JP2011100181A - Non-contact ic label, and adherend with built-in antenna - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a non-contact IC label 1 and an adherend 10 with a built-in antenna for reducing the size of the non-contact IC label 1 to be adhered to the surface of the adherend, and secures a necessary communication distance. <P>SOLUTION: The non-contact IC label is attached to an adherend formed by stacking a function layer 7, a first patterned conductive layer 3, a mask layer 8 positioned on the conductive layer, a shielding layer 5, a second patterned conductive layer 4 capacitively coupled with the first conductive layer 3, an IC chip 6 electrically connected over the second conductive layer, and an adhesive layer 9, in this order on a label base material 2, a patterned conductive layer 11, an adhesive layer 14 and a second base material 13. The first conductive layer or the second conductive layer of the label and the conductive layer of the adhered body are partially overlapped in the thickness direction, and capacitively coupled. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a non-contact IC label and an antenna built-in adherend to which an optical change device exhibiting an optical visual effect is provided and capable of transmitting and receiving data without contact with an external data reader.

  Conventionally, non-contact IC labels having an IC chip and an antenna are used for merchandise management in retail stores, rental stores, and the like. In this method, a non-contact IC label is attached to a product to be managed, and data stored in an IC chip is read and written by a dedicated data read / write device, and product entry / exit management, inventory management, lending management, and the like are performed. Since the IC chip is provided, not only the product code but also a wealth of information such as arrival date and person in charge can be recorded and managed together with the product.

  Non-contact type IC labels include short-distance communication and long-distance communication. However, in article management, etc., compared to non-contact type IC labels for short-distance communication using electrostatic coupling or electromagnetic induction, A non-contact IC label using a microwave having a long distance of 1 to 2 m is advantageous.

  In addition, as non-contact IC labels become widespread, forgery prevention functions are provided by combining non-contact IC labels with optical variable devices (hereinafter referred to as “OVD”). OVD is a general term for multilayer thin films that change color depending on the viewing angle by overlapping holograms, diffraction gratings, and thin films with different optical characteristics that can express stereoscopic images and special decorative images using light interference. Since these OVDs give a unique impression such as a three-dimensional image and a color change, they have an excellent decorative effect, and are used for general printed materials such as various packaging materials, picture books, catalogs and the like. For contactless IC labels, OVD is used as a means for preventing counterfeiting because it requires advanced manufacturing technology, and is also used for credit cards, securities, certificates and the like.

By combining the data read / write function of the above non-contact IC label with the anti-counterfeiting function and decoration effect of the OVD, a label having a higher level of anti-counterfeiting effect or having both the anti-counterfeiting effect or decoration effect and the product management function There is an advantage that it can be configured. As an example, a non-contact type data transmitter / receiver has been proposed in which a part of a metal thin film subjected to hologram processing is removed by etching, laser irradiation, or the like, and the remaining conductive metal portion is an antenna pattern. (For example, see Patent Document 1 below)
Also, a patterned metal thin film subjected to hologram processing and an IC chip and an antenna layer (connection layer) connected to the IC chip via an insulating layer are provided on the metal thin film, and the antenna layer (connection layer) and the metal thin film are provided. An RFID information medium has been proposed in which the antenna layer and the metal thin film function together as a single antenna and enable good communication by electrically connecting the two by capacitive coupling. (For example, see Patent Document 2 below)
The adherend to which the non-contact IC label of the present invention is affixed mainly includes securities, cards, certificates, guarantees, passports, etc. if it is security related, and cigarettes, drugs, There is a box for cosmetics.

The non-contact IC label is formed as an antenna element by demetalizing the metal reflective film (deposition film) of the hologram (a process of partially removing a light reflective film such as metal). Due to the nature of non-contact IC labels, antennas pursuing functions are not attached like wireless devices, and the size of the label is increased by increasing the antenna element to increase the radiation efficiency of the antenna just because it is a label equipped with an IC chip. It is not possible to increase the size due to restrictions such as the size of the adherend and the design of the attachment surface of the adherend. Furthermore, there is a tendency that a smaller label size is preferred, and there is a conflicting problem that it is desired to secure a communication distance even in such a situation.

JP 2002-42088 A WO2008 / 038672 Publication

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the size of the non-contact IC label to be attached to the surface of the adherend can be reduced, and the non-contact IC label and the antenna built-in adherence can secure a necessary communication distance. To provide a body.

  The invention according to claim 1 for achieving the above object includes a functional layer, a patterned first conductive layer, a mask layer positioned on the conductive layer, a concealing layer on the label base material, A patterned second conductive layer that capacitively couples to the first conductive layer, an IC chip that is electrically connected across the second conductive layer, and an adhesive layer in this order. The laminated label is affixed to the adherend in which the patterned conductive layer, the adhesive layer, and the second base material are laminated in this order on the first base material. The non-contact IC label, wherein the first conductive layer or the second conductive layer and the conductive layer of the adherend are partially overlapped in the thickness direction and are capacitively coupled. It is what.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the non-contact IC label according to claim 1, wherein the adherend is a security document.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the non-contact IC label according to claim 1, wherein the second conductive layer is a conductive paste ink.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an adherend in which a patterned conductive layer, an adhesive layer, and a second substrate are laminated in this order on a first substrate. A functional layer on the material, a patterned first conductive layer, a mask layer located on the conductive layer, a concealing layer, and a patterned capacitively coupled to the first conductive layer. The second conductive layer, the IC chip that is electrically connected across the second conductive layer, and the adhesive layer are attached to the labels laminated in this order,
The antenna characterized in that the first conductive layer or the second conductive layer of the label and the conductive layer of the adherend are partially overlapped in the thickness direction and are capacitively coupled. Built-in adherend.

  The non-contact IC label and the antenna built-in adherend according to the present invention complement the antenna function by capacitively coupling the conductive layer built in the adherend even if the size of the non-contact IC label is small. The necessary communication distance can be secured. That is, the hologram metal reflection film (deposition film), which is the first conductive layer that is also the antenna element, and the conductive antenna element provided on the inner layer of the adherend are capacitively coupled and coordinated with each other. By using the antenna, the size of the label attached to the adherend can be reduced, and a necessary communication distance can be secured by the effect of the antenna element in the inner layer of the adherend.

It is an upper surface perspective view in the state where the non-contact IC label of an example of the present invention was stuck on the adherend. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the non-contact IC label of FIG. 1 taken along line AA. It is a surface view in the state where the non-contact IC label of FIG. 1 was stuck on the surface of the adherend. It is the figure which showed typically the antenna part of an example of a common non-contact IC label. It is a figure of the state which divided | segmented the antenna of FIG. It is the figure which piled up the antenna divided | segmented in FIG. 5 in the center part.

  Hereinafter, a divided non-contact IC label as an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 is a top perspective view showing a state in which the non-contact IC label 1 of this example is attached to an adherend 10. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

  The label substrate 2 is made of a transparent resin or the like that allows the functional layer 7 functioning as OVD and the first conductive layer 3 to be visually recognized. Specifically, a transparent sheet-like material made of a resin such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile, butadiene, styrene copolymer synthetic resin (ABS), etc. is preferably adopted. Can do. The label substrate 2 may not necessarily be colorless and may be formed of a colored material having transparency as long as the functional layer 7 and the first conductive layer 3 that function as the lower OVD can be visually recognized.

  A functional layer 7 that functions as OVD is formed on the surface of the label substrate 2 that faces the first conductive layer 3. The functional layer 7 functioning as an OVD produces a relief image or volume hologram whose color changes depending on the viewing angle, a diffraction grating image in which a plurality of types of diffraction gratings are arranged as pixels, and a color shift. Ceramics, a thin film laminate of a metal material, and the like are appropriately selected and formed by a known method. Among these, in consideration of mass productivity and cost, a relief hologram (diffraction grating) or a multilayer thin film type is preferable.

  The first conductive layer 3 is formed as a deposited film by depositing a metal such as aluminum on the functional layer 7 functioning as OVD. The first conductive layer 3 is formed in a desired pattern shape by covering with a mask layer (insulating layer) 8 having a desired pattern shape made of polyamideimide or the like and performing a demetallization process. Further, the metal such as aluminum which is not covered with the mask layer 8 is removed by a process such as etching, and the reflection function is also removed.

  The first conductive layer 3 is capacitively connected to the IC chip 6 via the printed antenna 4 to enable non-contact communication as an antenna of the IC chip 6 and functions as a reflective layer. The visual effect exerted by the functional layer 7 functioning as an image is enhanced. In particular, when the functional layer 7 functioning as OVD is a relief hologram, a diffraction grating, or the like, these diffraction effects are enhanced, and there is an effect that a hologram image and a diffraction grating image can be recognized more clearly.

  When the non-contact IC label 1 is viewed from the upper surface (plan view) on the lower surface of the mask layer 8 and the lower surface of the label substrate 2, the printed antenna 4 and the IC chip 6 which are the second conductive layers are visible under visible light. A concealing layer 5 is provided to make it impossible.

The concealing layer 5 is made of a non-conductive material so that the first conductive layer 3 and the printed antenna 4 can be capacitively coupled as will be described later. In the present embodiment, the concealing layer 5 is formed by printing an insulating ink made of a resin component.

The concealing layer 5 is used so that the printed antenna 4 and the IC chip 6 which are the second conductive layers cannot be seen in a plan view. For example, it may reflect visible light of a predetermined wavelength to exhibit a specific color, or may be black that absorbs visible light of all wavelengths. Further, visible light having all wavelengths may be reflected.
The concealing layer 5 may be formed so as to cover at least the printed antenna 4 and the IC chip 6 which are the second conductive layers, but may be formed on the entire surface. By forming it over the entire surface, it is preferable that the entire region not provided with conductivity can be concealed by the concealing layer 5 when viewed from the base material side, and the position of the IC chip becomes more invisible.

  The material that reflects visible light of all wavelengths becomes white when a titanium oxide pigment is used, a metallic luster is obtained when metal powder is used as a pigment, and it becomes a mirror surface when ink using a metal pigment is used. Under light, it cannot be distinguished from the first conductive layer 3. However, the concealing layer is an insulating layer and is not made conductive by metal powder or metal pigment. When the upper surfaces of the printed antenna 4 and the IC chip 6 as the second conductive layer are completely covered with the first conductive layer 3, the IC chip 6 cannot be contactlessly communicated, but a mirror-like concealing layer is used. Thus, the printed antenna 4 and the IC chip 6 that are the second conductive layers visually appear to be completely covered with the conductive layer 3, but the printed antenna 4 and the IC that are the second conductive layers. Since only the non-conductive concealing layer exists on the upper surface of the chip 6, communication is possible.

  The printed antenna 4 which is the second conductive layer is formed in a pattern shape as shown in FIG. 1, for example, by printing on the lower surface of the concealment layer 5 using a conductive paste such as silver paste ink by a known method. Has been.

  The IC chip 6 is made of silicon single crystal or the like, and bumps (not shown) are bonded by heating and pressing using an anisotropic conductive adhesive or the like and electrically connected to the printed antenna 4 as the second conductive layer and mounted. ing. The first conductive layer 3 and the printed antenna 4 are formed of a broken line ellipse B indicated by a wavy line in FIG. 2 using an insulating mask layer 8 and a non-conductive ink concealing layer 5 interposed therebetween as a dielectric. It is electrically connected by capacitive coupling in the range, and the IC chip 6 can perform radio wave type non-contact data communication with an external reader. The frequencies used for communication between the IC chip 6 and an external reader are a microwave band (2.45 GHz) and a UHF wave band (840 to 960 MHz).

  As the IC chip 6, one with different identification information (unique ID, hereinafter referred to as “UID”) may be used. The UID is made up of, for example, numbers, English letters, symbols, or a combination thereof, and the corresponding UID is stored in the memory of each IC chip. When such an IC chip is used, traceability of the IC chip (or an IC label with the IC chip) can be ensured by reading and using the UID.

  An adhesive layer 9 is provided on the entire lower portion of the concealing layer 5 including the IC chip 6 and the printed antenna 4 which is the second conductive layer, and is adhered to the surface of the adherend 10 by the adhesive force.

  The non-contact IC label 1 configured as described above has a functional layer 7 formed on one surface of a label substrate 2, a metal vapor deposition film is formed on the functional layer 7, and a mask layer 8 is used for the first. The conductive layer 3 is formed in a desired shape, the concealing layer 5 and the printed antenna 4 are sequentially provided by printing, the IC chip 6 is mounted on the printed antenna 4, and finally the adhesive layer 9 is provided. Can do. For the concealing layer 5 and the printed antenna 4 as the second conductive layer, for example, the concealing layer 5 is first printed by a multi-color screen printer, and then the printed antenna 4 as the second conductive layer is printed. It can form efficiently by putting a drying process immediately after the printing.

  The first substrate 12 and the second substrate 13 of the adherend 10 are made of, for example, a resin, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene. It is a sheet-like material such as resin (ABS). The auxiliary antenna 11 is a conductor patterned in an antenna shape as shown in FIG. 1, and is a metal thin film having conductivity such as aluminum, copper, nickel, etc. As shown in FIG. It is sandwiched between the first substrate 12 and the second substrate 13 by force. Although not shown in the drawing, an adhesive layer 14 or another adhesive layer may be provided between the first base 12 and the auxiliary antenna 11.

  The first conductive layer 3 of the IC label 1 and the auxiliary antenna 11 of the adherend 10 are capacitively coupled through the concealing layer 5, the adhesive layer 9, and the first substrate 12 at the portion of the broken line ellipse C in FIG. Then, the first conductive layer 3 and the auxiliary antenna 11 are electrically connected to form one antenna.

  The first substrate 12 of the adherend 10 has a thickness of about 0.1 to 2 mm, and the limitation on the thickness comes from the coupling loss due to capacitive coupling in the broken line ellipse C. Although it depends on the area of the opposing surface of the conductive layer 3 and the auxiliary antenna 11 and the dielectric constant of the first base material 12, it is the first in terms of the size of the label of the IC label for security and brand protection of the present invention. This is because the coupling loss is large when the thickness of the substrate 12 is 2 mm or more.

  FIG. 3 shows a state where the IC label 1 is stuck on the surface of the adherend 10. The hologram of the functional layer 7 located on the concealing layer 5 and the first conductive layer 3 which is a reflection layer is visible, and has an appearance close to that of a conventional hologram label.

Next, characteristics and performance of the antenna shown in the embodiment will be described.
FIG. 4 is a diagram in which the antenna portion of the non-contact IC label is extracted. Both the first conductive layer 3 and the printed antenna 4 as the second conductive layer function as an antenna. An IC chip 6 is mounted on the printed antenna 4 as the second conductive layer, and an impedance matching circuit for matching the impedance on the antenna side and the internal impedance on the IC chip side is formed as a slit pattern in the vicinity of the IC chip 6. Has been. The printed antenna 4 as the second conductive layer is a U-shaped antenna as shown in the figure, and further includes a connection pad 15 for electrostatic coupling with the first conductive layer 3.

  The antenna shown in FIG. 4 is a modified dipole antenna obtained by modifying a general half-wave dipole antenna. As with conventional hologram labels, in order to maximize the optical effects such as stereoscopic images, special decorative images, and color changes that are characteristic of holograms, a certain area is required on a surface that is not chipped or cut. The expression plane which has is required, and the antenna designed to obtain this expression plane is the modified dipole antenna shown in FIG.

  The performance of the modified dipole antenna shown in FIG. 4 is that the antenna gain of the standard half-wave dipole antenna is 2.14 dBi, whereas the antenna of the present invention has a 2.45 GHz specification and a label length of 42 mm and a width. : The antenna gain was about 1.5 dBi with a size of 12 mm. Since the antenna portion of the printed antenna 4 which is the second conductive layer is folded back on both sides, it is considered that the overall radiation efficiency is lowered and the antenna gain is lowered.

  However, this IC label does not require long-distance reading communication distance performance like an RFID tag used in logistics, etc., and only needs a communication distance that can be read by a handy reader. Even if the performance is 1.5 dBi, there is no problem.

  Next, the principle of the antenna shown in the embodiment will be described in terms of antenna division and antenna coupling. A broken line D at the center of the first conductive layer 3 is a cut portion for dividing the antenna, and FIG. 5 shows a state where the first conductive layer 3 is cut. In the present invention, the F portion of the separated right antenna is replaced with the auxiliary antenna 11 formed of a conductor (metal thin film) having the same shape as the first conductive layer 3, and the length of the “arrow” shown in the F portion is long. Then, the antenna is extended, and the E portion and the F portion described above are overlapped as shown by a dashed ellipse G in FIG. In the present invention, the E part and the F part are electrically connected as described above by being overlapped via the base material 12 of the adherend 10 and being capacitively coupled as described above at the part of the broken line ellipse G. Even if it is divided, the antenna performance equivalent to that of the antenna before division shown in FIG. 4 can be obtained. However, in this case, it is assumed that there is no coupling loss in capacitive coupling.

  The cut portion of the broken line D of the first conductive layer 3 may be at any position as long as the capacitive coupling can be performed without loss and the portion of the broken line ellipse G does not affect the IC chip 6 and the impedance matching circuit. The size of E part can also be made as small as possible.

  In this description, the first conductive layer 3 is cut and the auxiliary antenna 11 having the same shape as the first conductive layer 3 built in the adherend is stretched and overlapped through the base material of the adherend. As an example, as long as electrostatic capacity coupling is possible without loss, what is the shape of the E part of the first conductive layer 3, the antenna shape of the F part of the auxiliary antenna 11, and the shape of the broken line ellipse G that is the capacitive coupling surface It may be in shape.

  In the present description, the first conductive layer 3 is divided and combined, but the same division and combination are possible for the printed antenna 4 that is the second conductive layer.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to said embodiment, According to the content and the objective of a non-contact IC label, it can optimize suitably in the structure, material, etc.

1 Non-contact IC label,
2 Label substrate 3 Conductive layer (reflection film) (patterned first conductive layer)
4 Printed antenna (patterned second conductive layer)
5 Concealing layer 6 IC chip 7 Functional layer functioning as OVD 8 Mask layer (insulating layer)
9 Adhesive layer 10 Substrate (Adherent)
11 Auxiliary antenna (conductive layer)
12 First base material 13 Second base material 14 Adhesive layer 15 Connection pad

Claims (4)

On the label substrate, a functional layer, a patterned first conductive layer, a mask layer located on the conductive layer, a concealing layer, and a pattern capacitively coupled to the first conductive layer A second conductive layer, an IC chip that is electrically connected across the second conductive layer, and an adhesive layer are laminated in this order,
On the first substrate, the patterned conductive layer, the adhesive layer, and the second substrate are attached to the adherend laminated in this order,
The first conductive layer or the second conductive layer of the label and the conductive layer of the adherend are partially overlapped in the thickness direction and are capacitively coupled. Contact IC label.   The contactless IC label according to claim 1, wherein the adherend is a security document.   The non-contact IC label according to claim 1, wherein the second conductive layer is a conductive paste ink. An adherend in which a patterned conductive layer, an adhesive layer, and a second base material are laminated in this order on the first base material,
On the label substrate, a functional layer, a patterned first conductive layer, a mask layer located on the conductive layer, a concealing layer, and a pattern capacitively coupled to the first conductive layer The second conductive layer, the IC chip that is electrically connected across the second conductive layer, and the adhesive layer are attached to the labels laminated in this order,
The antenna characterized in that the first conductive layer or the second conductive layer of the label and the conductive layer of the adherend are partially overlapped in the thickness direction and are capacitively coupled. Built-in adherend.

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