High-speed RFID circuit placement method

• US 7,500,307 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2004
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): TRINH, MINH N
• Application Number:
  US10/947,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20060063323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,630 Days
• Field of Search: 296/00, 296/06, 295/921, 298/25, 29829-832, 298/34, 298/36, 298/46, 298/47, 156248-255, 156/261, 156/264, 156/299, 156/302, 428/202, 428/214, 340/568.1, 340/572.1, 340/573.4, 343/872, 343/873, 257/679, 257/712, 359/678, 359/679
• US Class Current: 29/832
• 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 method of placing an RFID circuit onto an electrical component, the method comprising:

securing an RFID circuit to a transfer drum;

rotating the transfer drum; and

placing the RFID circuit from the transfer drum onto an electrical component on a moving web,

wherein rotating the transfer drum includes accelerating the transfer drum from a lower peripheral speed during the securing to a higher peripheral speed during the placing, such that the tangential velocity of the RFID circuit is substantially equal to the linear velocity of the moving web when the RFID circuit is placed onto the electrical component, and

wherein the transfer drum includes a vacuum source for temporarily securing the RFID circuit to the transfer drum.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the securing further includes selective application of the vacuum source operatively coupled to at least one nozzle on a circumferential surface of the transfer drum.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the placing includes selective application of the vacuum source operatively coupled to at least one nozzle on a circumferential surface of the transfer drum.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the RFID circuit comprises an RFID interposer that includes interposer leads mounted to an RFID chip.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the placing step comprises placing the RFID interposer onto an antenna on the moving web.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the placing step comprises placing the RFID circuit onto an antenna on the moving web.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the transfer drum is stationary during the securing step.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transfer drum includes a plurality of nozzles around a circumferential surface of the transfer drum for receiving RFID circuits.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the securing includes transferring the RFID circuit from a supply device to the transfer drum.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising singulating the RFID circuit.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising, after the singulating and prior to the securing, transporting the singulated RFID circuit to the transfer drum.

12. A method of placing an RFID circuit onto an electrical component, the method comprising:

securing an RFID circuit to a transfer drum;

rotating the transfer drum; and

placing the RFID circuit from the transfer drum onto an electrical component on a moving web;

wherein rotating the transfer drum includes accelerating the transfer drum from a lower peripheral speed during the securing to a higher peripheral speed during the placing, such that the tangential velocity of the RFID circuit is substantially equal to the linear velocity of the moving web when the RFID circuit is placed onto the electrical component;

wherein the transfer drum includes three nozzles disposed at 120 degree intervals around the circumferential surface of the, and the transfer drum is substantially stationary during the securing.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising singulating the RFID circuit.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising, after the singulating and prior to the securing, transporting the singulated RFID circuit to the transfer drum.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein, during placing, velocity of the RFID circuit is substantially equal to linear velocity of the moving web.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the securing further includes selective application of a vacuum source operatively coupled to at least one nozzle on a circumferential surface of the transfer drum.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the placing includes selective application of a vacuum source operatively coupled to at least one nozzle on a circumferential surface of the transfer drum.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the RFID circuit comprises an RFID interposer that includes interposer leads mounted to an RFID chip.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the placing step comprises placing the RFID interposer onto an antenna on the moving web.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the placing step comprises placing the RFID circuit onto an antenna on the moving web.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the transfer drum includes a plurality of nozzles around its circumferential surface for receiving RFID circuits.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the transfer drum includes a vacuum source for temporarily securing the RFID circuit to the transfer drum.

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