METHOD OF MAKING AN RFID ARTICLE

• US 20080088448A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tamarack Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tamarack Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Steidinger, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,901,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07718 the record carrier being manufactured in a continuous process, e.g. using endless rolls
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07728 the record carrier comprising means for protection against impact or bending, e.g. protective shells or stress-absorbing layers around the integrated circuit
• 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 7/10178 including auxiliary means for focusing, repeating or boosting the electromagnetic interrogation field comparable booster antennas integrated on the record carrier itself G06K19/07794
• 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 1/40 Radiating elements coated with or embedded in protective material
• 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 156/1097 Lamina is running length web
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1702 For plural parts or plural areas of single part

Abstract

A method and apparatus for making an RFID article such as a label, tag, ticket, envelope, carton, inlay, etc., including a microchip connected to a first antenna which is, in turn, electro-magnetically and coupled to a second antenna.

Claims

1. In an in-line method of making an RFID article, the steps comprising:

conveying a first web having a plurality of kernel inlays carried on a surface of the first web, each kernel inlay including an electronic chip electrically coupled to a first antenna;

conveying a carrier web having a plurality of second antennas spaced longitudinally of the carrier web;

dividing the first web into individual sections each including a kernel inlay;

thereafter applying the divided sections to the carrier web in predetermined positions relative to, and in operative electromagnetic communication with an associated one of the second antennas.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said kernel inlays are spaced apart uniformly on the surface of the first web;

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the second antennas are formed on a first side of the carrier web and the kernel inlays are applied to an opposing second side of the first web.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the carrier web is label face stock and further comprising the step of continuously applying adhesive-coated liner to the label face stock to cover the kernel inlays.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the carrier web is a tagstock.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the carrier web is a tagstock and further comprising the step of applying a laminating layer to cover the kernel inlays.

7. In an inline method of making an RFID carton, the steps comprising:

conveying a stream of carton blanks having opposing surfaces, at least some of the carton blanks having second antennas spaced at a second repeat;

conveying a web of kernel inlays having first antennas spaced on a first repeat,

sensing the first repeat and separating individual kernel inlays between the first antenna patterns,

sensing the second repeat,

applying a separated kernel inlay to a predetermined position on a surface of each carton blank at the second repeat and in operative electromagnetic communication with an associated second antenna.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising applying a kernel inlay on the same surface of each carton blank as the second antenna.

9. The method of claim 7 including applying the kernel inlay on a surface of the carton blank opposing the surface to which said second antenna is applied.

10. A method of making an RFID article from label stock including label facestock having opposing surfaces and a release liner, said method comprising;

unwinding the label facestock from a source roll;

forming a plurality of second antennas on a first surface of said label stock in a first repeat;

thereafter delaminating the label facestock from the release liner;

thereafter applying individual active kernels, each including a microchip and a first antenna to a surface of said label stock in predetermined relation with an associated second antenna;

thereafter recombining said facestock and said release liner.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of forming a plurality of second antennas comprises printing a series of second antennas on a first surface of said label stock.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of applying active kernels comprises applying the active kernels to an opposing side of said label stock.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the opposing side of said label stock is coated with adhesive.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising applying adhesive to said active kernels before applying them to the label stock.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein each active kernel includes a base layer of poly film carrying said microchip and a metallic loop antenna.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of applying said active kernels include overlying each formed second antenna with an active kernel.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of applying active kernels comprising contacting an adhesive coated surface of said label facestock with said active kernels.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of applying glue to an exposed surface of said active kernel after applying said active kernel to said adhesive coated surface of said label facestock.

19. A method of making RFID items such as tickets or cartons in a continuous, in-line process, comprising:

conveying a first web having a plurality of kernel inlays earned on a surface of the first web, each kernel inlay including an electronic chip electrically coupled to a first antenna;

dividing the first web into individual sections each including a kernel inlay;

conveying a plurality of stock items each having first and second opposing surfaces, at repeat R, in sequence along a path, one side of each article bearing a second antenna;

sensing a positioning indicia of each item and applying a kernel inlay having a pitch, P, to one side of said stock items in sequence and at a distance D from said positioning indicia, thereby to locate each kernel inlay at a predetermined position on a stock item and in operative electromagnetic communication with an associated second antenna.

20. The method of claim 20 wherein the repeat R is substantially constant for each item.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the dimension D is substantially constant for each item.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the pitch P of each kernel inlay is substantially constant.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein said kernel inlays are supplied on a web, and including the step of separating said kernel inlays on a carrier belt at a predetermined repeat for placement on an associated stock item at a desired location in relation to an associated second antenna.