Electronic device stack, tire, and method for removing electronic device

Abstract

To provide an electronic device laminate that enables an electronic device to be easily removed from an attaching object without the need for an excessive force.SOLUTION: An electronic device laminate 10 of the present invention includes an electronic device 11, and an adhesion layer 15 for attaching the electronic device 11 to an attaching object. In the electronic device laminate 10, a release layer 14, which is melted and peeled by heat at a prescribed temperature or above, is provided between the electronic device 11 and the adhesion layer 15.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device stack, a tire, and a method for removing an electronic device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a configuration has been known in which an electronic device such as an RF tag is attached to the surface of a rubber article such as a tire via an adhesive layer of an electronic device laminate including the electronic device. With this configuration, for example, various information acquired from a memory unit of the RF tag can be utilized for maintenance services for the rubber article such as the tire. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a tire in which an RFID tag is attached to the inner surface of the tire via an adhesive layer. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-130345 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Here, when recycling rubber articles such as tires, it is preferable to remove and discard any electronic devices attached to the rubber articles in order to prevent the inclusion of resins or dissimilar metals that may be contained in the electronic devices, which may cause a deterioration in the quality of the recycled rubber or interfere with the recycling of steel cords, etc. On the other hand, when an electronic device attached to a rubber article or the like is removed and recovered during recycling of the rubber article or the like, for the purpose of recycling the electronic device itself or utilizing the information recorded on the electronic device, it may be required that the electronic device can be easily removed and recovered without malfunctioning or being damaged due to excessive stress such as tension or bending.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device laminate that allows an electronic device to be easily removed from an object to which it is attached without requiring excessive force, a tire that allows an electronic device to be easily removed without requiring excessive force, and a method for removing an electronic device that allows an electronic device to be easily removed from a tire without requiring excessive force. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The electronic device laminate of the present invention comprises: An electronic device laminate including an electronic device and an adhesive layer for attaching the electronic device to an attachment target, The electronic device is characterized by having a release layer between the electronic device and the adhesive layer, which melts when heated to a predetermined temperature or higher. According to the electronic device laminate of the present invention, the electronic device can be easily removed from the object to which it is attached without requiring excessive force.

[0007] In the electronic device laminate of the present invention, The electronic device may be an RF tag having an IC chip and an antenna connected to the IC chip. In this case, various pieces of information relating to the paste target can be easily obtained.

[0008] In the electronic device laminate of the present invention, The release layer is preferably made of a thermoplastic resin. In this case, the electronic device laminate can be procured at low cost, and the productivity of the electronic device laminate is improved.

[0009] In the electronic device laminate of the present invention, It is preferable that the electronic device further comprises a protective layer covering at least the outer surface thereof. In this case, the durability of the electronic device is improved.

[0010] In the electronic device laminate of the present invention, It is preferable that a cushion layer be further provided between the electronic device and the release layer. In this case, the durability of the electronic device is improved.

[0011] The tire of the present invention is The present invention is characterized in that any one of the electronic device laminates described above is attached to the inner surface or outer surface of a tire body. According to the tire of the present invention, the electronic device can be easily removed from the tire without requiring excessive force.

[0012] The method for removing an electronic device of the present invention includes the steps of: An electronic device removal method for removing the electronic device from the tire described above, comprising: The method is characterized by including a release layer melting step of heating the release layer in the electronic device laminate to a temperature equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature to melt it. According to the electronic device removal method of the present invention, an electronic device can be easily removed from a tire without requiring excessive force. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an electronic device laminate that allows an electronic device to be easily removed from an object to which it is attached without requiring excessive force, a tire that allows an electronic device to be easily removed without requiring excessive force, and a method for removing an electronic device that allows an electronic device to be easily removed from a tire without requiring excessive force. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view in the tire width direction showing a tire according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a plan view showing an RF tag laminate as an electronic device laminate according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the RF tag laminate of FIG. 2 attached to a tire body as an attachment target, taken along line AA of FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating a state in which the release layer in the RF tag laminate of FIG. 3 has melted and peeled off. FIG. [Figure 5] 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an RF tag laminate as an electronic device laminate according to a second embodiment of the present invention, attached to a tire as an attachment target, in a cross-section similar to the cross-section taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method for removing an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The electronic device laminate according to the present invention can be suitably used for attachment to any attachment object, and can be suitably used for attachment to rubber articles such as tires and rubber crawlers, particularly tires. The tire according to the present invention can be suitably used as any type of tire, for example, a tire for a passenger car, a pneumatic tire for a truck or bus, a tire for a construction or mining vehicle, or the like.

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the electronic device laminate according to the present invention, the tire according to the present invention, and the electronic device removal method according to the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same members and parts in the drawings.

[0017] <Tires> For convenience of explanation, an embodiment of a tire according to the present invention will be described first. Fig. 1 is a drawing for explaining a tire according to one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view in the tire width direction showing a tire according to one embodiment of the present invention. The tire according to the embodiment of the present invention may be configured as any type of tire.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 1, a tire 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a tread portion 2, a pair of sidewall portions 3 extending radially inward from both ends of the tread portion 2 in the tire width direction, and a pair of bead portions 4 provided at the ends of each sidewall portion 3 on the inner side in the tire radial direction. The tread portion 2 is a portion of the tire 1 in the tire width direction between a pair of ground-contact edges. The bead portions 4 are configured to contact the rim on the inner side in the tire radial direction and the outer side in the tire width direction when the tire 1 is mounted on a rim. The tire 1 also includes a carcass 5 extending between the pair of bead portions 4 (more specifically, extending toroidally across the bead cores of the pair of bead portions 4, passing through the pair of sidewall portions 3 and the tread portion 2), and a belt 6 disposed on the tire radial direction outer side of the crown portion of the carcass 5. The tire 1 may have an inner liner (not shown) on its innermost surface. The carcass 5 is composed of at least one carcass ply (one carcass ply in the example of FIG. 1). Each carcass ply includes one or more carcass cords and a coating rubber that covers the carcass cords. The carcass cords may be formed of, for example, monofilaments or twisted wires. The carcass cords may be composed of organic fibers such as polyester, nylon, rayon, aramid, etc., or may be composed of metal (for example, steel). When the tire 1 is configured as a pneumatic tire for trucks and buses or construction and mining vehicles, the carcass cords are preferably composed of metal (for example, steel). When the tire 1 is configured as a pneumatic tire for passenger cars, the carcass cords are preferably composed of organic fibers such as polyester, nylon, rayon, aramid, etc. The belt 6 is composed of at least one belt layer (two layers in the example of FIG. 1). Each belt layer includes one or more belt cords and a covering rubber that covers the belt cords. The belt cords may be formed of, for example, a monofilament or a twisted wire. The belt cords may be made of metal (e.g., steel) or organic fibers such as polyester, nylon, rayon, or aramid.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1 , a tire 1 of this embodiment has an RF tag laminate 10 as an electronic device laminate according to an embodiment of the present invention, which will be described later, attached to the inner or outer surface (in this embodiment, the inner surface) of a tire main body 1a (see FIGS. 3 to 5 ). More specifically, the tire 1 further has an RF tag laminate 10 attached to the inner surface of the vulcanized tire main body 1a (more specifically, for example, on the tire cavity side of an inner liner (not shown in particular) of the tire main body 1a), and an RF tag 11 (see FIGS. 3 to 5 ) attached via an adhesive layer 15 (see FIGS. 3 to 5 ) of the RF tag laminate 10, which will be described later. In other words, in this embodiment, the RF tag laminate 10 is, so to speak, post-attached to the vulcanized tire main body 1a via the adhesive layer 15. Here, in this specification, the "tire main body 1a" refers to the portion of the tire 1 having the electronic device laminate (in this embodiment, the RF tag laminate 10) excluding the electronic device laminate. In other words, the tire main body 1a refers to the tire 1 itself that has been vulcanized and molded before the electronic devices are attached. However, in this specification, unless confusion arises, the "inner surface of the tire main body 1a" may be simply referred to as the "inner surface of the tire 1". In addition, in this specification, the "inner surface of the tire 1 (or the tire main body 1a)" (hereinafter also simply referred to as the "tire inner surface") refers to the surface of the tire 1 (or the tire main body 1a) that faces the annular cavity when the tire 1 is mounted on a rim (not shown), and the "outer surface of the tire 1 (or the tire main body 1a)" (hereinafter also simply referred to as the "tire outer surface") refers to the surface of the tire 1 (or the tire main body 1a) that faces the outside when the tire 1 is mounted on a rim (not shown). In this specification, the above-mentioned "tire inner surface" and "tire outer surface" may be collectively referred to simply as the "tire surface". The RF tag laminate 10 as an electronic device laminate will be described in detail later.

[0020] In this embodiment, the RF tag laminate 10 is attached to the inner surface of the tire main body 1a so that the longitudinal direction LD (see FIGS. 2 to 5) of the RF tag 11, which will be described later, faces the tire circumferential direction (the front-to-back direction of the paper surface of FIG. 1). However, the arrangement direction of the RF tag laminate 10 is not limited to this. The RF tag laminate 10 may be attached to the surface of the tire main body 1a so that the longitudinal direction LD of the RF tag 11 faces any direction other than the tire circumferential direction. 1, the RF tag laminate 10 is attached to the inner surface of the tire main body 1a, but it may also be attached to the outer surface of the tire main body 1a. From the viewpoint of making it easier to read information stored in the RF tags 11 of the RF tag laminate 10 from the outside, it is preferable that the RF tag laminate 10 be attached to the outer surface of the tire main body 1a. However, from the viewpoint of reducing the risk of external damage to the RF tag laminate 10 and, in turn, the RF tags 11, it is preferable that the RF tag laminate 10 be attached to the inner surface of the tire main body 1a as in this embodiment. 1, the RF tag laminate 10 is attached to the tire inner surface near the boundary between the sidewall portion 3 and the bead portion 4 of the tire 1 (tire main body 1a), but may also be attached to another portion of the tire 1 (tire main body 1a). The RF tag laminate 10 may be attached to the tire surface at any portion of the bead portion 4, the sidewall portion 3, or the tread portion 2 of the tire 1 (tire main body 1a). For example, from the viewpoints of making it difficult for deformation to occur in the portion where the RF tag laminate 10 is attached and ensuring that there are no members, such as metal, that are likely to interfere with information transmission by wireless communication in the vicinity, it is preferable that the RF tag laminate 10 be attached to the tire surface at a position in the bead portion 4 that is slightly spaced from the bead core.

[0021] In the tire 1 according to this embodiment, an electronic device laminate (in this embodiment, the RF tag laminate 10) including an electronic device (in this embodiment, the RF tag 11) is attached to the inner surface or outer surface of the tire main body 1a, so that it is easy to obtain various pieces of information about the tire main body 1a (and ultimately the tire 1) to which the electronic device laminate is attached. Furthermore, according to the tire 1 of this embodiment, the electronic device laminate (in this embodiment, the RF tag laminate 10) attached to the inner or outer surface of the tire main body 1a is an electronic device laminate according to an embodiment of the present invention described below, and therefore, as described below, the electronic device (in this embodiment, the RF tag 11) can be easily removed from the tire 1 without requiring excessive force.

[0022] <Electronic device laminate> Next, an electronic device laminate according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following explanation, we will mainly use an RF tag laminate 10 as a typical example of an electronic device laminate, which includes an RF tag 11 as a typical example of an electronic device, as an example, but the electronic device and thus the electronic device laminate may be something other than the RF tag 11 and thus the RF tag laminate 10. In this specification, the term "electronic device" refers to a device that includes electronic components such as an RF tag or a sensor.

[0023] (First embodiment) First, an RF tag laminate 10 as an electronic device laminate according to a first embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter also simply referred to as "the RF tag laminate according to the first embodiment of the present invention") will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4. Figures 2 to 4 are drawings for explaining an electronic device laminate according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a plan view showing an RF tag laminate as the electronic device laminate according to the first embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 2 in a state in which the RF tag laminate of Figure 2 has been attached to a tire main body as an attachment target, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 3 for explaining a state in which the release layer of the RF tag laminate of Figure 3 has melted and peeled off. 2 and 3 , an RF tag laminate 10 serving as an electronic device laminate according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes an RF tag 11 serving as an electronic device, a protective layer 12 covering at least the outer surface of the RF tag 11, a cushion layer 13, a release layer 14, and an adhesive layer 15 for attaching the RF tag 11 to a tire main body 1a to which the RF tag 11 is to be attached. In this embodiment, the adhesive layer 15, which is directly bonded to the tire main body 1a, the release layer 14, the cushion layer 13, and the protective layer 12 are laminated in this order from the adhesive layer 15 side, and the layers are fixed to each other by adhesion, welding, or other means. In this embodiment, the RF tag 11 is embedded in the protective layer 12, and therefore the surface of the RF tag 11 is entirely covered by the protective layer 12.

[0024] In this embodiment, an RF tag laminate 10 as an electronic device laminate has an RF tag 11 as an electronic device. In this embodiment, the RF tag 11 has an IC chip 11a that is rectangular in plan view (see Figure 2) (in this example, a rectangle in the narrow sense), and an antenna 11b connected to the lower end surface (bottom surface) 11ab in the thickness direction of the IC chip 11a (see Figure 3). An "RF tag" is also generally called an "RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag." The RF tag 11 includes, for example, a memory unit capable of storing unique identification information and the like, and can be configured to be capable of wireless communication with a predetermined external device (for example, a reader / writer) located outside the object (in the illustrated example, the tire main body 1a) to which the RF tag laminate 10 (and thus the RF tag 11) is attached. With this configuration, for example, various pieces of information acquired from the memory unit of the RF tag 11 can be utilized for maintenance services for the object to which the RF tag is attached, such as a tire or other rubber product. The RF tag 11 is preferably configured as a passive type, but may also be configured as an active type. Here, "rectangle" refers to a rectangle in the narrow sense (hereinafter simply referred to as "rectangle") and a square. Note that the vertices of the rectangle may be slightly rounded from the viewpoint of preventing damage to other members adjacent to the IC chip 11a. In this specification, the direction parallel to the direction in which the long sides of the rectangle of the IC chip extend in a plan view of the RF tag 11 is referred to as the "longitudinal direction LD," the direction parallel to the direction in which the short sides of the rectangle of the IC chip extend in a plan view of the RF tag 11 is referred to as the "transverse direction SD," and the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction LD and the transverse direction SD is referred to as the "thickness direction TD." "Plan view" refers to the RF tag 11 viewed from the thickness direction TD. Furthermore, in this specification, with regard to the RF tag laminate 10 and each of the components constituting the RF tag laminate 10, "upper" refers to the side that is farther away from the target (in this embodiment, the tire main body 1a) when the RF tag laminate 10 is affixed to the target, and "lower" refers to the side that is closer to the target (in this embodiment, the tire main body 1a) when the RF tag laminate 10 is affixed to the target. For example, "the lower end surface (bottom surface) 11ab of the IC chip 11a in the thickness direction TD" refers to the end surface that is closer to the tire main body 1a when the RF tag laminate 10 is affixed to the tire main body 1a as the target, as shown in Fig. 3 etc.

[0025] The IC chip 11a can constitute a control unit and / or a storage unit when the RF tag 11 performs wireless communication with the outside. The IC chip 11a may be configured to operate by induced electromotive force generated by electromagnetic waves received by one or more antennas.

[0026] The antenna 11b can be configured to perform a communication function when the RF tag 11 performs wireless communication with the outside. The antenna 11b may be made of a conductive material such as metal. Although antenna 11b is depicted schematically in Figures 2 to 4, it may extend in the entire longitudinal direction in the form of a spiral, a straight line, a wavy line (approximately two-dimensional wavy line), or a zigzag line (approximately two-dimensional zigzag line), or may extend in any order in the form of two or more of a spiral, a straight line, a wavy line, and a zigzag line. In addition, in the example of Figures 2 and 3, the antenna 11b is connected to the lower end surface (bottom surface) 11ab in the thickness direction TD of the IC chip 11a, but the antenna 11b may also be connected to, for example, one or both longitudinal direction LD end surfaces 11ae of the IC chip 11a. There are no particular limitations on the manner in which the IC chip 11a and the antenna 11b are joined together, and the antenna 11b may be connected to the IC chip 11a by soldering or the like, for example.

[0027] As described above, in this embodiment, the electronic device laminate (in this embodiment, the RF tag laminate 10) includes an electronic device (in this embodiment, the RF tag 11), and therefore, various information about the object to which the electronic device laminate is attached (for example, the tire 1 (tire main body 1a) in this embodiment) can be easily obtained. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the electronic device to be affixed to the object to be affixed is an RF tag 11 having an IC chip 11a and an antenna 11b connected to the IC chip 11a, so that various information about the object to be affixed (for example, the tire 1 (tire body 1a) in this embodiment) can be easily obtained.

[0028] In this embodiment, the RF tag laminate 10 has a protective layer 12 . In this embodiment, the protective layer 12 covers at least the outer surface of the RF tag 11 . In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, the protective layer 12 is laminated on the uppermost side of the RF tag laminate 10 (i.e., the side farthest from the tire main body 1a when the RF tag laminate 10 is attached to the tire main body 1a to which it is to be attached). Here, the "outer surface" of the RF tag 11 refers to the surface that is exposed to the outside of the RF tag 11 when the protective layer 12 is not present, and the protective layer 12 "covering at least the outer surface" of the RF tag 11 means that the protective layer 12 covers the entire surface of the RF tag 11 that is exposed to the outside, in other words, the protective layer 12 covers the RF tag 11 so that no part of the RF tag 11 is exposed to the outside. 2 and 3, the protective layer 12 covers the entire surface of the RF tag 11, including the lower end surface of the antenna 11b (and thus the lower end surface of the RF tag 11), both end surfaces 11ae in the longitudinal direction LD of the IC chip 11a, both end surfaces 11as in the lateral direction SD of the IC chip 11a, and the upper end surface (top surface) 11at in the thickness direction TD of the IC chip 11a (and thus the upper end surface of the RF tag 11), etc. In other words, the RF tag 11 is embedded in the protective layer 12, that is, the surface of the RF tag 11 is entirely covered with the protective layer 12. However, for example, in cases where the lower end surface of the antenna 11b (and thus the lower end surface of the RF tag 11) is directly bonded to another member (for example, the cushion layer 13 described below) that constitutes the RF tag laminate 10, the protective layer 12 only needs to cover the entire surface of the RF tag 11 except for the lower end surface of the antenna 11b (and thus the lower end surface of the RF tag 11) that is not exposed to the outside. In this specification, the phrase "the protective layer 12 covers at least the outer surface" of the RF tag 11 also refers to such a configuration.

[0029] The material of the protective layer 12 is not particularly limited, but is preferably a resin such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), nylon, silicone, etc., from the viewpoint of protecting the RF tag 11 from external damage and preventing damage to the RF tag 11 itself. Furthermore, the protective layer 12 is preferably made of a material having a melting point higher than that of the material constituting the release layer 14, which will be described later. The protective layer 12 can be formed, for example, by placing the RF tag 11 in a predetermined injection molding die and injecting a predetermined resin into the die so that the resin covers at least the outer surface of the RF tag 11.

[0030] As described above, in this embodiment, the electronic device laminate (in this embodiment, the RF tag laminate 10) has the protective layer 12 that covers at least the outer surface of the electronic device (in this embodiment, the RF tag 11). Therefore, compared to a case where the electronic device laminate does not have the protective layer 12 and at least a portion of the surface of the electronic device is exposed to the outside, the electronic device is less likely to be damaged by external foreign matter or by improper attachment or detachment of the electronic device laminate to or from an object to which it is attached, and ultimately the durability of the electronic device is improved. However, as in a second embodiment described later, the electronic device laminate (e.g., the RF tag laminate 10) may not have the protective layer 12. Furthermore, instead of the protective layer 12 covering the entire surface of the electronic device (e.g., the RF tag 11), the electronic device laminate may have a layer made of the same material as the protective layer 12 as described above that covers only a portion of the surface of the electronic device (e.g., only the entire surface of the IC chip 11a that has a storage unit for information and the like and that is particularly required to be protected).

[0031] In this embodiment, the RF tag laminate 10 has an adhesive layer 15 . In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, the adhesive layer 15 is arranged on the lowest side of the RF tag laminate 10 (i.e., the side closest to the tire main body 1a when the RF tag laminate 10 is attached to the tire main body 1a to which it is to be attached). The adhesive layer 15 is a layer for attaching the RF tag 11 as an electronic device to an object to be attached (in this embodiment, the tire main body 1a). More specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3, the RF tag 11 is attached and fixed to the object to be attached, for example, the tire main body 1a, by adhesion via the adhesive layer 15 and other members (in this embodiment, a part of the protective layer 12, a cushion layer 13 described later, and a release layer 14 described later).

[0032] The material of the adhesive layer 15 is not particularly limited as long as it has the adhesive function of the RF tag laminate 10 to the object to which the RF tag laminate 10 is affixed (in this embodiment, the tire main body 1a), but it is preferable that it be made of a material having a melting point higher than the melting point of the material constituting the peel layer 14 described below. Specifically, the adhesive layer 15 can be composed of, for example, a thermosetting resin, a thermoplastic resin, or a thermosetting elastomer (rubber) having a melting point higher than that of the material constituting the release layer 14 (described below). When the RF tag laminate 10 is attached to a tire or other rubber article, the adhesive layer 15 is preferably made of rubber, and more specifically, at least one selected from the group consisting of natural rubber (NR), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), chloroprene rubber (CR), butyl rubber (IIR), ethylene-propylene rubber (EPDM), and nitrile rubber (NBR). The adhesive layer 15 may be composed of a material that exhibits adhesive properties by mixing the above-mentioned substances as the main component with various compounding agents (e.g., hydrated silicon dioxide, hydrated aluminum silicate, etc.).

[0033] As described above, in this embodiment, the electronic device laminate (in this embodiment, the RF tag laminate 10) includes an adhesive layer 15 for attaching the electronic device (in this embodiment, the RF tag 11) to an object to which it is to be attached (in this embodiment, the tire main body 1a (tire 1)), so that the electronic device can be easily attached and fixed to the object to which it is to be attached.

[0034] In this embodiment, the RF tag laminate 10 has a release layer 14 . In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, the peel layer 14 is arranged between the RF tag 11 as an electronic device and the adhesive layer 15 in the thickness direction of the RF tag laminate 10 as an electronic device laminate (the same as the thickness direction TD of the RF tag 11; the same applies below). The release layer 14 is configured to melt when heated to a predetermined temperature or higher. Fig. 4 shows how, when heat of a predetermined temperature or higher is applied, the release layer 14 melts, the release layer 14 is separated at the peeling portion PE, and the separated portions are peeled off from each other, and ultimately a part of the RF tag laminate 10, including the RF tag 11, is peeled off from the tire main body 1a side. When heat of a predetermined temperature or higher is applied, the release layer 14 does not need to completely melt into a liquid state and peel off, but rather needs to be sufficiently softened to a low-viscosity semi-molten state so that it can be easily peeled off. Here, the "predetermined temperature" corresponds to the melting point of the material. The predetermined temperature is preferably lower than the melting points of the materials constituting the other members (in this embodiment, the protective layer 12, the adhesive layer 15, the cushion layer 13 described later, and the RF tag 11) other than the peeling layer 14 that constitute the RF tag laminate 10. In other words, in this embodiment, the melting points of the materials constituting the protective layer 12, the adhesive layer 15, the cushion layer 13 described later, and the like other than the peeling layer 14 that constitute the RF tag laminate 10 are preferably higher than the melting point of the peeling layer 14. More specifically, the predetermined temperature is preferably 150°C or higher from the viewpoint of preventing the release layer 14 from melting at a temperature lower than the temperature expected during operation of the object to which the RF tag laminate 10 as the electronic device laminate is attached (in this embodiment, the tire 1), and from the same viewpoint, is more preferably 160°C or higher. In other words, the melting point of the material constituting the release layer 14 is preferably 150°C or higher, and more preferably 160°C or higher. The above-mentioned predetermined temperature is preferably 200°C or less from the viewpoint of suppressing thermal damage to the RF tag 11 when the RF tag 11 as an electronic device is removed by melting the peeling layer 14, and from the same viewpoint, it is more preferable that the temperature be 170°C or less.

[0035] The release layer 14 is preferably made of a thermoplastic resin. When the release layer 14 is made of a readily available thermoplastic resin, the electronic device laminate (in this embodiment, the RF tag laminate 10) can be procured at low cost, and the productivity of the electronic device laminate is improved. More specifically, the release layer 14 is preferably made of a thermoplastic resin having a melting point of 150°C or more and 200°C or less, such as polyurethane or polypropylene. However, the release layer 14 may be made of a material other than a thermoplastic resin. For example, the release layer 14 may be made of a urethane elastomer or the like having a melting point of 150°C or higher and 200°C or lower.

[0036] As described above, in this embodiment, the electronic device laminate (in this embodiment, the RF tag laminate 10) has a peel-off layer 14 between the electronic device (in this embodiment, the RF tag 11) and the adhesive layer 15, which melts when heated to a predetermined temperature or higher. Therefore, when removing the electronic device from an object to which it is attached (in this embodiment, the tire main body 1a (tire 1)), simply applying heat of the predetermined temperature or higher melts the peel-off layer 14, and the peel-off layer 14 is easily peeled off or becomes capable of being easily peeled off. Therefore, the electronic device can be easily removed from the object to which it is attached without using excessive force.

[0037] In this embodiment, the RF tag laminate 10 has a cushion layer 13 . In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the cushion layer 13 is disposed between the RF tag 11 as an electronic device and the release layer 14 in the thickness direction of the RF tag laminate 10 as an electronic device laminate. The cushion layer 13 is a layer that cushions vibrations and impacts during operation of the object to which the RF tag laminate 10 as an electronic device laminate is attached (in this embodiment, the tire main body 1a (tire 1)), and protects the RF tag 11 as an electronic device. The material of the cushion layer 13 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of effectively cushioning external vibrations and impacts and adequately protecting the RF tag 11, it is preferable that the material be an elastic material (elastomer), such as natural rubber (NR) or synthetic rubber such as styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR). Furthermore, the Young's modulus of the material constituting the cushion layer 13 is preferably 30 MPa or less, and more preferably 1 MPa or more and 7 MPa or less, from the viewpoint of exhibiting a sufficient buffering function against vibrations and shocks. The cushion layer 13 is preferably made of a material having a melting point higher than that of the material that makes up the release layer 14 .

[0038] As described above, in this embodiment, the electronic device laminate (in this embodiment, the RF tag laminate 10) includes the cushion layer 13. Therefore, vibrations and shocks during operation of the object to which the electronic device laminate is attached (in this embodiment, the tire main body 1a (tire 1)) are buffered by the cushion layer 13, thereby suppressing damage to the electronic device (in this embodiment, the RF tag 11), and ultimately improving the durability of the electronic device. However, the electronic device laminate (for example, the RF tag laminate 10) does not necessarily have to include the cushion layer 13.

[0039] 2 and 3, in this embodiment, the protective layer 12, cushion layer 13, release layer 14, and adhesive layer 15 are configured in this order in a plan view (FIG. 2) so that the next layer includes the area occupied by the previous layer, and so that the area of ​​the next layer in a plan view is larger than that of the previous layer (for example, so that the area of ​​the cushion layer 13 is larger than that of the protective layer 12). In other words, in this embodiment, the length in the longitudinal direction LD and the length in the lateral direction SD of the RF tag 11 of the next layer are larger than those of the previous layer, in the above order. With this configuration, the area of ​​the RF tag laminate 10 in a plan view increases sequentially toward the adhesion side to the attachment target, so that the RF tag laminate 10 can be attached more firmly to the attachment target and is less likely to peel off. However, the RF tag laminate 10 does not have to have the above configuration. That is, the area in a plan view of each layer constituting the RF tag laminate 10 and the length in the longitudinal direction LD and / or the lateral direction SD of the RF tag 11 may be arbitrary.

[0040] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, in a plan view, the ends of each layer constituting the RF tag laminate 10 (in this embodiment, the protective layer 12, the cushion layer 13, the peel layer 14 and the adhesive layer 15) in the longitudinal direction LD and the lateral direction SD of the RF tag 11 are rounded, but they do not have to be rounded. Furthermore, the thickness of each of the layers constituting the RF tag laminate 10 (the length in the thickness direction TD of the RF tag 11) is not particularly limited, and may be any thickness as long as it does not cause any practical problems.

[0041] (Second embodiment) Next, an RF tag laminate 10 as an electronic device laminate according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to the cross-section along line AA in Figure 2, showing an RF tag laminate as an electronic device laminate according to a second embodiment of the present invention attached to a tire as an attachment target. In FIG. 5, the same members as those in FIGS. 2 to 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 2 to 4, and the description thereof will be omitted. An RF tag laminate 10 as an electronic device laminate according to a second embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter also simply referred to as "the RF tag laminate according to the second embodiment of the present invention") differs from the RF tag laminate 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention only in that it does not have a protective layer 12 that covers at least the outer surface of the RF tag 11, but in other respects is substantially the same as the RF tag laminate 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] As shown in Fig. 5 , an RF tag laminate 10 according to a second embodiment of the present invention includes an RF tag 11 as an electronic device, a cushion layer 13, a release layer 14, and an adhesive layer 15 for attaching the RF tag 11 to a tire main body 1a to which the RF tag 11 is to be attached. However, unlike the RF tag laminate 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the RF tag laminate 10 does not include a protective layer 12 that covers at least the outer surface of the RF tag 11. In this embodiment, the adhesive layer 15, which is bonded to the tire main body 1a, the release layer 14, the cushion layer 13, and the protective layer 12 are laminated in this order from the adhesive layer 15 side, and the layers are fixed to each other by adhesion, welding, or other means. In this embodiment, since the RF tag 11 is not embedded in the protective layer 12, the lower end surface of the RF tag 11 (more specifically, the lower end surface of the antenna 11b of the RF tag 11) is directly fixed to the upper end surface of the cushion layer 13. The electronic device laminate according to the second embodiment of the present invention (in this embodiment, the RF tag laminate 10) does not include the protective layer 12, which reduces the material costs and manufacturing costs of the electronic device laminate. For example, the electronic device can be particularly effectively used when attached to the inner circumferential surface of a tire, which is unlikely to be damaged by external foreign objects. Other configurations and effects of the electronic device laminate (RF tag laminate 10) according to this embodiment are similar to those of the electronic device laminate (RF tag laminate 10) according to the first embodiment of the present invention described above.

[0043] <How to remove electronic devices> Next, an electronic device removal method according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for removing an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. An electronic device removal method according to one embodiment of the present invention is a method for removing an electronic device (for example, the RF tag 11 in each of the above-mentioned embodiments) from, for example, a tire 1 according to the above-mentioned embodiments. In the following, an example will be described in which the electronic device to be removed from the tire 1 is the RF tag 11 in the RF tag laminate 10 according to any of the above-mentioned embodiments, but the electronic device (and thus the electronic device laminate) may be any electronic device (and thus the electronic device laminate) other than the RF tag 11 (and thus the RF tag laminate 10). As shown in FIG. 6, the electronic device removal method of this embodiment includes, in this order, a tire preparation step (step S101), a release layer melting step (step S102), and an electronic device removal step (step S103).

[0044] (Tire preparation process) First, in the tire preparation process, a tire 1 (see FIG. 1) is prepared in which an electronic device laminate (RF tag laminate 10) according to any of the above-described embodiments, and in turn an electronic device (RF tag 11) according to any of the above-described embodiments, is attached to the inner or outer surface of the tire main body 1a (step S101). The tire 1 may be a used tire or a tire that is no longer needed for other reasons, and the type of tire is not particularly limited. It is preferable that the RF tag laminate 10 (and thus the RF tag 11) as the electronic device laminate (and thus the electronic device) is attached to the inner or outer surface of the tire main body 1a by the above-mentioned adhesive layer 15 after the tire has been vulcanized and molded; in other words, it is attached, so to speak, by the adhesive layer 15 after the tire main body 1a has been vulcanized and molded.

[0045] (Peeling layer melting process) Next, in the release layer melting step, the release layer 14 of the electronic device laminate (RF tag laminate 10) is heated to the above-mentioned predetermined temperature or higher and melted (step S102). In the peeling layer melting process, it is preferable to heat and melt the peeling layer 14 to a temperature lower than the melting point of the materials constituting the other components (e.g., the protective layer 12, cushion layer 13, adhesive layer 15, and further the RF tag 11 in the above-mentioned embodiment) other than the peeling layer 14 that constitute the electronic device laminate (RF tag laminate 10). More specifically, in the peeling layer melting step, it is preferable to heat the peeling layer 14 to 150° C. or higher, more preferably 160° C. or higher, in order to melt the peeling layer 14. Even more specifically, in the peeling layer melting step, it is preferable to heat the peeling layer 14 to a temperature that is equal to or higher than the above temperature and that is lower than the melting points of the materials constituting the other members, other than the peeling layer 14, that make up the electronic device laminate (RF tag laminate 10). Furthermore, in the peeling layer melting process, it is preferable to heat and melt the peeling layer 14 to 200°C or less, more preferably 170°C or less, from the viewpoint of suppressing heat damage to the electronic device (RF tag laminate 10). In the peeling layer melting process, the peeling layer 14 is heated as described above, and as a result, even if the peeling layer 14 does not completely melt into a liquid state and peel off, it is sufficient that the peeling layer 14 softens sufficiently to become a semi-molten state with low viscosity so that it can be easily peeled off. The heating in the peeling layer melting step can be carried out using, for example, a hot wire saw, a burner, or the like.

[0046] (Electronic device removal process) Next, in the electronic device removal step, the release layer 14 melted in the release layer melting step is peeled off, and the electronic device (RF tag 11) is removed from the tire 1 (step S103). More specifically, in the electronic device removal process, the peel-off layer 14 is peeled off, and the portion of the electronic device laminate (RF tag laminate 10) above the peel-off layer 14 is peeled off from the tire 1, thereby removing the electronic device (RF tag 11) from the tire 1 to which the electronic device was attached, together with, for example, the protective layer 12 and the cushion layer 13. In the electronic device removal process, the peeling layer 14 is completely melted into a liquid state and peeled off in the peeling layer melting process, and at the same time, the electronic device can be removed from the tire 1 without any external force being applied, or the electronic device can be removed from the tire 1 by applying a slight force, for example manually, when the peeling layer 14 has sufficiently softened in the peeling layer melting process and is in a low-viscosity semi-molten state. In the electronic device removal step, the electronic devices removed and collected from the tire 1 may be recycled or reused, for example, after collecting information stored in the electronic devices as needed.

[0047] The electronic device removal method according to this embodiment includes a peel-off layer melting step in which the peel-off layer 14 in the electronic device laminate (e.g., the RF tag laminate 10) is heated to a predetermined temperature or higher to melt it. As a result of this heating, the peel-off layer 14 is easily peeled off or put into a state in which it can be easily peeled off, and therefore, the electronic device (e.g., the RF tag 11) can be easily removed from the tire 1 to which it is attached without requiring excessive force.

[0048] The foregoing describes exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0049] For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, an RF tag 11 having an IC chip 11a and an antenna 11b connected to the IC chip 11a has been described as an example of an electronic device, but the electronic device (and thus the electronic device laminate) does not have to be the RF tag 11 (and thus the RF tag laminate 10). The electronic device may be, for example, a pressure sensor that detects the internal pressure of the tire 1, a temperature sensor that detects the internal temperature of the tire 1, an acceleration sensor that detects the rotational speed of the tire 1, or the like. In these cases, too, the same effects as those described in this specification can be obtained, except for the effects based on the specific configuration of the RF tag 11. [Industrial Applicability]

[0050] The electronic device laminate according to the present invention can be suitably used for attachment to any attachment object, and can be suitably used for attachment to rubber articles such as tires and rubber crawlers, particularly tires. The tire according to the present invention can be suitably used as any type of tire, for example, a tire for a passenger car, a pneumatic tire for a truck or bus, a tire for a construction or mining vehicle, or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 1: tire (rubber article), 1a: tire body, 2: tread portion, 3: sidewall portion, 4: bead portion, 5: carcass, 6: belt, 10: RF tag laminate (electronic device laminate), 11: RF tag (electronic device), 11a: IC chip, 11ab: lower end surface (bottom surface) in thickness direction, 11ae: end surface in longitudinal direction, 11as: end surface in lateral direction, 11at: upper end surface (top surface) in thickness direction, 11b: antenna, 12: protective layer, 13: cushion layer, 14: release layer, 15: adhesive layer, LD: Longitudinal direction, SD: Transverse direction, TD: Thickness direction, PE: Peeling area

Claims

1. An electronic device laminate including an electronic device and an adhesive layer for attaching the electronic device to an attachment target, a release layer is provided between the electronic device and the adhesive layer, the release layer being melted by heat of a predetermined temperature or higher; the predetermined temperature is lower than the melting points of materials constituting the other members of the electronic device laminate other than the release layer, The electronic device laminate further includes a cushion layer between the electronic device and the release layer.

2. The electronic device laminate according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is an RF tag having an IC chip and an antenna connected to the IC chip.

3. The electronic device laminate according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the release layer is made of a thermoplastic resin.

4. 4. The electronic device laminate according to claim 1, further comprising a protective layer covering at least an outer surface of the electronic device.

5. A tire comprising the electronic device laminate according to any one of claims 1 to 4 attached to the inner surface or outer surface of a tire body.

6. 6. A method for removing the electronic device from the tire according to claim 5, comprising: The electronic device removal method includes a release layer melting step of heating the release layer in the electronic device laminate to a temperature equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature to melt the release layer.

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