Resonant tag and method of manufacturing the same

• US 5,447,779 A
• Filed: 01/27/1993
• Issued: 09/05/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Checkpoint Manufacturing Japan Co., Ltd. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Yuji, Matsumoto, Takeshi, Imaichi, Hideaki, Haneda, Tadayoshi, Himura, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan, Patrick J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MULVANEY, ELIZABETH EVANS
• Application Number:
  US08/009,855
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 428/209, 428/457, 428/461, 428/515, 428/901, 340/572, 156/631, 156/634, 156/645, 156/656, 156/659.1, 156/661.1, 156/902
• US Class Current: 428/209
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2519/02 RFID tags
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/753 using frequency selective elements, e.g. resonator
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2414 using inductive tags
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/242 Tag deactivation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2437 Tag layered structure, processes for making layered tags
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/244 Tag manufacturing, e.g. continuous manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2442 Tag materials and material properties thereof, e.g. magnetic material details
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 3/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of impedance networks, resonating circuits, resonators
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 5/003 comprising distributed impedance elements together with lumped impedance elements
• 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 1/162 incorporating printed capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/165 incorporating printed inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0191 wherein the thickness of the dielectric plays an important role
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09036 Recesses or grooves in insulating substrate recess in metallic substrate H05K2201/09745
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09672 Superposed layout, i.e. in different planes parallel traces in one plane H05K2201/09236
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0108 Male die used for patterning, punching or transferring
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0014 Shaping of the substrate, e.g. by moulding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/901 Printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24917 including metal layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 Of metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31692 : Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31909 : Next to second addition polymer from unsaturated monomers

Abstract

A resonant tag is manufactured in the manner described below: a conductive thin film is formed to a predetermined thickness on two surfaces of an insulating thin film. Thereafter, a conductive pattern, composed of an inductor element and a capacitor element corresponding to a resonant frequency of a resonant circuit, is printed on a surface of one of the conductive thin films, and a conductive pattern, composed of a capacitor element corresponding to the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit, is printed on a surface of the other insulating thin film at a position which faces the capacitor element formed on one of the conductive thin films using an ink which resists etching. A non-printed portion of the conductive thin films is removed by etching to form a resonant circuit pattern. Thereafter, a portion of the insulating thin film, which corresponds to the capacitor element pattern, is thinned to a desired thickness by pressing a heating/pressing member heated to a predetermined temperature against that portion under a predetermined pressure for a predetermined period of time.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a resonant tag, comprising the steps of:

printing by using an etch-resistant material a first conductive pattern to form a conductive inductor element and a conductive capacitor element of a resonant circuit on one surface of conductive thin films having a predetermined thickness formed on the two surfaces of an insulating thin film;

printing by using an etch-resistant material a second conductive pattern to form a capacitor element corresponding to the resonance frequency of the resonant circuit at a position opposing the disposed position of the capacitor element pattern on said one surface;

etching, subsequent to the printing steps, for removing the non-printed portion of the conductive thin film;

removing the ink on the remaining conductive pattern;

thinning down to obtain a thin film of a desired thickness at least the portion generally corresponding to the disposed position of said capacitor element patterns of the resonant circuit pattern formed by said etching step; and

forming an LC resonant circuit in the desired resonant circuit pattern portion by electrically connecting said first and second conductive patterns.

2. A method of manufacturing a resonant tag according to claim 1, wherein said etch-resistant material is a thermoplastic resin.

3. A method of manufacturing a resonant tag according to claim 1, wherein the step of removing the ink on said remaining conductive pattern is a step of removing the ink on said first conductive pattern remaining on the conductive pattern on the side of forming a thin film.

4. A method of manufacturing resonant tag according to claim 1, wherein the characteristics of the etch-resistant material for printing the first conductive pattern and the etch-resistant material for printing the second conductive pattern are different from each other.

5. A method of manufacturing a resonant tag, comprising the steps of:

(a) printing a first conductive pattern on one surface of a first conductive film by using an etch-resistant material to form an inductor and a first electrode plate, the first conductive film being positioned on one surface of an insulating film;

(b) printing a second conductive pattern on one surface of a second conductive film by using an etch-resistant material to form a second electrode plate, the second conductive film being positioned on the second surface of the insulating film, the second electrode plate opposing the first electrode plate;

(c) etching the non-printed portions of the first and second conductive films such that the first and second electrode plates form a capacitor;

(d) pressing a portion of one of the electrode plates into the insulating thin film, wherein the pressing increases the capacitance of the capacitor and creates at least one crevasse extending between the pressed portion and the unpressed electrode plate; and

(e) electrically connecting the first and second conductive thin films to form a resonant circuit.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the pressed portion opposes all of the first electrode plate.

7. The method of manufacturing a resonant tag according the claim 5, wherein the press comprises a metal in which a heating member is disposed.

8. A method of manufacturing a resonant tag according to claim 7, wherein the metal is stainless steel.

9. The method of manufacturing a resonant tag according to claim 7, wherein the press is smoothly tapered around the edges.

10. The method of manufacturing a resonant tag according to claim 5, wherein the press is smaller than the electrode plates.

11. The method of manufacturing a resonant tag according to claim 5, wherein a support plate opposes the press and comprises a stainless steel plate and a receptor separated by a heat resistant rubber.

12. A method of manufacturing a resonant tag according to claim 11, wherein the heat resistant rubber is silicone rubber or teflon.