RFID ANTENNA-BATTERY ASSEMBLY AND THE METHOD TO MAKE THE SAME

• US 20090038746A1
• Filed: 04/24/2006
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Spark Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Blue Spark Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Tucholski, Gary R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,722,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/238
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0702 the arrangement including a battery
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07718 the record carrier being manufactured in a continuous process, e.g. using endless rolls
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 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: H01M 10/0436 Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/0495 Nanobatteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/40 Printed batteries , e.g. thin film batteries
• 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 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: H05K 1/0393 Flexible materials H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/16 incorporating printed electric components, e.g. printed resistor, capacitor, inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1545 Continuous processing, i.e. involving rolls moving a band-like or solid carrier along a continuous production path
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Printed electronics are increasingly becoming an important industry, thus innovations to integrate the various components and processes would be very useful to expand this industry. Disclosed are innovational concepts that would be very useful to accelerate this industry. Webs of printed electronics, antennas, power sources (cells/batteries), and assembly substrates can be merged together to form a completed electronic assembly that could be, for example, in label form or in a stand alone electronic device.

Claims

1. An electrical device comprising:

an electrical apparatus including;

an apparatus substrate having a first side and a second side,

an electrical component provided on said first side of said apparatus substrate,

a first electrical contact electrically connected to said electrical component and provided on said second side of said apparatus substrate, and

a second electrical contact electrically connected to said electrical component and provided on said second side of said apparatus substrate;

a flat battery including at least one electrochemical cell, said battery having a first side and a second side, with said first side of said battery fixedly connected to said second side of said apparatus substrate, wherein said battery is for providing electrical energy to said electrical apparatus, said battery including;

a first electrode contact connected to said first electrical contact, and

a second electrode contact connected to said second electrical contact;

a flexible substrate; and

an adhesive for mounting said second side of said battery to said flexible substrate.

2. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein said flat battery is comprised of at least two electrochemical cells connected in series.

3. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein said flat battery includes at least one electrochemical cell having a printed electrochemical layer including a first dried or cured ink, said printed electrochemical layer being printed on a collector layer including a second dried or cured ink, said collector layer being printed on a substrate layer.

4. The electrical device of claim 3, wherein said substrate layer is comprised of a plurality of layers laminated together.

5. The electrical device of claim 3, further comprising an additional electrochemical layer adjacent to said printed electrochemical layer, wherein both said printed electrochemical layer and said additional electrochemical layer are each at least partially covered by an electrolyte layer in contact with both said printed electrochemical layer and said additional electrochemical layer.

6. The electrical device of claim 5, wherein said additional electrochemical layer is a strip including zinc that is laminated to said substrate layer.

7. The electrical device of claim 6, wherein said electrical component includes an RFID antenna.

8. The electrical device of claim 7, wherein said flexible substrate includes an adhesive on an outer layer such that said electrical device can be applied to a surface as a label using said adhesive.

9. A roll including a plurality of the electrical devices as defined in claim 8, wherein said plurality of said electrical devices are provided with said flexible substrate of each of said devices connected together in a linear web that are formed into said roll.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said battery is fixedly connected to said second side of said apparatus substrate using an adhesive.

11. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein said electrical component includes an RFID antenna.

12. The electrical device of claim 11, wherein said device substrate includes an adhesive on an outer layer such that said electrical device can be applied to a surface as a label using said adhesive.

13. A roll including a plurality of the electrical devices as defined in claim 12, wherein said plurality of electrical devices are provided with said flexible substrate of each of said devices connected together in a linear web that are formed into said roll.

14. A device having one of said electrical devices removed from the roll of claim 13 applied thereon.

15. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein one or both of:

said first electrode contact is connected to said first electrical contact via a conducting adhesive; and

said second electrode contact is connected to said second electrical contact via a conducting adhesive.

16. A roll including a plurality of the electrical devices as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of electrical devices are provided with said flexible substrate of each of said devices connected together in a linear web that are formed into said roll.

17. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein said flat battery is comprised of a single electrochemical cell.

18. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein said flat battery is comprised of at least two electrochemical cells connected in parallel.

19. A roll comprising a plurality of electrical devices provided on a flexible substrate, each of said electrical devices further comprising:

an electrical apparatus including;

an apparatus substrate,

an electrical component provided on said apparatus substrate layer,

a first electrical contact electrically connected to said electrical component, and

a second electrical contact electrically connected to said electrical component;

a flat battery including at least one electrochemical cell for providing electrical energy to said electrical apparatus, said flat battery including;

a first electrode contact connected to said first electrical contact, and

a second electrode contact connected to said second electrical contact, wherein

said electrical apparatus and said flat battery are connected together to form said electrical device;

and

a flexible substrate;

wherein

said plurality of electrical devices are distributed on said flexible substrate in a manner which allows said flexible substrate with said electrical devices to be formed into said roll such that said roll can be unwound to provide access to each of said plurality of electrical devices.

20. The roll of claim 19, wherein

said apparatus substrate has a first side and a second side, and wherein

said electrical component is provided on said first side of said apparatus substrate layer, and

said first electrical contact and said second electrical contact are provided on said second side of said apparatus substrate layer,

and further wherein

said flat battery is mounted on said second side.

21. The roll of claim 20 wherein, for each of said electrical apparatuses, one or both of:

said first electrode contact is connected to said first electrical contact via a conducting adhesive; and

said second electrode contact is connected to said second electrical contact via a conducting adhesive.

22. The roll of claim 19, wherein, for each of said electrical apparatuses, one or both of:

said first electrode contact is connected to said first electrical contact via a conducting adhesive; and

said second electrode contact is connected to said second electrical contact via a conducting adhesive.

23. The roll of claim 19, wherein said electrical devices are distributed on a first layer of said flexible substrate, and wherein said flexible substrate includes an adhesive on a second surface such that each of said electrical devices can be applied to another device as a label using said adhesive.

24. The roll of claim 23, wherein each of said electrical devices is distributed linearly along said flexible substrate with a perforation through said flexible substrate between any two of said electrical devices, such that said electrical devices can be removed from said roll by breaking said flexible substrate at said perforations.

25. The roll of claim 24, wherein said adhesive is covered by a release liner that is removed for applying said label to said another device.

26. The roll of claim 25, wherein said electrical component includes an RFID antenna.

27. The another device having one of said electrical devices of claim 26 applied thereon.

28. Another device having one of said electrical devices removed from the roll of claim 19 applied thereon.

29. The roll of claim 19, wherein said electrical component includes an RFID antenna.

30. The roll of claim 19, wherein said battery is comprised of a plurality of electrochemical cells connected together.

31. The roll of claim 19, wherein said battery is comprised of a plurality of electrochemical cells connected in series.

32. The electrical device of claim 19, wherein said electrochemical cell having a printed electrochemical layer including a first dried or cured ink, said printed electrochemical layer being printed on a collector layer including a second dried or cured ink, said collector layer being printed on a substrate layer.

33. The electrical device of claim 32, further comprising an additional electrochemical layer adjacent to said printed electrochemical layer, wherein both said printed electrochemical layer and said additional electrochemical layer are each at least partially covered by an electrolyte layer in contact with both said printed electrochemical layer and said additional electrochemical layer.

34. The electrical device of claim 33, wherein said additional electrochemical layer is a strip including zinc that is laminated to said substrate layer.

35. The roll of claim 19, wherein said battery is comprised of a plurality of electrochemical cells connected in parallel.

36. The roll of claim 19, wherein said battery is comprised of a single electrochemical cell.

37. A roll comprising a plurality of electrical devices provided on a flexible substrate, each of said electrical devices further comprising:

an electrical apparatus including;

an apparatus substrate having a first side and a second side,

an electrical component provided on said first side of said apparatus substrate layer,

a first electrical contact provided on said second side of said apparatus substrate, said first electrical contact being electrically connected to said electrical component, and

a second electrical contact provided on said second side of said apparatus substrate, said second electrical contact being electrically connected to said electrical component;

a flat, flexible battery fixedly mounted on said second side of said apparatus substrate using an adhesive to discretely form said electrical device, said battery for providing electrical energy to said electrical apparatus, said flat battery comprising at least one electrochemical cell including;

a first electrochemical layer including an ink, and

a second electrochemical layer;

wherein said battery further comprises;

a first electrode contact connected to said electrochemical layer and said first electrical contact, and

a second electrode contact connected to said second electrical contact;

and

a flexible substrate having an adhesive on a first side and an adhesive covered with a release liner on a second side;

wherein

said plurality of electrical devices are fixedly distributed on said first side of said flexible substrate using said adhesive, said distribution being in a linear manner one after another and allowing said flexible substrate with said electrical devices to be formed into said roll such that said roll can be unwound to provide access to each of said plurality of electrical devices in turn.

38. A method of manufacturing a roll of a plurality of electrical devices, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a roll of a plurality of electrical apparatuses each provided on a first side of a first web acting as a substrate of said electrical apparatuses, said first web having said first side and a second side;

providing a roll of a plurality of flat cells each provided on a first side of a second web acting as a substrate of said cells;

providing a roll of a third web of a flexible substrate having a first surface with an adhesive layer thereon;

integrating each one of said electrical apparatuses with a corresponding at least one of said cells to form one of said electrical devices, said integrating including the steps of;

unwinding said roll of electrical apparatuses, while also

unwinding said roll of cells, and while also

unwinding said roll of flexible substrate;

for each one of said electrical apparatuses unwound from said roll of electrical apparatuses, fixedly mounting said one of said electrical apparatuses to a corresponding at least one of said cells unwound from said roll of cells, such that said one of said electrical apparatus is electrically connected to said corresponding at least one of said cells to form one of said electrical devices, and thereby forming said plurality of electrical devices;

fixing each one of said plurality of electrical devices onto said third web, said fixing including the step of fixedly mounting each of said cells on said roll of flexible substrate using said adhesive layer; and

winding said third web having said electrical devices mounted thereon into a roll, thereby forming said roll of electrical devices.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein said step of fixedly mounting each of said cells on said roll of flexible substrate is performed prior to the step of integrating each one of said electrical apparatuses with a corresponding at least one of said cells.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein said first web is not severed during said integrating step, and wherein said second web is not severed during said fixing step.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising the step of forming a perforation through said third web between every adjacent two of said electrical devices prior to said step of winding said third web.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein said adhesive layer is covered by a release liner that is removed prior to said step of fixedly mounting each of said cells on said roll of flexible substrate.

43. The method of claim 38, further comprising the step of forming a perforation through said third web between every adjacent two of said electrical devices prior to said step of winding said third web.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein said flexible substrate has an adhesive covered with a release liner on a second surface of said flexible substrate.

45. The method of claim 38, wherein each of said flat cells has a printed electrochemical layer including a first dried or cured ink, said printed electrochemical layer being printed on a collector layer including a second dried or cured ink, said collector layer being printed on a substrate layer.

46. The method of claim 45, each of said flat cells further comprising an additional electrochemical layer adjacent to said printed electrochemical layer, wherein both said printed electrochemical layer and said additional electrochemical layer are each at least partially covered by an electrolyte layer in contact with both said printed electrochemical layer and said additional electrochemical layer.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein said additional electrochemical layer is a strip including zinc that is laminated to said substrate layer.

48. The method of claim 38, wherein

for each of said apparatuses, said first electrical contact is provided on said second side of said first substrate and said second electrical contact is provided on said second side of said first substrate;

and wherein

each of said electrical apparatuses is electrically connected to said at least one corresponding cell by connecting at least one of said electrical contacts to at least one of said electrode contacts of said corresponding cell using a conducting adhesive.

49. The method of claim 38, wherein each of said electrical devices includes a battery comprising at least two of said electrochemical cells connected together in series.

50. The method of claim 38, further providing the steps of:

providing another roll of said plurality of flat cells;

unwinding said another roll of said plurality of flat cells; and

also integrating each one of said electrical apparatuses with a corresponding at least one of said cells from said another roll of cells to form said one of said electrical devices.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein said step of also integrating occurs simultaneously with said step of integrating, and wherein each one of said at least one cell from said from said another roll of cells is connected in series with said at least one cell from said roll of cells.

52. One of said electrical devices manufactured according to the process of claim 38.

53. The method of claim 38, wherein each of said electrical devices includes a battery comprising at least two of said electrochemical cells connected together in parallel.

54. The method of claim 38, wherein each of said electrical devices includes a battery comprising a single electrochemical cell.