RFID packaging and attachment methods and devices

• US 7,922,094 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2009
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Johnson, Justin M., Chatterton, Jacob D., Banerjee, Swagata R., Sainati, Robert A., Molinet, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAIL, ALLYSON NEEL
• Application Number:
  US12/351,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20100176971A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/375, 235/380, 340/5.61, 340/10.1, 340/472.7, 340/928
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/041 Constructional details G06K19/06 takes precedence
• 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: G06K 19/07786 the antenna being of the HF type, such as a dipole

Abstract

One exemplary electrically conductive, RFID-enabled signage includes (1) an electrically conductive article including an opening and (2) an assembled device that is coupled to the electrically conductive article to provide RFID functionality to the electrically conductive article. One exemplary kit includes (1) an RFID IC arrangement including conductive leads adjacent to an integrated circuit; (2) an insert attached to the RFID IC arrangement; and (3) an attachment device capable of attaching the RFID IC arrangement-insert combination to an electrically conductive signage such that the RFID IC arrangement is positioned to span at least a portion of an opening in the signage and to electrically couple the integrated circuit to the electrically conductive signage. One exemplary method involves providing an assembled device including and RFID IC arrangement and an insert and coupling the assembled device with an electrically conductive signage.

Claims

1. An electrically conductive, RFID-enabled signage, comprising:

an electrically conductive article including an opening and at least one of an electrically conductive substrate or an electrically conductive sheeting; and

an assembled device capable of being physically coupled to the electrically conductive article to provide RFID functionality to the electrically conductive article, comprising;

an RFID IC arrangement comprising conductive leads adjacent to an integrated circuit; and

an insert having a shape and size that permits the insert to fit within the opening;

wherein, the assembled device is physically coupled to the electrically conductive article such that the RFID IC arrangement spans at least a portion of the opening and electrically couples the integrated circuit to the electrically conductive article to drive a slot antenna.

2. The signage of claim 1, wherein at least one of the electrically conductive article and the assembled device include an alignment feature that facilitates accurate alignment of the electrically conductive article and the assembled device.

3. The signage of claim 2, wherein the alignment feature comprises:

the opening having a predetermined shape; and

the shape of the insert corresponding to the predetermined shape of the opening such that the insert fits within the opening to facilitate accurate alignment of the electrically conductive article and the assembled device.

4. The signage of claim 3, in which the assembled device further includes a protective layer having an adhesive surface and a non-adhesive surface, at least a portion of the adhesive surface in direct physical contact with at least one of the RFID IC arrangement and the insert and the remaining portion of the adhesive surface capable of attachment to the electrically conductive article.

5. The signage of claim 2, wherein the alignment feature comprises an instruction printed on at least one of the electrically conductive article or the assembled device to facilitate accurate alignment of the assembled device and the electrically conductive article.

6. The signage of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive article includes an electrically conductive substrate positioned adjacent to at least one of conductive optically active sheeting or non-conductive optically active sheeting.

7. The signage of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive article includes electrically conductive sheeting positioned adjacent to at least one of a non-conductive substrate and a conductive substrate.

8. The signage of claim 7, wherein the electrically conductive sheeting is optically active.

9. The signage of claim 1, wherein the signage comprises at least one of a traffic control material;

a vehicle marking;

a roadway marking;

a roadway sign;

a guard rail;

a light pole;

a license plate;

a retroreflective garment;

an indoor/outdoor labeling product;

an identification tag;

an identification label;

or an identification system.

10. The signage of claim 1, wherein the opening is one slot in an array of slots.

11. The signage of claim 1, wherein the RFID integrated circuit stores information related to the signage.

12. The signage of claim 1, in which the assembled device further includes a protective layer having an adhesive surface and a non-adhesive surface, at least a portion of the adhesive surface in direct physical contact with at least one of the RFID IC arrangement and the insert and the remaining portion of the adhesive surface capable of attachment to the electrically conductive article.

13. The signage of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the protective layer is conductive.

14. The signage of claim 1, in which the RFID IC arrangement further includes at least one capacitive pad.

15. An assembled device capable of being physically coupled to an electrically conductive article including an opening, the assembled device capable of providing RFID functionality to the electrically conductive article such that the article becomes an electrically conductive, RFID-enabled signage, the assembled device comprising:

an RFID IC arrangement including conductive leads adjacent to an integrated circuit;

an insert having a shape and size that permits it to fit within the opening, the insert attached to the RFID IC arrangement; and

an attachment device capable of attaching the RFID IC arrangement-insert combination to the electrically conductive article such that the RFID IC arrangement is positioned to span at least a portion of the opening and to electrically couple the integrated circuit to the electrically conductive article.

16. The assembled device of claim 15, wherein the attachment device is a protective layer having an adhesive surface and a non-adhesive surface, at least a portion of the adhesive surface in direct physical contact with at least one of the RFID IC arrangement and the insert and the remaining portion of the adhesive surface capable of attachment to the electrically conductive article.

17. The assembled device of claim 16, wherein the adhesive material includes a first surface and an opposing second surface and wherein identification information is included on the first surface and at least a portion of the second surface includes a conductive adhesive.

18. The assembled device of claim 15, wherein at least one of the electrically conductive article and the RFID IC arrangement-insert combination includes an alignment feature that facilitates accurate alignment of the electrically conductive article and the RFID IC arrangement-insert combination.

19. The assembled device of claim 18, wherein the alignment feature comprises:

the opening having a predetermined shape; and

the shape of the insert corresponding to the predetermined shape of the opening such that the insert fits within the opening to facilitate accurate alignment of the electrically conductive article and the RFID IC arrangement-insert combination.

20. The assembled device of claim 18, wherein the alignment feature comprises instructions printed on at least one of the electrically conductive article and the RFID IC arrangement-insert combination to facilitate accurate alignment of the electrically conductive article and the RFID IC arrangement-insert combination.

21. The assembled device of claim 15, in which the RFID IC arrangement further includes at least one capacitive pad.

22. The assembled device of claim 15, wherein the electrically conductive, RFID-enabled signage comprises at least one of a traffic control material;

a vehicle marking;

a roadway marking;

a roadway sign;

a guard rail;

a light pole;

a license plate;

a retroreflective garment;

an indoor/outdoor labeling product;

an identification tag;

an identification label;

or an identification system.

23. A kit, comprising:

an RFID IC arrangement including conductive leads adjacent to an integrated circuit;

an insert capable of attachment to the RFID IC arrangement; and

an attachment device capable of attaching the RFID IC arrangement-insert combination to an electrically conductive signage such that the RFID IC arrangement is positioned to span at least a portion of an opening in the signage and to electrically couple the integrated circuit to the electrically conductive signage.

24. The kit of claim 23, further comprising instructions.

25. A method of forming an RFID-enabled electrically conductive signage, comprising:

providing an electrically conductive signage including an opening and at least one of an electrically conductive substrate or an electrically conductive sheeting;

providing an assembled device including;

an RFID IC arrangement comprising conductive leads adjacent to an integrated circuit; and

an insert having a shape and size that permits the insert to fit within the opening; and

inserting the assembled device into the opening of the electrically conductive signage in a position that provides RFID functionality to the electrically conductive article.

26. The method of claim 25, in which the inserting step involves positioning the RFID IC arrangement to span at least a portion of the opening and to electrically couple the integrated circuit to the electrically conductive article.