RFID tag that provides a flat print area and a pinch roller that enables the same

• US 20060273170A1
• Filed: 06/02/2005
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Inventors: Forster, Ian James, Ferguson, Scott Wayne
• Granted Patent: US 7,571,862 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/432
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• 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

Abstract

A radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag includes a face stock and an RFID device. The face stock has a printable side and an inlay side, with the RFID device mounted to the inlay side. A layer of adhesive is coated on the inlay side of the face stock. A liner is releasably adhered to the layer of adhesive and includes a relief area that accommodates for defection of the RFID device. The accommodation of the thickness of the RFID device results in a tag that has a substantially uniform printable surface. Accordingly, when passing through a printer, the printable surface is maintained substantially flat or linear at the print head of the printer, thereby minimizing jamming and enhancing printability. A pinch roller for a printer also accommodates for deflection of the RFID tag by providing a deformable section along a length thereof the body that has a greater resiliency than the rest of the body. At the location of the RFID device, the layer of adhesive may also include a blank that is substantially free of adhesive for accommodating the RFID device.

Claims

1. A radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag comprising:

a face stock with a printable side and an inlay side;

an RFID device mounted to the inlay side of the face stock;

a layer of adhesive coated on the inlay side of the face stock; and

a liner releasably adhered to the layer of adhesive and including a relief area that is coincident with the RFID device.

2. The tag of claim 1 wherein the relief area includes a weakening line.

3. The tag of claim 1 wherein the relief area includes a plurality of the weakening lines.

4. The tag of claim 3 wherein the plurality of weakening lines comprises die cut lines.

5. The tag of claim 1 wherein the relief area includes a seat in which the RFID device is receivable.

6. The tag of claim 1 wherein the seat in the form of an opening in the liner.

7. The tag of claim 1 wherein the layer of adhesive includes a blank that is free of adhesive, spatially larger than the RFID device, and coincident with the RFID device such that the RFID device is located therewithin.

8. A radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag comprising:

a face stock with a printable side and an inlay side;

an RFID device mounted to the inlay side of the face stock; and

a layer of adhesive coated on the inlay side of the face stock and having a blank that is;

free of adhesive;

spatially larger than the RFID device; and

coincident with the RFID device such that the RFID device is located therewithin.

9. The tag of claim 8 further comprising a liner releasably adhered to the layer of adhesive.

10. The tag of claim 9 wherein the liner includes a relief area coincident with the RFID device.

11. The tag of claim 10 wherein the relief area includes a plurality of the weakening lines.

12. The tag of claim 11 wherein the plurality of weakening lines comprise die cut lines.

13. The tag of claim 10 wherein the relief area includes a seat in which the RFID device is receivable.

14. The tag of claim 10 wherein the relief area includes an opening in which the RFID device is receivable.

15. A method of printing on an RFID tag in a printer, the RFID tag including a face stock with a printable side and an inlay side and an RFID device disposed on the inlay side of the face stock such that the RFID tag has a greater thickness at the location of the RFID device than at other areas of the RFID tag, the printer including a print head and a pinch roller with a given separation therebetween, a transverse axis being defined along a length of the pinch roller and orthogonal to a print path of the printer, the method comprising:

maintaining the printable side of the face stock substantially linear along the transverse axis while the RFID tag is passing through the printer.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the maintaining step further comprises maintaining the printing surface of the face stock substantially linear while the RFID tag is passing between the pinch roller and the print head.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the maintaining step further comprises maintaining the printing surface of the face stock substantially linear at the location of the RFID device.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the maintaining step further comprises increasing a separation between the print head and the pinch roller at an area where the RFID device passes therebetween while maintaining the given separation between the print head and the pinch roller at other areas.

19. A printer comprising:

a print head; and

a pinch roller that is rotatable about a transverse axis;

the pinch roller including a body with a deformable section;

whereby the deformable section is deformable to a greater degree than the rest of the body in a normal direction that is orthogonal to the transverse axis.

20. A pinch roller for a printer including a print head, the pinch roller comprising:

a body that is rotatable about a transverse axis; and

a deformable section disposed along a length of the body;

the deformable section being deformable to a greater degree than the rest of the body in a normal direction that is orthogonal to the transverse axis.