Fixture to mount a miniature proximity transponder to another article

• US 6,592,043 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2002
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rick A. Britton
• Original Assignee: Rick A. Britton
• Inventors: Britton, Rick A.
• Primary Examiner(s): St. Cyr, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US10/151,468
• Time in Patent Office: 423 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/486, 235/487, 235/488, 235/451, 156/89.12
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/027 the material being suitable for use as a textile, e.g. woven-based RFID-like labels designed for attachment to laundry items markings attached to laundry items in general D06F93/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/04 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0776 the adhering arrangement being a layer of adhesive, so that the record carrier can function as a sticker

Abstract

A fixture for a miniature thin-profile RFID proximity transponder has cap and a planar base, both produced from thin flexible plastic sheet stock. The cap is formed with an inset center that is bounded by a relatively planar, relatively floppy brim that is bounded by a spaced outer edge. The inset center is shaped and inset to define an open cavity to closely accommodate the transponder. The planar base is about the same size as a planar surface containing the cap'"'"'s outer edge for closing the open cavity. An ultrasonically welded seam is utilized to join the cap'"'"'s brim to a matching portion of the base in order to form thereby a relatively floppy brim composite with the transponder is situated in the closed cavity in a close fit. Adhesive on the base'"'"'s exterior side allows adhesive attachment of the combination fixture and transponder to another article.

Claims

1. A combination fixture and miniature RFID proximity transponder comprising:

a miniature RFID proximity transponder having a thin profile bounded by a peripheral edge that spaces opposed sides, one of which is adapted for resting stably on a flat surface;

a fixture comprising a cap and a planar base, both produced from flexible plastic sheet stock;

wherein said cap has interior and exterior sides and which relative to the exterior side is formed with an embossed center, wherein said center is bounded by a planar rim that is bounded by an outer edge and wherein said center is shaped and inset to define an open cavity to closely fit around the miniature RFID proximity transponder'"'"'s other side and peripheral edge such that the transponder'"'"'s one side generally aligns coplanar with the cap'"'"'s planar rim;

wherein said planar base has adjacent and subadjacent sides bounded by an outer edge sized substantially matching the cap'"'"'s outer edge for closing the open cavity;

at least a partial coating layer of adhesive on the base'"'"'s subadjacent side; and

,

an ultrasonically welded seam joining the planar rim portion of the cap'"'"'s interior side with a matching portion of the base'"'"'s adjacent side to form an ultrasonically-welded rim assembly whereby said transponder is situated in the closed cavity to thereby encase the transponder therein in such a close fitting closed cavity, said adhesive on the base'"'"'s subadjacent side allowing adhesive attachment of the combination fixture and transponder to another article.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein:

the combined elevational thickness of the ultrasonically-welded rim assembly comprising the adhesive layer and thickness of the stock material used in the cap and base is less than the greatest elevational thickness of the transponder in order to provide a relatively thin outer edge for the ultrasonically-welded rim assembly and thereby increase survivability of the combination from being scraped off the other article.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the ultrasonically-welded rim assembly comprising the adhesive layer and the flexible stock material used in the cap and base is cooperatively flexible as an assembly, which allows attachment of said combination to flexible articles and thereby allowing the rim assembly to flex with flexion of a given other, flexible article which further increases the survivability of the fixture from being scraped off said given other article.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the ultrasonically-welded rim assembly comprising the adhesive layer and the flexible stock material used in the cap and base is cooperatively flexible as an assembly, which allows attachment of said combination to flexible articles and thereby allowing the rim assembly to flex with flexion of a given other, flexible article which further increases the survivability of the fixture from being scraped off said given other article.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the cap and base are produced from polycarbonate stock.

6. A combination fixture and miniature RFID proximity transponder comprising:

a miniature RFID proximity transponder having a thin profile bounded by a peripheral edge that spaces opposed sides including a basal side which is adapted for resting stably on a flat surface and a crown side having various elevational features;

a fixture comprising a cap and a planar base, both produced from flexible plastic sheet stock;

wherein said cap has interior and exterior sides and is formed with a recessed center, wherein said center is bounded by a planar brim that is bounded by a spaced outer edge and wherein said center is shaped and inset to define an open recess to closely accommodate the transponder'"'"'s crown side as well as the peripheral edge except with some elevational distortion in the recessed center when the transponder'"'"'s basal side is generally aligned coplanar with the cap'"'"'s planar brim;

wherein said planar base has adjacent and subadjacent sides bounded by an outer edge sized substantially matching the cap'"'"'s outer edge for closing the open recess;

at least a partial coating layer of adhesive on the base'"'"'s subadjacent side; and

,

an ultrasonically welded seam joining the planar brim portion of the cap'"'"'s interior side with a matching portion of the base'"'"'s adjacent side in an ultrasonically-welded brim composite whereby said transponder is situated in the closed recess in a close fit allowing some elevational distortion in the cap'"'"'s center, said adhesive on the base'"'"'s subadjacent side allowing adhesive attachment of the combination fixture and transponder to another article.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein the recessed center comprises a low-profile disc shape.

8. The combination of claim 6, wherein the recessed center comprises progressive tiers of low-profile disc shapes of progressively smaller outside diameters.

9. The combination of claim 6, wherein:

the combined elevational thickness of the ultrasonically-welded brim composite comprising the adhesive layer and thickness of the stock material used in the cap and base is less than the greatest elevational thickness of the transponder in order to provide a relatively thin outer edge for the ultrasonically-welded brim composite and thereby increase survivability of the combination fixture and transponder from being scraped off the other article.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein the ultrasonically-welded brim composite comprising the adhesive layer and the flexible stock material used in the cap and base is cooperatively flexible as a composite, which allows attachment of said combination fixture and transponder to flexible articles and thereby allowing the brim composite to flex with flexion of a given other, flexible article, which further increases the survivability of the combination fixture and transponder from being scraped off said given other article.

11. The combination of claim 6 wherein the ultrasonically-welded brim composite comprising the adhesive layer and the flexible stock material used in the cap and base is cooperatively flexible as a composite, which allows attachment of said combination fixture and transponder to flexible articles and thereby allowing the brim composite to flex with flexion of a given other, flexible article, which further increases the survivability of the combination fixture and transponder from being scraped off said given other article.

12. The combination of claim 6 wherein the cap and base are produced from polycarbonate stock.

13. A combination soft patch composite and miniature RFID proximity transponder comprising:

a miniature RFID proximity transponder having a thin profile bounded by a peripheral edge that spaces opposed sides including a basal side which is adapted for resting stably on a flat surface and a crown side optionally having various elevational features;

a soft patch composite comprising a cap and a planar base, both produced from thin flexible plastic sheet stock;

wherein said cap has interior and exterior sides and is formed with a inset center, wherein said center is bounded by a relatively planar, relatively floppy brim that is bounded by a spaced outer edge and wherein said center is shaped and inset to define an open cavity to closely accommodate the transponder'"'"'s crown side as well as the peripheral edge and while yielding to allow some elevational distortion with the inset center when the transponder'"'"'s basal side is generally aligned coplanar with the cap'"'"'s relatively planar brim if the transponder'"'"'s crown side has certain, distortion-producing elevational features;

wherein said planar base has adjacent and subadjacent sides bounded by an outer edge sized substantially matching the cap'"'"'s outer edge for closing the open cavity;

at least a partial coating layer of adhesive on the base'"'"'s subadjacent side; and

,

an ultrasonically welded seam joining the relatively planar brim portion of the cap'"'"'s interior side with a matching portion of the base'"'"'s adjacent side in an ultrasonically-welded relatively planar, relatively floppy brim composite whereby said transponder is situated in the closed cavity in such a close fit that allows some elevational distortion with the inset center if the transponder'"'"'s crown side has certain, distortion-producing elevational features, said adhesive on the base'"'"'s subadjacent side allowing adhesive attachment of the combination soft patch composite and transponder to another article.

14. The combination of claim 13, wherein the inset center comprises a low-profile disc shape.

15. The combination of claim 13, wherein the inset center comprises progressive tiers of low-profile disc shapes of progressively smaller outside diameters.

16. The combination of claim 13, wherein:

the combined elevational thickness of the ultrasonically-welded brim composite comprising the adhesive layer and thickness of the stock material used in the cap and base is less than the greatest elevational thickness of the transponder in order to provide a relatively thin outer edge for the ultrasonically-welded brim composite and thereby increase survivability of the combination soft patch composite and transponder from being scraped off the other article.

17. The combination of claim 16 wherein the ultrasonically-welded brim composite comprising the adhesive layer and the flexible stock material used in the cap and base is relatively floppy as a composite, which allows attachment of said combination soft patch composite and transponder to flexible articles and thereby allowing the brim composite to flex with flexion of a given other, flexible article, which further increases the survivability of the combination soft patch composite and transponder from being scraped off said given other article.

18. The combination of claim 13 wherein the ultrasonically-welded brim composite comprising the adhesive layer and the flexible stock material used in the cap and base is relatively floppy as a composite, which allows attachment of said combination soft patch composite and transponder to flexible articles and thereby allowing the brim composite to flex with flexion of a given other, flexible article, which further increases the survivability of the combination soft patch composite and transponder from being scraped off said given other article.

19. The combination of claim 18 wherein the transponder has a construction that while is relatively stiffer to flexion than the relatively floppy brim composite nevertheless allows limited flexion, which further accommodates attachment of said combination soft patch composite and transponder to flexible articles and thereby allows said soft patch composite and transponder in combination to flex with flexion of the given other, flexible article, which promotes even better survivability of the combination soft patch composite and transponder from being scraped off said given other article.

20. The combination of claim 13 wherein the cap and base are produced from polycarbonate stock.