Electronic inlay module used for electronic cards and tags

• US 7,959,085 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2007
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovatier, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Innovatier, Inc.
• Inventors: Singleton, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US11/697,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20070235548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,527 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/487, 235/488, 361/736, 361/737, 361/761
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07745 Mounting details of integrated circuit chips
• 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: H05K 2203/1311 Foil encapsulation, e.g. of mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1322 Encapsulation comprising more than one layer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/284 for encapsulating mounted components H05K1/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/064 sealed by potting, e.g. waterproof resin poured in a rigid casing

Abstract

The disclosed electronic inlay and the method of making such an electronic inlay includes a circuit board, a plurality of circuit components attached to the circuit board, a bottom cover sheet, a top cover sheet, and a layer of thermosetting material between the bottom and top cover sheets. The electronic inlay can be used to manufacture electronic cards while using conventional equipment to apply top and bottom overlays to the electronic inlay.

Claims

1. An electronic inlay, comprising:

a circuit board, having a top surface and a bottom surface;

a plurality of circuit components attached to the top surface of the circuit board;

a bottom cover sheet directly and uniformly attached to the bottom surface of the circuit board over their entire common surfaces;

a top cover sheet positioned above the top surface of the circuit board; and

a layer of injected thermosetting material between the bottom cover sheet and the top cover sheet.

2. The electronic inlay of claim 1, wherein the overall thickness of the electronic inlay is less than 0.033 inches.

3. The electronic inlay of claim 1, wherein the overall thickness of the electronic overlay is less than 0.028 inches.

4. The electronic inlay of claim 1, wherein the overall thickness of the electronic overlay is greater than 0.016 inches.

5. The electronic inlay of claim 1, further comprising a heat seal coating on a surface of the top cover sheet.

6. The electronic inlay of claim 1, further comprising a heat seal coating on a surface of the bottom cover sheet.

7. The electronic inlay of claim 1, wherein the layer of injected thermosetting material comprises polyurea.

8. The electronic inlay of claim 1, wherein the top and bottom cover sheets comprise polyvinyl chloride.

9. The electronic inlay of claim 1, wherein the injected thermosetting material can withstand hot lamination process temperatures in a range of 250 to 320°

F.

10. An electronic card comprising:

an electronic inlay comprising;

a circuit board, having a top surface and a bottom surface;

a plurality of circuit components attached to the top surface of the circuit board;

a bottom cover sheet directly and uniformly attached to the bottom surface of the circuit board over their entire common surfaces;

a top cover sheet positioned above the top surface of the circuit board; and

a layer of injected thermosetting material between the bottom cover sheet and the top cover sheet;

a top overlay attached to a top surface of the electronic inlay; and

a bottom overlay attached to a bottom surface of the electronic inlay.

11. The electronic card of claim 10, further comprising a first heat seal coating disposed on the top cover sheet and a second heat seal coating disposed on bottom cover sheet.

12. The electronic card of claim 10, wherein the layer of injected thermosetting material comprises polyurea.

13. The electronic card of claim 10, wherein the top and bottom cover sheets comprise polyvinyl chloride.

14. The electronic card of claim 10, wherein the top and bottom overlays comprise polyvinyl chloride.

15. The electronic card of claim 10, wherein the injected thermosetting material can withstand hot lamination process temperatures in a range of 250 to 320°

F.

16. A method for manufacturing an electronic inlay, comprising:

providing a circuit board having a top surface and a bottom surface;

affixing a plurality of circuit components onto the top surface of the circuit board;

affixing the bottom surface of the circuit board to a bottom cover sheet using a pressure sensitive adhesive tape or a spray-on adhesive;

loading the circuit board and bottom cover sheet into an injection molding apparatus;

loading a top cover sheet positioned above a top surface of the circuit board into the injection molding apparatus;

injecting a thermosetting polymeric material between the top and bottom cover sheets; and

applying a heat seal coating on the top and bottom cover sheets.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the thermosetting polymeric material can withstand hot lamination process temperatures in a range of 250 to 320°

F.

18. A method for manufacturing an electronic card, comprising:

providing a circuit board having a top surface and a bottom surface;

affixing a plurality of circuit components onto the top surface of the circuit board;

affixing the bottom surface of the circuit board to a bottom cover sheet using a pressure sensitive adhesive tape or a spray-on adhesive;

loading the circuit board and bottom cover sheet into an injection molding apparatus;

loading a top cover sheet positioned above a top surface of the circuit board into the injection molding apparatus;

injecting a thermosetting polymeric material between the top and bottom cover sheets to form an electronic inlay;

removing the electronic inlay; and

providing a top overlay and a bottom overlay for attachment to the top cover sheet and bottom cover sheet, respectively of the electronic inlay.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the thermosetting polymeric material comprises polyurea.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

placing the electronic inlay between the top overlay and the bottom overlay to create an assembly;

placing the assembly in a laminator; and

performing a hot lamination process on the assembly.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein a hot seal coating is applied to the top and bottom cover sheets before being placed in the laminator.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the hot lamination process is performed at hot lamination process temperatures in a range of 250 to 320°

F.

23. An electronic inlay, comprising:

a circuit board, having a top surface and a bottom surface;

a plurality of circuit components attached to the top surface of the circuit board;

a top cover sheet positioned above the top surface of the circuit board; and

a layer of injected thermosetting material between the circuit board and the top cover sheet.

24. The electronic inlay of claim 23, wherein the overall thickness of the electronic inlay is less than 0.033 inches.

25. The electronic inlay of claim 23, wherein the overall thickness of the electronic overlay is less than 0.028 inches.

26. The electronic inlay of claim 23, wherein the overall thickness of the electronic overlay is greater than 0.016 inches.

27. The electronic inlay of claim 23, further comprising a heat seal coating on a surface of the top cover sheet.

28. The electronic inlay of claim 23, further comprising a heat seal coating on the bottom surface of the circuit board.

29. The electronic inlay of claim 23, wherein the layer of injected thermosetting material comprises polyurea.

30. The electronic inlay of claim 23, wherein the top cover sheet comprises polyvinyl chloride.

31. The electronic inlay of claim 23, wherein the injected thermosetting material may withstand hot lamination process temperatures in a range of 250 to 320°

F.

32. An electronic card comprising:

an electronic inlay comprising;

a circuit board, having a top surface and a bottom surface;

a plurality of circuit components attached to the top surface of the circuit board;

a top cover sheet positioned above the top surface of the circuit board;

a layer of injected thermosetting material between the circuit board and the top cover sheet;

a top overlay attached to a top surface of the electronic inlay; and

a bottom overlay attached to the bottom surface of the circuit board.

33. The electronic card of claim 32, further comprising a first heat seal coating disposed on the top cover sheet and a second heat seal coating disposed on the bottom surface of the circuit board.

34. The electronic card of claim 32, wherein the layer of injected thermosetting material comprises polyurea.

35. The electronic card of claim 32, wherein the top cover sheet comprises polyvinyl chloride.

36. The electronic card of claim 32, wherein the top and bottom overlays comprise polyvinyl chloride.

37. The electronic card of claim 32, wherein the injected thermosetting material may withstand hot lamination process temperatures in a range of 250 to 320°

F.

38. A method for manufacturing an electronic inlay, comprising:

providing a circuit board having a top surface and a bottom surface;

affixing a plurality of circuit components onto the top surface of the circuit board;

loading the circuit board into an injection molding apparatus;

loading a top cover sheet positioned above a top surface of the circuit board into the injection molding apparatus;

injecting a thermosetting polymeric material between the top and cover sheet and the circuit board; and

applying a heat seal coating on the top cover sheet and the bottom surface of the circuit board.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the thermosetting polymeric material may withstand hot lamination process temperatures in a range of 250 to 320°

F.

40. A method for manufacturing an electronic card, comprising:

providing a circuit board having a top surface and a bottom surface;

affixing a plurality of circuit components onto the top surface of the circuit board;

loading the circuit board into an injection molding apparatus;

loading a top cover sheet positioned above a top surface of the circuit board into the injection molding apparatus;

injecting a thermosetting polymeric material between the top cover sheet and the circuit board to make an electronic inlay;

removing the electronic inlay; and

providing a top overlay and a bottom overlay for attachment to the top cover sheet and bottom cover sheet, respectively of the electronic inlay.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the thermosetting polymeric material comprises polyurea.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

placing the electronic inlay between the top overlay and the bottom overlay to create an assembly;

placing the assembly in a laminator; and

performing a hot lamination process on the assembly.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein a hot seal coating is applied to the top cover sheet and the circuit board before being placed in the laminator.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the hot lamination process is performed at hot lamination process temperatures in a range of 250 to 320°

F.