Tamper-Evident RFID Tag With Melted Boss Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
RFID tags can be tampered with or switched, posing risks in tracking valuable or sensitive items, such as blood products, as individuals may replace tags to mislabel products, leading to health risks or other significant consequences.
Innovation Solution
The RFID tag design includes protrusions that are melted to form a single integral boss covering the tag, securing it to an object, with a non-stick coated die and adhesive layers to prevent removal and ensure tamper-proof and tamper-evident characteristics, and weakened substrate areas to facilitate destruction upon attempted removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If RFID tags are easily attached to objects, then ease of operation is improved, but security and tamper-proof characteristics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment mechanism is divided into separate components: protrusions on the object and corresponding recesses in the RFID tag substrate. This segmentation allows for easy initial attachment while maintaining security through the interlocking design that prevents unauthorized removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The RFID tag is nested within a recess in the object surface, with protrusions extending into the tag substrate. This nested configuration provides secure attachment while allowing controlled access during legitimate operations, resolving the contradiction between ease of attachment and tamper-proof characteristics.
2Strength
If adhesive layers are used to secure RFID tags, then bonding strength is improved, but complexity of the tag structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical attachment features (protrusions and recesses) are merged with the adhesive bonding layers to create a unified attachment system. This combination provides enhanced bonding strength while minimizing additional complexity by integrating multiple functions into a single structural design.
Solution Approach 2:
Adhesive layers are applied locally at specific bonding interfaces rather than throughout the entire tag structure. This localized application provides sufficient bonding strength at critical points while keeping the overall tag structure simple and avoiding unnecessary complexity.
3Reliability
If protrusions are melted to form integral bosses, then security against tampering is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusions are made from a material with specific melting characteristics that allow them to be melted and formed into integral bosses using controlled thermal parameters. This parameter-based approach enhances security against tampering while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through established thermal processing techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusions undergo a phase transition from solid to molten state during manufacturing, allowing them to be shaped into integral bosses that securely attach the RFID tag. This phase transition enables secure attachment without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity, as the process uses standard thermal forming techniques.
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 effectively secures RFID tags to objects, preventing tampering and ensuring that the tags remain functional only when properly attached, thus maintaining the integrity of tracking and monitoring systems.
Implementation Method 1
melting the protrusions may include placing a heated die over the first and second protrusions
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
A storage container comprising a body defining the structure of the storage container, a first and second protrusion extending from the surface of the storage container, and an RFID tag configured to be secured to the surface of the storage container. The RFID tag comprises a substrate having a first and second opening extending therethrough, the first and second openings configured to receive the first and second protrusions extending from the surface of the storage container. The first and second protrusions are configured to be melted to create a single integral boss covering at least a portion of the RFID tag, thereby securing the RFID tag to the object, The RFID tag further comprises an RFID chip located on the substrate, and an antenna located on the substrate and electrically connected to the RFID chip.