Apparatus for manufacturing a wireless communication device

• US 7,908,738 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Forster, Ian J., King, Patrick F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Banks; Derris H
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAI V
• Application Number:
  US12/642,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20100095519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 296/00, 295/921, 298/30, 298/31, 298/32, 298/52, 343/700.R, 343/767, 343/700.MS, 340/572.7, 340/572.8, 340/568.1, 340/539, 361/221
• US Class Current: 29/600
• 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 19/07786 the antenna being of the HF type, such as a dipole
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49855 for flat-cards, e.g. credit cards cards per se G06K19/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/285 Planar dipole H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/182 associated with components mounted in the printed circuit board, e.g. insert mounted components [IMC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/041 by using a die for cutting the conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/326 the printed circuit having integral resilient or deformable parts, e.g. tabs or parts of flexible circuits H05K3/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1075 of plural laminae from single stock and assembling to each other or to additional lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1097 Lamina is running length web
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49004 including measuring or testing of device or component part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49121 Beam lead frame or beam lead device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 : On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49126 : Assembling bases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49128 : Assembling formed circuit to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 : Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49144 : by metal fusion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 : Manufacturing circuit on or in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49751 : Scrap recovering or utilizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49755 : Separating one material from another
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5137 : including assembling or disassembling station
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5139 : and means to sever work prior to disassembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/514 : comprising means to strip insulation from wire
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5313 : Means to assemble electrical device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53165 : Magnetic memory device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5317 : Laminated 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 29/532 : Conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53265 : with work-holder for assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7868 : Tool element selectively operative

Abstract

A method for manufacturing antenna elements for use with wireless communication devices comprises a number of cutting techniques that allow the size of the antenna elements to be adjusted. Rollers cut the tabs that form the antenna elements. In a first embodiment, a plurality of rollers are used, each one effecting a different cut whose position may be phased so as to shorten or lengthen the antenna element. In a second embodiment, the rollers are independently positionable to shorten or lengthen the antenna element.

Claims

1. An apparatus for producing antenna elements for a wireless communication device, the apparatus comprising:

a first die cut roller configured to generate a first cut in a conductive material passed through the apparatus, wherein the first cut defines a portion of a perimeter of a pair of antenna tabs;

a second die cut roller configured to generate a second cut in the conductive material passed through the apparatus, wherein the second cut defines a second portion of the perimeter of the pair of antenna tabs and thereby forms the first antenna tab, and wherein the second cut variably overlaps the first cut to adjust a size of a perimeter of the first antenna tab; and

a third die cut roller configured to generate a third cut in the conductive material passed through the apparatus, wherein the third cut defines a third portion of the perimeter of the pair of antenna tabs and thereby forms a second antenna tab, and wherein the third cut variably overlaps the first cut to adjust a size of a perimeter of the second antenna tab.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the die cut rollers are positioned with relative phases to one another, and wherein the relative phases of the die cut rollers are variable to vary the size of at least one of the first or second antenna tabs.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the relative phase of the second die cut roller with respect to the first die cut roller is variable to vary the size of the perimeter of the first antenna tab.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the relative phase of the third die cut roller with respect to the first die cut roller is variable to vary the size of the perimeter of the second antenna tab.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third die cut rollers are configured to rotate at an equal rate of rotation.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a relative phase between the first die cut roller and the second die cut roller is adjustable to position the second die cut roller to produce a first antenna tab having a selected dimension, and wherein the selected dimension is selected to optimize a read range of the first antenna tab when operating at a desired operating frequency.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the selected dimension is selected according to a thickness of a substrate.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the selected dimension is selected according to a dielectric constant of a substrate.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second die cut rollers are positioned to vary the perimeter of the first antenna tab such that an impedance of the first antenna tab substantially matches an impedance of the wireless communication device.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a relative phase between the first die cut roller and the third die cut roller is adjustable to position the third die cut roller to produce a second antenna tab having a selected dimension, and wherein the selected dimension is selected to optimize a read range of the second antenna tab when operating at a desired operating frequency.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the selected dimension is selected according to a thickness of a substrate.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the selected dimension is selected according to a dielectric constant of a substrate.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and third die cut rollers are positioned to vary the perimeter of the second antenna tab such that an impedance of the second antenna tab substantially matches an impedance of the wireless communication device.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the die cut rollers is independently positionable relative to another of the die cut rollers to shorten or lengthen at least one of the antenna elements.

15. An apparatus for producing antenna elements for a wireless communication device, the apparatus comprising:

means for generating a first cut in a conductive material passed through the apparatus, wherein the first cut defines a first portion of a perimeter of a pair of antenna tabs;

means for generating a second cut in the conductive material passed through the apparatus, wherein the second cut defines a second portion of the perimeter of the pair of antenna tabs and thereby forms the first antenna tab, and wherein the second cut variably overlaps the first cut to adjust a size of a perimeter of the first antenna tab; and

means for generating a third cut in the conductive material passed through the apparatus, wherein the third cut defines a third portion of the perimeter of the pair of antenna tabs and thereby forms a second antenna tab, and wherein the third cut variably overlaps the first cut to adjust a size of a perimeter of the second antenna tab.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for generating the first cut and the means for generating the second cut are adjustable to position the means for generating the second cut to produce a first antenna tab having a selected dimension, and wherein the selected dimension is selected to optimize a read range of the first antenna tab when operating at a desired operating frequency.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the selected dimension is selected according to a thickness of a substrate.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the selected dimension is selected according to a dielectric constant of a substrate.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for generating the first cut and the means for generating the second cut are positioned to cut the perimeter of the first antenna tab such that an impedance of the first antenna tab substantially matches an impedance of the wireless communication device.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for generating the first cut and the means for generating the third cut are adjustable to position the means for generating the third cut to produce a second antenna tab having a selected dimension, and wherein the selected dimension is selected to optimize a read range of the second antenna tab when operating at a desired operating frequency.