U.S. patent application number 10/614192 was filed with the patent office on 2004-01-08 for high temperature tag having enclosed transceiver.
This patent application is currently assigned to Moore North America, Inc.. Invention is credited to Emmert, David R..
Application Number | 20040004131 10/614192 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24789397 |
Filed Date | 2004-01-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040004131 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Emmert, David R. |
January 8, 2004 |
High temperature tag having enclosed transceiver
Abstract
A high temperature RFID tag is provided that is adapted to
receive thermal transfer print to provide indicia on an outer
surface thereof and adapted to be disposed on a part that is
subject to high temperature exposure. The RFID tag is formed as a
lamination of a high temperature material such as high temperature
polyester and including a window for an RFID generator component, a
layer of high temperature resistant material that overlies the
opening, and an adhesive material disposed in the window to secure
the RFID generator component therein. The layer of high temperature
resistant material is preferably transparent so that the indicia
can be seen therethrough.
Inventors: |
Emmert, David R.; (Pleasant
Lake, IN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIXON & VANDERHYE, PC
1100 N GLEBE ROAD
8TH FLOOR
ARLINGTON
VA
22201-4714
US
|
Assignee: |
Moore North America, Inc.
|
Family ID: |
24789397 |
Appl. No.: |
10/614192 |
Filed: |
July 8, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10614192 |
Jul 8, 2003 |
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09694573 |
Oct 24, 2000 |
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|
6648232 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
235/492 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06K 19/07745 20130101;
B31D 1/027 20130101; B31D 1/028 20130101; H01L 2924/0002 20130101;
H01L 2924/0002 20130101; G06K 19/07718 20130101; G06K 19/0773
20130101; G06K 19/041 20130101; H01L 2924/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
235/492 |
International
Class: |
G06K 019/06 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A high temperature tag incorporating an electronic device
comprising: a laminated structure including a heat resistant base
material having window cut therein; a heat resistant layer secured
to a first surface of said base material; an adhesive material
disposed on at least a portion of said first lamination, said
adhesive being disposed in at least a portion of said window; and
an electronic component adhered by said adhesive in said
window.
2. A high temperature tag as in claim 1, wherein said base material
is a high temperature polyester.
3. A high temperature tag as in claim 1, wherein said heat
resistant layer is translucent, at least in part.
4. A high temperature tag as in claim 3, wherein said heat
resistant layer is transparent, at least in part.
5. A high temperature tag as in claim 1, wherein said heat
resistant layer is a clear, high temperature polyester.
6. A high temperature tag as in claim 1, wherein said heat
resistant layer has a width generally corresponding to a width of
said base material.
7. A high temperature tag as in claim 1, further comprising indicia
on at least one surface of said base material.
8. A high temperature tag as in claim 7, wherein said indicia is
printed on said first surface of said base material, said heat
resistant layer overlies said indicia, and said heat resistant
layer is transparent.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No.
09/694,573 filed Oct. 24, 2000, the entire content of which is
hereby incorporated by reference in this application.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a tag having an enclosed
transceiver, such as a radio frequency identification "RFID" tag.
More specifically, the present invention relates to the field of
anti-theft and information tags that are secured to a product and
include a relative thin electronic device to assist in preventing
theft and/or to contain product information that can be encoded
into a signal for identifying the product when the signal is
received by a suitable receiver. The thin electronic device may be
laminated between outer layers of the tag and an outer surface of
the tag may be printed with graphics and/or product information. As
presently proposed, the invention is embodied in a high temperature
tag with a RFID feature and provides a process for manufacturing
such a tag. One application of an article provided by the present
invention is a tag that is thermal transfer printed and is placed
on a part requiring high temperature exposure.
[0003] Electronic (RFID) devices are commercially available and do
not per se embody the invention. Early RFID systems were developed
utilizing relatively large packages which limited the products on
which they could be used. More recently, RFID devices have been
made smaller so that they may be readily incorporated in tags or
labels and their use can be more widespread. Such electronic
devices are characterized in that they are thin, flat and generally
flexible devices that are desirably laminated between outer sheets
or layers of the tag so as to be relatively undetectable to the
casual observer. Due to the more wide spread use of RFID tags,
there has been an increasing interest in developing RFID tags that
can endure moisture and/or heat exposure as may be encountered by
the products to which they are applied.
[0004] Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
high temperature tag adapted to receive thermal transfer print to
provide indicia on an outer surface thereof and adapted to be
disposed on a part that is subject to high temperature exposure.
The foregoing object is realized in accordance with the invention
by forming an RFID tag as a lamination of high temperature material
such as high temperature polyester and including a window for an
RFID generator component. I
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] These, as well as other objects and advantages of this
invention, will be more completely understood and appreciated by
careful study of the following more detailed description of the
presently preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a lamination process
for forming an RFID tag adapted to receive an RFID generator
component according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a laminate
formed by the process illustrated in FIG. 1; and
[0008] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of an RFID generator
component applying process according to a further step of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0009] With reference to FIG. 1, a base material 10 comprising for
example, a 4 to 6 mm high temperature polyester sheet, is provided
as a substrate in accordance with the present invention. Suitable
high temperature materials are available from 3M, Fasson, Flexcon,
Medico, Imtech and/or Polyonics. The first line in high temperature
materials that may be used for the base material, as noted above,
is polyester, which has an upper limit temperature of about 300
degrees F. The next set of high temperature materials can range
from about 300 degrees F. to 700 degrees F., i.e., heat resistant
so as to maintain structural form and integrity to a temperature in
the range from about 300 degrees F. to 700 degrees F. 3M, Imtech,
Polyonics, and Madico have materials to accommodate these
temperatures. Ultimately the choice of materials, and the adhesive,
as discussed in greater detail below will depend at least in part
upon the customer's end use specifications. In the exemplary
embodiment described hereinbelow, reference will be made to a base
material that is a high temperature polyester sheet. It is to be
noted, however, that the invention is not limited in its broadest
respects to a base material formed from polyester.
[0010] The high temperature polyester or other high temperature
material sheet is preferably initially printed if necessary or
desirable. Thus, in an illustrative embodiment, the high
temperature polyester material 10 is, e.g., thermal transfer
printed at 12 as needed using intelligent imaging or other known
techniques so as to have alphanumeric and/or ornamental indicia 14
thereon. Thereafter, the base material 10 is fed to a die cut press
16. While any known die cutting unit can be used in accordance with
the invention. However, the preferred is a cylinder die or die
cutting tool that has best controlled die cutting aspects. The best
way to die cut this product is on a Flexo press, rotary printing
press, rotogravure press, or other in line rotary press. In the
illustrated embodiment, the press 16 performs a metal-to-metal dye
cut operation to cut a window 18 for receiving an RFID generator
component, as discussed in greater detail below. The waste slug 20
from the metal-to-metal die cut process is received and disposed of
or recycled as necessary or desirable. In the alternative to the
sequence shown, the base material 10 may be fed to a die cut press
in advance of being printed.
[0011] After the polyester base material 10 has been printed and
die cut, the die cut base material 22 is then laminated with
another high temperature material 24. This over lamination 24 may
be of any of a variety of sizes and adhesion. In the illustrated
embodiment, for purposes described in greater detail below, the
high temperature lamination 24 overlies at least that portion of
the die cut base material 22 in which the window 18 for the RFID
generator component has been formed. Because the die cut operation
has already been performed to cut the window 18, the adhesive 26 of
the over lamination 24 is exposed within the window 18 for purposes
to be described in greater detail below. To the extent the
temperature resistant layer 24 overlies the indicia printed during
the printing step, the layer is preferably sufficiently
translucent, at least in part, and more preferably transparent so
that the information and indicia thereunder can be visualized
therethrough. In a preferred embodiment, a preferred material for
component 24 is, for example, a high temperature clear polyester of
between about 1 and 3 mm in thickness and having the layer of
adhesive 26 pre-applied thereto. Although polyester is preferred in
this exemplary embodiment, other suitable materials are available
and may be used as noted above with reference to the base material
10. If an adhesive is required with the polyester or other high
temperature material, the adhesive should be able to withstand 120
degrees F to 300 degrees F. Usually the adhesive is a silicone
base, but can be made from other known formulations.
[0012] A silicon liner 28 is then preferably applied to prevent the
thus exposed adhesive 26 from sticking to the laminated assembly 30
when the laminated assembly 30 is rolled or folded. If desired,
before the liner 28 is applied, the laminated, die cut assembly 30
can be punched or the like to form margin holes (not shown in FIG.
1) to prepare the sheet for a later applicator process. Once the
lamination and punching (if any) has been completed, as noted above
the silicon liner 28 is preferably applied to preclude undesired
adhesion of the exposed adhesive 26 as the laminated material 30 is
rolled up or fan folded, as appropriate, until further processing
can be carried out.
[0013] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the thus formed lamination 30,
before the liner material 28 is applied includes the die cut base
material 22, e.g., high temperature polyester material that is
thermal transfer printed, if appropriate, having a die cut window
18 for the placement of the RFID generator component. On one side
of the base material the high temperature clear polyester 24 is
secured with a layer of adhesive 26. As mentioned above, the
adhesive 26 is exposed at the base of the die cut window 18.
[0014] With reference to FIG. 3, to produce a finished article, the
rolled material is brought to a Tamarack or other known applicator,
shown in part at 32. A Tamarack is a labeling machine available
from Tamarack Products Inc. of Waconda, Ill. If not previously
formed in the laminated material, margin hole punches, as shown at
34, may be formed in the laminated material 30 so that the material
may be controllably advanced through the applicator 32. The silicon
liner 24 (not shown in FIG. 3) is taken up as the material 30 is
unrolled during an unwinding operation on the applicator. The
laminated base material 30 is introduced into the applicator with
the adhesive 26 exposed on the bottom of the window 18. In this
position, the lamination 24 side is down and the open window 18 is
up. The applicator applies the RFID generator component into the
open window 18 in the assembly 30. For example, the applicator may
cut the RFID generator component 36 and place it into the component
window using the exposed adhesive 26 to anchor the RFID component.
The RFID face 38 will be in the down position when applied into the
window of the basic construction 30. It should be kept in mind in
this regard that the RFID device should be selected so as to be
able to withstand the same temperatures as the materials of the
tag. The RFID device can be sealed in the window with another high
temperature material, such as a further layer of polyester, or it
can be left open depending on what the customer has designated.
Irrespective of whether the window is to be closed, after the
applicator process, the material can be finished by fan folding or
put into a roll as generally shown at 40 and the product is then
ready for use.
[0015] As is apparent from a consideration of FIG. 1, any printed
media applied to the base material 10 is disposed on the lamination
24 side as shown at 14, as is the face 38 of the RFID component 36.
The opposite side of the component 36, indicated at 42, may be
disposed in opposed facing relation to a surface of the product to
which the tag is applied. In the alternative, the RFID can remain
static and be placed as a loose tag if desired. The RFID
construction can be punched to be used as a hangtag or tie tag. In
the alternative, the construction can have a high temperature
transfer tape applied to the back (or face)to make it a PS or
self-sticking tag, or it can be placed on a form by gluing. When
applied to a product, the RFID component is shielded from high
temperature exposure on one side by the product to which the
component has been applied (and also a high temperature resistant
material if such a layer is applied to close the window), on its
periphery by the high temperature base material 10/22 and on its
outer surface by the high temperature lamination 24, for example,
the high temperature polyester provided in the illustrated
embodiment.
[0016] As is apparent from the foregoing, the materials and
particulars of the assembly are ultimately selected so that the
RFID and construction chosen by the customer are compatible with
each other. This will insure that the right RFID device (and
construction) is selected for the temperature, size, and
application, and that the RFID device is compatible with the
construction.
[0017] While the invention has been described in connection with
what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred
embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be
limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is
intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements
included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
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