Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Identification Label and Process for Producing an Identification
Label
The present invention relates to an identification label with a transponder
unit for surface mounting on or for mounting around an obj ect provided
with a mufti-layered layer structure with an identification layer for
optical marking, a reinforcement layer for mechanical stabilization of the
1o identification layer and an adhesion layer for mounting the identification
label on the object. Furthermore, the invention relates to a process for
producing such an identification label as well as additionally a base unit
for producing the identification label.
Identification labels of the type mentioned in the outset are generally
embodied as so-called "self-adhesive labels" for marking objects. A
particularly large range of use is the field of luggage identification of
airfreight parcels. Here, labels are used which are provided with an
essentially three-layered structure in the applied state, namely one
2o identification layer, oriented visibly outwards for the purpose of the
primary identification of the corresponding luggage parcel which is
provided with an optical marking, a reinforcement layer which serves as a
carrier layer for the identification layer and its mechanical stabilization,
and finally an adhesion layer which enables an adhesive mounting to the
luggage parcel when contacting the surface of the corresponding luggage
parcel.
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The particular advantage of the known identification labels consists in
their flexible nature, which enables an application of the labels not only
on plane surfaces but on sharply curved surfaces as well, such as handles,
for example.
In order to enable a touchless identification of the luggage parcels
provided with the identification labels even at greater distances, in
to addition to an optical marking on the exterior identification layer of the
identification label by means of so-called "bar-codes" and alphanumeric
markings, it is desirable to combine the identification labels known per
se with so-called transponder units which enable a touchless access to the
information stored in a chip unit of the transponder unit. The chip unit
contacts an antenna coil and forms the transponder unit together
therewith. For this purpose, the chip unit and the antenna coil are
positioned on a common transponder substrate. Attempts to combine such
a transponder unit with an identification label known per se for creating
an overall identification label that allows an electronic marking in
2o addition to an optical marking lead to an overall label structure in which
a conventional identification label is supplemented with a transponder
unit provided on the transponder substrate. Thus, an additional layer was
added to the mufti-layered layer structure of the conventional
identification layer in form of the substrate of the transponder unit.
However, this change of the overall layer structure of the identification
label results in disadvantages regarding the thickness and the flexibility
of identification labels of such nature.
In EP-A-0 595 549 an identification label with a transponder and marking
3o is known with the transponder provided on a transponder substrate being
combined with a conventional identification label.
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The invention is therefore based on the object to create an identification
label improved in its functionality by means of a transponder unit without
disadvantageous modifications to the layer structure of the identification
label.
This object is attained in an identification label with the characteristics
of claim 1.
In the identification label according to the invention the reinforcement
layer serves as a substrate for arranging the transponder unit. The
functional expanse of an identification label with an electronic marking,
allowed by the transponder unit, without changing the layer structure of
the identification label is enabled by using the reinforcement layer,
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already provided in the layered structure of conventional identification
labels, as a substrate for arranging the transponder unit. Thereby, the
flexible and almost unlimited application of the identification label onto
objects, which specifically recommends the use of identification labels, is
unobstructed in spite of the integration of a transponder unit in the layer
structure. Therefore, a separate substrate for arranging the transponder
unit can be omitted which would change the mechanical and geometrical
characteristics of the layer structure of the identification label.
to It has been proven particularly advantageous for the transponder unit to
extend in a boundary layer between the reinforcement layer and the
adhesion layer since, thereby, the adhesion layer serves the purpose of
covering the transponder unit in a leveling fashion, in particular, in case
of the transponder unit being applied essentially superficially onto the
reinforcement layer. Thus, it is possible to use processes which lead to an
antenna coil which is rather embedded in the reinforcement layer as well
as processes which rather lead to a surface application of the antenna
coil, in particular, for creating and/or applying the antenna coil of the
transponder unit, with the respective selection of the process for the
2o creation and/or application of the antenna coil depending on the nature of
the material of the reinforcement layer as well, i.e., whether the
reinforcement layer allows at least a partial embedding of the antenna
coil or only a surface application of the antenna coil.
In order to allow another type of mounting the identification label the
adhesion layer can be covered with a deadening layer and the
reinforcement layer can be provided with a mounting device, for example
a mounting tape, for mounting the identification label onto an object.
3o The object the invention is based upon is also attained in a base unit for
producing an identification label with the characteristics of claim 4.
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The base unit according to the invention for producing an identification
unit for surface mounting on or for mounting around an object serves as
the base for the further layer structure in the production of an
identification label and includes a reinforcement layer and an adhesion
layer with the reinforcement layer serving as the substrate for arranging a
transponder unit in a boundary layer embodied between the reinforcement
layer and the adhesion layer.
The base unit according to the invention allows providing a semi-finished
to product in the process of producing an identification label. Here, the
semi-finished product is already provided with a transponder unit and
shows a layer structure, which is part of the overall layer structure of
conventional identification labels as well. Originating in the base unit
according to the invention, the further production steps for finishing
identification labels, known from the production of conventional
identification labels, can occur in an unchanged manner in the production
of an identification label according to the invention. Therefore, the base
unit according to the invention offers the advantageous possibility for the
producer of identification labels to maintain his process for processing
2o and applying the exterior identification layer and his customary process
for coding the exterior identification layer unchanged subsequent to the
introduction of the base unit into his production process for producing
identification labels.
It proves particularly advantageous for a mostly integrated arrangement
of the transponder unit in the reinforcement layer to provide the
reinforcement layer with a window opening for an at least proportional
acceptance of a chip unit and the chip unit being in contact with an
antenna coil made of wire for the embodiment of the transponder unit. On
3o the one hand, the window opening allows a largely sunken arrangement of
the chip unit in the reinforcement layer, and, on the other hand, the
condition of the antenna coil made of wire offers the possibility to
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arrange also the antenna coil by means of a suitable pressure effect at
least proportionally sunken in the reinforcement layer. Hereby, overall
the portion of the transponder unit projecting from the surface of the
reinforcement layer is kept small so that even a very thin-layered
5 embodiment of the adhesion layer is sufficient to cover the transponder
unit in a leveling fashion.
Additional window openings in the reinforcement: layer have been proven
advantageous for contacting the contact ends of the antenna coil by
to accessing the contact regions of the chip unit.
It has also proven advantageous to surround the chip unit at least
partially with a stiffening device extending in the level of the
reinforcement layer in order to keep adverse mechanical pressures away
from the chip unit during the production of the layer structure.
However, depending on the nature of the material of the reinforcement
layer it is possible as well to provide the antenna coil made of wire on
the surface of the reinforcement layer and to cover the antenna coil by a
2o rather thick-layered embodiment of the adhesion layer in a leveling
fashion.
In order to exclude the accidental adhesion of the adhesion layer of the
base unit when the base unit is placed at disposal for further use in the
production process for producing identification labels the possibility
exists to cover the adhesion surface of the adhesion layer with a
deadening layer. This deadening layer can be embodied, e. g. by a silicon
paper layer applied onto the adhesion layer and easily removable
therefrom.
The deadening layer can be embodied in the clear surface of the
reinforcement layer of another base unit as well, at least while the base
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unit is placed at disposal for the subsequent use in the production of an
identification label. A deadening layer embodied in such a fashion
simultaneously provides a secure, temporarily stacked compound of a
multitude of base units prior to their separation and utilization in the
production process for producing an identification label.
An additional solution of the object the invention is based upon consists
in performing a process according to claim 12 in which, initially, a base
unit is placed at disposal according to one or more of the claims 4
through 11 and, subsequently, an identification label is applied onto the
base unit.
Therefore, the process according to the invention provides for the
production of an identification label based on a previously produced base
unit so that the producer of identification labels based on the base unit is
able to produce an identification label which allows an optical as well as
an electronic marking without the production process becoming more
complex for the producer o f identification labels than in the production
of known conventional identification labels which allow only an optical
2o marking.
Depending on the type of the construction of the identification layer the
identification layer can be applied directly on the base unit or
subsequently to a previous application of an intermediate layer as a
carrier layer for the identification layer. A paper layer can be used as the
carrier layer, for example.
For producing an adhesion between the base unit and the identification
layer or the carrier layer a permanent adhesion layer can be applied onto
3o the base unit, the identification layer, or the carrier layer. Instead of
the
permanent adhesion layer another adhesion layer can be provided next to
the initial adhesion layer as well.
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It has proven particularly advantageous when, in a common process at the
end of the production process for producing the identification labels, the
coding of the exterior identification layer as well as the coding of the
transponder unit and/or the chip unit of the transponder unit occurs in a
common coding process. Thus, identification labels can be produced in a
particularly easy and economical fashion which enables the recognition
of identification data by means of an optical reader, based on the coding
of the exterior identification layer, as well as the recognition of stored
chip data by means of an electronic reader. Identification labels of such
nature can equally be used in cooperation with optical and electronic
reading devices, depending on equipment standard.
In the following, an embodiment of the identification label according to
the invention and a modification therefrom for producing the
identification label according to the process according to the invention is
described in detail with the help of the drawings. They show:
Fig. 1. an embodiment of an identification label with an exterior
2o identification layer and a transponder unit;
Fig. 2 a partial sectional representation of the identification label
shown in Fig. 1 with the particular representation of a base
unit;
Fig. 3 the base unit shown in Fig. 2 having a permanent adhesion
layer;
Fig. 4 an identification layer with a transponder unit integrated into
3o a conventional layer structure according to an initial
embodiment;
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Fig. 5 a conventional identification label according to prior art;
Fig. 6 another identification label with a modified configuration of
the transponder unit;
Fig. 7 a base unit with a reinforcement layer provided between two
adhesion layers.
Fig. 1 shows an identification label 10 with an exterior identification
layer 11 which is applied onto a reinforcement layer 12 for the purpose of
mechanically stabilizing the identification layer 1 1. On the bottom of the
reinforcement layer 12 an adhesion layer 13 is provided formed from an
adhesive glue application, which adhesion layer is connected tightly
adhered to the bottom of the reinforcement layer 12. The adhesion layer
13 is provided with an adhesion surface 14 which is provided with a
deadening layer 15 for deadening, i.e., for preventing the adhesion to a
surface.
In order to better represent the separate layers of the layer structure the
2o identification label 10 shown in Fig.l is shown in partially delaminated
layers, i.e., separated from one another in partial regions, i.e., the
identification layer 11, the reinforcement layer 12 with the adhesion layer
13 adhering thereto, and the deadening layer 15.
However, the left half of the identification label 10 shown in Fig. 1 is
provided with a closed layer compound with separate layers, arranged
directly on top of one another, in a manner equivalent to the original
state of the identification label 10 prior to the separation of the
deadening layer 15 from the adhesion layer 13 for application onto a
3o surface of an object to be marked, not shown in detail here.
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As discernible from the layer structure of the identification label 10
shown in Fig. 1 in a partially delaminated state the reinforcement layer
12 serves the purpose not only to be a mechanical stabilizer for the
identification label 10 and!or the identification layer 11 but also
simultaneously to be a substrate for arranging a transponder unit 16 as
well. In the present case, the transponder unit 16 includes a chip unit,
embodied here as the chip module 17, and an antenna coil 18 contacting
the chip module 17, in the present case produced of copper wire.
1o In Fig. 1, for better showing the arrangement of the transponder unit 16
on the reinforcement layer 12 serving as a substrate, the reinforcement
layer 12 is shown consisting of a transparent material. For additional
description of the arrangement of the transponder unit 16 on the
reinforcement layer 12, Fig. 2 shows an enlarged partial sectional
representation of the reinforcement layer 12 with the deadening layer 15
being in adhesive contact with the adhesion layer 13 embodied on the
bottom of the reinforcement layer 12 in the representation according to
Fig. 2. The layer compound, shown in Fig. 2, between the reinforcement
layer 12 and the adhesion layer 13 applied to the bottom of the
2o reinforcement layer 12 forms a base unit 19 which forms the
identification label 10, supplemented by the identification layer 11 for
forming the identification label 10 shown in Fig. 1. Here, in forming the
identification layer 11 made of a material directly laminable onto a base
material, the identification layer 11 can be applied directly onto the
upper structure surface 20 of the reinforcement layer 12 for forming the
identification layer 10, for example under the influence of pressure and
temperature, as in the case of the identification label 10 shown in Fig. 1.
The base and mounting unit 19, shown in Fig. 2, and formed from a
layered compound of the reinforcement layer 12 and the adhesion layer
13, is provided with the transponder unit 16 in the region of a boundary
layer 21 embodied between the reinforcement layer 12 and the adhesion
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layer 13. The chip module 17 having a chip and/or the form corpus 22,
accepting the chip and called "mould" by those trained in the art, is
inserted into a window opening 23 of the reinforcement layer 12 in order
to enable a sunken acceptance of the chip module 17. Here, a contact
carrier 24 of the chip module 17 serves, in addition to a restricting
arrangement of the chip module 17 to an application surface 25 of the
reinforcement layer 12, to contact the free contact ends 26, 27 of the
antenna coil 18 made of coil wire 28. As further discernible from Fig. 2,
the antenna coil 18, created by laying onto the application surface 25 of
1o the reinforcement layer 12, for instance, is positioned embedded in the
application surface 25 so that all other regions or parts of the transponder
unit 16 are essentially positioned in the reinforcement layer 12, except
the contact carrier 24 of the chip module 17 which contacts the contact
ends 26, 27 via bumps 30, 31 provided on its contact side 29. This results
in an adhesion layer 13 being sufficient even in a comparatively thin
layered embodiment applied on the application surface 25 of the
reinforcement layer 12, in order to completely cover the transponder unit
16 and/or the contact carrier 24 of the chip module 17 with the formation
of a level adhesion surface 14 of the adhesion layer 13. In the present
2o case, a silicon paper serves as the deadening layer 15 for deadening the
adhesion surface 14 of the adhesion layer 13. For activating the adhesion
surface 14 the deadening layer 15 can easily be pulled off.
Fig. 3 shows the base unit 19 at the beginning of the process for
producing an identification label 32 shown in Fig. 4, also being shown in
a partially sectional representation. The base unit 19 shown in Fig. 3
serves as the semi-finished product for the production of the
identification label 32, i.e., as an intermediate product previously
produced in an independent process, which is used as a unit for the
3o purpose of the production of the identification label 32, i.e., as a layer
of
the overall layer structure to be produced. For creating the overall layer
structure 36, shown in Fig. 4, forming the identification label 32,
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initially the structure surface 20 is provided with a permanent adhesion
layer 33 which can be embodied as a hot-melt layer, for example, and
which can be evenly distributed over the structure surface 20 of the
reinforcement layer 12 by means of blade coating. Here, the free space 34
remaining after the insertion of the chip module 17 into the window
opening 23 is at least partially filled with the adhesion material of the
permanent adhesion layer 33.
Fig. 4 shows the further structure of the layers. Comparing the layer
1o structure shown in Fig. 5 to a corresponding conventional identification
label 35 according to prior art it is obvious that, in the present case, the
layer structure 36 of the conventional identification label 35, which is
only provided with an exterior identification layer 11, is identical with
the layer structure 36 of the embodiment of the identification label 32
according to the invention, shown in Fig. 4, which is provided with the
transponder unit 16 in addition to the exterior identification layer 11. As
Fig. 4 clearly shows, the transponder unit 16 is essentially provided in
the boundary layer 21 between the reinforcement layer 12 and the
adhesion layer 13 without influencing the overall layer structure 36
2o thereby.
The further layers of the overall layer structure 3fi, built onto the
permanent adhesion layer 33, concern a paper layer 37, an adhesion layer
38 for producing an adhering connection to the identification layer 11, in
the present case embodied as a so-called "thermo-layer", for example,
and a sealing layer 39 which serves as the surface protection for the
identification layer 11.
The identification label 32 shown in Fig. 4 is provided with the
3o advantageous possibility, due to its overall layer structure being
identical
to the overall layer structure 36 of conventional identification labels 35,
to be able to mark or code the exterior identification layer 11 after the
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production of the overall layer structure 36 in a thermoprinting process.
An essential reason is here that, due to keeping the customary overall
layer structure 36 in spite of the transponder unit 16 positioned in the
overall layer structure 36, an overall thickness is allowed which enables a
conventional printing of the identification label 32 in a thermoprinting
process without any problems.
Fig. 6 shows a representation of an identification label 40, identical to
the type of representation in Fig. 4, which is embodied identically in its
l0 overall layer structure 36 with the identification layer 32 shown in Fig.
4.
Unlike the identification layer 32, the identification layer 40 is provided
with a differently configured transponder unit 41, with the transponder
unit 41 still being positioned in the boundary layer 21 between the
reinforcement layer 12 and the adhesion layer 13, however, as discernible
from a comparison of the Figs. 4 and 6. Unlike the identification label
32, the transponder unit 41 and/or an antenna coil 42 contacting the
transponder unit 41 via the chip module 17 is not embedded in the
material of the reinforcement layer 12 but rather positioned on the
application surface 25 of the reinforcement layer 12. The difference in
2o arranging the antenna coil 42 of the identification label 40 compared to
arranging the antenna coil 18 of the identification label 32 can be caused
by the type of process used for applying the antenna coil 42 as well as the
material of the reinforcement layer 12, which for example does not allow
embedding. However, in any case the antenna coil 42 is covered by the
adhesion layer 13 in forming a leveled adhesion layer 14 so that here the
overall layer structure 36 is maintained as well, in particular the layer
structure of the base unit 1 >.
As further discernible from Fig. 6, the reinforcement layer 12 is provided
3o with a window opening 43 adjusted to the neighboring contours of the
form corpus 22 of the chip module 17. Additionally, in the present case
the form corpus 22 is adjusted in its height h to the thickness d of the
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reinforcement layer 12 so that essentially no clear space remains in the
window opening 43 and overall an essentially level structure surface 20
of the reinforcement layer 12 and/or the base unit 19 results.
With regard to the material selection for the reinforcement layer 12 the
use of polypropylene has proven particularly advantageous since here a
particularly easy embedding of the antenna coil 18 is possible, as shown
in the exemplary embodiment of the identification label 32 in Fig. 4. As
discernible from Fig. 6 and from the descriptions related to Fig. 6
respectively, corresponding material characteristics are not necessary,
though, since even a rather superficial application of the antenna coil 42
onto the application surface 25 of the reinforcement layer 12 is possible
just as well, without thereby influencing the overall layer structure 36.
Thus, any material can be selected for the reinforcement layer 12 as long
as the initial mechanically stabilizing function of the reinforcement layer
12 remains.
Although not shown in detail here, it is also possible to use transponder
units in which the antenna coil and/or the contact ends of the antenna coil
2o directly contact the chip, for example in directly providing the chip
contact surfaces with bumps for contacting the contact ends of the
antenna coil, unlike the transponder units 16 and/or 41 shown in Figs. 4
and 6 and which each relate to a chip module 17 in contact with an
antenna coil 18 or 42 respectively. Therefore, in such an embodiment of
the transponder unit the contact carrier 24 of the chip module 17 is
omitted. However, it can be advantageous for a transponder unit produced
in a direct connection of the chip to the antenna coil to provide a separate
reinforcement device, peripherally surrounding the chip, which keeps
adverse mechanical stresses away from the chip during the production of
3o the layer structure, for example in the lamination process. However, such
reinforcement devices can be advantageous for the utilization of the chip
module 17 shown by way of example in Figs. 4 and 6 as well, in order to
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protect the chip provided in the form corpus 22. Fig. 4 shows, outlined in
a dot-dash pattern, the possible exemplary embodiment of a
reinforcement device embodied here as a ring-shaped support bush 44.
For installing the support bush 44, it is inserted into the window opening
23, as indicated in Fig. 4, prior to the insertion of the form corpus 22 of
the chip module 17.
Unlike the base unit 19 shown in Fig. 3 which is provided with a
permanent adhesion layer 33, Fig. 7 shows a base unit 45 with a
to reinforcement layer 46 which is provided on its structural surface 20 with
a second adhesion layer 47, which can be identical in its composition to
the adhesion layer 13 and which like the adhesion layer 13 can be
embodied by an adhesive glue layer.
As further shown in Fig. 7, in addition to a window opening 48 for
accepting the form corpus 22 of the chip module 17 surrounding the chip,
the reinforcement layer 46 is provided with two additional window
openings 49, 50 which allow a contacting access to the contact ends 26,
27 of the antenna coil 18 embedded in the reinforcement layer 46 during
2o the construction of the base unit 45. Hereby, subsequently to the
embedding of the antenna coil 18 and prior to the application of the
adhesion layers 13, 47 onto the reinforcement layer 46 the chip module
17 is applied onto the application surface 25 of the reinforcement layer
46, simultaneously inserting the form corpus 22 into the window opening
48. Through the window openings 49, 50 the contact ends 26, 27 of the
antenna coil 18 can be accessed in the region of the contact surfaces 51,
52 on the contact side 29 of the contact carrier 24 of the chip module 17
so that contacting the contact ends 26, 27 is possible by the contact
surfaces 51, 52 from above, where the structure surface 20 of the
3o reinforcement layer 46 is arranged, by means of suitable bonding tools,
not depicted in detail here. Subsequently, the adhesion layers 13 and 47
are applied onto the structural surface 20 and the application surface 25
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of the reinforcement layer 46. Here, the adhesive glue material used for
the construction of adhesion layers 13, 47 can be used for leveling
unevenness and at least partially filling hollow spaces.
The base unit 45 provided with another adhesion layer 47, shown in Fig.
7, can be modified into a "transponder tag" in a most easy fashion by
applying deadening layers, here not shown in detail, which also allow a
mounting onto objects with mounting means, such as tape or the like.
