Radio frequency identification (RFID) tag lamination process using liner

• US 7,456,506 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2005
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RCD Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: RCD Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Oberle, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): COLEMAN, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US11/284,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20060205115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 438/64, 438/119, 257/257, 257/E21.506, 257/784, 257/785, 343/720, 343/760
• US Class Current: 257/784
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07745 Mounting details of integrated circuit chips
• 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: H01L 23/3121 a substrate forming part of the encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3164 the coating being a foil
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49855 for flat-cards, e.g. credit cards cards per se G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0102 Calcium [Ca]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/07811 Extrinsic, i.e. with electrical conductive fillers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/30 Reducing waste in manufacturing processes; Calculations of released waste quantities

Abstract

A method of constructing an RFID unit can include using a protective layer to hold an integrated circuit chip module to a substrate layer with an antenna unit while a conductive adhesive has not yet fully set.

Claims

1. An apparatus to construct an RFID unit comprising:

a unit to attach an integrated circuit chip to a substrate with an antenna unit using an electrically conductive adhesive; and

a unit to laminate a protective layer with a liner over at least part of the integrated circuit chip while the electrically conductive adhesive has not yet fully set.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit chip is part of a chip module.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the laminating unit connects a strip of the protective layer to a strip of the substrate.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the laminating unit uses hot rollers.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the attaching unit operates at a rate of one attachment per second or greater.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit chip is attached to the protective layer before the attaching unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the liner is removed.

8. A method of constructing a flexible circuit comprising:

attaching an integrated circuit chip to a substrate with an circuit traces using an electrically conductive adhesive;

laminating a protective layer with a liner over at least part of the integrated circuit chip while the electrically conductive adhesive has not yet fully set; and

removing the liner from the protective layer.

9. A method of constructing an RFID unit comprising:

attaching an integrated circuit chip to a substrate with an antenna unit using an electrically conductive adhesive;

laminating a protective layer with a liner over at least part of the integrated circuit chip while the electrically conductive adhesive has not yet fully set; and

removing the liner from the protective layer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the integrated circuit chip is part of a chip module.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein any dwell time between the attaching and laminating steps is less than less than minute.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the attachment step is done at a rate of one attachment per second or greater.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the adhesive takes over a hour to fUlly set.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the conductive adhesive is solder paste.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the integrated circuit chip is attached to the protective layer before the attaching step.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the protective layer is stretchy to conform to IC chip.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the protective layer is an adhesive.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein there is printed indicia on one side of the substrate.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the chip module includes a lead frame.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein attaching step comprises using the adhesive to connect a connection element of the module to the antenna unit on the substrate.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the protective layer is a pressure sensitive adhesive.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the protective layer is a hot melt adhesive.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the protective layer is a heat activated adhesive.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the protective layer is an uncured two-part adhesive.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the protective layer adhesive is attached to another element.