U.S. patent application number 13/371019 was filed with the patent office on 2012-06-07 for apparatus for forming a wireless communication device.
Invention is credited to Ian J. Forster, Patrick F. King.
Application Number | 20120137506 13/371019 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29270617 |
Filed Date | 2012-06-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120137506 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Forster; Ian J. ; et
al. |
June 7, 2012 |
APPARATUS FOR FORMING A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE
Abstract
A method for manufacturing wireless communication devices for
use in tracking or identifying items comprises cutting techniques
that allow the size of antenna elements for the wireless
communication device to be adjusted. Rollers cut tabs that form the
antenna elements. In one embodiment, a plurality of rollers are
used, each one effecting a different cut whose position may be
adjusted so as to shorten or lengthen the antenna element. In
another embodiment, the rollers are independently positionable to
shorten or lengthen the antenna element. A radiator may be
configured to assess a capacitance of the antenna elements prior to
cutting to determine an appropriate size for the antenna
elements.
Inventors: |
Forster; Ian J.;
(Chelmsford, GB) ; King; Patrick F.;
(Simpsonville, SC) |
Family ID: |
29270617 |
Appl. No.: |
13/371019 |
Filed: |
February 10, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12782554 |
May 18, 2010 |
8136223 |
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13371019 |
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11468749 |
Aug 30, 2006 |
7730606 |
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12782554 |
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10422616 |
Apr 24, 2003 |
7191507 |
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11468749 |
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60375249 |
Apr 24, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
29/601 ;
29/564.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 29/49155 20150115;
Y10T 29/49016 20150115; Y10T 156/1097 20150115; H05K 3/326
20130101; H01Q 9/285 20130101; H05K 1/182 20130101; H05K 3/041
20130101; Y10T 29/53265 20150115; Y10T 29/49018 20150115; Y10T
83/7868 20150401; G06K 19/07786 20130101; Y10T 29/5313 20150115;
G06K 19/07745 20130101; Y10T 29/49004 20150115; H01L 23/49855
20130101; Y10T 29/49 20150115; Y10T 29/49126 20150115; Y10T
29/49751 20150115; G06K 19/07718 20130101; Y10T 29/53178 20150115;
Y10T 29/53165 20150115; Y10T 29/53174 20150115; Y10T 29/49128
20150115; Y10T 29/514 20150115; Y10T 29/49124 20150115; Y10T
29/49121 20150115; H01L 2924/3011 20130101; Y10T 29/532 20150115;
H01L 2924/0002 20130101; Y10T 29/5317 20150115; Y10T 29/49144
20150115; Y10T 29/5137 20150115; Y10T 29/4913 20150115; Y10T
156/1075 20150115; G06K 19/07749 20130101; H01L 2924/00 20130101;
Y10T 29/49002 20150115; Y10T 29/49755 20150115; H01L 2924/0002
20130101; Y10T 29/5139 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
29/601 ;
29/564.3 |
International
Class: |
H01P 11/00 20060101
H01P011/00; B23P 23/02 20060101 B23P023/02 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for forming a wireless communication device, the
apparatus comprising: means for cutting a conductive tab to form an
antenna element, wherein the means for cutting are positionable
relative to the conductive tab to permit adjustable cutting of the
conductive tab to obtain a desired electrical characteristic for
the antenna element; and means for securing a wireless
communication chip to the conductive tab and to a substrate, which
thereby forms the wireless communication device, wherein the means
for securing include a heater configured to heat pins of the
wireless communication chip to a temperature above a yield point of
the substrate so that the pins melt the substrate when inserted
into the substrate.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for cutting are
configured to receive a production line carrying a series of
conductive tabs.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive tab is a first
conductive tab forming a first antenna element, wherein the
apparatus further comprises means for cutting a second conductive
tab to form a second antenna element, wherein the means for cutting
a second conductive tab are positionable relative to the second
conductive tab to permit adjustable cutting of the second
conductive tab to obtain a desired electrical characteristic for
the second antenna element, and wherein the means for securing are
configured to secure the wireless communication chip to the second
conductive tab.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the electrical characteristic
is impedance, and wherein the means for cutting a second conductive
tab are positionable to permit cutting the second conductive tab
with an impedance that matches an impedance of the wireless
communication chip.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for securing are
configured to secure the wireless communication chip to the
substrate by insertion of the wireless communication chip into a
cavity in the substrate.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the wireless communication
chip is configured to fit inside the cavity such that a surface of
the wireless communication chip is coplanar with a surface of the
substrate.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heater is further
configured to heat pins of the wireless communication chip for
inserting the pins into a solder paste configured to melt and later
harden to secure the wireless communication chip to the conductive
tab.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the conductive tab is
preloaded with the solder paste.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for securing are
configured to use an adhesive to secure the wireless communication
chip to the conductive tab and to the substrate.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the adhesive is
conductive.
11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the adhesive is a
rapidly-curing adhesive.
12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heater is a hot gas
jet.
13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heater is configured to
heat the pins using infrared radiation.
14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive tab is further
configured with fingers that wrap around the pins when the pins are
inserted into the substrate.
15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the melted substrate forms a
mechanical bond around the pins of the wireless communication chip
upon cooling.
16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for securing
further comprise a welder configured to pass a high-current,
low-voltage electrical pulse through pins of the wireless
communication chip to weld the pins of the wireless communication
chip to the substrate.
17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for securing
further comprise a welder configured to pass a high-current,
low-voltage electrical pulse through a thin foil that melts and
secures the wireless communication chip to the substrate.
18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for securing are
configured to place a sealing layer over the substrate and the
wireless communication chip to securely hold the wireless
communication chip on the substrate.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the sealing layer comprises
a plastic layer.
20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the sealing layer comprises
an epoxy layer.
21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrical characteristic
is impedance.
22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for cutting are
positionable to permit cutting of the conductive tab with an
impedance that matches an impedance of the wireless communication
chip.
23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrical characteristic
is capacitance.
24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrical characteristic
is configured to affect an operating frequency of the antenna
element.
25. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for cutting
comprise at least one of a die, a knife, or a laser.
26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive tab is a first
tab forming a first antenna element, and wherein the means for
cutting comprise: means for adjustably cutting the first tab to
form the first antenna element; and means for adjustably cutting a
second tab to form a second antenna element; and wherein the means
for securing a wireless communication chip further include means
for securing the first and second tabs to the wireless
communication chip and to the substrate.
27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the means for adjustably
cutting the first and second tabs comprise at least two
independently-positionable rollers.
28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the two
independently-positionable rollers are configured to receive a
production line comprising a backing material having tabs and a
wireless communication chip disposed thereon.
29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the means for adjustably
cutting the first and second tabs further comprise cutting means to
cut the backing material around the wireless communication chip and
through the tabs.
30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a radiator
configured to assess the capacitance of the first and second tabs
prior to cutting to determine an appropriate size for the cut to be
made by the cutting means.
31. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the means for adjustably
cutting the first and second tabs comprise three rollers, and
wherein each roller is configured to make a cut on a production
line.
32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein a first of the three rollers
is configured to make a cut that comprises an interior portion of
the first and second antenna elements.
33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein a second of the three
rollers is configured to make a cut that comprises an exterior
portion of one of the first or second antenna elements.
34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein a third of the three rollers
is configured to make a cut that comprises an exterior portion of
the other of the first or second antenna elements.
35. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein a phase of rotation of the
three rollers is configured to be adjusted to vary selectively the
size of the first and second antenna elements.
36. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the means for securing the
first and second tabs to the wireless communication chip comprise
an adhesive.
37. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the means for securing the
first and second tabs to the wireless communication chip comprise a
hot gas jet configured to heat pins of the wireless communication
chip prior to coupling to fingers cut into the first and second
tabs.
38. An apparatus for forming a wireless communication device, the
apparatus comprising: means for cutting a conductive tab to form an
antenna element, wherein the means for cutting are positionable
relative to the conductive tab to permit adjustable cutting of the
conductive tab to obtain a desired electrical characteristic for
the antenna element; and means for securing a wireless
communication chip to the conductive tab and to a substrate, which
thereby forms the wireless communication device, wherein the means
for securing include a heater configured to heat pins of the
wireless communication chip for inserting the pins into a solder
paste configured to melt and later harden to secure the wireless
communication chip to the conductive tab.
39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the conductive tab is
preloaded with the solder paste.
40. An apparatus for forming a wireless communication device, the
apparatus comprising: means for cutting a conductive tab to form an
antenna element, wherein the means for cutting are positionable
relative to the conductive tab to permit adjustable cutting of the
conductive tab to obtain a desired electrical characteristic for
the antenna element; and means for securing a wireless
communication chip to the conductive tab and to a substrate, which
thereby forms the wireless communication device, wherein the means
for securing include a welder configured to pass a high-current,
low-voltage electrical pulse through pins of the wireless
communication chip to weld the pins of the wireless communication
chip to the conductive tab.
41. An apparatus for forming a wireless communication device, the
apparatus comprising: means for cutting a conductive tab to form an
antenna element, wherein the means for cutting are positionable
relative to the conductive tab to permit adjustable cutting of the
conductive tab to obtain a desired electrical characteristic for
the antenna element; and means for securing a wireless
communication chip to the conductive tab and to a substrate, which
thereby forms the wireless communication device, wherein the means
for securing include a welder configured to pass a high-current,
low-voltage electrical pulse through a thin foil that melts and
secures the wireless communication chip to the conductive tab.
42. A method for producing a wireless communication device, the
method comprising: cutting a conductive tab using a cutting tool to
form an antenna element, wherein the cutting tool is positionable
relative to the conductive tab to permit adjustable cutting of the
conductive tab to obtain a desired electrical characteristic for
the antenna element; and securing a wireless communication chip to
the conductive tab and to a substrate using a mounting tool,
thereby forming the wireless communication device, wherein the
mounting tool includes a heater configured to heat pins of the
wireless communication chip to a temperature above a yield point of
the substrate so that the pins melt the substrate when inserted
into the substrate.
43. The method of claim 42, further comprising receiving a
production line carrying a series of conductive tabs.
44. The method of claim 42, wherein the conductive tab is a first
conductive tab forming a first antenna element, wherein the method
further comprises cutting a second conductive tab using a second
cutting tool to form a second antenna element, wherein the second
cutting tool is positionable relative to the second conductive tab
to permit adjustable cutting of the second conductive tab to obtain
a desired electrical characteristic for the second antenna element,
and wherein the method further comprises securing the wireless
communication chip to the second conductive tab using the mounting
tool.
45. The method of claim 44, wherein the electrical characteristic
is impedance, and wherein the second cutting tool is positionable
to permit cutting the second conductive tab with an impedance that
matches an impedance of the wireless communication chip.
46. The method of claim 42, further comprising securing the
wireless communication chip to the substrate by insertion of the
wireless communication chip into a cavity in the substrate.
47. The method of claim 46, wherein the wireless communication chip
is configured to fit inside the cavity such that a surface of the
wireless communication chip is coplanar with a surface of the
substrate.
48. The method of claim 42, further comprising heating pins of the
wireless communication chip using the heater for inserting the pins
into a solder paste configured to melt and later harden to secure
the wireless communication chip to the conductive tab.
49. The method of claim 48, wherein the conductive tab is preloaded
with the solder paste.
50. The method of claim 42, further comprising using an adhesive to
secure the wireless communication chip to the conductive tab and to
the substrate.
51. The method of claim 50, wherein the adhesive is conductive.
52. The method of claim 50, wherein the adhesive is a
rapidly-curing adhesive.
53. The method of claim 42, wherein the heater is a hot gas
jet.
54. The method of claim 42, further comprising heating the pins
with the heater using infrared radiation.
55. The method of claim 42, wherein the conductive tab is further
configured with fingers that wrap around the pins when the pins are
inserted into the substrate.
56. The method of claim 42, wherein the melted substrate forms a
mechanical bond around the pins of the wireless communication chip
upon cooling.
57. The method of claim 42, wherein said securing a wireless
communication chip further comprises using a welder to pass a
high-current, low-voltage electrical pulse through pins of the
wireless communication chip to weld the pins of the wireless
communication chip to the substrate.
58. The method of claim 42, wherein said securing a wireless
communication chip further comprises using a welder to pass a
high-current, low-voltage electrical pulse through a thin foil that
melts and secures the wireless communication chip to the
substrate.
59. The method of claim 42, wherein said securing a wireless
communication chip further comprises placing a sealing layer over
the substrate and the wireless communication chip to securely hold
the wireless communication chip on the substrate.
60. The method of claim 59, wherein the sealing layer comprises a
plastic layer.
61. The method of claim 59, wherein the sealing layer comprises an
epoxy layer.
62. The method of claim 42, wherein the electrical characteristic
is impedance.
63. The method of claim 62, further comprising positioning the
cutting tool to permit cutting of the conductive tab with an
impedance that matches an impedance of the wireless communication
chip.
64. The method of claim 42, wherein the electrical characteristic
is capacitance.
65. The method of claim 42, wherein the electrical characteristic
is configured to affect an operating frequency of the antenna
element.
66. The method of claim 42, wherein the cutting tool comprises at
least one of a die, a knife, or a laser.
67. The method of claim 42, wherein the conductive tab is a first
tab forming a first antenna element, and wherein the method further
comprises: adjustably cutting the first tab to form the first
antenna element; adjustably cutting a second tab to form a second
antenna element; and securing the first and second tabs to the
wireless communication chip and to the substrate.
68. The method of claim 67, wherein adjustably cutting the first
and second tabs includes adjustably cutting the first and second
tabs using at least two independently-positionable rollers.
69. The method of claim 68, further comprising receiving, using the
at least two independently-positionable rollers, a production line
comprising a backing material having tabs and a wireless
communication chip disposed thereon.
70. The method of claim 69, wherein adjustably cutting the first
and second tabs comprises cutting the backing material around the
chip and through the tabs.
71. The method of claim 70, further comprising assessing the
capacitance of the first and second tabs using a radiator prior to
said adjustably cutting to determine an appropriate size for the
cuts made by the at least two independently-positionable
rollers.
72. The method of claim 67, wherein said adjustably cutting the
first and second tabs comprises adjustably cutting the first and
second tabs using three rollers, and wherein each roller is
configured to make a cut on a production line.
73. The method of claim 72, further comprising making a cut that
comprises an interior portion of the first and second antenna
elements using a first roller of the three rollers.
74. The method of claim 73, further comprising making a cut that
comprises an exterior portion of one of the first or second antenna
elements using a second roller of the three rollers.
75. The method of claim 74, further comprising making a cut that
comprises an exterior potion of the other of the first or second
antenna elements using a third roller of the three rollers.
76. The method of claim 72, wherein a phase of rotation of the
three rollers is adjusted to vary selectively the size of the first
and second antenna elements.
77. The method of claim 67, wherein said securing the first and
second tabs to the wireless communication chip comprises using an
adhesive.
78. The method of claim 67, wherein said securing the first and
second tabs to the wireless communication chip comprises heating
pins of the wireless communication chip using a hot gas jet prior
to coupling to fingers cut into the first and second tabs.
79. A method for forming a wireless communication device, the
method comprising: cutting a conductive tab using a cutting tool to
form an antenna element, wherein the cutting tool is positionable
relative to the conductive tab to permit adjustable cutting of the
conductive tab to obtain a desired electrical characteristic for
the antenna element; and securing a wireless communication chip to
the conductive tab and to a substrate using a mounting tool,
thereby forming the wireless communication device, wherein the
mounting tool includes a heater configured to heat pins of the
wireless communication chip for inserting the pins into a solder
paste configured to melt and later harden to secure the wireless
communication chip to the tab.
80. The method of claim 79, wherein the conductive tab is preloaded
with the solder paste.
81. A method for forming a wireless communication device, the
method comprising: cutting a conductive tab using a cutting tool to
form an antenna element, wherein the cutting tool is positionable
relative to the conductive tab to permit adjustable cutting of the
conductive tab to obtain a desired electrical characteristic for
the antenna element; and securing a wireless communication chip to
the conductive tab and to a substrate using a mounting tool,
thereby forming the wireless communication device, wherein the
mounting tool includes a welder configured to pass a high-current,
low-voltage electrical pulse through pins of the wireless
communication chip to weld the pins of the wireless communication
chip to the conductive tab.
82. A method for forming a wireless communication device, the
method comprising: cutting a conductive tab using a cutting tool to
form an antenna element, wherein the cutting tool is positionable
relative to the conductive tab to permit adjustable cutting of the
conductive tab to obtain a desired electrical characteristic for
the antenna element; and securing a wireless communication chip to
the conductive tab and to a substrate using a mounting tool,
thereby forming the wireless communication device, wherein the
mounting tool includes a welder configured to pass a high-current,
low-voltage electrical pulse through a thin foil that melts and
secures the wireless communication chip to the conductive tab.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No.
12/782,554, filed May 18, 2010, which is a division of application
Ser. No. 11/468,749, filed Aug. 30, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No.
7,730,606, which is a divisional of application Ser. No.
10/422,616, filed Apr. 24, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,191,507, which
claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/375,249, filed
Apr. 24, 2002, the disclosures of which are incorporated by
reference herein in their entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] It is often desired to track and identify items, such as
packages, containers, and the like, and to communicate information
concerning such items wirelessly. One method of tracking and
providing information concerning packages is to attach a wireless
communication device, such as a radio frequency identification
(RFID) transponder or other identification device, to packages or
items. The information communicated concerning the packages or
items may include an expiration date, "born on" date or date of
manufacture, lot number, tracking information, or other
manufacturing information, and the like. A wireless communication
device may be attached to an individual package, to a container
containing multiple packages, or other item as the situation
merits.
[0003] Recent advances in the miniaturization of wireless
communication electronics have enabled the creation of small chips
containing integrated circuits that are well suited for use in
these wireless communication devices. However, these chips still
need antennas to communicate to a remotely positioned interrogator.
Numerous potential antennas exist that may be coupled to the chip
for this purpose.
[0004] It is expected that the demand for such devices will rapidly
increase as industries realize the versatility and utility of the
wireless communication devices. To meet this demand, automated
manufacturing processes are needed. Further, the process
contemplated should provide a wireless communication device well
suited for integration with the item to be tracked and one that may
have the ability to communicate at multiple frequencies if
desired.
SUMMARY
[0005] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of
concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in
the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify
key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to
be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject
matter.
[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a number
of embodiments designed to pick up chips from a carrier tape and
position the chips on an adhesive production line for later
incorporation into a wireless communication device.
[0007] A second aspect that may be used in conjunction with the
first aspect comprises a combination of positioning a conductive
material on a roll, cutting the conductive material to the desired
shape, and peeling the conductive material from an underlying
carrier material. In one embodiment of this aspect, a single roller
performs the entire cut. In a second embodiment of this aspect,
three separate rollers perform different cuts, allowing the size of
the tabs created to be varied as needed or desired.
[0008] Another aspect comprises using two selectively spaced
rollers to adjust the size of the tab created. In an exemplary
embodiment, a testing device may assess the capacitance of the
elements of the dipole with a ground layer or without a ground
layer to give an estimate of the thickness and/or dielectric
constant of the substrate to which the chip is being applied. Each
roller may be moved independently, increasing or decreasing the
size of the tab while assessing the effective capacitance until a
desired value is achieved for maximum antenna performance. Upon
reaching the desired values, the tabs are cut to create the
antenna.
[0009] As yet another aspect, the present invention may insert a
wireless communication chip into a substrate such that the chip
does not protrude from the surface of the substrate. An exemplary
embodiment includes punching a hole in the substrate, positioning
tabs to form a dipole antenna overlapping the newly formed hole,
and positioning the chip in the hole. The chip may be attached to
the tabs by a low melting point solder, a conductive adhesive,
welding, or a mechanical bond.
[0010] The aspects are mutually cooperative and allow a
roll-to-roll manufacturing process to be automated for the creation
of the wireless communication devices.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages
of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same
become better understood by reference to the following detailed
description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a top plan view of a wireless
communication device assembled according to the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 illustrates a side elevational view of a carrier tape
loaded with wireless communication chips;
[0014] FIG. 3 illustrates a side schematic view of a first
technique to position chips on an adhesive production line;
[0015] FIG. 4 illustrates a side schematic view of a second
technique to position chips on an adhesive production line;
[0016] FIG. 5 illustrates a more detailed view of the interface
between the roller and the carrier tape of FIG. 4;
[0017] FIG. 6 illustrates a side view of a first cutting technique
for creating antenna elements for wireless communication
devices;
[0018] FIG. 7 illustrates a top view of the first cutting technique
of FIG. 6;
[0019] FIG. 8 illustrates a side view of a second cutting technique
for creating antenna elements for wireless communication
devices;
[0020] FIG. 9 illustrates a top view of the laminate during
different stages of the cutting of FIG. 8;
[0021] FIG. 10 illustrates a side view of a third cutting technique
for creating antenna elements for wireless communication
devices;
[0022] FIG. 11 illustrates a top view of the third cutting
technique of FIG. 10;
[0023] FIG. 12 illustrates a top view of the third cutting
technique of FIG. 10 with the rollers spread;
[0024] FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate top views of the tape before
and after cutting in the process of FIGS. 10-12;
[0025] FIG. 14 illustrates a first cross-sectional view of a
positioning technique for a chip to be used in a wireless
communication device;
[0026] FIG. 15 illustrates a top plan view of an antenna element
positioned on a substrate;
[0027] FIG. 16 illustrates a side view of the antenna element of
FIG. 15 with a chip positioned above it prior to positioning;
[0028] FIG. 17 illustrates a side view of the antenna element of
FIG. 16 with the chip positioned;
[0029] FIG. 18 illustrates an exemplary roller technique to attach
the chips to the substrate of the wireless communication
device;
[0030] FIG. 19 illustrates a more detailed view of the chip being
attached to the substrate; and
[0031] FIG. 20 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of an entire
production process using the techniques of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0032] The present invention is a method of manufacturing wireless
communication devices such as those used in co-pending, commonly
assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,501,435 and 6,975,834, entitled "Wireless
Communication Device and Method" and "Mufti-Band Wireless
Communication Device and Method," respectively, both of which were
filed on Oct. 3, 2000, and are incorporated herein by reference in
their entireties. In particular, the present invention allows
variations in the size of the tabs used for antenna elements in the
wireless communication devices.
[0033] Some wireless communications devices have both transmit and
receive capability and can be used in the present invention. A
typical example of such a device is described in U.S. Pat. No.
5,585,953 entitled "IR/RF Radio Transceiver and Method,"
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Other wireless
communication devices have receive capability and use the energy
received to communicate back, such as described in U.S. Pat. No.
6,078,259, entitled "Radio Frequency Identification Tag,"
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Such passive
devices may likewise be used with the present invention. The
wireless communication device in the present invention can be any
type of device that allows reception of wireless electronic
communications and is able to communicate in response thereto. Both
types of wireless communication devices are sometimes referred to
herein and in the art as transponders. The terms are used
equivalently herein.
[0034] FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless communication device 10, such
as that described in the previously incorporated applications. In
particular; wireless communication device 10 comprises a substrate
20, a wireless communication chip 30, and one or more tabs 40 to
serve as an antenna 60 for wireless communication device 10. Tabs
40A, 40B may be constructed out of any type of material so long as
the material is conductive. Such material may be a ferrous
material, including metal, steel, iron, or the material may be
aluminum or other type of conducting material.
[0035] Tabs 40 may also be constructed from a tape impregnated with
metal loaded ink, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,441, entitled
"Attaching an Electronic Circuit to a Substrate," incorporated
herein by reference in its entirety. In one embodiment of the
present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 1, tabs 40A, 40B are made
from a foil tape 42, 52, respectively, as is well understood in the
art.
[0036] An optional ground plane (not shown) may be oppositely
positioned on substrate 20 if needed or desired. Substrate 20 may
be almost any material, but is most likely a plastic or similar
material.
[0037] Wireless communication chip 30 may comprise a device from
INTERMEC as used in their Intellitag.RTM. labels and those devices
from SCS as used in their DL100 label, although other devices are
certainly possible, especially in light of the present invention's
suitability to both active and passive wireless communication
devices 10. Wireless communication chip 30 may comprise a
controller, memory, a battery, a sensor, and other conventional
components, such as those described in the previously incorporated
applications.
[0038] Tabs 40A, 40B together comprise dipole antenna 60. In this
particular embodiment, tabs 40A, 40B are asymmetrical with respect
to one another to form an asymmetrical dipole antenna. An
asymmetrical dipole antenna 60 is an antenna having a first tab 40A
or first pole, different in shape, including but not necessarily
limited to length, width, volume, and/or density, from the second
tab 40B, or second pole.
[0039] Tabs 40A, 40B may also be coupled to a slot to form a slot
antenna (not shown). Alternatively, a single tab 40 may be used as
a monopole antenna given the appropriate ground plane (not shown).
While the present invention is primarily directed to dipole antenna
tab structures, it should be appreciated by those in the art that
some of the techniques may be equally applicable to a single tab 40
arrangement or an arrangement having more than two tabs 40A,
40B.
[0040] The present invention focuses on techniques to manufacture
these wireless communication devices 10. There are several
different aspects to the manufacturing process. The first is
properly positioning the wireless communication chip 30 for later
processing, and is discussed in the chip positioning section below.
The second is the creation of the tabs 40 that form the antenna 60,
addressed in a separate section below. The last is the merging of
the chip 30 with the antenna 60 to form the wireless communication
device 10, discussed in the mounting techniques section below.
Chip Positioning Techniques
[0041] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary carrier tape 100 comprising
an adhesive sealing layer 102 and a container layer 104. Container
layer 104 comprises a plurality of containers or pockets 106 having
wireless communication chips 30 disposed therein. Carrier tape 100
may be made from any number of materials and is available from a
number of manufacturers, such as Tek Pak. Details can be found at
www.tekpak.com. Adhesive sealing layer 102 initially seals the
chips 30 within the containers 106, protecting them from
environmental vagaries. Subsequently, when desired, adhesive
sealing layer 102 peels off of container layer 104, leaving the
contents of the containers 106 exposed for further processing.
[0042] There are two specifically contemplated techniques to remove
the chips 30 from the carrier tape 100 for later mounting on the
wireless communication device 10. Other techniques are also
contemplated to enable the roll-to-roll continuous automation
process of the present invention.
[0043] A first technique is illustrated in FIG. 3. Chip positioning
system 110 comprises a waste roller 112, a first roller 114, and a
second roller 116. Carrier tape 100 is fed to rollers 114, 116
simultaneously with an adhesive line 118. Waste roller 112 wraps
adhesive sealing layer 102 therearound, exposing chips 30 within
the containers 106 (FIG. 1). Rollers 114, 116 may be oval shaped
and rotate at a frequency so as to space chips 30 appropriately on
adhesive line 118. The proximity of the roller 114 to roller 116
pushes the chip 30 out of the container 106 and to the sticky
surface of the adhesive line 118. This removes the chip 30 from the
container 106 and allows the adhesive line 118 with the chips 30 to
be passed downstream for further processing.
[0044] A second technique is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. As
illustrated in FIG. 4, chip positioning system 110A comprises a
waste roller 112, a toothed roller 120 having teeth 122 and may
have an optional second roller (not shown) comparable to second
roller 116. Carrier tape 100 is fed to the roller 120 with waste
roller 112 removing the adhesive sealing layer 102 as previously
described. Now with reference to FIG. 5, wherein a more detailed
view of the interface between the teeth 122, the containers 106,
the chips 30, and the adhesive line 118 is illustrated, it can be
seen that a tooth 122 pushes through the floor 105 of the container
106, pushing chip 30 upwardly to contact the adhesive line 118.
Again, this removes the chip 30 from the container 106 and allows
the adhesive line 118 with the chips 30 to be passed downstream for
further processing.
Manufacture of Tabs for Antenna
[0045] Concurrent to the positioning of the chips 30 on the
adhesive line 118, tabs 40 may be created for the wireless
communication device 10. This section focuses on techniques by
which the tabs 40 may be created that are again well suited for use
in the roll-to-roll automated manufacturing process of the present
invention.
[0046] A first technique for the creation of tabs 40A, 40B is
illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 illustrates a tab production
system 130 comprising a pair of rollers 132, 134 oppositely
positioned on either side of a production line 140. Top roller 132
may comprise a die cutting roller while bottom roller 134 may be a
driving roller to push material though rollers 132, 134. It should
be appreciated that rollers 132, 134 may be reversed if production
line 140 is inverted. Production line 140 may also comprise a
backing layer 142, an adhesive (not shown explicitly) and a
conductive foil 144, such as a copper foil, an aluminum foil, or
the like. As production line 140 passes through rollers 132, 134,
die cutting roller 132 cuts conductive foil 144 into one or more
tabs 40. In this particular embodiment, die cutting roller 132 cuts
conductive foil 144 into two tabs 40A, 40B. Waste foil 146 is
peeled from backing layer 142 while tabs 40A, 40B and backing layer
142 continue for further processing. Tabs 40 are then used to form
antenna elements for antenna 60 on the wireless communication
device 10 as explained below.
[0047] To accommodate substrates 20 that may have varying
dielectric constants and/or thicknesses (such as may occur when
switching materials having different dielectric constants forming
substrate 20), variations may need to be made to the dimensions of
tabs 40A, 40B to produce the optimum read range at the desired
operating frequency. To ensure optimal antenna 60 performance using
tabs 40A, 40B with chip 30, energy transfer should be maximized
between chip 30 and tabs 40A, 40B to maximize emitted radiation
from tabs 40A, 40B. To ensure maximum energy transfer, the
impedance of tabs 40A, 40B must be substantially matched to the
impedance of chip 30.
[0048] Further information on impedance-matching between wireless
communication devices and antennas is described in the previously
incorporated U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,501,435 and 6,975,834, and co-pending
U.S. Pat. No. 6,642,897, entitled "Tuning Techniques for a Slot
Antenna," filed on Apr. 18, 2002, by the same assignee as that of
the present application and incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
[0049] A first technique to address this situation is illustrated
in FIGS. 8 and 9. In this technique, a plurality of rollers 200,
202, 204 is used. In particular, tab production system 130A
receives production line 140. A first roller 200 makes an initial
cut 206 in conductive foil 144. This initial cut 206 comprises the
inner portions of tabs 40A, 40B. A second roller 202 makes a second
cut 208 in conductive foil 144 that completes the creation of one
of tabs 40A, 40B (in this case tab 40A). Second cut 208 overlaps to
a certain extent initial cut 206 of first roller 200. A third
roller 204 makes a third cut 210 in conductive foil 144 that
completes the creation of the other one of tabs 40A, 40B (in this
case tab 40B). Third cut 210 overlaps to a certain extent the
initial cut 206 of first roller 200. Note that the precise order of
the cutting by rollers 200, 202, 204 may be varied. For example, a
first cut could begin on the left edge, beginning tab 40A, a second
cut ends tab 40A and begins tab 40B, and the third cut ends tab
40B. Other variations are also contemplated.
[0050] The technique of FIGS. 8 and 9 allows the sizes of the tabs
40A, 40B to be varied by varying the phases of rollers 202, 204
with respect to first roller 200. Thus, if a longer tab 40A is
desired, second roller 202 is phased such that there is little
overlap between the cuts 206, 208. If a shorter tab 40A is desired,
second roller 202 is phased such that there is substantial overlap
in the cuts 206, 208. The same principle applies to the size of tab
40B, but the phase of third roller 204 is modified to achieve the
desired amount of overlap between the cuts 206, 210. Allowing for
differently sized tabs 40A, 40B allows optimal antenna 60
performance as previously explained. It should be appreciated that
rollers 200, 202, 204 rotate at the same rate to avoid undesired
phase changes between rollers 200, 202, 204. This technique is
especially well suited for situations in which substrate 20 varies
between wireless communication devices 10. In one embodiment, it is
expected that at a 200 ft/min rate of movement of production line
120 and an antenna 60 dimension of approximately 68 mm.times.16 mm
outside dimensions, thus giving about 60 antennas 60 per foot,
approximately 12,000 antennas may be made per minute.
[0051] An alternate technique to provide variations in the size of
tabs 40A, 40B is illustrated in FIGS. 10-13B. In this technique,
production system 130B comprises a first roller 300 and a second
roller 302, each of which is independently movable relative to one
another. This technique is better suited for situations in which
substrate 20 on which wireless communication device 10 is to be
placed varies, as this technique allows testing on the fly to get
the desired impedance for antenna 60 in conjunction with substrate
20. Rollers 300, 302 receive a production line 140A (illustrated in
FIG. 13A) comprising a backing material 130 with tabs 40A, 40B and
chip 30 disposed thereon. In contrast to the other techniques
previously discussed, this technique positions, but does not
specifically require, chip 30 mounted with the elements that form
tabs 40.
[0052] Production line 140A passes under first roller 300 and
second roller 302 to deposit the tabs 40 and the chip 30 onto the
substrate 20. Rollers 300 and 302 may initially be close together
as illustrated by dimension `X` in FIGS. 10 and 11. During the
deposit of tabs 40A, 40B on substrate 20, a low signal level and
low frequency radiator 138, operating at, for example, 125 kHz,
assesses the capacitance of tabs 40A, 40B in conjunction with
substrate 20 and with or without ground plane 306 (FIG. 10). This
provides an estimate of the thickness and dielectric constant of
substrate 20. Tabs 40A, 40B may be sized appropriately to provide
the desired capacitance by moving the rollers 300, 302 to insure
optimal antenna 60 performance as previously discussed.
[0053] As illustrated by the difference between FIGS. 11 and 12,
rollers 300, 302 may be spread if larger tabs 40A, 40B are
required. After the testing equipment determines that the tabs 40
are appropriately sized to give the desired performance to antenna
60, a cut is made and tabs 40A, 40B are mounted on substrate 20.
This cut may be made with a die, a knife, a laser, or other
appropriate cutting tools (none shown). It may be desirable to test
capacitance by changing one and then the other tab 40A, 40B as
needed or desired. As can be seen in FIG. 13B, the cut removes tabs
40A, 40B and a portion of the backing material 130 to create hole
121, leaving tab residuals 40', 50'.
[0054] As previously noted, some of the above techniques may be
occurring concurrently with the positioning of the chips 30 on the
adhesive line 118. The following section deals with mounting the
chips 30 on the wireless communication device 10 after the antenna
60 has been positioned thereon.
Mounting Techniques
[0055] One technique is illustrated in FIG. 14. In particular, a
hole 22 is punched into substrate 20. Hole 22 is any type of cavity
in substrate 20 or any type of geometry such that wireless
communication chip 30 may be wholly or partially placed inside such
cavity. Hole 22 may have tapered top edges 24 that taper from a
wide opening 26 to a narrow mouth 28. The size of narrow mouth 28
may be the same or smaller in size than the width of wireless
communication chip 30, so that wireless communication chip 30 rests
in hole 22 at the point where narrow mouth 28 begins.
[0056] Foil tape 42, 52 overlaps edges 24 so that tape 42, 52
extends partially into hole 22. Chip 30 is then inserted in the
direction of the arrow into the hole 22. Hole 22 may be designed to
allow chip 30 to sit flush with upper surface 21 of substrate 20
without substantially protruding therefrom, as is illustrated in
FIG. 14. This reduces the profile of substrate 20 and protects chip
30 from some inadvertent harm. Hole 22 may also be designed to
allow chip 30 to sit fully below upper surface 21 or to protrude
slightly from hole 22, depending on the design and size of hole 22,
edges 24, and mouth 28.
[0057] A number of techniques exist to attach chip 30 to tabs 40A,
40B. A first, technique comprises using a low melting point solder.
Tape ends 44, 54 of foil tape 42, 52 may be pre-loaded with a
solder paste. Chip 30 is then simply dropped onto the paste (not
shown), and the solder (not shown) is melted to form connectivity
between tabs 40A, 40B and chip 30. Appropriate methods to form the
solder joint comprise the use of infrared radiation to heat the
joint locally, or pushing chip 30 into the paste with pins 32 of
chip 30 preheated. Preheating of pins 32 allows the solder to
remain in a liquefied state longer after initial melting so that
solder may more easily flow to more surface area of tabs 40A, 40B
and around pin 32 to form a stronger bond. Such preheating may be
accomplished by any technique, including use of a preheating tool
that emits heat such as a hot gas jet or the like.
[0058] An alternative technique for attaching chip 30 to tabs 40A,
40B comprises the use of a conductive adhesive (not shown). The
adhesive forms a bond between tabs 40A, 40B and chip 30, and the
conductivity of the adhesive ensures electrical continuity between
tabs 40A, 40B and chip 30. Either a suitable conductive adhesive
can be applied by printing to ends 44, 54 of tape 42, 52 prior to
assembly, or chip 30 may be pushed onto a pressure sensitive
conductive adhesive on top surfaces 46, 56 of tape 42, 52. It may
be advantageous, but not required to use an adhesive that can be
cured rapidly. For example, an adhesive cured by a flash of
ultraviolet (UV) light would be appropriate. Examples of conductive
adhesives include isotropic conductive adhesives, conductive
silicones, and anisotropic conductive adhesives. The interested
reader is directed to "Electrically Conductive Adhesives
Characteristics and Applications," a Loctite Corporation
publication available at www.loctite.com that is hereby
incorporated by reference in its entirety. Further information may
also be found at the following website:
www.chemical.felpro.com/electronics/elec_tech_index.html#eleccond.
[0059] Yet another alternative is illustrated in FIGS. 15-17. In
this embodiment, the tape 42 has one end sliced into a plurality of
fingers 48. Note that the fingers 48 are made from the same
material as the tape 42, but include cuts 49 between the fingers
48. The fingers are then placed proximate the hole 22. A top view
of the tape 42, the fingers 48, and an exemplary positioning
relative to the hole 22 is illustrated in FIG. 15. With that
arrangement in place, it is now possible to mount the chip 30.
[0060] Chip 30, and particularly pins 32 thereof, are heated above
the yield point of substrate 20 and positioned over substrate 20
(FIG. 16). Pins 32 are then forced into substrate 20 with fingers
48 wrapping around pins 32, as illustrated in FIG. 17. The heat of
pins 32 melts substrate 20, which then cools around tape 42 and
pins 32, forming an effective mechanical bond. Also note that this
technique could also be done on the other tab 40B (not shown) in a
similar fashion. Note that both tabs 40A, 40B should be in place
prior to this insertion.
[0061] Still another alternative would be to weld or tack pins 32
to tape 42, 52 using a suitable tool. The tool presses chip 30 into
surface 21 of substrate 20. A high current may be passed through
pins 32, using a low voltage pulse therethrough to form the weld. A
lower voltage pulse is desirable so as to not apply a damaging
voltage to chip 30. A modified chip 30 with a single thin foil (not
shown) rather than multiple pins 32 may also be used for this
technique. This technique may be better suited for chips 30 having
an aluminum thin foil rather than a copper thin foil, since
aluminum has a melting point temperature lower than copper, thereby
allowing use of a current that is lower in amperes.
[0062] With all of these embodiments, a sealing layer (not shown)
may also be placed onto substrate 20 and over chip 30 to hold chip
30 firmly in its desired location. This sealing layer may be an
epoxy, but may instead be a robust plastic such as polyimide,
Mylar, or polypropylene. These plastics may be attached by
adhesives or by thermal welding as needed or desired.
[0063] It should be noted that extra layers may be added to
wireless communication device 10 after or in place of the sealing
layer. For example, a paper layer for printing or plastic layers
may be added to the structure. Such sealing layer or layers may be
applied onto substrate 20 using any type of label printing
machine.
[0064] For almost any of the above styled processes, the chip 30
may be positioned on the substrate 20 with rollers as illustrated
in FIGS. 18 and 19. Chip merging system 160 is illustrated
schematically in FIG. 18 and comprises a first and second heat and
pressure roller 162, 164. These rollers 162, 164 may perform the
thermal welding alluded to above. Adhesive line 118 with chips 30
disposed thereon passes between rollers 162, 164 and mates with
substrate 20, and particularly hole 22 of substrate 20, as better
seen in FIG. 19. Tabs 40 have been pre-positioned on substrate 20
prior to the introduction of the chip 30 thereto. Chip 30 may be
secured to the tabs 40 and the substrate 20 by any of the means
previously discussed as needed or desired.
[0065] The above-mentioned techniques are useful with a number of
other manufacturing techniques. Of particular interest is the
creation of tabs 40A, 40B. This may be done before, concurrently
with, or after the creation of hole 22 in substrate 20 as needed or
desired.
[0066] The present invention is well suited for "roll to roll"
processes, making the automation of the present invention easy. As
illustrated in FIG. 20, the chip 30 positioning process may be
occurring concurrently with the tab 40 creation process. The tabs
are then positioned on the substrate 20 through an appropriate
means as is well understood. Finally, the two production lines
merge and the chip 30 may be positioned on the substrate 20.
Furthermore, the automation may test and mark defective parts as
needed or desired.
[0067] The present invention may, of course, be carried out in
other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing
from the scope and the essential characteristics of the invention.
The present embodiments are therefore to be construed in all
aspects as illustrative and not restrictive and all changes coming
within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are
intended to be embraced therein.
* * * * *
References