Tag sheet

Abstract

To use successive RFID tags configured not to expose adhesive layers, for printing or inspection processes, and thereafter allow the RFID tags to be taken up into a roll state and easily separated into pieces when in use.SOLUTION: A tag sheet includes: an inlet sheet 20a; a surface sheet 10a adhered to the inlet sheet 20a with an adhesive layer 31 on one surface of the inlet sheet 20a; and a back sheet 50 adhered to the inlet sheet 20a with a double-sided tape 32 on the other surface of the inlet sheet 20a. The inlet sheet 20a, the surface sheet 10a, the adhesive layer 31, and the double-sided tapa 32 have notches 3 which penetrate from a surface to a rear surface, in an outer shape of the inlet 20. In a region facing the inlet 20, adhesive force between the double-sided tape 32 and the back sheet 50 is larger than adhesive force with the inlet sheet 20a. In a region not facing the inlet 20, adhesive force between the double-sided tape 32 and the inlet sheet 20a is larger than adhesive force with the back sheet 50.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a long tag sheet for manufacturing an RFID tag having an inlet.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, RFID tags capable of writing and reading information in a non-contact state have been used in various applications. For example, a mechanism for managing articles by attaching an RFID tag to an article such as a product and writing or reading information to / from this RFID tag has been considered. When managing articles using such RFID tags, by being able to write or read information to / from a plurality of RFID tags in a batch, it is possible to improve the efficiency of operations related to article management and the like.

[0003] Such RFID tags can be in a continuous state where a plurality of RFID tags are arranged side by side, and can be processed in a so-called roll-to-roll manner, such as performing printing continuously, winding them up in a roll shape, pulling them out from the roll shape for inspection, and then winding them up again in a roll shape. Processing in a continuous state or roll-to-roll processing can improve the efficiency of processing compared to the case of processing each RFID tag individually, and also makes handling easier.

[0004] Here, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a technique in which an inlet having an antenna and an IC chip is removably bonded to a long piece of release paper, and then used as individual labels by peeling them off the release paper. Furthermore, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, a continuous inlet roll including the inlet is bonded to a continuous piece of release paper, and an incision is made in the inlet roll according to the outer shape of the inlet. Then, a so-called waste removal process is performed in which the portion of the inlet that is not needed as an RFID tag is peeled off the release paper, and the roll is wound again with only the inlet removably bonded to the continuous release paper. Patent Document 1 also discloses a technique in which an inlet having an antenna and an IC chip is bonded to a long piece of cardboard, and then used as individual tags by cutting them with a cutter. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-187223 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-9209 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] As disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, in a continuous arrangement of multiple RFID tags by removably adhering an inlet having an antenna and an IC chip to a long piece of release paper, when the tag is peeled off from the release paper to be used as an individual RFID tag, the adhesive layer that was removably adhering to the release paper is exposed on the back surface of the RFID tag. Therefore, although it can be used as an individual label, it cannot be used as a tag that does not have an adhesive layer on its surface. It is conceivable to use a backing paper with an adhesive layer instead of the continuous piece of release paper to which the inlet was removably adhering, and to laminate the release layer on the back surface of the inlet. However, in that case, as described above, when the waste removal process is performed, the adhesive layer will be exposed around the inlet, making it impossible to wind it into a roll thereafter.

[0007] Furthermore, in the case disclosed in Patent Document 1, where an inlet having an antenna and an IC chip is attached to a long cardboard base and then cut out with a cutter to be used as individual tags, there is a problem in that it is necessary to cut it with a cutter when using it as an individual tag, which is time-consuming and may require a special tool in some cases.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the conventional technology described above, and aims to provide a tag sheet that allows for continuous printing, inspection, and other processing of individual RFID tags in which the adhesive layer is not exposed, and then allows for winding the sheet into a roll after collecting the parts that are no longer needed as RFID tags, and that can be easily returned to individual pieces when in use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides: A tag sheet for manufacturing an RFID tag having an inlet on which an antenna and an IC chip are arranged on a substrate, An inlet sheet on which multiple sets of the antenna and IC chip are arranged on the long substrate, A long surface sheet is bonded to one side of the inlet sheet by a first adhesive means, The other side of the inlet sheet has a long back sheet that is bonded to the inlet sheet by a second adhesive means, The inlet sheet, surface sheet, and first and second adhesive means have cuts formed that penetrate through both sides to match the outer shape of the inlet. moreover, The tag sheet has an adhesive force adjustment means that, in the region facing the inlet, makes the adhesive force between the second adhesive means and the back sheet greater than the adhesive force between the second adhesive means and the inlet sheet in at least a portion of the region, and makes the adhesive force between the second adhesive means and the inlet sheet greater than the adhesive force between the second adhesive means and the back sheet in the region not facing the inlet.

[0010] In the present invention configured as described above, a tag sheet for manufacturing an RFID tag having an inlet on which a set of antennas and IC chips is arranged on a substrate is provided, wherein an inlet sheet on which a plurality of sets of antennas and IC chips are arranged on a long substrate has a long surface sheet adhered to one side by a first adhesive means and a long back sheet adhered to the other side by a second adhesive means, and is in a continuous state in which printing and inspection and other processing are performed. The inlet sheet, surface sheet, and first and second adhesive means have cuts that penetrate through the front and back to match the outer shape of the inlet, and in areas not facing the inlet, the adhesive force adjustment means makes the adhesive force between the second adhesive means and the inlet sheet greater than the adhesive force between the second adhesive means and the back sheet, so when a so-called waste removal process is performed to collect the parts that are not needed as RFID tags, the second adhesive means that was adhering the inlet sheet and the back sheet peels off from the back sheet and is collected as waste, and as a result the tag sheet that has undergone waste removal can then be wound into a roll. Furthermore, when separating individual RFID tags thereafter, in the region facing the inlet, the adhesive force adjustment means makes the adhesive force between the second adhesive means and the back sheet greater than the adhesive force between the second adhesive means and the inlet sheet in at least a portion of the region. As a result, the second adhesive means remains adhered to the back sheet and peels off from the inlet, allowing it to be used as an RFID tag without an adhesive layer on its surface.

[0011] Furthermore, the second adhesive means may comprise a tape substrate, a first adhesive layer laminated on the surface of the tape substrate facing the inlet sheet to removably adhere the second adhesive means to the inlet sheet, and a second adhesive layer laminated on the surface of the tape substrate facing the back sheet to have a stronger adhesive force than the first adhesive layer. The adhesive force adjustment means may comprise the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer in the region facing the inlet, and the first and second adhesive layers and a release layer laminated on at least the region of the back sheet facing the tape substrate in the region not facing the inlet. In this case, by using a second adhesive means in which the first adhesive layer is laminated on one surface of the tape substrate and the second adhesive layer is laminated on the other surface of the tape substrate, it becomes possible to peel off RFID tags that have become defective during printing or inspection and replace them with other RFID tags.

[0012] Furthermore, in the case of the tag sheet, when the so-called waste removal process is performed, the area inside the cut is adhered to the back sheet, while the area outside the cut is peeled away from the back sheet, among the inlet sheet, surface sheet, and first and second adhesive means. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, a surface sheet is bonded to one side of an inlet sheet by a first adhesive means, and a back sheet is bonded to the other side of the inlet sheet by a second adhesive means. Each of these inlet sheet, surface sheet, and first and second adhesive means has a cut that penetrates through both sides to match the outer shape of the inlet. In areas not facing the inlet, the adhesive force adjustment means makes the adhesive force between the second adhesive means and the inlet sheet greater than the adhesive force between the second adhesive means and the back sheet. Therefore, when a so-called waste removal process is performed to collect the parts that are no longer needed as RFID tags after printing, inspection, and other processing has been carried out in a continuous manner, the second adhesive means that bonded the inlet sheet and the back sheet is peeled off from the back sheet and collected as waste. As a result, the tag sheet that has undergone the waste removal process can then be wound into a roll. Furthermore, when separating the individual RFID tags thereafter, in the area facing the inlet, the adhesive force adjustment means makes the adhesive force between the second adhesive means and the back sheet greater than the adhesive force between the second adhesive means and the inlet sheet in at least a portion of the area. As a result, the second adhesive means remains adhered to the back sheet and peels off from the inlet, thereby allowing the individual RFID tags to be easily separated and used as individual RFID tags without an adhesive layer on their surface.

[0014] Furthermore, if the second adhesive means comprises a tape substrate, a first adhesive layer laminated on the surface of the tape substrate facing the inlet sheet and removably adhering the second adhesive means to the inlet sheet, and a second adhesive layer laminated on the surface of the tape substrate facing the back sheet and having a stronger adhesive force than the first adhesive layer, and the adhesive force adjustment means is composed of the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer in the region facing the inlet, and is composed of the first and second adhesive layers and a release layer laminated on at least the region of the back sheet facing the tape substrate in the region not facing the inlet, then by using a second adhesive means in which the first adhesive layer is laminated on one surface of the tape substrate and the second adhesive layer is laminated on the other surface of the tape substrate, it is possible to peel off RFID tags that have become defective during printing or inspection and replace them with other RFID tags. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of an RFID tag made using the tag sheet of the present invention, where (a) is a surface view, (b) is a cross-sectional view of AA shown in (a), and (c) is a diagram showing the surface configuration of the inlet. [Figure 2] This figure shows a first embodiment of the tag sheet of the present invention, where (a) is an external view, (b) is a cross-sectional view of AA shown in (a), (c) is a diagram showing the configuration of the inlet sheet, and (d) is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the double-sided tape. [Figure 3] This figure shows the stacking configuration of the tag sheets shown in Figure 2. [Figure 4] Figures 2 and 3 show the positional relationship between the cuts, double-sided tape, and release layer in the tag sheet. [Figure 5] These figures illustrate the manufacturing method of the tag sheets shown in Figures 2 and 3. [Figure 6] Figures 2 and 3 show the waste removal process in the tag sheet. [Figure 7] This diagram illustrates the manufacturing method for creating the RFID tag shown in Figure 1 using the tag sheets shown in Figures 2 and 3. [Figure 8] FIG. showing another example of an RFID tag manufactured using the tag sheet of the present invention, (a) is a top view, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A shown in (a), and (c) is a view showing the configuration of the surface of the inlet. [Figure 9] FIG. showing a second embodiment of the tag sheet of the present invention, (a) is an external view, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A shown in (a), and (c) is a view showing the configuration of the inlet sheet. [Figure 10] FIG. showing the laminated structure of the tag sheet shown in FIG. 9. [Figure 11] FIG. showing the positional relationship between the cut and the release layer in the tag sheet shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. [Figure 12] FIG. for explaining the manufacturing method of the tag sheet shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. [Figure 13] FIG. showing the deburring process in the tag sheet shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. [Figure 14] FIG. for explaining the manufacturing method when manufacturing the RFID tag shown in FIG. 8 using the tag sheet shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0017] (First Embodiment) 〈Configuration of RFID Tag〉 First, the configuration of an RFID tag manufactured using the tag sheet of the present invention will be described.

[0018] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an RFID tag manufactured using the tag sheet of the present invention, (a) is a top view, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A shown in (a), and (c) is a view showing the configuration of the surface of the inlet 20. Note that the configuration of the inlet 20 shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and any other configuration may be used as long as information can be written and read by an externally provided RFID reader.

[0019] An example of an RFID tag manufactured using the tag sheet of the present invention is the RFID tag 1 shown in Figure 1, in which an adhesive layer 31 is laminated on one side of a rectangular inlet 20 and the surface substrate 10 is bonded to the inlet 20 by this adhesive layer 31.

[0020] The inlet 20 includes a base substrate 23, two antennas 22, and an IC chip 21.

[0021] The base substrate 23 is composed of a film substrate such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate), polyimide, paper, or synthetic paper.

[0022] The two antennas 22 are formed on one surface of the base substrate 23 by laminating aluminum foil or copper foil, or by applying conductive paste by printing. The two antennas 22 are formed on one surface of the base substrate 23 so that two isosceles triangular conductors are arranged with an air gap between them. However, the shape of the antennas 22 is not limited to this, and various other shapes are conceivable, such as two strip-shaped conductors arranged in a straight line with an air gap between them, or those composed of a single conductor.

[0023] The IC chip 21 is provided with two antenna terminals (not shown). The side with the antenna terminals is the mounting surface, and it is mounted on the side of the base substrate 23 where the antenna 22 is formed, and fixed with anisotropic conductive paste (not shown). The two antenna terminals of the IC chip 21 are connected to the two antennas 22, respectively, and the anisotropic conductive paste provides electrical conductivity between the antenna terminals and the antennas 22. The IC chip 21 operates using power obtained through contactless communication via the antennas 22, and transmits pre-encoded information within the IC chip 21 contactlessly via the antennas 22.

[0024] In this way, the inlet 20 is constructed by arranging the antenna 22 and the IC chip 21 on one side of the base substrate 23. The RFID tag 1 may be one that performs contactless communication using a UHF frequency band communication method or one that performs contactless communication using an HF frequency band communication method, and the IC chip 21 used will be one that matches the communication method, and the antenna 22 will have a shape that matches the communication method.

[0025] The adhesive layer 31 is the first adhesive means in the present invention. The adhesive layer 31 is laminated on the surface of the inlet 20 having the antenna 22 and the IC chip 21. The adhesive layer 31 is laminated on the inlet 20 by coating the base substrate 23 with, for example, a hot melt, acrylic emulsion, or synthetic rubber adhesive.

[0026] The surface substrate 10 is bonded to the surface of the inlet 20 having the antenna 22 and the IC chip 21 by an adhesive layer 31. Examples of the surface substrate 10 include plastic film, paper, synthetic paper, etc.

[0027] <Tag Sheet Structure> Next, the structure of the tag sheet of the present invention will be described.

[0028] Figure 2 shows a first embodiment of the tag sheet of the present invention, where (a) is an external view, (b) is a cross-sectional view of AA shown in (a), (c) is a diagram showing the configuration of the inlet sheet 20a, and (d) is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the double-sided tape 32. In the following, the detailed illustration and explanation of the configuration of the inlet 20 shown in Figure 1 will be omitted. Figure 3 is a diagram showing the laminated configuration of the tag sheet 1a shown in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the cut 3, the double-sided tape 32 and the release layer 40 in the tag sheet 1a shown in Figures 2 and 3.

[0029] As shown in Figure 2, this embodiment is a long tag sheet 1a for manufacturing the RFID tag 1 shown in Figure 1, in which the RFID tag 1 shown in Figure 1 is separated by a cut 3.

[0030] In this embodiment, the tag sheet 1a is constructed as shown in Figures 2 and 3, with a surface sheet 10a laminated to one side of the inlet sheet 20a via the adhesive layer 31 shown in Figure 1, and a back sheet 50 laminated to the other side of the inlet sheet 20a via double-sided tape 32.

[0031] As shown in Figure 2(c), the inlet sheet 20a is a long, rectangular sheet in which multiple inlets 20 shown in Figure 1 are arranged in a row and can be separated by the notches 3. As a result, the inlet sheet 20a is a long, rectangular base material 23 shown in Figure 1 on which multiple sets of antennas 22 and IC chips 21 are arranged.

[0032] The surface sheet 10a is a long, continuous piece of the surface substrate 10 shown in Figure 1, and is bonded to the inlet sheet 20a by an adhesive layer 31 laminated over the entire surface of the inlet sheet 20a. The width of the surface sheet 10a is the same as that of the inlet sheet 20a in the short direction of the inlet sheet 20a.

[0033] The double-sided tape 32 is the second adhesive means in the present invention. The double-sided tape 32 has a strip shape, and as shown in Figure 2(d), it is constructed by laminating a weak adhesive layer 32b on one side of the tape base material 32a and a strong adhesive layer 32c on the other side of the tape base material 32a. As shown in Figure 4, the width of the strip shape of the double-sided tape 32 is narrower than the width of the surface sheet 10a and the inlet sheet 20a in the short direction, and is also narrower than the width of the cut 3 for separating the inlet 20 from the inlet sheet 20a, and faces the area enclosed by the cut 3.

[0034] The tape base material 32a is made of paper, cloth, nonwoven fabric, resin, etc.

[0035] The weak adhesive layer 32b is the first adhesive layer in the present invention. The weak adhesive layer 32b is laminated by coating the surface of the tape substrate 32a facing the inlet sheet 20a with an adhesive made of rubber, acrylic, urethane, silicone, etc., which has an adhesive strength sufficient to allow the inlet sheet 20a to be peeled off after it has been adhered to the double-sided tape 32.

[0036] The strong adhesive layer 32c is the second adhesive layer in the present invention. The strong adhesive layer 32c is laminated by coating the surface of the tape substrate 32a facing the back sheet 50 with an adhesive made of rubber, acrylic, urethane, silicone, etc., which has stronger adhesive strength than the adhesive that makes up the weak adhesive layer 32b and has enough adhesive strength that it becomes difficult to peel off the back sheet 50 after it has been adhered to the double-sided tape 32. Difficulty in peeling means that when the double-sided tape 32 is peeled off the back sheet 50 by hand, the back sheet 50 and the double-sided tape 32 are so strongly adhered that they are separated in the thickness direction.

[0037] The back sheet 50 has a release layer 40 laminated on the adhesive surface with the inlet sheet 20a. The back sheet 50 is elongated, similar to the inlet sheet 20a, and its width in the short direction is the same as that of the inlet sheet 20a. The release layer 40 is laminated by applying a release agent to the adhesive surface with the inlet sheet 20a, and examples of release agents that make up the release layer 40 include silicone and Teflon (registered trademark). The release layer 40 is arranged on the adhesive surface of the back sheet 50 with the inlet sheet 20a at equal intervals with a constant width in the long direction of the back sheet 50. In this case, as shown in Figure 4, the release layer 40 is laminated so as to face the area outside the cutout 3. As a result, the double-sided tape 32 is directly laminated to the back sheet 50 in the area enclosed by the cutout 3, but in the area outside the cutout 3, it is laminated to the back sheet 50 via the release layer 40. Furthermore, considering the misalignment between the lamination of the release layer 40 on the back sheet 50 and the formation of the notches 3, it is also possible to laminate the release layer 40 so that a portion of it faces the area surrounded by the notches 3, as shown in Figure 4. Examples of the back sheet 50 include plastic film, paper, synthetic paper, etc.

[0038] As described above, the notch 3 is for separating the RFID tag 1 and is formed to match the outer shape of the inlet 20, penetrating both sides of the surface sheet 10a, adhesive layer 31, inlet sheet 20a, and double-sided tape 32.

[0039] With this configuration, the inlet sheet 20a and the surface sheet 10a are bonded together over their entire surfaces by the adhesive layer 31. Furthermore, the inlet sheet 20a and the back sheet 50 are bonded together by double-sided tape 32 in the area enclosed by the cutout 3, and in the area outside the cutout 3, they are bonded together via the double-sided tape 32 and the release layer 40. In this embodiment, in the area enclosed by the cutout 3, i.e., the area facing the inlet 20, the adhesive strength adjustment means of the present invention is composed of the weak adhesive layer 32b and the strong adhesive layer 32c of the double-sided tape 32, and in the area outside the cutout 3, i.e., the area not facing the inlet 20, the adhesive strength adjustment means of the present invention is composed of the weak adhesive layer 32b and the strong adhesive layer 32c of the double-sided tape 32 and the release layer 40. As a result, in the region facing the inlet 20, the adhesive force between the double-sided tape 32 and the backing sheet 50 becomes greater than the adhesive force between the double-sided tape 32 and the inlet sheet 20a in some areas, and in the region not facing the inlet 20, the adhesive force between the double-sided tape 32 and the inlet sheet 20a becomes greater than the adhesive force between the double-sided tape 32 and the backing sheet 50.

[0040] As shown in Figure 2(a), the tag sheet 1a, configured as described above, is wound into a roll shape with the core 2 as the center in the longitudinal direction of the tag sheet 1a.

[0041] <Method for manufacturing tag sheets> Next, we will explain the manufacturing method of the tag sheet 1a shown in Figures 2 and 3.

[0042] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the manufacturing method of the tag sheet 1a shown in Figures 2 and 3.

[0043] To manufacture the tag sheet 1a shown in Figures 2 and 3, first, as shown in Figure 5(a), an adhesive layer 31 is laminated by applying the adhesive described above to the entire surface of one side of a long inlet sheet 20a, which has multiple inlets 20 arranged in a row as shown in Figure 1. For example, this can be done by winding the long inlet sheet 20a into a roll, pulling it out from the roll, and applying the adhesive to one side. The side of the inlet sheet 20a on which the adhesive layer 31 is laminated may be the side of the inlet 20 that has the antenna 22 and IC chip 21, or it may be the opposite side.

[0044] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5(b), the release layer 40 is laminated by applying the release agent described above to one side of the back sheet 50 at equal intervals with a certain width. At that time, as will be described later, the release layer 40 is laminated so that it faces the area outside the cut 3 that is formed by penetrating both the front and back surfaces of the surface sheet 10a, adhesive layer 31, inlet sheet 20a, and double-sided tape 32. For example, the release layer 40 can be laminated onto the back sheet 50 by winding a long back sheet 50 into a roll, pulling it out from the roll, and applying the release agent to one side of it. Alternatively, as described above, a back sheet 50 with the release layer 40 pre-laminated at equal intervals with a certain width in the longitudinal direction may be used.

[0045] Next, as shown in Figure 5(c), double-sided tape 32 is applied to the surface of the back sheet 50 on which the release layer 40 is laminated. At this time, the double-sided tape 32 is applied with the strong adhesive layer 32c facing the back sheet 50. In addition, regarding the position in the short direction of the back sheet 50, the double-sided tape 32 is applied in a position where it faces the area enclosed by the cut 3 when the back sheet 50 is adhered to the inlet sheet 20a and a cut 3 is formed in the inlet sheet 20a.

[0046] Next, as shown in Figure 5(d), the elongated surface sheet 10a, the inlet sheet 20a on which the adhesive layer 31 is laminated as described above, and the back sheet 50 on which the release layer 40 is laminated as described above and double-sided tape 32 is attached are stacked and collated by pressure using, for example, a nip roller. At this time, the adhesive layer 31 laminated on the inlet sheet 20a can be cured by natural drying without a drying process, for example.

[0047] Then, the adhesive layer 31 hardens, and the surface sheet 10a and the inlet sheet 20a are bonded together.

[0048] Subsequently, as shown in Figure 5(e), a cut 3 is formed through the surface sheet 10a and inlet sheet 20a, which are bonded together, as well as the adhesive layer 31 and double-sided tape 32, in accordance with the shape of the inlet 20, thereby completing the continuous tag sheet 1a shown in Figures 2 and 3.

[0049] The completed continuous tag sheet 1a can then be processed, such as printing on the surface sheet 10a and performing communication inspections of the inlet 20. Furthermore, the completed tag sheet 1a can be rolled up for easier transport and storage.

[0050] <Scrap removal process> Next, we will explain the waste removal process in tag sheet 1a shown in Figures 2 and 3.

[0051] Figure 6 is a diagram showing the waste removal process in the tag sheet 1a shown in Figures 2 and 3, and is a cross-sectional view of the tag sheet 1a.

[0052] In the tag sheet 1a shown in Figures 2 and 3, as shown in Figure 6(a), the inlet sheet 20a, surface sheet 10a, adhesive layer 31, and double-sided tape 32 have notches 3 that penetrate through both sides to match the outer shape of the inlet 20. Although the inlet sheet 20a and the back sheet 50 are bonded together by the double-sided tape 32 attached to the back sheet 50, the weak adhesive layer 32b of the double-sided tape 32 allows the inlet sheet 20a and the double-sided tape 32 to be separated from each other at the bonding surface. However, in the area outside the notches 3 that do not face the inlet 20, a release layer 40 is laminated on the bonding surface of the back sheet 50 with the inlet sheet 20a, and since the double-sided tape 32 is attached on this release layer 40, the adhesive force between the double-sided tape 32 and the inlet sheet 20a is greater than the adhesive force between the double-sided tape 32 and the back sheet 50.

[0053] Therefore, as a continuous tag sheet 1a, after processing such as printing on the surface sheet 10a and communication testing of the inlet 20, as shown in Figure 6(b), the double-sided tape 32 can be peeled off from the back sheet 50 along with the inlet sheet 20a, surface sheet 10a, and adhesive layer 31 in the area outside the cut 3 and recovered as waste. At that time, in the area outside the cut 3 from which the inlet sheet 20a, surface sheet 10a, adhesive layer 31, and double-sided tape 32 have been peeled off the back sheet 50, the double-sided tape 32 is not exposed, so it can then be wound into a roll as described above, and a so-called waste removal process can be performed to recover the parts that are no longer needed as RFID tags 1. The product can then be delivered in a rolled state after the waste removal process has been performed.

[0054] Furthermore, the inlet 20 is adhered to the back sheet 50 by double-sided tape 32, and as described above, the weak adhesive layer 32b of the double-sided tape 32 allows the inlet 20 and the double-sided tape 32 to be separated, so that an RFID tag 1 that has been defective during printing or inspection can be peeled off the back sheet 50 and attached to another RFID tag 1. The width of the double-sided tape 32 may be set so that the double-sided tape 32 adheres to the entire area surrounded by the cutout 3 which becomes the inlet 20, but by narrowing the width of the double-sided tape 32, it is possible to make it easier to replace such RFID tags 1.

[0055] <Method for creating RFID tags using tag sheets> Next, we will explain the manufacturing method for creating the RFID tag 1 shown in Figure 1 using the tag sheet 1a shown in Figures 2 and 3.

[0056] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the manufacturing method when creating the RFID tag 1 shown in Figure 1 using the tag sheet 1a shown in Figures 2 and 3, and is a cross-sectional view of the tag sheet 1a.

[0057] As described above, in the tag sheet 1a that has undergone the so-called waste removal process, as shown in Figure 7(a), the waste removal process separates the inlet 20 and surface substrate 10 that constitute the RFID tag 1 shown in Figure 1 from the inlet sheet 20a and surface sheet 10a, respectively, and they are adhered to the back sheet 50 by the double-sided tape 32 attached to the back sheet 50. However, as described above, the inlet 20 can be separated from the double-sided tape 32 by the weak adhesive layer 32b of the double-sided tape 32, so the adhesive force between the double-sided tape 32 and the inlet 20 is greater than the adhesive force between the double-sided tape 32 and the back sheet 50.

[0058] Therefore, as shown in Figure 7(b), the inlet 20 can be peeled off while the double-sided tape 32 remains adhered to the back sheet 50, and individual RFID tags 1 can be manufactured with the surface substrate 10 adhered to one side of the inlet 20 by the adhesive layer 31. In this case, since the double-sided tape 32 is not laminated on the side of the inlet 20 opposite to the side to which the surface substrate 10 is adhered, it can be used as an RFID tag 1 that does not have an adhesive layer on that surface.

[0059] Thus, in this embodiment, with respect to the tag sheet 1a, after performing processes such as printing on the surface sheet 10a and communication testing of the inlet 20 in a continuous state, the area outside the cutout 3 of the inlet sheet 20a, surface sheet 10a, adhesive layer 31, and double-sided tape 32 is separated to match the outer shape of the inlet 20 and peeled off from the back sheet 50. This allows for the removal of waste from the area outside the cutout 3, and then the inlet 20 and surface substrate 10 that were adhered to the back sheet 50 can be easily peeled off from the back sheet 50 to produce individual RFID tags 1.

[0060] (Second Embodiment) <RFID tag configuration> Figure 8 shows another example of an RFID tag made using the tag sheet of the present invention, where (a) is a surface view, (b) is a cross-sectional view of AA shown in (a), and (c) is a diagram showing the surface configuration of the inlet 20. Note that the configuration of the inlet 20 shown in Figure 8 is merely one example, and other configurations are also acceptable as long as information can be written to and read by an externally provided RFID reader.

[0061] An example of an RFID tag manufactured using the tag sheet of the present invention is the RFID tag 101 shown in Figure 8. In this example, the RFID tag 101 differs from the RFID tag 1 shown in Figure 1 in that a release layer 41 is laminated over the entire surface of the inlet 20 opposite to the surface having the antenna 22 and IC chip 21, as shown in Figure 8.

[0062] The release layer 41 is laminated by applying a release agent to the side of the inlet 20 opposite to the side having the antenna 22 and IC chip 21. The release agent constituting the release layer 41 is thought to be the same as the one constituting the release layer 40 laminated on the back sheet 50 as shown in the first embodiment.

[0063] The inlet 20, surface substrate 10, and adhesive layer 31 are made of the same materials and have the same configuration as those shown in the first embodiment.

[0064] <Tag Sheet Structure> Figure 9 shows a second embodiment of the tag sheet of the present invention, where (a) is an external view, (b) is a cross-sectional view of AA shown in (a), and (c) is a diagram showing the configuration of the inlet sheet 20a. In the following, the detailed illustration and explanation of the configuration of the inlet 20 shown in Figure 8 will be omitted. Figure 10 shows the laminated configuration of the tag sheet 101a shown in Figure 9. Figure 11 shows the positional relationship between the cut 3 and the release layers 40, 41 in the tag sheet 101a shown in Figures 9 and 10.

[0065] As shown in Figure 9, this embodiment is a long tag sheet 101a for manufacturing the RFID tag 101 shown in Figure 8, in which the RFID tag 101 shown in Figure 8 is separated and formed by the cut 3.

[0066] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the tag sheet 101a is constructed by laminating a surface sheet 10a to one side of the inlet sheet 20a via the adhesive layer 31 shown in Figure 8, and laminating a back sheet 50 to the other side of the inlet sheet 20a via the adhesive layer 132.

[0067] As shown in Figure 9(c), the inlet sheet 20a is a long, rectangular sheet in which multiple inlets 20 shown in Figure 8 are arranged in a row and can be separated by the notches 3. The adhesive layer 31 shown in Figure 8 is laminated over the entire surface of the inlet sheet 20a's lamination surface with the surface sheet 10a, and a release layer 41 is laminated over the surface of the inlet sheet 20a's lamination surface with the back sheet 50.

[0068] As shown in Figure 11, the release layer 41 is laminated by applying a release agent similar to that shown in the first embodiment to the entire area of ​​the laminated surface between the inlet sheet 20a and the back sheet 50, specifically the area enclosed by the cut 3 which forms the inlet 20. Considering the misalignment between the lamination of the release layer 41 onto the inlet sheet 20a and the formation of the cut 3, it is also conceivable to laminate the release layer 41 so that a portion of it exists outside the cut 3, as shown in Figure 11.

[0069] The surface sheet 10a is a long, continuous piece of the surface substrate 10 shown in Figure 8, and is bonded to the inlet sheet 20a by an adhesive layer 31 laminated over the entire surface of the inlet sheet 20a.

[0070] The back sheet 50 has a release layer 40 laminated on the adhesive surface with the inlet sheet 20a. The release layer 40 is applied using the same release agent as shown in the first embodiment, and is arranged at equal intervals with a constant width in the longitudinal direction of the back sheet 50, as shown in the first embodiment. The back sheet 50 can be made of, for example, plastic film, paper, synthetic paper, etc., as shown in the first embodiment.

[0071] The adhesive layer 132 is a second adhesive means in the present invention. The adhesive layer 132 is laminated so as to cover the entire surface of the back sheet 50 on which the release layer 40 is laminated. As a result, the back sheet 50 is bonded in such a way that it can be peeled off at the boundary between the adhesive layer 132 and the release layer 41 in the region facing the inlet 20, and in the region not facing the inlet 20, it is bonded in such a way that it can be peeled off at the boundary between the adhesive layer 132 and the release layer 40. Similar to the adhesive layer 31, the adhesive layer 132 is laminated by coating the back sheet 50 with, for example, a hot melt adhesive, an acrylic emulsion, or a synthetic rubber adhesive.

[0072] As described above, the notch 103 is for separating the RFID tag 101 and is formed to match the outer shape of the inlet 20, penetrating both sides of the surface sheet 10a, adhesive layers 31, 132, inlet sheet 20a, and release layer 41.

[0073] With this configuration, the inlet sheet 20a and the surface sheet 10a are bonded together over their entire surfaces by the adhesive layer 31. Furthermore, the inlet sheet 20a and the back sheet 50 are bonded together via the adhesive layer 132 and the release layer 41 in the area enclosed by the cutout 3, and via the adhesive layer 132 and the release layer 40 in the area outside the cutout 3. In this embodiment, the adhesive strength adjustment means of the present invention is composed of the adhesive layer 132 and the release layer 41 in the area enclosed by the cutout 3, i.e., the area facing the inlet 20, and the adhesive strength adjustment means of the present invention is composed of the adhesive layer 132 and the release layer 40 in the area outside the cutout 3, i.e., the area not facing the inlet 20. Furthermore, since the release layer 41 is laminated on the inlet sheet 20a and the release layer 40 is laminated on the back sheet 50, the adhesive force between the adhesive layer 132 and the back sheet 50 is greater than the adhesive force between the adhesive layer 132 and the inlet sheet 20a in the region facing the inlet 20, and the adhesive force between the adhesive layer 132 and the inlet sheet 20a is greater than the adhesive force between the adhesive layer 132 and the back sheet 50 in the region not facing the inlet 20.

[0074] As shown in Figure 9(a), the tag sheet 101a, configured as described above, is wound into a roll shape with the winding core 2 as the center in the longitudinal direction of the tag sheet 101a.

[0075] <Method for manufacturing tag sheets> Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating the manufacturing method of the tag sheet 101a shown in Figures 9 and 10.

[0076] To manufacture the tag sheet 101a shown in Figures 9 and 10, first, as shown in Figure 12(a), an adhesive layer 31 is laminated by applying the adhesive described above to the entire surface of one side of a long inlet sheet 20a, which has multiple inlets 20 arranged in a row as shown in Figure 8. For example, this can be done by winding the long inlet sheet 20a into a roll, pulling it out from the roll, and applying the adhesive to one side. The side of the inlet sheet 20a on which the adhesive layer 31 is laminated may be the side of the inlet 20 that has the antenna 22 and IC chip 21, or it may be the opposite side.

[0077] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12(b), the release layer 41 is laminated by applying the release agent described above to the area of ​​the inlet 20 on the side of the inlet sheet 20a opposite to the side on which the adhesive layer 31 is laminated. The steps of laminating the adhesive layer 31 and laminating the release layer 40 on the inlet sheet 20a may be performed simultaneously, or one may be performed first.

[0078] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12(c), the release layer 40 is laminated by applying the release agent described above to one side of the back sheet 50 at equal intervals with a certain width. At that time, the release layer 40 is laminated so that it faces the area outside the cut 3 that is formed penetrating both the front and back surfaces of the surface sheet 10a, adhesive layers 31, 132, inlet sheet 20a, and release layer 41. For example, the release layer 40 can be laminated onto the back sheet 50 by winding a long back sheet 50 into a roll, pulling it out from the roll, and applying the release agent to one side of it. Alternatively, as described above, a back sheet 50 with the release layer 40 pre-laminated at equal intervals with a certain width in the longitudinal direction may be used.

[0079] Next, as shown in Figure 12(d), the adhesive layer 132 is laminated by applying the adhesive described above to the entire surface of the back sheet 50 on which the release layer 40 is laminated, covering the release layer 40.

[0080] Next, as shown in Figure 12(e), the elongated surface sheet 10a, the inlet sheet 20a with the adhesive layer 31 and release layer 41 laminated as described above, and the back sheet 50 with the release layer 40 and adhesive layer 132 laminated as described above are stacked on top of each other and collated by pressure using, for example, a nip roller. At this time, the adhesive layer 31 laminated on the inlet sheet 20a and the adhesive layer 132 laminated on the back sheet 50 can be cured by natural drying without a drying process, for example.

[0081] Then, the adhesive layer 31 hardens, bonding the surface sheet 10a and the inlet sheet 20a, and the adhesive layer 132 hardens, bonding the back sheet 50 and the inlet sheet 20a.

[0082] Subsequently, as shown in Figure 12(f), a cut 3 is formed through both sides of the surface sheet 10a and inlet sheet 20a, which are bonded together, as well as the adhesive layer 31 and release layer 41 and adhesive layer 132, in accordance with the shape of the inlet 20, thereby completing the continuous tag sheet 101a shown in Figures 9 and 10.

[0083] The completed continuous tag sheet 101a can then be processed with printing on the surface sheet 10a and communication testing of the inlet 20. Furthermore, the completed tag sheet 101a can be rolled up for easier transport and storage.

[0084] <Scrap removal process> Next, we will explain the waste removal process in the tag sheet 101a shown in Figures 9 and 10.

[0085] Figure 13 is a diagram showing the waste removal process in the tag sheet 101a shown in Figures 9 and 10, and is a cross-sectional view of the tag sheet 101a.

[0086] In the tag sheet 101a shown in Figures 9 and 10, as shown in Figure 13(a), the inlet sheet 20a, surface sheet 10a, adhesive layers 31, 132, and release layer 41 have notches 3 that penetrate both sides to match the outer shape of the inlet 20. Although the inlet sheet 20a and the back sheet 50 are bonded together by the adhesive layer 132 laminated on the back sheet 50, in the area outside the notches 3, the release layer 40 is laminated on the laminated surface of the adhesive layer 132 on the back sheet 50. As a result, the adhesive force between the adhesive layer 132 and the inlet sheet 20a is greater than the adhesive force between the adhesive layer 132 and the back sheet 50, allowing the inlet sheet 20a and the back sheet 50 to be peeled off at the boundary between the adhesive layer 132 and the release layer 40.

[0087] Therefore, as a continuous tag sheet 101a, after processing such as printing on the surface sheet 10a and communication testing of the inlet 20, as shown in Figure 13(b), the adhesive layer 132 can be peeled off from the back sheet 50 along with the inlet sheet 20a, surface sheet 10a, and adhesive layer 31 in the area outside the cut 3 and recovered as waste. At that time, in the area outside the cut 3 of the back sheet 50 from which the inlet sheet 20a, surface sheet 10a, and adhesive layers 31 and 132 have been peeled off, the adhesive layer 132 is not exposed, so it can then be wound into a roll as described above, and a so-called waste removal process can be performed to recover the parts that are no longer needed as RFID tags 1. The product can then be delivered in a rolled state after the waste removal process has been performed.

[0088] <Method for creating RFID tags using tag sheets> Next, we will explain the manufacturing method for creating the RFID tag 101 shown in Figure 8 using the tag sheet 101a shown in Figures 9 and 10.

[0089] Figure 14 is a diagram illustrating the manufacturing method when creating the RFID tag 101 shown in Figure 8 using the tag sheet 101a shown in Figures 9 and 10, and is a cross-sectional view of the tag sheet 101a.

[0090] As described above, in the tag sheet 101a that has undergone the so-called waste removal process, as shown in Figure 14(a), the waste removal process separates the inlet 20, surface substrate 10, and release layer 41 that constitute the RFID tag 1 shown in Figure 8 from the inlet sheet 20a, surface sheet 10a, and release layer 41, respectively, and they are bonded to the back sheet 50 by the adhesive layer 132 laminated thereon. However, as described above, the release layer 41 is laminated on the bonding surface of the inlet 20 with the adhesive layer 132, and as a result, the adhesive force between the adhesive layer 132 and the back sheet 50 is greater than the adhesive force between the adhesive layer 132 and the inlet 20, making it possible to peel the inlet 20 and the back sheet 50 at the boundary between the adhesive layer 132 and the release layer 41.

[0091] Therefore, as shown in Figure 14(b), the inlet 20 can be peeled off while the adhesive layer 132 remains laminated on the back sheet 50, and individual RFID tags 101 can be manufactured with the surface substrate 10 adhered to one side of the inlet 20 by the adhesive layer 31. In this case, the release layer 41 is exposed on the side of the inlet 20 opposite to the side to which the surface substrate 10 is adhered, and the adhesive layer 132 is not exposed, so it can be used as an RFID tag 101 that does not have an adhesive layer on its surface.

[0092] Thus, in this embodiment, with respect to the tag sheet 101a, after performing processes such as printing on the surface sheet 10a and communication inspection of the inlet 20 in a continuous state, the inlet sheet 20a, surface sheet 10a, adhesive layers 31, 132, and the area outside the cut 3 of the adhesive layer 132 are separated to match the outer shape of the inlet 20 and peeled off from the back sheet 50. This allows for the removal of waste from the area outside the cut 3, and subsequently, the inlet 20 and surface substrate 10 that were adhered to the back sheet 50 can be peeled off from the back sheet 50 to easily produce individual RFID tags 101.

[0093] In this embodiment, a release layer 41 is laminated on the laminated surface of the inlet sheet 20a with the back sheet 50, thereby enabling the inlet sheet 20a and the back sheet 50 to be separated at the boundary between the adhesive layer 132 and the release layer 41 in the area surrounded by the cut 3 that forms the inlet 20. However, the adhesive layer 132 may be laminated on the laminated surface of the back sheet 50 with the inlet sheet 20a, and then the release layer 41 may be laminated on this adhesive layer 132, thereby enabling the inlet sheet 20a and the back sheet 50 to be separated at the boundary between the adhesive layer 132 and the release layer 41 in the area surrounded by the cut 3 that forms the inlet 20.

[0094] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, an adhesive layer 31 is laminated on the bonding surface of the inlet sheet 20a to the surface sheet 10a, and this adhesive layer 31 is used to bond the inlet sheet 20a and the surface sheet 10a. However, if a tack paper or the like with an adhesive layer on its back surface is used as the surface sheet 10a, it is not necessary to laminate the adhesive layer 31 onto the inlet sheet 20a. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 1,101 RFID tags 1a,101a Tag Sheet 2 cores 3,103 cuts 10 Surface base material 10a Surface sheet 20 Inlets 20a Inlet Sheet 21 IC chips 22 Antennas 23 Base material 31,132 Adhesive layer 32 Double-sided tape 32a Tape base material 32b Weak adhesion layer 32c strong adhesive layer 40,41 Exfoliation layer 50 Back sheet

Claims

1. A tag sheet for manufacturing an RFID tag having an inlet on which an antenna and an IC chip are arranged on a substrate, An inlet sheet on which multiple sets of the antenna and IC chip are arranged on the long substrate, A long surface sheet is bonded to one side of the inlet sheet by a first adhesive means, The other side of the inlet sheet has a long back sheet that is bonded to the inlet sheet by a second adhesive means, The inlet sheet, surface sheet, and first and second adhesive means have cuts formed that penetrate through both sides to match the outer shape of the inlet. moreover, A tag sheet having an adhesive force adjusting means that, in the region facing the inlet, the adhesive force between the second adhesive means and the back sheet is greater than the adhesive force between the second adhesive means and the inlet sheet in at least a portion of the region, and in the region not facing the inlet, the adhesive force between the second adhesive means and the inlet sheet is greater than the adhesive force between the second adhesive means and the back sheet.

2. In the tag sheet according to claim 1, The second bonding means is Tape base material and A first adhesive layer is laminated on the surface of the tape substrate facing the inlet sheet, and the second adhesive means is peelably bonded to the inlet sheet, The tape substrate has a second adhesive layer laminated on the surface facing the back sheet, and the second adhesive layer has a stronger adhesive force than the first adhesive layer. The adhesive strength adjusting means is composed of the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer in the region facing the inlet, and in the region not facing the inlet, it is composed of the first and second adhesive layers and a release layer laminated on at least the region of the back sheet facing the tape substrate, in a tag sheet.

3. In the tag sheet according to claim 2, A tag sheet comprising the inlet sheet, surface sheet, and first and second adhesive means, wherein the area inside the cut is adhered to the back sheet, and the area outside the cut is peeled off from the back sheet.

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