RFID device and method of forming

• US 20040125040A1
• Filed: 12/31/2002
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services LLC (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Inventors: Edwards, David N., Ferguson, Scott Wayne
• Granted Patent: US 6,940,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/895
• 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 19/07752 using an interposer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15153 the die mounting substrate comprising a recess for hosting the device
• 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 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop

Abstract

A radio frequency identification (RIFD) inlay includes a conductive connection electrically connecting an antenna to strap leads that are coupled to an RFID chip. The conductive connection may include conductive bumps attached to the strap, and/or may include conductive traces, such as a conductive ink traces. The conductive connections provide a convenient, fast, and effective way to operatively couple antennas and straps. The RFID inlay may be part of an RFID label or RFID tag.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) inlay comprising:

an inlay substrate;

an antenna on the inlay substrate;

a strap, wherein the strap includes;

an RFID chip having contacts thereupon; and

strap leads operatively coupled to the contacts of the chip;

a nonconductive adhesive attaching the strap to the inlay substrate; and

a conductive connection operatively coupling the strap leads and the antenna.

2. The RFID inlay of claim 1, wherein the conductive connection is in contact with the strap leads and in contact with the antenna.

3. The RFID inlay of claim 1, wherein the conductive connection includes conductive bumps attached to the strap.

4. The RFID inlay of claim 3, wherein the conductive bumps are attached to the strap leads.

5. The RFID inlay of claim 4, wherein the conductive bumps are electroplated onto the strap leads.

6. The RFID inlay of claim 3, wherein the conductive bumps each include a plurality of hard particles.

7. The RFID inlay of claim 6, wherein the hard particles include diamond particles.

8. The RFID inlay of claim 3, wherein the conductive bumps include at least one metal.

9. The RFID inlay of claim 8, wherein the at least one metal is a metal selected from a group consisting of gold, nickel, and palladium.

10. The RFID inlay of claim 3, wherein the conductive bumps include a plurality of sharp points in contact with the antenna.

11. The RFID inlay of claim 10, wherein the non-conductive adhesive is between the conductive bumps and the antenna, with at least some of the sharp points protruding through the non-conductive adhesive to contact the antenna.

12. The RFID inlay of claim 10, wherein the sharp points are produced by a plurality of hard particles in the conductive bumps.

13. The RFID inlay of claim 12, wherein the hard particles include diamond particles.

14. The RFID inlay of claim 10, wherein the conductive bumps have a height of 5 to 25 microns.

15. The RFID inlay of claim 1, wherein the conductive connection includes conductive traces in contact with the strap leads and the antenna.

16. The RFID inlay of claim 15, wherein the conductive traces include conductive ink traces.

17. The RFID inlay of claim 16, wherein the conductive ink includes metal particles.

18. The RFID inlay of claim 17, wherein the metal particles include silver particles.

19. The RFID inlay of claim 15, wherein the conductive connection also includes conductive bumps attached to the strap.

20. The RFID inlay of claim 19, wherein the conductive bumps each include a plurality of hard particles.

21. The RFID inlay of claim 20, wherein the hard particles include diamond particles.

22. The RFID inlay of claim 15, wherein the nonconductive adhesive is in contact with the strap leads and is in contact with the antenna, and is between the strap leads and the antenna.

23. The RFID inlay of claim 1, wherein the nonconductive adhesive also attaches the strap to the antenna.

24. The RFID inlay of claim 1, wherein the strap includes a strap substrate to which the strap leads are attached.

25. The RFID inlay of claim 24, wherein the nonconductive adhesive attaches the strap substrate to the inlay substrate.

26. The RFID inlay of claim 25, wherein an additional adhesive attaches the strap leads to the antenna.

27. The RFID inlay of claim 26, wherein the additional adhesive is conductive.

28. The RFID inlay of claim 26, wherein the additional adhesive is nonconductive.

29. The RFID inlay of claim 24, wherein the strap substrate includes a polymer material.

30. The RFID inlay of claim 1, wherein the inlay substrate includes a polymer material.

31. The RFID inlay of claim 1, in combination with a facestock to which the inlay is attached.

32. The combination of claim 31, wherein the facestock is a printable facestock.

33. The combination of claim 31, as part of an RFID label.

34. The combination of claim 31, as part of an RFID tag.

35. A radio frequency identification (RFID) inlay comprising:

an inlay substrate;

an antenna on the inlay substrate;

a strap attached to the antenna and the inlay substrate, wherein the strap includes;

an RFID chip having contacts thereupon; and

strap leads operatively coupled to the contacts of the chip; and

conductive bumps attached to the strap and in contact with the antenna;

wherein the conductive bumps electrically couple the strap leads and the antenna.

36. The RFID inlay of claim 35, wherein the conductive bumps are attached to the strap leads.

37. The RFID inlay of claim 36, wherein the conductive bumps are electroplated onto the strap leads.

38. The RFID inlay of claim 35, wherein the conductive bumps each include a plurality of hard particles.

39. The RFID inlay of claim 38, wherein the hard particles include diamond particles.

40. The RFID inlay of claim 35, wherein the conductive bumps include at least one metal.

41. The RFID inlay of claim 40, wherein the at least one metal is a metal selected from a group consisting of gold, nickel, and palladium.

42. The RFID inlay of claim 35, wherein the conductive bumps include a plurality of sharp points in contact with the antenna.

43. The RFID inlay of claim 42, wherein an adhesive is between the conductive bumps and the antenna, with at least some of the sharp points protruding through the adhesive to contact the antenna.

44. The RFID inlay of claim 43, wherein the adhesive is a nonconductive adhesive.

45. The RFID inlay of claim 43, wherein the adhesive is a conductive adhesive.

46. The RFID inlay of claim 42, wherein the sharp points are produced by a plurality of hard particles in the conductive bumps.

47. The RFID inlay of claim 46, wherein the hard particles include diamond particles.

48. The RFID inlay of claim 35, wherein the conductive bumps have a height of 5 to 25 microns.

49. The RFID inlay of claim 35, further comprising conductive traces in contact with the strap leads and the antenna.

50. The RFID inlay of claim 49, wherein the conductive traces include conductive ink traces.

51. The RFID inlay of claim 50, wherein the conductive ink includes metal particles.

52. The RFID inlay of claim 51, wherein the metal particles include silver particles.

53. The RFID inlay of claim 35, wherein the strap includes a strap substrate to which the strap leads are attached.

54. The RFID inlay of claim 53, wherein a nonconductive adhesive attaches the strap substrate to the inlay substrate.

55. The RFID inlay of claim 53, wherein the conductive bumps protrude further from the strap leads than does the strap substrate.

56. The RFID inlay of claim 53, wherein the strap substrate includes a polymer material.

57. The RFID inlay of claim 35, wherein the inlay substrate includes a polymer material.

58. The RFID inlay of claim 35, wherein the strap is within a depression in the inlay substrate.

59. The RFID inlay of claim 35, in combination with a facestock to which the inlay is attached.

60. The combination of claim 59, wherein the facestock is a printable-facestock.

61. The combination of claim 59, as part of an RFID label.

62. The combination of claim 59, as part of an RFID tag.

63. A radio frequency identification (RFID) inlay comprising:

an inlay substrate;

an antenna on the inlay substrate;

a strap attached to the antenna and the substrate, wherein the strap includes;

an RFID chip having contacts thereupon; and

strap leads operatively coupled to the contacts of the chip; and

conductive traces overlying and in contact with both the antenna and the strap leads.

64. The RFID inlay of claim 63, wherein the conductive traces include conductive ink traces.

65. The RFID inlay of claim 64, wherein the conductive ink includes metal particles.

66. The RFID inlay of claim 65, wherein the metal particles include silver particles.

67. The RFID inlay of claim 63, further comprising conductive material between the strap leads and the antenna.

68. The RFID inlay of claim 67, wherein the conductive material includes a conductive adhesive.

69. The RFID inlay of claim 67, wherein the conductive material includes conductive bumps attached to the strap leads.

70. The RFID inlay of claim 69, wherein the conductive bumps have a height of 5 to 25 microns.

71. The RFID inlay of claim 67, wherein the strap includes a strap substrate to which the strap leads are attached.

72. The RFID inlay of claim 71, wherein the strap substrate includes a polymer material.

73. The RFID inlay of claim 63, wherein the inlay substrate includes a polymer material.

74. The RFID inlay of claim 63, wherein the strap is ultrasonically welded to the antenna.

75. The RFID inlay of claim 63, wherein the strap is adhesively attached to the antenna.

76. The RFID inlay of claim 63, in combination with a facestock to which the inlay is attached.

77. The combination of claim 76, wherein the facestock is a printable facestock.

78. The combination of claim 76, as part of an RFID label.

79. The combination of claim 76, as part of an RFID tag.

80. A method of forming a radio frequency identification (RFID) inlay, the method comprising:

forming conductive bumps on straps leads operatively coupled to an RFID chip; and

bringing the conductive bumps and an antenna on an inlay substrate into contact, thereby electrically coupling the RFID chip and the antenna.

81. The method of claim 80, wherein the forming the conductive bumps includes electroplating portions of the strap leads.

82. The method of claim 81, wherein the electroplating includes depositing hard particles on the portions of the strap leads.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein the depositing hard particles includes depositing diamond dust.

84. The method of claim 80, wherein the bringing the conductive bumps into contact with the antenna includes adhesively adhering the antenna and a strap including the strap leads and the chip.

85. The method of claim 84, wherein the adhesively adhering includes adhering using a conductive adhesive.

86. The method of claim 84, wherein the adhesively adhering includes adhering using a nonconductive adhesive.

87. The method of claim 86, wherein the nonconductive adhesive is between a strap substrate and the antenna.

88. The method of claim 84, wherein the adhesively adhering includes adhering with an adhesive between the conductive bumps and the antenna.

89. The method of claim 88, wherein the conductive bumps include sharp points that protrude through the adhesive.

90. The method of claim 88, wherein the adhesive is a conductive adhesive.

91. The method of claim 88, wherein the adhesive is a nonconductive adhesive.

92. The method of claim 88, wherein the adhesively adhering includes adhering the adhesive using ultraviolet radiation.

93. The method of claim 80, wherein the bringing the conductive bumps into contact with the antenna is performed in a roll-to-roll process.

94. The method of claim 93, wherein a strap including the strap leads and the chip is placed against the antenna, which is on a web of material, through use of an anvil roller.

95. The method of claim 94, wherein the strap is held to the antenna by a vacuum prior to placement.

96. The method of claim 80, wherein the bringing the conductive bumps and the antenna into contact includes placing a strap including the strap leads and the chip onto an inlay substrate that has the antenna thereupon.

97. The method of claim 80, wherein the bringing the conductive bumps and the antenna into contact includes depositing the antenna on the inlay substrate and the conductive bumps.

98. The method of claim 97, wherein the depositing includes adhesively adhering the antenna.

99. The method of claim 97, wherein the depositing includes printing a conductive ink.

100. The method of claim 80, further comprising, after the bringing, forming conductive traces electrically connecting the strap leads and the antenna.

101. The method of claim 100, wherein the forming includes printing a conductive ink.

102. A method of forming a radio frequency identification (RFID) inlay, the method comprising:

placing a strap on an antenna that is on an inlay substrate; and

placing conductive traces over at least parts of the strap and the antenna, thereby electrically coupling the strap and the antenna.

103. The method of claim 102,

wherein the strap includes an RFID chip and strap leads electrically coupled to the chip;

and

wherein the placing the conductive traces includes placing the conductive traces over at least part of the strap leads.

104. The method of claim 102, wherein the placing the conductive leads includes forming the conductive traces from a conductive ink.

105. The method of claim 104, wherein the forming includes printing the conductive ink.

106. The method of claim 102, wherein the placing the strap includes attaching the strap to the antenna.

107. The method of claim 106, wherein the attaching includes adhesively attaching the strap to the antenna.

108. The method of claim 107,

wherein the strap includes an RFID chip;

wherein the strap includes a strap substrate, and strap leads attached to the strap substrate;

wherein the strap leads are electrically connected to the RFID chip; and

wherein the adhesively attaching includes attaching the strap substrate to the antenna.

109. The method of claim 107,

wherein the strap includes an RFID chip;

wherein the strap includes a strap substrate and strap leads attached to the strap substrate;

wherein the strap leads are electrically connected to the RFID chip; and

wherein the adhesively attaching includes attaching the strap leads to the antenna.

110. The method of claim 109, wherein the attaching the strap leads includes attaching the strap leads with a conductive adhesive.

111. The method of claim 109, wherein the attaching the strap leads includes attaching the strap leads with a nonconductive adhesive.

112. The method of claim 107,

wherein the strap includes an RFID chip;

wherein the strap includes a strap substrate and strap leads attached to the strap substrate;

wherein the strap leads are electrically connected to the RFID chip;

wherein conductive bumps are attached to the strap leads; and

wherein the adhesively attaching includes attaching the conductive bumps to the antenna.

113. The method of claim 112, wherein the attaching the strap leads includes attaching the conductive bumps with a conductive adhesive.

114. The method of claim 112, wherein the attaching the strap leads includes attaching the conductive bumps with a nonconductive adhesive.

115. The method of claim 106, wherein the attaching includes ultrasonically welding the strap to the antenna.