Method and Apparatus for Making A Radio Frequency Inlay

• US 20080150817A1
• Filed: 09/24/2007
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HID Global GmbH (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: HID Global GmbH (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: Carre, Lionel, Hasegan, Viroel-Marian, Lang, Ulrich, Finn, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,286,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/741
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 Integrated circuits
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/27 Spiral antennas
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49169 Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for making radio frequency (RF) inlays. The RF inlays include an integrated circuit and an antenna affixed to a substrate material carrying the integrated circuit. During processing, portions of the wire forming the antenna are located adjacent to, but not directly over the integrated circuit such that the wire may be subject to further processing, such as removing insulation without potentially damaging the integrated circuit. In the subsequent processing step, the wire ends are placed in contact with and secured to the integrated circuit terminal areas. Methods of the invention include forming loops with the wire ends wherein the loops extend above a plane of the substrate, and in another processing step, the loops are displaced to be electrically connected to the terminal areas. Methods also include repositioning the wire and using a brush or comb device.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a radio frequency inlay, said method comprising:

providing a substrate defining a substrate plane, and an integrated circuit positioned on said substrate or in a recess formed on said substrate, and a pair of terminal areas associated with said integrated circuit;

affixing a wire to said substrate to form an antenna, said affixing step including;

(i) affixing a first portion of said wire to said substrate laterally offset and spaced from one of said terminal areas and forming a first wire loop from a portion of said first portion of wire with said first wire loop extending above said plane of said substrate;

(ii) affixing a second portion of the wire to the substrate to form the windings of an antenna;

(iii) affixing a third portion of said wire to said substrate laterally offset and spaced from the other of said terminal areas and forming a second wire loop from a portion of said second portion of wire with said second wire loop extending above said plane of said substrate.

2. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

affixing said wire to said substrate comprises embedding said wire partially or fully into said substrate.

3. A method, as claimed in claim 1, further including the step of:

displacing the first and second wire loops such that a portion of said first loop is positioned over at least some portion of one of said pair of said terminal areas and a portion of said second wire loop is positioned over at least some portion of the other of said pair of terminal areas.

4. A method, as claimed in claim 3, further including the step of:

electrically bonding portions of said first and second wire loops to the corresponding terminal areas.

5. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wire is insulated, further including the step of:

treating portions of said first and second wire loops to remove insulation thereon thereby exposing a conductor of the underlying wire.

6. A method, as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

said treating step comprises applying a laser beam to said treated portions.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

positioning said wire loops, said laser and said terminal areas whereby operation of the laser removes insulation from said wire but said laser does not strike said terminal areas.

8. The method of claim 3, further wherein:

Said first and second wire loops are displaced by a mechanical device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

Said mechanical device is a brush or comb.

10. A method of manufacturing a radio frequency inlay, comprising:

placing a chip or chip module on the surface of a substrate or in a recess formed in a substrate, said chip or chip module including a terminal area;

forming a first loop of wire extending above the surface of the substrate, said first loop of wire formed at a location offset from but not directly over or in contact with said chip or chip module;

embedding a length of wire partially or completely in said substrate, said length of wire electrically connected to said first loop of wire;

moving said first loop of wire to a position directly over or in contact with said terminal area;

electrically connecting said first loop of wire to said terminal area.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

removing insulation from said first loop of wire prior to electrically connecting said first loop of wire to said terminal area.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

using a laser to remove said insulation.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

positioning said laser so that the laser light strikes a portion of said first loop of wire but does not strike said terminal area.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

forming a second loop of wire extending above the surface of the substrate, said second loop of wire formed at a location offset from but not directly over or in contact with a second terminal area associated with said chip or chip module.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

moving said second loop of wire to a position directly over or in contact with said second terminal area; and

electrically connecting said second loop of wire to said second terminal area.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

removing insulation from said second loop of wire prior to electrically connecting said second loop of wire to said second terminal area.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

forming said first loop of wire and said length of wire from a continuous length of wire.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

forming said first loop of wire, said second loop of wire and said length of wire from a continuous length of wire.

21. The method of claim 10, wherein moving said first loop of wire to a position directly over or in contact with said terminal area comprises engaging said first loop of wire with a movable arm.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the movable arm comprises a jaw assembly which engages said first loop of wire.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said jaw assembly comprises at least one notch and the first loop of wire is engaged by said at least one notch.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said jaw assembly comprises two notches spaced from each other such that the two notches do not contact the chip or chip module when moving said first loop of wire to a position directly over or in contact with said terminal area.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein said jaw assembly contacts said surface of said substrate in moving said first loop of wire to a position directly over or in contact with said terminal area.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said jaw assembly pivots when engaging or moving said first loop of wire.

27. The method of claim 15, moving said first and second loops of wire to a position directly over or in contact with said first and second terminal areas comprises engaging said first and second loops of wire with separate opposed arms and moving said arms towards each other.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising limiting the movement of the opposed arms with a stop apparatus.

19. A radio frequency device comprising:

a substrate defining a substrate plane, and an integrated circuit positioned on said substrate or in a recess formed on said substrate;

a pair of terminal areas associated with said integrated circuit and positioned adjacent thereto;

a wire affixed to said substrate to form an antenna, said wire comprising a first portion laterally offset and spaced from one of said terminal areas and a first wire loop formed from said first portion, a second portion of the wire embedded in said substrate to form windings of the antenna, and a third portion of said wire laterally offset and spaced from the other of said terminal areas and a second wire loop formed from said second portion.

20. A radio frequency inlay, as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

said first and second wire loops are positioned above said substrate.

29. An apparatus for manufacturing a radio frequency inlay device from a substrate, a chip or chip module having at least two terminal areas and wire, comprising:

a. A surface upon which at least one substrate is positioned;

b. A wire embedding tool comprising an ultrasonic element for affixing the wire to the substrate in a desired pattern and wire dispensing means for feeding wire to the ultrasonic element and to the substrate; and

c. A wire displacing tool for engaging and moving the wire previously positioned near the substrate by said wire embedding tool to a position directly over or in contact with the terminal area of the chip or chip module, the wire displacing tool comprising a pair of opposed movable supports, each support comprising a jaw assembly for engaging and moving the wire by movement of the supports.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a knife assembly for cutting the wire.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the jaw assemblies are pivotable relative to the supports.

32. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a stop member associated with each support to limit movement of the support.

33. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a laser for removing insulation from the wire.

34. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a bonding tool for bonding the wire to the terminal area of the chip or chip module, wherein the bonding head is movable relative to the substrate.

35. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the wire embedding tool and wire displacing tool are movable relative to the substrate.