RFID label and adherend

Abstract

To prevent poor contact caused by centrifugation of an RFID label adhered to an adherend subjected to centrifugation.SOLUTION: An RFID label disclosed herein comprises an RFID inlay, a hot-melt adhesive layer laminated on a surface of the RFID inlay having an RFID antenna and an IC chip formed thereon, a first thermoplastic resin sheet, and an adherend adhesive layer to be adhered to an adherend, all laminated in the described order.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an RFID label and an adherend to which the RFID label is attached.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, labels that can be attached to cylindrical bodies, that is, attachment surfaces that are not flat, such as blood collection tubes and test tubes, have been proposed (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In recent years, in the fields of product manufacturing, management, distribution, etc., so-called RFID media such as RFID tags and RFID labels that support RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology for transmitting and receiving information by non-contact communication from IC chips in which product-related information and identification information are written have become widespread.

[0005] RFID labels are also used for identifying test tubes, blood bags, etc. in the medical and testing fields.

[0006] Test tubes and blood bags may be put into a centrifuge. The RFID label incorporates an RFID antenna made of a conductive material and an IC chip connected to the RFID antenna.

[0007] Since the specific gravities of the RFID antenna and the IC chip are different from each other, when they are subjected to centrifugation, different stresses, particularly shear stress in the plane direction, are applied to the RFID antenna and the IC chip. Due to this shear stress, the RFID antenna and the IC chip may be peeled off, and in particular, poor connection may occur at the joint between the IC chip and the RFID antenna.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to prevent poor connection caused by centrifugation in an RFID label attached to an adherend subjected to centrifugation.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an RFID inlay having an inlay substrate, an RFID antenna formed on the inlay substrate, and an IC chip connected to the RFID antenna, a hot melt adhesive layer laminated on the surface of the RFID inlay where the RFID antenna and the IC chip are formed, and a first thermoplastic resin sheet , being and an adhesive layer for adherend for attaching to an adherend, and an RFID label is provided in which the RFID inlay, the hot melt adhesive layer, the first thermoplastic resin sheet, and the adhesive layer for adherend are laminated in this order.

Effects of the Invention

[0010] According to the above aspect, when the RFID label is attached to an adherend subjected to centrifugation, the thermoplastic resin sheet and the hot melt adhesive layer laminated on the adherend side of the RFID inlay prevent the RFID antenna and the IC chip from being peeled off, and poor connection between the RFID antenna and the IC chip can be prevented.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0012] [First Embodiment] The RFID label 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a plan view for explaining a state in which the RFID label 1 according to the present embodiment is temporarily attached to the separator S. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the RFID label 1 taken along line II-II.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the RFID label 1 includes an RFID inlay 10, a hot melt adhesive layer 14, a thermoplastic resin sheet 15, and an adhesive layer A1 for the adherend. The separator S is temporarily attached to the adhesive layer A1 for the adherend. In the present embodiment, the thermoplastic resin sheet 15 corresponds to the first thermoplastic resin sheet.

[0015] The RFID inlay 10 includes an inlay substrate 11, an RFID antenna 12 formed on one surface of the inlay substrate 11, and an IC chip 13 connected to the RFID antenna 12.

[0016] Further, the thermoplastic resin sheet 15 is laminated via the hot melt adhesive layer 14 on the surface of the RFID inlay 10 where the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip are formed.

[0017] On the opposite surface of the hot-melt adhesive layer 14 of the thermoplastic resin sheet 15 from the surface laminated therewith, an adhesive layer A1 for adherend is laminated for attaching to the adherend.

[0018] That is, the RFID label 1 is configured to be attached with the surface on which the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13 in the RFID inlay 10 are formed facing the adherend side. Therefore, the opposite surface of the inlay substrate 11 from the surface on which the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13 are formed forms the surface of the RFID label 1.

[0019] As an example, the inlay substrate 11 can use a single resin film such as polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene naphthalate, or a multilayer film formed by laminating a plurality of these resin films.

[0020] In addition to the resin film substrate, as the inlay substrate 11, a paper substrate such as high-quality paper, coated paper, or coated paper formed using these can be used.

[0021] In this embodiment, the inlay substrate 11 can have a thickness of 10 μm to 200 μm.

[0022] In this embodiment, when subjected to centrifugation, it is preferable that the inlay substrate 11 itself can be stretched in order to reduce the peeling force between the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13. From that viewpoint, among the materials described above, it is preferable to use a single resin film or a multilayer film formed by laminating a plurality of resin films.

[0023] In this embodiment, as an example, the RFID antenna 12 is a UHF band RFID antenna designed to have an antenna length and an antenna line width corresponding to the UHF band (300 MHz to 3 GHz, particularly 860 MHz to 960 MHz).

[0024] Further, although not shown in the drawings, the RFID antenna 12 is adhered to the inlay substrate 11 by an adhesive or an adhesive such as an acrylic-based, urethane-based, silicone-based, or rubber-based one.

[0025] In the present embodiment, the RFID antenna 12 is formed of a metal foil. As the metal applicable to the RFID antenna 12, for example, copper and aluminum are preferable. In the present embodiment, an aluminum foil is used from the viewpoint of suppressing the manufacturing cost.

[0026] The thickness of the metal foil is preferably 3 μm or more and 50 μm or less from the viewpoints of the communication characteristics of the RFID inlay, the ease of antenna processing, and the manufacturing cost. In the present embodiment, as an example, an aluminum foil having a thickness of 20 μm is used.

[0027] The IC chip 13 corresponds to the UHF band and is a semiconductor package designed to be communicable with a reader (not shown) which is a reading device of the IC chip 13.

[0028] Further, the IC chip 13 is electrically and mechanically connected to a part of the RFID antenna 12 by an anisotropic conductive material such as an anisotropic conductive adhesive or an anisotropic conductive film.

[0029] Next, the hot melt adhesive layer 14 will be described.

[0030] The hot melt adhesive layer 14 is melted when heated at a predetermined temperature and is an adhesive capable of adhering the inlay substrate 11 and the thermoplastic resin sheet 15 in the normal use temperature range.

[0031] Further, the hot melt adhesive layer 14 is an adhesive capable of maintaining a softened state under the temperature conditions when centrifugation is performed.

[0032] In this embodiment, examples of applicable hot melt adhesive layers 14 include ethylene vinyl acetate-based hot melts, olefin-based hot melts, rubber-based hot melts, and polyurethane-based hot melts.

[0033] The temperature at the time of applying the hot melt adhesive layer 14 varies depending on the resin constituting the adhesive. In this embodiment, it is necessary that the temperature range does not affect the inlay substrate 11, the RFID antenna 12, and the IC chip 13, and it is preferable to use a hot melt adhesive that can be applied at 90°C to 180°C (preferably 120°C to 160°C).

[0034] The hot melt adhesive layer 14 can be heated and melted on the surface of the inlay substrate 11 where the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13 are formed, and applied using a roll coater or the like.

[0035] From the viewpoint of relaxing the shear stress applied to the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13 formed on the inlay substrate 11 during centrifugation, the thickness of the hot melt adhesive layer 14 can be set to 8 μm or more and 25 μm or less. Among them, it is preferably 10 μm or more and 20 μm or less.

[0036] For the thermoplastic resin sheet 15, for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylidene chloride, or polyethylene terephthalate can be used.

[0037] In this embodiment, from the viewpoint that the thermoplastic resin has rigidity capable of following the deformation of the inlay substrate 11 and the hot melt adhesive layer 14 from room temperature (25°C), which is the temperature at which centrifugation is performed, to the internal temperature of the centrifuge during centrifugation, the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic resin sheet is preferably 50°C or lower. Among them, it is preferable to use a polypropylene sheet.

[0038] Further, from the viewpoint of relaxing the peeling of the RFID antenna 12 formed on the inlay base material 11 and the shear stress applied to the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13, the thickness of the thermoplastic resin sheet 15 is preferably thinner than the thickness of the inlay base material 11.

[0039] The RFID label 1 having the above-described configuration is peeled off from the separator S and attached to the adherend by the adherend-side adhesive layer A1.

[0040] [Second Embodiment] Next, the RFID label 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0041] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the RFID label 2 according to the second embodiment.

[0042] On the surface of the RFID label 2, that is, on the opposite surface of the inlay base material 11 where the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13 are formed, a thermoplastic resin sheet 16 is attached by a laminating adhesive layer A2. In the present embodiment, the thermoplastic resin sheet 16 corresponds to the second thermoplastic resin sheet.

[0043] The laminating adhesive layer A2 serves to laminate the thermoplastic resin sheet 16 to the inlay base material 11.

[0044] As the adhesive applicable to the laminating adhesive layer A2, any adhesive that is usually used as a laminating adhesive can be applied. Also, in the present embodiment, the same adhesive as the above-described hot melt adhesive layer 14 can be applied.

[0045] Further, as the thermoplastic resin sheet 16, any material applicable to the thermoplastic resin sheet 15 can be used, but it is preferable that the thermoplastic resin sheet 16 and the thermoplastic resin sheet 15 are made of the same material.

[0046] Also, from the viewpoint of relaxing the peeling of the RFID antenna 12 formed on the inlay substrate 11 and the shear stress applied to the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13, the thickness of the thermoplastic resin sheet 15 is preferably thinner than the thickness of the inlay substrate 11, and the thermoplastic resin sheet 15 and the thermoplastic resin sheet 16 are preferably made of the same material and have the same thickness.

[0047] [Description of the adherend] Subsequently, a state where the RFID labels 1 and 2 according to the present embodiment are attached to an adherend will be described.

[0048] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining a state where the RFID label 1 according to the present embodiment is attached to a blood bag P1 as an adherend to be subjected to centrifugation.

[0049] In the present embodiment, the blood bag P1 is made of soft PVC (soft polyvinyl chloride). The RFID label 1 according to the present embodiment can be attached to an adherend such as the blood bag P1, which is a bag body and has an unstable attachment surface because a liquid is enclosed.

[0050] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining a state where the RFID labels 1 and 2 according to the present embodiment are attached to a test tube. The adherend to which the RFID labels 1 and 2 according to the present embodiment are applied is not limited to the blood bag P1.

[0051] As an example, it is also applicable to an adherend such as a test tube P2 having a curved attachment surface. As described above, even when attached to the test tube P2, the shear stress applied to the connection portion of the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13 can be relaxed when subjected to centrifugation, and connection failure can be prevented.

[0052] [Effect] [Effect in the first embodiment] The RFID label 1 according to the first embodiment includes an RFID inlay 10, a hot-melt adhesive layer 14 laminated on the surface of the RFID inlay 10 where the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13 are formed, a thermoplastic resin sheet 15, and an adhesive layer A1 for the adherend for attaching to the adherend, which are laminated in this order.

[0053] In the RFID label 1, the specific gravities of the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13 are different. Therefore, when subjected to centrifugation, different shear stresses are applied to the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13. This shear stress acts as a force to peel off the RFID antenna and the IC chip.

[0054] On the other hand, in the RFID label 1, a hot-melt adhesive layer 14 that can maintain a softened state under the temperature conditions during centrifugation is laminated on the surface of the RFID inlay 10 where the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13 are formed, and further, a thermoplastic resin sheet 15 is laminated. Therefore, during centrifugation, the hot-melt adhesive layer 14 and the thermoplastic resin sheet 15 are easily deformed.

[0055] As a result, when the RFID label 1 is attached to the blood bag P1 and subjected to centrifugation, the propagation of the shear stress generated by the deformation of the attachment surface to the inlay substrate 11 and the hot-melt adhesive layer 14 is alleviated. And due to the cushioning property of the hot-melt adhesive layer 14, the movement of the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13 in the attachment surface direction is suppressed. Also, the movement of the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13 in the direction intersecting the attachment surface is suppressed by the thermoplastic resin sheet 15 and the adhesive layer A1 for the adherend. Therefore, the breakage of the connection portion of the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13 can be prevented.

[0056] <Effect in the second embodiment> According to the RFID label 2 according to the second embodiment, a sandwich structure in which a thermoplastic resin sheet 16 is formed via a laminating adhesive layer A2 is further formed on the outer surface of the RFID label 1 of the first embodiment.

[0057] As a result, in addition to the effect of suppressing the shear stress applied to the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13 by the hot melt adhesive layer 14 and the thermoplastic resin sheet 15 described above, the resistance to distortion due to the bending deformation of the blood bag P1 is also enhanced.

[0058] That is, as the inlay base material 11, for example, a highly rigid material such as PET is used. On the other hand, the RFID label 2 has the sandwich structure as described above.

[0059] In the RFID label 2, a thermoplastic resin sheet 15 having a lower rigidity than the inlay base material 11 is laminated on the inner side where the amount of bending deformation increases. Similarly, a thermoplastic resin sheet 16 having a lower rigidity than the inlay base material 11 is laminated on the outer side where the amount of bending deformation increases.

[0060] For this reason, when the RFID label 2 deforms following the deformation of the blood bag P1, the inlay base material 11 is positioned near the bending center where the amount of deformation is small. Thereby, the RFID label 2 can suppress the distortion generated in the inlay base material 11 with respect to the surface deformation of the blood bag P1.

[0061] Therefore, in addition to the effect of relaxing the shear stress by the hot melt adhesive layer 14 and the thermoplastic resin sheet 15, the effect of preventing the connection failure of the connection portion of the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13 formed on the inlay base material 11 is enhanced.

[0062] [Other Embodiments] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above embodiments merely show a part of the application examples of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention to the specific configurations of the above embodiments.

[0063] The RFID label 1 and the RFID label 2 may be provided as a continuous body of RFID labels temporarily attached at predetermined intervals to a long strip-shaped separator S.

[0064] In this embodiment, the RFID antenna 12 may be formed by printing using conductive ink.

[0065] In this embodiment, the inlay substrate 11 may be formed with the surface on which the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13 are formed facing the side opposite to the adherend (the front side). FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the RFID label 3 shown as a modified example.

[0066] The RFID label 3 shown in FIG. 6 is laminated on the surface of the RFID label 1, that is, with the surface of the inlay substrate 11 on which the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13 are formed facing the side opposite to the adherend (the front side).

[0067] The RFID label 3 has the inlay substrate 11, the hot-melt adhesive layer 14, the thermoplastic resin sheet 16, and the adhesive layer A1 for the adherend laminated in this order. The thermoplastic resin sheet 15 is laminated on the surface on which the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13 are formed via the adhesive layer A2 for lamination.

[0068] Note that in the RFID label 3, the adhesive layer A2 for lamination may be laminated on the surface of the inlay substrate 11 on which the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13 are formed, and the hot-melt adhesive layer 14 may be laminated on the surface opposite to the surface on which the RFID antenna 12 and the IC chip 13 are formed.

[0069] In this embodiment, the case where the RFID antenna 12 is an RFID antenna for a UHF band inlay has been described, but it may also be an RFID antenna in the microwave band.

[0070] In this embodiment, the shapes and sizes of the RFID label 1 and the RFID label 2 can be changed as appropriate. For example, the outer size of the RFID label 1 may be larger than that shown in FIG. 4 and may be sized to cover a wide area of the surface of the blood bag P1.

[0071] In this embodiment, the adherend is not limited to the blood bag P1 and the test tube P2. It may be other bag bodies, box bodies, etc.

Explanation of Signs

[0072] 1,2 RFID label 10 RFID inlay 11 Inlay substrate 12 RFID antenna 13 IC chip 14 Hot melt adhesive layer 15 Thermoplastic resin sheet (first thermoplastic resin sheet) 16 Thermoplastic resin sheet (second thermoplastic resin sheet) A1 Adhesive layer for adherend A2 Adhesive layer for lamination P1 Blood bag P2 Test tube

Claims

1. An RFID inlay having an inlay substrate, an RFID antenna formed on the inlay substrate, and an IC chip connected to the RFID antenna, A hot melt adhesive layer laminated on the surface of the RFID inlay where the RFID antenna and the IC chip are formed, A first thermoplastic resin sheet, An adhesive layer for an adherend for attaching to the adherend, and having, An RFID label in which the RFID inlay, the hot melt adhesive layer, the first thermoplastic resin sheet, and the adhesive layer for the adherend are laminated in this order.

2. The RFID label according to claim 1, A second thermoplastic resin sheet is laminated via a laminating adhesive layer on the opposite surface of the RFID inlay to the surface on which the hot melt adhesive layer is laminated, RFID label.

3. The RFID label according to claim 2, The first thermoplastic resin sheet and the second thermoplastic resin sheet are formed from the same material, RFID label.

4. The RFID label according to claim 2 or 3, The first thermoplastic resin sheet and the second thermoplastic resin sheet are formed with the same thickness, RFID label.

5. The RFID label according to any one of claims 2 to 4, The inlay substrate is formed from polyethylene terephthalate, The first thermoplastic resin sheet and the second thermoplastic resin sheet are formed from polypropylene, RFID label.

6. The RFID label according to any one of claims 2 to 5, The glass transition temperature of the first thermoplastic resin sheet and the second thermoplastic resin sheet is 50 ° C or lower, RFID label.

7. The RFID label according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The rigidity of the first thermoplastic resin sheet is lower than the rigidity of the inlay substrate, RFID label.

8. The RFID label according to any one of claims 2 to 6, The rigidity of the second thermoplastic resin sheet is lower than the rigidity of the inlay substrate, RFID label.

9. The RFID label according to any one of claims 1 to 8, Attached to an adherend to be subjected to centrifugation, RFID label.

10. An adherend to which the RFID label according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is attached.

11. The adherend according to claim 10, A substrate containing polyvinyl chloride.

Images