RFID Package Holder Structure for Foil Pouch Readability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional RFID-based inventory-tracking systems struggle to read RFID tags applied to foil pouches or foil-lined boxes due to the foil preventing the magnetic field from passing through, resulting in uncounted medical products like guide wires or drug-eluted stents.
Innovation Solution
A holder with a substrate having folds and an adhesive to securely position the product package, including a block for spacing and an RFID tag on the substrate to enhance readability, allowing accurate tracking of products even when stored in foil containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If RFID tags are applied directly to foil pouches or foil-lined boxes, then the products can be stored in protective foil packaging, but the foil prevents the magnetic field from passing through making the RFID tags difficult or impossible to read
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a holder as an intermediary component between the foil package and the RFID tag. The holder provides a non-foil surface where the RFID tag can be attached, allowing the magnetic field to pass through effectively while the foil package remains intact for protective packaging purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent positions the RFID tag on the holder rather than directly on the foil package, changing the spatial dimension of tag placement. This dimensional separation allows the tag to be in a location where the magnetic field can pass through, while the foil package maintains its protective function in a different spatial relationship.
2Productivity
If RFID tags are applied to foil packages, then the products can be tracked through the supply chain, but the foil blocks the magnetic field causing products to be uncounted by the RFID inventory system
Solution Approach 1:
The holder serves as a mediator that separates the RFID tag from the foil package, eliminating the magnetic field interference caused by direct contact with foil while maintaining the inventory tracking capability throughout the supply chain.
3Device complexity
If the product package is placed directly on the substrate, then the holder structure is simple, but the RFID tag readability is compromised due to proximity to foil
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the placement dimension of the RFID tag to the holder surface rather than the substrate surface, the patent improves tag readability without significantly complicating the overall holder structure. The tag is positioned in a different dimensional space where it is not affected by the foil package.
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
Enables accurate and readable RFID tracking of products stored in foil pouches or boxes by maintaining the RFID tag's proximity to the scanner and preventing foil interference, ensuring proper inventory management and restocking.
Implementation Method 1
The foil prevents the magnetic field of the RFID antenna from passing through the coils of the RFID tag antenna
Data Source
AI summary
A holder for a product package includes a substrate having an inside surface, with opposing end portions of the substrate being folded upwards. The holder also includes a securing member disposed on at least one of the end portions, the securing member configured to secure the product package within the end portions of the substrate. The holder also includes a RFID tag disposed on the substrate.