Split-Ring HF RFID Tag Structure for Microwave Arcing Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current RFID tags cannot withstand the high-field emissions of a microwave oven and often damage the food item they are attached to, making them unsuitable for use during cooking or heating processes.
Innovation Solution
A microwave-safe RFID tag design featuring a split ring conductor and a coil antenna conductor separated by a dielectric, with strategically placed gaps to prevent arcing and excessive current flow, allowing the tag to be used inside a microwave oven without damaging the attached food item or product.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional RFID tag is placed in a microwave oven, then the tag can provide data for cooking control, but the tag will experience arcing and excessive heating that damages both the tag and the food item
Solution Approach 1:
A dielectric material is introduced as an intermediary between the RFID tag antenna and the microwave field. This dielectric layer prevents direct interaction between the conductive antenna elements and the high-intensity microwave radiation, thereby eliminating arcing and excessive heating while allowing the tag to continue providing cooking control data
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical properties of the RFID tag structure are modified by changing the impedance matching and resonant frequency characteristics through the introduction of the dielectric material. This parameter change allows the tag to operate safely in the microwave environment by preventing resonant conditions that would lead to excessive current and heating
2Reliability
If the RFID tag antenna is made more conductive to improve signal strength, then the tag can be read more reliably, but the tag becomes more susceptible to arcing and damage in the microwave field
Solution Approach 1:
The dielectric material serves as a protective intermediary that decouples the conductive antenna from direct exposure to microwave fields. This allows the antenna to maintain high conductivity for reliable RFID communication while the dielectric layer prevents the formation of arcs by isolating the conductor from the ionizing microwave radiation
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 the RFID tag to operate safely within a microwave oven, providing data for controlling cooking processes and ensuring the integrity of the food item, while preventing arcing and excessive heating.
Implementation Method 1
the split ring conductor capacitively couples to the coil antenna conductor via the dielectric
Implementation Method 2
a microwave oven, and that does not need to be removed from the food item or product before initiating the microwave process
Implementation Method 3
a split ring (or shield) conductor formed on one side of a dielectric, a coil antenna conductor formed on an opposite side of the dielectric
Data Source
AI summary
A high-field emission tolerant RFID tag device that may be secured to a product to be cooked, heated, reheated and/or thawed in a heating apparatus such as, but not limited to, a microwave oven and that does not need to be removed from the product before initiating the heating process. The RFID device is microwave safe and does not damage the product or food item to which it is attached during the microwave process, and may contain data to control the microwave process. The microwave safe RFID tag comprises a split ring (or shield) conductor formed on one side of a substrate (or dielectric), a coil antenna conductor formed on an opposite side of the substrate, and a RFID chip. The split ring conductor capacitively couples to the coil antenna conductor via the dielectric and a gap in the split ring conductor prevents arcing.