EP1658581A1

EP1658581A1 - Bridge modules for smart labels

Info

Publication number: EP1658581A1
Application number: EP04764400A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ralf God; Volker Brod
Original assignee: Muehlbauer GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Muehlbauer GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2003-08-26
Filing date: 2004-08-24
Publication date: 2006-05-24
Also published as: WO2005022455A1; US20060289979A1; JP2007503634A

Abstract

The invention relates to bridge modules for smart labels, enabling the positioning of chip modules (5) on carriers (12) and the bridged connection of connection elements of said chip module (5) to connection elements (11a, 11b) of antenna elements (11) that are located on or in the carriers (12). The invention is characterised in that numerous bridge modules (10) are located one behind the other on a carrier strip (1), said carrier strip (1) comprising a plurality of recesses (2), placed one behind the other for receiving a respective chip module (5) that has been allocated to a bridge module (10) and contact layers (7a, 7b), which cover the connection elements of the chip module (5), said contact layers having a greater surface area than that of the connection elements.

Description

Module bridges for smart labels

description

The invention relates to module bridges for smart labels for positioning chip modules on supports and for bridging-like connection of connection elements of the chip modules with connection elements of antenna elements arranged on or in the carriers according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

Smart labels, which in addition to an antenna also comprise an RFID chip (radio frequency identification chip), preferably made of silicon, are produced in large numbers at high production speeds. Usually, the dimensions of such chips continuously decrease due to their development, so that a precise positioning of the chips on an antenna substrate with respect to connection elements of an antenna element becomes more and more difficult and device-intensive.

So far, the RFID chips have been applied to the antenna substrate using a so-called pick-and-place method using a flip-chip technique. Here, a robot operating in the high-precision range removes a silicon chip from a silicon wafer, rotates it by 180 °, so that the top of the silicon chip with connection elements arranged thereon points down, and mounts the chip in this upside-down position on the Antenna and the antenna substrate. In this case, the connection elements of the chip, which have very small dimensions, must be made to coincide with the connection elements of the antenna with high precision. Since the antenna substrates with the antennas are usually located on wide, flexible tracks with a width of approximately 500 mm during the smart label production process, a device-complex robot design is required for a precise placement of the chips on the antenna substrates. Placement accuracies in a range of 10 - 20 μm are usually necessary.

Such robot designs, which have to work over greater distances in the high-precision range, on the one hand have a high number of accuracy errors and on the other hand considerably reduce the processing speed during the chip mounting process on the antenna substrate. This in turn leads to a reduction in the overall production speed in the production of smart labels and high production costs.

It is known that individual module bridges are used as bridging-type connections between the small-dimensioned connection elements of the chip modules and the connection elements of the antenna. Such module bridges have contact lines which extend from the inside to the outside. The inside ends are connected to a chip module arranged on the module bridge and the outside ends are provided for contacting the connection elements of the antenna.

In order to arrange chip modules on the antenna substrates by means of the module bridges, the chip modules are preassembled on the module bridges in a locally limited small working area using the high-precision method, which are then mounted on the antenna substrates or the antennas with reduced accuracy and high speed within a large working area. The module bridges conventionally used for this purpose consist of high-priced plastic materials and are manufactured individually before the chip module is preassembled.

Accordingly, the object of the present invention is module bridges for smart

To provide labels for positioning chip modules on carriers, the manufacture of which is inexpensive and can be carried out quickly and which permit quick and easy high-precision mounting of the chip modules on different carriers. This object is achieved by the features of claim 1.

An essential point of the invention is that in module bridges for smart labels for positioning chip modules on carriers and for bridging-like connection of connection elements of the chip modules with connection elements of antenna elements arranged on or in the carriers, a plurality of module bridges are arranged one behind the other on a carrier tape, wherein the carrier tape has a plurality of depressions arranged one behind the other for receiving a chip module each associated with a module bridge and contact layers covering the connection elements of the chip modules and having dimensions that are larger than the connection element dimensions.

The inventive simple design of a large number of module bridges on the carrier tape by means of the contact layers, which extend in a simple manner, for example by means of a printing process, over the previously arranged chip modules, makes it possible to produce a large amount of module bridges quickly and easily without having to do so high material costs arise. Rather, inexpensive plastic or paper materials can be used as the carrier tape material, which can be shaped three-dimensionally by using appropriate forming techniques, such as thermoplastic molding or an embossing technique. This technique can also be forming ^{'continuously} carried out quickly and easily within a device, while the carrier tape is traveling or is stopped temporarily.

The formation of depressions within the carrier tape enables the rapid insertion of the chip modules with their connection elements oriented upwards, which are preferably covered by two band-like contact layers running parallel to one another and having interruptions between the chip modules. Since the contact layers have larger surface expansions than the connection element of the individual chip module, it is possible with greater inaccuracy to assemble a module bridge designed in this way on the connection elements of the antenna element, which are arranged on the carrier, which can be designed as an antenna substrate. This consequently advantageously results in a quick and simple assembly of the module bridges containing the chip modules on the antenna substrates within a large working area. Even the high-precision work previously required in a small work area in connection with the pre-assembly of a chip module on a module bridge is no longer necessary with such a degree of precision, since the chip modules are simply inserted into the recesses and simply covered with the contact layers. The simple structure of the module bridges also proves to be advantageous when they are separated from the carrier tape, in which the individual module bridges can be exposed quickly and easily, for example by a longitudinal cutting process in the longitudinal direction of the carrier tape or by cutting through remaining half-webs in the transverse direction of the carrier tape. It is essential here that both the carrier tape and the contact layer have interruptions extending in the transport width direction between the chip modules.

According to a preferred embodiment, adhesive layers are attached to the contact layers for the adhesive attachment of individual module bridges on the carriers in the region of the connection elements of the antenna element. The adhesive layers preferably consist of two tape-like adhesive layers running parallel to one another in the longitudinal direction of the carrier tape, with interruptions which correspond to the interruptions within the carrier tape and the contact layers depending on the location.

Alternatively, the contact layers can be self-adhesive. For this purpose, they can either consist of prepolymerized epoxy resin with conductive particles contained therein or of a hot melt adhesive with conductive particles contained therein.

The contact layers consist of a first, band-like contact layer extending in the carrier tape direction, which covers the first connection elements of the first connection sides of the chip modules, and of a second, band-like contact layer, which extends in the carrier tape longitudinal direction, which covers the second connection elements of the second connection sides of the chip modules. In this way, it is possible to quickly apply the two contact layers running parallel to one another during the transport of the carrier tape by printing with a silver paste. In this way, enlarged connection areas for the chip modules are obtained. According to a preferred embodiment, the chip modules are arranged within the depressions by means of adhesive, so that there is a permanent connection between the carrier tape and the chip modules.

The depressions preferably have a sufficient depth to arrange the chip modules in such a way that their upper sides and a surface of the carrier tape surrounding the depression lie in one plane. This ensures that the contact layers, which extend both over the upper sides of the chip modules and over the surface of the carrier tape, extend in one piece without unwanted interruptions within a plane.

The depressions are complementary to the outer shapes of the chip modules to be accommodated therein, in order to ensure an optimal and precisely fitting placement of the chip modules within the carrier tape. In this way, by using the appropriate tool, the carrier tape can be deformed or embossed in such a way that almost any type of chip module can be positioned therein. In addition, the chip module is self-centered while the chip module is inserted into the shaped recess. The depressions can optionally be provided on the underside with at least one hole on which the chip module is arranged. Such a punched hole has an advantageous effect on a curing process necessary for the adhesive, since this enables direct action on the adhesive, for example by UV light.

Further advantageous embodiments result from the subclaims.

Advantages and practicalities can be found in the following description in conjunction with the drawing. Here show:

Fig.-En 1a - 1f sequentially the structure of the module bridges according to the invention in a plan view;

2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the structure of a module bridge including a chip module; and 3 shows a schematic plan view of the positioning of a module bridge according to the invention with a chip module on connection elements of an antenna element.

FIGS. 1a-1c each show a top view sequentially of the structure of the module bridges according to the invention. A carrier tape shown in FIG. 1a made of a plastic and / or paper material has, after a thermoplastic deformation, an embossing process and / or a punching process, depressions 2 arranged one behind the other, which may have through holes, for receiving chip modules. Hole rows 3 arranged on the edge serve to move the carrier tape 1 forward within a device by means of a transport element (not shown here).

Arranged between the depressions 2 are three slot-like interruptions 4, which extend in the direction of the carrier bandwidth, and which are advantageous for the later separation of the module bridges from the module bridge assembly.

1c shows that chip modules 5 with first and second connection sides 5a and 5b are inserted into the depressions 2. To fix the chip modules, they are used within an adhesive depot arranged in the recess 2, as shown by reference number 6 in FIG. 1d. This adhesive is cured by means of UV radiation, electron beam radiation or thermal radiation.

As can be seen from FIG. 1e, a first band-like contact layer 7a extending over the first connection side 5a of the chip modules 5 is arranged. A second contact layer 7b extends parallel to the first contact layer 7a in a band-like manner over the second connection side of the chip modules. The surface dimensions of the contact layers 7a and 7b are larger than the dimensions of connection elements of the chip modules.

Both the first and the second contact layers 7a and 7b have interruptions 4 which are congruent with the interruptions in the carrier tape 1. In order to enable a mechanical and possibly also additional electrical connection of the module bridges 10 to connection elements of an antenna element, the on the other arranged module bridges 10 two tape-like adhesive layers 8a and 8b arranged parallel to each other, again with interruptions 4.

A module bridge according to the invention with the chip module 5 is shown in a schematic cross-sectional illustration in FIG. 2. As can be seen from this illustration, the chip module 5 is arranged within the depression 2 of the carrier tape 1 in such a way that its top side 5c is in one plane with a surface 1a of the carrier tape 1 surrounding the depression 2. In addition, the chip module 5 fixing adhesive parts 9a and 9b are arranged.

The contact layers 7a and 7b extend over the connection elements 5d and 5e of the chip module 5, which are indicated as indicated, and the surface 1a of the carrier tape.

On account of this construction of a module bridge according to the invention, the module bridge can advantageously be bent without the contact between the connection elements 5d, 5e and the contact layers 7a and 7b being lost thereby.

3 shows a schematic illustration of the positioning of an individual module bridge with a chip module on connection elements of an antenna element. As can be seen in FIG. 3, a single module bridge 10 including the chip module 5 and a carrier tape portion is cut out of the module bridge assembly and, with the adhesive layers 8a and 8b facing downward, placed and fixed on connection elements 11a and 11b of the antenna 11. An indication of an antenna substrate 12 is shown.

All of the components and features disclosed in the application documents are to be regarded as essential to the invention both individually and in combination.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 carrier tape

1a surface of the carrier tape

2 wells Row of holes, slot-like interruptions, chip modules, from the first connection side, from the second connection side, from the top of the chip module, 5e connection elements of the chip module, hardened adhesive, a first tape-like contact layer, second tape-like contact layer, first tape-like adhesive layer, second tape-like adhesive layer, 9b adhesive components, 0 module bridges, 1 antenna element, 1 a, 11 b, connection element of the antenna element, 2 antennas

Claims

Module bridges for smart labels claims

1. Module bridges for smart labels for positioning chip modules (5) on carriers (12) and for bridging-like connection of connection elements of the chip modules (5) with connection elements (11a, 11b) of antenna elements (11) arranged on or in the carriers (12) , characterized in that a plurality of module bridges (10) are arranged one behind the other on a carrier tape (1), the carrier tape (1) having a plurality of depressions (2) arranged one behind the other for receiving a respective chip module associated with a module bridge (10) (5) and contact layers (7a, 7b); which cover the connection elements of the chip modules (5), with dimensions that are larger than the connection element dimensions.

2. Module bridges according to claim 1, characterized in that on the contact layers (7a, 7b) adhesive layers (8a, 8b) for the adhesive attachment of individual module bridges (10) on the carriers (12) in the region of the connection elements (11a, 11b) of the antenna elements (11) are attached.

3. Module bridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact layers (7a, 7b) are self-adhesive.

4. Module bridges according to one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the contact layers (7a, 7b) consist of a first band-like contact layer (7a) which extends in the carrier tape running direction and which the first connection elements of the first connection sides (5a) of the chip modules ( 5), and a second, in the longitudinal direction of the carrier tape, tape-like contact layer (7b), which covers the second connection elements of the second connection sides (5b) of the chip modules (5).

5. Module bridges according to claim 4, characterized in that the first and second band-like contact layers (7a, 7b) have interruptions (4) extending in the carrier bandwidth direction between the chip modules (5).

6. Module bridges according to one of claims 2-5, characterized in that the adhesive layers (8a, 8b) consist of two tape-like adhesive layers (8a, 8b) running parallel to one another in the carrier tape in the longitudinal direction with interruptions (4).

7. Module bridges according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chip modules (5) are arranged within the recesses (2) by means of adhesive (9a, 9b).

8. Module bridges according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the depressions (2) have a sufficient depth to arrange the chip modules (5) in such a way that their upper sides (5c) and a surface surrounding the depressions (2) (1a) of the carrier tape (1) lie in one plane.

9. Module bridges according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the depressions (2) are shaped complementary to the outer shapes of the chip modules (5) to be accommodated therein.

10. Module bridges according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the depressions (2) each have at least one hole on the underside.

11. Module bridges according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conveyor belt (1) has rows of holes (3) on the edge for engaging transport elements.

12. Module bridges according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier tape (1) consists of a deformable plastic and / or paper material.