One and two-part printable EM tags

• US 8,636,223 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2012
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HID Global Corporation (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: Omni-Id Cayman Limited (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: Cote, Andre, Clarke, Paul Richard, Kington, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TUYEN KIM
• Application Number:
  US13/432,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20120181341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/383, 235/451, 235/492
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07722 the record carrier being multilayered, e.g. laminated sheets flat articles in general, see B32B37/00
• 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 19/0776 the adhering arrangement being a layer of adhesive, so that the record carrier can function as a sticker
• 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: 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
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/028 Bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits H05K1/0283 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10098 Components for radio transmission, e.g. radio frequency identification [RFID] tag, printed or non-printed antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10212 Programmable component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods of assembly, labeling and programming decoupled EM tags used in the tagging and tracking of items wherein the tags including a printable label portion and a decoupler portion which are combined after printing on the surface of and programming a programmable device associated with the label portion.

Claims

1. A deconstructed decoupler comprising:

a sheet including a conductive material layer and a dielectric layer, the conductive material layer having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the dielectric layer is associated with the conductive material layer second surface and at least one folding point wherein the folding point allows the sheet to be folded over upon itself at least one time such that the conductive material layer is prevented from creating a short circuit.

2. The deconstructed decoupler of claim 1 wherein there is a gap between an edge of the conductive material layer and the edge of the sheet.

3. The deconstructed decoupler of claim 2 including a programmable device and an antenna located essentially in the gap between the edge of the conductive material layer and the edge of the sheet.

4. The deconstructed decoupler of claim 1 wherein dielectric layer has a first surface that abuts the conductive material layer and a second surface including an adhesive material layer.

5. The deconstructed decoupler of claim 3 including a printable sheet associated with at least a portion of the conductive material layer first surface.

6. The deconstructed decoupler of claim 5 wherein printable sheet covers the antenna and the programmable device.

7. The deconstructed decoupler of claim 6 wherein the programmable device is an RFID chip.

8. The deconstructed decoupler of claim 6 including at least one foldable portion and at least one stationary portion.

9. A method for forming a decoupled EM tag from the deconstructed decoupler of claim 6 by the steps of:

programming the programmable device; and

folding the at least one foldable portion until a top surface of the foldable portion abuts a top surface of the stationary portion to form a once folded decoupled EM tag.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the deconstructed includes a second foldable portion and wherein the second foldable portion is folded until a top surface of the second foldable portion contact a top surface of the once folded decoupled EM tag to form a twice folded decoupled EM tag.