KR20090066309A - Method of connecting an antenna to a transponder chip and corresponding inlay substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and apparatus for manufacturing a radio frequency (RF) inlay are provided. The RF inlay includes an integrated circuit and an antenna attached to a substrate material comprising the integrated circuit. During the process, the portion of the wire forming the antenna is located adjacent to the integrated circuit, not directly above it, for further processing of the wire, such as removing insulating material without damaging the integrated circuit. In a subsequent process step, the wire ends are fixedly placed in contact with the integrated circuit terminal area. The method includes forming a loop having a wire end, which loop extends over the plane of the substrate, and in another process step, the loop is arranged to be electrically connected to the terminal region. The method further includes repositioning the wire and using a brush or carding machine.

Description

METHOOD OF CONNECTING AN ANTENNA TO A TRANSPONDER CHIP AND CORRESPONDING INLAY SUBSTRATE}

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a radio frequency (RF) inlay, and to an inlay fabricated accordingly, and more particularly, to a method for manufacturing a high frequency RF apparatus including an antenna attached to an integrated circuit and a substrate material, and Relates to a device.

In general, RF inlays are known in which integrated circuits and antennas are coupled onto several types of substrates. Typically, inlays must be further processed to produce the final product. Such treatment may include the manufacture of a card-shaped device with an additional outer layer of material such as plastic. Inlays, depending on the finishing technique, can be formed in a variety of forms depending on the end use of the product.

In general, integrated circuits are inductively coupled to one or more call signaling devices or readers via an antenna via radio frequency communication. An integrated circuit or chip contains information useful for performing various tasks, one of which is identification information relating to the owner or user of the RF device. In this case, the RF device may be referred to as a radio frequency identification (RFID) device. Not all RF devices necessarily have identification information of the user, and some RF devices include information added by the identification of the user.

The completed form of RF inlay is used in a variety of applications. For example, RF inlays are secure access devices (RFID devices) for computers or computer networks and databases, public transportation, toll road access passes, vending machine payment devices, debit and / or access to credit cards and passports, and the like. It may be used for manufacturing or for other applications that may include identification of the user. Diversification and expansion of user applications for RF devices are also referred to as "smart cards." Some identification applications, such as passports, use RFID inlays or RFID prelams (transponders with lamination) to store identification data and for efficient and rapid transmission of identification data for processing by appropriate government agencies. do. The identification data may include biometric data such as a fingerprint and / or a photograph of the passport holder, as well as information for identifying the holder.

There are many methods for manufacturing RF inlays. In some methods, the substrate of one or more layers is processed in several steps, including hot lamination and / or cold lamination. The assembly of the chip and antenna is bonded to one or more layers, the layers are joined together by an adhesive or by softening the plastic layer, and pressure is joined to each other. In another method, a wire is attached or buried in the form of an antenna in the substrate, and the opposite end of the antenna coil is attached to a terminal of an integrated circuit (IC or chip) or a terminal region of a chip module. In the present specification, the term chip module is used to include an integrated circuit attached to a lead frame having an extended terminal area. The terminal area of the chip is connected to the extended terminal area of the lead frame by means of very small fine wires with a diameter of 20 to 28 microns, or via a conductive adhesive as in the case of flip chips. . Chips and electrical connections to the terminal area of the lead frame are surrounded and protected by an epoxy layer. The combination of the coil of the wire forming the antenna and the chip or chip module is also called a transponder. The wires forming the antenna can be installed completely or partially within the substrate using ultrasonic wire embedding techniques, as is well known to those skilled in the art. The chip or chip module may be fixedly mounted to the substrate by placing on the surface of the substrate or in a recess formed in the substrate. Adhesives may be used to attach the chip or chip module to the substrate. Almost at the same time as embedding the wire in the substrate, bonding can be made to the terminal region of the chip or chip module, either bonding or connecting the ends of the coils of the wire, or in individual or subsequent fabrication steps.

Schematically, a wire used in the manufacture of an RF inlay, the wire embedded by ultrasonic waves in a substrate, having a diameter of 110 to 120 microns and including an outer insulating layer. Since the windings of the wires forming the antenna are so close that they come in close contact, the wires are insulated to prevent shorting of the antenna. In general, the insulating layer consists of polyurethane, polyvinylbutyral, polyamide, polyesterimide, and similar compounds. Thick or larger wires compared to thinner or smaller diameter wires are easier to handle and may have a wider reading range when inductively coupled to a reader. The larger the diameter of the wire, the more robust it is and the easier it is to remove from the RF device without compromising the operation and functionality of the transponder. The ability to remove and reuse transponders creates many security and privacy concerns. For example, if a legitimate transponder subassembly (assembly of a chip or chip module and antenna) is removed from that passport and installed in another illegal passport, a significant security problem arises.

There are many patent documents that disclose devices and methods for the manufacture of RF devices, including the manufacture of inlays. For example, US Pat. Nos. 6,698,089 and 6,233,818 disclose methods for manufacturing RF devices in which at least one chip and one antenna are mounted on a chip mounting substrate. The wire forming the antenna is embedded in the substrate using an ultrasonic generator. As part of the wire embedding process disclosed in these patent documents, an insulated antenna wire is first provided on a substrate. The insulated wire is then guided directly above and away from the terminal region of the RFID chip, embedded in the substrate opposite the chip from the first embedded position, so that the wire is aligned in a straight line between the two fixed positions. Make sure to cross the terminal area immediately. Next, an antenna is formed by embedding the insulated wire on a substrate at a position spaced apart from the chip and terminal region, which is formed by winding the wire a specific number of times. The antenna wire is then guided over the other terminal area of the RFID chip and embedded on the opposite side to secure the other end of the wire to directly cross the other terminal area of the chip. The wire is cut and the embedding head (or embedding tool) is moved to another transponder position on the substrate to repeat the same process. In a subsequent process of manufacture, the portion of the wire passing directly over the terminal region of the RFID chip is interconnected to the terminal region by thermocompression bonding. In another embodiment, the wire is embedded as described above, and then the chip is placed in a predetermined recess, in which the pre-fixed wire and the terminal of the chip contact. Next, the end of the wire is bonded to the terminal region of the chip by thermocompression bonding. In US Pat. No. 6,088,230, the first end of the wire is positioned in contact with the first terminal region of the chip or chip module, adhered to the first terminal region, and then the wire is embedded in the substrate using an embedding tool. A process of forming an antenna and placing a wire over a second terminal region to be bonded to a terminal region of a chip or chip module is disclosed.

While the disclosures in these patent documents may be appropriate for their intended purpose, improved methods are needed to fabricate RF inlays for a variety of applications, including contactless smart cards, other secure access devices, and the like.

In order to improve the security of information stored in integrated circuits installed in transponders, it is desirable to improve fraud prevention techniques. For example, in the case of an electronic passport apparatus, it is desirable to prevent the transponder from being removed from a legitimate passport so that the transponder cannot be used for another illegal passport. In this regard, the present invention may, for example, use a wire having a small diameter of 60 microns or less in diameter. The use of thin wires substantially reduces the ability to successfully remove the chip and antenna assembly from existing products such as passports. For any attempt to remove, the antenna and / or the antenna for the chip or chip module may be Because the linkages seem to be broken. However, with the use of thin wires, the bonding between the wires and the chip terminals becomes important. If thin wires are used, defects may occur during the bonding process, resulting in weakening or defective bonding.

There is also a need to provide an RF and RFID device with improved lifetime and durability. One factor that limits the useful life of such a device is the quality of the electrical connection between the antenna wire and the chip. In order to improve the structural stability of the electrical connection or coupling, it will be necessary to extend the life of the transponder.

In this regard, undesirable oxidation due to impurities at the bonding site can occur over time. For example, by-products of the insulating material produced as part of the process of bonding the insulating wire to the chip or lead frame terminal region or the insulating material on the wire may create impurities at the bonding sites. More specifically, as mentioned above, the wire used to form the antenna may include an external insulator or coating. During a typical manufacturing process, the antenna wire is bonded to the terminal area or bonding pad by high energy thermal compression bonding techniques. This technique forms a local weld that applies a high voltage arc through a thermal bonding head that removes insulating material, while at the same time electrically connecting the wire to a designated terminal. If not all of the insulating material is removed from the wire, the remaining insulating material will degrade the quality of the electrical bond, which in turn will degrade the quality of the electrical connection. In addition, by-products of the insulating material formed from the high temperature bonding process may be trapped in the adhesive site, and may oxidize or degrade the adhesive site over time. Current wire embedding techniques do not allow for accurate localized removal of insulating material due to the possibility of damaging the chip or chip module in a process resulting from the proximity of the embedded wire and terminal regions. In fact, as mentioned above, the prior art is to place the wire directly on top of the terminal area of the chip as part of the wire embedding process. In addition, a larger voltage is required to be used in the thermal bonding process to achieve bonding of the wire to the terminal area and removal of the insulating material than if the wire is insulated. As a result, the thermal bonding heads need to be replaced frequently, thus increasing the manufacturing cost and lowering the production capacity during the head replacement. In addition, even when the insulating material is completely removed, by-products or residues such as hydrocyanic acid or other compounds may remain in the bonding position. One or more of these residues may be oxidized over time, degrading the quality of the adhesion site and reducing the life of the transponder.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing RF and RFID inlays that can prevent fraud by using relatively thin antennas. By making the antenna wire of the smallest size, the removal of the antenna becomes more difficult because attempting to remove the wire can easily break the wire.

Another object of the present invention is to extend the life of RF and RFID devices, which improves the quality of electrical adhesion between the antenna and the chip-monding pads by removing the insulating material from the wire before bonding, and the use of thin antenna wires. To improve.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing an RF or RFID inlay, wherein the inlay of the invention can be included in an existing automated manufacturing process by using well-known manufacturing equipment for manufacturing the inlay. To provide.

According to the present invention, a method and apparatus for manufacturing an RF inlay or similar apparatus are provided. Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of manufacturing an inlay. Another embodiment of the invention is directed to an apparatus or manufacturing equipment used to fabricate an inlay. Yet another embodiment of the present invention is directed to an apparatus for manufacturing an RF inlay, ie, various device components for generating an RF inlay, comprising various subassemblies. In another embodiment, the present invention is directed to an inlay device produced by the method or apparatus of the present invention.

In an apparatus for manufacturing inlays, one or more wire embedding heads, or sonotrodes, are used to partially or completely embed the antenna wire in the substrate. This embedding head can form the wire in any pattern as long as it forms the winding of the antenna. The substrate may accommodate one or a plurality of antennas. One antenna may correspond to one inlay, or two or more antennas may be positioned very close to each other to correspond to one inlay. When two or more antennas are used, a plurality of antennas may be connected to a common chip or chip module, and may be connected to different chips or chip modules to operate independently. When using a plurality of embedding heads, these embedding heads can be operated simultaneously or independently. Once the wire is fully embedded in each transponder position, the wire is cut and the embedding head is moved to the next position or the substrate is moved relative to the embedding head to a new transponder position adjacent to the embedding head. Typically, the chip or chip module is placed on a substrate or in a recess formed in the substrate before embedding the wire in the substrate. However, in this invention, a chip | tip or a chip module can be arrange | positioned during or after the wire embedding process.

The present invention provides a method for embedding a wire in a substrate, which is different from that described in the above-mentioned conventional patent document and other known prior arts. Instead of embedding the wire in one side of the terminal area of the RFID chip or chip module, guide the wire directly above the terminal area, and then insulate the wire in the opposite side of the terminal area of the board to form the antenna, then insulated The wire is placed directly over the second terminal area of the RFID chip and embedded again. The embedding and bonding process begins with a wire adjacent to the terminal region of the chip or chip module and laterally offset from the terminal region, which does not pass over the terminal region. Instead, the wires are embedded in the substrate to form an antenna, with the two ends of the wires forming the antenna not embedded in the substrate. The two ends are arranged at positions adjacent to the terminal area of the chip or chip module and also laterally offset. In one embodiment, these ends of the wire do not have their entirety secured to the substrate. In the next step, after forming the antenna, the end of the wire is moved to a position above or in contact with the terminal area of the chip or chip module. These ends of the wire are not in contact with the terminal area until the antenna is completely formed, and no bonding process is performed until the antenna is completely formed.

In a second embodiment of the invention, a first portion of the wire is embedded in the substrate, with the first portion of the first portion extending out of the substrate. The first portion of the wire is disposed at a position adjacent to the terminal area of the chip or chip module and laterally offset. The next portion of the wire is placed over the substrate without being embedded in the substrate. The next portion of the wire is embedded in the substrate to form the antenna. The next portion of the wire is then disposed along the substrate and not embedded. Finally, a portion of the wire is embedded in the substrate, the last portion of the wire extending out of the substrate. The last two wire parts are arranged in positions laterally and laterally adjacent to the terminal area of the chip or chip module. The wire portions that are laterally offset from the terminal region are rearranged such that some of these portions are positioned on or in contact with the terminal region of the chip or chip module. These wire portions do not contact the terminal area until the antenna is completely formed.

In a third embodiment, the first end of the wire is attached or embedded in the substrate by a relatively short length of approximately 0.5-1.0 centimeters, the length of which may be varied. It is then desirable to turn off the ultrasonic transducer, and the embedded head is raised by a distance from the surface of the substrate. Since the front part of the wire is fixed to the substrate, the other part of the wire, ie the second part, is drawn from the wire source when the embedding head is raised. Subsequently, the embedding head moves parallel to the plane of the substrate, and more of the wire is pulled from the wire source. Subsequently, the embedding head is lowered to a position close to the substrate, the ultrasonic transducer is turned on, and another additional portion of the wire is embedded in the substrate. By turning off the ultrasonic transducer and continuing to move the embedding head, a portion of the wire is not fixed or embedded in the substrate but instead forms a wire in the form of a loop or bridge that extends over the plane of the substrate. Such a loop-shaped wire (hereinafter referred to as a wire loop) is formed at a position laterally offset from the terminal region of the chip or chip module, and the expression of being laterally offset is defined by the positional relationship with respect to the plane of the substrate. Preferably, the wire loop is formed perpendicular to the plane of the substrate, but is not limited thereto. The process of securing the wire or embedding the wire in the substrate continues so that the antenna is formed on or in the substrate, while the second wire in the form of a loop or bridge is likewise formed in a second position on the substrate, but the second position It does not have to be on the opposite side of the chip or chip module from the loop-shaped first wire. In the process of forming two wires in the form of a loop, the two wires are formed at a position offset or spaced apart from the terminal region and the chip so that any portion of the wire is above or in contact with any portion of the chip or terminal region. It is not located.

In subsequent processing, the portion of the insulating material surrounding the antenna wire along the portion of the wire loop is removed. More specifically, in the fourth embodiment, a laser is used to strip the insulating material from the wire along the individual loop portions of the wire. The position at which the insulating material is peeled off from the loop is a portion of the electrical contact with the terminal region or a portion bonded to the terminal region. As mentioned above, the loop is offset or spaced from the terminal area, which loop is neither placed directly above nor in contact with the terminal area of the chip or chip module. This arrangement allows the laser to focus on the wire portion to remove individual portions of the insulating material from the loop without damaging the terminal area or the chip itself. If the wire loop is located directly above, in contact with, or very close to the terminal area of the chip or chip module, the laser may damage the terminal area, resulting in less effective bonding of the wire to the terminal area or deterioration. Adhesion will take place and the chip itself will be damaged.

In the subsequent processing, the apparatus of the present invention includes a wire placement tool used to position the wire loop in a position where the wire loop can be glued to the designated terminal area. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the wire loops are fastened and the wire loops are arranged so that at least a portion of the wire loops are placed directly above and / or in contact with the terminal area or the area where the terminal area of the chip or chip module is finally placed. In order to arrange and adjust, a pair of jaw or fork shaped elements are used. In another preferred embodiment, instead of a fork-shaped element to move or fasten the wire loop, there are provided other means for placing the wire loop in contact with the terminal area, for example a brush or comb device. Can be. Instead of forming a wire loop, a portion of the wire located adjacent to the terminal area is placed on top of the substrate, for example, without being fixed or embedded in the substrate, and then fork-shaped elements such as a brush or carding machine, or Other means or manual placement above the terminal area may be considered. One end of each end of the wire is not attached to the substrate so that each part of the wire can be simply moved to a position where it will contact the corresponding terminal area to which the wire is to be attached.

In a further processing step according to the method and apparatus of the present invention, a bonding element is provided for electrically connecting a portion of a wire positioned above or in contact with a terminal region to a designated terminal region. The bonding process is not done until the antenna is completely formed.

These processing steps may all be performed at a single location or may be performed at multiple locations. For example, a single head element may include an ultrasonic embedding tool and an adhesive tool, which may reposition portions of the wire to be above or in contact with the terminal area. In other embodiments, these tools may be placed on two or more individual heads or on individual tool heads. In yet another embodiment, the substrate may be held in place with the tool and moved to a different position in some or all of these process steps.

Other various features and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the drawings.

1 is a partial perspective view of a processing machine used to fabricate an RF and / or RFID inlay.

2 is an enlarged view of a portion of an RF or RFID inlay that specifically illustrates placement of a chip module disposed on a substrate and an opposite end of an antenna coil adjacent to the chip module.

3 is an enlarged plan view showing the half-time end of the antenna coil fixed to the terminal region of the chip module.

4 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the inlay of FIG. 2 showing an antenna coil and a chip module comprising a portion of the opposite end of the antenna coil configured in a loop form prior to attaching the end to the terminal region.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial perspective view of FIG. 3 showing an inlay where a portion of the opposite end of the antenna coil is fixed to the terminal region of the chip module.

6 is a working part of a processing machine for manufacturing RF and / or RFID inlays, comprising: (i) an embedding tool for securing an antenna coil to a substrate, and (ii) a laser for removing insulating material from insulated wires. And (iii) are schematic diagrams of components showing a wire placement tool for placing an antenna wire loop prior to bonding to the terminal region.

7 and 8 are schematic views of the embedding tool showing a process in which the opposite end of the antenna coil is positioned adjacent to the chip module.

9 is a schematic diagram illustrating another process for fabricating an RF and / or RFID inlay using a laser to remove insulating material from insulated wire forming an antenna coil.

10 is an enlarged elevation view illustrating a laser that peels off an insulating material from a designated position on an insulated wire.

11 is a plan view showing the spatial direction of the laser and the position of the laser beam to peel off the insulating material so as not to damage the chip module.

12 is a partial perspective view of the wire placement tool before engaging the wire loop.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 13-13 of FIG. 12 showing one of the jaw assemblies and their directions with respect to one side of the wire loop to be fastened.

Fig. 14 is an elevation view showing the wire placement tool that is lowered and the lower surface of the jaw assembly is in contact with the wire placement tool and the top surface of the substrate.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 13 showing the back or opposite side of the jaw assembly and showing the jaw assembly in the lowered position of FIG.

16 is an elevational view of the wire placement tool after the wire loops are fastened and placed by the jaw assembly movement.

FIG. 17 is an elevation view of the wire placement tool in the position of the tool shown in FIG. 16. FIG.

18 is a perspective view illustrating a jaw assembly in which the fastening is released from the wire loop after the wire loop is disposed.

FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram of a thermal bonding head performing thermal compression bonding between an antenna wire and a terminal region of a chip or chip module and, as a result, an exposed conductor of the wire portion and an electrical connection between each terminal region.

20 is a schematic diagram of an embedding tool, such as a sonorod, having the remainder of the wire extending from the end of the previously cut capillary after completing the wire placement in the RF device.

FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram of the embedding tool in an elevated position, wherein the wire is further discharged from the embedding tool than the wire in FIG. 20. FIG.

FIG. 22 is an enlarged plan view showing a portion of another RF or RFID inlay, wherein the opposite ends of the antenna coils located adjacent to the chip module are not formed as loops, but are formed with angled extensions and offset or spaced from the terminal area. .

FIG. 23 is a view showing an extension portion disposed on the terminal by the action of a brush or carding machine so that the angled extension portion can be thermally bonded to the terminal region.

While the chip module may be shown in the figures or disclosed in the specification or the scope of the appended claims, it should be understood that the chip may be replaced by the chip module (or vice versa) without departing from the scope of the present invention. 1 to 23 are insulated unless otherwise specified. However, in the present invention, non-insulated wires can be used to avoid short circuits. In this case, the step of removing the insulating material can be omitted.

1 illustrates one embodiment of a processing apparatus or machine 10 for manufacturing an RF and / or RFID inlay. The machine 10 may include a power drive group 12 and a flexible communication bus 14. The bus carries operating instructions from a computer processor (not shown) and powers the operating components of the machine. For example, the bus 14 may facilitate the transfer of electronic signals between the processor and the working element 16 of the machine generating the inlay. As described below, the work element 16 may include one or more embedding tools, lasers, wire cutting tools, and groups or combinations of thermal bonding heads. The working element 16 moves transversely across the support table 24 which holds the substrate 26 forming the body of the inlay. In the case of the machine of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the transverse rails 18 cause the work elements 16 to move transversely across the substrate 26. The longitudinal frame 20 fixed to the transverse rail 18 allows the machine to move longitudinally along the longitudinal rail 22. The dashed line 28 represents the expected area where each inlay will be formed on the common substrate 20. Reference numeral 30 denotes a chip or chip module that is previously placed on the substrate, or indicates a recess in which the chip or chip module will be placed in the future. As mentioned above, each inlay device includes one or more transponders, the transponders comprising an integrated circuit chip or chip module and a wire antenna coupled to the chip or chip module. The CNC or similar controller controls the relative positioning and movement of the working element 16 relative to the substrate 26.

2 and 3, a portion of an RF or RFID inlay device (hereinafter simply referred to as "device") is shown. According to the invention, the device is generally made of a substrate 26, chip module 34, made of a thermoplastic material or other material that accommodates wire embedding (or a layer of material that accommodates wire bonding, such as an adhesive layer). And an antenna element formed by the continuous wire 32. The chip module 34 of known configuration comprises an integrated circuit 36 and at least a pair of terminal pads or terminal regions 40. The bonding pads 38 formed in the integrated circuit 36 are electrically connected to the terminal region 40 by one or more very small leads or conductors 42. The protective layer 44 made of a material such as epoxy covers the integrated circuit 36, a part of each terminal region 40, and the connecting conductor 42. Alternatively, the chip module may be constructed and assembled in other ways known to those skilled in the art, or the integrated circuit 36 may be used alone instead of the chip module 34, in which case the antenna wire 32 is directly bonded to the bonding pad 86.

Some of the insulated wires 32 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are opposite ends of the wires forming the antenna, and will be more readily understood with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. During manufacture, some of the opposite ends of the wire are formed in the form of loops or bridges on the surface of the substrate, as shown in FIG. Subsequently, a wire loop is disposed from the positions shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 to the positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. A portion of each wire loop is bonded to each terminal region 40 at the bonding point 48. As shown in FIG. 2, there is a distinct lateral offset or gap between the wire 32 and the terminal region 40, as indicated by the distance D, which is where the wire is positioned or positioned on the substrate. As attached, it is not guided or arranged over or in contact with the terminal area 40. In a preferred embodiment, only after the wires 32 are completely attached to the substrate to form the antenna, the wire loops are arranged so that some of them adhere to the terminal area. Nevertheless, it should be understood that the wire loop may be placed before the wire embedding process is completed. However, with respect to the first embodiment, both ends of the wire loop must be fixed in such a way that it is embedded or attached to the point 46 of the substrate before the wire loop can be placed. If only one end is fixed in place and the other end is not fixed in any way to the substrate, the placement of the wire loop will not work in a reliable or repeatable manner. As can be appreciated with respect to other embodiments, one end of the wire may be loosened or not secured to the substrate.

4 and 5, an apparatus of the present invention is shown wherein an antenna element is formed in a plurality of tracks or in coils 50 arranged concentrically. In FIG. 4, the opposite ends of the wires 32 are formed in the form of loops 47 extending substantially perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate and adjacent to the chip module 34 but not located on any part of the chip module. do. By using small diameter wires, the loops will not extend perpendicular to the substrate, but will occupy different positions. By means of the loops 47 protruding from the chip module and their spatial arrangement, a selected portion of insulating material can be removed from the wire prior to the electrical adhesion of the wire to the terminal area. In FIG. 5, the insulated wire 32 is disposed at a position where the wire loop is directly above or in contact with the terminal area 40. A portion of the wire loop is then thermally bonded to the terminal region to form an electrical connection.

6 shows in detail the working element 16 of the machine 10. The working element 16 includes one or more embedding tools 52 that are used to completely or partially embed the insulating wire 32 in the substrate 26. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embedding tool 52 uses high frequency or ultrasonic vibration to embed the insulated wire in the substrate. The embedding tool moves to a preprogrammed pattern under the control of a processor or controller to form an antenna of a desired shape or pattern. In FIG. 6, the insulating wire 32 is discharged from the tip 53 of the embedding tool. Insulated wire that has been drained but not yet attached to the substrate 26 is indicated by the reference numeral 54. A tube 55 located adjacent to the embedding tool can be used to supply an air stream to cool the embedding head. The other working element 16 includes one or more lasers 56 used to remove the insulating material from the insulated wire, and the wire loops in the positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 so that the wires can be fixed to the terminal area. One or more wire placement tools 58 and a wire cutter (not shown) to cut the wire and move the machine relative to the substrate to form the next antenna. The work elements 16 may be moved together into a single group to make inlays, and various combinations of the work elements 16 may be formed at different locations or separately at different locations to form a common or separate substrate 26. It is possible to produce the series of inlays most effectively.

Since the antenna is a single continuous insulated wire, the embedding tool 52 must move in a predetermined pattern so that the wire can be discharged to form a wire loop and concentric windings without affecting the continuity of the wire. . Thus, in manufacturing the antenna, the first step of the present process is to form one loop 47 with respect to the plane of the substrate 26 that is substantially close to the chip module 34 but is not laterally offset in the lateral direction. will be. Next, the wire is attached to the substrate in the form of an antenna pattern, and the embedding tool forms a second loop 47 substantially adjacent but not offset to the opposite side of the chip module. It is to be understood that the position of the wire loop to be formed is a position substantially close to the position to which each wire loop is to be attached in each terminal region. After forming the second loop, the insulation wire is cut and the embedding tool 52 is moved to the next position of the substrate for forming the next antenna, where the embedding tool and the substrate are capable of relative movement in various combinations.

7 and 8 show a series of operations of the embedding tool 52 for forming the second loop of the pair of loops 47, this process is substantially the same as for forming the first loop. It should be understood that they are the same. Looking from left to right in FIG. 7, a sequence is shown for discharging the wire from the embedding tool 52, embedding the insulated wire 32 into the substrate 26, and moving the embedding tool 52 upwards. By moving the embedding tool upwards, the insulating wire is raised to a specified height H on the top surface of the substrate 26, at a specified height corresponding to the desired distance to form a wire loop 47 of generally known length. Move the burial tool horizontally. 8, the embedding tool 52 is moved downwards, turns on the ultrasonic source, and the end of the wire is embedded in the substrate 26 by a predetermined length. At this point, the insulation wire can be cut and the embedding tool can be moved to the next position on the substrate to form the next antenna pattern. The embedding tool forms the first loop 47 in the same sequence as described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. However, rather than cutting the wire after forming the loop, the embedding tool continues to embed the wire to form the second loop with the antenna. As mentioned above in connection with this embodiment, the wire must be attached or otherwise secured to point 46 of the substrate, which is on either side of the wire loop, so that the wire loop can be placed in subsequent processing.

9 to 11 show the insulating material removal feature of the present invention in accordance with the operation. In order to improve the quality of the electrical junction between the antenna and the chip or chip module, it is desirable to remove some of the insulating material surrounding the metal conductor, especially when using small diameter wires of less than 60 microns. The laser 56 generates a laser beam or an ultraviolet beam that abuts a predetermined portion of the loop 47 to remove the selected amount of insulating material. As shown in FIG. 10, the laser beam 57 is set in a direction for removing a designated portion of the insulating material 72, thereby exposing the metal conductor 74 therein. As shown in FIG. 11, the circular pattern 76 shows the board | substrate part which the laser beam 57 touches. The size and shape of the beam emitted by the laser can be modified to meet system requirements and spatial constraints. Since the laser beam 57 does not touch any part of the chip or chip module 34, no damage is caused to the chip or chip module or their respective terminal areas. The gap or distance D between the insulated wire and the chip module ensures that the insulating material can be reliably removed without contaminating or damaging the bonding point by the controlled use of the laser. The laser 56 is moved from one loop to the next in order to process each loop sequentially. If desired, a protective jacket or shroud (not shown) may be used with the laser 56 to prevent unintentional reflection of the laser light towards the operator of the chip module or equipment. In addition, it may be desirable to place a temporary protective pad (not shown) just below the wire loop processed by the laser so that the laser does not burn through holes or otherwise damage the substrate unrecoverably. Can be. The protective pad can be installed in a controllable arm that is engaged with the work element 16, which can be placed and withdrawn while the laser is operating. As a result of the previous process, the location on the substrate where the insulating material is completely removed from the defined portion of the wire, from which removal any residues or by-products are removed by the laser and completely removed from the terminal area of the chip and / or chip module. Can be arranged without affecting anything else.

12-18, the operation | movement of the wire arrangement tool 58 is shown. 12 to 14, the wire placement tool 58 includes (i) a frame 60, (ii) a pair of vertical supports 62, (iii) a pair of jaw assemblies 63, and ( Iii) a pair of springs 68. The jaw assembly 63 includes a pair of spaced jaws 64, respectively. A spring 68 rotates the jaw assembly 63 around each pin 70. Each jaw 64 includes a notch 66 that engages the loop 47, as mentioned below. The wire placement tool 58 is moved downward from the position in FIG. 12 so that the lower edge of the jaws 64 comes into contact with the upper surface of the substrate 26 as shown in FIG. When the jaw assembly 63 comes into contact with the substrate, the pair of jaws 64 rotates around each other around the pin 7 so that the lower surface of the pair of jaws is in contact with the top surface of the substrate 26. Are arranged in the same plane. Referring to FIG. 15, the center arch 65 of each jaw assembly 63 allows the jaw assembly to move towards the chip or chip module, so that no other part of the jaw or jaw assembly touches the chip or chip module. Therefore, it is not necessary to change the position of the chip or the chip module by the movement of jaws. 16 and 17, the jaws are moved toward each other such that each loop 47 is engaged with one of the pair of jaws, and the wire loops are secured to the notches 66. The loop is arranged by each movement of jaws towards the terminal region of the chip or chip module. More specifically, the wire comprising the loop 47 is bent or deformed as the jaws move inwards. As best shown in FIG. 3, the shape of the modified loop is based on the position of the buried or fixed region 46 and of the jaw assembly 63 which bends the loop at positions 49 and 46. It includes three linear portions that are distinguishable due to the shape of the notch 66. Thus, the loop is disposed at a position directly above the terminal region 40 and in contact with at least a portion of the terminal region.

Referring to Figure 18, the jaw assembly is released and is positioned in a position where a wire loop can be glued to each corresponding terminal region. In a preferred embodiment, the movement inward or inward of the opposing jaws is limited by an adjustable physical stop. This stop prevents the jaws from moving too much. If the jaws move too much, the portion of the wire fixed at the point 46 of the substrate is released, resulting in a disposition of the wire loop with respect to the terminal area of the chip or chip module. It can be wrong. The wire portion forming each loop 47 and its height H, together with the shape of the jaws, define the maximum distance the jaws 64 can move. As should be appreciated, the distance D at which the wire 32 is offset from the chip module 34 can be adjusted by adjusting the height H and / or length of the wire loop.

19, another working element 16, ie a thermal bonding head 80, is shown. This thermal bonding head is used to electrically bond the loops 47 arranged on each terminal region 40. In FIG. 19, the thermal bonding head 80 is shown to squeeze one of the loops 47 in contact with one of the terminal regions 40. The thermal bonding head generates enough voltage to electrically connect the loop to the terminal region. Like the laser 56, the bonding head 80 is moved from one bonding position to the next bonding position to sequentially bond each loop to the corresponding terminal area.

20 shows an example of an embedding device such as an ultrasonic sonotrode 90. The sonot rod includes a manifold 92 for receiving the capillary 94 and a compressed air channel 96 connected to the capillary 94. The wire 32 is routed through a capillary tube so that it can be fed from the distal tip 98 of the sonot rod. Wire clamping mechanism 102 regulates the supply of wire. The clamping mechanism jaws are in close contact with each other, thereby interrupting the supply of wires. When the jaws are open, the rate at which the wire is discharged from the capillary can be controlled by compressed air.

When finished placing the wire in the RF device described above, the wire 32 is cut to extend the remainder of the wire 100 from the distal tip of the embedding tool. This remaining amount is equal to the distance and length between the embedding tool and the cutting tool (not shown). The rest of the wire is used for the next RF location to manufacture.

Referring to FIG. 21, the embedding device is shown in a raised position relative to the substrate. The length of the remaining portion of the wire is longer than that shown in FIG. 20. The length of the wire is further lengthened by causing the wire to be pushed out of the small note rod by the air channel 96. Alternatively, the wire may be embedded or attached to the substrate, and by moving the sononote rod, an additional portion of the wire is pulled from the wire source.

22 shows another method for constructing the end of the antenna coil. According to this method, the ends of the antenna coils can be sequentially arranged at the positions electrically connected to the terminal region 40. As shown in FIG. 22, the ends of the coil wire 104 are disposed from angular coils to angular extensions and do not contact any part of the chip module 34. Instead, the ends of the coil wires are only disposed at positions on the substrate adjacent to the chip module. These angled extensions can be formed so that the ultrasonic heads are moved simultaneously and the wires are discharged from the device by the air channel 96. When this portion of the wire is placed on the substrate, it forms a coil 50. Subsequently, another portion of the wire is placed to form an angled second extension. In addition, the wire end 104 may have a very small length embedded to help stabilize the position of a portion of the wire prior to repositioning and bonding to the terminal area.

In the next step of the manufacturing process, the angled extension is moved to a position above the terminal area, as shown in FIG. 23, for interconnection with the terminal area. If any part of the wire end 104 is embedded, the force of the element that arranges the wire end overcomes the embedding force. The extension part which has an angle is arrange | positioned by the action of a brush or a carding machine, like rotating the brush or carding machine 106. The brush or carding machine 106 may be another element included in the group of action elements 16. Alternatively, the angled extension can be captured and rotated in place. Capturing can be done manually by a machine, apparatus, or operator. If the angled extension is disposed above the terminal area, the wire ends can be thermally glued, as described above. Thus, according to the manufacturing method shown in Figs. 22 and 23, it is not necessary to form a loop, but instead extends an end disposed on the upper end of the substrate, rotates it into position, and then glues it. As described in connection with removing the insulating material from the wire, the angled soft portion is spaced apart from the chip module so that the insulating material is angled without damaging the chip module or any other portion of the inlay or transponder. It can be removed from the extension.

One possible sequence for placing the antenna as shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 22 and 23 includes the following procedure: First, a portion of the wire extends from the embedding head to form an angled first extension. The wire end 104 of the angled first extension may simply be disposed on the substrate, or a portion having a very small length may be embedded in the substrate. The embedding tool then angles and traverses across the substrate such that the wire is not placed on any portion of the chip module and is offset from the chip module. This embedding tool moves around the substrate, arranges concentric coils, and forms an antenna. When the last coil is formed, the embedding tool moves in an angled direction, forming an angled second extension. The burial tool does not traverse over any part of the chip module. In the illustrated embodiment, the insulated wire is cut at a position where the angled extensions have substantially the same length and directions of substantially the same angle with respect to the opposite side of the terminal area. However, the angled extensions may have different lengths and / or directions if the repositioning device can contact the terminal area to position the wires. Subsequently, in order to electrically connect the angled extension to the chip module, a device such as a brush or carding machine 106 is used to arrange the angled extension over a designated portion of the chip module, such as the terminal area.

The advantages of the present invention are clear. Using a laser that effectively removes all insulating material from a designated portion of the wire loop, it will provide a manufacturing process for manufacturing an RF inlay or transponder device that can achieve improved electrical bonding between the terminal area of the chip module and the antenna. Can be. By creating a protruding loop spaced apart from the chip module, the laser can operate without damaging not only the chip module but also any part of the inlay or transponder device. Thus, small diameter insulated wire can be used which reduces the use of the final RF device physically unjustly. The working elements of the processing machine can be integrated into one group so that a single processing machine can be used to fully manufacture the inlay, eliminating the need to add additional processing machines or non-working manufacturing parts. Alternatively, the processing tools can be placed individually in different assemblies or individually placed in the same position.

Since the insulating material is removed from the antenna wire before the antenna wire is adhered to the terminal area, the thermal bonding head can be operated at a low voltage, and the life of the thermal compression bonding head can be extended. In addition, lower voltages are more suitable for small diameter wires and facilitate the use of such wires. The low voltage can be used to properly bond the antenna wire to the terminal, without the complete breakdown of the wire conductors that may be caused by the head operating at the high voltage.

While the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, it should be understood that various other changes and modifications may be made to the invention in accordance with the scope of the following claims.

Claims (20)

A method of manufacturing a radio frequency inlay, Providing a substrate forming a substrate plane, an integrated circuit disposed in the recess formed on or on the substrate, and a pair of terminal regions associated with the integrated circuit; And Attaching a wire to the substrate to form an antenna, wherein (i) attaching a first portion of the wire at a position laterally offset and spaced apart from one terminal region of the terminal region on the substrate, consisting of a portion of the first portion of the wire and extending above the plane of the substrate; Forming a first wire loop to form; (Ii) attaching a second portion of the wire to the substrate to form a winding of the antenna; And (Iii) attach a third portion of the wire at a position laterally offset and spaced apart from the other one of the terminal regions on the substrate, the portion of the second portion of the wire being above the plane of the substrate; A wire attaching step comprising forming an extending second wire loop Method of manufacturing a radio frequency inlay comprising a. The method of claim 1, Attaching the wire to the substrate comprises partially or completely embedding the wire in the substrate. The method of claim 1, A portion of the first wire loop is disposed over at least a portion of one terminal region of the pair of terminal regions, and a portion of the second wire loop is over at least a portion of the other terminal region of the pair of terminal regions Placing the first wire loop and the second wire loop to be disposed. The method of claim 3, Electrically bonding a portion of the first wire loop and a portion of the second wire loop to a corresponding terminal region, respectively. The method of claim 1, The wire is insulated, And processing to remove insulating material from the first wire loop and a portion of the second wire loop, thereby exposing a conductor of the wire beneath thereof. The method of claim 5, And said processing step includes applying a laser beam to said portion to be exposed. The method of claim 6, The insulation of the first wire loop and the second wire loop, the laser, and the terminal region by the operation of the laser to remove the insulating material from the wire, so that the beam of the laser does not reach the terminal region. The method of manufacturing a radio frequency inlay further comprising the step. The method of claim 3, Wherein the first wire loop and the second wire loop are disposed by a mechanical device. The method of claim 8, The mechanical device is a brush or carding machine. In the method of manufacturing a radio frequency inlay, Disposing a chip or chip module having a terminal region on a surface of the substrate or in a recess formed in the substrate; Forming a first wire loop extending over a surface of the substrate, wherein the first wire loop is formed at a position offset from the chip or chip module without being directly over or in contact with the chip or chip module; Forming a first wire loop; Partially or completely embedding a portion of a wire in the substrate, wherein the portion of the wire is electrically connected to the first wire loop; Moving the first wire loop to a position directly above or in contact with the terminal area; And Electrically connecting the first wire loop to the terminal region Method of manufacturing a radio frequency inlay comprising a. The method of claim 10, Removing electrically insulating material from the first wire loop before electrically connecting the first wire loop to the terminal region. The method of claim 11, Using a laser to remove the insulating material. The method of claim 12, Positioning the laser such that the beam of the laser reaches a portion of the first wire loop and does not reach the terminal region. The method of claim 10, Forming a second wire loop extending over the surface of the substrate, And wherein the second wire loop is formed at a position offset from the second terminal region without directly above or contacting a second terminal region associated with the chip or chip module. The method of claim 14, Moving the second wire loop to a position directly above or in contact with the second terminal region; And Electrically connecting the second wire loop to the second terminal region. The method of claim 14, Prior to electrically connecting the second wire loop to the second terminal region, removing the insulating material from the second wire loop. The method of claim 10, Forming the first wire loop and a portion of the wire from successive wires. The method of claim 14, Forming the first wire loop, the second wire loop, and a portion of the wire from a continuous wire. A substrate forming a substrate plane; An integrated circuit disposed on the substrate or in a recess formed on the substrate; A pair of terminal regions located adjacent said integrated circuit in association with said integrated circuit; And A wire attached to the substrate to form an antenna Including; The wire further comprises: a first portion that is laterally offset and spaced from one of the terminal regions and forms a first wire loop; A second portion embedded in the substrate to form a winding of the antenna; And a third portion laterally offset and spaced apart from the other one of said terminal regions, said second portion forming a second wire loop. The method of claim 19, Wherein the first wire loop and the second wire loop are disposed on the substrate.

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