RFID tag and method of manufacturing the same

• US 7,755,484 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2004
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cascade Engineering Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Inventors: Cullen, James M., Puleston, David J., Herrmann, Charles K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu; Julie
• Application Number:
  US10/777,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20050197074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,343 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07718 the record carrier being manufactured in a continuous process, e.g. using endless rolls
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07745 Mounting details of integrated circuit chips
• 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 19/07771 the record carrier comprising means for minimising adverse effects on the data communication capability of the record carrier, e.g. minimising Eddy currents induced in a proximate metal or otherwise electromagnetically interfering object
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and method of manufacturing the same. In a preferred embodiment, the RFID tag includes a radio frequency (RF) inlay, the RF inlay including a carrier sheet, an antenna printed on the carrier sheet and a wireless communication device bonded to the antenna. The RFID tag also includes a plastic extrudate, the RF inlay being disposed within the extrudate so that the antenna and the wireless communication device are encapsulated on all sides within the extrudate. Optional metallic reflector and mounting adhesive layers may be laminated onto the underside of the extrudate. The present invention is also directed to an automated method for manufacturing the above RFID tag, such a method involving, in one embodiment, feeding a continuous supply of RF inlays into a cross-head extruder to yield a continuously extruded block and then cutting the block between successive antennae to yield a plurality of individual RFID tags.

Claims

1. A tag comprising:

(a) an inlay, said inlay comprising

(i) a carrier sheet,

(ii) an antenna disposed on the carrier sheet, and

(iii) a wireless communication device coupled to said antenna;

(b) a top plastic extrudate member;

(c) a bottom plastic extrudate member, the bottom plastic extrudate member being shaped to include a cavity adapted to receive said antenna and said wireless communication device, wherein said top plastic extrudate member and said bottom plastic extrudate member cooperatively encapsulate said antenna and said wireless communication device; and

(d) a metallic reflector coupled to said bottom plastic extrudate member.

2. A method of continuously manufacturing a plurality of tags, each tag comprising a plastic extrudate and an inlay surrounded by said plastic extrudate, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a continuous supply of inlays, said continuous supply of inlays comprising a continuous carrier web, a plurality of antennae positioned on said continuous carrier web at spaced intervals and a wireless communication device coupled to each of said antennae,

(b) feeding said continuous supply of inlays into a cross-head extruder so as to yield a continuous block which includes said continuous supply of inlays surrounded by a plastic extrudate;

(c) laminating a metallic reflector onto the underside of the continuos block, and

(d) cutting said continuous block, and said metallic reflector, between successive antennae so as to yield individual tags.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising, after said feeding step and before said cutting step, the step of cooling said continuous block.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of coupling a mounting adhesive to the underside of said continuous block.

5. A tag comprising:

(a) a plastic casing comprising

(i) a bottom member shaped to define a longitudinal cavity, and

(ii) a top member applied to said bottom member to at least partially enclose the longitudinal cavity, and

(b) an inlay disposed within the longitudinal cavity, said inlay comprising,

(i) a carrier sheet,

(ii) an antenna disposed on said carrier sheet, and

(iii) a wireless communication device coupled to said antenna; and

(c) a metallic reflector coupled to said plastic casing.

6. The tag as claimed in claim 5 wherein said wireless communication device is a radio frequency (RF) communication device.

7. The tag as claimed in claim 5 wherein said antenna is printed onto said carrier sheet.

8. The tag as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a mounting adhesive coupled to said plastic casing.

9. The tag as claimed in claim 5 wherein said wireless communication device is in the form of an integrated circuit (IC) chip which is conductively bonded to said antenna.

10. The tag as claimed in claim 5 wherein said antenna is a bilaterally symmetrical dipole antenna.

11. The tag as claimed in claim 5 wherein the longitudinal cavity extends the entire length of said bottom member.

12. The tag as claimed in claim 11 wherein the longitudinal cavity is generally U-shaped in longitudinal cross-section.

13. The tag as claimed in claim 5 wherein the top member is a flat sheet affixed to said bottom member.

15. The tag as claimed in claim 5 wherein the longitudinal cavity extends only a portion of the length of said bottom member.

16. The tag as claimed in claim 15 wherein the longitudinal cavity is spaced inwardly from both ends of said bottom member.

14. A tag comprising:

(a) a plastic casing comprising

(i) a bottom member shaped to define a longitudinal cavity, and

(ii) a top member applied to said bottom member to at least partially enclose the longitudinal cavity, wherein the top member is a plug molded to said bottom member, and

(b) an inlay disposed within the longitudinal cavity, said inlay comprising,

(i) a carrier sheet,

(ii) an antenna disposed on said carrier sheet, and

(iii) a wireless communication device coupled to said antenna; and

(c) a metallic reflector coupled to said plastic casing.

17. A method of continuously manufacturing a plurality of tags, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a single continuous strip which is shaped to include a continuous longitudinal cavity along its entire length,

(b) depositing a continuous supply of inlays into the continuous longitudinal cavity, said continuous supply of inlays comprising a carrier web, a plurality of antennae disposed on said carrier web at spaced intervals, and a wireless communication device coupled to each of said antennae,

(c) applying a cover over said continuous supply of inlays disposed within said single continuous strip,

(d) laminating a metallic reflector onto the underside of the said single continuos strip, and

(e) cutting said cover, said continuous supply of inlays, said metallic reflector, and said single continuous strip between successive antennae to yield individual tags.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising, before said cutting step, the step of crimping said single continuous strip, said continuous supply of inlays and said cover at a location between successive antennae.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising, before said cutting step, the step of coupling a mounting adhesive to the underside of said single continuous strip.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein said cover comprises a flat sheet affixed to said single continuous strip.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein at least one of said flat sheet and said single continuous strip are formed by extrusion molding.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein said cover comprises a plug molded onto said single continuous strip.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said plug is formed by pouring molten plastic into said longitudinal cavity over said continuous supply of inlays and then allowing said molten plastic to harden.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein said plug is formed by pouring a curable polymer into said longitudinal cavity over said continuous supply of inlays and then curing said curable polymer.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein said plug is formed by pouring a solvent-borne polymer into said longitudinal cavity over said continuous supply of inlays and then allowing said solvent-borne polymer to dry.

26. A method of continuously manufacturing a plurality of tags, each tag comprising a plastic casing and an inlay encased within said plastic casing, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a single continuous strip having a plurality of cavities at spaced intervals,

(b) providing a plurality of inlays, each inlay comprising a carrier sheet, an antenna disposed on said carrier sheet and a wireless communication device coupled to said antenna,

(c) depositing an entire inlay within each of a plurality of cavities of said single continuous strip,

(d) applying a single continuous web to said single continuous sheet to enclose each inlay within its corresponding cavity,

(e) laminating a metallic reflector onto the underside of the said single continuos strip, and

(f) cutting said single continuous strip, said metallic reflector, and said single continuous web between successive cavities to yield individual tags.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising, after said enclosing step and before said cutting step, the step of crimping said single continuous strip and said single continuous web between successive cavities.

28. The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of coupling a mounting adhesive to the underside of said single continuous strip.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein said single continuous strip is formed by extruding a sheet of material and then forming cavities in said sheet of material by thermoforming and wherein said single continuous web is formed by extrusion molding.

30. A method of continuously manufacturing a plurality of tags, each tag comprising a plastic casing and an inlay encased within said plastic casing, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a single continuous member having a plurality of cavities at spaced intervals,

(b) depositing an inlay within each cavity in said single continuous strip, each inlay comprising a carrier sheet, an antenna disposed on said carrier sheet and a wireless communication device coupled to said antenna,

(c) applying a plug over each inlay to enclose said inlay within its corresponding cavity,

(d) laminating a metallic reflector onto the underside of the said single continuos strip, and

(e) cutting said single continuous strip, and said metallic reflector, between successive cavities.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said plug is formed by pouring molten plastic into said cavity over said inlay and then allowing said molten plastic to harden.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein said plug is formed by pouring a curable polymer into said cavity over said inlay and then curing said curable polymer.

33. The method of claim 30 wherein said plug is formed by pouring a solvent-borne polymer into said cavity over said inlay and then allowing said solvent-borne polymer to dry.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein said single continuous strip is formed by extruding a sheet of material and then forming cavities in said sheet of material by thermoforming.

35. The method of claim 30 wherein said cutting step is performed after said plug applying step.

36. The method as claimed in claim 30 wherein said plug is a one-piece member covering the entirety of said inlay.