Smart label web and a method for its manufacture

• US 7,244,332 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2003
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SMARTRAC Investment B.V. (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rafsec Oy
• Inventors: Hanhikorpi, Marko, Stromberg, Samuli
• Primary Examiner(s): CRISPINO, RICHARD D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schatz; Christopher T.
• Application Number:
  US10/444,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20040004295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 156/261, 156/256, 156/301, 156/302, 156/303, 340/568.7
• US Class Current: 156/301
• 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: Y10T 156/1095 Opposed laminae are running length webs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1097 Lamina is running length web
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1098 Feeding of discrete laminae from separate sources

Abstract

The Invention relates to a method for the manufacture of a smart label web. The smart label web comprises smart labels placed one after another and/or side by side and comprising a circuitry pattern and an integrated circuit on a chip therein. In the method, an electrical contact is formed between the integrated circuit on a chip and the circuitry pattern of the smart label in the smart label web in such a way that a structural part separated from a separate carrier web and comprising an integrated circuit on a chip is attached to the smart label. The structural part contains a thermoplastic material whereby it is attached to the smart label.

Claims

1. A method for the manufacture of a smart label web which comprises smart labels one after another, the smart labels comprising a circuitry pattern and an integrated circuit on a chip attached to the circuitry pattern, the method comprising:

providing a thermoplastic anisotropic conductive film;

providing a base web which has at least one side with a conductive coating for electrical contact;

laminating the thermoplastic anisotropic conductive film to the conductive coating on the base web to provide a multilayered film;

affixing the chip with the integrated circuit on the thermoplastic anisotropic conductive film by heating the film and pressing the chip onto the heated film to provide a structural part web;

cutting the structural part web into individual structural parts;

providing a label web which comprises labels one after the other, the labels including at least one circuitry pattern;

placing a structural part which has been cut from the structural part web onto a label on the label web so that the thermoplastic film overlies the chip and the chip lies between the thermoplastic film and the label to provide a laminate; and

heating the laminate to affix the structural part to the label and to provide an electrical connection between the chip and the circuitry pattern and to provide a smart label web.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises subjecting the laminate to pressure during the heating to affix the structural part to the smart label.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the laminate is subjected heat and pressure either simultaneously or in successive steps.

4. A method for the manufacture of a smart label web which comprises smart labels one after another, the smart labels comprising a circuitry pattern and an integrated circuit on a chip attached to the circuitry pattern, the method comprising:

laminating a thermoplastic anisotropic conductive film and a polymeric base web film to provide a carrier web with at least two layers which include a base web layer laminated with a thermoplastic conductive film layer, the base web including electrically conductive contacts which include an electrically conductive coating;

placing the chip onto the surface of the conductive thermoplastic film layer;

affixing the chip with the integrated circuit on the thermoplastic anisotropic conductive film layer by heating the film and pressing the chip onto the heated film to provide a structural part web;

cutting the structural part web into individual structural parts;

providing a label web which comprises labels one after the other, the labels including at least one circuitry pattern;

placing a structural part which has been cut from the structural part web onto a label on the label web so that the thermoplastic film overlies the chip and the chip lies between the thermoplastic film and the label to provide a laminate; and

heating the laminate to affix the structural part to the label with the thermoplastic conductive film layer so that substantially all of the surface of the conductive thermoplastic film layer is attached to the label and to provide an electrical connection between the chip and the circuitry pattern and to provide a smart label web.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the laminate and structural part label are heated under pressure which pressure is formed in a nip which has at least one resilient contact surface.

6. The method according to claim 4 wherein the laminate and structural part label are heated under pressure which pressure is formed in a nip which has at least one resilient contact surface.

7. The method according to claim 4 wherein the label web is selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, polyolefin, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, and acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene copolymer.

8. The method according to claim 4 wherein the thermoplastic film is selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyether amide and mixtures thereof.

9. The method according to claim 4 wherein polymeric base web film is selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, polyolefin, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, and acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene copolymer.

10. A method for the manufacture of a smart label web which comprises smart labels one after another, the smart labels comprising a circuitry pattern and an integrated circuit on a chip attached to the circuitry pattern, the method comprising:

laminating a non-conductive thermoplastic film and a polymeric base web film to provide a carrier web with at least two layers which include a base web layer laminated onto the thermoplastic film layer, the base web film including electrically conductive contacts which include an electrically conductive coating;

affixing the chip with the integrated circuit on the thermoplastic film by heating the film and pressing the chip onto the heated film to provide a structural part web;

cutting the structural part web into individual structural parts;

providing a label web which comprises labels one after the other, the labels including at least one circuitry pattern;

placing a structural part which has been cut from the structural part web onto a label on the label web so that the thermoplastic film overlies the chip and the chip lies between the thermoplastic film and the label to provide a laminate; and

heating the laminate to affix the structural part to the label with the thermoplastic film layer so that substantially all of the surface of the non-conductive thermoplastic film layer is attached to the label and to provide an electrical connection between bumps on the structural part or on the label.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the laminate and structural part label are heated under pressure which pressure is formed in a nip which has at least one resilient contact surface.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein the label web is selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, polyolefin, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, and acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene copolymer.

13. The method according to claim 10 wherein the thermoplastic film is selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyether amide and mixtures thereof.

14. The method according to claim 10 wherein polymeric base web film is selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, polyolefin, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, and acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene copolymer.