RFID label technique

• US 20050252605A1
• Filed: 06/24/2005
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services LLC (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alan Green, Dennis Rene Benoit
• Inventors: Benoit, Dennis Rene, Green, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 7,361,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/264
• CPC Class Codes: B31D 1/021 Making adhesive labels having a multilayered structure, e.g. provided on carrier webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31D 1/027 involving, marking, printing or coding
• CPC Class Codes: B31D 1/028 Applying RFID chips
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/02 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/105 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2519/02 RFID tags
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/0053 Constructional details of laminating machines comprising rollers; Constructional features of the rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/025 Transfer laminating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/0004 Cutting, tearing or severing, e.g. bursting; Cutter details cutting in general B26D; laminating combined with punching or perforating B32B38/04; removing all or part of the layers B32B38/10; cutting in combination with laying up and registration B32B38/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/06 Embossing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/145 Printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07718 the record carrier being manufactured in a continuous process, e.g. using endless rolls
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07745 Mounting details of integrated circuit chips
• 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 19/0775 arrangements for connecting the integrated circuit to the antenna
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07779 the inductive antenna being a coil
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07783 the coil being planar
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/95085 being a liquid, e.g. for fluidic self-assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/544 Marks applied to semiconductor devices or parts, e.g. registration marks, alignment structures, wafer maps test patterns for characterising or monitoring manufacturing processes H01L22/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/95 : at chip-level, i.e. with connecting carried out on a plurality of singulated devices, i.e. on diced chips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 : Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/07802 : not being an ohmic electrical conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12042 : LASER
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15153 : the die mounting substrate comprising a recess for hosting the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15165 : Monolayer substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0393 : Flexible materials H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0097 : Processing two or more printed circuits simultaneously, e.g. made from a common substrate, or temporarily stacked circuit boards H05K3/0052 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1052 : with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1056 : Perforating lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1057 : Subsequent to assembly of laminae
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1062 : Prior to assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1074 : Separate cutting of separate sheets or webs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1075 : of plural laminae from single stock and assembling to each other or to additional lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1077 : Applying plural cut laminae to single face of additional lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1092 : All laminae planar and face to face
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1097 : Lamina is running length web
• 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 29/4913 : Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53178 : Chip component

Abstract

An RFID webstock containing a relatively high pitch-density array of semiconductive chips is provided and joined to a web bearing relatively widely spaced antennas in a continuous process. The RFID webstock is separated or cut into individual chip sections, with the spacing of the chips being increased as the RFID webstock is die cut. The individual chips on the sections are then joined to corresponding antennas to form an RFID inlay stock. This process is conducive to high speed roll-to-roll production of RFID tag and label roll stock.

Claims

1. A method of forming an RFID article, the method comprising:

separating an RFID webstock into a plurality of sections, wherein the RFID webstock includes a plurality of electrical connectors, each electrically coupled to one or more of a plurality of RFID chips, wherein each of the sections includes one or more of the electrical connectors and one or more of the RFID chips;

securing at least some of the separated sections to a transport member;

transferring the sections on the transport member to a moving antenna web, wherein the antenna web includes a plurality of spaced antennas disposed thereon, and wherein the transferring includes moving the transport member such that the transport member has substantially the same speed as the antenna web when the sections are transferred from the transport member to the antenna web; and

attaching the sections to the antenna web such that the sections are operatively coupled to respective of the antennas.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the securing includes securing the sections to the transport member as the sections are separated from the RFID webstock.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the RFID webstock also includes a substrate that supports the electrical connectors and the RFID chips;

and

wherein each of the sections includes a portion of the substrate.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the substrate includes a flexible material.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the substrate includes a polymeric material.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the substrate includes paper.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the chips of the RFID webstock are adhesively coupled directly to the substrate.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the chips of the RFID webstock are coupled to a surface of the substrate.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the separating, the transporting, and the attaching are all parts of an automatic continuous process to form an RFID inlay stock.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the securing includes using vacuum holders of the transport member to engage the sections.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the separating includes cutting the sections from the RFID webstock.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the cutting includes using the transport member as an anvil during the cutting.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the separating includes butt cutting the RFID webstock to form the sections.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the separating includes die cutting the RFID webstock to form the sections.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the separating includes punching the sections from the RFID webstock.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the separating includes laser cutting the RFID webstock to form the sections:

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the separating includes perforating the RFID webstock to form the sections.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the separating includes slitting the RFID webstock to form the sections.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the attaching includes passing the section and the antenna web through a nip between the transport member and a lamination member.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the attaching includes bonding respective of the sections and the antennas to each other.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the bonding includes bonding with an adhesive.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the adhesive is a conductive adhesive.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the adhesive is a non-conductive adhesive.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the bonding includes pressing together the section and the antenna web.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the bonding includes heat curing the adhesive.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the bonding includes pressing together the section and the antenna web, followed by heat curing the adhesive.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the attaching includes an ohmic coupling of the electrical connectors to the antennas.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the attaching includes a capacitive coupling of the electrical connectors to the antennas.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the transport member is a roller, and wherein the moving the transport member includes rotating the roller.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the transport member includes a belt.

31. The method of claim 1,

wherein the RFID webstock, prior to the separating, has only a single row of the RFID chips;

and

wherein the chips of the single row are spaced in a longitudinal direction.

32. The method of claim 1,

wherein the RFID webstock, prior to the separating, has multiple rows of the RFID chips;

wherein the chips of each of the rows are spaced in a longitudinal direction; and

wherein the rows are separated from one another in a transverse direction.

33. A method of forming an RFID article, the method comprising:

separating an RFID webstock into a plurality of sections, wherein the RFID webstock includes a plurality of electrical connectors, each electrically coupled to one or more of a plurality of RFID chips, wherein each of the sections includes one or more of the electrical connectors and one or more of the RFID chips;

transporting at least some of the sections on a transport member to an antenna web that includes a plurality of spaced antennas disposed thereon, wherein the transporting includes;

securing the at least some of the separated sections to the transport member;

moving the transport member to move the sections to the antenna web, wherein the moving includes indexing a pitch of the RFID sections from a relatively high density on the RFID webstock, to a relatively low density on an RFID inlay stock; and

separating the sections from the transport member; and

attaching the sections to the antenna web such that the sections are operatively coupled to respective of the antennas;

wherein the separating, the transporting, and the attaching are all parts of an automatic continuous process to form an RFID inlay stock.

34. The method of claim 33,

wherein the RFID webstock also includes a substrate that supports the electrical connectors and the RFID chips;

and

wherein each of the sections includes a portion of the substrate.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the substrate includes a flexible material.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the substrate includes a polymeric material.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the substrate includes paper.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein the chips of the RFID webstock are adhesively coupled directly to the substrate.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein the moving the transport member includes substantially matching speed of the transport member to speed of the antenna web during the separating of the sections from the transport member.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the transport member is a belt.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the transport member is a roller.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the securing includes securing the sections to the roller as the sections are separated from the RFID webstock.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the securing includes using vacuum holders of the roller to engage the sections.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the separating includes cutting the sections from the RFID webstock.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the separating includes using the roller as an anvil during the cutting.

46. The method of claim 33, wherein the separating includes butt cutting the RFID webstock to form the sections.

47. The method of claim 33, wherein the separating includes die cutting the RFID webstock to form the sections.

48. The method of claim 33, wherein the separating includes punching the sections from the RFID webstock.

49. The method of claim 33, wherein the separating includes laser cutting the RFID webstock to form the sections.

50. The method of claim 33, wherein the separating includes perforating the RFID webstock to form the sections.

51. The method of claim 33, wherein the separating includes slitting the RFID webstock to form the sections.

52. The method of claim 33, wherein the attaching includes passing the section and the antenna web through a nip between the transport member and a lamination member.

53. The method of claim 33, wherein the attaching includes bonding with an adhesive.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the adhesive is a conductive adhesive.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein the adhesive is a non-conductive adhesive.

56. The method of claim 53, wherein the bonding includes pressing together the section and the antenna web.

57. The method of claim 53, wherein the bonding includes heat curing the adhesive.

58. The method of claim 53, wherein the bonding includes pressing together the section and the antenna web, followed by heat curing the adhesive.

59. The method of claim 33, wherein the attaching includes an ohmic coupling of the electrical connectors to the antennas.

60. The method of claim 33, wherein the attaching includes a capacitive coupling of the electrical connectors to the antennas.

61. The method of claim 33,

wherein the RFID webstock, prior to the separating, has only a single row of the RFID chips;

and

wherein the chips of the single row are separated in a longitudinal direction.

62. The method of claim 33,

wherein the RFID webstock, prior to the separating, has multiple rows of the RFID chips;

wherein the chips of each of the rows are separated in a longitudinal direction; and

wherein the rows are separated from one another in a transverse direction.

63. A method of forming an RFID article, the method comprising:

cutting an RFID webstock into a plurality of sections, wherein the RFID webstock includes a plurality of electrical connectors, each electrically coupled to one or more of a plurality of RFID chips, wherein each of the sections includes one or more of the electrical connectors and one or more of the RFID chips;

securing at least some of the cut sections to a roller;

transferring the sections on the roller to a moving antenna web, wherein the antenna web includes a plurality of spaced antennas disposed thereon, and wherein the transferring includes moving the roller such that the roller has substantially the same speed as the antenna web when the sections are transferred from the roller to the antenna web; and

attaching the sections to the antenna web such that the sections are operatively coupled to respective of the antennas;

wherein the cutting, the securing, the transferring, and the attaching are all parts of an automatic continuous process to form an RFID inlay stock.