RFID antenna-battery assembly and the method to make the same

• US 8,722,233 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2006
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Spark Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Blue Spark Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Tucholski, Gary R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilliam, Barbara
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARTIN, ANGELA J
• Application Number:
  US11/379,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20090038746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,941 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 429/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0702 the arrangement including a battery
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07718 the record carrier being manufactured in a continuous process, e.g. using endless rolls
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 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: H01M 10/0436 Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/0495 Nanobatteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/40 Printed batteries , e.g. thin film batteries
• 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: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0393 Flexible materials H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/16 incorporating printed electric components, e.g. printed resistor, capacitor, inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1545 Continuous processing, i.e. involving rolls moving a band-like or solid carrier along a continuous production path
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Printed electronics are increasingly becoming an important industry, thus innovations to integrate the various components and processes would be very useful to expand this industry. Disclosed are innovational concepts that would be very useful to accelerate this industry. Webs of printed electronics, antennas, power sources (cells/batteries), and assembly substrates can be merged together to form a completed electronic assembly that could be, for example, in label form or in a stand alone electronic device.

Claims

1. A roll comprising a plurality of electrical devices, each said electrical device comprising:

an electrical apparatus including;

an apparatus substrate having a first side and a second side,

an electrical component provided on said first side of said apparatus substrate,

a first electrical contact electrically connected to said electrical component and provided on said second side of said apparatus substrate, and

a second electrical contact electrically connected to said electrical component and provided on said second side of said apparatus substrate;

a flat battery including at least one electrochemical cell having a first printed electrochemical layer comprising a cathode layer including a first dried or cured ink and a second electrochemical layer comprising an anode layer,

wherein both of the cathode layer and anode layer are at least partially covered by a same electrolyte layer in contact with both of the cathode layer and anode layer, and

wherein both of the cathode layer and anode layer are provided on a same battery substrate layer such that the cathode layer and the anode layer are thereby arranged substantially co-planar, and

wherein said battery having a first side and a second side, with said first side of said battery fixedly connected to said second side of said apparatus substrate, wherein said battery is for providing electrical energy to said electrical apparatus, said battery including;

a first electrode contact connected to said first electrical contact, and

a second electrode contact connected to said second electrical contact; and

a first adhesive for mounting said second side of said battery to a flexible substrate;

each of said plurality of electrical devices being adhered to a flexible substrate.

2. The roll of claim 1, wherein said flat battery is comprised of at least two electrochemical cells connected in series.

3. The roll of claim 1, wherein said first printed electrochemical layer is printed on a collector layer including a second dried or cured ink, said collector layer being printed on said battery substrate layer.

4. The roll of claim 3, wherein said battery substrate layer is comprised of a plurality of layers laminated together.

5. The roll of claim 1, wherein said second electrochemical layer is a strip including zinc that is laminated to said battery substrate layer.

6. The roll of claim 5, wherein said electrical component includes an RFID antenna.

7. The roll of claim 6, wherein said flexible substrate includes a second adhesive on an outer layer such that each said electrical device can be applied to a surface as a label using said second adhesive.

8. The roll of claim 7, wherein a plurality of said electrical devices are adhered to successive flexible substrates that are connected together in a linear web that are formed into said roll.

9. The roll of claim 1, wherein said battery is fixedly connected to said second side of said apparatus substrate using an intermediate adhesive.

10. The roll of claim 1, wherein said electrical component includes an RFID antenna.

11. The roll of claim 10, wherein said device substrate includes a second adhesive on an outer layer such that said electrical device can be applied to a surface as a label using said second adhesive.

12. The roll of claim 11, wherein a plurality of said electrical devices are adhered to successive flexible substrates that are connected together in a linear web that are formed into said roll.

13. The roll of claim 1, wherein one or both of:

said first electrode contact is connected to said first electrical contact via a first conducting adhesive; and

said second electrode contact is connected to said second electrical contact via a second conducting adhesive.

14. The roll of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said electrical devices are adhered to successive flexible substrates that are connected together in a linear web that are formed into said roll.

15. The roll of claim 1, wherein said flat battery is comprised of a single electrochemical cell.

16. The roll of claim 1, wherein said flat battery is comprised of at least two electrochemical cells connected in parallel.

17. A roll comprising a plurality of electrical devices provided on a flexible substrate, each of said electrical devices further comprising:

an electrical apparatus including;

an apparatus substrate,

an electrical component provided on said apparatus substrate layer,

a first electrical contact electrically connected to said electrical component, and

a second electrical contact electrically connected to said electrical component;

a flat battery including at least one electrochemical cell for providing electrical energy to said electrical apparatus, said electrochemical cell having a first printed electrochemical layer comprising a cathode layer including a first dried or cured ink and a second electrochemical layer comprising an anode layer,

wherein both of the cathode layer and anode layer are at least partially covered by a same electrolyte layer in contact with both of the cathode layer and anode layer, and

wherein both of the cathode layer and anode layers are provided on a same battery substrate layer such that the cathode layer and the anode layer are thereby arranged substantially co-planar, and

said flat battery including;

a first electrode contact connected to said first electrical contact, and

a second electrode contact connected to said second electrical contact, wherein

said electrical apparatus and said flat battery are connected together to form said electrical device;

and

a flexible substrate;

wherein

said plurality of electrical devices are distributed on said flexible substrate in a manner which allows said flexible substrate with said electrical devices to be formed into said roll such that said roll can be unwound to provide access to each of said plurality of electrical devices.

18. The roll of claim 17, wherein

said apparatus substrate has a first side and a second side, and wherein

said electrical component is provided on said first side of said apparatus substrate layer, and

said first electrical contact and said second electrical contact are provided on said second side of said apparatus substrate layer,

and further wherein

said flat battery is mounted on said second side.

19. The roll of claim 18 wherein, for each of said electrical apparatuses, one or both of:

said first electrode contact is connected to said first electrical contact via a first conducting adhesive; and

said second electrode contact is connected to said second electrical contact via a second conducting adhesive.

20. The roll of claim 17, wherein, for each of said electrical apparatuses, one or both of:

said first electrode contact is connected to said first electrical contact via a first conducting adhesive; and

said second electrode contact is connected to said second electrical contact via a second conducting adhesive.

21. The roll of claim 17, wherein said electrical devices are distributed on a first layer of said flexible substrate, and wherein said flexible substrate includes a first adhesive on a second surface such that each of said electrical devices can be applied to another device as a label using said first adhesive.

22. The roll of claim 21, wherein each of said electrical devices is distributed linearly along said flexible substrate with a perforation through said flexible substrate between any two of said electrical devices, such that said electrical devices can be removed from said roll by breaking said flexible substrate at said perforations.

23. The roll of claim 22, wherein said first adhesive is covered by a release liner that is removed for applying said label to said another device.

24. The roll of claim 23, wherein said electrical component includes an RFID antenna.

25. The roll of claim 17, wherein said electrical component includes an RFID antenna.

26. The roll of claim 17, wherein said battery is comprised of a plurality of electrochemical cells connected together.

27. The roll of claim 17, wherein said battery is comprised of a plurality of electrochemical cells connected in series.

28. The roll of claim 17, said first printed electrochemical layer being printed on a collector layer including a second dried or cured ink, said collector layer being printed on said battery substrate layer.

29. The roll of claim 17, wherein said second electrochemical layer is a strip including zinc that is laminated to said battery substrate layer.

30. The roll of claim 17, wherein said battery is comprised of a plurality of electrochemical cells connected in parallel.

31. The roll of claim 17, wherein said battery is comprised of a single electrochemical cell.

32. A roll comprising a plurality of electrical devices provided on a flexible substrate, each of said electrical devices further comprising:

an electrical apparatus including;

an apparatus substrate having a first side and a second side,

an electrical component provided on said first side of said apparatus substrate layer,

a first electrical contact provided on said second side of said apparatus substrate, said first electrical contact being electrically connected to said electrical component, and

a second electrical contact provided on said second side of said apparatus substrate, said second electrical contact being electrically connected to said electrical component;

a flat, flexible battery fixedly mounted on said second side of said apparatus substrate using an intermediate adhesive to discretely form said electrical device, said battery for providing electrical energy to said electrical apparatus, said flat battery comprising at least one electrochemical cell including;

a first printed electrochemical layer comprising a cathode layer including a cured or dried ink, and

a second electrochemical layer comprising an anode layer;

wherein both of the cathode layer and anode layer are at least partially covered by a same electrolyte layer in contact with both of the cathode layer and anode layer, and

wherein both of the cathode layer and anode layers are provided on a same battery substrate layer such that the cathode layer and the anode layer are thereby arranged substantially co-planar, and

wherein said battery further comprises;

a first electrode contact connected to said electrochemical layer and said first electrical contact, and

a second electrode contact connected to said second electrical contact;

and

a flexible substrate having a first adhesive on a first side and a second adhesive covered with a release liner on a second side;

wherein

said plurality of electrical devices are fixedly distributed on said first side of said flexible substrate using said first adhesive, said distribution being in a linear manner one after another and allowing said flexible substrate with said electrical devices to be formed into said roll such that said roll can be unwound to provide access to each of said plurality of electrical devices in turn.

33. The roll of claim 1, wherein said second electrochemical layer includes a dried or cured ink.

34. The roll of claim 17, wherein said second electrochemical layer includes a dried or cured ink.