiver substrate. This transfer composition forms the RF reflective pathway. In an alternative method, a receiver substrate is heated in order to react conductive material thereon. This receiver substrate is also heated by a thermal print head to form a RF reflective pathway.

Claims

1. A method of forming radio frequency tags, comprising the steps of:

providing a thermal transfer ribbon;

moving the thermal transfer ribbon past a heat source;

engaging the thermal transfer ribbon with a receiver substrate as the thermal transfer ribbon moves past the heat source;

selectively heating portions of the thermal transfer ribbon with the heat source; and

transferring a composition from the thermal transfer ribbon to the receiver substrate, the selective heating enabling a desired resonating pattern of the composition to be transferred to the receiver substrate.

2. The method of forming radio frequency tags as recited in claim 1, wherein the composition transferred from the thermal transfer ribbon is a RF reflective material.

3. The method of forming radio frequency tags as recited in claim 1, wherein the composition transferred from the thermal transfer ribbon is a RF reflective precursor which becomes a RF reflective material upon application of heat from the heat source.

4. The method of forming radio frequency tags as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of using a thermal print head as the heat source.

5. The method of forming radio frequency tags as recited in claim 1, wherein the thermal transfer ribbon fails to have magnetic particles and wherein transfer of the composition occurs solely due to heating and contact of the composition with the receiver substrate.

6. A radio frequency tag produced according to the method of claim 1.

7. The method of forming radio frequency tags as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

using a polymeric film or paper as the transfer ribbon;

coating the transfer ribbon with the conductive material and with at least one of wax, binders, surfactants and dispersants; and

using at least one of metallic inks, metallic substances, metallic dispersions, metallic salts, carbon based inks as the composition.

8. The method of forming radio frequency tags as recited in claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

using at least one of carnuaba wax, paraffin wax, low molecular weight polyethylene wax as the wax in the transfer ribbon; and

using at least one of styrene copolymers, polyethylene resin, polystyrene, vinyl chloride polymers, and vinyl acetate polymers as the binders in the transfer ribbon.

9. A method of forming radio frequency tags, comprising the steps of:

providing a substrate coated with reactive material;

moving the substrate past a heat source;

selectively heating portions of the substrate with the heat source; and

developing the reactive material on the substrate during exposure to heat from the heat source to develop a desired resonating pattern on the substrate, the reactive material forming a RF reflective material.

10. The method of forming radio frequency tags as recited in claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

using a cellulosic material, a polymeric film or paper as the substrate;

coating the substrate with the RF reflective material and with at least one of binders, surfactants and dispersants, the RF reflective material being a reducible metallic material.

11. The method of forming radio frequency tags as recited in claim 10, further comprising the step of using at least one of sorbitol copper formate, copper sulfate, cuprite, tenorite and silver nitrate as reactive material which forms the RF reflective material.

12. The method of forming radio frequency tags as recited in claim 10, further comprising the step of using at least one of styrene butadiene copolymers, polyvinyl alcohols, starch, vinyl chloride polymers, vinyl acetate polymers and methyl cellulose as the binders of the substrate.

13. The method of forming radio frequency tags as recited in claim 9, further comprising the step of using a thermal print head as the heat source.

14. A radio frequency tag produced according to the method of claim 9.

15. The method of forming radio frequency tags as recited in claim 9, wherein in developing the reactive material on the substrate during exposure to heat from the heat source to develop a desired resonating pattern, the pattern is a bar code.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of using as the reactive material, in addition, a chromogenic material and acidic developer material.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising in providing a substrate coated with reactive material, including in addition a chromogenic material and acidic developer material.

18. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of using as the reactive material, in addition, a chromogenic material and acidic developer material.

19. The method according to claim 9, further comprising in providing a substrate coated with reactive material, including in addition a chromogenic material and acidic developer material.

20. A system for producing radio frequency tags comprising:

a conveyor for moving a substrate;

a thermal print head, the conveyor moving the substrate past the thermal print head, the thermal print head being selectively actuatable to heat a desired pattern on the substrate;

means on the substrate for reacting with the heat source to form RF reflective pathways, the means including a heat sensitive composition on the substrate.

21. The system for producing radio frequency tags as recited in claim 20, wherein the substrate is a thermal transfer ribbon and wherein the conveyor further conveys a receiver substrate past the heat source, the receiver substrate and the thermal transfer ribbon being engaged at the thermal print head and the heat sensitive composition being initially provided on the thermal transfer ribbon being heated in the desired pattern by the thermal print head and thereafter being transferred to the receiver substrate, the heat sensitive composition which is not heated by the thermal print head remaining on the thermal transfer ribbon, the heat sensitive composition transferred to the receiver substrate forming RF reflective pathways on the receiver substrate.

22. The system for producing radio frequency tags as recited in claim 20, wherein the heat sensitive composition on the substrate includes at least one of metallic inks, metallic substances, metallic salts, metallic dispersions and carbon based inks.

23. The system for producing radio frequency tags as recited in claim 20, wherein the heat sensitive composition on the substrate is at least one of sorbitol copper formate, copper sulfate, cuprite, tenorite and silver nitrate and wherein the thermal print head only reacts with the heat sensitive composition in the desired pattern to form the RF reflective pathways with the reacted heat sensitive composition while unreacted heat sensitive composition remains on the substrate.