Closure and package with induction seal and RFID tag

• US 20070182564A1
• Filed: 02/07/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BPRex Healthcare Packaging, Inc. (Berry Global Group Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Owens-Illinois Healthcare Packaging Incorporated
• Inventors: Abbott, Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 7,388,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.800
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/045 Discs B65D41/0457 takes precedence

Abstract

A package includes a container having a neck finish, and a closure having a plastic shell with a skirt externally secured to the container neck finish. A seal disk includes a metal layer on a plastic substrate. The periphery of the plastic substrate is sealingly secured to the neck finish of the container. The metal layer includes a circumferentially continuous outer periphery overlying the periphery of the plastic substrate and an inner portion structured as an rf antenna. An RFID tag is electrically connected at least to the inner portion of the metal layer. A liner disk may be disposed between the closure and the seal disk separate from the seal disk. The closure skirt may have an internal bead to engage the periphery of the liner disk and lift the liner disk off of the neck finish upon removal of the closure from the container neck finish.

Claims

1. A package that includes a container having a neck finish, and a closure that includes:

a plastic shell having a skirt externally secured to said neck finish,

a seal disk that includes an electrically conductive layer on a plastic substrate,

a periphery of said plastic substrate being sealingly secured to said neck finish, said electrically conductive layer including a circumferentially continuous outer periphery overlying said periphery of said plastic substrate and an inner portion within said outer periphery structured as an rf antenna, and

an RFID tag on said seal disk electrically connected at least to said inner portion of said electrically conductive layer.

2. The package set forth in claim 1 including a liner disk between said closure and said seal disk.

3. The package set forth in claim 2 wherein said liner disk is separate from said seal disk.

4. The package set forth in claim 3 including an internal bead on said skirt to engage a periphery of said liner disk and lift said liner disk off of said seal disk during removal of said closure from said neck finish.

14. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said electrically conductive layer is of metal construction.

5. A closure that includes:

a plastic shell having a skirt for securement to a container neck finish,

a seal disk within said closure, said seal disk including at least a metal an electrically conductive layer and a plastic layer,

said electrically conductive layer including a circumferentially continuous outer periphery overlying an outer periphery of said plastic layer and an inner portion within said outer periphery contoured as an rf antenna, and

an RFID tag on said seal disk electrically connected at least to said inner portion of said electrically conductive layer.

6. The closure set forth in claim 5 wherein said plastic layer comprises a plastic disk substrate on which said electrically conductive layer is disposed.

7. The closure set forth in claim 6 including a liner disk disposed between said seal disk and said closure.

8. The closure set forth in claim 7 wherein said seal disk is secured to said liner disk by an adhesion layer that is adapted to evaporate upon application of electrical energy to said outer periphery of said metal layer.

9. The closure set forth in claim 8 including an internal bead on said skirt to engage an outer periphery of said liner disk and hold said liner disk within said shell.

15. The closure set forth in claim 6 wherein said electrically conductive layer is of metal construction.

10. A closure that includes:

a plastic shell having a skirt for securement to a container neck finish,

a seal disk within said closure, said seal disk including a plastic disk substrate and an electrically conductive layer disposed on said substrate,

said electrically conductive layer including a circumferentially continuous outer periphery overlying a periphery of said plastic disk substrate and an inner portion within said outer periphery contoured as an rf antenna,

an RFID tag on said seal disk electrically connected at least to said inner portion of said electrically conductive layer, and

a liner disk disposed between said seal disk and said closure, said liner disk being secured at least to said continuous outer periphery of said electrically conductive layer by an adhesive layer that is adapted to evaporate upon application of electrical energy to said outer periphery of said electrically conductive layer.

11. The closure set forth in claim 10 including an internal bead on said skirt to engage an outer periphery of said liner disk and hold said liner disk within said shell.

16. The closure set forth in claim 10 wherein said electrically conductive layer is of metal construction.

12. A seal disk for placement in a closure and container package, which includes:

a plastic substrate disk having a circular outer periphery,

an electrically conductive layer on said plastic substrate disk having a circumferentially continuous outer periphery overlying said outer periphery of said plastic substrate disk and an inner portion within said outer periphery structured as an rf antenna,

said outer periphery of said plastic substrate disk underlying said outer periphery of said electrically conductive layer being adapted to melt and to bond said seal disk to a container neck finish upon application of electrical energy to said outer periphery of said electrically conductive layer, and

an RFID tag on said seal disk electrically connected at least to said inner portion of said electrically conductive layer.

13. The seal disk set forth in claim 12 including a liner disk secured at least to said outer periphery of said electrically conductive layer by an adhesive layer that is adapted to evaporate upon application of electrical energy to said outer periphery of said electrically conductive layer to separate said liner disk from said electrically conductive layer.

17. The seal disk set forth in claim 12 wherein said electrically conductive layer is of metal construction.