Article with retroreflective and radio frequency-responsive features

• US 6,894,615 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2001
• Issued: 05/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Look, Thomas F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US09/974,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20030067389A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/693.5, 340/933, 340/941, 343/741, 343/866, 343/892, 343/711, 343/713
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0776 the adhering arrangement being a layer of adhesive, so that the record carrier can function as a sticker
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/16 the marking being a hologram or diffraction grating

Abstract

The present disclosure includes a system that provides visual and electronic information in a readily identifiable system. For example, the present disclosure is directed to a combination tag, suitable for use as a vehicle identification window sticker. The combination tag includes a retroreflective article having an optical surface and a radio frequency responsive element. The radio frequency-responsive element includes an antenna and an integrated circuit. The radio frequency-responsive element has information storage and transmission capabilities adapted to enable an interrogation system to obtain information from the radio frequency-responsive element. The radio frequency-responsive element is operably coupled to the retroreflective article.

Claims

1. A vehicle identification window sticker comprising:

a retroreflective article having an optical surface; and

a radio frequency-responsive element attached to the retroreflective article, wherein the radio frequency-responsive element comprises an antenna and an integrated circuit, wherein the radio frequency-responsive element has information storage and transmission capabilities adapted to enable an interrogation system to obtain information from the radio frequency-responsive element, wherein the radio frequency-responsive element comprises an exposed surface and an adhesive disposed on the exposed surface, the adhesive having an adhesive strength sufficient to tear the radio frequency-responsive element when the vehicle identification window sticker is adhered to a vehicle window by the adhesive and subsequently removed from the vehicle window.

2. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 1, wherein the exposed surface faces in the same direction as the optical surface and the adhesive is disposed on the optical surface and the exposed surface.

3. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 2, wherein the exposed surface has disposed thereon a plurality of adhesives to adhere the vehicle identification window sticker to the vehicle window including a first pressure sensitive adhesive having a fist adhesion value and a second pressure sensitive adhesive having a second adhesion value greater than the first adhesion value, and further wherein the second adhesion value of the second pressure sensitive adhesive has a strength sufficient to tear the antenna when the vehicle identification window sticker is subsequently removed from the vehicle window.

4. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 3, wherein the first and second pressure sensitive adhesives are disposed directly on the antenna.

5. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 2 having a release agent selectively disposed on at least one of the adhesive and the antenna.

6. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 1, wherein the retroreflective article is a non-metallized cube corner article and the radio frequency-responsive element is attached to the optical surface.

7. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 1, wherein the retroreflective article includes a metallized portion, and wherein the radio frequency-responsive element is attached beside the metallized portion.

8. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 7, wherein the retroreflective article further includes a substrate, and wherein the retroreflective article and the radio frequency-responsive element are attached to the substrate such that the retroreflective article is spaced apart from the radio frequency-responsive element.

9. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 7, wherein the retroreflective article includes one of a metallized cube corner article or a microsphere type article.

10. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 1, wherein the retroreflective article includes printed indicia on the top surface.

11. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 10, wherein the printed indicia includes a non-metallized ink.

12. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency-responsive element includes printed indicia thereon.

13. A vehicle identification window sticker comprising:

a retroreflective article having an optical surface; and

a radio frequency-responsive element attached to the retroreflective article, wherein the radio frequency-responsive element comprises an antenna and an integrated circuit, wherein the radio frequency-responsive element has information storage and transmission capabilities adapted to enable an interrogation system to obtain information from the radio frequency-responsive element, wherein the radio frequency-responsive element comprises an exposed surface and an adhesive disposed on the exposed surface to attach the vehicle identification window sticker to a vehicle window, and wherein the adhesive comprises a first adhesive having a first adhesion value and a second adhesive having a second adhesion value that is greater than the first adhesion value and of sufficient strength to tear the radio frequency-responsive element when the vehicle identification window sticker is removed from the vehicle window.

14. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 13, wherein the first adhesive is a first pressure sensitive adhesive and the second adhesive is a second pressure sensitive adhesive.

15. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 14, wherein the first and second pressure sensitive adhesives are disposed directly on the antenna.

16. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 13, wherein the radio frequency-responsive element includes an exposed surface facing in the same direction as the optical surface.

17. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 13 further comprising a release agent selectively disposed on at least one of the adhesive and the antenna.

18. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 13, wherein the retroreflective article is a non-metallized cube corner article and the radio frequency-responsive element is attached to the optical surface.

19. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 13, wherein the retroreflective article includes a metallized portion, and wherein the radio frequency-responsive element is attached beside the metallized portion.

20. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 19, wherein the retroreflective article further includes a substrate, and wherein the retroreflective article and the radio frequency-responsive element are attached to the substrate such that the retroreflective article is spaced apart from the radio frequency-responsive element.

21. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 19, wherein the retroreflective article includes one of a metallized cube corner article or a microsphere type article.

22. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 13, wherein the retroreflective article includes printed indicia an the top surface.

23. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 22, wherein the printed indicia includes a non-metallized ink.

24. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 13, wherein the radio frequency-responsive element includes printed indicia thereon.

25. A vehicle identification window sticker comprising:

a retroreflective article having an optical surface and printed information; and

a radio frequency-responsive element attached to the retroreflective article, wherein the radio frequency-responsive element comprises an antenna and an integrated circuit, wherein the radio frequency-responsive element has information storage and transmission capabilities adapted to enable an interrogation system to obtain information from the radio frequency-responsive element, wherein the radio frequency-responsive element includes information associated with the printed information on the retroreflective article, and comprises an adhesive disposed directly on the antenna to adhere the vehicle identification window sticker to a vehicle window and having a strength sufficient to tear the antenna when the vehicle identification window sticker is subsequently removed from the vehicle window.

26. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 25, wherein the adhesive comprises a first adhesive having a first adhesion value and a second adhesive having a second adhesion value greater than the first adhesion value.

27. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 26, wherein the first adhesive is a first pressure sensitive adhesive and the second adhesive is a second pressure sensitive adhesive.

28. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 27, wherein the first and second pressure sensitive adhesives are disposed directly on the antenna.

29. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 25, wherein the radio frequency-responsive element includes an exposed surface facing in the same direction as the optical surface.

30. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 25, wherein the radio frequency-responsive element comprises an exposed surface and an adhesive disposed on the exposed surface, and wherein when the vehicle identification window sticker is adhered to a vehicle window by the adhesive and subsequently removed from the a vehicle window, the radio frequency-responsive element will become torn.

31. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 30 further comprising a release agent selectively disposed on at least one of the adhesive and the antenna.

32. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 25, wherein the retroreflective article is a non-metallized cube corner article and the radio frequency-responsive element is attached to the optical surface.

33. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 25, wherein the retroreflective article includes a metallized portion, and wherein the radio frequency-responsive element is attached beside the metallized portion.

34. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 33, wherein the retroreflective article further includes a substrate, and wherein the retroreflective article and the radio frequency-responsive element are attached to the substrate such that the retroreflective article is spaced apart from the radio frequency-responsive element.

35. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 33, wherein the retroreflective article includes one of a metallized cube corner article or a microsphere type article.

36. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 25, wherein the retroreflective article includes printed indicia on the top surface.

37. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 36, wherein the printed indicia includes a non-metallized ink.

38. The vehicle identification window sticker of claim 25, wherein the radio frequency responsive element includes printed indicia thereon.