JP2598039B2 - Tag and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a tag used in an electronic monitoring system for articles, and a method for manufacturing the tag.

(Prior Art) The following patents disclose techniques prior to the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 3,240,647, U.S. Pat. No. 3,624,631, U.S. Pat.
No. 3,810,147, US Pat. No. 3,913,219, US Pat. No. 4,48
No. 2,874, U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,291, U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,47
No. 3, French Patent No. 2,412,923.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and efficient method of manufacturing a reliable, deactivatable resonant tag for use in an electronic surveillance system for articles.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved reliable deactivatable resonant tag that can be made on a production basis.

It has been found that a deactivatable tag can be accidentally prematurely inactivated before it can be purposely inactivated. Such inactivation may occur during or after manufacture, for example, during storage, or when the tag web is being printed on a marking machine. When the resonant circuits come into contact with or come too close to each other, and when a normally nonconductive passivating material extends vertically from the resonant circuit to the resonant circuit, the accumulated static electricity can be applied between adjacent resonant circuits. Inactivation can occur due to arcing in the longitudinal direction of the web. Even if both the conductive material and the passivation material forming the resonance circuit are initially in the form of a web, the resonance circuits are separated from each other in the longitudinal direction of the web, and one resonance circuit is provided in each resonance circuit.
Dividing the passivation material into discrete spaced strips such that there are two strips of passivation material prevents premature passivation of adjacent resonant circuits.

EXAMPLE Referring first to FIG. 1, the tag 19 is shown in exploded form. Tag 19 includes a sheet 20T having pressure sensitive adhesives 21, 22 on both sides. Spiral pattern mask 2
Reference numeral 3 covers a part of the adhesive 21, and the release sheet 24T is detachably bonded to the adhesive 22. Mask 23
The adhesive 21 covered by the mask is made non-tacky or practically non-tacky. The conductor spiral 25 includes a spiral conductor 26 having several turns. The width of the conductor 26 is substantially the same over its entire length, except for the connecting bar 27 at its outer end. A dielectric sheet 28T is adhered to the conductor spiral 25 and the sheet 20T thereunder by an adhesive 29. The conductor spiral 30 includes a spiral conductor 31 having several turns. Conductor 31 is adhesive 29 on dielectric 28T
Adhered to. The width of the conductor 31 is substantially the same over its entire length, except for the connecting bar 32 at the outer end of the conductor 30. The conductor spirals 25 and 30 are arranged so as to substantially face each other except for a portion 33 not facing the conductor 26 and a portion 35 not facing the conductor 31. The sheet 37T has a coating of the pressure-sensitive adhesive 38 shielded by the spiral pattern 39. The exposed adhesive 38 'is aligned with the conductor spiral 30. The adhesive is shown as dense dots in FIG.
The mask is shown in FIG. 1 with diagonal lines and faint dots. The adjacent bars 27, 32 are electrically connected, for example, by staking 90. Staking 90, connection bar 27,
It should be noted that 32 has been made where it is separated by glue 29 only. There is no paper, film, etc. between the connection bars 27,32. Therefore, the staking disclosed in the present application is reliable.

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a method of making the tag 19 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The roll 40 comprises a composite web 41 having a web 20 with full-face rubber glue or continuous coatings 21, 22 of pressure sensitive adhesive on both sides. Web 20
Has an adhesive applied to both sides. A release liner or web 42 is releasably adhered to the upper surface of web 20 by pressure sensitive adhesive 21, and the lower surface of web 20 has a release liner or web 24 releasably adhered to pressure sensitive adhesive 22. As shown, release liner 42 is released from web 20 exposing adhesive 21. The adhesive-coated web 20 partially wraps around the sandpaper roll 43 with the release liner 24 and passes between the pattern roll 44 and the backup roll 45, where the mask pattern 23 adheres. The adhesive 21 is provided with an adhesive pattern 21 ′ that repeats in the vertical direction.
Masking material is directed from container 46 to pattern roll 44. Referring to FIG. 4, the portion marked A represents the portion immediately upstream of the pattern roll 44. The portion with the mark B indicates the mask pattern 23 printed by the roll 44. The pattern 23 is indicated by oblique lines in FIG. Referring to FIG. 3, the web
20 passes through a drying device 47, where the mask pattern 23 is dried or cured. The adhesive 21 is made non-tacky with the mask pattern 23. When a flat, conductive material such as copper or aluminum from roll 48 passes between laminating rolls 50, 50 'together with coated web 20, the coated web
Stretched on 20. Reference characters C in FIG.
Represents the line where lamination occurs. Referring to FIG. 3, the laminated webs 20, 49 pass between a cutting roll 51 having a cutting blade 52 and a backup roll 53. Blade 52 preferably cuts completely through web 49 of conductive material, but preferably does not cut into web 20. The blade 52 cuts the web 49 into a plurality of sets of patterns 25, 30 best shown in the area marked D in FIG. Referring again to FIG. 3, the pressure sensitive adhesive
38 webs with full rubber glue or continuous coating 37
A composite web 55 having a release liner 56 releasably adhered to an adhesive 38 on the web 37.
54 is shown. The release liner 56 is separated from the web 37, and the web 37 wraps around a sandpaper roll 57. From there, the web 37 passes between the pattern roll 58 and the backup roll 59, where the mask pattern 39 is attached to the adhesive 38, which becomes non-tacky with the mask pattern 39, and An adhesive pattern 38 'that repeats in the direction is formed. Masking material is applied to pattern roll 58 from container 60. The masking material that forms the patterns 23, 29 is, for example, Environmental Inks and Coati of Morganton, North Carolina.
ng Corp, Morganton, North Carolina)
A commercially available printable adhesive deactivator, such as the one sold under the name adhesive Deadner. From there the web 37 passes partially around the roll 61 and through a drying device 62 where the mask pattern 39 is dried or cured. The adhesive 38 is made non-tacky with the mask pattern 39. From there, the webs 20, 49, 37 pass between the laminating rolls 63, 64. Figure 5 shows that web 37 is web
This shows that lamination occurs along line E where 49 is encountered. When glued in this way, each adhesive pattern 2
1 'is aligned only with the underlying conductor spiral 25, and each adhesive pattern 38' is aligned only with the underlying conductor pattern 30.

The webs 20, 37, 49 in turn roll partially around the rollers 65, 66, from which the web 37 is released from the web 20 and partially rolls around the roll 67. At the point of separation, the web 49 splits into two webs, conductor spirals 25 and 30. As shown in FIG. 6, stripping occurs along line F. When peeling occurs, the conductor spiral 30 adheres to the adhesive pattern 38 'on the web 37 and the conductor spiral 30
25 adheres to the adhesive pattern 21 'on the web 20. Thus, the conductor spiral 30 extends on one web and the spiral 25 extends on the other web. Web 20
Turns partially around rollers 68, 69, 70 and from there between an adhesive application roll 71 and a backup roll 72. The adhesive 29 is applied from a container 73 to a roll 71, which applies a uniform or continuous coating of adhesive 29 on the web 20 and the conductor spiral 25. Part G in FIG.
Shows the portion of the web 20 and the conductor spiral 25 between the spaced rolls 66,72. The part H includes the separated roll 72,
Shows the portion of web 20 during 74. Referring to FIG.
The web 20 passes through a drying device 75 where the adhesive 29 is dried. The two laterally spaced dielectric webs 28a, 28b wound on rolls 76, 77 comprise webs 20, 28a, 28b on roll 7
4, the web 20 is stretched when passing between 74 '. The lamination occurs along the reference line indicated by I in FIG. The web 20 with the conductor spiral 25 and the dielectric webs 28a, 28b wrap around rolls 78, 79 and pass between an adhesive application roll 80 and a backup roll 81. Roll 80 applies adhesive 29 'received from container 83 to web 28.
a, 28b and portions of the web 20 that are not covered therewith. From there, the webs 20, 28a, 28b pass through the drying device 84 and partially around the roll 85.

Web 37 separated from web 20 is laminated along line J in FIG. 7 at the gap between laminating rolls 86, 87 to form composite tag web 88. After the conductor spirals 30 have been vertically displaced relative to the conductor spirals 25 so that each conductor spiral 30 is aligned or aligned with the underlying conductor spiral 25, the webs 20, 28a, 28b, 37 are rolled 86, Laminated between 87. The shift amount is P
Or the sum of the pitch of the one conductor spiral pattern and the width W of one conductor, or an odd multiple of the pitch P and the width W of one conductor
And can be the sum of Thus, the conductor spiral
Each pair of 25, 30 can form a resonant circuit that can be detected by a suitable article monitoring circuit.

FIG. 8 shows the webs 20, 37 rotated 180 ° apart. FIG. 9 shows the webs 20, 37 rotated 180 ° apart and shifted relative to one another so that the conductor spirals 25, 30 are aligned. As best shown in FIG. 10, the end of the dielectric 28a is remote from the stake 90 resulting from the staking operation. With this arrangement, the steak 90 does not penetrate the dielectric 28a (or 28b). FIG. 10 shows that the conductors 25 and 30 are substantially completely overlapped or aligned with each other, except for the portion indicated by 35 for the conductor spiral 25 and the portion indicated by 33 for the conductor spiral 30. Is shown. Each circuit is completed by staking the conductor bars 27, 32 together as shown at 90 or by other suitable means. Staking 90
This is done by four spiked wheels 89 which make four steak lines in the composite web 88. Wheel with spikes
Reference numeral 89 pierces the conductor bars 27 and 32 to make the conductor bars 27 and 32 electrically connected. The composite web 88 is split into a plurality of thin webs 91, 92 by a slitter knife 93 and excess material 94 is cut off by a slitter knife 95. If you do not want to cut the tag T (to cut the web 88 completely in the transverse direction),
Liners 91 and 92 are released with a cutter roll 96 knife
Cut to 24 (do not cut into release liner 24). As shown, webs 91 and 92 are further advanced and wound around rolls 99 and 100, respectively, around rolls 97 and 98, respectively. The staking 90 is made along line K and the severing is made along line L.

Sheet 37T, dielectric 28T, sheet 20T and sheet 24T are
Supplied by cutting web 37, web 28a (or 28b), web 20 and web 24, respectively.

FIG. 11 shows a coating 11 in the form of a continuous stripe, respectively.
A pair of application stations 111 for printing and drying 3, 114
With the exception of and drying station 112, it is essentially a duplicate of FIG. Coating 113 is conductive and is applied directly to pressure sensitive adhesive 38 on web 37. To ensure electrical isolation, as best shown in FIGS. 12 and 13,
The coating 114 is wider than the coating 113 covered by the coating. Coating
114 comprises a conductive, non-conductive, activatable material. The rest of the process is the same as the process taught with respect to FIGS.

FIGS. 14 and 15 show the completed tag 37T ', with the coatings 113, 114 being cut when the tag 37T' is cut from the tag web, as shown at 113T, 114T, respectively. I have. As shown, the coating 113T
Has a constant width and thickness over its entire length,
114T has a constant width and thickness, but is wider than the coating 113T. The conductive coating 113T is thus electrically insulated from the conductor spiral 30. The coating 113T, 114T has an activatable connection AC, which can be activated by exposing the tag to a higher level of energy than the level of energy for detecting the resonant circuit in the interrogation zone.

FIG. 16 is essentially a reproduction of a portion of FIG.
A pair of webs 118, 119 are adhered to the adhesive 38 on the web 37. The webs 118, 119 are wound on spaced reels 120, 121. Webs 118, 119 advance from reels 120, 121 and partially wrap around roll 122. Web 118, 11
9 are spaced from each other and from the side edges of the web 37. The webs 118, 119 are identical in construction and each have a paper layer 12
A thin conductive material layer 12 such as copper or aluminum on 3 '
3, high temperature, usually non-conductive, activatable conductor containing layer 124,
And low-temperature, usually non-conductive, activatable conductor-containing layer 125
Contains. Layers 124, 125 include conductors such as metal particles or encapsulated carbon. Since layer 125 adheres immediately upon heating, roll 67 (FIG. 3, FIG.
Downstream of the rolls 86 and 87 (Fig. 3)
A heater 115 is provided. The heated circuit 30 is layer 125
To form a bond between the circuit 30 and the layer 125. Rolls 116 and 117 (FIG. 16) apply web 37 to drum heater 11
Guide around 5. Heating layer 125 tends to destroy the normally nonconductive properties of layer 125, but this tendency is not significant because layer 124 is not destroyed or activated by heat from drum heater 115.

19 and 20 show a fragment of the completed tag 37T ", where the webs 118, 119 have been cut to occupy the same space as the tag 37T" and are shown at 118T. The web strip or stripe 118T comprises a paper layer 123 ', a conductive layer or conductor 12'.
3, and includes layers 124, 125, which are typically non-conductive. Layer 123, 12
4, 125 have the same width and have an activatable connection AC. Both coatings 124, 125 connect conductor 123 to conductor spiral 30
Electrically isolated from the Otherwise, the tag
37T "is the same as the tag 37T and is made, for example, by the same process as that shown in FIG.

The embodiment of FIG. 21 is identical to the embodiment of FIGS. 16 to 20, except that a pair of webs of flat bands replace the webs 118, 119 and one of the bands 11
8 'is shown in FIG. Band 118 'comprises a web or band conductor 126 of a conductive material such as copper encapsulated in a thin coating 127 of a non-conductive material. Band 118 'has an activatable connection AC. As can be seen from FIG. 21, the coating
The upper surface of 127 electrically insulates conductor 126 from conductor spiral 30. Band 118 'is processed in accordance with one embodiment, first of all, the Belden Company of the United States.
pany, Geneva, Illinois 60134 U.SA), a coated motor winding wire having a thickness of about 0.004 inches and an insulation coating of about 0.0005, having a thickness of about 0.004 inches, is flattened between a pair of rolls. Make a thin band of 0.0006 inches. The insulating coating treated in this way is weak enough to break down when a sufficiently high energy level signal is applied to the manufactured tag. The coating 118 '
It is referred to as a "breakdown coating" because the energy level interrogation signal acts as an insulator when applied to the tag, but no longer acts as an electrical insulator when an even higher energy level signal is applied. Thus, conductor 126 shorts inductor 30 with the high energy level signal.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 to 20 and described with reference to FIG. 20 is such that when the tag 37T 'or 37T "is exposed to a radio frequency signal at or near the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit in the interrogation zone, Or 37T ″ can be detected. If the energy level of the signal is high enough,
Usually non-conductive coating 114 (or 114T), or 124 and 125
Becomes conductive and changes the response of the resonant circuit. This is achieved, in a particular embodiment, by providing an open short circuit between separate portions of the conductor spiral 30 using a generally non-conductive coating.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 11-15 and 16-20, when high levels of energy are applied to the tag, the normally non-conductive coating becomes conductive and shorts the inductor. Thus, the resonant circuit can no longer resonate at the appropriate frequency and cannot be detected by the receiver in the interrogation zone.

The illustrated embodiment includes an additional conductor that extends across all turns of the conductor spiral 30 and a normal extension that extends across all turns of the conductor spiral 30 with the conductor electrically isolated from the conductor spiral 30. Although an activatable connection AC formed by a non-conductive material or a breakdown insulator is disclosed, the invention should not be considered as limited thereto.

 Various coatings are illustrated below.

I. Regarding FIGS. 11 to 15 A. Normally non-conductive coating 114 is as follows: Example 1 Weight ratio acetylcellulose (CA) powder (E-398-3) 60 acetone 300 Mixing procedure: Stir CA The powder is solvated in acetone.

CA / copper dispersion system The above CA solution (16% TS) 15 Copper 8620 powder 2.5 Mixing procedure: Add copper powder to the CA solution and mix well to make an even metal dispersion system.

Example 2 Acrylvid B-48N (45 in toluene)
%) 30 Acetone 20 Isopropanol 3 The above solution (25% TS) 10 Copper 8620 powder 5 Mixing procedure: Disperse copper powder in B-48N solution (The percentage of copper powder is 60-70% based on dry weight. ).

B. Examples of the conductive film 113 are as follows.

Example 1 Weight ratio Acryloid (acryloid) B-67 (45 % in Napusa (naptha)) Acrylic resin 25 Napusa (naptha) 16 Shirufureku (Silflake) # 237 metal powder 42 mixed Procedure: wets by adding metal powder to solvent . The solvated acrylic resin is mixed well and dispersed.
Mix or shake well before use. (75% to 85% conductive metal on a dry weight basis) Example 2 Acryloid NAD-10 (naptha)
(40% in) 10 Silflake # 237 Metal Powder 20 Mixing Procedure: Add the metal powder to the acrylic resin dispersion and stir.

Example 3 S & V aqueous foil ink OFG 11525 (37% TS5 Silflake # 237 metal powder 8 Mixing procedure: Slowly add metal powder to aqueous dispersion
Stir thoroughly to obtain an even metal dispersion.

I. Embodiments in FIGS. 16 to 20 A. Examples of the low-temperature coating 125 are as follows.

Example 1 Weight Ratio Acryloid NAD-10 Dispersion (30% T. Solid) 10 Naptha 2 Copper 8620 Copper Powder 5 Mixing Procedure: Wet copper powder with Napsa and disperse completely. Slowly add NAD-10 dispersion and stir. Mix or shake well before use.

Example 2 Polyester resin (K-1979) 28 Ethanol 10 Isopropanol 10 Ethyl acetate 20 The above polyester solution 10 Copper 8620 powder 2.5 Mixing procedure: Add copper powder to the polyester solution while stirring to make a uniform metal dispersion.

(48% copper powder on a dry basis) B. Examples of low temperature coating 124 are as follows.

Example 1 Cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) (551-0.
2) 40 Toluene 115 Ethyl alcohol 21 The above CAB solution (22.7%) 10 Toluene 2 Copper 8620 copper powder 5 Mixing procedure: Wet copper powder with solvent, add CAB solution, and stir.

Example 2 Acryloid B-48N (45% in toluene) 30 Acetone 20 Isopropanol 3 The above solution (25% TS) 10 Copper 8620 Copper powder 5 (based on dry weight ... copper is 60-70%) Procedure: Add copper powder to the above solution and stir appropriately to make an even metal dispersion.

The materials used in the above examples can be obtained from the following suppliers: Acryloid NAD-10, Acryloid B-48N and Acryloid B-67 are available from Rohm & Hass, Phi.
ladelphia, Pennsylvania); Cellulose acetate (E
-398-3) and cellulose acetate butyrate (551)
-0.2) is Eastman Chemical Products, Inc. (E
astman Chemical Products, Icc., Kingsport, Tennesse
e); Copper 8620 is from US Bronze (USBronze, Flemingt)
on, New Jersey); Sylflake # 237 is available from Handy & Harmon, Fairfield, Connecticu
t); Krumbhaar K-1979 is a registered trademark of Lawter International, Inc.,
Northbrook, Illinois); water-soluble foil ink OFG11
525, Sinclair & Valentine Inc. (Sinclair & Val
entine, St. Paul, Minnesora).

FIGS. 22 to 25 are embodiments of FIGS. 11 to 15,
16 to 20 show an improvement method of the embodiment of FIG. 21. The method of the embodiment of FIGS.
The invention relates to the formation of a vertically spaced inactivatable resonant circuit disposed on a web. The gap between the resonant circuits is such that electrostatic charges that can prematurely deactivate one resonant circuit of the web can cause the other resonant circuits of the web to arc vertically and inactivate it prematurely. Prevent surely.
Where possible, reference numbers obtained by adding 200 to the reference numbers in FIGS. 16 to 20 have been used in the embodiments of FIGS. 22 to 25 to indicate components having the same structure and function. It will be appreciated that reference is also made to FIGS. 3, 5 and 6.

Referring initially to FIG. 22, a flat, web of conductive material 249 is cut into a pattern of conductive spirals 400,401. The cut pattern includes a complete line of transverse or transverse cutting 402. The conductor spirals 400, 401 are substantially similar to the conductor spirals 25, 30, but as can be seen in FIG. 5, all the conductor spirals 25, 30 are very close to each other in the vertical direction, and They are only separated by cuts in the knife. The spirals 25 are connected to each other, and the spirals 30 are connected to each other. In contrast, in the embodiment of FIGS. 22-25, only the conductor spirals 400, 401 between adjacent lines of the complete cut line 402 are interconnected. In the embodiment of FIGS. 22 to 25, as can be seen with reference to FIG.
The webs 20, 37 are separated as they partially roll around the roll 66, after which a web of dielectric material 28a, 28b is applied so that the webs 20, 37 have a pitch of one conductor spiral 400 (or 401) and a width of one conductor. Only vertically shifted, then web 2
0 and 37 are re-laminated as they pass between rolls 86 and 87.

As is evident from FIG. 23, when the web of the resonant circuit 401 is stripped, the formed web 220 has a pair of longitudinally separated resonant circuits 401. Similarly, pairs of stripped web resonant circuits 400 (corresponding to web 37 in FIG. 3) are also vertically separated.

The embodiment of FIGS. 22 to 25 relates to the production of inactivatable tags. The illustrated method of activating a tag is described in the inactivating material webs 318, 319 (eg, the inactivating material web 11
16, 119), except that they are separated into vertically spaced strips of passivating material or stripes 318 ', 319'. We are using. The separation is performed according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 24 by punching out portions or holes 407 of the web 238 and the passivation material webs 318, 319. For this purpose, a rotary punch 403 and a rotary die 404, shown schematically, are used. The rotary punch 403 has a punch 405, and the rotary die 404 has a die hole 40 cooperating therewith.
With 6. The hole 407 formed is wider than the interval between the resonance circuits. Thus, the holes 407 are aligned with the edges of the vertically separated resonant circuit as shown in FIG. Thus, static electricity cannot cause an arc to fly vertically between the resonant circuits, and static electricity cannot cause an arc between the passivating material strips 318 # (or 319 #).

Those skilled in the art will recognize other embodiments and modifications of the present invention. Everything within the spirit of the present invention is included in the scope described in the claims.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a tag according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the tag shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a method of making the tag of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the mask applied to the adhesive-coated first web and showing the conductive web stretched over the masked first adhesive-coated web. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the conductive web cut into first and second pairs of conductors and showing a second adhesive coated web with a mask stretched over the conductive web. FIG. 6 shows one conductor adhered to the first coated web separated from the second coated web to which the second conductor is adhered, and the first coated web is recoated with an adhesive. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing that a sheet of dielectric web is stretched on the first recoated web and that the adhesive is applied to the dielectric web; FIG. 7 shows that the second covering web to which the second conductor is adhered is displaced to stretch the dielectric web and the first covering web with the first conductor to form a composite tag web. Indicates that a resonance circuit is provided for each tag by staking the first and second conductors of each tag.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing tearing the web to provide a plurality of composite tag webs. FIG. 8 shows the first and second coating webs with the first and second conductors obtained by cutting the conductive web into a spiral shape, separated vertically. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the first and second coating webs shifted by a distance equal to the sum of the width of one conductor spiral and the width of one conductor. FIG. 10 is a plan view of the two tags, with the dielectric web indicated by dashed lines. FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view showing an improved method of making an inactivatable tag when viewed in conjunction with the above figures. FIG. 12 is a fragmentary plan view along line 12... 12 of FIG. FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along lines 13... 13 of FIG. FIG. 14 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to FIG. 1, but showing one embodiment of a structure for inactivating a tag. FIG. 15 is a fragmentary plan view of the tag shown in FIG. FIG. 16 is a fragmentary perspective view showing another improved method of making an inactivatable tag when viewed in conjunction with FIGS. 1-10. FIG. 17 is a fragmentary plan view along line 17... 17 of FIG. FIG. 18 is a sectional view taken along lines 18... 18 in FIG. FIG. 19 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to FIG. 14, but showing another embodiment of a structure for inactivating a tag. FIG. 20 is a fragmentary plan view of the tag shown in FIG. FIG. 21 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 18, but showing another structure for inactivating the tag. FIG. 22 is a plan view of another cutting pattern of a web of conductive material substantially corresponding to D of FIG. FIG. 23 is a plan view of another cutting pattern, and
The half has been removed and corresponds approximately to G in FIG. FIG. 24 is a perspective view showing a method of cutting a web of the passivation material into stripes or strips. FIG. 25 is a plan view of a pair of vertically separated resonant circuits, each with a separate passivation strip.

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Robert Lee Fronning, Inventor, Ohio, USA 45440 Kettering San Marino Street 4035 (72) Inventor, Warren John Pape, United States of America, 92026, Escondido 76 Morning Viewdrive 1332 (72) Inventor, Richard Stephen Vuketic United States Ohio 45419 Dayton Acorn Drive 517

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A tag for use in an electronic surveillance system for articles, comprising: a substantially planar dielectric; and a counter-winding coil disposed in a capacitively and inductively coupled relationship on opposite sides of the dielectric. First and second spiral conductors, and means for electrically coupling the first and second spiral conductors together to provide a resonant circuit, wherein the first and second spiral conductors are reverse-wound. The two spiral conductors are formed in a pattern, wherein the two spiral conductors are formed into a pair of adjacent first and second counter-wound conductors by cutting a conductive flat material into a spiral shape and forming the first and second conductors. Formed by positioning pairs of said tags in said relationship. 2. A method of manufacturing a tag for use in an electronic surveillance system for articles, comprising providing a web of conductive material extending in a longitudinal direction and cutting the web of conductive material to form a plurality of sets. Are formed so that each set of the conductors has a first spiral conductor and a second spiral conductor mutually wound in the same plane, and the first spiral conductor extends in a longitudinal direction. The first spiral conductor and the second spiral conductor are separated from each other by supporting the second spiral conductor with a longitudinally extending second conductor web; The first spiral conductor web and the second spiral conductor web are shifted from each other as viewed in the longitudinal direction, and are positioned so as to capacitively and inductively couple the first spiral conductor and the second spiral conductor. 1 and tag manufacturing method of the second conductor are bonded to each tag so as to provide a set of tags, characterized in that it consists of formed to have a resonant circuit. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the tag is responsive to a second signal at a second energy level higher than the first signal at the first energy level to resonate the tag. Providing an activatable connection on one of said spiral conductors having a material that is normally non-conductive and includes a conductor that can be made conductive. 4. A method of manufacturing a tag according to claim 2, wherein said method is responsive to a second signal having a second energy level higher than said first signal having a first energy level for causing said tag to resonate. Applying a destructive coating to one of said spiral conductors to deactivate the tag. 5. A method of manufacturing a tag according to claim 2, further comprising the step of providing a material that is normally nonconductive and containing a conductor on one of said spiral conductors, A method wherein the conductor-containing material is capable of becoming conductive in response to a second signal at a second energy level at a higher energy level than the first signal at the first energy level causing the tag to resonate. 6. A method of manufacturing a tag according to claim 2, further comprising the step of: providing a web of passivating material extending continuously in a longitudinal direction, wherein said web of passivating material is spaced in a series of longitudinal directions. Separated as strips, each strip being
A method characterized by being positioned so as to align with one resonant circuit but not to contact another resonant circuit.