Smart label web and a method for its manufacture

• US 20040004295A1
• Filed: 05/23/2003
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SMARTRAC Investment B.V. (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rafsec Oy (UPM Kymmene OY)
• Inventors: Hanhikorpi, Marko, Stromberg, Samuli
• Granted Patent: US 7,244,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/783
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07718 the record carrier being manufactured in a continuous process, e.g. using endless rolls
• 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: Y10T 156/1095 Opposed laminae are running length webs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1097 Lamina is running length web
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1098 Feeding of discrete laminae from separate sources

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the manufacture of a smart label web. The smart label web comprises smart labels placed one after another and/or side by side and comprising a circuitry pattern and an integrated circuit on a chip therein. In the method, an electrical contact is formed between the integrated circuit on a chip and the circuitry pattern of the smart label in the smart label web in such a way that a structural part separated from a separate carrier web and comprising an integrated circuit on a chip is attached to the smart label. The structural part contains a thermoplastic material whereby it is attached to the smart label.

Claims

1. A method for the manufacture of a smart label web, the smart label web comprising smart labels one after another and/or side by side, which comprise a circuitry pattern and an integrated circuit on a chip attached to it, and in which method, an electric contact is formed between the integrated circuit on the chip and the circuitry pattern on the smart label of the smart label web in such a way that a structural part separated from a separate carrier web and containing the integrated circuit on the chip is attached to the smart label, wherein the structural part contains a thermoplastic material attached to the smart label.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic material is a thermoplastic film.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the thermoplastic film is an anisotropic conductive film or a non-conductive film.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a dispenser is arranged to place structural parts in a focused manner onto the smart label.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the structural part is attached to the smart label substantially entirely on the side on which the thermoplastic film is provided.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the smart label is heated at the location of the attachment of the structural part in such a way that the thermoplastic film can be made to adhere to the smart label.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the smart label web containing smart labels provided with a structural part is subjected to treatment by heat and/or pressure.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the treatments by heat and pressure take place in simultaneous or successive process steps.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the smart label web is combined to the other web layers simultaneously when it is treated by heat and pressure.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the smart label web is treated by heat and pressure in a nip which is formed by contact surfaces of which at least one is resilient and at least one is heated.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the smart label web is treated by heat and pressure in such a way that the thermoplastic film is first heated by microwaves and the smart label web is then subjected to pressure.

12. A smart label web comprising smart labels one after another and/or side by side, which comprise a circuitry pattern and an integrated circuit on a chip attached to it, which is attached to the smart label by a structural part separated from a separate carrier web, wherein the structural part contains a thermoplastic material attached to the smart label.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the thermoplastic material is an anisotropic conductive thermoplastic film.

14. The smart label web according to claim 13, wherein the structural part and the circuitry pattern are isolated from each other in such a way that they have an electrical contact with each other at precisely determined points only.

15. The smart label web according to claim 12, wherein the thermoplastic material is a non-conductive thermoplastic film.

16. A method for the manufacture of a carrier web from which structural parts can be separated which comprise an integrated circuit on a chip, and which carrier web contains integrated circuits on a chip one after another and/or side by side, wherein the carrier web contains a thermoplastic material to whose surface the integrated circuit on the chip is attached.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the thermoplastic material is a thermoplastic film.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the thermoplastic film is laminated with a base web before the attachment of the integrated circuits on chips.

19. The method according to claims 16, 17, or 18, wherein the final bonds of the integrated circuits on the chips are made by applying heat and/or pressure.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the structural parts are provided with bump electrodes before the thermoplastic film is laminated to the base web.

21. A structural part for a smart label in a smart label web containing an integrated circuit on a chip, wherein the structural part contains a thermoplastic material effective for attachment to the smart label.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the thermoplastic material is an anisotropic conductive film or a non-conductive film.