HIGH-SPEED RFID CIRCUIT PLACEMENT METHOD AND DEVICE

• US 20100172737A1
• Filed: 01/11/2010
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services LLC (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Inventors: MUNN, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 8,020,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/798.300
• 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: G06K 19/07752 using an interposer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 Electromagnet, transformer or inductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49133 with component orienting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49137 Different components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5313 Means to assemble electrical device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53174 Means to fasten electrical component to wiring board, base, or substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53178 Chip component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53191 Means to apply vacuum directly to position or hold work part

Abstract

A high-speed process includes removing chips or interposers from a carrier web having a first pitch and transferring the chips or interposers to electrical components, such as RFID antenna structures, on a moving web having a second pitch. According to one method, a transfer drum transfers chips or interposers to a moving web of electrical components by picking a chip when the transfer drum is stationary, and transferring the chip to the moving web when the transfer drum is rotating such that a tangential velocity of the transfer drum is substantially equal to the linear velocity of the moving web. According to another method, a primary drum removes chips or interposers from a carrier web having a first pitch, and transfers the chips or interposers to a variably rotating secondary drum which then places the chips or interposers onto an electrical component on a moving web having a second pitch.

Claims

1. A placement device comprising:

at least one primary drum having at least one primary nozzle along a circumferential surface;

at least one secondary drum having at least one secondary nozzle along a circumferential surface;

at least one motor operatively coupled to at least one of the drums;

wherein peripheral speeds of the drums are substantially equal when an axis of one of the primary nozzles is aligned with an axis of one of the secondary nozzles,

wherein the at least one secondary drum rotates at a variable rate that is a function of whether an axis of a secondary nozzle is aligned with an axis of a primary nozzle; and

wherein, in rotation, the secondary drum rotates at a minimum speed when the axis of the secondary nozzle is aligned with the axis of the primary nozzle.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one primary drum includes a plurality of recesses around its periphery.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one primary drum includes a vacuum source coupled to the at least one primary nozzle.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the variable rotation rate of the secondary drum results in a peripheral speed of the secondary drum that is greater than the peripheral speed of the primary drum.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the variable rotation rate of the secondary drum results in a peripheral speed of the secondary drum that is less that the peripheral speed of the primary drum.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the variable rotation rate of the secondary drum results in a peripheral speed of the secondary drum that is equal to the peripheral speed of the primary drum.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the secondary drum includes three secondary nozzles disposed at 120 degree intervals around the outer edge of the secondary drum.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the secondary drum includes a vacuum source for temporarily securing the chip to the secondary drum.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the primary drum and secondary drum rotate in opposite directions in a common plane.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one motor device is an electric motor.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one motor device is a stepper motor.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the securing includes transferring the RFID circuit from a supply device to the primary drum.

13. A placement device comprising:

at least one primary rotary placement device having at least one primary nozzle along a circumferential surface;

at least one secondary rotary placement device having at least one secondary nozzle along a circumferential surface;

at least one motor operatively coupled to at least one of the rotary placement devices;

wherein peripheral speeds of the rotary placement devices are substantially equal when an axis of one of the primary nozzles is aligned with an axis of one of the secondary nozzles,

wherein the at least one secondary rotary placement device rotates at a variable rate that is a function of whether an axis of a secondary nozzle is aligned with an axis of a primary nozzle; and

wherein, in rotation, the secondary rotary placement device rotates at a minimum speed when the axis of the secondary nozzle is aligned with the axis of the primary nozzle.

14. A placement device, comprising;

a first rotary placement device having a circumferential surface;

a second rotary placement device having a circumferential surface;

a web transport mechanism for moving a circuit web having a plurality of circuits into contact with the surface of the first rotary placement device;

a singulator adjacent the circuit web for removing at least one of the plurality of circuits;

the first rotary placement device having a negative pressure on the surface to pick up the at least one of the plurality of circuits;

at least one motor for accelerating the first rotary placement device from a first speed to pick up the at least one of the plurality circuits to a second speed greater than the first speed to transfer the at least one of the plurality of circuits to the surface of the second rotary transport mechanism; and

the motor accelerating the second rotary placement device to a substantially equal speed as the first rotary transfer device to receive the at least one of the plurality of circuits on the surface of the second rotary placement device and then moving the second rotary placement device to a second speed to match an antenna web speed.

15. The placement device as recited in claim 14, wherein the first rotary placement device accelerates from a first speed to a second speed in at least the distance of 60°

of the circumferential surface.

16. The placement device as recited in claim 14, further including a vision inspection system to monitor transfer of the circuit.

17. The placement device as recited in claim 14, wherein the second rotary placement device contacts the antenna web to apply pressure fix the circuit to the antenna web.

18. The placement device as recited in claim 14, wherein the surface of the second rotary placement device has a negative pressure which is aligned with the negative pressure on the first rotary placement device during transfer of the at least one circuit.

19. The placement device as recited in claim 14, further including an RFID circuit supply for providing a plurality of circuits.

20. The placement device as recited in claim 14, wherein the singulator is selected from a group including a peel tip or cutter.

21. The placement device as recited in claim 14, wherein the circuit web has a first pitch and the antenna web has a second pitch different than the first pitch.