Extendable RFID Tag for Flange Thickness Adaptation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Designing RFID tags that are durable, readable from multiple positions, and easily installable in variously sized components, especially for surface and downhole applications, poses challenges due to structural integrity, temperature, pressure, and mechanical force considerations.
Innovation Solution
The development of extendable RFID tags embedded in RF opaque materials like steel, with electronics modules and antennas configured for readability from either side of varying thicknesses, and the use of dipole RFID tags with ferrite cores and coils for passive signal transmission through RF opaque materials, allowing for installation in flanges and pipes of different thicknesses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If RFID tags are designed for durability in extreme temperatures and pressures, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The RFID tag employs a composite structure combining a durable housing material resistant to extreme temperatures and pressures with internal electronic components protected by sealing mechanisms. The housing is designed with material properties that maintain structural integrity across a wide temperature range while protecting sensitive electronics, thus achieving reliability without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The tag design accommodates parameter changes in operating conditions by using thermally stable materials and pressure-compensating structural elements. The housing and sealing mechanisms are engineered to maintain their functional properties under varying temperature and pressure conditions, ensuring consistent operation without requiring complex active compensation systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If RFID tags are designed to be readable from multiple positions and angles, then versatility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna system is segmented into multiple independent antenna elements arranged in specific geometries (such as dipoles or quadrupoles). Each antenna segment can be independently optimized for signal transmission in different directions, enabling multi-position readability without requiring a single complex omnidirectional antenna system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs antenna configurations that extend into multiple spatial dimensions, such as three-dimensional antenna arrangements or stacked antenna layers. This dimensional approach enables the tag to be read from multiple angles and positions simultaneously by distributing the antenna elements across different spatial planes, improving versatility without proportionally increasing complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If RFID tags are designed for variously sized components, then adaptability is improved, but ease of manufacture decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The RFID tag incorporates an extendable or adjustable housing mechanism that can be configured in different sizes or shapes to accommodate variously sized components. The housing may feature telescopic elements, expandable structures, or adjustable mounting configurations that allow the same basic tag design to fit different component dimensions, improving adaptability while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through a modular approach.
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 solution enables RFID tags to be readable from multiple angles and positions, withstands extreme temperatures and pressures, and is suitable for tracking equipment in harsh environments such as subsea and downhole operations, ensuring reliable identification and tracking of components.
Implementation Method 1
dipole RFID tags with ferrite cores and coils for passive signal transmission through RF opaque materials
Implementation Method 2
dipole RFID tags with ferrite cores and coils
Data Source
AI summary
An identification system comprising an extendable identification tag. An identification tag, such as an RFID tag having an electronics module configured to transmit information is provided. The identification tag includes a body portion and a sleeve portion. The sleeve portion is arranged about the body portion such that the sleeve portion can traverse a length of the body portion, thereby extending the overall length of the identification tag. The identification tag may be adjusted to match the thickness of an object, such as a flange, such that the identification tag may be disposed in a tag pocket formed through the object and adjusted to approximately match the thickness of the object so as to be readable from opposing sides of the objects.