Cryogenic Vial Label with Flexible RFID Inlay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic chips affixed to small diameter cylindrical containers, such as vials and tubes, face detachment issues due to thermal expansion mismatches between the chip and the facestock material, especially in cryogenic conditions, where the chip's rigidity and lower contraction rate cause it to detach from the vial.
Innovation Solution
A label design featuring a transparent facestock with a printing area and an adhesive layer, where the wireless communication inlay is adhered to the adhesive layer, and a transparent shielding portion that overlaps the printing area when wrapped around the tube, ensuring the inlay conforms to the cylindrical surface and maintains adhesion even at cryogenic temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an electronic chip is affixed to the cylindrical surface of a small diameter container, then wireless communication capability is achieved, but the chip detaches due to thermal expansion mismatch in cryogenic conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the label materials by selecting facestock and adhesive layers with specific thermal expansion coefficients that match the container material. This parameter matching ensures that all components expand and contract at similar rates during temperature cycles, preventing detachment while maintaining reliable adhesion in cryogenic conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite label structure consisting of multiple layers including facestock, adhesive layers, and wireless communication inlay. Each layer is selected with specific material properties to create a composite system that collectively adapts to thermal expansion and contraction, resolving the adhesion reliability issue through material composition rather than single-material dependence
2Reliability
If a rigid electronic chip is used for wireless communication, then communication functionality is achieved, but the chip cannot conform to the cylindrical surface during thermal contraction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid electronic chips with flexible wireless communication inlays that can conform to curved cylindrical surfaces. These thin film inlays maintain their wireless communication functionality while adapting to the container's shape and thermal contraction, ensuring continuous conformity and reliable attachment throughout temperature cycles
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical parameters of the wireless communication component by using materials with appropriate flexibility and elastic modulus that allow the inlay to conform to cylindrical surfaces. This parameter adjustment enables the inlay to follow the container's thermal contraction and maintain shape conformity without detachment
3Temperature
If the facestock material has high elongation value for cryogenic application, then cryogenic performance is improved, but the thermal expansion mismatch with the electronic chip increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermal expansion parameters of the facestock material by selecting materials with specific expansion coefficients that match both the container and the wireless communication inlay. This parameter optimization allows the facestock to perform well in cryogenic conditions while maintaining adhesion reliability, resolving the mismatch issue through careful material selection
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The label effectively adheres to tubes and vials at cryogenic temperatures, preventing detachment and ensuring reliable wireless communication, even when exposed to extreme cold, such as liquid nitrogen or dry ice.
Implementation Method 1
the facestock materials used in cryogenic labels have much greater thermal expansion values, elongation values in machine and traverse directions compared to RFID tag inlays. When applied to a cryogenic vial, the facestock can contract along with the contraction of the vial whereas the RFID inlay alone will contract to a lesser degree.
Implementation Method 2
an adhesive layer on a second surface of the facestock, a wireless communication inlay adhered to the adhesive layer
Data Source
AI summary
A label for a tube having a diameter D may have a transparent facestock. A printing area is defined on a first surface of the transparent facestock, the printing area configured to receive data thereon, the printing area covering only a portion of the transparent facestock, whereby a shielding portion of the length of the label is transparent. An adhesive layer is on a second surface of the facestock. A wireless communication inlay is adhered to the adhesive layer in a portion of the label corresponding to the printing area. The printing area and the facestock are sized for the shielding portion to overlap at least partially the printing area when the label is wrapped on a tube.