RFID label technique
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of forming an RFID article, the method comprising:
- providing an RFID webstock of polymeric material, the webstock having a plurality of RFID chips attached to the polymeric material at a first pitch and each RFID chip having an associated set of conductive pads on the polymeric material, and wherein the RFID chips are connected to the associated set of conductive pads;
moving the RFID webstock in a first direction between a first transport member, that is configured to divide the RFID webstock, and a second transport member;
dividing the RFID webstock into a plurality of sections without stopping movement of the RFID webstock, each section including one or more of the RFID chips and the associated set of conductive pads, wherein the first transport member includes a cutting section for dividing the RFID webstock into the plurality of sections against the second transport member that is moveable tangentially to the first transport member;
securing at least some of the separated sections to the second transport member at a second pitch;
transferring the sections on the second transport member to an antenna web, wherein the antenna web includes a plurality of antennas disposed thereon at the second pitch, and wherein the antenna web is moveable in a second direction opposite the first direction to receive the sections without stopping movement;
attaching the sections to the antenna web without stopping movement of the web during or between successive attaching steps such that the associated set of conductive pads are operatively coupled to successive antennas, wherein the second transport member and a third transport member move the antenna web in the second direction, and wherein the sections are attached to the antenna web between the second transport member and the third transport member;
transporting the webstock in the first direction with an in feed transport member to the first transport member and the second transport member; and
transporting a web, formed by leftover material from the divided RFID webstock, in the first direction with an outfeed transport member from the first transport member and the second transport member.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An RFID webstock containing a relatively high pitch-density array of semiconductive chips is provided and joined to a web bearing relatively widely spaced antennas in a continuous process. The RFID webstock is separated or cut into individual chip sections, with the spacing of the chips being increased as the RFID webstock is die cut. The individual chips on the sections are then joined to corresponding antennas to form an RFID inlay stock. This process is conducive to high speed roll-to-roll production of RFID tag and label roll stock.
216 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A method of forming an RFID article, the method comprising:
-
providing an RFID webstock of polymeric material, the webstock having a plurality of RFID chips attached to the polymeric material at a first pitch and each RFID chip having an associated set of conductive pads on the polymeric material, and wherein the RFID chips are connected to the associated set of conductive pads; moving the RFID webstock in a first direction between a first transport member, that is configured to divide the RFID webstock, and a second transport member; dividing the RFID webstock into a plurality of sections without stopping movement of the RFID webstock, each section including one or more of the RFID chips and the associated set of conductive pads, wherein the first transport member includes a cutting section for dividing the RFID webstock into the plurality of sections against the second transport member that is moveable tangentially to the first transport member; securing at least some of the separated sections to the second transport member at a second pitch; transferring the sections on the second transport member to an antenna web, wherein the antenna web includes a plurality of antennas disposed thereon at the second pitch, and wherein the antenna web is moveable in a second direction opposite the first direction to receive the sections without stopping movement; attaching the sections to the antenna web without stopping movement of the web during or between successive attaching steps such that the associated set of conductive pads are operatively coupled to successive antennas, wherein the second transport member and a third transport member move the antenna web in the second direction, and wherein the sections are attached to the antenna web between the second transport member and the third transport member; transporting the webstock in the first direction with an in feed transport member to the first transport member and the second transport member; and transporting a web, formed by leftover material from the divided RFID webstock, in the first direction with an outfeed transport member from the first transport member and the second transport member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method of forming an RFID article, the method comprising:
-
moving an RFID webstock in a first direction between a first transport member, that is configured to divide the RFID webstock, and a second transport member; dividing the RFID webstock into a plurality of sections, wherein the RFID webstock includes a plurality of electrical connectors, each electrically coupled to one of a plurality of RFID chips, wherein each of the sections includes one or more of the electrical connectors and one of more of the RFID chips, wherein the first transport member includes a cutting section for dividing the RFID webstock into the plurality of sections against the second transport member that is moveable tangentially to the first transport member; securing at least some of the separated sections to a transport web; indexing the sections on the transport web to a plurality of spaced antennas disposed on a moving antenna web, wherein the antenna web is moveable in a second direction opposite the first direction to receive the sections without stopping movement; attaching the sections on the transport web to the plurality of spaced antennas disposed on the moving antenna web without stopping the transport web or antenna web, wherein the antenna web and transport web have substantially the same speed and direction for an extended zone during attachment, wherein the second transport member and a third transport member move the antenna web in the second direction, and wherein the sections are attached to the antenna web while in the extended zone, to thereby operatively couple the sections and the antennas; and releasing the section from the transport web; wherein the extended zone is formed between a roller and a belt that partially circumscribes the roller. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
-
19. A method of forming an RFID article, the method comprising:
-
moving an RFID webstock in a first direction between a first transport member, that is configured to divide the RFID webstock, and a second transport member; dividing the RFID webstock, having a first pitch between a plurality of RFID chips, into a plurality of sections, wherein the RFID webstock includes a plurality of electrical connectors, each electrically coupled to one of the plurality of RFID chips, and wherein each of the sections includes one or more of the electrical connectors and one of more of the RFID chips, wherein the first transport member includes a cutting section for dividing the RFID webstock into the plurality of sections against the second transport member that is moveable tangentially to the first transport member; securing at least some of the separated sections to the second transport member at a second pitch; transferring the sections on the second transport member to a second web at the second pitch, wherein the second web is moveable in a second direction opposite the first direction to receive the sections without stopping movement; attaching the sections to the second web without stopping movement of the web during or between successive attaching steps, wherein the second transport member and a third transport member move the second web in the second direction, and wherein the sections are attached to the antenna web between the second transport member and the third transport member; forming or attaching antennas after the step of attaching the sections to the second web, to thereby operatively couple the sections and the antennas; transporting the webstock in the first direction with an in feed transport member to the first transport member and the second transport member; and transporting a web, formed by leftover material from the divided RFID webstock, in the first direction with an outfeed transport member from the first transport member and the second transport member.
-
Specification