RFID LABEL

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing an RFID label for use in particular on curved metal surfaces and on containers filled with liquids in the frequency range 860-960 MHz, having a substrate on which are arranged an electronic storage and transmission device designed as a microchip, a primary antenna galvanically connected to the microchip, and a secondary antenna coupled to the primary antenna, wherein the substrate is designed as a continuous strip in roll form which can be processed by machine with a plurality of secondary antennas arranged thereon, a first variant being characterized by the following steps: —punching the secondary antenna out of a conductive metallic layer, preferably a self-adhesive aluminum foil, and covering the secondary antenna with a preferably transparent self-adhesive film, in particular a polypropylene or polyethylene film; —punching a web out of a self-adhesive foam film; —applying the primary antenna to the covered secondary antenna at a position intended therefor and laminating a self-adhesive top material to a partial region of the upper side of the covered secondary antenna; and—applying an adhesive to a partial region of the upper side of the covered secondary antenna, laminating the unit consisting of the primary and secondary antennas to the self-adhesive foam film, and punching out the RFID label intended for subsequent folding.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a RFID label for the UHF frequency range, with a substrate on which an electronic storage and transmission device designed as a microchip, a primary antenna galvanically connected to the microchip, and a secondary antenna coupled to the primary antenna are arranged, wherein the substrate is designed as a machine-processable continuous strip in roll form with a plurality of secondary antennas arranged thereon, characterized by the following steps: punching the secondary antenna from a conductive metal layer, preferably a self-adhesive aluminum film, and covering the secondary antenna with a transparent self-adhesive film; punching a web from a self-adhesive foam film; applying the primary antenna to the covered secondary antenna at a designated position and laminating a self-adhesive top material; and applying an adhesive to a partial area of the upper side of the covered secondary antenna, laminating the unit of primary and secondary antennas to the self-adhesive foam film, and punching the RFID label intended for later folding.

2. The method for manufacturing a RFID label for the UHF frequency range, with a substrate on which an electronic storage and transmission device designed as a microchip, a primary antenna galvanically connected to the microchip, and a secondary antenna coupled to the primary antenna are arranged, wherein the substrate is designed as a machine-processable continuous strip in roll form with a plurality of secondary antennas arranged thereon, characterized by the following steps: punching the secondary antenna from a conductive metal layer, preferably a self-adhesive aluminum film, and covering the secondary antenna with a transparent self-adhesive film; punching a web from a self-adhesive foam film; laminating a self-adhesive top material to a partial area of the upper side of the self-adhesive secondary antenna, and applying an adhesive to a partial area of the upper side of the self-adhesive secondary antenna, laminating it to the self-adhesive foam film, and punching the UHF antenna provided for later folding; manufacturing of an UHF loop label; and applying the UHF loop label to the UHF antenna to form the RFID label intended for later folding.

3. The method for manufacturing a RFID label for the UHF frequency range, with a substrate on which an electronic storage and transmission device designed as a microchip and an UHF antenna galvanically connected to the microchip are arranged, wherein the substrate is designed as a machine-processable continuous strip in roll form with a plurality of UHF inlays arranged thereon, characterized by the following steps: producing an UHF inlay with chip as a one-piece component, wherein the UHF antenna is applied to a paper or film substrate by etching, printing or stamping, and the UHF chip or UHF strap is connected directly to the UHF antenna in an electrically conductive manner, punching a web from a self-adhesive foam film, laminating a self-adhesive top material to a partial area of the upper side of the UHF inlay and laminating a transfer film to the entire lower side of the UHF inlay, and applying an adhesive to a partial area of the upper side of the self-adhesive UHF inlay, laminating it to the self-adhesive foam film, and punching the RFID label intended for later folding.

4. The method according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that by punching a web centrally or off-center from the self-adhesive foam film, a folding aid is created to facilitate folding of the RFID label prior to application or during application to its intended location.

5. The method according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the RFID label is not yet folded after punching and that the form fit with flat or curved metal surfaces or containers filled with liquid is created only during folding and application on flat surfaces or application and folding on curved surfaces.

6. A RFID label with UHF loop, characterized by a siliconized carrier film (82) as substrate, a first adhesive layer (84), a foam film layer (86), a second adhesive layer (88), a secondary antenna (90), a third adhesive layer (92), a film layer (94), a fourth adhesive layer (96) with which a primary antenna (98) with a chip (100) is adhered to the film layer (94), a fifth adhesive layer (102) with which the printable or printed top material (52) is adhered to the film layer in such a manner as to cover the primary antenna, and a sixth adhesive layer (104) with which the RFID label is fastened to its intended location, wherein the adhesive layer (104) is covered with a siliconized carrier film (106).

7. The RFID label with UHF loop label, characterized by a siliconized carrier film (138) as substrate, a first adhesive layer (140), a foam film layer (142) with a groove (144) provided, a second adhesive layer (146) a secondary antenna (148), a third adhesive layer (150), a film layer (152), a fourth adhesive layer (154), a layer of top material (156), a fifth adhesive layer (158) with which the RFID label is fastened to its intended location, wherein the adhesive layer (158) is covered with a siliconized carrier film (160), and an UHF loop label (162).

8. The RFID label with UHF inlay, characterized by a siliconized carrier film (194) as a substrate, a first adhesive layer (196), a foam film layer (198), a second adhesive layer (200), an UHF inlay as a one-piece component (202, 204, 206, 208) a third adhesive layer (210), a layer of top material (52), a fourth adhesive layer (212) with which the RFID label is fastened to its intended location, wherein the adhesive layer (212) is covered with a siliconized carrier film (214).

9. The RFID label according to any of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that two wings of the unfolded RFID label formed by the groove (144) have equal lengths for application to a flat surface and have different lengths for application to curved surfaces or over an edge.

10. A use of a RFID label according to any of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the shorter wing is first adhered to a curved surface when the RFID label is adhered thereto, and then the longer wing is folded over the shorter wing and adhered to the shorter wing without tension or distortion, wherein the free wing ends of the label are flush with one another due to the greater length of the second wing.

11. The use of a RFID label according to any of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that when the RFID label is applied to a flat surface, the RFID label is removed from the siliconized carrier film (82, 138, 194) and folded through 180° with the aid of the groove (144), thereby bonding the two wings of equal length to one another without tension or warping, and then the siliconized carrier film (106, 160, 214) is pulled off and the RFID label is bonded to the flat surface at its intended location.

12. The use of a RFID label according to any of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that when the RFID label is applied to a curved surface or over an edge, the RFID label is removed from the siliconized carrier film (82, 138, 194) and pre-folded through 90° with the aid of the groove (144) in such a manner that the siliconized carrier film (106, 160, 214) is removable and serves as an operating aid or anti-adhesion barrier for pressing the shorter wing of the RFID label when adhered to the curved surface or over the edge at its intended location, and in that the operating aid or anti-adhesion barrier is removed again prior to folding and adhering the longer wing over the shorter wing.

Description

[0047] In the following, the invention is explained in more detail with reference to examples of embodiments shown schematically in the drawing. In the drawings:

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a first manufacturing step for manufacturing the secondary antenna;

[0049] FIG. 2 shows a second manufacturing step for preparing a foam film as a subsequent substrate for the primary and secondary antennas;

[0050] FIG. 3 shows a third manufacturing step in which the primary antenna is applied to the secondary antenna;

[0051] FIG. 4 shows a fourth manufacturing step in which the primary and secondary antennas are applied to the foam film substrate;

[0052] FIG. 5 shows a cross-section of a foldable OM tag;

[0053] FIGS. 6 and 7 show alternative manufacturing steps to those shown in FIGS. 3 and 4;

[0054] FIG. 8 shows a cross-section of an OM antenna manufactured using the steps shown in FIGS. 6 and 7;

[0055] FIGS. 9 and 10 show manufacturing steps for fabricating an UHF loop label whose dispensing onto the OM antenna in accordance with FIG. 8 to form an OM tag;

[0056] FIG. 11 shows a cross-section through the OM tag in accordance with FIG. 10;

[0057] FIGS. 12 and 13 show alternative manufacturing steps to those shown in FIGS. 3 and 4;

[0058] FIG. 14 shows a cross-section of a foldable OM tag produced using the steps depicted in FIGS. 12 and 13;

[0059] FIG. 15a to f show the procedure for adhering the OM tag to a flat surface; and

[0060] FIG. 16a to j show the procedure for bonding the OM tag to a cylindrically curved surface.

[0061] In the manufacturing step of an OM tag shown schematically in FIG. 1, which is particularly suitable for attachment to metallic objects, a self-adhesive aluminum film is first fed from a roll 12 to a printing station 14, in which a print mark is printed at regular distances on the film 10 as a subsequent reference mark in subsequent manufacturing steps. The secondary antenna is then shaped in a punching station 16. The punching grid is removed from the film 10 and rolled up on a roll 18. A self-adhesive film made of environmentally friendly material, preferably polypropylene or polyethylene material, is fed from another supply roll 20 and, after removal of its carrier substrate 22, is laminated to the upper side of the secondary antennas via a deflection roll 24. This first intermediate product is stored on a roll 26 for later processing.

[0062] In the manufacturing step shown in FIG. 2, a self-adhesive foam film 28 is prefabricated as a subsequent substrate for the antennas. For this purpose, the foam film 28 is fed from a dispenser roll 30 through a punching station 32, in which a web 34 is removed in the direction of travel of the foam film 28, which later creates a hinge function, as it were, for folding the end product of this manufacturing method. The punched web 34 is removed from the foam film 28 and rolled up on a roll 36. Two wide strips of the foam material, which typically has a thickness of about 0.5 mm to 2 mm, thus remain on the carrier material of the foam film 28. This intermediate product is stored on a roll 38 for later processing.

[0063] The first and second manufacturing steps can be performed independently of one another in terms of time and location and in any order.

[0064] In the manufacturing step shown in FIG. 3, the self-adhesive primary antenna is applied to the designated position of the secondary antenna and a printable or already printed top material is applied to one half, the later visible side of the OM tag, of the antenna composite. Three dispenser rolls are provided for this purpose: A roll 40 with the top material, a roll 42 on which the primary antennas are stocked, and the prepared roll 26 with the secondary antennas as an intermediate product from the first manufacturing step. A carrier film 44 with self-adhesive primary antennas arranged thereon is fed to a peeling device 46, to which the film with the secondary antennas is also fed, wherein peeled-off primary antennas are arranged at the position of the secondary antennas provided therefor. The carrier film 44 of the primary antennas is rolled up on a roll 48 as waste material. The composite of the primary and secondary antennas is provided with top material 52 dispensed from the roll 40 in a laminating station 50. The further intermediate product thus created is rolled up on a roll 54.

[0065] In the manufacturing step shown in FIG. 4, the intermediate products are combined in accordance with FIGS. 2 and 3. The intermediate product in accordance with FIG. 2, which is stocked on roll 38, serves as the base. The antenna composite 56 stored on the roll 54 is laminated onto this in a laminating station 60 after being pulled off its carrier material 58. The carrier material 58 is rolled up on a roll 62. In addition, in the laminating station 60, a transfer film 66 stocked on a roll 64 is applied to the side of the antenna composite 56 not provided with the printable top material 52 with an adhesive which is the subsequent adhesive layer for adhering the OM tag to its intended location. The carrier film 68 of the transfer film 66 is rolled onto a roll 70. After lamination, subsequent cutting and punching stations 72, 74 manufacture the final contours of the OM tag. The edge trim 76 or a punching grid is rolled up on a roll 78. If further processing is performed in a thermal transfer printer, the punching grid must not be removed completely in such a manner that the printer's print head can operate at a consistent level. The foldable OM tags are thus produced and rolled up on a roll 80. In this form, the OM tags can be delivered to the end user, who can print information on the top material 52 in a label printer.

[0066] FIG. 5 schematically shows the layered structure of the OM tag prior to removal from its siliconized carrier film 82 and folding into final form. The OM tag comprises a first adhesive layer 84, a foam film layer 86, a second adhesive layer 88, a secondary antenna 90, a third adhesive layer 92, a film layer 94, a fourth adhesive layer 96 with which a primary antenna 98 having a chip 100 is adhered to the film layer 94, a fifth adhesive layer 102 with which the printable top material 52 is adhered to the film layer at least partially overlapping the primary antenna, and a sixth adhesive layer 104 with which the OM tag is attached to its intended location. The adhesive layer 104 is initially still covered with a siliconized carrier film 106.

[0067] In accordance with a variant of the invention shown in FIGS. 6 to 11, the mechanically and electrostatically sensitive UHF loop with primary antenna and chip is arranged on the OM tag only at the end of its manufacture. The manufacturing steps shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 are modified as follows: As shown in FIG. 6, the third manufacturing step is modified in such a manner that no dispensing of the self-adhesive primary antennas or UHF loops is performed on the product from the first manufacturing step. In this step, only unwinding of the product from the first manufacturing step in accordance with FIG. 1 from a roll 26′ and lamination of the product with a top material 52′ dispensed from a roll 40′ takes place in a laminating station 50′. The product of this alternative third manufacturing step is rolled up on a roll 54′.

[0068] The subsequent alternative fourth manufacturing step in accordance with FIG. 7 corresponds fully to the manufacturing step shown in FIG. 4, wherein the product from the previous alternative third manufacturing step is now dispensed from the roll 54′. For further details of this alternative fourth manufacturing step, reference can be made to FIG. 4.

[0069] The product of the manufacturing step shown in FIG. 7 is shown in FIG. 8. Compared to the product shown in FIG. 5, the product in accordance with FIG. 8 comprises the secondary antenna 90, but not the primary antenna 98 with the chip 100. The product in accordance with FIG. 8 may be referred to as an UHF decoupler or OM antenna. By omitting the mechanically and electrostatically sensitive chip 100 and the self-adhesive primary antenna 98, this product can be manufactured on normal processing machines without special provisions for chip or inlay processing.

[0070] The UHF loop labels with primary antenna and chip for the UHF decoupler or OM antenna are manufactured in a further manufacturing step in accordance with FIG. 9. Dry UHF loops with chip are dispensed from a roll 110 without adhesive and fed to a laminating station 112. There, a transfer film from a roll 114 is fed from below and a self-adhesive, printed or printable top material from a roll 116 is fed from above. The carrier waste material of the transfer film and the top material is collected on rolls 118 and 120. The final form of the UHF loop labels is manufactured in a punching station 122. The punching grid is rolled up on a roll 124 and the UHF loop labels are stocked on a roll 126.

[0071] The UHF decouplers in accordance with FIG. 8 and the UHF loop labels produced in the method step in accordance with FIG. 9 are brought together in the method step shown in FIG. 10, which substantially corresponds to the method step in accordance with FIG. 3, wherein the top material already present no longer has to be laminated on, i.e. the roll 40 is no longer required. UHF loop labels are fed from a roll 128 to a peeling device 130 and applied to the UHF decoupler or OM antenna fed from a roll 132, passed through a laminating station 134, and collected as a finished product on a roll 136.

[0072] The finished product in accordance with FIG. 10 is shown in cross-section in FIG. 11. The OM tag in accordance with FIG. 11 comprises siliconized carrier film 138, a first adhesive layer 140, a foam film layer 142 having a groove 144 provided therein, a second adhesive layer 146, a secondary antenna 148, a third adhesive layer 150, a film layer 152, a fourth adhesive layer 154, a layer of top material 156, a fifth adhesive layer 158 for securing the OM tag to a surface, wherein the fifth adhesive layer 158 is covered with a siliconized carrier material 160, and the overall UHF loop label designated 162.

[0073] In the method variant shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, a punched, printed or etched UHF inlay is first (FIG. 12) unrolled from a roll 164 as a one-piece component and fed to a laminating station 166. There, a top material is fed from a roll 168 from the top and a transfer film having the width of the UHF inlay is fed from a roll 170 from the bottom. The product of this step is wound on a roll 172 for use in the subsequent method step. The siliconized carrier material of the top material or transfer film is rolled onto rolls 174 and 176.

[0074] The method step shown in FIG. 13 corresponds to that shown in FIG. 4. The laminated UHF inlay stocked on the roll 172 is separated from the siliconized carrier film in a preferential unit 178, which is collected as waste on a roll 180. In a laminating station 182, the UHF inlays are equipped from above with a transfer film from a roll 184 and from below with the foam film stocked on the roll 38 as a product of the method step shown in FIG. 2. After lamination, subsequent cutting and punching stations 186, 188 manufacture the final contours of the OM tag. The edge trim or a punching grid is rolled up on a roll 190. The foldable OM tags are thus produced and rolled up on a roll 192. In this form, the OM tags can be delivered to the end user, who can print information on the top material in a label printer.

[0075] FIG. 14 schematically shows the layered structure of the OM tag in accordance with FIGS. 12 and 13 prior to removal from its siliconized carrier film 194 and folding into its final form. The OM tag comprises a first adhesive layer 196, a foam film layer 198, a second adhesive layer 200, the UHF inlay consisting of a substrate 202 made of paper or plastic film, a third adhesive layer 204, an UHF antenna 206, and a chip 208, a fourth adhesive layer 210 with which the printable top material 52 is adhered to the film layer, and a fifth adhesive layer 212 with which the OM tag is attached to its intended location. The adhesive layer 212 is initially still covered with a siliconized carrier film 214.

[0076] For use, the OM tag in accordance with FIG. 5 (and correspondingly the OM tags in accordance with FIGS. 8, 11 and 14) is first removed from the siliconized carrier film 82 in a first application variant. This exposes the adhesive layer 84. The OM tag is now folded in the direction of the arrows 108, 108′, wherein it is helpful that the foam film layer 86 has in its central area a recess or groove 144 created in the second manufacturing step, which forms a hinge, as it were. The siliconized carrier film 106 is then removed to expose the sixth adhesive layer 104, which is used to attach the OM tag to its intended location. The printable top material 52 then faces away from the attachment location and is readable by the user. This application variant is recommended for attaching the OM tag to flat surfaces, as shown in FIG. 15: First (a) the OM tag is removed from the carrier. Then (b) the OM tag is rotated 180° around its longitudinal axis in such a manner that the surfaces marked u1 and u2 point upwards. Then (c, d) the OM tag is folded in such a manner that the surfaces u1 and u2 are glued together. Then (e) the silicone film is peeled off and (f) the OM tag is stuck onto the flat surface.

[0077] In a second application variant, which is recommended for curved surfaces, the OM tag is first removed from the siliconized carrier film 82, then the siliconized carrier film 106 is peeled off and the OM tag, which has not yet been folded, is attached to its intended location with the first wing. The portion of the siliconized carrier film 106 that has covered the adhesive area for the surface can still be used as an anti-stick barrier for pressing the first wing of the OM tag before folding the OM tag. Then, the free wing of the OM tag is folded in the direction of arrow 108. Since the wing glued on first has a slightly smaller radius of curvature than the initially still free wing after folding, the two halves of the foam film layer 86 are thus glued together without stress or warping. Expediently, the second wing is designed longer than the first wing due to the slightly larger radius in the folded state, in such a manner that the wing ends are flush with one another after folding. As FIG. 16 shows, first (a, b) the OM tag is again removed from the carrier and rotated. Then (c, d) the OM tag is folded, but not closed, and the silicone film is peeled off. The silicone film is placed (e, f) on the adhesive surface u2 as a handling aid and pressed on. Then (g) the first wing can be placed against the curved surface and, since the upper adhesive surface is covered by the silicone film, pressed on. The silicone film is again removed from the surface u2 (h) and the second wing is folded over the first and pressed on (i, j) without causing any stresses or distortions in the OM tag that has now been completely glued on.

[0078] The OM tag is easier for the user to process in its unfolded as-delivered state, especially with regard to roll handling, printing and coding in standard label printers. Furthermore, the modular design of the OM tag allows a wide range of materials and designs to be selected to meet specific requirements.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0079] 10 Aluminum film/film [0080] 12 Roll [0081] 14 Printing station [0082] 16 Punching station [0083] 18 Roll [0084] 20 Supply roll [0085] 22 Carrier substrate [0086] 24 Deflection roll [0087] 26, 26′ Roll [0088] 28 Foam film [0089] 30 Dispenser roll [0090] 32 Punching station [0091] 34 Web [0092] 36 Roll [0093] 38 Roll [0094] 40, 40′ Roll [0095] 42 Roll [0096] 44 Carrier film [0097] 46 Peeling device [0098] 48 Roll [0099] 50, 50′ Laminating station [0100] 52, 52′ Top material [0101] 54, 54′ Roll [0102] 56 Antenna composite [0103] 58 Carrier material [0104] 60 Laminating station [0105] 62 Roll [0106] 64 Roll [0107] 66 Transfer film [0108] 68 Carrier film [0109] 70 Roll [0110] 72 Cutting station [0111] 74 Punching station [0112] 76 Edge trim [0113] 78 Roll [0114] 80 Roll [0115] 82 Siliconized carrier film [0116] 84 First adhesive layer [0117] 86 Foam film layer [0118] 88 Second adhesive layer [0119] 90 Secondary antenna [0120] 92 Third adhesive layer [0121] 94 Film layer [0122] 96 Fourth adhesive layer [0123] 98 Primary antenna [0124] 100 Chip [0125] 102 Fifth adhesive layer [0126] 104 Sixth adhesive layer [0127] 106 Siliconized carrier film [0128] 108, 108′ Arrow [0129] 110 Roll [0130] 112 Laminating station [0131] 114 Roll [0132] 116 Roll [0133] 118 Roll [0134] 120 Roll [0135] 122 Punching station [0136] 124 Roll [0137] 126 Roll [0138] 128 Roll [0139] 130 Peeling device [0140] 132 Roll [0141] 134 Laminating station [0142] 136 Roll [0143] 138 Siliconized carrier film [0144] 140 First adhesive layer [0145] 142 Foam film layer [0146] 144 Groove [0147] 146 Second adhesive layer [0148] 148 Secondary antenna [0149] 150 Third adhesive layer [0150] 152 Film layer [0151] 154 Fourth adhesive layer [0152] 156 Top material [0153] 158 Fifth adhesive layer [0154] 160 Siliconized carrier material [0155] 162 UHF loop label [0156] 164 Roll [0157] 166 Laminating station [0158] 168 Roll [0159] 170 Roll [0160] 172 Roll [0161] 174 Roll [0162] 176 Roll [0163] 178 Preferential unit [0164] 180 Roll [0165] 182 Laminating station [0166] 184 Roll [0167] 186 Cutting station [0168] 188 Punching station [0169] 190 Roll [0170] 192 Roll [0171] 194 Siliconized carrier film [0172] 196 First adhesive layer [0173] 198 Foam film layer [0174] 200 Second adhesive layer [0175] 202 Substrate [0176] 204 Third adhesive layer [0177] 206 Antenna [0178] 208 Chip [0179] 210 Fourth adhesive layer [0180] 212 Fifth adhesive layer [0181] 214 Siliconized carrier film