Device and method for encapsulation and mounting of RFID devices

• US 7,405,656 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2004
• Issued: 07/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Olsen, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham; Lam P
• Application Number:
  US10/972,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20050174241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.8, 340/572.9, 340/572.7, 235/491, 235/492, 235/385, 257/679, 257/787, 257/678, 257/790, 264/272.11, 264/272.12, 264/272.13, 264/272.14, 156/60, 156/61, 156/62.2, 296/00, 298/25
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• 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 19/0776 the adhering arrangement being a layer of adhesive, so that the record carrier can function as a sticker
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2437 Tag layered structure, processes for making layered tags
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

This invention involves encapsulating an RFID device in an encapsulating material by known encapsulating processes to form a domed, encapsulated RFID tag. The encapsulating material may be translucent or opaque, flexible or hard, and has minimal effect on transmission or reception of radio frequency (RF) signals. The invention further involves a stand-off bracket, composed of one or more materials that have minimal effect on transmission or reception of RF signals, for mounting an RFID device on or near materials that impede RF transmission and reception. The encapsulated RFID tag and stand-off bracket, separately, may have an adhesive or other attachment means on one of their surfaces so that they may be adhered or otherwise attached to another surface. In one application, an encapsulated RFID tag in the 860-928 MHz range is mounted on a stand-off bracket and may be used for tracking items to which it is attached.

Claims

1. A domed, encapsulated RFID tag comprising:

a substrate layer comprising a single continuous layer;

a RFID device layer comprising a single continuous layer and having a first side affixed to said substrate layer and a second side;

an art image layer comprising a pre-printed art image and having a first side affixed to said second side of said RFID device layer and a second side; and

a domed encapsulating material comprising a single continuous layer, said domed encapsulating material affixed to said second side of said art image layer to form a domed, encapsulated RFID tag;

wherein said substrate layer, RFID device layer, said art image layer, and said domed encapsulating material are unbroken layers.

2. The domed, encapsulated RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the art image layer is comprised of polyester.

3. The domed, encapsulated RFID tag of claim 1, wherein said substrate layer has a first side affixed to said RFID device layer and a second side, and further comprising an adhesive layer affixed to said second side of said substrate layer for adhering the domed, encapsulated RFID tag to a surface.

4. The domed, encapsulated RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the domed encapsulating material is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyester, and epoxy, and combinations thereof.

5. The domed, encapsulated RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the domed encapsulating material is translucent.

6. The domed, encapsulated RFID tag of claim 1, wherein a portion of said domed encapsulating material is opaque.

7. The domed, encapsulated RFID tag of claim 1, wherein said domed, encapsulated RFID tag is mounted on the mirror assembly of a vehicle.

8. The domed, encapsulated RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the domed, encapsulated RFID tag is used for the tracking of items to which the domed, encapsulated RFID tag is attached.

9. The domed, encapsulated RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the domed, encapsulated RFID tag is selected from the group consisting of a label, nametag, luggage tag, advertisement, key fob, emblem, automobile emblem, and decoration.

10. A domed, encapsulated RFID tag comprising:

an adhesive layer;

a RFID device layer comprising a single continuous layer and having a first side affixed to said adhesive layer and a second side;

an art image layer comprising a pre-printed art image and having a first side affixed to said second side of said RFID device layer and a second side; and

a domed encapsulating material comprising a single continuous layer and affixed to said second side of said art image layer, wherein said adhesive layer, RFID device layer, said art image layer, and said domed encapsulating material are unbroken layers.

11. The domed, encapsulated RFID tag of claim 10, wherein the adhesive layer is comprised of a 2-mil acrylic adhesive layer.

12. The domed, encapsulated RFID tag of claim 10, wherein the RFID device layer is comprised of an RFID transponder.

13. The domed, encapsulated RFID tag of claim 10, wherein the art image layer is comprised of a 2.4-mil polyester image substrate.

14. The domed, encapsulated RFID tag of claim 10, wherein the encapsulating material is translucent.

15. A domed, encapsulated RFID tag comprising:

an acrylic adhesive layer comprising a single continuous layer and having a first side and a second side;

a RFID device layer comprised of an RFID transponder comprising a single continuous layer and having a first side affixed to said first side of said adhesive layer, and a second side;

a polyester art image layer comprising a pre-printed art image comprising a single continuous layer and affixed to said second side of said RFID device layer; and

an encapsulating material comprising a single continuous layer, wherein said encapsulating material is translucent and affixed to the second side of the acrylic adhesive layer to encapsulate the RFID device layer and the polyester art image layer together to form a domed, encapsulated RFID tag wherein said acrylic adhesive layer, said RFID device layer, said polyester art image layer, and said encapsulating material are unbroken layers.

16. A method of encapsulating a RFID device layer, an art image layer, a substrate layer, and an adhesive layer to form a domed, encapsulated RFID tag, said method comprising the steps of:

substantially encapsulating the RFID device layer, the art image layer comprising a single continuous layer and having a pre-printed art image, the substrate layer comprising a single continuous layer, and the adhesive layer comprising a single continuous layer in a single continuous layer of domed encapsulating material, wherein said RFID device layer has a first side affixed to a second side of said substrate layer and a second side affixed to a first side of said art image layer, said substrate layer has a first side affixed to said adhesive layer, and said art image layer has a second side affixed to said domed encapsulating material, and wherein the substrate layer, RFID device layer, art image layer, and adhesive layer are unbroken layers; and

curing said domed encapsulating material to form a domed, encapsulated RFID tag.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein substantially encapsulating the RFID device layer comprises using a domed encapsulating material selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyester, an epoxy, and combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein substantially encapsulating the RFID device layer comprises using a translucent domed encapsulating material.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein substantially encapsulating the RFID device layer comprises using an opaque domed encapsulating material.

20. A method of encapsulating and overlaying a RFID device layer to form a domed, encapsulated RFID tag, said method comprising the steps of:

overlaying the RFID device layer with an art image layer, wherein both said RFID device layer comprises a single continuous layer and said art image layer comprises a single continuous layer;

substantially encapsulating the RFID device layer and the art image layer in a single continuous layer of encapsulating material using a domed encapsulation technique; and

curing said encapsulating material to form a domed, encapsulated RFID tag;

wherein said RFID device layer, art image layer, and encapsulating material comprise unbroken layers.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein overlaying the RFID device with said art image layer comprises using an art image layer comprised of a 2.4-mil polyester substrate image.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein encapsulating the RFID device layer and art image layer comprises using a translucent domed encapsulating material.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein encapsulating the RFID device layer and art image layer comprises using an opaque domed encapsulating material.

24. A method of fabricating a domed, encapsulated RFID tag comprising:

overlaying an art image comprising a single continuous layer over a first side of a RFID device, said RFID device comprising said first side and a second side, and comprising a single continuous layer;

placing a single continuous layer of a viscous encapsulating material on said second side of the RFID device layer and said art image layer, wherein said viscous encapsulating material, said RFID device layer, and said art image layer are unbroken layers; and

curing the encapsulating material to a non-viscous state via a domed encapsulation technique to form a domed, encapsulated RFID tag.

25. A method of fabricating a domed, encapsulated RFID tag comprising:

overlaying an art image comprising a single continuous layer over a first side of a RFID device layer, said RFID device layer comprising a single continuous layer;

placing the RFID device layer and art image layer on a base substrate layer comprising a single continuous layer, wherein a first side of the RFID device is affixed to said base substrate layer and said RFID device layer, art image layer, and base substrate layer are unbroken layers;

placing a single continuous layer of a viscous domed encapsulating material on at least one surface of the RFID device layer and art image layer wherein said domed encapsulating material, said RFID device layer, and said art image layer are unbroken layers; and

curing the viscous domed encapsulating material to a non-viscous state via a domed encapsulation technique to form a domed, encapsulated RFID tag.