Component handling device having a film insert molded RFID tag
First Claim
1. A wafer container having a Radio Frequency Identification (“
- RFID”
) tag integrated therein, comprising;
an enclosure portion made from thermoplastic polymer material and adapted for holding at least one wafer; and
an RFID film laminate member integrally molded in a surface of the enclosure portion by way of film insert molding, the RFID film member including a first thin flexible film layer, a second thin flexible film layer, and an RFID tag encapsulated between the first and second thin flexible film layers, and wherein the first thin flexible film layer provides a barrier layer between the RFID tag and the enclosure portion during the film insert molding.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for including a thin and flexible RFID tag in the molding process for handlers, transporters, carriers, trays and like handling devices utilized in the semiconductor and sensitive electronic component processing and handling industries. The RFID tag of predetermined size and shape is generally bonded or encapsulated between two thermopolymer film layers to create an RFID tag laminate. This RFID tag laminate is selectively placed along a shaping surface in a mold cavity for alignment with a desired target surface of a moldable molten resin material such that upon completion of the film insert molding process, the RFID tag laminate is integrally bonded to at least a portion of the molded handling device, or handling device component/part.
126 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A wafer container having a Radio Frequency Identification (“
- RFID”
) tag integrated therein, comprising;
an enclosure portion made from thermoplastic polymer material and adapted for holding at least one wafer; and
an RFID film laminate member integrally molded in a surface of the enclosure portion by way of film insert molding, the RFID film member including a first thin flexible film layer, a second thin flexible film layer, and an RFID tag encapsulated between the first and second thin flexible film layers, and wherein the first thin flexible film layer provides a barrier layer between the RFID tag and the enclosure portion during the film insert molding. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- RFID”
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15. A method of making a wafer container having a Radio Frequency Identification (“
- RFID”
) tag integrated therein, the method comprising the steps of;
forming an RFID film laminate member from a first thin flexible film layer, a second thin flexible film layer, and an RFID tag encapsulated between the first and second thin flexible film layers;
positioning the RFID film laminate member on a shaping surface of a mold such that the second thin flexible film layer is confronting the shaping surface; and
molding thermoplastic polymer material over the shaping surface of the mold to form an enclosure portion of the wafer container, the RFID film laminate member being thereby integrally bonded in the enclosure portion, with the first thin flexible film layer serving as a protective barrier from the thermoplastic polymer material during molding. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
- RFID”
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18. A chip handling tray having a Radio Frequency Identification (“
- RFID”
) tag integrated therein, comprising;
a tray portion made from thermoplastic polymer material; and
an RFID film laminate member integrally molded in a surface of the tray portion by way of film insert molding, the RFID film member including a first thin flexible film layer, a second thin flexible film layer, and an RFID tag encapsulated between the first and second thin flexible film layers, and wherein the first thin flexible film layer provides a barrier layer between the RFID tag and the tray portion during the film insert molding. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
- RFID”
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32. A method of making a chip handling tray having a Radio Frequency Identification (“
- RFID”
) tag integrated therein, the method comprising the steps of;
forming an RFID film laminate member from a first thin flexible film layer, a second thin flexible film layer, and an RFID tag encapsulated between the first and second thin flexible film layers;
positioning the RFID film laminate member on a shaping surface of a mold such that the second thin flexible film layer is confronting the shaping surface; and
molding thermoplastic polymer material over the shaping surface of the mold to form a tray portion of the chip handling tray, the RFID film laminate member being thereby integrally bonded in the tray portion, with the first thin flexible film layer serving as a protective barrier from the thermoplastic polymer material during molding.
- RFID”
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33. A semiconductor component handling device having a Radio Frequency Identification (“
- RFID”
) tag integrated therein, comprising;
an handler housing portion made from thermoplastic polymer material and adapted for housing at least one semiconductor component; and
an RFID film laminate member integrally molded in a surface of the handler housing portion by way of film insert molding, the RFID film member including a first thin flexible film layer, a second thin flexible film layer, and an RFID tag encapsulated between the first and second thin flexible film layers, and wherein the first thin flexible film layer provides a barrier layer between the RFID tag and the handler housing portion during the film insert molding. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
- RFID”
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36. A semiconductor component handling device having a Radio Frequency Identification (“
- RFID”
) tag integrated therein, comprising;
means for housing at least one semiconductor component, made from thermoplastic polymer material; and
means for laminating an RFID tag being integrally molded in a surface of the means for housing by way of film insert molding such that the RFID tag is encapsulated to provide barrier protection for the RFID tag during integral bonding of the means for laminating an RFID tag to the means for housing during the film insert molding.
- RFID”
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37. A method of film insert molding a Radio Frequency Identification (“
- RFID”
) tag to a semiconductor component handling device, comprising the steps of;
forming an RFID tag film laminate of a first thin flexible film layer, a second thin flexible film layer, and the RFID tag encapsulated between the first and second thin flexible film layer;
accessing a molding unit having a mold cavity, the mold cavity including at least one shaping surface;
positioning the RFID tag film laminate within the cavity of the molding unit along at least a portion of the at least one shaping surface;
injecting a substantially molten thermoplastic material into the cavity of the molding unit, over the positioned RFID tag film laminate, to conform to the shape of the at least one shaping surface;
waiting a cooling period wherein the thermoplastic material substantially solidifies to matably bond with the RFID tag film laminate to create at least a portion of the component handling device; and
ejecting the at least a portion of the component handling device, with the RFID tag film laminate integrated thereto, from the molding unit. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
- RFID”
Specification