Closure and package with RFID kernel tag and boost antenna

• US 8,120,484 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BPRex Healthcare Packaging, Inc. (Berry Global Group Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rexam Healthcare Packaging Incorporated
• Inventors: Chisholm, Brian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): GIRMA, FEKADESELASS
• Application Number:
  US11/818,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20080309495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,713 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• 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 19/07798 part of the antenna or the integrated circuit being adapted for rupturing or breaking, e.g. record carriers functioning as sealing devices for detecting not-authenticated opening of containers electronic seals G09F3/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10178 including auxiliary means for focusing, repeating or boosting the electromagnetic interrogation field comparable booster antennas integrated on the record carrier itself G06K19/07794
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal

Abstract

A closure includes a plastic shell for securement to a container neck finish. An RFID kernel tag is disposed within the shell, and includes an RFID circuit and a low power UHF antenna coupled to the circuit. A boost antenna, electromagnetically coupled to but otherwise disconnected from the RFID kernel tag, boosts signal gain to and from the RFID kernel tag. In several exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, the RFID kernel tag is secured to an undersurface of the base wall of the closure, and the boost antenna is disposed on the undersurface of the closure base wall, on an opposing surface of a liner disk disposed within the closure shell or comprises a metal layer on an induction seal disk secured to the end of the container neck finish.

Claims

1. A closure that includes:

a plastic shell for securement to a container neck finish,

an RFID kernel tag disposed within said shell, including an RFID circuit and a low power UHF antenna coupled to said circuit,

a boost antenna electromagnetically coupled to but otherwise disconnected from said RFID kernel tag, for boosting signal gain to and from said RFID kernel tag, wherein said boost antenna is annular and surrounds said low power UHF antenna of said RFID kernel tag; and

a liner disk captured within said shell and sealingly engageable with an end of the container neck finish, wherein said RFID kernel tag is disposed between said closure shell and said liner disk, and said boost antenna is disposed on said liner disk,

wherein said RFID kernel tag is loosely captured between said liner disk and a base wall of said closure shell.

2. A closure that includes:

a plastic shell for securement to a container neck finish,

an RFID kernel tag disposed within said shell, including an RFID circuit and a low power UHF antenna coupled to said circuit,

a boost antenna electromagnetically coupled to but otherwise disconnected from said RFID kernel tag, for boosting signal gain to and from said RFID kernel tag, and

a seal disk within said closure shell including a meltable plastic layer for induction or conduction welding to a container neck finish, and also including a metal layer but not including another layer connecting said metal layer to said plastic shell, and wherein said boost antenna comprises said metal layer on said seal disk.

3. A package that includes:

a container having a neck finish,

a closure shell having a base wall and a skirt secured to said neck finish,

an RFID kernel tag disposed within said closure shell, including an RFID circuit and a low power UHF antenna coupled to said circuit,

a boost antenna within said closure, electromagnetically coupled to but otherwise disconnected from said RFID kernel tag, for boosting signal gain to and from said RFID kernel tag, wherein said boost antenna is annular and surrounds said low power UHF antenna of said RFID kernel tag, and

a liner disk captured within said closure shell between said base wall and said neck finish, and wherein said RFID kernel tag is disposed between said closure shell base wall and said liner disk, and said boost antenna is disposed on said liner disk,

wherein said RFID kernel tag is loosely captured between said liner disk and a base wall of said closure shell.

4. A package that includes:

a container having a neck finish,

a closure shell having a base wall and a skirt secured to said neck finish,

an RFID kernel tag disposed within said closure shell, including an RFID circuit and a low power UHF antenna coupled to said circuit,

a boost antenna within said closure, electromagnetically coupled to but otherwise disconnected from said RFID kernel tag, for boosting signal gain to and from said RFID kernel tag, and

a seal disk including a meltable plastic layer welded to an end of said neck finish beneath said closure shell and also including a metal layer but not including another layer connecting said metal layer to said plastic shell, said boost antenna comprising said metal layer on said seal disk.

5. A closure that includes:

a plastic closure shell for securement to a container neck finish, and having a base wall and a skirt secured to said neck finish,

a liner disk captured within said shell and sealingly engageable with an end of the container neck finish,

an RFID kernel tag loosely captured between said liner disk and a base wall of said closure shell, and including an RFID circuit and a low power UI-IF antenna coupled to said circuit, and

a boost antenna is disposed within said closure, electromagnetically coupled to but otherwise electrically disconnected from said RFID kernel tag, for boosting signal gain to and from said RFID kernel tag;

wherein the boost antenna is disposed within the skirt of the closure.

6. The closure set forth in claim 5 wherein said boost antenna is disposed on said liner disk.

7. A closure that includes:

a plastic shell for securement to a container neck finish, wherein the plastic shell has a base wall and a skirt,

an RFID kernel tag disposed within said shell, including an RFID circuit and a low power UI-IF antenna coupled to said circuit,

a boost antenna disposed within the skirt of the closure, electromagnetically coupled to but otherwise disconnected from said RFID kernel tag, for boosting signal gain to and from said RFID kernel tag, wherein said boost antenna is annular and surrounds said low power UHF antenna of said RFID kernel tag; and

a liner disk captured within said shell and sealingly engageable with an end of the container neck finish, wherein said RFID kernel tag is secured to said liner disk.

8. The closure set forth in claim 7 wherein said boost antenna is disposed on said liner disk.

9. A closure that includes:

a plastic shell for securement to a container neck finish,

an RFID kernel tag disposed within said shell, including an RFID circuit and a low power UHF antenna coupled to said circuit,

a boost antenna electromagnetically coupled to but otherwise disconnected from said RFID kernel tag, for boosting signal gain to and from said RFID kernel tag, wherein said boost antenna is annular and surrounds said low power UHF antenna of said RFID kernel tag; and

a liner disk captured within said shell and sealingly engageable with an end of the container neck finish, wherein said RFID kernel tag is disposed between said closure shell and said liner disk, and said boost antenna is disposed on said liner disk,

wherein said RFID kernel tag is secured to said liner disk.