RFID tag and method of attaching the same

Abstract

An RFID tag for stably holding an RFID inlet raised and spaced apart with respect to an article, on which the tag is placed. The RFID tag is raised from a surface of the article by being flexed to bring the RFID tag into contact with a head portion of a banding band. A through hole defined in a tag base allows insertion of the banding band. The hole includes a first through bore and a second through bore. The tag base includes a base region for raising a holding region and a holding region for an RFID inlet for being reused. The base region raises the RFID inlet with respect to the article, and the holding region having the RFID inlet is raised from the base region.

Claims

1. An RFID tag comprising: a banding band; a tag base comprising a sheet that is separable from the banding band; and an RFID inlet provided at the tag base, the inlet being configured to receive an IC chip and an RFID antenna, which makes the IC chip and the antenna capable of performing wireless data communication, wherein the tag base including a through hole configured for allowing the banding band to be inserted therethrough; the banding band having a strap-like band main body, a head portion provided on one end of the band main body, and a tail portion provided on another end of the band main body, the band being configured to allow attachment of the RFID tag to an article by means of the tail portion of the main band body being inserted into and engaged with an engagement through hole in the head portion, the through hole includes a first through bore defined in a through-thickness direction of the tag base, and includes a second through bore defined in the through-thickness direction of the tag base at a second position different from a first position of the first through bore and in parallel with the first through bore in a lengthwise direction; the through bores are defined smaller than the head portion of the banding band; and the tag base includes a base region defining a first plane configured for being secured by the banding band adjacent the article and an inlet holding region configured for holding the RFID inlet, the inlet holding region comprising a second plane which is raised and forms a first angle with respect to the base region at a first flexed portion adjacent to the through hole positioned as a border between the inlet holding region and the base region, the inlet holding region being configured to be raised off the article and away from the base region by said first angle at said first flexed portion, for holding the RFID away from the article.

2. The RFID tag according to claim 1, wherein the tag base is flexible at a portion of the through hole.

3. The RFID tag according to claim 1, wherein the RFID inlet is spaced apart from the article by the tag base being placed over the head portion of the banding band.

4. The RFID tag according to claim 1, wherein the tail portion of the banding band is configured to urge the tag base in a direction which raises the RFID inlet away from the article.

5. The RFID tag according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of the through holes defined in the tag base in parallel with each other and in a crosswise direction.

6. An RFID tag comprising: a banding band including a strap-shaped band main body, the strap-shaped band main body having: a head portion defining an engagement through hole; and a tail portion defined by an end of the strap-shaped band main body, the banding band being configured to be attached to an article when the tail portion is passed through the engagement through hole; and a tag base comprising a sheet that is separable from the banding band; the tag base including an inlet holding region, the inlet holding region configured to support an RFID inlet, the tag base being supported by the banding band and located such that when the tail portion is passed through the engagement through hole, an inner side of the strap-shaped band main body abuts an inner side of the tag base such that the inlet holding region is relatively raised off the article.

7. The RFID tag according to claim 1, the inlet holding region further comprising a third plane defined at a second flexed portion which is adjacent the second plane, the third plane forming a second angle with respect to the base region that is greater than said first angle, in a position for contacting said head portion, thereby further raising the inlet holding region off the article.

8. The RFID tag according to claim 7, wherein the third plane of the inlet holding region engages the tail portion of the banding band.

9. The RFID tag according to claim 6, wherein the inlet holding region comprises a plane that is in a position for contacting said head portion, thereby further raising the inlet holding region off the article.

10. The RFID tag according to claim 9, wherein said plane of the inlet holding region engages the tail portion of the banding band.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating an RFID tag 1 of a first embodiment according to the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1 of the first embodiment according to the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line in FIG. 1 of the first embodiment according to the present invention.

(4) FIG. 4 is an exploded sectional view of the RFID tag 1 similarly to FIG. 3 of the first embodiment according to the present invention.

(5) FIG. 5 is a side view of a banding band 7 of the first embodiment according to the present invention.

(6) FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged sectional view of the banding band 7 of the first embodiment according to the present invention.

(7) FIG. 7 is a side view showing a state of the RFID tag 1 in the middle of attachment to any metallic material M using the banding band 7 in the first embodiment according to the present invention.

(8) FIG. 8 is a side view showing a state of the RFID tag 1 that has been attached to the metallic material M using the banding band 7 in the first embodiment according to the present invention.

(9) FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating an RFID tag 30 of a second embodiment according to the present invention.

(10) FIG. 10 is a side view showing a state of the RFID tag 30 that have been attached to the metallic material M using the banding band 7 in the second embodiment according to the present invention.

(11) FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating an RFID tag 40 of a third embodiment according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(12) According to the present invention, an RFID tag may be applied to an article made of a metallic material or the like by inserting a banding band into a through hole in a tag base. Thus, an RFID tag with which an RFID inlet may be stably and reliably attached to the article for an extended period of time while spaced apart from a surface of the article, and capable of ensuring its data communication function, as well as a method of attaching such an RFID tag are realized.

Examples

(13) Hereinafter, an RFID tag 1 of a first embodiment according to the present invention, and a method of attaching the RFID tag 1 will be described.

(14) The RFID tag 1 includes a tag base 2 and an RFID inlet 3.

(15) The tag base 2 comprises a base sheet comprised, for example, of a synthetic resin having predetermined flexibility or elasticity, and rigidity. The tag base 2 has the RFID inlet 3 contained therein.

(16) The RFID inlet or support 3 includes an inlet base 4 comprised, for example, of polyethylene terephthalate or a film stack of polyethylene terephthalate, an IC chip 5 on the film or the stack thereof, and an RFID antenna 6, and this assembly is able to perform wireless data communication. The RFID inlet 3 performs reading and writing of data required for the IC chip 5 wirelessly via the RFID antenna 6 (data communication) based on an electromagnetic effect of radio waves in a predetermined frequency band such as a UHF band (300 MHz to 3 GHz (preferably, 860 MHz to 960 MHz, more specifically, 433 MHz, 900 MHz, 915 MHz to 928 MHz, or 950 to 958 MHz), microwaves (1 GHz to 30 GHz, specifically 2.45 GHz), and an HF band (3 MHz to 30 MHz (preferably, 13.56 MHz)) or at a frequency no higher than 135 kHz. However, specific configurations of the IC chip 5 and the RFID antenna 6 are adjusted suitably depending on radio waves to be used by each component. In particular, a communication distance of a component using radio waves having a wavelength in the UHF band (e.g., 860 MHz to 960 MHz) is typically on the order of 5 m to 10 m, and an application of such component in various fields is expected.

(17) The tag base 2 is provided with through hole 8 for insertion of a banding band 7 (see FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, described later) at a position excluding and avoiding a region of the RFID inlet 3. The through hole 8 is configured of a first through bore 8A having an elongated rectangular opening (see FIG. 1) extending in a through-thickness direction of the tag base 2, and a similarly elongated rectangular second through bore 8B also extending in the through-thickness direction of the tag base 2. The second through bore 8B is at a position different from the position of the first through bore 8A and extends parallel to the first through bore 8A in a lengthwise direction. It should be noted that the first through bore 8A and the second through bore 8B may be slit-like, as long as a tail portion 17 and a band main body 15 of the banding band 7 may be inserted. The tag base 2 includes a base region 2A for raising and a holding region for the holding inlet 2B to be raised, with the through hole 8 (the first through bore 8A) being provided as a border between the regions. The base region for raising 2A allows the RFID inlet 3 to be held raised and spaced apart with respect to an article, and the region for holding the inlet 2B which has the RFID inlet 3 is allowed to be raised with respect to the base region for raising region 2A.

(18) Further, as the tag base is provided with predetermined flexibility or elasticity and rigidity, the tag base 2 may be flexed at a portion of the through hole 8 (the first through bore 8A), specifically, at a flexed portion 9 along the length of the opening of the first through bore 8A. In order to ensure the flexibility, it is possible to previously provide a cut line or folding line 10 (an imaginary line in FIG. 1) along the flexed portion 9 in a crosswise direction of the first through bore 8A as needed. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the base region for raising 2A is a region illustrated on the side under the flexed portion 9, and the region for holding inlet 2B is a region illustrated on the side above the flexed portion 9.

(19) A sectional structure of the RFID tag 1 (the tag base 2) illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 is not limited to a single-layer structure, and may be provided by any processing such as a laminating process, an injection molding process, or a process of combination of these, and may have a multi-layer structure as shown in FIG. 4, for example. Specifically, FIG. 4 is an exploded sectional view of the RFID tag 1 similar to the one illustrated in FIG. 3, showing the tag base 2 having a first base layer 11 on the side of one surface and a second base layer 12 on the side of the other surface, and the RFID inlet 3 attached between the first base layer 11 and the second base layer 12 by an adhesive agent 13 or the like. The RFID inlet 3 inside the layers is laminated and covered by the first base layer 11 and the second base layer 12 so as to provide strong protection.

(20) The first base layer 11 and the second base layer 12 are configured of a soft material to acquire flexibility or elasticity. For example, by employing any soft material such as a flexible polyvinyl chloride material, it is possible to produce the RFID tag 1 at a relatively low price.

(21) FIG. 5 is a side view of the banding band 7, and FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged sectional view of the banding band 7. The banding band 7 is configured by a commonly-available material such as nylon, and includes the strap-like band main body 15 of a predetermined length, a head portion 16 in an expanded shape provided on one end of the band main body 15, and the tapered tail portion 17 provided on the other end of the band main body 15.

(22) As illustrated specifically in FIG. 6, an engagement through hole 18 is defined in the head portion 16, and an elastic engagement projection for fixation 19 is provided within the engagement through hole 18.

(23) On one side of the band main body 15, there is provided a strip-shaped concavo-convex or toothed engagement portion 20 that engages with the elastic engagement projection or teeth for fixation 19 to allow fastening and fixation of the banding band 7 as a whole in a ring shape of a selected circumferential length. Further, on the other side of the tail portion 17, there is a concavo-convex or toothed portion 21 that helps to hold the tail portion 17. Thus, the RFID tag 1 may be attached to an article (a metallic material M, see FIG. 7, described later) by having the tail portion 17 be first inserted into the first through bore 8A and then into the second through bore 8B of the RFID tag 1, and into the engagement through hole 18 of the head portion 16, and having the elastic engagement projection for fixation 19 be engaged with any part of the strip-shaped engagement portion 20 to form the band main body 15 into the ring of a predetermined circumferential length.

(24) However, it is required that the through hole 8 (the first through bore 8A and the second through bore 8B, FIG. 1 and FIG. 3) are defined to be smaller than the head portion 16 of the banding band 7.

(25) According to the RFID tag 1 thus configured, the RFID tag 1 may be attached to any article (e.g., the metallic material M) using the banding band 7. Specifically, FIG. 7 is a side view showing a state with the RFID tag 1 during its attachment to the any metallic material M using the banding band 7, and FIG. 8 is a side view showing a state of the RFID tag 1 that have been attached to the metallic material M using the banding band 7. As illustrated in FIG. 7, in a state in which the banding band 7 is inserted into the through hole 8 (first through the first through bore 8A, and then through the second through bore 8B) of the tag base 2 from the tail portion 17, the band main body 15 is wound around the metallic material M, and the tail portion 17 is inserted into the engagement through hole 18 of the head portion 16.

(26) Then, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the tail portion 17 is pulled so as to be further pulled out of the head portion 16, and when pulled tight the metallic material M is fastened by the band main body 15 in a ring shape, and the tag base 2 is also caused to be placed over the head portion 16 of the banding band 7, whereby the base region for raising 2A between the first through bore 8A and the second through bore 8B is closely attached to an outer surface of the metallic material M, and the region for holding inlet 2B is flexed along the flexed portion 9 so as to be raised from the metallic material M. Thus, the RFID tag 1 may be attached to the metallic material M such that the RFID inlet 3 within the region for holding inlet 2B is spaced apart from the metallic material M. Therefore, the data communication function may be maintained as the state in which the RFID inlet 3 is spaced apart from the metallic material M is maintained.

(27) However, as the engaged state between the elastic engagement projection for fixation 19 and the concavo-convex strip-shaped engagement portion 20 in the head portion 16 is maintained, the state in which the tag base 2 is placed over the head portion 16 of the banding band 7 is fixed, and therefore it is possible to stably and reliably realize the state in which the RFID inlet 3 is spaced apart from the metallic material M.

(28) Further, as the band main body 15 or the tail portion 17 has predetermined rigidity, the tail portion 17 of the banding band 7 is able to urge the tag base 2 (the region for holding inlet 2B) toward a direction in which the region for holding inlet 2B (the RFID inlet 3) comes away from the metallic material M, it is possible to maintain a raised posture of the region for holding inlet 2B by the head portion 16. It should be appreciated that if the tail portion 17 is too long, it is possible to cut its tip end portion as needed.

(29) It should be noted that according to the present invention, the RFID tag 1 may be attached to the metallic material M in the same manner as described above by having the banding band 7 (the tail portion 17) be inserted only into the first through bore 8A, without having the banding band 7 (the tail portion 17) be inserted into the second through bore 8B of the through hole 8.

(30) Further, only the first through bore 8A may be provided as the through hole 8. Specifically, FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating an RFID tag 30 of a second embodiment according to the present invention, and in the RFID tag 30, only a single through hole 8 (e.g., a first through bore 8A) is provided in a tag base 2. The remaining part of the configuration is practically the same as that of the RFID tag 1 in the first embodiment, and therefore like components are denoted by like reference numerals, and descriptions for such components are omitted.

(31) According to the RFID 30 thus configured, similarly to the RFID 1 (the first embodiment, FIG. 1), the RFID tag 30 may be attached to any metallic material M using the banding band 7. Specifically, FIG. 10 is a side view showing a state of the RFID tag 30 that have been attached to the metallic material M using the banding band 7. In a state in which the banding band 7 is inserted into the through hole 8 (the first through bore 8A) of the tag base 2 from the tail portion 17, the band main body 15 is wound around the metallic material M, and the tail portion 17 is inserted into the engagement through hole 18 of the head portion 16. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the tail portion 17 is pulled so as to be further taken out of the head portion 16, the metallic material M is fastened by the band main body 15 in a ring shape, and the tag base 2 is caused to be placed over the head portion 16 of the banding band 7. With this, the base region for raising 2A is closely attached to an outer surface of the metallic material M, and the region for holding inlet 2B is flexed along the flexed portion 9 so as to be raised from the metallic material M. Thus, the RFID tag 30 may be attached to the metallic material M such that the RFID inlet 3 is spaced apart from the metallic material M.

(32) However, similarly to the case described above with reference to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, as the engaging state between the elastic engagement projection for fixation 19 and the concavo-convex strip-shaped engagement portion 20 in the head portion 16 is maintained, the state in which the tag base 2 is placed over the head portion 16 of the banding band 7 is fixed, and therefore it is possible to stably and reliably realize the state in which the RFID inlet 3 is spaced apart from the metallic material M. In this case, it is desirable that the through hole 8A of the banding band 7 in the through-thickness direction is as large as a section of the band main body 15 so as not to become loose easily.

(33) Similarly, as the band main body 16 or the tail portion 17 has predetermined rigidity, the tail portion 17 of the banding band 7 is able to urge the tag base 2 toward the direction in which the region for holding inlet 2B (the RFID inlet 3) comes further away from the metallic material M, it is possible to maintain the raised posture of the region for holding inlet 2B by the head portion 16.

(34) According to the present invention, not only the shape of the tag base 2, but also the shape, the orientation, the position, and the number of the through hole 8, may be arbitrarily set depending on the size and particularly how large is the RFID antenna 6 of the RFID inlet 3, the shape and the size of the metallic material M, the type of the banding band 7, and the like.

(35) FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating an RFID tag 40 of a third embodiment according to the present invention. In the RFID tag 40, there are a plurality (two, in the illustrated example) of the through hole 8 (the first through bore 8A and the second through bore 8B) in parallel with each other in the crosswise direction along the flexed portion 9 in the tag base 2. The remaining part of the configuration is practically the same as that of the RFID tag 1 (first embodiment, FIG. 1).

(36) According to the RFID tag 40 thus configured, the banding band 7 may also be inserted into and engaged with the through hole 8, and the RFID tag 40 may be stably and reliably attached to the metallic material M even if the RFID tag 40 (in particular, the RFID antenna 6) expands in the crosswise direction, the region for holding inlet 2B (the RFID inlet 3) may be raised while being spaced apart from the metallic material M, and it is possible to increase a communication distance.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

(37) 1: RFID Tag (First Embodiment, FIG. 1) 2: Tag Base 2A: Base Region for Raising of Tag Base 2 2B: Region for Holding Inlet of Tag Base 2 3: RFID Inlet 4: Inlet Base 5: IC Chip 6: RFID Antenna 7: Banding Band (FIG. 5 and FIG. 6) 8: Through Hole 8A: First Through Bore of Through Hole 8 8B: Second Through Bore of Through Hole 8 9: Flexed Portion (FIG. 1, FIG. 9, and FIG. 11) 10: Cut Line or Folding Line 11: First Base Layer (FIG. 4) 12: Second Base Layer 13: Adhesive Agent 15: Band Main Body of Banding Band 7 16: Head Portion of Banding Band 7 17: Tail Portion of Banding Band 7 18: Engagement Through Hole 19: Elastic Engagement Projection for Fixation 20: Strip-Shaped Engagement Portion 21: Concavo-Convex Portion 30: RFID Tag (Second Embodiment, FIG. 9) 40: RFID Tag (Third Embodiment, FIG. 11) M: Metallic Material (Article, FIG. 7, FIG. 8, and FIG. 10)