Abstract:
A high temperature RFID tag is provided that is adapted to receive thermal transfer print to provide indicia on an outer surface thereof and adapted to be disposed on a part that is subject to high temperature exposure. The RFID tag is formed as a lamination of a high temperature material such as high temperature polyester and including a window for an RFID generator component, a layer of high temperature resistant material that overlies the opening, and an adhesive material disposed in the window to secure the RFID generator component therein. The layer of high temperature resistant material is preferably transparent so that the indicia can be seen therethrough.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/694,573 filed Oct. 24, 2000, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in this application. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a tag having an enclosed transceiver, such as a radio frequency identification “RFID” tag. More specifically, the present invention relates to the field of anti-theft and information tags that are secured to a product and include a relative thin electronic device to assist in preventing theft and/or to contain product information that can be encoded into a signal for identifying the product when the signal is received by a suitable receiver. The thin electronic device may be laminated between outer layers of the tag and an outer surface of the tag may be printed with graphics and/or product information. As presently proposed, the invention is embodied in a high temperature tag with a RFID feature and provides a process for manufacturing such a tag. One application of an article provided by the present invention is a tag that is thermal transfer printed and is placed on a part requiring high temperature exposure.  
           [0003]    Electronic (RFID) devices are commercially available and do not per se embody the invention. Early RFID systems were developed utilizing relatively large packages which limited the products on which they could be used. More recently, RFID devices have been made smaller so that they may be readily incorporated in tags or labels and their use can be more widespread. Such electronic devices are characterized in that they are thin, flat and generally flexible devices that are desirably laminated between outer sheets or layers of the tag so as to be relatively undetectable to the casual observer. Due to the more wide spread use of RFID tags, there has been an increasing interest in developing RFID tags that can endure moisture and/or heat exposure as may be encountered by the products to which they are applied.  
           [0004]    Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a high temperature tag adapted to receive thermal transfer print to provide indicia on an outer surface thereof and adapted to be disposed on a part that is subject to high temperature exposure. The foregoing object is realized in accordance with the invention by forming an RFID tag as a lamination of high temperature material such as high temperature polyester and including a window for an RFID generator component. I 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]    These, as well as other objects and advantages of this invention, will be more completely understood and appreciated by careful study of the following more detailed description of the presently preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a lamination process for forming an RFID tag adapted to receive an RFID generator component according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a laminate formed by the process illustrated in FIG. 1; and  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of an RFID generator component applying process according to a further step of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]    With reference to FIG. 1, a base material  10  comprising for example, a 4 to 6 mm high temperature polyester sheet, is provided as a substrate in accordance with the present invention. Suitable high temperature materials are available from 3M, Fasson, Flexcon, Medico, Imtech and/or Polyonics. The first line in high temperature materials that may be used for the base material, as noted above, is polyester, which has an upper limit temperature of about 300 degrees F. The next set of high temperature materials can range from about 300 degrees F. to 700 degrees F., i.e., heat resistant so as to maintain structural form and integrity to a temperature in the range from about 300 degrees F. to 700 degrees F. 3M, Imtech, Polyonics, and Madico have materials to accommodate these temperatures. Ultimately the choice of materials, and the adhesive, as discussed in greater detail below will depend at least in part upon the customer&#39;s end use specifications. In the exemplary embodiment described hereinbelow, reference will be made to a base material that is a high temperature polyester sheet. It is to be noted, however, that the invention is not limited in its broadest respects to a base material formed from polyester.  
         [0010]    The high temperature polyester or other high temperature material sheet is preferably initially printed if necessary or desirable. Thus, in an illustrative embodiment, the high temperature polyester material  10  is, e.g., thermal transfer printed at  12  as needed using intelligent imaging or other known techniques so as to have alphanumeric and/or ornamental indicia  14  thereon. Thereafter, the base material  10  is fed to a die cut press  16 . While any known die cutting unit can be used in accordance with the invention. However, the preferred is a cylinder die or die cutting tool that has best controlled die cutting aspects. The best way to die cut this product is on a Flexo press, rotary printing press, rotogravure press, or other in line rotary press. In the illustrated embodiment, the press  16  performs a metal-to-metal dye cut operation to cut a window  18  for receiving an RFID generator component, as discussed in greater detail below. The waste slug  20  from the metal-to-metal die cut process is received and disposed of or recycled as necessary or desirable. In the alternative to the sequence shown, the base material  10  may be fed to a die cut press in advance of being printed.  
         [0011]    After the polyester base material  10  has been printed and die cut, the die cut base material  22  is then laminated with another high temperature material  24 . This over lamination  24  may be of any of a variety of sizes and adhesion. In the illustrated embodiment, for purposes described in greater detail below, the high temperature lamination  24  overlies at least that portion of the die cut base material  22  in which the window  18  for the RFID generator component has been formed. Because the die cut operation has already been performed to cut the window  18 , the adhesive  26  of the over lamination  24  is exposed within the window  18  for purposes to be described in greater detail below. To the extent the temperature resistant layer  24  overlies the indicia printed during the printing step, the layer is preferably sufficiently translucent, at least in part, and more preferably transparent so that the information and indicia thereunder can be visualized therethrough. In a preferred embodiment, a preferred material for component  24  is, for example, a high temperature clear polyester of between about 1 and 3 mm in thickness and having the layer of adhesive  26  pre-applied thereto. Although polyester is preferred in this exemplary embodiment, other suitable materials are available and may be used as noted above with reference to the base material  10 . If an adhesive is required with the polyester or other high temperature material, the adhesive should be able to withstand 120 degrees F to 300 degrees F. Usually the adhesive is a silicone base, but can be made from other known formulations.  
         [0012]    A silicon liner  28  is then preferably applied to prevent the thus exposed adhesive  26  from sticking to the laminated assembly  30  when the laminated assembly  30  is rolled or folded. If desired, before the liner  28  is applied, the laminated, die cut assembly  30  can be punched or the like to form margin holes (not shown in FIG. 1) to prepare the sheet for a later applicator process. Once the lamination and punching (if any) has been completed, as noted above the silicon liner  28  is preferably applied to preclude undesired adhesion of the exposed adhesive  26  as the laminated material  30  is rolled up or fan folded, as appropriate, until further processing can be carried out.  
         [0013]    As illustrated in FIG. 2, the thus formed lamination  30 , before the liner material  28  is applied includes the die cut base material  22 , e.g., high temperature polyester material that is thermal transfer printed, if appropriate, having a die cut window  18  for the placement of the RFID generator component. On one side of the base material the high temperature clear polyester  24  is secured with a layer of adhesive  26 . As mentioned above, the adhesive  26  is exposed at the base of the die cut window  18 .  
         [0014]    With reference to FIG. 3, to produce a finished article, the rolled material is brought to a Tamarack or other known applicator, shown in part at  32 . A Tamarack is a labeling machine available from Tamarack Products Inc. of Waconda, Ill. If not previously formed in the laminated material, margin hole punches, as shown at  34 , may be formed in the laminated material  30  so that the material may be controllably advanced through the applicator  32 . The silicon liner  24  (not shown in FIG. 3) is taken up as the material  30  is unrolled during an unwinding operation on the applicator. The laminated base material  30  is introduced into the applicator with the adhesive  26  exposed on the bottom of the window  18 . In this position, the lamination  24  side is down and the open window  18  is up. The applicator applies the RFID generator component into the open window  18  in the assembly  30 . For example, the applicator may cut the RFID generator component  36  and place it into the component window using the exposed adhesive  26  to anchor the RFID component. The RFID face  38  will be in the down position when applied into the window of the basic construction  30 . It should be kept in mind in this regard that the RFID device should be selected so as to be able to withstand the same temperatures as the materials of the tag. The RFID device can be sealed in the window with another high temperature material, such as a further layer of polyester, or it can be left open depending on what the customer has designated. Irrespective of whether the window is to be closed, after the applicator process, the material can be finished by fan folding or put into a roll as generally shown at  40  and the product is then ready for use.  
         [0015]    As is apparent from a consideration of FIG. 1, any printed media applied to the base material  10  is disposed on the lamination  24  side as shown at  14 , as is the face  38  of the RFID component  36 . The opposite side of the component  36 , indicated at  42 , may be disposed in opposed facing relation to a surface of the product to which the tag is applied. In the alternative, the RFID can remain static and be placed as a loose tag if desired. The RFID construction can be punched to be used as a hangtag or tie tag. In the alternative, the construction can have a high temperature transfer tape applied to the back (or face)to make it a PS or self-sticking tag, or it can be placed on a form by gluing. When applied to a product, the RFID component is shielded from high temperature exposure on one side by the product to which the component has been applied (and also a high temperature resistant material if such a layer is applied to close the window), on its periphery by the high temperature base material  10 / 22  and on its outer surface by the high temperature lamination  24 , for example, the high temperature polyester provided in the illustrated embodiment.  
         [0016]    As is apparent from the foregoing, the materials and particulars of the assembly are ultimately selected so that the RFID and construction chosen by the customer are compatible with each other. This will insure that the right RFID device (and construction) is selected for the temperature, size, and application, and that the RFID device is compatible with the construction.  
         [0017]    While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.